The use of deadly backyard mushrooms implicated in the accidental poisoning of two female senior citizens residing at an assisted living facility in California has been deemed an accident, and regulations that govern food handling practices do indeed exempt foraged food including mushrooms.

The deadly backyard mushrooms killed the two women and sickened four others at the facility including the person that prepared the soup. Police say that the mushrooms, which sprouted following rains in the area, were not identified as toxic.

Elderly individuals are at a higher risk after consuming tainted food, and the deadly backyard mushrooms did not appear to violate any regulation in regards to food safety. Lt. Mark Reed of the Placer County sheriff’s office commented on the accidental poisoning, saying:

“The caretaker just didn’t know, and she went outside and picked these mushrooms and made dinner, and she ate some of it herself … It’s definitely a sad, sad thing.”

Local food blogger and locavore Ed Fletcher is a practiced forager, and he explains that the incident involving deadly backyard mushrooms is one that is a risk even for experienced mushroom pickers. Fletcher says:

“Where experienced mushroom hunters go wrong is they gather the bad mushrooms hiding among the edible ones.”

“You have to look at every wild mushroom you bring home as an individual. If you don’t do that, you are courting danger.”

Reed said it was clear that the deadly backyard mushrooms were the cause of illness for the six sickened by the soup, saying one older woman living in the facility refused dinner and did not fall ill:

“She didn’t eat it. They said she was an ornery lady and didn’t want to eat.”

The women poisoned by the deadly backyard mushrooms have been identified as Barbara Lopes, 86, and Teresa Olesniewicz, 73.

Deadly Backyard Mushrooms Kill Two, Police Say Deaths Were Accidental is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chucky the doll will not be haunting your PC or favorite gaming console any time soon. According to TrueAchievements, the video game “Chucky: Wanna Play?” based upon the horror movie series Child’s Play  has been cancelled.

Back in May of 2011, TikGames announced they were working on bringing a Child’s Play video game to PC and consoles. The goal was for the player to take on the role of Chucky and go on a horror-inspired rampage.

Apparently, the developer studio had difficulty raising funding, which is not surprising considering there’s been a huge 25 percent drop in “core games” sales this October. Many studios have been forced to lay off employees. According to phys.org, video game “sales fell to $755.5 million from $1 billion a year earlier. Sales of video games themselves, excluding PC titles, fell 25 percent to $432.6 million. Sales of hardware such as Microsoft’s Xbox 360 fell 37 percent to $187.3 million. Sales of accessories, meanwhile, grew 5 percent to $135.6 million.”

Tikgames started an official Kickstarter in order to make up the budget shortfall, with their goal being to raise $925,000. This might seem like an unreasonable goal, but other independent video game developers have managed to raise millions through Kickstarter. Tikgames had an early demo of the Chucky: Wanna Play? video game but then required the money to finish it and port Chucky to consoles. Unfortunately, they only raised 19 backers and $585, which is a head-scratcher for such a name-brand. Apparently, news of this Chucky Kickstarter campaign never made it onto many of the major horror movie focused websites.

Tikgames made the Chucky cancellation official on its Facebook page:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of this Kickstarter Campaign. For those who have followed Chucky this last week, you know that pledges have been very slow. We built a fun campaign with lots of great goodies, got the word out to as many people as we could, but sadly not enough people loved the concept of a Chucky video game as much as we did. Our sincerest thanks go out to all of you who pledged to Chucky and we promise no charges will be made to your credit card for this Kickstarter project.”

Chucky: Game Over?

Chucky Child’s Play Video Game Cancelled After Failed Kickstarter is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Waffle House sex scandal continues to unfold after the CEO announced he’s nothing more than the victim of extortion, according to NPR.

Waffle House CEO Joseph W. Rogers Jr. explained on Tuesday that his former employee is just trying to squeeze some money out him.

“I am a victim of my own stupidity, but I am not going to be a victim of a crime — extortion,” Rogers said in a recent statement.

“Over an almost eight-year period when I was separated, single and re-married, I had a series of infrequent consensual sexual encounters with my housekeeper,” the CEO said of the situation, adding that the woman was employed from 2003 to sometime in 2008.

Although the former employee was later rehired by Rogers as house manager, she ultimately quit her job last June. It was around this time that the Waffle House sex scandal kicked into high gear.

Rogers claimed that he received a letter from the woman demanding several million dollars.

“Shortly thereafter, on July 16, 2012, I received a letter from her attorney containing false allegations and strong threats,” Rogers stated. “According to her attorneys, she now wants millions of dollars from me.”

According to the Marietta Daily Journal, 43-year-old My Brooke Brindle alleges she was sexually harassed by Waffle House CEO Joseph W. Rogers Jr. over a period of nine years. The single mom reportedly left the position once her son had obtained a college scholarship.

“As a condition of Brindle’s employment, and against Brindle’s will, Rogers willfully, repeatedly and with specific intent to harm and oppress Brindle, required Brindle to perform sexual services,” the police incident report reads. “Rogers frequently appeared naked in front of Brindle. Rogers treated Brindle as subservient and required Brindle to perform these various sexual acts on him as a condition of her employment.”

Rogers said in the statement that he has apologized to his wife and family for the pain and agony this situation has caused.

“As personally embarrassing as this situation is for me, I am committed to the legal and law enforcement process to expose the motives of my former housekeeper and her attorneys,” he said.

What do you think about the CEO’s statements regarding the Waffle House sex scandal?

Waffle House Sex Scandal: CEO Says He’s The Victim Of Extortion is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Texas secession petition, in addition to others in several states, has been a strange election postscript in recent days, but, contrary to common belief, the movement itself did not begin with President Barack Obama’s re-election.

Cary Wise is Membership Director at the group spearheading the movement for Texas secession, known officially as the Texas Nationalist Movement. Wise has seen some level of interest among like-minded folk hoping for Texas’ secession but admits that the re-election of the President has galvanized the movement and brought the conversation to the national level.

At a packed meeting of hopeful Texas secessionists last night, Wise said he believes that it is “inevitable” that the state will break away from the Union but the intent right now is to do so non-violently:

“We’re not gonna start a revolution; we’re not gonna go shoot anybody … We’re gonna politically and peacefully, through the pressure of the sovereign people of the State of Texas, we will change this. People ask if Texas independence will really happen. Folks, it is inevitable.”

Texas Nationalist Movement President Daniel Miller told POLITICO that the seeds of Texas secession were sown some time ago but that the perception among those joining now is that the second consecutive election of Barack Obama has turbocharged the movement:

“I am completely aware that Election Day was a catalyzing moment, but I do not believe that the underpinnings of this are solely about Barack Obama … This cake has been baking for a long time — it’s the Obama administration that put the candles on the cake and lit it for us.”

Miller continues:

“This is not a reaction to a person but to policy and what we see as a federal government that is so disconnected from its constituents and absolute no regard for what its purpose was.”

The Texas secession leader also reiterates that the movement is not intended to be violent, saying:

“We walk in the same vein as Gandhi and those guys.”

As of last count, more than 80,000 people have signed the Texas secession petition, but the state is legally prohibited from seceding, lawmakers confirm.

Texas Secession Movement Not New, Leader Says, But Catalyzed By Obama’s Second Term is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kristen Stewart is apparently worried about her future acting career.

The 22-year-old actress, who played the role of Bella Swan in the Twilight films, joked that she was unemployed at the world premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 in Los Angeles and claimed she was ready to get back on set.

“I’m kinda desperate to get a job right now,” she told E! at the premiere Monday. ”I’m itching to go back to work.”

In addition to the five Twilight films, Stewart recently starred as Marylou in the buzzed-about adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and took on a titular role in Snow White and the Huntsman, which both came out this year.

Despite the scandal surrounding Snow White — in July, fans learned K-Stew had been unfaithful to her Twilight co-star and longtime boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, with Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders — Stewart hinted last week that she hasn’t ruled out reprising her role as the movie’s main character.

“Maybe,” Stewart told The Hollywood Reporter. “No one’s positive or anything, but I think there’s a strong possibility.”

OK! Magazine reports that Stewart was also scheduled to film an indie flick titled Cali this summer but dropped out.

Meanwhile, Pattinson, who apparently forgave Stewart for her misguided summer fling and is reportedly back together with the starlet, will spend much of 2013 on a film set.

The British actor currently has five major movies lined up including The Rover in which he will star alongside Guy Pierce and Map To The Stars, which co-stars Rachel Weisz.

Kristen Stewart Desperate For Job, Worried About Future After ‘Twilight’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

BITS Limited — a leading manufacturer of energy saving surge protectors — has been named as the CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award honoree for their product the True Surge Power Squid.

The products that are entered into the prestigious program are judged by a panel of independent industrial designers, engineers, and members of the media, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.

They honor outstanding design and engineering in cutting edge consumer electronics products reviewed on 29 product categories.

The True Surge Power Squid, manufactured by BITS Limited, has been called the safest surge protector on the market today. It received honors in the Home Audio/Video Accessories product category. True Surge, unlike other surge protectors, disconnects power completely in the event of a surge or if the surge protector has been somehow compromised.

Because of its abilities, the surge protector can help protect electronic devices from permanent damage and also prevents surge protectors from catching on fire.

Yahoo! News notes that Russell Barton, President and co-founder of BITS Limited, stated:

“We at BITS Limited would like to thank CEA for naming True Surge Power Squid an International CES Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award honoree … most surge protectors are a proven fire hazard in very large surges. This is why we created the True Surge Power Squid to provide customers complete protection for their electronics and their homes, and we are honored to be recognized for this product.”

Because of its award, the True Surge Power Squid will be displayed at The Venetian during the 2013 International CES, which runs from January 8 to 11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Check back at The Inquisitr in January for full CES 2013 live coverage.

BITS Limited Named CES Innovations 2013 Design And Engineering Award Honoree is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Etan Patz case is again moving forward after more than three decades of grief for the young New York City boy’s family, and the man New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has said he believes killed the child may be indicted this week for Patz’s presumed murder.

Like much about the Etan Patz case, the news that the trial may move forward is still an exercise in frustration. When Patz was presumably snatched during a short walk to school in his SoHo neighborhood in May of 1979, the incident was one that impacted the city for years to come and changed how many families felt about its safety overall.

As the years ticked by, the Patz disappearance provided painfully few leads and no information of merit to put New York’s unease to rest (as much as was possible) following the incident. And along with Adam Walsh, Etan Patz provided a face for the “stranger danger” trend of the 80s, with the latter appearing on milk cartons with a plea for information leading to the boy or his presumed kidnapper.

Etan Patz was declared officially dead in 2001, nearly a quarter-century after he vanished without a trace from the city’s streets. But it wasn’t until May of this year, 33 years to the month that Patz was snatched, that a confession came in the case — from Pedro Hernandez, a resident in a mental hospital in New Jersey.

Pedro Hernandez, now 51, was 19 when Patz disappeared. And again, the confession seems to present as much strife for the family and police as it promises closure, as the supposed confessed killer may not be a reliable source of information.

The New York Times explains:

“If the grand jury indicts Mr. Hernandez, the trial would be challenging. Mr. Fishbein has said that Mr. Hernandez has a long history of mental illness that includes diagnoses of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with visual and auditory hallucinations … His mental health history could be used to raise doubts about the reliability of his confession.”

But back in May, Kelly said that despite a lack of hard evidence, he was confident Hernandez’s confession was solid:

“He was remorseful, and I think the detectives thought that it was a feeling of relief on his part … We believe that this is the individual responsible.”

Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance, however, is not so sure the case is closed just yet — he commented that the city “[needs] to make sure that accountability is levied as to the right person, and under appropriate evidence.”

Vance and others working on the Etan Patz case declined to comment on its progress today.

Etan Patz Suspect Could Be Indicted This Week is a post from: The Inquisitr

Actor Channing Tatum is officially People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2012, according to CBS News. The latest issue hits newsstands today.

Although rumors about the actor’s appearance at the top of the list began swirling last week, nothing official had been released on the matter.

Tatum revealed that he was as surprised as anyone to find himself dubbed the sexiest man alive.

“My first thought was, ‘Y’all are messing with me,’ ” Tatum explained to the magazine.

Reuters reports that Tatum immediately shared the news of his placement on the list with his wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum. The couple have been married since 2009.

“I told Jenna after we’d been in the bathtub washing our dogs because they’d gotten skunked,” he said. “She was like, ‘What’’ ”

Although Channing Tatum is busy preparing for his role as an Olympic athlete in the upcoming movie Foxcatcher, the next role the actor might place is family man.

“The first number that pops into my head is three, but I just want one to be healthy and then we’ll see where we go after that,” Tatum said of starting a family.

Previous winners of People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive list include Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney, and Matt Damon.

Earlier this year, Channing Tatum starred in Magic Mike, a film which followed the life and times of a male stripper. The film was loosely based on the actor’s own experience as a dancer. Not surprisingly, people flocked to theaters to see the star and fellow cast members bare it all on the big screen. The film enjoyed a $113 million haul during its theatrical run.

Tatum will reprise his role as Captain Duke Hauser in director Jon M. Chu’s G.I. Joe: Retaliation next year. The sequel to the 2009 film is slated to arrive in theaters on March 29, 2013.

Are you surprised that Channing Tatum is People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive of 2012?

Channing Tatum Is Officially People’s Sexiest Man Alive is a post from: The Inquisitr

Keira Knightley is gracing the December cover of the magazine Allure where she will be posing topless, but with no explicit nudity. What makes this newsworthy is that Keira Knightley has no problem discussing topics that are often American taboo: sex, nudity, and the size of the breasts.

According to the New York Daily News, the 27-year-old actress explained that she does not mind exposing her chest in photo shoots and on film sets because–in her own words–there is not much to see, anyway!

“I’m quite rigorous about what gets exposed,” she told Allure. “No bottom half! I don’t mind exposing my (breasts) because they’re so small — people really aren’t that interested!”

Larger breasts are popular in Hollywood, so Keira Knightley describes how multiple film studios have been photoshopping film stills and posters in order to make her chest look larger than reality.

“They always pencil in my boobs,” she laughed. “I was only angry when they were really droopy. For ‘King Arthur,’ for a poster, they gave me these really strange droopy t–s … I thought, well if you’re going to make me fantasy breasts, at least make perky breasts.”

Keira Knightley has denied all rumors of anorexia, or other eating disorders.

“The anorexic stuff — all of that — it’s always going to have an impact, so I think it did hit pretty hard,” she said. “Because you go, oh, maybe that’s right! I knew I wasn’t anorexic, but maybe my body is somehow not right. You kind of just want to hide it all.”

Keira Knightly posing topless for Allure will probably grab attention. What do you think about Knightley’s attitude regarding her breasts and nudity?

Keira Knightley Posing Topless For Allure: I Don’t Mind Exposing My Breasts Because ‘They’re So Small’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Players on the 3-6 New York Jets apparently aren’t enthusiastic about the idea of inserting backup quarterback Tim Tebow into the starting lineup instead of underperforming starter Mark Sanchez. Supposedly, “nobody” on the Jets wants the former University of Florida star to be the team’s signal caller.

Sanchez has a completion rate of 52 percent, which is the lowest in the NFL, and has thrown four red-zone interceptions, which also leads the league.

Tebow, however, has gotten very little playing time this season with the Jets even though the team has been tanking.

According to the New York Daily News, Tebow’s teammates — on and off the record — want Tebow to stay on the bench despite Sanchez’s woes:

“More than a dozen Jets players and members of the organization painted a sobering picture of the player who rallied the Broncos to the playoffs last season. In their eyes, he’s simply not very good …

“ ‘He’s terrible,’ a defensive starter told the Daily News.”

Jets players on both sides of the ball reportedly claim that Tim Tebow has not improved his skills since Denver traded him to the Jets last March and that he is a “gimmick” player.

Jets left guard Matt Slauson said, according to the Daily News, that the Jets have only one other quarterback on the roster, that being Greg McElroy. He referred to Tebow as “an athlete.” Another starter, unnamed, indicated that the team doesn’t regard Tebow as a quarterback and instead is “the Wildcat guy.”

Former Jets QB Joe Namath, who has already stated that that Tebow isn’t talented enough to start on an NFL team, last week accused the Jets of acquiring Tebow  merely to grab headlines.

Do you think that Tim Tebow should get more playing time with Jets or is he just not up to the job of starting NFL quarterback? Did the Jets trade for Tim Tebow merely as a publicity stunt?

Tim Tebow’s Jets Teammate: ‘He’s Terrible’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Amanda Bynes may quite possibly be one of the worst drivers in the United States and now her former What I Like About You co-star Wesley Jonathan is speaking out against her attempts to operate a potentially deadly vehicle.

Jonathan was spotted in Los Angeles by TMZ yesterday and when asked if he had any advice for Bynes he gave a simple answer:

“The only thing I would say to her is ‘You got enough money. Get a chauffeur to take you everywhere.’”

Jonathan also admits that he tried to get in touch with Bynes but has yet to receive a call back, a similar story to what another former co-star, Jennie Garth, has been telling reports for the last week.

The former What I Like About You star seems ready to take Amanda Bynes’ side:

“Everybody makes mistakes. We’re all human.”

It would be interesting to get Jonathan’s take on the state of Amanda Bynes’ mind during filming on the show. Rumors following her first couple police encounters claimed that Bynes was unhinged. One source said Bynes would argue with herself on the treadmills at her gym, often answering her own questions.

With parents moving half way across the country to support their daughter, co-workers speaking out with concern and police reports filed all over the place we have to ask, who’s worse Amanda Bynes or Lindsay Lohan?

Amanda Bynes’ Former Co-Star: Get A Chauffer is a post from: The Inquisitr

Disney has unleashed a brand new trailer for their upcoming film Oz: The Great and Powerful, according to Deadline.

The latest promotional piece from the film arrives shortly after the release of a colorful new poster featuring an assortment of the story’s characters. The film is presently scheduled for release early next year.

Directed by Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimi, the film follows the Oz as he becomes the ruler of the world located over the rainbow. The story effectively serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz.

During a recent interview with About, Sam Raimi took a moment to sing the praises of the actresses who helped bring the story to life.

“It was great to work with them because they’re great actresses,” the acclaimed director explained. “As beautiful as they are, that would simply just become meaningless if they weren’t great actresses, and that’s what we needed for the story. They both have very complex roles and complex interactions with the other characters in the piece, and they just did a beautiful job performing. It’s very funny and realistic, and they’re a pleasure to watch.”

“And, yes, they’re not hard on the eyes,” he added.

Disney’s official plot description of the film is as follows:

“When Oscar Diggs (Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot–fame and fortune are his for the taking–that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity–and even a bit of wizardry–Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.”

The trailer for Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful has been embedded below. The film is slated for release on March 8, 2013. Are you looking forward to the Wizard of Oz prequel?

‘Oz: The Great And Powerful’ Gets A New Trailer [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The recently released Mists Of Pandaria expansion has restored the old magic to the internet’s most popular subscription based online game. There is no simpler or better way to describe the impact Mists Of Pandaria is having on the ten million gamers who gladly pay $14.99, month after month, to enjoy World Of Warcraft.

The game achieved an almost legendary status in the online gaming community and it is considered the standard by which all other MMOS are judged. World of Warcraft attracted 12 million subscribers at it peak, and with the success of the new expansion, the numbers are slowly climbing back to record setting levels. The game celebrates its eighth anniversary on November 23, 2012 and shows no sign of slowing down.

The new expansion sends players to the mysterious continent of Pandaria, introduces the playable Pandarian race with the new Monk Class, raises the level cap to 90, adds tons of fresh quests, unveils challenging new world bosses, and offers new dungeons, raids and PvP zones.

All the new content is excellent and imaginative, but what makes this expansion so effective are the improvements to the system for joining raids and dungeon groups. Now everyone has an opportunity to fight all the end game bosses; from the most hardcore raider to the most casual player.

The heart of the system is Looking For Raid (LFR) and it is just what the doctor ordered to take WoW to the next level of player immersion. Just click the I key on your keyboard and bring up the Looking For Raid interface. At present, there are three instances, with three bosses each, available in LFR. Players join a random group of 25 from across the battle group to face a toned down version of the various raid bosses.

The gear is the same as the loot given in normal raids, but instead of 496 level gear, it is 476 gear. The bosses are much easier but they provide a wonderful opportunity to learn the fights for regular raiding and gain some awesome armor, jewelry or weapons.

In order to keep things from getting too easy and making a joke out of end game raiding, level 90 LFR has gear restrictions. The first two raids require a 460 gear level and the next one requires 470. As each new instance is added to Looking For Raid, the gear level requirement will increase.

If you are looking for something really new and different, you can even try the Battle Pet System making its debut in the expansion. This new feature brings Pokemon style pet combat to World Of Warcraft. Blizzard described the Battle Per System in detail:

“For years, your faithful companion pets have followed you on countless adventures. They’ve provided you with comfort, company, sometimes even with entertainment and hours of fun. Maybe you only have a handful of pets you really love, or maybe you have made it your quest to capture as many of them as you can. The fact remains, heroes love their little companions… and in Mists of Pandaria, they will take the spotlight in a brand-new way.”

“You can teach your pets unique abilities and attacks, and they will use these abilities when battling other pets. As they fight and win battles, your pets will gain experience and level up, which makes them tougher and may even unlock new abilities. Venture out into the world, collect pets wherever you find them, and train your pets to help them reach their maximum potential!”

“What’s more, you will also have a brand-new way to add more pets to your collection. In addition to purchasing pets or getting them as item drops, you can now also encounter and capture pets in the wild. If you run into one of these pets, you can have your own pet challenge it; if you manage to defeat the capturable pet, you will capture it and add it to your collection! Those capturable pets have stats that vary, so you may end up catching an exceptionally powerful pet. Keep your eyes open!”

Mists of Pandaria is loaded with new features, new factions, new vistas and exciting new bosses. There is so much to do and explore that you will never run out of things to do and goals to achieve. The expansion is everything a dedicated WoW player could ever asked for, all rolled up into one exciting package. Be sure to play Mists Of Pandaria and discover the joy of World Of Warcraft.

The ‘World Of Warcraft’ Restores The Magic With ‘Mists Of Pandaria’ Expansion is a post from: The Inquisitr

A recently discovered security hole in Microsoft’s Skype platform has forced the company to halt the ability to change passwords. The security breach was posted on a security forum by Russian hackers nearly two months ago.

The security breaching method involves the users password and the company’s simple password request form which then allows access to a users account. Hackers have used the system to lock out an accounts real user.

Breaching the Skype platform was a simple task. The hacker attempting to gain access to another users account created a new account with the target’s e-mail address, they then performed several changes and used the password reset token without needing to access the user’s real e-mail account.

The approach allowed anyone to create a new account for an e-mail and then switch to the target username.

Microsoft has pulled the plug for the moment on Skype password resets for fear that its new integration with the Microsoft Account system could have caused major security issues for Windows 8 users. The new OS asks users to sign in with their Microsoft account rather than a local user account.

Microsoft engineers say they are working on a solution that will allow them to reactive Skype password reset requests. In the meantime anyone who has forgotten their password is temporarily out of luck.

The company has not revealed how many accounts may have been breached because of the hack. Once password resets are enabled again users are being urged to choose a new password to safeguard their account.

Skype Security Breach Forces Microsoft To Suspend Password Resets is a post from: The Inquisitr

“Facebook Black” may be a term spotted in your Facebook feed this week, but don’t click on any status links promising a Facebook color change — the trend is the latest way for scammers to compromise your account and potentially cause all kinds of Facebook havoc.

Facebook Black is one of many scams that target the desire of Facebook users to personalize their profiles. Historically, Facebook has been different from predecessor MySpace in not offering users the option of customizing profiles.

Facebook Black and options like it are not a feature Facebook is likely to offer in the foreseeable future, and it’s probably pretty safe to say the social network is happy with a consistent, uniform appearance across all profiles. (Read: Timeline. You’re stuck with it.)

So in the void created between users wanting MySpace-style customization and Facebook’s design direction, scams like Facebook black have proliferated.

Sophos, the online security clearinghouse, took one for the team and examined the Facebook Black scam — deducing that the posts direct to a survey scam in order to funnel a cut to scammers.

Blogger Graham Cluley explains that those who have clicked the Facebook Black links should take some steps to ensure the security of their account has not been compromised:

“If [you've] mistakenly clicked on links like the one above, remove offending messages, photos and ‘likes’ from your account, check that you have not authorised a rogue app to access your account (from where it could steal information or post without asking your permission), revoke any rogue app’s publishing rights and report it as spam to Facebook.”

Have you spotted Facebook Black posts on your feed in recent days?

Facebook Black? Don’t Click, It’s A Trap! is a post from: The Inquisitr

Less than a week after a New Orleans man petitioned the White House to allow Louisiana to secede from the United States, petitions from seven states have now collected enough signatures to trigger a review from the Obama administration, the Daily Caller reports.

By 6:00 am Wednesday, petitions covering all 50 states had received more than 675,000 signatures. Vermont was the last state to file a petition.

Petitions from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas had received at least 25,000 signatures. At that amount, the Obama administration said the petitions would be rewarded with a staff review.

The Texas petition attracted over 94,700 signatures shortly before 9:00 am. A spokesperson for Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday afternoon that he does not support the idea of his state seceding from the US.

“Gov. Perry believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it. But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government,” the statement read.

Progressives from the liberal state capital, Austin, responded with their own petition to secede from Texas if the state should leave the Union. Another petition from Houston read that secession-minded Texans are “are mentally deficient and [we] do not want them representing us. We would like more education in our state to eradicate their disease.”

El Paso also filed a petition to secede from Texas, saying, “El Paso is tired of being a second class city within Texas.”

The other 43 states have not yet reached the 25,000 signature threshold. There is a 30-day window for petitions to reach that goal.

Fourteen states have two competing petitions to secede. The extra petitions from Missouri and South Carolina could add up to enough signatures for a response if they were combined with the earlier petitions.

A Darlington, South Carolina man proposed that the Obama administration “allow the states that have asked to secede to do so and form their own NEW nation together.”

White House ‘Secede’ Petitions Now Filed In All 50 States, Reach Over 660,000 Signatures is a post from: The Inquisitr

Josh Duhamel, Gretchen J. Berg, and Aaron Harberts are developing a new drama for the folks at ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The untitled drama will reportedly follow life behind-the-scenes of a daytime soap opera. The plot will follow the show’s efforts to stay on the air as the genre itself starts to slowly fade away. Not surprisingly, the antics of the cast and crew are a bit more entertaining than the soap opera’s storylines.

Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts, and Transformers alum Josh Duhamel will develop the project for the network. Berg and Harberts, who previously worked on Pushing Daisies and Wonderwall, will handle scripting duties on the pilot.

Nicholas Pepper, The Mark Gordon Co., and actor Oliver Hudson will co-produce the project with Berg, Harberts, and Duhamel. Although Duhamel is attached to the show, chances are he won’t appear in front of the camera on a regular basis.

According to Deadline, the actor may be drawing inspiration for the untitled drama from his days working on All My Children. Duhamel was featured in 25 episodes of the long-running soap opera from 1999 until 2011.

In addition to developing TV shows for ABC, Josh Duhamel is staying busy with other high profile Hollywood projects. The actor is counted among the numerous individuals for the upcoming comedy Movie 43, a film mounted by several different directors and a ton of actors and actresses.

According to Internet Movie Database, the Las Vegas co-star will appear in directors Kevin and Michael Goetz’s Scenic Route and Lasse Hallstrom’s Safe Haven with Cobie Smulders and Julianne Hough. Both films are slated for release next year.

It’s currently unclear when the untitled drama being co-developed by Josh Duhamel for ABC will find its way onto the small screen. Are you a fan of the actor’s work? Are you looking forward to his next television project?

Josh Duhamel Develops New Drama For ABC is a post from: The Inquisitr

Toyota is recalling 2.77 million vehicles around the world over water pump and steering shaft problems in the latest the Japanese automaker’s quality problems.

Toyota noted in the recall that no accidents have been reported related to either problem. About 1.51 million vehicles are being recalled in Japan for the steering problem, reports USA Today.

About 1.25 million of the cars being recalled abroad including 67,000 inside the US Models included are the Prius hybrid, Corolla, Wish, and others that were produced between 2000 and 2009 in the US.

The Japanese automaker is just coming off of its largest ever vehicle recall when it announced that 7.43 million vehicles were affected by a faulty power-window switch that could cause fires last month.

Over the past several years, Toyota has recalled 14 million vehicles for various problems including faulty floor mats, braking, and gas pedals sticking, according to the Christian Science Monitor.

Toyota reported in the recall that the main problem with is with the steering intermediate extension shaft. If the vehicle’s steering wheel is forcefully turned to the full right or full left position while driving slowly, the splines of the shaft can become deformed, wearing out quickly.

The second problem is with the Prisu model having a faulty water pump. Toyota stated, “In limited instances, the electric power supply circuit fuse may open, causing the hybrid system to stop while the vehicle is being driven.”

Toyota will be sending notifications to owners of the recalled vehicles in December to advise them of scheduling an appointment with the dealership. Mechanics at the dealership will inspect the extension shaft and the electric water pump. They will either repair or replace the parts.

Toyota Recalls 2.77 Million Vehicles, Including Prius is a post from: The Inquisitr

The second trailer for Rockstar’s open world crime opus Grand Theft Auto V has finally arrived online, according to Coming Soon.

Following the metric ton of information that Game Informer released last week about the next entry in the popular series, Rockstar has unleashed one seriously impressive preview for its upcoming title. If you were sitting on the fence about this one, then the embedded clip might push you directly into the river of excitement.

The trailer gives prospective gamers a good look at the characters they’ll be spending quite a bit of time with next year. What’s more, it provides players with an opportunity to see some of the insane set pieces Rockstar have scattered across Los Santos. Speaking of the game’s setting, the Los Angeles-inspired city has never looked better.

The latest trailer for Grand Theft Auto V suggests that players will have plenty of things to do and places to visit over the course of the experience. The Guardian reports the map was designed with exploration in mind.

“Environment is important,” Dan Houser explained. “Games are very geographical – they present space almost better than they present time, and we try to use that, to showcase variety between different landscapes. It’s this idea of a digital holiday: being able to explore spaces that don’t really exist is one of the the things that’s fascinating about open world games. It’s not just about doing the activities we’ve set, there’s also a sense of being there.”

He added, “If we’ve done a good job, the shoot-outs are fun but so is cruising through the world in a car you really like, listening to music — if these elements feel somehow consistent with each other, then we’re on the right path to something cool.”

The latest trailer for Grand Theft Auto V has been embedded below. Are you looking forward to Rockstar’s latest open world epic?

‘Grand Theft Auto V:’ Second Trailer Finally Arrives Online [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Baltimore, MD — A bus driver got into a wild physical altercation with a high-school student on Monday afternoon apparently over loud music, and the driver is now suspended after the video hit the internet.

Both the driver and passenger are female.

According to CBS Baltimore, Channel 13, “the woman who shot the fight [on cell phone video] says it started when the driver thought the teenage passenger was playing her music too loudly and stopped the bus to confront her.”

The Baltimore Sun has more details on the bus brawl:

“In the video out of Baltimore, the bus driver can be seen grappling with the female student. The student appears to punch and kick the driver multiple times as the driver tries to hold the girl down. The bus driver finally seems to overpower the student, and asks her if fighting somebody makes her ‘feel better.’ “

The Maryland Transportation Administration (MTA) has a “no-engagement” policy which was clearly not adhered to in this violent incident.

CBS Baltimore reports that the as-yet-unidentified bus driver has been employed by the MTA for about nine years, and the agency is reviewing the YouTube video as well as any surveillance footage that might have been taken.

Things have been getting out of hand on city buses of late. For example, last month, as The Inquisitr previously reported, a Cleveland bus driver punched a female passenger in the jaw over a fare dispute.

Watch the raw footage of the fight on the Baltimore bus between the driver and the teenage passenger and a report about the bus fight from Baltimore’s Channel 13, WJZ TV:

Baltimore Bus Driver Fights Teenager For Playing Music Too Loud [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr