News Hump: April 2012

Monday 16 April 2012

Car's engine bursts into flames

Car's engine bursts into flames, Car Engine Blows Up, A car engine suddenly bursts into flames as the driver and passenger watch in disbelief.

Sunday 15 April 2012

David Beckham Shows Off Some Old Magic

David Beckham Shows Off Some Old Magic, David Beckham shows he can still blast it into the top corner, The soccer legend leaves television announcers in awe with this impressive, long distance shot. It's been an unpleasant start to the season for the LA Galaxy. On Saturday night they looked more like reigning MLS champions after a 3-1 win over Portland that was topped off by a beautiful goal from David Beckham.

Beckham was given too much time and far too much open space in the middle of the pitch to blast his shot into the top corner from distance. And the result seemed inevitable even though he was subbed out of the last match he played at halftime. But, as everyone should know by now, David Beckham has a habit of reminding people that he's still got it whenever they start to doubt him.

via: yahoo

U.S. Olympic star's Lindsey Vonn whopping IRS bill

U.S. Olympic star's Lindsey Vonn whopping IRS bill, Lindsey Vonn owes IRS $1.7 million, Skier Lindsey Vonn recently learned that she owes the government for delinquent taxes. Lindsey Vonn, the skier who made a splash after winning alpine skiing gold at the Vancouver Olympics, found out she owes the government $1,700,000 in back taxes for the year she won that gold. According to the Detroit News, the IRS filed a $1,705,437 tax lien against Vonn and her estranged husband Thomas on April 2 with the Elko County Recorder in Nevada.

She is in the middle of a divorce with Thomas, the man who was once her coach and mentor. She released a statement on her Facebook page promising to pay what she owed.

I am disappointed with this situation. I just recently became aware of the outstanding balance and I have done everything in my power to settle it immediately. The money owed was for the 2010 tax year, which was filed on time, and it has been paid in full. This is an important lesson for me. Not being in control of my finances and relying on someone else who you believed had your best interest at heart was a mistake and one I will not make twice.

Vonn made money from winning World Cup races and several endorsements, including Under Armour, Rolex, and Procter and Gamble.

Despite her personal troubles, Vonn had a banner year on the slopes. She won her fiftieth individual World Cup race, and took the overall World Cup title by finishing first in the super G, downhill and combined races.

via: yahoo

SNL Mocks Kim Kardashian's Relationship With Kanye West

SNL Mocks Kim Kardashian's Relationship With Kanye West, Saturday Night Live The jokes were inevitable: A week after Kim Kardashian and Kanye West took their romance public, the comics at Saturday Night Live questioned its validity in one of their sketches. The April 14 episode, hosted by Josh Brolin, featured Nasim Pedrad (as Kardashian) and Jay Pharaoh (as West) weighing in on the Trayvon Martin case during an appearance on CNN's Piers Morgan Tonight.

Pedrad's Kardashian was shocked that it took Florida officials so long to arrest George Zimmerman and charge him with second degree murder. "Forty-six days!" she whined. "That's like half a marriage!"

After the comics poked fun at Kardashian's past relationships, Taran Killam (as Morgan) asked: "Is your relationship for real, or is it just another publicity stunt?"

"I love this woman," Pharoah's West said. "As I said earlier this week, she's my Beyonce."

Pedrad's Kardashian added: "Only without the singing, or the dancing or the acting. I'm a zero-threat!"

Jokes aside, multiple insiders tell the new issue of Us Weekly (on stands now) that Kardashian's relationship with the hip-hop megastar is the real deal. "It's not a PR stunt," a source insists of the rapper, 34, and reality star, 31. "They're perfect for each other."

via: usmagazine

Reese Witherspoon upstaged in dress

Reese Witherspoon upstaged in dress, Reese Witherspoon vs. Rooney Mara — Fashion Faceoff, The star overaccessorizes a look worn with more understated style by a buzzy young actress. "This Mean War" is the title of Reese Witherspoon's latest movie, but it could also describe the message she recently sent to actress Rooney Mara. The two hit the red carpet in the same chic, retro-shaped sleeveless dress just five weeks apart. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo's" Lisbeth Salander isn't one to back away from a fight, so this fashion battle is on! And it's up to us to decide just who wore it best.

Reese, 36, donned the dress in sunny yellow for the "This Means War" premiere in Rio de Janeiro on March 8. The Oscar winner added a statement necklace, belt, Jimmy Choo sandals, and a ponytail.

Oscar nominee Rooney, 26, slipped on the frock for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 3. She accessorized simply with Giambattista Valli heels and pulled her hair back in a low ponytail.

This is tough as the dress is flirty and flattering on both ladies! Both women also chose the design in a color that really compliments their hair and fabulous footwear, so this comes down to the details. Reese earns bonus points for making her look more polished by belting the garment, but she loses points for having too much going on in the accessories department. Does she really need a belt, a statement necklace, and a ponytail? Meanwhile, Rooney could use a belt to make her look less plain, but I applaud her understated hairstyle and her minimalistic approach. So I say Rooney's the winner, although I have a feeling a lot of people are going to disagree.

via: yahoo

Seattle Mariners Dad Surprise Son During Safeco Field Homecoming

Seattle Mariners Dad Surprise Son During Safeco Field Homecoming, Army father dresses as umpire to surprise son during Safeco Field homecoming (VIDEO), Soldier's homecoming gets a clever twist, The Seattle Mariners come up with a witty new way to reunite a 13-year-old boy with his dad. The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics held an opening day in Tokyo on March 28, another in Oakland on April 6 and one more — just for old time's sake — in Seattle on Friday. Army Sergeant's surprise reunion:

"I'm a little tired of seeing them," Seattle ace Felix Hernandez told reporters.

That may be, but it'll be hard to tire of seeing arguably the best highlight from any of the three games. Watch what happens as 13-year-old Kyle Smerer is asked to take part in the "Steal-a-Base" onfield promotion at Safeco Field and is surprised by his father, Steven Smerer, an Army First Sergeant who had just returned from a tour in Afghanistan.

Wow. Now that's a great homecoming.

And a great surprise, too. Kyle said he had no idea that his father was back in the country, let alone the ballpark on Friday night. He really thought he needed to get back to the warning track as fast as he could with second base.

Instead, Kyle was interrupted by his father, a 17-year Army veteran who had been out of the country since December. And it wasn't an interruption that Kyle welcomed at first.

From MLB.com:

"Somebody grabbed me and I was like, 'What are you doing? I'm trying to run back in a little amount of time,' " Kyle said.

He was in so much shock that it took him a few seconds to realize it wasn't an umpire. Instead, it was his father, First Sgt. Steve Smerer, who Kyle thought was still deployed in Afghanistan.

"I was really shocked to see him," a beaming Kyle said afterward. "I didn't know he was going to be here. I'll probably never forget this."

While Kyle's reunion with his dad was great, it was his teary reunion with 16-year-old daughter Kayla — whom you can see near the end of that clip — was just as emotional and highlight-worthy.

Seriously, what a great memory and what a beautiful family.

Thanks for a great highlight, Smerer family. And thank you for your service, sergeant.

via; yahoo

Saturday 14 April 2012

Army father dresses as umpire

Army father dresses as umpire to surprise son during Safeco Field homecoming (VIDEO), Soldier's homecoming gets a clever twist, The Seattle Mariners come up with a witty new way to reunite a 13-year-old boy with his dad. The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics held an opening day in Tokyo on March 28, another in Oakland on April 6 and one more — just for old time's sake — in Seattle on Friday. Army Sergeant's surprise reunion:

"I'm a little tired of seeing them," Seattle ace Felix Hernandez told reporters.

Wow. Now that's a great homecoming.

Instead, Kyle was interrupted by his father, a 17-year Army veteran who had been out of the country since December. And it wasn't an interruption that Kyle welcomed at first.

From MLB.com:

"Somebody grabbed me and I was like, 'What are you doing? I'm trying to run back in a little amount of time,' " Kyle said.

He was in so much shock that it took him a few seconds to realize it wasn't an umpire. Instead, it was his father, First Sgt. Steve Smerer, who Kyle thought was still deployed in Afghanistan.

"I was really shocked to see him," a beaming Kyle said afterward. "I didn't know he was going to be here. I'll probably never forget this."

While Kyle's reunion with his dad was great, it was his teary reunion with 16-year-old daughter Kayla — whom you can see near the end of that clip — was just as emotional and highlight-worthy.

Seriously, what a great memory and what a beautiful family.

Thanks for a great highlight, Smerer family. And thank you for your service, sergeant.

via; yahoo

Space shuttle prepped for final flight

Space shuttle prepped for final flight, How NASA Moves Space Shuttles: The Ultimate Piggyback Ride, Discovery, which flew its last mission in 2011, will ride atop a special 747 jet to its final home. NASA's space shuttles are gearing up to make their final voyages — this time flying piggyback a special Boeing 747 jet on the way to museum retirement homes.

The space shuttle Discovery, which flew its last mission in March 2011, has been undergoing prep for museum life at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Fla. If weather permits, on Tuesday (April 17), Discovery will fly atop a modified Boeing jet to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., where it will spend the rest of its days.

After Discovery arrives at the Smithsonian, the museum's current orbiter on display, the prototype shuttle Enterprise, will be loaded onto the same carrier aircraft to be ferried to its new home: the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City.

The transportation of shuttles is a complicated affair, involving giant cranes and rejiggered Boeing jets. And in addition to a slew of complex equipment, the maneuver requires significant manpower.

"The team is just amazing,"Dorothy Rasco manager of Space Shuttle Program Transition and Retirement at Houston's Johnson Space Center, told SPACE.com.

"When you think of the pilot that will be flying the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, to the ferry manager, to coordinating with FAA and the different Air Force and military facilities between Florida, Washington, D.C. and then to New York," Rasco said. "We've had different meetings with airport operations at different airports to make sure the security is appropriate. We’ve had outreach and communications efforts that make up the non-technical side. And then you have the whole technical team that has just pulled together to choreograph it. It's going to be really great."

So exactly how do you take a 100-ton space shuttle and fly it on ferry hops across the country? Here's a look at how the whole process is done:

Step 1: Roll out to the runway

On Saturday (April 14), Discovery is set to roll out from the Vehicle Assembly Building, the 52-story building where it's gone through recent processing, to the Shuttle Landing Facility, the expansive runway where space shuttles touch down when they land at KSC.

Here, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, the modified 747 jet that will carry it across the country, will be waiting.

Step 2: Lift up the orbiter

To load the shuttle onto the jet, NASA uses a giant gantry-like machine called the Mate-Demate device. This contraption uses two 100-foot steel towers with a massive lift beam in between them to hoist the orbiter off the ground.

Step 3: Attach the orbiter to the plane

Once Discovery is lifted in the air by the Mate-Demate device, the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will roll beneath it, positioning itself under the belly of the orbiter, which can then be lowered down and attached via three struts protruding from the Boeing's fuselage.

Step 4: Fly to destination

The linked vehicles will then take off the runway much like a normal airliner and fly up the Eastern seaboard to the Udvar-Hazy Center, a hangar-turned-museum near the Dulles International Airport. Before they land at the airport, however, the two are scheduled to take a twirl roughly 1,500 feet above major landmarks in Washington, D.C., so people on the ground can welcome Discovery.

Step 5: Detach orbiter

At the Dulles airport, the attachment process will be performed in reverse. Discovery will be demated from its ride and lifted into the air by a pair of giant cranes (there's no Mate-Demate gantry here). Then the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft will back out from beneath it.

Step 6: Lower orbiter to the ground

Once the jet is out of the way, the huge cranes will lower Discovery near the ground. Before settling it there, Discovery's landing gear wheels will be extended out from its underside, so it can touch down on the ground with them.

Step 7: Display in museum

From the airport, Discovery will roll on its wheels the short way to the adjacent Udvar-Hazy Center facility, where it will be installed in a place of honor.

via: yahoo

Army father dresses as umpire to surprise son during Safeco Field homecoming (VIDEO)

"I'm a little tired of seeing them," Seattle ace Felix Hernandez told reporters.

Wow. Now that's a great homecoming.

Instead, Kyle was interrupted by his father, a 17-year Army veteran who had been out of the country since December. And it wasn't an interruption that Kyle welcomed at first.

From MLB.com:

"Somebody grabbed me and I was like, 'What are you doing? I'm trying to run back in a little amount of time,' " Kyle said.

He was in so much shock that it took him a few seconds to realize it wasn't an umpire. Instead, it was his father, First Sgt. Steve Smerer, who Kyle thought was still deployed in Afghanistan.

"I was really shocked to see him," a beaming Kyle said afterward. "I didn't know he was going to be here. I'll probably never forget this."

While Kyle's reunion with his dad was great, it was his teary reunion with 16-year-old daughter Kayla — whom you can see near the end of that clip — was just as emotional and highlight-worthy.

Seriously, what a great memory and what a beautiful family.

Thanks for a great highlight, Smerer family. And thank you for your service, sergeant.

via; yahoo

Soldier's homecoming gets a clever twist

Soldier's homecoming gets a clever twist, Army father dresses as umpire to surprise son during Safeco Field homecoming (VIDEO), The Seattle Mariners come up with a witty new way to reunite a 13-year-old boy with his dad. The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics held an opening day in Tokyo on March 28, another in Oakland on April 6 and one more — just for old time's sake — in Seattle on Friday. Army Sergeant's surprise reunion:

"I'm a little tired of seeing them," Seattle ace Felix Hernandez told reporters.

Wow. Now that's a great homecoming.

Instead, Kyle was interrupted by his father, a 17-year Army veteran who had been out of the country since December. And it wasn't an interruption that Kyle welcomed at first.

From MLB.com:

"Somebody grabbed me and I was like, 'What are you doing? I'm trying to run back in a little amount of time,' " Kyle said.

He was in so much shock that it took him a few seconds to realize it wasn't an umpire. Instead, it was his father, First Sgt. Steve Smerer, who Kyle thought was still deployed in Afghanistan.

"I was really shocked to see him," a beaming Kyle said afterward. "I didn't know he was going to be here. I'll probably never forget this."

While Kyle's reunion with his dad was great, it was his teary reunion with 16-year-old daughter Kayla — whom you can see near the end of that clip — was just as emotional and highlight-worthy.

Seriously, what a great memory and what a beautiful family.

Thanks for a great highlight, Smerer family. And thank you for your service, sergeant.

via; yahoo

The most expensive hot dog in the world

The most expensive hot dog in the world, The World's Most Expensive Hot Dog, If you can stomach the price tag, an NYC eatery's oddity promises a memorable experience. New York City is famous for it's hot dogs, so it is no surprise that it is the home to the World's Most Expensive Hot Dog according to the Guinness Book of World Records. We learned how to make it at Serendipity 3, and then hit the streets to get the opinions of New Yorkers. Can you guess how it compared to a New York City street vendor hot dog?

Adam Levine says no thanks after Jennifer Love Hewitt professes a crush

Adam Levine says no thanks after Jennifer Love Hewitt professes a crush, The bold way celebs hit on each other, Hit List - Star's Unusual Pick Up Message, Rocker Adam Levine, Michael's Hit List wraps up the week in pop culture.

Cat cuddles with bearded dragon

Cat cuddles with bearded dragon, Cat Loves His Bearded Dragon, This kitty appears to have found a comfortable pillow, but it turns out to be a new friend. This cat figured the bearded dragon was his pet, so he always makes sure to care take care of him.

Friday 13 April 2012

Woman's wedding ring found in sewer

Woman's wedding ring found in sewer, Wedding Ring Found After Toilet Flush, An Idaho woman is reunited with her diamond band just in time for her 25th anniversary. An Idaho woman was reunited with her diamond wedding ring just in time for her 25th anniversary. Mechelle Rieger, 44, set her wedding ring on a privacy wall in her bathroom 18 months ago as she stood up to flush the toilet.

"It was slow motion. That ring bounced off, landed in the toilet just as it was flushing down and it just took off," she told ABC News. "It was long gone."

Rieger said her husband took apart the toilet and pipes, but her ring was nowhere to be found. The next day she called the Kuna, Idaho, city offices.

"I was just hysterical and the guy said my chances of getting it back were very slim," she said.

Rieger's $6,000 ring was insured and she was able to get a replacement, but it just wasn't the same.

"I started out with a tiny one-third diamond cut ring when I got married and I gradually updated it and this ring was it," she said.

Sewage workers found the ring this week and returned it to Kuna City Hall.

Local news stations picked up the report and Rieger received an excited call from a friend telling her a ring was found in her old neighborhood.

After printing her original appraisal report and a photo of the ring, Rieger visited Kuna City Hall. The ring was a match.

"Poor thing is in bad shape but the diamonds are still as sparkly as ever," she said. "I'm hoping I can get it wearable before my anniversary."

via: yahoo

Player's slide might be worst ever

Player's slide might be worst ever, Kelly Shoppach steals his first base with quite possibly the worst slide ever (VIDEO), Boston's Kelly Shoppach starts feet first, ends up head first, and doesn't look so good in between. Before Friday, Boston Red Sox catcher Kelly Shoppach had gone 464 games without attempting to steal a base — a length of time that qualified for an active MLB record and dated all the way back to the 31-year-old's big league debut in 2005. Shoppach's slow stolen base:

Of course, once you see this highlight of Shoppach's first career steal — which took place during a 12-2 win over Tampa Bay in Boston's home opener — his reluctance to take to the basepaths becomes a lot easier to understand.

Watch as Shoppach somehow manages a feet-first slide into second base that ends with him diving head-first into the bag. (Really, you have to see it to believe it.)

Yep, worst slide ever.

The good news, though, is that Shoppach was able to manage more than a few laughs out of his Boston teammates — Cody Ross described the catcher's move as "Wille Mays Hayes-ish" — as well as a few chuckles from himself. Shoppach had a huge day outside of his adventures on the basepaths, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. He also called a fine game for Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, who pitched eight innings of one-run ball.

Afterward, Shoppach talked of his plans for the base like he was Rickey Henderson.

From MLB.com:

"It was awesome. I actually have already got a great idea of how I'm going to hang [the base] up," Shoppach said. "Still photo of me sliding, jumping, kissing the dirt, getting the bag up."

Shoppach said the theft was his first on the pro level since 2002, when he was a member of Boston's minor league system. Given that he may never receive another chance at a stolen base, we're glad he made the most of his only chance and got to second safely — by any means necessary.

via: yahoo

Young soccer player's ridiculous goal

Young soccer player's ridiculous goal, U-15 player scores with an overhead kick off a backheel to himself, A teen in New York scores with two of the cooler moves you'll see at any level of the game. In a U-15 match between Hauppauge "Brazil" and Dix Hills "Heat" on Long Island, New York, Dix Hills' Nkosi Burgess put on a lovely display of coordination that's going to get him a bit of attention.

Burgess was on the receiving end of a free kick into the box, which he backheeled over his head to set himself up for a little overhead volley for the goal. This elicited a stunned "wow" from one spectator who obviously didn't expect to see such an impressive goal at a local youth match.

Burgess' goal speaks for itself, so just watch and enjoy.

via: yahoo

The bold way celebs hit on each other

The bold way celebs hit on each other, Hit List - Star's Unusual Pick Up Message, Rocker Adam Levine says no thanks after Jennifer Love Hewitt professes a crush. Michael's Hit List wraps up the week in pop culture.

Will Smith's Wife Breaks Silence on Marriage

Will Smith's Wife Breaks Silence on Marriage, Jada Pinkett Smith Breaks Silence On Marriage Trouble Rumors, Jada Pinkett Smith dismisses split rumors but says she and hubby spent time apart. After months of speculation that Will and Jada Pinkett Smith were heading for divorce, Jada has finally broken her silence. The actress and mother of two opens up to the French magazine Gala, putting the rumors about the sorry state of her marriage to rest! Plus, Madonna rocks a see-through ensemble Thursday night for the launch of her new fragrance, and we're taking a look at our favorite celeb Twitpics of the week. Let us know on Facebook or Twitter which are your favorites — and why!

Trendsetter's high-tech locker room

Trendsetter's high-tech locker room, Oregon Ducks' Amazing Locker Room, The Oregon football team's quarters have a lighting system that most other schools can't touch. The Oregon Ducks have 512 uniform combinations to entice recruits, and if that wasn't enough, their locker room can beat the other 119 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Bryan Bennett, a sophomore quarterback, takes fans inside the Ducks' locker room, and let's just say you'd be hard pressed to find a more impressive facility in the National Football League.

The football building is dedicated to legendary Oregon booster Phil Knight. Accordingly, the co-founder and chairman of Nike doesn't have your typical boring photo displayed. Knight, with a net worth of more than $14 billion, is showcased wearing a sweet pair of shades. And by sweet, we mean they look like something out of "Blade Runner" or "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure."

Beyond that, each individual player's locker includes the latest in technology, according to the official Oregon Ducks channel on YouTube. Locker stalls are metal, with vents above each player's equipment to prevent that nasty smell of body odor on shoulder pads from stinking up the facility.

In addition, the lighting system has three options: Lounge, Huddle and Game Day. The locker room has sensors that match the lighting in Autzen Stadium, so that on game day the players don't have to change their eyes to adjust to the light, they're ready to go.

Oregon's football team has a 34-6 record the past three years, including a Rose Bowl win.

The two-story facility also features lockers that are angled toward the middle of the room so that players can hear every word from coach Chip Kelly.

via: tpg

Bus driver takes police on wild ride

Bus driver takes police on wild ride, Vietnam: Cop gets wild ride on front of bus, An officer making a routine traffic stop reacts quickly when the driver panics and speeds off. A Vietnamese traffic policeman was hanging onto a bus by the wipers as a rogue driver tried to escape getting a ticket. A fellow officer captured the scene on video as Nyguyen Manh Phan took a wild ride in Hanoi.

Player picks bad time for klutzy moment

Player picks bad time for klutzy moment, DTotD: Japanese defender tackles himself, opponent scores, A Japanese soccer crowd roars as one defender makes a slapstick play he won't soon forget. A mere six minutes into Yokohama F. Marinos' J-League Cup match against Consadole Sapporo last week, defender Naoaki Aoyama took a tumble while running backwards to collect a ball in the middle of the pitch.

This gave Sapporo striker Hideo Oshima a leisurely one vs. one against the keeper that resulted in a goal. Sapporo ended up winning the group B match 2-1 and Aoyama learned that he should save the moonwalking for halftime.

via: yahoo

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are Engaged

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are Engaged, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Are Engaged!, The actress steps out with an elaborate ring that Brad Pitt helped design. After seven years together and six children, it looks like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are finally ready to take the plunge! Pitt's manager, Cynthia Pett-Dante confirmed the news to USA Today. "Yes, it's confirmed. It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy. There's no date set at this time. Brad designed the ring."

Speculation around Brangelina's engagement started on Wednesday when Jolie was snapped sporting a blingy new piece of jewelry while attending an event at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art with Pitt and their son Pax. Turns out it was an engagement ring designed by the couple's jeweler friend Robert Procop, who has worked with Jolie and Pitt through the years and is behind the "Style of Jolie" jewelry line, which he sells on his website in cooperation with the Oscar-winning actress.

"I can confirm that, yes, Robert Procop did indeed design an engagement ring for Angelina Jolie, designed in collaboration with Brad Pitt," a rep for the jeweler told The Hollywood Reporter.

And the gem expert himself confirmed the news to the website — and shared details about the ring. "Brad had a specific vision for this ring, which he realized over a yearlong collaboration," Procop told THR. "He wanted every aspect of it to be perfect, so I was able to locate a diamond of the finest quality and cut it to an exact custom size and shape to suite Angelina's hand. Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution. The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality."

Jolie and Pitt met on the set of "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" when he was still married to Jennifer Aniston. Although they initially denied a romance, just months after Pitt and Aniston announced their divorce, he was photographed with Jolie and her son Maddox on a remote beach in Kenya. The Jolie-Pitts now have six children — three adopted, three biological — and have said that they would marry if it became something that was important to their offspring.

"The kids ask about marriage," Pitt told USA Today last year. "It's meaning more and more to them. So it's something we've got to look at." Jolie made similar statements regarding marriage, telling Nightline: "I think it would be hard to say no to the kids."

But picking a wedding date will be no easy task as Brangelina will have to plan around their busy schedule filled with humanitarian work and movie making. In fact, just yesterday there were reports that the couple, who hasn't worked together since "Smith," will be partnering up for a new movie, "The Counselor."

via: yahoo

Yaris Based Defect Quickly

Yaris Based Defect Quickly, Physics paper used to beat traffic ticket, Physicist claims victory over traffic ticket with physics paper, University of California scientist Dmitri Krioukov says he's proved he didn't run a stop sign. A physicist at the University of California San Diego used his knowledge of measuring bodies in motion to show in court why he couldn't be guilty of a ticket for failing to halt at a stop sign. The argument, now a four-page paper delving into the differences between angular and linear motion, supposedly got the physicist out of a $400 ticket. If you want to use this excuse, you'll have to learn a little math -- and some powers of persuasion.

The paper by Dmitri Krioukov titled "The Proof of Innocence," notes in the abstract that it's "a way to fight your traffic tickets," and was "awarded a special prize of $400 that the author did not have to pay to the state of California." (It's also posted with a date of April 1, so downloader beware.) Krioukov claims he was approaching a stop sign in his Toyota Yaris when a police officer saw him roll through the intersection, apparently without stopping, and pulled him over. Case closed — except that Krioukov says he was able to show a confluence of events that only made it seem he hadn't stopped.

First, the officer was watching the stop sign saw Krioukov's car from the side, distorting his idea of how fast Krioukov was traveling before the stop. At the stop sign itself, Krioukov contended he had stopped — but the officer's view was briefly blocked by a passing car. When Krioukov started again, the officer's sense of Krioukov's speed made it seem he had never stopped at all.

Krioukov told PhysicsCentral that the case and his argument were real, but that he left a flaw in his work for others to find, and sure enough a few commenters found the Yaris-based defect quickly. Leave it to a physicist to create an explanation that ends with people doubting whether the problem explained actually existed at all.

via: yahoo

Miranda Clark Runner Track

Miranda Clark Runner Track, Miranda Clark Kansas Sprinter Runner, Teen runner disqualified for using tape, Kansas teen DQ’ed for running with tape over earrings; if uncovered would have been warned, Sprinter Miranda Clark actually increased her penalty by trying to do the right thing. On April 10, Miranda Clark was getting ready to line up for the start of the 1,600 meter race at the Ellsworth Invitational. The Russell (Kansas) High student was ready to roll when she noticed that she had in earrings, a result of a recent ear piercing. Knowing that wearing jewelry in a race is forbidden in sporting events by the Kansas High School Activities Association, Clark knew she couldn't run with her earrings showing, so she did what most athletes do to make jewelry less conspicuous: She covered them up with tape.

As it turns out, that decision was the worst she could have made. As soon as Clark finished the event, a track official, Jim Cross, approached her and asked what was under her tape. When she admitted that the tape was covering an earring, Cross promptly judged that she was exhibiting "unsportsmanlike conduct," a ruling that disqualified the Russell (Kansas) High runner from the entire meet; Clark was scheduled to run the 3,200 meters later in the afternoon.

Perhaps most infuriating for Cross and her teammates was this bizarre technicality: If Clark had left her earrings in but not covered them up with tape she would have only received a warning and not been disqualified. As such, by trying to do the right thing, the Russell running was punished more harshly than if she had openly disobeyed state regulations.

"The state should be encouraging runners, not making it difficult to participate," Clark, who finished the 1,600 meters in 10th place, told Prep Rally. "If KSHAA is insisting on being so picky with what is allowed to be worn at sporting events, they need to be consistent. I think it was completely unfair for me to be disqualified and rude to call me unsportsmanlike. I was definitely not trying to hide my jewelry. I was just trying to follow regulations the best I could."

Whether one agrees with the punishment that befell Clark or not, it's hard to argue with the line of logic she espouses: She didn't remove a piece of jewelry because she was protecting a recent piercing, so she tried to cover it up to keep from violating well-established state regulations. Yet instead of applauding her ingenuity, Clark was given a more harsh punishment for violating a virtually unknown technicality.

That's precisely the case that a member of the extended Clark family tried to make in an email to KHSAA assistant executive director Mark Lentz that was obtained by Prep Rally. In his response to an open query about Clark's dismissal from the meet, Lentz said that the teen should only have been disqualified if she had been warned about wearing the earrings earlier in the event. Lentz stressed the importance of "preventive refereeing"; warning athletes like Clark that they are at risk of a violation before they actually start an event.

Yet Lentz also failed to address whether the official's decision to ban Clark was right or wrong, and agreed that it should have been done on the basis of "unsportsmanlike conduct" because it was related to jewelry … even though Clark went out of make sure her jewelry was not showing.

For his part, Clark's father, Marty Clark, who was at the meet, said that he was most frustrated with a lack of consistency on what parts of contemporary uniforms the KHSAA deems to be inappropriate and unsportsmanlike.

"I have been attending track meets for years and there is not a meet that I attend that a person does not make a comment about the inappropriate uniforms that are allowed, but I have yet to hear a comment about tape on an ear or an athlete having an earring," Marty Clark told Prep Rally. "Miranda was wrong for having the jewelry in her ear and she knows that, but I feel that to be disqualified from competition because they are putting tape on it is a little extreme. This is just high school sports, we should be promoting and encouraging our young people to compete and be active, not discouraging."

via: yahoo

Great first date hits unfortunate snag

Great first date hits unfortunate snag, Ex-Girlfriends, It's all going so well until Toby's ex makes a brief but menacing appearance. Everything is going great until Toby's ex-girlfriend walks in.

Controversy over schools' bold move

Controversy over schools' bold move, Can Kids Be Raised in a Gender-neutral Society? Sweden Thinks So, Swedish preschools have stopped calling kids "girls and boys" to promote equality. Imagine if a girl were the only female on a co-ed basketball team and nobody tried to force her to stop playing, or even cared. What if a teenage boy tried out for an all-female cheerleading squad and it went unnoticed?

Could gender truly be removed from the equation? It's unlikely. In the U.S., a girl being kicked off a baseball team because of her gender -- or a boy being allowed on a girls' swim team despite his gender -- makes national headlines. And in Sweden, attempts to create a more gender-equal -- or even gender-neutral -- country are causing a stir.

In an effort to support gender neutrality, Sweden recently added a gender-neutral pronoun, "hen," to the country's National Encyclopedia. Slate reports that several preschools in Sweden have stopped making references to the gender of their students. Instead of calling children "boys and girls," teachers are referring to students as "buddies." One school even stopped allowing free playtime during the day because "stereotypical gender patterns are born and cemented. In free play there is hierarchy, exclusion, and the seed to bullying." And the country just published its first gender-neutral children's book, "Kivi och Monsterhund."

The objective of creating a society that focuses on "hens," of course, is to allow children to grow up without being limited by gender stereotypes. "It's a laudible goal," Stuart Lustig, M.D., a child psychologist at the University of California, San Francisco, tells Shine. "But the notion of gender is deeply ingrained," he says, and depends on how children are socialized.

Elise Claeson, a columnist and a former equality expert at the Swedish Confederation of Professions, has been quoted as saying that the term "hen" could even confuse children because it introduces an "in between-gender."

So what happens when gender neutrality is applied to sports? It depends on the type of athletic activity.

Last fall, the Swedish Bowling Federation initiated a plan to make bowling gender neutral by getting rid of male and female tournaments. Michael Gervais, Ph.D., a licensed sports psychologist for DISC Sports & Spine Center, tells Shine that some sports require a level of technical proficiency while others require a level of physicality for success. Bowling falls into the former category, where technical proficiency is necessary so gender doesn't play much of a role.

A similar situation might be seen in football, where a female wants to the placekicker on a high school or college team. "It's a technical proficiency, where strength doesn't impact success." But if you examine gender neutrality in a physically aggressive sport, like boxing? "I can't imagine boys and girls would fair well at a certain age," says Dr. Gervais. When kids are younger and hormones haven't haven't kicked in, gender may be a non issue but "when they do, the power and strength of the male anatomy would create problems in a gender neutral environment."

And we can't forget the social implications, where boys are raised to not hit girls. "America has a hard time with young boys fighting young girls," Dr. Gervais tells Shine.

Dr. Lustig adds that the challenges of gender neutral sports is dependent on the age group. Early on, when kids are perhaps six years old through 12 years old, children may be more comfortable around kids of the same gender. But issues become more obvious for teens playing contact sports. "Contact with the opposite gender could be fraught with complicated emotions," he says.

via: yahoo

Artyom Saleviev

Artyom Saleviev, Adopted boy struggles with mom's rejection, Adopted Russian Boy Rejected by U.S. Mother Adjusts in Foster Care, Artyom Saleviev remains traumatized after being sent back to Russia by his American mother. Artyom Saleviev's mischievous grin quickly fades when asked about the five months he spent in the United States.

"I do not want to talk about this," he said quietly, as he looked down at the floor. Asked if he would ever go back he said nothing and emphatically shook his head no.

In 2010 Artyom made headlines around the world after his American adoptive mother Torry Hansen put the then seven-year-old boy back on a plane to Russia alone with a letter that said she didn't want him anymore.

Artyom's new foster mother still cannot believe what happened to him.

"It's inhumane," Vera Egorova told ABC News in an interview in the home where she cares for him and several other children. Artyom is her 17th foster child.

"He should have been accompanied by adults and not just sent like a package by plane with his documents. It's bad. As a woman and a mother I could have never done this," she said.

The case sparked outrage in Russia and the government froze adoptions to the United States while it sought assurances that Russian children would be properly cared for by their adoptive parents. An accord was finally reached last year and the Russian parliament may soon ratify it in the coming weeks.

In the meantime the world has seen very little of Artyom since he was the scared little boy being whisked away by authorities.

Russian officials say he spent time in a hospital and in various institutions before finally ending up here, at an orphan colony in the suburbs of Moscow.

Now nearly ten years-old - his birthday is on Monday - Artyom remembers only a few words of English.

"My name is Artyom," he said sheepishly without looking up from his Legos.

He's perhaps small for his age, slim, and soft spoken. Like many boys his age, he enjoys watching television, playing with his toys, and horsing around with friends. He also seems to like showing off to the camera. When ABC News filmed him playing on the playground he immediately climbed to the top of the jungle gym and jumped off into a pile of snow, but not before glancing over to make sure the camera was rolling.

Ms. Egorova says he has taken to calling her "mama." She says he's struggling at school and is prone to acting up in class, but she attributes that to the trauma he experienced and the class time he has lost as a result.

Egorova says she has seen none of the "psychopathic" issues that Torry Hansen wrote about in her letter which caused her to reject Artyom. She says many foster children are traumatized by what they have experienced and Artyom is no different.

"We did a lot of tests and visited several specialists and they say there are no disorders," she said.

A U.S. court last month ordered Torry Hansen to pay child support for Artyom's care. A hearing has been set for May 17 to determine how much she will pay, which will depend on her income level and how much it costs to take care of the boy in Russia.

A lawyer representing Artyom visited Russia this week to meet him and to determine how much money to request, as well as to ensure that it will reach him.

Ray Stoner, an attorney for the National Council for Adoptions, says he's confident the judge will give them what they are looking for. He hopes no other child will ever share Artyom's experience.

"What we're trying to assure is that something like this never happens again. And that there's a consequence to what Ms. Hansom did. And that send an important message on behalf of all parents," he told ABC News.

"This is an issue that transcends America, or Russia, this is just the way that children should be treated in any civilized society," Stoner said.

In the meantime, the top Russian official for adoptions, Children's Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov, said he expected no further delays for American families hoping to adopt a Russian child.

"There are (sic) not any artificial obstacles for this process," he told ABC News.

Ms. Hansen was unable to be found for comment, despite efforts to locate her.

via: yahoo

San Francisco Woman Attacks Man With Stiletto Shoe

San Francisco Woman Attacks Man With Stiletto Shoe, Woman attacks man with designer shoe, Police search for a mystery assailant who allegedly used her stiletto heel as a weapon. Police are searching for a woman who's attack sent a man to the emergency room.

Adopted boy struggles with mom's rejection

Adopted boy struggles with mom's rejection, Adopted Russian Boy Rejected by U.S. Mother Adjusts in Foster Care, Artyom Saleviev remains traumatized after being sent back to Russia by his American mother. Artyom Saleviev's mischievous grin quickly fades when asked about the five months he spent in the United States.