Archive for July, 2012
Greek triple jumper booted off Olympic team after she mocked African immigrants on Twitter
A Greek triple jumper was today kicked off her Olympic team over comments on Twitter mocking African immigrants and expressing support for a far-right party.
The Hellenic Olympic Committee said Voula Papachristou was dropped from the team ‘for statements contrary to the values and ideas of the Olympic movement.’
Papachristou, who is currently in Athens, was due to travel to London shortly before the start of the athletics events but has now been excluded.
Dennis Rodman meets his father, Philander Rodman, after 42 years
Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman doesn’t know his father well. The aptly named Philander Rodman left Dennis’ mother 48 years ago, and the former Pistons, Spurs, Bulls, Lakers and Mavericks forward hadn’t seen his father for 42 years. Until recently, that is, when a barnstorming team Dennis plays for stumbled into Manila in the Philippines, and Dennis surprisingly agreed to a short meeting with his father.
From the Associated Press:
Philander Rodman Jr., who has acknowledged fathering 29 children by 16 mothers, says he was happy and surprised that his son agreed to meet him late Wednesday. He tried to meet the basketball Hall of Famer during another game in Manila in 2006.
Philander, who has been living in the Philippines for nearly 50 years, said Thursday he wanted to explain to his son that he didn’t abandon his family in the United States, but they only had time for greetings and handshakes.
That’s correct. Twenty-nine children by 16 mothers. So, without any visual evidence to support it, you can at least assume that Dennis (who clearly, and we’re not making some dry joke, suffers from incredible shyness and social anxiety) kept his sunglasses on and the discussion was brief. Dennis has a hard time talking to former teammates he once won championships with, so the father that left his house when he was 3 probably isn’t the easiest to gab with.
Philander Rodman
Here’s Dennis’ take on his father, from his 1996 memoir “Bad As I Want To Be,” with some cursing removed:
“I never really knew my father, Philander Rodman. He was in the Air Force in New Jersey, where I was born, and when I was three we packed up and came back to Dallas where my mother is from. We did this when my father stopped coming home.
Trayvon Martin’s parents react in fury to Zimmerman’s claim that teen’s death was “God’s plan”
The parents of Trayvon Martin have criticized claims of their son’s killer that the teen’s death was all ‘part of God’s plan’ and slammed it as ‘ridiculous’.
In reaction to George Zimmerman’s interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday night, Trayvon’s father Tracy Martin said: ‘We must worship a different God. There is no way that my God wanted George Zimmerman to murder my teenage son.’
Shockingly, the neighborhood watchman initially said during his first interview that he doesn’t regret his actions of the night and would like to talk with the Martin family about what happened.
Mother Sybrina Fulton appeared on NBC this morning and said she was ‘absolutely not’ willing to meet with her son’s killer.
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Reaction: The parents of Trayvon Martin have criticized their son’s killer’s claim that the teen’s death was all ‘part of God’s plan’ slammed it as ‘ridiculous’
She said: ‘I have a hard time accepting his apology because he also said that he doesn’t regret anything that he did that night, and I don’t think God would have him in his plan to murder an innocent child.’
The Fox News interview was Zimmerman’s first lengthy television interview and was conducted at an undisclosed location in Seminole County, Florida, where Zimmerman must remain under conditions of his release on bail.
The 28-year-old is charged with second-degree murder in the February 26 shooting in Sanford, about 20 miles north of Orlando.
Martin is black and Zimmerman has a white father and Hispanic mother. The shooting prompted nationwide protests after Zimmerman was not arrested for weeks after the shooting.
TSA agents ‘ strip-search ill grandmother as they swab her gastric feeding tube for explosives’
A sick Texan grandmother has accused the TSA of crossing the line and humiliating her after agents lifted up her shirt to reveal her gastric feeding tube and exclaimed, ‘Ugh!’.
Melinda Deaton, who has a medical condition, was attempting to move through security at Dallas Love Field airport when the four-inch medical tube that protrudes from her stomach aroused the interest of Transport Security Administration agents.
Instead of offering her a private room, Deaton alleges that the agents led her behind a nearby screen, strip-searched her and then interfered with the delicate feeding tube she has needed after surgery for a gastric bypass operation developed complications.
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Melinda Deaton said that she was humiliated by the actions of the TSA as they strip-searched her and interfered with her gastric feeding tube
‘I felt humiliated,’ said Deaton, who was traveling from Dallas to the Mayo Clini in Minnesota.
‘When I pulled my shirt out and they caught a glimpse of it, they both go, ‘Ugh!’
‘I said, ‘Thank you for your professionalism.’
Nicki Minaj Allegedly Swindled Out Of $100,000!
Nicki Minaj has allegedly been scammed out of $100,000 by a local man in her home country of Trinidad.
Star magazine has confirmed that the feisty hip-hop star believes she was ripped off by film producer Ellis Briggs who was hired to help produce her music video for Pound the Alarm.
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According to local reports, the man owns a video production company and allegedly took the cash without delivering on any services, creating a ‘logistical nightmare’ for everyone involved.
Police confirmed a report had been filed by London Alley Entertainment, which shot and produced the music video by Benny Boom.
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The music producer has denied any wrongdoing, counter claiming that Minaj’s production company actually owes him $19,000 for services and fees fulfilled and that the negative press has compromised his ability to get work.
According to Superintendent Edwards of the Fraud Squad, the man who has been accused of fleecing the singer has filed a response to the allegations, which is being treated by police as a breach of contract.
via Nicki Minaj Allegedly Swindled Out Of $100,000! | Radar Online.
Is Chick-fil-A anti-gay marriage? ‘Guilty as charged,’ leader says
Chick-fil-A is “very much supportive of the family,” according to Dan Cathy, president of the popular fast food chain. That is, “the biblical definition of the family unit,” he said.
And that doesn’t include Adam and Steve, suggests Cathy, whose father S. Truett Cathy founded the Atlanta-based company.
In a new interview with Baptist Press, Cathy puts on the record what critics say his company’s actions have indicated for years. “Well, guilty as charged,” he said in the interview when asked about Chick-fil-A’s backing of families led by a man and a woman.
“We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives,” Cathy said.
The chain, according to the report, has 1,608 restaurants, sales of more than $4 billion and employees who are trained “to focus on values rooted in the Bible.” Chick-fil-A’s across the country shut down on Sundays.
“We don’t claim to be a Christian business,” Cathy said. “But as an organization we can operate on biblical principles.”
Last year, protesters accused Chick-fil-A of supporting an anti-gay agenda with donations, which the company has steadily denied. The company could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
A report from LGBT advocacy group Equality Matters concluded that Chick-fil-A donated more than $3 million between 2003 and 2009 to Christian groups that oppose homosexuality. In 2010 alone, the company gave nearly $2 million to such causes, according to the report.
via Is Chick-fil-A anti-gay marriage? ‘Guilty as charged,’ leader says – latimes.com.
Burger King employee posts pic of himself standing on the lettuce
A Burger King employee posted a disgusting image on 4chan: someone standing in open containers of the establishment’s lettuce. The photo was accompanied with, “This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King.” The online army called 4chan immediately jumped into action and allegedly discovered the location of the Burger King.
Never underestimate the power of 4chan’s anonymous activist users. According to hypervocal.com, the poster did not strip this data from his photograph. Within 15 minutes of the posting, irate 4chan users reportedly located the Burger King’s address, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio – outside Cleveland. They claimed to have contacted the local news as well as the branch manager.
Bryson W. Thornton, director of global communications for Burger King, told Fox 8 News, “We are aware of the photo that was allegedly posted by an employee at a BURGER KING® restaurant in Ohio and are taking the issue very seriously.”
It looks like nobody except for the poster found this stunt humorous, since most of us would like to enjoy the occasional cheeseburger without the image of a man’s shoes sullying the lettuce in our minds.
A shift manager told the Cleveland Scene that the perpetrator and shift manage on duty at that time will both be fired.
via 4chan busts Burger King lettuce molester in Cleveland-area outlet – NY Daily News.
Obama condemns ‘barbaric’ attack on Israeli tourists
President Obama is strongly condemning a “barbaric terrorist attack” against Israeli tourists in Bulgaria.
Obama says his thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured, and he calls the attacks against innocent civilians “completely outrageous.” He says the U.S. will stand with its allies and work to “identify and bring to justice the perpetrators of this attack.”
Obama says the U.S. reaffirms its “unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security.”
Israel has blamed Iran for the deadly blast in the Black Sea city of Burgas, Bulgaria, that killed at least six people and injured at least 32 others.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she was “deeply saddened and angered” to learn of the attacks.
via Obama condemns ‘barbaric’ attack on Israeli tourists | Fox News.
Paris Jackson Defends Grandmother Against Rumors
Amidst allegations that Katherine Jackson has fallen ill from stress surrounding the current management of Michael Jackson’s estate, the late entertainer’s daughter Paris has decided to set the record straight on Katherine’s behalf.
The 14-year old took to her Twitter page recently following the reported leak of a strongly-worded letter (allegedly written by Janet, Rebbie, Tito, Randy, and Jermaine) which purportedly demands the estate’s current executors, John Branca and John McClain, resign immediately. The letter allegedly claims Jackson’s will is fraudulent, further alleging that the handling of Jackson’s finances are taking a toll on Paris’ 82-year-old grandmother.
“I will defend my beloved family member with all I have, even if it means from other family members,” defended Paris while opting to stay mum about which members of her family she was referring to. “I don’t care what people call me or if they think I’m a bad person, if it means sticking up for my grandmother I will do it.”
via Paris Jackson Defends Grandmother Against Rumors | ETonline.com.
Zimmerman apologies to Martins but says he has not regrets
George Zimmerman is speaking out about the Trayvon Martin killing for the first time in an interview with conservative talk show host Sean Hannity.
Friends and family members have told the neighborhood watch volunteer’s side of the story since the controversial killing in February, but Zimmerman himself has remained silent.
In the shocking interview, Zimmerman said that he regretted nothing of that February night, saying that it was all part of God’s plan.
Prayers: George Zimmerman, left, tells Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview that airs tonight that he prays for Trayvon Martin’s parents daily
Opening up: This is the first time George Zimmerman has spoken publicly about the night he killed Trayvon Martin
The interview comes one day after it was revealed that Zimmerman and his wife blew through $36,000 of cash he raised from his online legal defense fund on personal expenses like car payments, cell phones and paying off credit card debt — even though he was in jail at the time.
He went into hiding because he received thousands of death threats after he was initially not arrested because he claimed he opened fire on the unarmed teen in self defense.
‘Zimmerman will open up about what happened the night of Trayvon Martin’s death and his experience in the aftermath of the fatal shooting,’ Fox News says.
