'Duck Dynasty' Star Phil Robertson Also Under Fire for African-American Statements

Phil Robertson's anti-gay comments aren't the only part of his interview with GQ causing controversy.

The 67-year-old "Duck Dynasty" star was suspended by A&E Wednesday for calling homosexuality sinful — and putting gay people in same category as terrorists. While those quotes quickly went viral, it wasn't his only brow-raising statement in the interview; he also implied that African Americans were happier living under Jim Crow laws.

"I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once," the reality star said of growing up in pre-Civil-Rights-era Louisiana. "Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I'm with the blacks, because we're white trash. We're going across the field ... They're singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, 'I tell you what: These doggone white people' — not a word!"

Robertson continued, "Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues."

Needless to say, that hasn't gone over well either. A spokesperson for the NAACP shared a copy of the letter that they, along with the Human Rights Campaign, sent to "Duck Dynasty" network A&E. In addition to asking for the network to "denounce and repudiate Robertson's comments," they demanded that Robertson "apologizes for his vitriolic comments."

"We want to be clear why Phil Robertson's remarks are not just dangerous but also inaccurate," the letter stated, in part. "Mr. Robertson claims that, from what he saw, African Americans were happier under Jim Crow. What he didn't see were lynching and beatings of black men and women for attempting to vote or simply walking down the street."

Noting that the remarks "go beyond being outlandishly inaccurate and offensive" and are actually "dangerous and revisionist, appealing to those in our society who wish to repeat patterns of discrimination," the letter said Robertson's "words show an unbridled lack of respect for African Americans and LGBT people, and the ongoing challenges members of our communities continue to experience on a daily basis."

"Surely a brand like A&E does not want to be associated with such racist and homophobic remarks," it concluded.

Robertson’s remarks about African Americans could ultimately be more damaging in the longterm than what he said about homosexuals, according to one expert.

"Racial comments are often career killers — as are scandals involving children and animals," David E. Johnson, who is the CEO of public relations and branding agency Strategic Vision, tells Yahoo TV. "Yet, looking at the demographics who are attracted to 'Duck Dynasty,' we see an older, more conservative, and evangelical audience. These people will take the comments with a grain of salt. This is because Phil Robertson and the 'Duck Dynasty' brand is one that is viewed as politically incorrect and says what is on their mind. So, in that light, the comments are unlikely to do damage — unless African Americans begin emerging and demonstrating he has discriminated against [them]."

However, "Barring that, overall, his comments and the controversy has in all likelihood strengthened the brand," adds Johnson.

On Wednesday night, the cable network did denounce the "Duck Dynasty" patriarch. In addition to suspending him indefinitely from filming, they said in a statement, "We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series 'Duck Dynasty.' His personal views in no way reflect those of A+E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community. The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely."

Earlier in the day, Robertson clarified his words — though he didn't come close to apologizing.

"I myself am a product of the '60s; I centered my life around sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll until I hit rock bottom and accepted Jesus as my Savior," the TV star said in a statement. "My mission today is to go forth and tell people about why I follow Christ and also what the Bible teaches, and part of that teaching is that women and men are meant to be together. However, I would never treat anyone with disrespect just because they are different from me. We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other."

Not everyone is offended by Robertson's statements. A petition called IStandWithPhil.com was launched by a group called Faith Driven Consumer and calls for A&E to reinstate Robertson — and apologize to the "Duck Dynasty" watchers who share the TV's star's beliefs.

"Mr. Robertson’s comments in GQ magazine are simply reflective of a Biblical view of sexuality, marriage, and family — a view that has stood the test of time for thousands of years and continues to be held by the majority of Americans and today’s world as a whole," it says on the site. "While the LGBT community may be offended by his opposing viewpoint, your rash, discriminatory, and unfair treatment toward Mr. Robertson — a recognized symbol of the faith community — is a slap in the face to Faith Driven Consumers and everyday Americans alike."

Needless to say, this controversy won't be dying down anytime soon.

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Phil from 'Duck Dynasty' Rips Homosexuals ... Man Ass Can't Compare to Vagina

"Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson is blasting gays ... and not in the usual Bible-thumping way -- instead he's going off about the benefits of vagina as compared to a man's a**hole.

Robertson went on a rant about religion, homosexuality, and a bunch of other things in an interview with GQ -- saying, "It seems like to me, a vagina -- as a man -- would be more desirable than a man's anus. That's just me."

He adds, "There's more there! She's got more to offer. I mean, come on dudes! But hey, sin: It's not logical, my man."

Phil continued his verbal attack by claiming society's become too accepting of sin. He says, "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and those men ... they won't inherit the kingdom of God. It's not right."

As for whether his comments will affect "Duck Dynasty" ratings -- Phil doesn't seem concerned about the show's long term future, saying ... "It's a TV show. This thing ain't gonna last forever. No way."

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Netflix's New Deal For 'Breaking Bad' Spin-Off 'Better Call Saul' Could Be A Game Changer

After spending a year releasing original series, breaking entire distribution models and playing a game of moneyball with cancelled shows, the folks over at the internet’s most talked about new-media platform are at it again. Following the success the platform saw with recently concluded AMC series Breaking Bad, Netflix has struck a deal with Sony Pictures Television to bring the upcoming prequel/spin-off series Better Call Saul’s first season to the subscription based service the day after the conclusion of its freshman season. While other platforms such as iTunes and Amazon have offered services that allowed for next day episodes during the run of television seasons (including Breaking Bad), the move threatens to make Netflix the main-platform for casual viewers.
If audiences will be able to watch the first-season of Better Call Saul immediately following the season one finale through their standard $8 a month fee with Netflix, will they bother spending $20-$30 for a season pass through iTunes and Amazon? It’ll be interesting to find out come 2014. But there’s another, far more interesting fact to the deal that needs to be addressed, that of Better Call Saul’s international airing rights.
The international market has become a major player in television, as we learned with the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special.  According to the new deal, Netflix will be the exclusive home of Better Call Saul in Europe and Latin America, and the series will be made available to the overseas territories shortly after it begins airing in the United States. As television becomes more and more worldwide (HBO, for example, has begun releasing episodes of fantasy series Game of Thrones at the same time across all US and international territories through HBO Go) networks, like movie studios, are beginning to realize media isn’t just about the U.S. anymore.
While this isn’t the first time Netflix has tried closing the gap between first run and home release (the service attempted to release episodes of ABC Family series Greek the day after they would air on the network), it could end up being the most important. Thanks to the success of Breaking Bad, Netflix knows just what kind of audience they can expect for the series, and with that knowledge, one can only assume this is a smart play for a service that’s continuing to disrupt everything about a business that just wants things to stay the same. Sphere: Related Content

Mall at Short Hills victim defending wife from carjackers when shot: source

The victim, Dustin Friedland, 30, wasn't protecting his luxury SUV, says a source close to the investigation — but his beloved wife Jamie, already in the car. One thug had come close to her and ordered her out, but 'she got a look at him,' says the source.

The Hoboken lawyer killed by carjackers at an upscale New Jersey mall gave up his life — to protect his wife.
Dustin Friedland had just let his beloved Jamie into their luxury SUV and was walking around to the driver’s side when he was ambushed by two crooks who demanded the keys, a source close to the investigation told The Daily News.
“He knew his wife was in there and he refused,” the source said Monday.

Instead, the brave lawyer resisted and in the struggle four shots were fired, one of which mortally wounded Friedland, police said.
“Then one of them comes to her door and says, ‘Get out of the car’,” the source said. “She got a look at him.”
Friedland died later Sunday night with his heartbroken wife by his side.

His 2012 Range Rover, which is worth at least $70,000, was found Monday in the back of an abandoned Newark house, police said.
Heartbroken relatives described the 30-year-old Friedland as a sensible man who would avoided violence if at all possible.
But Jamie Friedland’s boss at the Manhattan law firm where she works as an attorney said he would have fought like a lion for her.

“Dustin was rational, intelligent and had great judgment,” said Adam Leitman Bailey. “I highly doubt that he fought the attackers to save his car. I do believe he would fight for his wife’s life.”

Bailey said the young couple had been planning to start their own family.

“She would just light up when he would walk in the room,” he said. “She was so happy to be married.”
The Adam Leitman Bailey law firm has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
“What happened is unconscionable,” said Bailey. “Everybody is crying.”

Investigators suspect Friedland was targeted at The Mall at Short Hills by members of a carjacking ring who were after his silver-colored SUV.

The suspects were spotted scoping out potential targets while cruising through the parking lot in a green Subaru shortly before they attacked Friedland around 9 p.m. Sunday, officials said.
"We’re leaving all options open at this time,” said Katherine Carter of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, when asked about the reported ring. “We haven't eliminated anything at this juncture.”

In Hoboken, Yiba Diez, a waitress at Zafra restaurant, mourned the handsome young couple that regularly came by for brunch with pals on the weekends.
“He would come in early with his wife,” Diez, 40, said. “They were always happy, very happy together. Especially him, he was very friendly."
Diez said they were stunned when they heard what happened to one of their favorite customers.

“We were like, ‘Oh my God, no way’,” she said. “Very sad.”
Reached in Michigan, Friedland’s uncle said the killers didn’t need to shoot his nephew.

“I hope they catch and kill him,” he said. “I’m not a violent person, but this criminal doesn’t deserve to breathe.”
Friedland's parents live in Toms River, N.J., and their neighbors seconded the grieving uncle.
“Dustin would have given them the car,” one woman, who asked not to be identified, told the Newark Star-Ledger newspaper. “Dustin was sweet, kind, gentle, giving. I just can't believe God took him away so soon. He didn't deserve it."

Both Friedland and his wife were graduates of Syracuse University's law program, Bailey said. The slain man also had an engineering degree from Bucknell University.
Of late, Friedland was working as a project manager at Epic Mechanical, a firm based in Neptune, N.J., that "analyzed construction-related legal claims," according to his LinkedIn profile.
A woman who answered the phone at Epic declined to comment.

Meanwhile, police were asking for the public’s help in identifying the carjackers, who vanished after dumping the SUV.

 

The Range Rover has been impounded and crime investigators were looking for physical evidence that could help identify the culprits.
"We do not know why that car (was targeted), but it obviously was a car with some value," Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said earlier.
The mall, which includes high-end stores like Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue, usually closes at 6 p.m. on Sundays. But it was open later for holiday shoppers.

Workers arriving for their shifts said they were frightened.
"I hope the mall will take extra precautions and add security,” said an employee at Stuart Weitzman who declined to provide her name. “I’m not sure what the mall can do but it doesn’t feel so safe — especially after last night.”
The area where Friedland was gunned down continued to be cordoned off by police.
Mall officials declined to comment on the deadly shooting or on what safety measures they have taken in its aftermath. But this is not the first time the shopping mecca has been hit by carjackers:
- In 2009, a 56-year-old woman was carjacked by a knife-wielding Hillside man who forced his way into a car and demanded her dough.
- Back in 2006, a gun-toting crook robbed two women outside of a mall restaurant of their 2004 Jeep Liberty.
- And in 2002, a carjacker made off with a 76-year-old woman’s Cadillac from the parking lot near the Saks Fifth Avenue store.
Last month, the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J., was terrorized by a troubled pizza deliveryman with a death wish who killed himself with a high-powered rifle before cops closed in.

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Mega Millions jackpot climbs to $586 million

The Mega Millions jackpot inched toward a U.S. lottery record Monday as it soared to $586 million amid a frenzy of ticket purchases, raising the possibility that the prize could pass the once-unthinkable $1 billion mark by Christmas Eve should nobody win before then.

Paula Otto, executive director of the Virginia Lottery and lead director for Mega Millions, said ticket sales are ahead of projections for Tuesday's drawing, increasing the likelihood it could shatter the current record of $656 million, set in a March 2012 Mega Millions drawing.

That was enough for Drew Gentsch to buy one ticket Monday morning. The attorney from Des Moines never plays, but the ballooning jackpot was too good to pass up.

"I think it's ridiculous but you have to dream big," he said. "The odds of winning are so low, there's no real reason to play. But it's fun to do so once in a while."

The large Mega Millions prize is the product of a major game revamp in October that dramatically lowered the odds of winning the jackpot. If a winner isn't selected Tuesday night and it rolls over past the next drawing scheduled Friday night, Otto predicts the jackpot will reach $1 billion — an unheard of amount for Mega Millions or Powerball, the nation's two main lottery games.

"We had predicted last week that if we are still on the same roll on Christmas Eve, we'll definitely be over a billion," she said.

Scott Norris, a mathematician from Southern Methodist University, said he estimates around 700 million more tickets must be sold without producing a winner for the jackpot to reach $1 billion on this run. He puts the odds of that around 6 percent.

Norris emphasized his calculation does not take into account the extra $1 that players can throw in for the Megaplier option, which allows them to increase their non-jackpot prize by up to five times.

John Hagerty, a spokesman for the Virginia Lottery, said officials can't confirm Norris' calculation. He said there's no clear number for sales if the jackpot rolls past Tuesday, so they can't accurately calculate what percentage of the possible combinations will be covered.

The current jackpot, which is the fourth largest in U.S. history and closely trails the $587.5 million and $590.5 million set by Powerball, has had heavy sales over the last several days. Otto noted that the higher the jackpot, the higher the sales. For example, when the jackpot was $99 million on Nov. 5, lottery officials sold just over $20 million worth of tickets. For Friday's then-$425 million jackpot, $168 million worth of tickets were sold.

Otto said it's likely the jackpot will be increased again after lottery officials meet Tuesday morning to discuss sales. Between 65 and 70 percent of the roughly 259 million possible number combinations will be in play when the numbers are drawn, Otto estimated.

"Lotto players are procrastinators. They tend to buy on the day of the draw," she said.

Some players were taken aback by the growing jackpot and the possibility that it could keep getting bigger if it rolls for a 22nd consecutive time.

Natali Justiniano Pahl, 47, bought five tickets Monday morning from a convenience store in downtown. She said the growing jackpot made her excited, albeit somewhat weary.

"It gets the excitement up, but there's a point when it's too much," said Justiniano Pahl, who works in human resources. "$5 million would be good; $550 million would be good. Either one would change your life."

Otto said officials have never had such a huge jackpot around this time of year, and it's unclear how holiday shoppers are driving sales.

"To have that kind of money on the line the week before Christmas, we've never had that happen before," she said, "What fun."

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Bindi Irwin Continues Dad’s Work

Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve Irwin, is very mature for her age of only fifteen, and has vowed to continue her dad’s work as a Wildlife Warrior.
Steve Irwin, known to many as the crocodile hunter, dedicated his whole life to his love of animals, especially reptiles. Sadly, in 2006, Steve suffered a tragic death after he was pierced in the heart by a stingray. Despite his death, Steve’s family has continued to work with the animals and the wildlife park Steve opened that is now called the Australia Zoo.
“I have spent my entire life living in a zoo, which is pretty crazy. Not many kids get to say that,” Irwin told E!News, “and it took me until I was about three years old to realize that we didn’t just come to the zoo every day, that we actually lived here.”
“Every day we’d wake up and come to the zoo and I’d think, ‘We’re coming to the zoo again. This is great!’ Until it hit me that we live here,” Bindi continued. “We literally live right in the middle of the zoo and it means that every day is a new experience and so much fun.”

Bindi went on to talk about what an amazing conservationist her father was, and how she plans on continuing his legacy.

He was the greatest dad on the planet. He was our inspiration, who we looked up to the most and, for us, we wanna carry on his legacy. We wanna make sure that his message of wildlife and conservation continues, because he was the world’s greatest conservationist and so we never want that message to die. With dad, he was the ultimate wildlife warrior and we admired him more than anything. Dad honestly was incredible. We never got nervous about him with animals, but I do remember he gave me a piece of advice that has stuck with me forever. He said, ‘You have to treat animals the way you wish to be treated.’ Which is so true. And I think that applies to all animals.
If you treat animals how you want to be treated, you’re a lot better off. So when he was working with venomous snakes or cheetahs, he just treated them in a way…it was never trying to overpower them or anything like that. He was just loving them. And he was teaching other people about how beautiful they are. Telling people how to respect snakes and respect crocodiles and to love them. And I think if you go about it with that kind of attitude, it’s brilliant.

Bindi hopes that by sharing their story and their love for the cause, that it will make more people want to become “Wildlife Warriors” as well. “We’ve shared what our passion is with certain people and hopefully empowered others to want to make a difference on planet earth,” Bindi said. “And so if we’re able to talk to people and encourage people to become wildlife warriors, then that’s brilliant.”

“You’ve got to think about the difference between normal and common. Because for us, our life is certainly not common,” she continued. “We live in the middle of a zoo. We’ve gotten to travel the world with our family and share our passion and love for wildlife with the world.” Sphere: Related Content

Check out this verse on YouVersion.com

Proverbs 16:9 KJV

"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."

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Today's Verse

Acts 2:38 KJV

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

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Emanuel Steward, famed boxing trainer, dies at 68

 Emanuel Steward, the owner of the legendary Kronk Gym and a standout trainer for boxers including Thomas Hearns, Evander Holyfield and Oscar De La Hoya, died Thursday. He was 68.

Victoria Kirton, Steward's executive assistant, said Steward died Thursday at a Chicago hospital. She did not disclose the cause of death.

Steward trained, helped train or managed some of the greatest fighters of the past 40 years out of the Kronk, a dingy, overheated basement gym that produced world champions like Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Lennox Lewis.

Steward was born in West Virginia and moved at the age of 12 to Detroit. In 1963, an 18-year old Steward, fighting as a bantamweight, won the national Golden Gloves tournament. According to a biography on his website, rather than go forward as a professional he went to work for the Detroit Edison Co. and in 1971 accepted a part-time position as head coach of the boxing program at the Kronk Recreation Center.

A dynasty was born.

The Kronk's first professional champion was Hilmer Kenty, a lightweight from Columbus, Ohio, who started training there in 1978 and won the WBA title two years later.

It was Hearns who really put Kronk — and Steward — on the map. The Hitman was the first man to win titles in four divisions — he won five overall — and topped his 155-8 amateur record by going 61-5-1 with 48 knockouts as a pro.

"He brought the very, very best out of me," Hearns once said of Steward.

The gym for years was seen as a way to keep kids out of trouble and off the streets in southwestern Detroit. In 2006, Detroit shut down the recreation center that houses the gym because of a major budget shortfall. The gym was allowed to remain open, but it put Steward in a difficult financial situation and he rented space at a gym in Dearborn so his young fighters could train.

Steward, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, also worked closely with Lewis during his title run, and current heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko as recently as July. Klitschko has trained recently without Steward for his fight against Mariusz Wach next month in Germany.

"His spirit is always here," Klitschko said. "I can hear his voice in sparring while doing things, whispering in my ear. As the famous saying goes, 'The show must go on,' and that's exactly the case."
Steward also worked since 2001 as a boxing analyst for HBO.

"Manny was a respected colleague who taught us so much not only about the sweet science but also about friendship and loyalty," HBO Sports President Ken Hershman said. "His energy, enthusiasm and bright smile were a constant presence. Ten bells do not seem enough to mourn his passing."

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Actor Michael Clarke Duncan dead at 54

 Michael Clarke Duncan the hulking, prolific character actor whose dozens of films included an Oscar-nominated performance as a death row inmate in "The Green Mile" and such other box office hits as "Armageddon," ''Planet of the Apes" and "Kung Fu Panda," is dead at age 54.

Duncan died Monday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was being treated for a heart attack, said his fiancée, reality TV personality Rev. Omarosa Manigault, in a statement released by publicist Joy Fehily.

The muscular, 6-foot-4 (1.96 meter) Duncan, a former bodyguard who turned to acting in his 30s, "suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered," the statement said. "Manigault is grateful for all of your prayers and asks for privacy at this time. Celebrations of his life, both private and public, will be announced at a later date."

In the spring of 2012, Duncan had appeared in a video for PETA, the animal rights organization, in which he spoke of how much better he felt since becoming a vegetarian three years earlier.

"I cleared out my refrigerator, about $5,000 worth of meat," he said. "I'm a lot healthier than I was when I was eating meat."

Duncan had a handful of minor roles before "The Green Mile" brought him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor. The 1999 film, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930s. Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer with a surprisingly gentle demeanor and extraordinary healing powers.

Duncan's performance caught on with critics and moviegoers and he quickly became a favorite in Hollywood, appearing in several films a year. He owed some of his good fortune to Bruce Willis, who recommended Duncan for "The Green Mile" after the two appeared together in "Armageddon." Duncan would work with Willis again in "Breakfast of Champions," ''The Whole Nine Yards" and "Sincity."

His industrial-sized build was suited for everything from superhero films ("Daredevil") to comedy ("Talledega Nights," ''School for Scoundrels"). His gravelly baritone alone was good enough for several animated movies, including, "Kung Fu Panda," ''Delgo" and "Brother Bear." Among Duncan's television credits: "The Apprentice," ''The Finder," ''Two and a Half Men" and "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody."

Born in Chicago in 1957, Duncan was raised by a single mother whose resistance to his playing football led to his deciding he wanted to become an actor. But when his mother became ill, he dropped out of college, Alcorn State University, and worked as a ditch digger and bouncer to support her. By his mid-20s, he was in Los Angeles, where he looked for acting parts and became a bodyguard for Will Smith, Jamie Foxx and other stars. The murder of rapper Notorious B.I.G., for whom Duncan had been hired to protect before switching assignments, led him to quit his job and pursue acting full-time.

Early film and television credits, when he was usually cast as a bodyguard or bouncer, included "Bullworth," ''A Night at the Roxbury" and "The Players Club."

Jose
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Katherine Jackson 'Drugged' Up

 Katherine Jackson called her home in Calabasas at 2 AM today and again at 4 AM, sounding "drugged" and ordering that the security team be fired and replaced by Janet Jackson's security ... TMZ has learned.

A lawyer in court today made reference to "an incident" last night -- this is the incident.  Sources involved in the situation tell TMZ ... people in the house were "alarmed and nervous" after hearing Katherine sounding heavily drugged.

In addition to attempting to 86 the security team, Katherine ordered Trent Jackson off the property.  You may recall, Jackson's security -- and Trent in particular -- thwarted Monday's attempt by Randy, Jermaine and Janet to take the kids to Arizona.

Our sources say the prevailing view is that Randy and company have drugged their mom.

We're also told Jackie Jackson is furious at his conspiratorial siblings for what they've done and what they are trying to do.

We were unable to get Randy for comment. 

Katherine's lawyer, Perry Sanders, tells TMZ ... "I'm waiting on Katherine to get back in town and I'm looking forward to getting a hold of her to ascertain what's been going on."



Jose
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Mariah Carey Could Be New J-Lo; Sylverster Stallon's son and more nd more

Bookies are placing the early money on Mariah Carey in the Idol judging sweepstakes. Also today: Sylvester Stallone's son, Sage Moonblood Stallone, was found dead from an apparent overdose, and George R.R. Martin likes to talk about sex, baby.

With Jennifer Lopez leaving American Idol to devote her full attention to making Fiat ads, there are now two holes to fill on the judging panel. Apparently one of those holes could be filled by Mariah Carey. The singer is in "serious talks" with Idol to become the new judge. In terms of, you know, actual vocal talent Carey would be a huge step up from J-Lo. But doesn't she seem like the kind of judge who'd be a little too nurturing? Couldn't you see her bringing cookies for everyone to the auditions? She has kids now! She's going to be "the nice one."

This is really sad. Police found Sylvester Stallone's son, Sage Moonblood Stallone, dead in his Hollywood apartment on Friday. He was only 36. Friends asked police to go for a "welfare check" after they had failed to contact him. His attorney told the New York Post Stallone "was in good spirits, and working on all kinds of projects," and that he was planning on getting married. One source told the Post his movie production company recently faced financial hardships, but Sage refused to go to his father for help. Sage was Sylvester's first son with his first wife, Sasha Czack. Pills were found at the scene leading to a suspicion of an overdose being the cause of death, but it's not yet known if the death was an accident or a suicide.

Things got weird at the Game of Thrones Comic-Con panel. Series author George R.R. Martin was the moderator and he kept making awkward references to boobs and sex scenes. Everyone was uncomfortable. It started when he cracked a joke about the Saturday Night Live sketch that riffed on the show's nudity, but got weird when he started listing the characters Alfie Allen's Theon has slept with, and wondered why Allen's never thanked him for it. "Have I even gotten a box of chocolates? What’s it like doing all those sex scenes?" Allen played it off, saying he wanted to get in shape for it anyway." A fan asked Allen what his favorite scene was and Allen said it was the speech he gave right before being knocked out. "So you liked getting hit in the back of the head very hard more than naked sex scenes?" Martin asked. Cool it, scary sex man! But there's more. When a fan asked about costumes helping the actors get into character, Martin seized the opportunity to complain that Daenerys’ Quarthian gown was altered for the show to cover both breasts when in the book she has one of her breasts on display. We're going to go and wash our hands. While we do that, George R.R. Martin should take a cold shower. 

This is some of the strangest casting we've ever heard of. Joel McHale, the fast talking pretty one whose contract on Community says he must take of his shirt at least 7.8 times per season, is going to have a multi-episode arc in Sons of Anarchy's fifth season. According to TV Line, McHale will be Warren, "a handsome con man who picks the wrong person to double-cross." So, what, he's going to be Sawyer from Lost? Was Josh Holloway really that busy?

Apparently everyone at Comic-Con is horny. The very first fan question during the panel for Resident Evil: Retribution was about sex. Specifically, sex with Michelle Rodriguez. More specifically, it was the fan asking Michelle Rodriguez if she'd have sex with him. Gross! "Big fan of your work. You're a heavenly blessed beauty, I just had to throw that in," started the man dressed as Buzz Lightyear. "In terms of the Resident Evil series, would you ever consider having sex with me?" How that relates to Michelle Rodriguez boning Buzz Lightyear in some disgusting, cross-universe fan-fiction is beyond us. And he didn't even ask her for dinner first! Some space ranger this guy is. Rodriguez responded with a story of finding a crazy man in her backyard "doing something I can't even mention in public." Fortunately, she had a gun in one hand (gifted to ehr by Samuel L. Jackson, natch) and a sword in the other. "He looked just like you!" 

 

Jose
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Charlie Sheen quits Twitter, shuts down #winning feed

 Charlie Sheen wished his army of followers "dogspeed" as he seemingly pulled the plug on his Twitter feed late this week.  "Reach for the stars, everyone," Sheen wrote Thursday on #winning. "Dogspeed, Cadre. Out."

The sign-off message was accompanied by a photo taken out of an airplane cockpit showing a bottle of Tabasco sauce on the dashboard. But one had to read fast because by Friday night the Twitter page in question was no longer available, the Chicago Tribune said.

Sheen used #winning for more than a year to vent, posture and philosophize about his full-throttle lifestyle and his angry public departure from the CBS comedy hit "Two and a Half Men." The crowd following Sheen in cyberspace reached about 8 million before Thursday's grand finale.
Sheen, who has landed a new gig on "Anger Management," seemed to lose his enthusiasm in recent weeks, the Tribune said.

Sheen told "Rolling Stone" he had been using #winning to declare victory at a time he was actually floundering in "quicksand."
"How does he consider any of it a victory?," Sheen said. "I was in total denial."



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Gretzky's girl strikes again

Gretzky is in the news again. And no, it has nothing to do with hockey. 

Paulina Gretzky, daughter of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, has had a history using Twitter and Instagram to send out racy pictures of herself for the world to see.
It should come to no one's surprise that the 23-year-old was back at it again on Wednesday, this time posing with a friend by the pool.
Gretzky tweeted out a picture with Kimberly Alexis Howe, a model who also works as a Rev girl for the New England Revolution. The two took the picture on the set of Adam Sandler's upcoming movie, "Grown Ups 2," which both women will appear in.
Gretzky is no stranger on the internet, but Ms. Howe turned a lot of heads her way with the picture. With her modeling experience and new friendship with Gretzky, we expect to see a lot more of Howe down the line.



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1990s LA police beating victim Rodney King found dead

Rodney King, whose videotaped beating by police in 1991 sparked the L.A. riots, was found dead at his California home on Sunday. He was 47.

Police said King's fiancée discovered him at the bottom of the swimming pool at their Rialto, Calif., home, about 55 miles east of Los Angeles.

Police responded to a call at 5:25 a.m., pulled King out of the pool and attempted CPR, but could not revive him.

King's representative Suzanne Wickman confirmed to his death to KABC-TV.
The cause of death is unknown, but police are investigating it as a drowning. Rialto Police Capt. Randy DeAnda told CNN there were no preliminary signs of foul play.


King was beaten by four white LAPD officers following a DUI stop on March 3, 1991. Footage captured by an amateur videographer showed the officers hitting King 56 times with wooden batons.
"I just got lucky that night to have the cameras on me," King said in April, marking the 20th anniversary of the L.A. riots. "When I saw the tape, I was so happy that it was on tape and then looking at it, it was like I was in another body. I felt like I had died in that one, and was just watching it."

The four officers were acquitted of criminal charges, sparking the riots that left 53 people dead.
"It felt like Armageddon," King said of the acquittal. "It felt like the end of the world. I was hurt. I was past upset."

"I was raised not to be violent, and not to be rioting and carrying on like a wild man," he added, "but at the same time, there was a side of me saying, 'What else can you do?' I didn't agree with it, but I understood."

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Mesothelioma Treatment Options

 Mesothelioma treatment can entail a number of therapies intended to kill cancerous cells, prevent the tumor from spreading or alleviate the symptoms of the disease. Each patient’s situation is unique and will shape their treatment plan. Factors such as the stage and form of mesothelioma, treatment history, patient’s location, ability to travel and financial situation are all important to consider when seeking treatment.

Types of Mesothelioma Treatment

If a patient’s diagnosis and health indicates that their response to curative treatment may be positive, their doctor may develop a course of treatment to remove the tumor(s) and attempt to prevent metastasis throughout the body. If the patient is dealing with a late-stage cancer, the treatment is more likely to be palliative in nature, addressing the symptoms while improving the patient’s quality of life. The following treatment options may be either palliative or curative, depending on the patient’s case: 

The right treatment plan is essential when fighting mesothelioma. Make sure you are informed on all of the options available – get our treatment guide sent to you overnight.

Surgery

Surgery is one of the most common treatments for mesothelioma. Patients whose cancer was diagnosed before it spread beyond the lymph nodes may be eligible for curative surgery that removes the tumors. Depending upon the patient’s diagnosis and overall health, mesothelioma surgeries can be either curative or palliative, and may fall somewhere in between if surgery efforts are effective. Mesothelioma surgery is commonly followed by other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation in an attempt to kill any remaining cancer cells.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy has shown to be the most effective and least invasive form of treatment to extend life expectancy. Depending upon the location of the cancer, some patients may be eligible for heated chemotherapy, a treatment commonly used for cases of peritoneal mesothelioma. Cisplatin, the most commonly used chemotherapy drug for mesothelioma, is frequently used in conjunction with pemetrexed to achieve the most advantageous results in reducing tumors.

Radiation

Radiation therapy directly applies radiation to the cancerous locations. This is through either sealed or unsealed source radiation. Patients of all stages are eligible to receive radiation therapy, as it can be used in conjunction with other treatments to reduce tumor growth and ease symptoms.

Emerging & Alternative Treatments

While surgical procedures, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are considered the most common types of mesothelioma treatment, a number of new therapies are currently in development. Immunotherapy manipulates the patient’s immune system into attacking the tumors, while photodynamic therapy exposes cancer cells to photosensitizing drugs and specific lights. Gene therapy is another experimental treatment that attempts to correct defective genes that may lead to cancerous changes.

Multimodal Therapy

Multimodal therapy is one of the most common approaches to treating mesothelioma, combining two or more treatments that may be completed simultaneously or in a planned sequence. A mesothelioma specialist can most adequately analyze a patient’s condition and develop a treatment regimen that will best benefit the patient.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are used to test experimental treatments before they are approved for widespread clinical use. These trials often explore new procedures and drugs and compare them to the current standard of mesothelioma treatment.

Alternative & Complementary Treatments

When choosing a therapy plan, some patients consider alternative and complementary mesothelioma treatments. Alternative treatments refer to any unconventional treatment methods, and complementary treatments refer to an alternative therapy used to supplement one or more conventional treatments. A number of mesothelioma survivors credit their remission to alternative therapies.

Jose A. Aviles

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You might know 50 shades of grey, but colour expert says there are a lot more

 Gray is, in fact, a grey area. There is such a wide sliding scale between black and white that it's hard to pinpoint the colour.
You might guess there are 50 shades, thanks to the much-buzzed-about E L James book "Fifty Shades of Grey," but there are hundreds of versions — maybe thousands.
"We have only touched the surface of grey," says Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, the research division of Pantone Inc., which creates colour standards for the fashion, beauty and home industries. "In our guide, you'd see grey on 'grey' pages, but you'd see some degrees of grey in the green families, in blues and browns. Gray is often on the cusp of another colour."
Grey can be closer to black, like a charcoal, and it extends all the way to almost white. Rocks versus doves.
"In our word association study on grey, people are more apt to think of it in terms of environmental nature — the rocks and stones as opposed to a flying feathery dove," Eiseman says, noting that it's common for people to place colours outdoors when asked to think about them.
There's a weather association, too, she adds. "I live in Seattle and we know grey! A lot of people think of grey as — from their childhood — standing against the window, nose pressed, and hearing your mother say, 'You have to stay inside.' And you would wait for grey clouds to disappear."
Some greys have more cool blue undertones, which are supposed to symbolize intelligence, and others are warmer and more beige, which will be more approachable.
Still, grey has a bit of a downer reputation and not too many people name it as a favouritecolour, Eiseman says. There are those, however, who appreciate its sophistication, especially people with expensive tastes, she explains. You'll see a lot of calming, soothing grey as paint in living rooms and in the closets of hip urbanites.
It works as a background for all of this year's popular brights, including hot pink, tangerine orange and turquoise. Personally, Eiseman likes the pairing of grey and yellow.
It might seem as if grey is being used more now that the book is so popular, but it's always been there, she explains. It's like when you buy a new car and suddenly it seems as if everyone else has bought the same one. You'd be hard-pressed to find a fashion designer or decorator who didn't already treat it as a must-have.
"Grey is a very solid colour, it's not trendy at all," Eiseman declares. "It's something you can hold on to."


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Military Moms Breastfeeding in Uniform Stir Controversy

At a time when breastfeeding in public is already controversial, pictures of two military moms doing so while wearing their uniforms is sparking outrage.

The photo is part of a local breastfeeding awareness campaign by Mom2Mom of Fairchild Air Force Base, a support group launched in January by Crystal Scott, a military spouse and mother of three. Among the intimate close-ups of smiling young mothers cuddling their adorable babies, the images of the two airmen stand out.  "People are comparing breastfeeding in uniform to urinating and defecating in uniform. They're comparing it to the woman who posed in "Playboy" in uniform [in 2007]" Scott told Yahoo! Shine in an interview. "We never expected it to be like this."

"I'm an X-ray tech and I breastfeed in my uniform all the time," Scott says. "Granted they're scrubs. But people do it all the time in their uniforms. If you have a hungry baby, why would you take the time to change completely?" Terran Echegoyen-McCabe, a member of the Air National Guard who was photographed in uniform nursing her 10-month-old twin daughters, says that she's surprised by the reaction to the photos.

"I have breastfed in our lobby, in my car, in the park ... and I pump, usually in the locker room," she told the "Today" show, adding that she usually nurses her babies while on her lunch break during drill weekends. "I'm proud to be wearing a uniform while breast-feeding. I'm proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breastfeed whether they're active duty, guard or civilian."

All of the women in the photos volunteered to appear in the awareness campaign, and Echegoyen-McCabe is featured -- wearing civilian clothing -- in a few of the other candid shots. None of the photos are posed; the women are simply feeding their babies the way they usually do. But even though some of the other photographs are just as revealing, only the ones of Echegoyen-McCabe and her friend Christina Luna in uniform have been criticized.

"The Air Force has never endorsed these photos," the photographer, Brynja Sigurdardottir points out on her website, where she posted several other photos from the Mom2Mom campaign. "These women just happen to be in the Air Force, in their uniform, breastfeeding their babies."

When it comes to talking about breastfeeding in public, comparing it to other bodily functions -- and even sex -- is common, in spite of the fact that breastfeeding is legal and protected while defecating or having sex in public is not. But the fact that two of the moms are shown breastfeeding in public while wearing military uniforms makes the entire controversy more complicated. The Army, for example, didn't even come up with a combat uniform for women until 2010, so accepting the idea of a uniformed soldier breastfeeding a baby may be especially jarring. And the uniforms themselves come with their own sets of rules. According to Military Spouse Central, public displays of affection -- even something as innocuous as holding hands -- are not allowed while wearing a military uniform. Also forbidden while in uniform: eating, drinking, or talking on a cell phone while walking, carrying an umbrella that's not black, and (in some cases) smoking or even chewing gum. While there is no policy that addresses breastfeeding in uniform, Air Force spokesperson Captain Rose Richeson told MSNBC: "Airmen should be mindful of their dress and appearance and present a professional image at all times while in uniform." Military moms who are still breastfeeding are encouraged to pump and bottle-feed their babies while they're in uniform.

Scott suggests that the issue might have less to do with the uniform and more to do with our own internal conflicts. "I think a lot of people think that you can't be a mom and be a soldier," she says. "This is not something that's out of norm for them. They breastfeed in uniform all the time -- it's just not something that's usually captured on film."


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'Bachelorette' Emily Maynard Unimpressed With Suitors' Weird Entrances

The men really pulled out some bizarre entry stunts to get noticed by "The Bachelorette" Emily Maynard on last week's season premiere.
There was a guy who showed up with a glass slipper, a guy dressed up like an elderly person and even one guy who showed up with an egg. On "GMA" (weekdays, 7 a.m. ET on ABC) Monday morning, Lara Spencer asked Emily what she thought of the strange entrances. "What were you thinking when these guys were coming out? ... These are my selections?"
"Umm ...kind of, to be honest," Emily replied. "Those guys that I normally would have usually said, 'No way,' I was forced to really get to know them. I was surprised by them.”
"The Bachelorette" wasn’t the only one wondering about the selection of guys for this season. Last week, Kelly Ripa told "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" host Chris Harrison that she thought he might be a better prospect than all the guys on the show. Harrison wasn't so sure.“If I’m the star of the show, we’re in big trouble!" Harrison quipped.
"First of all ... have you seen the latest installment of ‘The Bachelorette?’" Ripa shot back.
What if "Bachelorette" Emily Agrees? Yeah, that probably won’t happen.
Spencer also asked her if there would be a happy ending this season, but all Emily would say was, “I was happy when the show started and I’m happy now.”
"The Bachelorette" airs on Monday nights at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.



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Erin Andrews Reportedly Dating Chace Crawford: Why She Should Embrace the Cougar

ESPN reporter (and national treasure) Erin Andrews as old—or even older—until today. She's only 34 years old, so it doesn't have anything to do with her actual age. I've always known she is about four years older than me, so it's not like she's actually any older than I originally thought.
It's just that when you take a premature step over to Cougar Town, it can age you considerably. And that's just what Andrews has done by reportedly hooking up with 26-year-old Gossip Girl actor Chace Crawford. Not only is Crawford eight years her junior, he's also got a baby face and wouldn't look entirely out of place at a high school party.

Us Weekly reports that the two have been spotted out on the town together and are still "getting to know each other." It's not clear when Andrews first met Crawford, who happens to be the brother-in-law of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The couple was photographed together at the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

Andrews was rumored to be dating Cougar Town actor Josh Hopkins in summer 2011, but now Andrews has apparently made the jump to actual cougar to kick off summer 2012. Given, all of this is according to the unsubstantiated gossip of the supermarket tabloids. But if the rumor is true, and that's a very big 'if', is this whole cougar thing good or bad for her football Barbie image?

Personally, I think it's a good thing. I write about the lovely Ms. Andrews on the regular and, despite people still voraciously consuming gossip about her, I've been noticing a certain level of Erin Andrews fatigue. Amongst readers and commentators as well as the real world human beings in my life. Which is why I think a drastic change could be beneficial for her career long-term.

I'm not saying that her career is any jeopardy at all at the moment—she is still as stunning as she's ever been. But her time at the top as the most lusted after sports reporter on the planet is likely coming to an end. Every time ESPN hires some 21-year-old former cheerleader on the off chance that she could be "the next Erin Andrews," the real Erin Andrews diminishes a bit in influence.

But that's only because she's playing the part of the perky blond Barbie with a brain and that's a young girl's game! The seductive temptress who can rip out a man's heart with a sigh and an eye roll—that's a lot tougher for the young girls to pull off. And it's a lot more powerful. Right now, Andrews is walking the line between the two, but is starting to veer towards the latter.

And not a moment too soon. I've loved Erin Andrews for years, but like a lot of people, I've grown tired of her sorority girl style. As those idiots on Bravo say, "she's a grown ass woman," and I think it's time for a new direction. I never even considered the cougar thing an option for her until today—but I'm definitely digging the idea.

Erin Andrews: From sorority Barbie to seductive Cougar. I'm in, are you?

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