Daily Archives: July 6, 2011
Man who is high on bath salts burns his “possessed” 5 year old!
Brian Moylan —Johnny Salazar was arrested in Arizona yesterday after he burned his 5-year-old son’s hand and wrist with a lighter thinking he was possessed. Of course he did this because he was on America’s favorite gonzo drug, bath salts. When will people cut the bath salts out, already?
Apparently Salazar saw his son touch his mother’s Bible, which meant the kid was possessed which meant he had to burn him with a Bic to save him. It all makes perfect sense! At least in Salazar’s twisted mind. Now both of his children are living with their mother, who shares custody of the two boys.
When are people going to realize that bath salts make you do really fucked up shit? If you’re not setting your kid on fire, then you’re killing a goat in your panties or running from the cops thinking you’re made of electricity. Seriously, everyone, cut this out. It’s sad when you make using meth seem like an intelligent alternative.
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This is the reason I don’t get high when children are around. We all know children are possessed when they’ve touched a Bible, right?! And the only time anyone has the gall to do anything is when they’re high. Therefore, kids (ones who touch Bibles) and bath salts (or any drugs for that matter), do NOT mix.
Source: http://gawker.com/5818266/man-high-on-bath-salts-burns-his-possessed-5+year+old
iPhone 5 has a release date set for September
Today, The Wall Street Journal independently confirmed reports that the next generation iPhone will be on the way in the third quarter of this year. According to sources close to the supply line, Apple’s next iPhone is expected to trim down the famously svelte iPhone 4, making it both lighter and thinner than the current model. While plenty of other technology outlets had published similar details previously, the credible new report solidifies what we can expect from Apple’s next generation smartphone.
While we still don’t know if the device will be named the iPhone 5 or the iPhone 4S, such significant improvements point to the former, which would make it an entirely new model, unlike the upgrade from iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS.
The report also suggests that the next iPhone will have a camera upgraded to 8 megapixels, a resolution boost up from the iPhone 4′s 5-megapixel sensor and a confirmation of an earlier rumor from Bloomberg. Bloomberg’s sources also suggested that the smartphone will sport the same powerful A5 processor as the iPad, which would yield a significant a speed boost for the device.
Yesterday serial Apple secret-leaker DigiTimes suggested that Pegatron, a Taiwanese component manufacturer, will ready 15 million of Apple’s elusive next-generation phones for a September launch. According to The Wall Street Journal’s new information, Apple intends to move 25 million units of its new iPhone by the year’s end.
Since Apple remained mum on the next iPhone during its big June event, evidence continues to pile up indicating that the company’s next hot gadget will be hitting stores this fall.
Traveler is shot with arrows by Papau New Guinea tribesmen!
A group of Papua New Guinean tribesman hunted a foreign couple through the forest to a river, then shot them with arrows and pelted them with rocks, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Matt Scheurich, a 28-year-old New Zealander, was struck in the chest and stomach by arrows as the tribesmen attempted to molest his french girlfriend, an anthropologist, last month.
Tours to villages in PNG’s remote highlands, which are marketed as unique opportunities to visit fascinating indigenous communities, are becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, violence is perhaps the only common theme among native cultures.
PNG’s terrain is so rough that many villages have entirely different traditions and languages than their neighbors. One rite of passage many of these peoples shared (and may still share in places) is headhunting: Young men are not considered adult until they kill an enemy in battle and behead him. Think of it as a strange combination bar mitzvah and bris.
While Scheurich’s head was probably not the prize the tribesmen were after, it can be inferred that their intentions were probably not benign.
Meeting diverse peoples has become a priority for international travelers – no doubt a positive development – but talking to strangers can be risky even for adults. Not all savages are noble (and some nobles are savage).
The premium placed on the exotic has driven a certain sort of person to take increasingly extreme risks as the beaten path has gotten beaten wider and wider. India is easy, so travelers head to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is peaceful, so they move on to Borneo. Borneo is accessible, so travelers look to PNG.
PNG is incredibly dangerous. Hurrah.
The U.S. State Department recommends that visitors take precautions before traveling in the highlands and in the capital Port Moresby, which is basically Mos Eisley on the ocean.
Apparently an addendum should be added to those recommendations advising visitors to cover their tracks.
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Okay, so I’ve heard many things about Papau New Guinea, including a tribe that has young men eat the semen of the older tribesmen to enter into adulthood; To me, that just sounds like a blowjob, but whatever. Now I hear that they are HUNTING tourists?! I am no longer interested (nor was I ever) in visiting this place. I’d much rather play video games about hunting than actually be hunted. I’d also like for my 13 year old boy (if I had one) to just get a shaky voice as he’s entering manhood and not have to deal with sucking off his elders.
Court has ordered the US to halt DADT discharges!
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’s day are numbered!
Well, for now, at least, because a panel of three judges from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled unanimously today in favor of the Log Cabin Republicans’ Lawsuit asking for an injunction stopping any and all discharges of openly gay servicemembers.
“Appellants/cross-appellees state that the process of repealing Section 654 is well underway, and the preponderance of the armed forces are expected to have been trained by mid-summer,” they wrote in their decision. “The circumstances and balance of hardships have changed, and appellants/cross-appellees can no longer satisfy the demanding standard for issuance of a stay.”
Activists from coast-to-coast are thrilled with the news, especially since the military has continued discharges, even after DADT was officially repealed.
“Today’s decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is most welcomed. It’s the hope of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network that this favorable ruling will not be challenged by the Defense Department,” said Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.
Alexander Nicholson, executive director for Servicemembers United, also released a statement, “With the wait for certification dragging out beyond a reasonable time frame, the Court has once again stepped in to require the Pentagon to stop enforcing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ and this time it very well may be for good.”
He was sure to warn, however, that “servicemembers should still remain extremely cautious with information regarding their sexual orientation for the time being. The issue remains in a state of flux, although guarded optimism is certainly warranted.”
Human Rights Campaign, meanwhile, had this to say: “Today’s decision is a harbinger that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ is on its way out. With troops trained on the new policy and senior military leaders having said the process is working without significant disruption, DADT is on its last legs. The time for certification is now in order to clearly and plainly wipe this damaging law off the books once and for all.”
A different set of judges had previously ordered a stay of LCR’s injunction. The court has also set oral argument appeals for the week of August 29th.
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This is an awesome accomplishment for many of those out there fighting for this cause! For far too long have gays and lesbians been serving in the military to fight this country that allowed freedom and rights to its citizens. Unfortunately, they were fighting for a country that would rather not acknowledge who they were, and if they did, they would be dismissed (dishonorably) from duty. I never understood how a country that was gaining so much from people could treat those same individuals so poorly. I feel a little better about the America that is forming than the previous country that was stuck a century behind.
Another reason I find this particularly great is because there are so many young gay/lesbian kids whose parents refuse to speak with, or help once they discover that they are homosexuals. Some of these kids don’t know where to go and don’t have a place to go. The military seems like a great solution because it gives a sense of purpose, food, clothing, shelter, companionship, and things that they had lacked from their parents who brought them into this world. In some cases, it may be the only solution out there for young gay teens. Congratulations to those gays/lesbians in the armed forces!
Casey Anthony Wants More Children?!
On the eve of her sentencing that could set her free for the first time in nearly three years, a look back at Casey Anthony’s jailhouse letters show that the 25-year-old may have more children upon her release.
“I had a dream not too long ago that I was pregnant,” wrote Casey Anthony in one of more than 50 letters she sent to fellow inmate Robyn Adams between 2008 and 2009 when the two were housed in the Orlando County Jail in Florida.
“It was like having Cays all over again,” she wrote, referring to her dead daughter, Caylee. “I’ve thought about adopting, which even sounds weird to me saying it, but there are so many children that deserve to be loved.”
The letters were released in April 2010 by prosecutors preparing for Casey Anthony’s trial. In more than 250 handwritten pages, Casey Anthony discusses life behind bars, what she misses most about her old life and what she hopes to do when she’s released.
Casey Anthony, 25, was found not guilty Tuesday of murdering her daughter Caylee and could be released as early as Thursday depending on her sentencing on four guilty counts of giving false information to law enforcement.
In one undated letter among the document dump, Anthony writes to Adams, “Let’s make a deal ? let’s get pregnant together ? if it’s really possible to plan it.”
Some of the letters may also provide a glimpse into what Casey Anthony may do with the money some speculate she could make from a book deal or a movie deal.
(A photograph, of Casey Anthony, left, and her daughter Caylee is displayed on a monitor during the Casey Anthony murder trial at the Orange County Courthouse, in Orlando, Fla., June 14, 2011.)
“No matter how much money I have someday, all I want to do is live comfortably, not worrying about bills, food or even a few clothes,” wrote Casey Anthony. “Everything in moderation and modesty.”
In one letter she refers to a book she has dreams of writing, describing it as a “partial memoir/comedy/relationship advice book for those not in the know.”
“It’s a way to settle many rumors and to share my insight about love, life and most important – God,” she wrote. “Who knows.”
Casey Anthony also makes a veiled reference to starting her own business, though she never specifies what kind, writing to Adams, “When are we going to sit on the beach, drinking cocktails and planning our future business?”
She even expresses a desire to give money to charity.
“I want to donate money to charities, leukemia research, breast cancer, cervical cancer,” she wrote.
Many of the letters focus on products Casey Anthony writes she misses. She would often admit how “vain” it makes her look to crave things as trivial as a tweezer to pluck her eyebrows or a hair dryer to do her hair.
“I can’t wait to get my teeth whitened and to use my regular toothbrush/toothpaste/shampoo, conditioner,” she wrote. “I still have no desire to wear heels unless the occasion calls for it. but converse, boots and REAL flipflops? Ah! And hats, regular ball caps.”
“Sunglasses. Underwear, that fits!” she continues, “Is that vain? Should I not look forward to these things?”
Also on Casey Anthony’s jailhouse wish list are manicures and pedicures which in one letter she refers to as being just “around the corner.”
“Color on my toesies and acrylic nails — yes please,” she wrote. “I want to embrace the many joys of being a lady.”
“And girl,” she wrote to Adams, “I could use a day at Target myself. Just to walk around the store, to be a part of society. I want to go grocery shopping.”
And for those who wonder how Casey Anthony will re-enter society after a trial that gripped the nation, even she may have thought about the difficulty of living a normal life.
“If you could change your name to any name, what would it be?” she wrote in one of her earlier letters. “I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.”
“Ideas? many ideas.”
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/casey-anthony-children/story?id=14009375#.ThTHR-m1F2t.twitter
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This is sad and I hope in all hell that no one decides to adopt a child out to her. I mean, the woman got a tattoo “Beautiful Life” while her daughter was “missing”. She KNEW her daughter was dead (regardless of whether she’s truly innocent or not), and got a tattoo expressing happiness, beauty and being care free. I just can’t fathom the idea of Casey Anthony caring for ANY child, yet alone, another one of her own.
A Picasso Drawing Stolen by a Man Who Fled in a Cab
Brian Moylan —A well-dressed man walked into a San Francisco art gallery, took a $200,000 Picasso drawing off the wall, and walked out of the gallery and escaped in a waiting cab. Was that part of the plan or did we just find the least lucky cab driver/accessory to theft ever?
The drawing in question, “Tête de Femme (Head of a Woman),” is a cubist pencil drawing on a standard size piece of paper, so it’s small enough for someone to easily walk out of a gallery with it. What’s harder to imagine is why no one said anything as he just picked it up and took off. I don’t spend much time in art galleries, but I would think this would be a bit out of the ordinary.
The heist took place at the Weinstein Gallery, which tries to make famous works of art accessible to the public in the tourist-heavy Union Square section of town. The Picasso was hanging between a Chagall and a Dalí, neither of which were touched. But what kind of idiot allows the general populace easy access to art? Didn’t they know the rabble would do something like this? This is why we can’t have nice things!
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At first I was in awe that someone walked into a museum and was able to steal this drawing, hail a cab and get away unnoticed. Now I’m wondering what security was like and why there would be such valuable artworks in an area that is unsupervised? I mean, it’s not like this artwork could be easily replaced.
Then I started thinking about how ridiculous it is that this asshole did something like this. Museums and such places should be able to be visited without the worry that some idiot is going to do something like this! There’s a reason that most people have to pay now to get into places and why security cameras are being found everywhere. You’re ruining good things for the rest of us, and that pisses me off. Although, if it were me…I would have gone for the Dali piece 
White House staff gets raises, the rest of us didn’t…
The White House released its annual salary report last week, and as usual, it’s nice to work for Barack Obama: Most staffers who were there for more than a year got a salary bump. A bigger one than you did.
The last time we checked in on White House salaries, we found that an astonishing 75% of continuing staffers got raises from 2009-2010—a huge number given the fact that, according to compensation experts, most companies had skipped routine raises that year in reaction to the economic crisis that the White House was busy failing to solve. This time around—from 2010 to 2011—the ratio is a little less dramatic. Of the 270 White House staffers who have been there for more than a year, 146—or 54%—received raises. The average salary increase was 8%. If you look at only staffers who got raises, the average increase was twice that.
That’s a much bigger raise than the average white-collar worker got. According to a survey conducted last year by the human resources consulting firm Mercer, most firms were projecting a 3% increase in base pay for executives. White House workers did nearly three times as well. Overall, it should be noted, the White House’s salary budget contracted slightly, from $38.8 million to $37.1 million, largely because the number of staffers fell. The average salary also dropped from $82,721, or 65% above the median household income, to $81,765—or 65% above the median household income.
But high turnover left plenty of room for White House staffers climb up the ladder and snag huge pay boosts. One of Obama’s first acts as president was to freeze the salaries of all White House officials earning more than $100,000 because “during this period of economic emergency, families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington.” Two years later, he extended that policy to all federal workers, using the same logic: “Small businesses and families are tightening their belts. Their government should too.” But the across-the-board freeze didn’t take effect until January 1, 2011, so the most recent report (which goes back to July 2010) features some eye-opening raises, like special assistant to the president for economic policy Matthew Vogel’s $59,000, 82% raise to an annual salary of $130,500, or director of African American media Kevin Lewis’ $36,000, 86% pay hike.
Both of those were accompanied by title changes indicating that the bigger paychecks came along with new duties. But almost half of the raises doled out by the White House in the last year—59, or 40% of all raises—weren’t accompanied by new job descriptions. One of them—special assistant and associate counsel to the president Michael Gottlieb’s 14% pay bump from $114,000 to $130,500—was a clear violation of Obama’s freeze on salaries over $100,000.
The White House says that many of those positions are considered nonpolitical jobs that come with their own pay schedules, and that what matters is that the total budget and average salary are decreasing slightly. But that doesn’t change the fact that White House staffers who stick it out are being rewarded, on average, for their continued service at a rate that far outstrips how the average white-collar worker is doing. The rhetoric behind the White House salary freeze was about making sure that the people engaged in leading the nation out of its economic mess share a sense of what American workers are experiencing. Unless roughly half of American workers saw their paychecks go up by an average of 8% last year (hint—they didn’t), that’s not the case.
Here’s the statement White House spokesman Eric Schultz released in response to our inquiries:
President Obama is committed to continuing to reduce costs in government, and that is why over the past year, the average salary of a White House employee went down, the total number of White House staffers went down, and the total amount spent on White House salaries went down. Pay increases were given for a variety of reasons, ranging from promotions to additional work responsibilities.
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I think what’s most annoying about this is that the economy is struggling and yet the people in charge, are getting raises. Where is this money coming from?
SOURCE: http://gawker.com/5818310/white-house-staffers-got-a-raise-last-year-and-you-did-not
“Multiple Emmy Winner James Spader Joins the Cast of NBC’s, The Office, as the New CEO of Sabre Dunder-Mifflin”
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – July 6, 2011 — Multiple Emmy Award winner James Spader (“Boston Legal,” “The Practice”) will be joining the regular cast of NBC’s “The Office” (Thursdays, 9-9:30 p.m. ET) as CEO Robert California of Sabre, the parent company of Dunder Mifflin.
“James will reprise his role as Robert California, this uber-salesman that has a power to convince and manipulate, like a high-class weirdo Jedi warrior,” said Paul Lieberstein, one of the series’ executive producers and a series regular. “He’ll have been hired over the summer as the new manager, but within hours, got himself promoted. Within days, he took over the company. James has an energy that is completely his own, and ‘The Office’ has no tools for dealing with this guy. We’re thrilled he’s joining our cast.”
Some of Spader’s credits include: Steven Soderbergh’s “sex, lies and videotape,” which won him the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival; David Croenenberg’s “Crash,” which won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes; and Steven Shainberg’s “Secretary,” which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature. His other film credits include “2 Days in the Valley,” “Wolf,” and “Less Than Zero.” Spader will be shooting Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks feature “Lincoln” later this year while he is shooting “The Office.”
From 2004-08, Spader won three Emmy awards for his seminal role as shameless attorney Alan Shore in “The Practice” and “Boston Legal,” making him the only actor to win consecutive Emmys playing the same character on two different series. He is represented at ICM and Melanie Cook.
From Deedle-Dee Productions, Reveille and Universal Media Studios comes the award-winning comedy series “The Office,” the hilarious documentary-style look into the humorous and sometimes poignant foolishness that plagues the world of 9-to-5 in the half-hour comedy based on the award-winning BBC hit. A fly-on-the-wall “docu-reality” parody about modern American office life, “The Office” delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder Miffflin, a paper supply company in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Pam Beesly Halpert (Jenna Fischer, “Walk Hard,” “Blades of Glory”) is the former office receptionist now office administrator. Pam’s office romance with sales rep Jim Halpert (John Krasinski, “Away We Go” “It’s Complicated”) quickly evolved into marriage followed by the birth of their daughter Cecilia. Jim shares his working space with Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson, “The Rocker,”) the arrogant assistant to the regional manager whose responsibilities have expanded as the new owner of the office building. Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak, “Inglorious Basterds”) is the young, smart, former temp, whose fall from grace as a Dunder Mifflin executive quickly landed him back at the bottom of the food chain in Scranton. Andy Bernard (Ed Helms, “The Hangover”) is the preppy salesman and die-hard Cornell alumni whose endless and unique musical talents keep the office entertained. A surprising relationship has also formed between Andy and the ambitious distribution coordinator Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson, “Hot Tub Time Machine”), who moved his office from the warehouse to the main floor alongside Michael and his staff.
Also starring are Leslie David Baker (“Malcolm in the Middle”), Brian Baumgartner (“Arrested Development”), Kate Flannery (“The Heir Apparent”), Mindy Kaling (“No Strings Attached”), Angela Kinsey (“Furry Vengeance”), Paul Lieberstein (writer, “King of the Hill”), Oscar Nuñez (“The Proposal”), Phyllis Smith (“Bad Teacher”), Creed Bratton (former member of The Grass Roots), Ellie Kemper (“Bridesmaids”) and Zach Woods (“The Other Guys”).
“The Office” is executive-produced by Ben Silverman, Greg Daniels, who developed the series for American audiences, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein and Paul Lieberstein.
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Sad to see Steve Carrell go, but this will definitely be interesting. I think James Spader will do a wonderful job and I’m very excited to see this new season. Also, the cast that’s already in place is unbelievable and the characters are so greatly developed that I’m optimistic about the new season with Spader.
Facebook is going to have Skype-powered video chatting!
For the past week or so, Google+ users have been enjoying simple, streamlined group video chat by using the new social network’s Hangout feature. Not to be outdone by the spry newcomer, Facebook today revealed its own video chat service, powered by the Microsoft-owned Skype platform.
The new video chat option works hand-in-hand with Facebook’s already popular chat feature, allowing anyone with a webcam and a Facebook account to communicate face-to-face. Upon selecting the video option at the top of the chat window for the first time you will be prompted to download and install the software that powers the feature. After installation, a single click brings up a video chat window with your conversation partner, with no need to launch a separate program.
The social network also introduced a group chat option for those who prefer the text-based chat format. A new icon on the chat window will allow you to add additional chatters to whatever conversations you already have going. Group video chat, which Google+’s Hangout feature excels at, isn’t a part of the new rollout, but when asked about the possibility, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted “I wouldn’t rule anything out.”
Accompanying the new chat features is a redesigned Facebook chat sidebar which appears and adjusts itself to match your window width whenever there is enough room. Your chat friends can now be organized based on who you chat with the most, which is great for those of you who have beefy friends lists and are tired of scrolling to find your favorite gossipers.
There were many rumors surrounding what Facebook would reveal today, with the social network noting only that it would be “awesome.” Some had thought a new Facebook iPad app, or perhaps the rumored “Project Spartan” was on the docket, but it was not to be. Instead, Facebook added what should be yet another solid feature, and made a play at one of the key bullet points of Google+.
The addition of Skype to Facebook isn’t entirely surprising, given the fact that the video chat program recently added Facebook integration such as the ability to browse your friends’ status updates and “Like” posts. Bringing Skype functionality to the social network seems like the next logical step, and it’s one that Facebook clearly didn’t hesitate to make.
by Mike Wehner on July 6, 2011
Source: http://www.tecca.com/news/2011/07/06/facebook-skype-video-group-chat/
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To me this seems like a great idea. not only do i love the Facetime app that the iphone and the ipad offer, but i also enjoy skype. The only problem is that for me, skype has never worked particularly well. my screen is always freezing and i feel like it could sometimes just be easier to talk on the phone. yet, i continue on with skype because there is nothing like seeing friends and family that you don’t get to normally see to often. what do you think? good or bad decision for facebook?
Speak with President Obama on Twitter
The questions will be short. The answers almost certainly will not.
President Obama on Wednesday afternoon is scheduled to field a handful of the thousands of 140-character queries posed to him on Twitter in the first-ever White House Twitter town hall. Officials say the event is the latest attempt by the administration to use social networking to directly communicate with the public, bypassing the media filter.
“We’ve entered a different information age where people get news and information in a different way than they did in the past,” White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said Tuesday. “If you’re going to communicate with the broad public, it is no longer sufficient to do it through traditional, mainstream media. You have to go beyond that. … And we’re always on the lookout for ways to have a productive interaction with the public.”
The format would “take advantage of the real-time nature” of Twitter, officials say. Outside groups will be working with Twitter to facilitate the conversation — White House officials say they will have no role in selecting the questions.
Obama’s participation will likely be similar to how he conducted town halls with Facebook or Youtube. He expects to focus on jobs and the economy, which many questions address. Users have been posing them for more than a week, using the hashtag #AskObama.
White House officials such as Pfeiffer have embraced Twitter, occasionally using it to leak out news even before sending it to reporters through traditional channels. Pfeiffer recently engaged in an online debate with a conservative columnist over the debt limit.
The White House’s official Twitter account, @WhiteHouse, boasts more than 2.25 million followers. @BarackObama, the president’s account, has nearly 9 million. His campaign recently announced it would operate that account now that the reelection effort is underway.
Obama is not expected to tweet himself on Wednesday, but the campaign has said he may dabble in micro-blogging soon. If he does so, he’ll sign each tweet with his initials, “-BO,” the campaign recently announced.
Thirty @WhiteHouse followers were selected to come to the White House for Wednesday’s event for a “Tweetup.” They will meet after with senior administration officials.
Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-twitter-town-hall-20110706,0,5996083.story