The Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum is (finally) getting its very own mostly complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. The behemoth dinosaur is set to arrive in Washington, D.C., on October 16, according to the museum.

From there, workers will carefully assemble the 38-foot-long, seven-ton skeleton at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The skeleton, dubbed Wankel’s Rex,” has been living at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana..

However, it is now on loan to the Smithsonian after decades of attempts by the museum to acquire one of the few relatively complete T. rex fossils that currently exist.

While the specimen in question is officially known as MOR 555, it was dubbed “Wankel’s Rex” because it was discovered in 1988 by rancher and amateur fossil hunter Kathy Wankel in Montana.

The massive skeleton will stay at the Smithsonian for 50 years. Kirk Johnson, Sant director of the museum, who is also a paleontologist, stated:

“If you’ve ever stood next to a real T. rex skull, you’ll realize what a breathtaking thing it is: four feet long, with teeth the size of bananas. It is the most terrifying carnivore that’s ever lived on the planet. And it really makes you ponder what life would have been like with these things prowling the North American landscape.”

Wankel’s Rex was discovered in 1988 when the amateur fossil hunter brought some bones in for identification to the Museum of the Rockies. Museum director Shelley McKamey recalled, “I remember our curator Jack Horner asking her ‘Can you find this site again?’ because what she’d brought in were the first arm bones of a T. rex ever found.”

The massive skeleton is 85 percent complete and is still one of the most complete T. rex fossils ever discovered. The discovery site on an island in Fort Peck reservoir, was also the site of the first ever T. rex fossils found in 1902.

Along with putting the Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton on display, the Smithsonian will create a digital scan of every bone to further research the long-extinct species.

[Image via Robosorne]

Smithsonian Getting Its Very Own Tyrannosaurus Rex is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Pittsburgh Pirates are on a roll as they just finished off a sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers to maintain the best record in baseball. It took 14 innings on Sunday to beat the Brewers but a walk-off single by pinch-hitter Russell Martin did the trick.

The Pirates won 2-1 to move to 51-30 on the season with their ninth straight victory. They’re currently two games up on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central while the Brewers have dropped to the bottom of the division.

They are still waiting for Ryan Braun to return from a right hand injury and they could use his bat back in the lineup, which was proven by the one run in 14 innings on Sunday.

The Pirates, on the other hand, can’t do anything wrong at the moment as they’ve continued to win ball games. Nine-in-a-row is a stretch for any team in baseball, but the Pirates have a found a way to do it in dramatic fashion.

Russell Martin ended the drama with his walk-off hit and he’s loving his time in Pittsburgh since coming over from the New York Yankees.

“It’s fun,” Martin said, according to Yahoo! Sports. “Obviously winning is fun, but just being on a team with a bunch of guys who play with their hearts out and enjoy the game is definitely a pleasure.”

The Pirates will now move on to face the Phillies in a three-game series beginning Tuesday. Philadelphia has lost two straight games while dropping nearly 10 games back in the NL East.

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle made a huge call in Sunday’s game by stealing with Gaby Sanchez to put him in scoring position. Martin followed with the walk-off single to finish off the sweep.

Are you convinced by the Pittsburgh Pirates after they finished off a sweep of the Brewers to maintain the MLB’s best record?

[Image via Sports Crazy]

Pirates Top Brewers In Extra Innings To Maintain Best Record In MLB is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Rolling Stones’ guitarist, Keith Richards, has revealed that he thinks that the band can last for another ten years, and make it to their 60th anniversary. 

The band, which consists of Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts, and Richards, are currently on their 50 & Counting anniversary tour, but the guitarist hasn’t ruled out a future set of shows in a decades time.

Richards told Classic Rock magazine, “I’ve been hooked on everything once or twice in my life. The one thing I can’t kick is playing with The Rolling Stones. All these zeros that keep zooming by… 30, 40, 50 years. I don’t really see any reason why there shouldn’t be a 60th. Either that or we croak on the job.”

However, despite Richard’s assertion that the band might play for another ten years, it might have all ended several decades ago had Mick Jagger had his way. Jagger recently revealed that he originally intended to be a school teacher, before he became one of the most recognised frontmen of all time.

The singer remarked that being a teacher would have been “gratifying” and that he had also considered being a politician or journalist when he was a teenager, however despite turning into the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, he added that he was “very pleased” with how things had turned out in his life.

Last night The Rolling Stones headlined the Glastonbury festival by playing to a huge crowd that was described as one of the biggest the event has ever seen.

Jagger stated during their performance, “I arrived last night. I went to Shangri La, I saw the Arctic Monkeys, I couldn’t get up the tower because the queue was too big,” before launching into the band’s seldom heard song, “Factory Girl,” which he decided to rename, “Glastonbury Girl,” for the day.

Do you think The Rolling Stones could make it to 60 years?

[Image via cinemafestival/Shutterstock]

Keith Richards Wants The Rolling Stones To Play For Another 10 Years is a post from: The Inquisitr

The New York Islanders traded away one of their top prospects in the system by sending Nino Niederreiter to the Minnesota Wild. The Islanders acquired Cal Clutterbuck and a third-round pick in Sunday’s NHL Draft for the 20-year-old.

Niederreter was the fifth overall pick in 2010 and he’s been working his way up the Islanders system ever since. He didn’t appear in the NHL this past season but he does have some experience in the league.

He played in 55 games two years ago but his game wasn’t ready as he posted a -29 plus-minus with only one goal and no assists. He will now move to the Minnesota Wild after spending all of 2013 in the American Hockey League.

Cal Clutterbuck appeared in 42 games for the Wild during the shortened-season this year and he finished with four goals and six assists. He was near the top of the NHL in hits and he played particularly well throughout the season.

Outside of bringing in Clutterbuck, the Islanders scooped up goaltender Eamon McAdam with the 70th pick which was included in the trade. New York also selected defenseman Ryan Pulock in the first round with the 15th draft pick.

The deal looks to be a solid move for the Islanders, though Niederreter has always been considered one of those prospects that could take off at any time. His talent hasn’t translated to the NHL game just yet, but his development has been pretty solid over the years.

The Wild are taking a chance with the young skater but the upsides of his game seem to be worth it. Minnesota didn’t have a pick in the first round of the NHL draft on Sunday, but they did take defenseman Gustav Olofsson from Sweden in the second-round. Olofsson went 46th overall and he’s considered to be an ”intelligent player with quality natural instincts for the game” according to Wild Assistant GM Brent Flahr.

Outside of bringing in the 18-year-old defenseman in the second round, did the Minnesota Wild make the right choice by taking a chance on Nino Niederreter?

[Image via Robert Kowal]

Islanders Trade Nino Niederreiter To Wild For Clutterbuck And Draft Pick is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Indian airline has decided to only hire female flight attendants as they are looking to reduce fuel costs.

Go Air, a budget airline, decided to take this stance due to the fact that men, generally, weigh between 33 to 44 pounds more than women, and the company predict that they could save around around $500,000 per year in fuel costs.

Giorgio De Roni, Go Air’s CEO, told the Times Of India, “We are looking at all possible ways of cost-cutting to remain profitable.”

This announcement doesn’t put the company’s 130 male flight attendants, who are currently employed by Go Air, at risk, however they will only pursue females in the future.

Go Air has also reduced the size of its in-flight magazine, whilst portable water tanks are also no longer being filled to capacity to reduce costs too, De Roni confirmed.

Earlier this year, Turkish Airlines courted controversy after it banned their flight attendants from wearing red lipstick, and hair buns as they looked to preserved a more conservative dress code.

A statement from the company read, “As the appearance of the faces and hands of the cabin crew carries additional importance during service, a natural look is proven to create a more moderate and accessible effect in communication.” They even gave examples of other changes by international airlines.

The company stated that they had previously received a hoard of complaints from passengers about the way that their attendants dressed.

Their new dress code sees employees wear pastel colors instead of red, tattoos are banned, and their hair is expected to be braided. Critics of the decision included Gursei Tekin, the deputy leader to the Republican People’s Party, who called it “perversity.”

He then stated, “This regulation is perversity, is there any other explanation? Does the public authority decide what a 20 or 30-year-old woman will wear?

[Image via Andresr/Shutterstock]

Indian Airline Only Recruiting Female Flight Attendants, Because Males Are Too Heavy is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Home Depot in Nevada decided to treat its customers due to heat-wave that has engulfed the entire west coast by offering them free water.

The establishment’s thermometer clocked in at 116 degrees, whilst other regised the temperature at around 127, so in order to replenish those individuals who walked through their doors, the management at Home Depot thought that giving them some free water would be the least they could do.

The above sign that they created is also a rather amusing and light-hearted way to inform thirsty shoppers, and each sip would have provided a welcome rest-bite from  the unrepentant heat.

The above image was uploaded to Reddit and immediately saw other users take to the social network site to voice their own heatwave tales.

Iggnore stated, “124′ here in Havasu today … 116 degrees right now and there’s no sun, it shouldn’t be this way!” Whilst GolanALB, added, “It’s 109 right now in Las Vegas, it’s the coldest it’s been today.”

This weather is set to break records, with highs in Las Vegas hitting 117 on Sunday, which tied the all-time record for the city, first set in 1942 and then equalled in 2005.

The NWS forecast office in Phoenix remarked of the heat, “While hot temperatures are a regular feature in this part of the country, a heat wave of this proportion and this duration is not common. Several days at or near 100 degrees are common for the southwest Arinzona [and] southeast California deserts in the summer. But periods of temperatures at or above 115 degrees fahrenheit are more rare.”

A Death Valley resident, Mike Wood, admitted that even his running shoes were beginning to melt to the pavement. Wood told CNN, “The ground temperatures here can approach a hundred degrees so you’re talking about pretty much boiling the shoes … everything that kind of holds the shoe together kind of comes apart.”

Home Depot Gives Out Free Water Because It’s 116 Degrees Outside is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nineteen firefighters were killed while battling a wildfire around Yarnell, Arizona on Sunday. The news was confirmed Wade Ward with the Prescott Fire Department.

Wade added that 18 of those killed were members of that city’s fire department. They were assisting the nearby Yarnell Hill Fire, which broke out on Friday after an apparent lightning strike. The identity of the 19th firefighter killed is not yet known.

Authorities initially reported that they lost contact with the 19 firefighters around 6 pm local time. While they were seen from a helicopter, crews were unable to establish communications with them.

The fast-moving fire grew to 2,000 acres on Sunday night and burned at least 250 structures in the town of Yarnell. The 18 firefighters killed were the entire crew from the Prescott Granite Mountain Hot Shots. They were among at least 200 firefighters battling the wildfire on Sunday.

The fire initially forced the evacuations of 50 homes in the Buckhorn, Model Creek and Double A Bar Ranch areas, about 85 miles northwest of Phoenix. But the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office expanded the evacuations to include residents in Peeples Valley and Yarnell.

Michelle Lee, a reporter with The Arizona Republic, added on Twitter, “AZ Forestry confirms 19 bodies found, SE side of fire. Some in shelters. 18 from Prescott hot shot crew. 19th identity unknown.”

Forestry spokesman Art Morrison explained of the incident that the 19 firefighters were caught by the fire on Sunday afternoon when the winds changed suddenly. They were forced to deploy their fire shelters — a move that is only made when there are no other options. The fire shelter is intended to reflect heat, protect against heat, and trap breathable air.

But the fire shelters did not help the 19 firefighters, who were found in the shelters. It appeared that the shelters were deployed too late to help, according to reports. The names of those killed have not yet been released. One surviving firefighter has burns to the majority of his body.

19 Firefighters Killed While Battling Arizona Wildfire [Breaking] is a post from: The Inquisitr

There was a fatal Cirque Du Soleil accident today during a show in Las Vegas.

Acrobat Sarah Guyard-Guillot was performing at Cirque du Soleil’s “Ka” at the MGM Grand when she reportedly slipped out of her safety wire and fell nearly 50 feet to her death. The 31-year-old acrobat was taken to the University Medical Center but was pronounced dead on Saturday night.

Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte said: “I am heartbroken. I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the family. We are all completely devastated with this news. Sassoon was an artist with the original cast of K? since 2006 and has been an integral part of our Cirque du Soleil tight family. We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night. Our focus now is to support each other as a family.”

Guyard-Guillot had more than 20-years experience as an acrobatic performer and had been in the cast of “Ka” since production began in 2006.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that the incident occurred at the end of the show on Saturday night. Guyard-Guillot was ascending to the top of the stage during the show’s closing battle scene when she slipped free of harness and dropped into the pit below.

Dan Mosqueda, who was in witnessed the Cirque Du Soleil accident, told CBS: “Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part of the (show) … But you could hear screaming, then groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the stage.”

The show was canceled after the incident and an announcement was made informing the crowd that they would be able to get refunds for their tickets. All performances of “Ka” have been canceled for the time being.

People Magazine reports that this is the first fatal Cirque Du Soleil accident in the company’s 30-year history.

Cirque Du Soleil Accident: Acrobat Sarah Guyard-Guillot Falls To Death During Vegas Show is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jim Kelly, who appeared in many martial arts films in the 1970s, had died at age 67.

Kelly was known for appearing in the films Black Belt Jones, Enter the Dragon, and Three the Hard Way in the 1970s. Kelly’s ex-wife, Marilyn Dishman, said Jim lost his battle with cancer.

Jim Kelly Dies: ‘Enter The Dragon’ Actor Dead At 67 is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Belgian diplomat was kicked out of a country club in New York just because his wife was breastfeeding.

Tom Neijens and his wife Roseline Remans weren’t members of the Metropolis Country Club but asked if they could eat lunch in the dining room anyway. Once they were seated, Remans started breastfeeding their daughter Luka.

A female manager walked up to the couple and told them to leave because they were upsetting the other guests. When they said it would take just a few minutes, they were told to finish in the bathroom.

“She said, ‘Please leave immediately, you are disturbing the members,’” Neijens said. “You don’t ask a person to have lunch in the restroom — why would you ask a baby to have lunch there?”

Things got even stranger when police arrived to the country club.

According to Neijens, Detective Scott Harding warned them that they were trespassing and said some people in the country club thought they were terrorists because of their backpack.

“He was walking as if he was acting in a Western movie,” Neijens said. “He had one hand on his gun, one hand on his Taser.”

However, Harding changed his attitude when Neijens whipped out his State Department-issued ID. “You have to understand, this club has had terrorism threats in the past,” the cop said.

A few days after the incident, Neijens sent an email demanding an apology from Metropolis general manager Tracy Fraus and assistant general manager Audra Vaccari.

“I am deeply worried about your staff if they cannot distinguish between a European couple looking for a quiet place to breast-feed a baby and suicide terrorists carrying a backpack,” Neijens wrote.

The Metropolis Country Club declined to comment.

Do you believe the diplomat and his wife deserved to be kicked out of the country club?

[Image via Shuttershock]

Diplomat Kicked Out Of Country Club Because Wife Was Breastfeeding is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tim Flannery isn’t too happy with the way the Los Angeles Dodgers handled a 10-year-old fan who threw out a first pitch this week

The third base coach for the San Francisco Giants says the Dodgers “failed in the humanity department” when team officials decided to gloss over the donation 10-year-old Dodgers fan Casey Johnstone made for a Giants fan.

Johnstone became a YouTube sensation after giving a fifth-grade graduation speech that talked about being a Dodgers fan when all of his classmates rooted for the Giants. Johnstone’s parents suggested that he give all the ad revenue to Bryan Stow, a Giants fan severely beaten by two Dodgers fans at Opening Day 2011.

But when Johnstone was asked to throw out the first pitch at a Dodgers game this week, the team made no mention of the close to $200 he gave to Stow.

This did not sit well with Tim Flannery, who posted this angry message on the Facebook page for his band, Tim Flannery and Lunatic Fringe:

“Tonight the Dodgers did something that really pissed me off…yeah they beat us, they are better this time around, but this is about other stuff..they honored Casey Johnstone the kid who made a video and gave his $200 bucks to Bryan Stow…but the Dodgers never ever mentioned What the kid did with his money, or Bryan’s name. I once had a Dodger broadcaster tell me ” we wish he would just go away”…..ok…more shows for Bryan…another way to shine the light, and to the Dodgers how you handled this pregame first pitch tonight….you just got me started all over again……we won’t go away, till you do what is right here..had your chance tonight……failed in the humanity department….”

Though the beating took place more than two years ago, Stow just returned to his home last month after spending the entire time in hospitals and rehab facilities. His family, who have sued the Dodgers for negligence, said he still has a long and expensive recovery ahead of him, and will never re-gain complete function.

Tim Flannery himself has done a lot to raise money for Bryan Stow. His band has played benefit concerts and even released a CD to raise money for the former paramedic, raising $75,000.

Tim Flannery: Giants Coach Rips Dodgers For Ignoring 10-Year-Old Fan’s Selfless Act is a post from: The Inquisitr

San Francisco, CA — The BART strike loomed on Sunday night after the transit system’s two biggest unions left negotiation talks with the transit agency’s management.

After leaving negotiations, the union leaders explained that no progress had been made and they will decide whether or not to strike at midnight.

BART spokesperson Alicia Trost stated Sunday evening that the transit agency is willing to negotiate all night and even extend talks, in order to avoid a strike. However, Union negotiator Leopoldo Ruiz, isn’t sure the two sides can come to an agreement. Ruiz explained:

“We’re very far apart, we’re very far apart. We’re coming to meet because we’ve never given up, the district gave up on us. We were at the table for a day and a half, a day and a half, and the district never showed up during that day and a half.”

Talks to avert the BART unions’ strike stalled on Thursday and Sunday was the first formal meeting between the two sides since Thursday. Negotiator Antonette Bryant added that BART’s latest offer, which was presented on Friday, was insulting to the unions. She explained:

“The actual offer is one percent … The additional one percent each year is based on conditions that are not only preposterous, they’re penalizing our members.”

The two unions involved represent 2,378 train operators, stations agents, mechanics, maintenance workers, and professional staff in the BART system.

The union negotiators also walked out of negotiations on Saturday afternoon, saying that a strike was essentially inevitable. They added that they were waiting for district negotiators to present a promised proposal for almost two days. They later received the proposal by email and were less than pleased with it.

The last BART strike took place in 1997 and lasted six days. There are an average of 400,000 passengers on the transit system each day, meaning that a strike would have a huge impact on commuter traffic on Monday. In order to ease the commuter impact should the strike take place, BART will offer free weekday roundtrip bus service to San Francisco from four BART stations: El Cerrito Del Norte, Walnut Creek, Dublin/Pleasanton, and Fremont.

[Image via ShakataGaNai]

BART Union Strike Looms As Negotiations Continue is a post from: The Inquisitr

Phil Costa may not be a household name to anyone other than hardcore Dallas Cowboys fans, but that could change now that he’s planning to marry reality television star Brooke Hogan.

Costa, who is entering his fourth year in the NFL with the Cowboys, just got engaged to Hulk Hogan’s daughter. Costa took his proposal public, getting down on one knee at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Brooke later posted a picture of the moment on her Instagram account, writing: “Happiest moment of my LIFE. I am marrying my best friend. I woulnt choose anyone else. I am so lucky and so grateful.”

Hulk Hogan seemed oblivious, though he was there in Las Vegas as well.

Hulk wrote: “Where’s the truck that ran over me twice? Hogan and Vegas doesn’t work brother HH”

While Hulk is nursing a hangover, Brooke Hogan and Phil Costa are starting to plan their wedding.

For Costa, it’s been a long journey from overlooked college football player to starting center for the Dallas Cowboys.

Costa was a standout at Holy Cross High School in Delran Township, New Jersey, starting for three years at guard. He later went to the University of Maryland, where he had a strong college career but failed to impress NFL scouts.

When the 2010 NFL Draft came around, Phil Costa did not hear his name called. But the Dallas Cowboys did pick him up as an undrafted free agent, and after starting as the fourth-string center Costa worked his way up the depth chart and impressed the team enough to make the 53-man roster.

Phil Costa came back with another impressive training camp and preseason in 2011, and when the team cut Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode after contract negotiations fell through, Costa became the starter.

Phil Costa and Brooke Hogan will have to be careful in planning the wedding. The Cowboys open their season September 8 on Sunday Night Football against the New York Giants, and if all goes well could be playing through January. Brooke, meanwhile, is slated to appear in a few movies in the next two years.

Phil Costa: Brooke Hogan’s New Fiance Went From Undrafted To Starting For The Cowboys is a post from: The Inquisitr

Chris Paul will be staying with the Los Angeles Clippers, agreeing to a five-year, $107 million contract extension.

Reports said Paul verbally agreed to the contract offer shortly after free agency began at 12:01 am on July 1. The signing will bring a conclusion to the contract extension that once seemed a foregone conclusion but grew some uncertainty in recent weeks.

Though sources close to the team said they had long expected Chris Paul to re-sign with the Clippers, the point guard reportedly became angry with the team after the firing of coach Vinny Del Negro. Paul believed he was unfairly taking the blame for the coach’s exit, calling into question whether he would re-sign with Los Angeles or test the free agency waters.

There were also reports that Paul was at least entertaining the idea of signing with the Atlanta Hawks along with center Dwight Howard, but the acquisition of Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers seemed to cement Paul staying in Los Angeles.

The Clippers and Celtics worked for days on a swap that would send Rivers to Los Angeles in exchange for a draft pick (the NBA does not allow coaches to be directly traded). The deal appeared dead at one point in the process, but Chris Paul reportedly stepped in and urged team management to finish the deal.

Keeping Paul means the Clippers will be able to shop backup point guard Eric Bledsoe, who has already generated interest from the Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors. The Clippers had viewed Bledsoe as an insurance policy if Paul had not re-signed.

There is still a bit of formality before Chris Paul can officially re-sign with the Clippers. Though he can agree to terms of the contract now, he is not able to officially sign until July 10. Paul tweeted from the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday that he may not be able to officially agree to terms on Sunday but it won’t be long until he can.

Chris Paul Accepts Five-Year, $107 Million Offer From Clippers is a post from: The Inquisitr

An autistic toddler in the UK has captured worldwide interest creating beautiful paintings far beyond her years.

Three-year-old Iris Grace Halmshaw – who is autistic and cannot speak – lives with mom Arabella Carter-Johnson and dad Peter-Jon Halmshaw and has been painting as a part of her therapy sessions.

At the age of two, the little girl was diagnosed with autism, and, in an attempt to regain a connection with their daughter, who could scarcely make eye contact or communicate, her parents began to try different types of therapies.

“We started with play therapy and we’ve had speech, equine, occupational and music therapy, looked at her nutrition and quite a few other methods,” says her mother, who adds that with the help of the therapists, a huge change was seen in her daughter.

“She used to be consumed by books, eye contact was a rare occurrence, she didn’t want to, or know how to, play with us and got desperately distressed when we took her near any other children,” says Iris’ mother, who lives with her family in Market Harborough, a town within the district of Leicestershire, England.

“She now rides on my back in fits of laughter, plays and communicates by creating her own signs.”

Shortly after Iris Grace began painting as a part of her therapy, her parents knew they were seeing something special. Now the world has seen what this little girl is capable of – and they’re lining up to bring a piece home!

“We realised about three months ago she is actually really talented,” explains her mother, who first shared her daughter’s extraordinary paintings via Facebook. “Inquiries to buy her paintings were flooding in from all over the world and a framed print sold in a charity auction in London for £830.”

Iris’ father tells This Is Leicestershire he was amazed when his daughter started painting:

“We’re her parents so we think everything she does is amazing… But lots of other people started saying it was great. It went berserk from there.”

The pint-sized artist’s mother says Iris’ autism has created a unique style and that her daughter “has an understanding of colors and how they interact.”

“She beams with excitement and joy when I get out the paints,” her mom shares.

All profits from the sale of Iris Grace’s paintings go toward her art materials and funding her private therapy sessions.

Her parents – who have set up a website at irisgracepainting.com to showcase and sell the paintings – couldn’t be happier with the effect that art therapy has had on their daughter, but say they still have “a long way to go” with other aspects of Iris life, such as speech and social skills.

“We are having many more good days,” adds her mom.

Michaela Butter, a co-director of Embrace Arts – the University of Leicester’s inclusive arts centre – says, “As Iris Grace’s paintings demonstrate so well, disability is no barrier to creativity.”

The family is hoping to display the autistic girl‘s paintings at an exhibition in London.

[Image via irisgracepainting.com]

Autistic Toddler Wows The World With Her Paintings is a post from: The Inquisitr

Brooke Hogan and Phil Costa’s engagement is approved by Hulk Hogan, although Brooke Hogan might not appreciate some of the released details.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Brooke Hogan’s engagement announcement was released first on Instagram. She said:

“Happiest moment of my LIFE. I am marrying my best friend. I wouldn’t choose anyone else. I am so lucky and so grateful.”

Brooke Hogan’s fiancee Phil Costa was an undrafted free agent in the NFL, but recently he got the good news he was being added to the Dallas Cowboys roster.

Based upon a Twitter post, at first Hulk Hogan seemed oblivious to Brooke Hogan’s engagement announcement even though he was in Las Vegas as well:

“Where’s the truck that ran over me twice? Hogan and Vegas doesn’t work brother HH.”

A radio station was able to track down Hulk Hogan and ask him about Brooke Hogan’s engagement. Hulk Hogan was apparently “kind of worried what kind of reception we’d get. The dude [Phil Costa] was proposing in the parking lot, brother. The ladies were striking leg shots, man. The Hulk was running wild and all my maniacs were giving one of the biggest welcomes we’ve ever had.”

Hulk Hogan says he’s “never seen anything like” Brooke Hogan’s engagement in Las Vegas. When asked where the wedding of Brooke Hogan and Phil Costa might happen, Hulk Hogan went all over the map, listing exotic locations in Japan, Africa, and Madison Square Garden. Hulk Hogan says he’s not worried about the media and the “frenzy” that will surround Brooke Hogan’s wedding, saying “Scotland Yard” and various Hulk-a-maniacs will be pushing from the inside and out. You might want to listen yourself, because I didn’t understand some of Hulk Hogan’s opinion on Brooke Hogan’s engagement, either.

When asked whether Hulk Hogan knew about Brooke Hogan and Phil Costa’s relationship, Hulk Hogan called it “dog eat dog,” claiming Phil Costa “man-handled her” and “put her in bad positions.” When the announcer said Hulk Hogan had a “sick twisted mind” Hulk Hogan could only agree with him, saying, “You better believe it, brother.”

Phil Costa better hope his marriage to Brooke Hogan lasts, because Hulk Hogan has already unleashed an ultimatum, saying Phil Costa would “have a life long sentence on Hulk-a-mania,” be pressed over Hulk’s head, and be thrown out of the ring if the marriage ever failed. Yikes.

What do you think about Hulk Hogan’s thoughts on Brooke Hogan’s engagement to Phil Costa?

Brooke Hogan: Hulk Hogan Okays Engagement, Says Phil Costa ‘Man-Handled,’ ‘Put Her In Bad Positions’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Bill Bratton, a former police commissioner for three of America’s largest police forces, has launched a social media network for cops.

Named BlueLine, the social network is currently being tested by 100 officers in the Los Angeles Police and Sheriff’s departments, and the University of Southern California’s police force. Dozens more police departments will join the beta test this summer, and BlueLine will launch globally at the International Association of Police Chiefs annual conference in Philadelphia in October.

Unlike other law enforcement information-sharing network, which focus on sharing intelligence for specific cases, BlueLine will focus on collaborating on issues such as gangs and drugs. Bratton also said BlueLine is the first secure network for cops, and a safer alternative for younger generations of police officers.

“If you’re a SWAT officer, [BlueLine] gives you the ability to find other SWAT officers in departments around the country and engage them, share best practices, talk about innovations,” Bratton told Reuters.

If a gangs investigator comes across an unfamiliar tattoo, he or she can post it to a Gangs network where someone from another department may be able to help identify the tattoo as a sign of a new gang. Users will be able to create databases, such as gang tattoos or graffiti, and analyze them.

The “Facebook for police officers” will combine the most popular functions of the aforementioned social media network, such as “likes” and “shares.” BlueLine will also feature secure videoconferencing capabilities and an iTunes-like app store open to third-party developers, according to CNBC.

Bill Bratton, a native of the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, started his police career with the BPD in 1970 after returning from the Vietnam War. He served as the city’s 34th police commissioner from June 30, 1993 to January 10, 1994, and became the 38th police commissioner for New York City that same year. He resigned from his position in 1996 and worked as a private consultant for the LAPD‘s Independent Monitor until Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn appointed him the department’s 54th Chief of Police in October 2002. He served in the position until 2009.

Bratton said that BlueLine “is not intended to replace strategic police communications capabilities,” but is “primarily for people to find each other.”

What do you think of a social network for police officers?

Former Police Chief Launches Social Network For Cops is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alexander Skarsgard has posted an interesting shirtless family photo to Instagram.

The group photo includes his brothers Sam, Gustaf, Valter, Bill, and sister Eija. The two younger boys in the photo are their father Stellan‘s sons from his second marriage.

The True Blood star shows his toned body for the world to see and fans are appreciating the treat.

To give some background on the unusual family portrait, we need to look back at Skarsgard’s conversation with Connan O’Brien in which he explains how he is very comfortable with nudity.

“My dad and his side of the family are old hippies,” he revealed. “I was 14 the first time I saw my dad wearing pants. He was always naked.”

The movie star also explained to O’Brien that his dad spent a lot of time cooking in the nude.

When O’Brien jokingly asked if that was at all dangerous, Alexander Skarsgard said,

“It’s not that big, so it’s fine.”

“The stove is really low, so it’s not a problem,” he clarified.

Skarsgard told E! News a few weeks ago that he is almost done shooting the HBO hit series True Blood and after that he will be taking some time off.

“We wrap in a couple of weeks and I’m going to go to Iceland on a week long hike,” he said. “No phone, no iPad, no nothing. I’m very excited about that.”

The Swede is very popular with the ladies and he was recently accosted by fans at True Blood Season Six Premiere in Los Angeles.

But the actor is unfazed and takes the attention and passionate fans with a grain of salt.

“It’s fun,” he said of being a part of the show. “The fact that we have all these fans here [and] they’ve been here since early morning, it means a lot because I’m so passionate about the show and doing it with these people I love and getting to share it with the world. It’s fantastic.”

What do you think of Alexander Skarsgard’s family photo?

Alexander Skarsgard Shirtless Family Photo is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Orlando road rage shooter Jerome Edward Hayes had his alleged motive disclosed by police.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the Orlando road rage shooting ended the life of 47-year-old Fred William Turner Jr. while he was on the phone with police.

Fred William Turner claimed not to have done anything to provoke the shooter, but he phoned for help when he realized that he was still being followed as he got onto Interstate 4. As he talked with the dispatchers, he was hit by several rounds from a semi-automatic weapon.

The resulting manhunt led to the arrest of Jerome Edward Hayes. The Orlando road rage shooter Jerome Edward Hayes was arrested at least once before, booked in 2007 for alleged conduct regarding a recycling facility. But all charges were dropped.

Neighbors of the victim of the Orlando road rage shooting say Fred William Turner Jr. “was a nice guy. I don’t see him having any enemies. He stayed to himself. He was a quiet guy. I just can’t believe that someone would just openly, randomly shoot him on I-4. That’s horrible.”

Unfortunately, this shooting in Orlando was not mere road rage. Jerome Edward Hayes apparently mistook Fred William Turner for someone else.

According to police, Jerome Edward Hayes had an argument with another man at a topless bar called the Gold Club. Both men were apparently thrown out of the strip club separately. Jerome Edward Hayes then spotted Fred William Turner exiting a nearby building, mistook Turner for the guy he’d just been arguing with, and then allegedly tracked Turner down with his car only to murder Turner.

Orlando Road Rage Shooting A Case Of Mistaken Identity, Says Jerome Edward Hayes is a post from: The Inquisitr

A TV chef could be in hot water for allegedly using racial slurs, and it’s not Paula Deen.

Krissi Biasiello, a contestant on MasterChef season 4, apparently sent out at least two racially offensive tweets last year on her now-deleted personal Twitter account according to a report in the Philadelphia Daily News.

MasterChef airs on the Fox Network on Wednesday evenings at 8 pm Eastern. Season 4 premiered on May 22, and the reality cooking show has already been renewed for two additional seasons.The series — which is a spinoff of the original UK version — features volatile chef Gordon Ramsay (of Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares fame), restaurateur Joe Bastianich, and chef Graham Elliot as the judges. The winner pockets $250,000 and a cookbook deal.

According to TheWrap.com, “The 34-year-old Philadelphia paralegal, who like Deen specializes in delicious but fatty comfort foods, is accused of using the N-word in one tweet and making a racist rape joke in another.”

Biasiello still has her MasterChef Twitter account up in running, however. On that account, she describes herself as follows: “I’m loud, Italian. MasterChef season 4 contestant! Cooking is LIFE. Aspiring chef/goddess of baking …”

Neither Fox nor the contestant herself have as yet issued a response about the alleged racially offensive social media activity and how that could or will affect the competition going forward.

As the whole world knows by now, southern cooking diva Paula Deen has been engulfed in a huge controversy as a result of a lawsuit filed by former employee Lisa Jackson who accused Deen and her brother of sexual harassment and using racial slurs while she worked as manager of Uncle Bubba’s Seafood and Oyster House in Savannah, Ga. The revelations about Deen’s use of racial slurs years ago emerged from deposition transcripts in the case. As a result of this scandal, Deen’s lucrative marketing empire has crumbled.

Are you a fan of MasterChef? How should the show’s producers handle this bias controversy as a result of Biasello’s alleged offensive tweets.

MasterChef Contestant Allegedly Tweeted Racial Slurs is a post from: The Inquisitr