Angela “Big Ang” Raiola has the support of her Mob Wives co-stars as she goes through her health issue. On Saturday morning, she revealed that her friends and family surprised her with a lunch party to show their support before she goes into surgery next week. In attendance at the lunch were Renee Graziano and Natalie Guercio.

“My fans are the best, and I am blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. Today my family and close friends have surprised me. They’ll be taking me to lunch to give me well wishes before my procedure next week. I am in good spirits and have read all of your kind words. Please understand how overwhelming it is to not be able to answer back.”

On Thursday, after several media outlets reported that Big Ang was rushed to the hospital where doctors found a large lump on her throat, the Mob Wives star took to Facebook to explain the situation to the fans. On her Facebook post, Big Ang also said that viewers will see her on TV “very soon.” Since season 5 of Mob Wives just wrapped up, could she be talking about another spin-off show? Big Ang has starred in the spin-off shows Big Ang and Miami Monkey.

“First off, my apologies that you had to find out about my condition from every other outlet but me. This was never my intent, but unfortunately it got out there. Secondly, I want to clarify the rumors that I am hospitalized. I went in for a test due to the nodule in my throat. I had a nerve wracking couple of days, as would anyone when you hear testing etc… However, I am home peaceful and relaxing. This coming week I will be taking proper precautions and having it removed…This is a minor setback, but I promise you this… I already have some BIG things in the world and will be returning to your TVs very soon…..”

On Saturday afternoon, Renee Graziano posted a photo of herself with Big Ang at the lunch party.

Renee Graziano and Big Ang on Saturday, April 4, 2015.

Also at the lunch party was Natalie Guercio. Natalie, who just came back from a family vacation in Miami, made sure to let Big Ang, the only cast member to stand by Natalie the entire time she has been on the show, know how much she means to her. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Big Ang voiced support for Natalie G. walking out of the season 5 reunion show after being threatened by Natalie DiDonato.

“U are my mother, my best friend, my rhyme to my reason…. From the moment we bonded, u became instant family. I’m so happy u are a part of my life… U are fearless strong and everything in between! I look up to you in so many ways. I Love U with all my Heart, Speedy recovery, cocktails when u heal to Celebrate.”

Natalie Guercio and Big Ang on Saturday, April 4, 2015.

It’s not clear whether Angela “Big Ang” Raiola’s other Mob Wives co-stars, Drita D’Avanzo and Karen Gravano, also attended the lunch party. Drita had a family wedding to go to. Karen, meanwhile, seems to have spent the day with Love Majewski, who was in the show’s third season. Karen did send Big Ang well wishes and hoped for her speedy recovery.

[Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images]

Renee Graziano And Natalie Guercio Attend Lunch To Support Big Ang is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The upcoming Ronda Rousey book, available in most stores on May 12, will not be hitting the shelves at your friendly neighborhood Walmart.

This announcement — reported here by Yahoo! — has some crying “censorship” particularly Rousey’s publisher, Judith Regan of Regan Arts.

“I’m shocked, shocked to discover that censorship is going on in America!” Regan said.

Undoubtedly, Walmart’s reasoning for not carrying the book is sketchy at best — they say it’s because Ronda Rousey is “too violent” of a personality — when you consider that you can walk into most any Walmart location and buy a firearm capable of killing someone.

Still, in a free society, is it really fair to call what Walmart is doing censorship?

For an answer, it really depends on how you define the term. America typically isn’t a place where citizens believe censorship goes on because there is the idea that to satisfy the definition of censorship, the government must be involved in some way.

Or, in other words, when the government keeps someone from getting a product or service, it’s censorship; when a business does it, it’s simply choosing not to sell a certain product.

But recent movements throughout the country could be causing some to rethink. Case in point, look at the law that pretty much forced a Christian bakery to sell a specific product (a same-sex wedding cake) in its store or face closing down.

In that case, the bakery owners were not refusing to serve a customer (which would clearly be discrimination), but they were refusing to sell a specific product — a wedding cake celebrating a gay marriage, which the owners were opposed to on religious grounds.

What does that have to do with Ronda Rousey?

Plenty.

If a business cannot refuse to sell a specific product (a same-sex wedding cake) on grounds of belief, then it could be argued that Walmart should be forced to sell the Ronda Rousey book since the retailer sells books, there is a clear demand for it, and the grounds on which they’re refusing is one of belief rather than objectivity.

If businesses can’t have beliefs, then Walmart needs a more compelling reason for saying no to Ronda.

Or you could argue that if businesses can have beliefs, then why is society losing its mind over a Christian bakery refusing to sell a same-sex wedding cake when it isn’t flatly refusing to serve gay customers?

One way or another, a double standard — or at least the potential for one — is clear and present.

But what do you think, readers? Does the Rousey-Walmart debacle run parallel to the business-gay marriage issue? And do you think Walmart should be forced to sell the Ronda Rousey book? Sound off in the comments section.

Ronda Rousey, Walmart, And Religious Freedom: When Should A Business Have The Right To Refuse A Product? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Jessica Alba wore a blue bikini on the beach on Friday, and the new photos have stirred up new talk about the actress and her body on the internet. According to E! Online, Alba is enjoying time off with her family in the Caribbean. On Friday, she went snorkeling.

This is not the first time photos of Jessica Alba in a bikini have stirred up talk and speculation about the actress. Last year, some fans were worried about the actress after some photos of her in a bikini popped up online. Many thought the actress was way too skinny.

However, fans have not started with that kind of talk on social media with these new bikini photos. These are not the only bikini photos featuring the actress that have popped up recently either.

#JessicaAlba — Bikini Pics Make for a Good Friday #celeb http://t.co/mMk3uK0ztc pic.twitter.com/gBwf7hvB7W

— Trending Celeb News (@Celebrilizer) April 3, 2015

According to a recent Inquisitr report, Alba shared some photos of her spring break vacation on her Instagram earlier this week. Her Instagram showed her having fun with model Chrissy Teigen. The model joined Alba and her husband on vacation.

Jessica Alba’s smile is her best #SpringBreak accessory! http://t.co/GTbf1X53et pic.twitter.com/hf2GHKvjGz

— POPSUGAR (@POPSUGAR) March 27, 2015

Alba has definitely earned a little vacation time. The actress is also a businesswoman, and she is building her company every single day. Alba is the woman behind The Honest Co. She has expanded the number of products her company sells, and is looking to expand into new areas.

According to a CNBC report, Alba has her an eye on China. She spoke about the future of the company at South by Southwest last month.

“Our customers are demanding that we go even further and offer solids and snacks and later stage foods as well. And our customers have also asked us to do more personal care, so feminine care is a vertical we’re launching in the summer, and in the fall—beauty. Both of those verticals we’ve been working on for years, it’s just now that we’re at the point we can finally launch them. It’s been very exciting developing and I’m very anxious to see how our customers respond. It’s my third baby and I’ve put my heart and soul into it.”

Alba is the mother of two young daughters, and she is trying to set a good example for them. She revealed how she is trying to teach her daughters how to be strong women when they grow older, in an interview with In Style.

“Ultimately, I hope to teach my girls how to be problem solvers and encourage their own curiosity and creativity. Also, empathy and compassion are important characteristics we should all have. It’s fundamental to peace and progress in our personal and professional lives. By the time they grow up, I hope there are more female leaders in every field for them to look up to.”

Jessica Alba realizes that women in today’s society are not considered business leaders. She is a rarity and not the norm. She wants to empower women to do and want more, and she shared her message on World Women’s Day last month. She spoke out about this message to In Style.

“I shared a reminder on my Instagram that women deserve equal pay, education, opportunity and rights. In the U.S., women earn 78 cents on the dollar for doing the same work, we make up less than 5 percent of Fortune 500 company leadership positions, and for every female chief executive of S&P 1500 companies there are four men named Jim, Bob, Jack, or Bill! We’ve got a long way to go before there are more bossladies out there. When it comes to education, women still make up ⅔ of adult illiteracy rates worldwide—a proportion that hasn’t changed in 20 years. What has changed is the opportunity in technology fields. It’s the largest, fastest growing employment opportunity here and women are the leading adopters of technology. Unfortunately, we have half the number of female computer science majors that we did 30 years ago and women are only a quarter of the computing workforce.”

While Jessica Alba makes news with her latest bikini snap shots or for cutting her hair off, she is also making news for her actions that show off her brain skills. In just the last six months, she has expanded her company, and her comments at South by Southwest show that the growth of her company will continue in the months and years ahead.

Jessica Alba is showing the world that she is more than just a pretty face with a great body.

[Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]

Jessica Alba’s Blue Bikini Amazes Fans: Actress Takes An ‘Honest’ Break For Beach Fun is an article from: The Inquisitr News

On Thursday, it was reported that an injury to Johnny Depp’s hand stalled filming on Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the fifth installment of Disney’s successful pirate saga. Johnny’s injury didn’t stop production all at once. Scenes that could be shot without Mr. Depp were completed, before filmmaking on the project came to a halt.

The injury to Johnny’s hand required that the Pirates of the Caribbean star return to Los Angeles on March 11 to undergo minor surgery. The operation will place a pin in 51-year-old Depp’s hand, as a result of an off-set injury Johnny sustained.

Pirates of the Caribbean 5 is filming on location in Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. In addition to throwing the Pirates budget of $250 million into question, the downtime related to Johnny Depp’s injury has created a loss of work for the several hundred Australians employed on the set.

Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Photo courtesy of JohnnyDeppWeb.com

Originally, only a “minimal impact” on the film’s production was predicted as a result of Mr. Depp’s injury. But the estimated two-week delay turned into a considerably longer halt, when Johnny decided to return home to L.A. to seek treatment. An official determination has been made that Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will resume shooting on April 15, and that the established release date of July 7, 2017, remains unaffected by Depp’s injury.

Currently, Johnny Depp is back home with his new wife, Amber Heard, where he plans to stay to recuperate following the surgery on his hand. Depp wed Ms. Heard on February 8 in a private ceremony on Johnny’s own island, located in the Bahamas.

In addition to the downtime caused by Johnny’s injury, production on Pirates of the Caribbean 5 was also delayed in February due to severe thunderstorms in the film location’s area. The storms were a result of Marcia, a category 5 tornado, passing through the area. The tornado itself passed more than 700 kilometers from the Pirates of the Caribbean set, causing no damage to the set and no reported injuries to cast or crew.

When Johnny does return to Australia, Mr. Depp will be facing an additional 14 weeks of filming, before Pirates of the Caribbean goes into post-production.

Recent media attention has been cast upon Johnny Depp and family with the lens focusing on Depp’s daughter, 15-year-old Lily-Rose Depp.

Lily-Rose Depp
photo courtesy of Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Entertainment

Johnny Depp is reprising his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, when he returns in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which also stars Geoffrey Rush and Javier Bardem.

[Feature photograph courtesy of Jason Kempin/Getty Images]

Johnny Depp Proves You Can’t Keep A Bad Pirate Down, ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean 5’ To Resume Filming is an article from: The Inquisitr News

ISIS is continuing with their cultural purge, destroying the Iraqi ancient city of Hatra — which contains artifacts that are 2000 years old — one statue at a time. The Islamist extremists uploaded a video (parts shown below), showing them hammering away at the ancient sites.

According to NBC News, one man speaking in Arabic appears on the film to explain they are wrecking these sites because they are being “worshiped instead of god.” Their target, Hatra, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. The ancient fortified city was the capital of the first Arab kingdom and withstood two attacks from the Romans, once in 116 A.D. and again in 198 A.D.

The city is located roughly 68 miles (110 kilometers) from the Mosul.

The group have ruined archaeological sites all across northern Iraq in the name of their extreme ideology.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, ISIS has already took down at least two other ancient cities in Iraq: Khorsabad and Nimrod, along with smashing artifacts in the museum at Mosul. The acts against archaeology earned ISIS the condemnation of U.N. General Secretary Ban Ki Moon, but international forces still cannot prevent further acts of destruction.

This time, UNESCO joined with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to issue a statement condemning the most recent cultural attacks.

“With this latest act of barbarism against Hatra, (the IS group) shows the contempt in which it holds the history and heritage of Arab people.”

On the video, one unidentified ISIS member explained, “the Prophet ordered us to get rid of statues and relics, and his companions did the same when they conquered countries after him.”

At the extreme end, ISIS has also called for the demolition of the Great Pyramids in Egypt and the Sphinx.

The Mirror reports that even though the group claims the artifacts need to be smashed to prevent idolatry, many have been sold on the black market to help fund ISIS’ terrorist campaign.

The fight against ISIS will likely persist for some time, and how much of Iraq’s history will remain intact is unclear.

News from the war on ISIS is mixed. Reuters reports Iraqi forces recently retook the city of Tikrit, but unfortunately for the locals, Shi’ite militias backed by Iran played a large part and engaged in looting for days after defeating ISIS. Meanwhile in Syria, ISIS has taken over a Palestinian refugee camp in the ancient capital city of Damascus, putting them in striking distance of toppling Assad and taking Syria.

[Image Credit: Aronzakcommons2/Wikimedia Commons]

ISIS Video: Terrorists Destroying Ancient City In Iraq Brick By Brick is an article from: The Inquisitr News

In the game pitting the Kentucky Wildcats versus the Wisconsin Badgers, perfection was in sight. However, the Badgers would have none of it.

ESPN is reporting that Wisconsin center Frank Kaminsky, on his 22nd birthday, scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to squash Kentucky’s dream of a perfect season, as the Badgers beat the Wildcats, 71-64. Wisconsin advances to its first NCAA championship game since 1941 to face the Duke Blue Devils, who earlier dispatched Michigan State 81-61.

Along with Kaminsky’s 20, Sam Dekker added 16 points, while Nigel Hayes and Brandon Koenig each contributed 12 points each.

Kentucky goes home at 38-1, trying to join the 1975 Indiana Hoosiers as the only teams to complete an undefeated season as NCAA champions.

Wisconsin scored the eight straight points to take a four-point lead with 1:06 left. Kaminsky, the AP Player Of The Year, and Brandon Koenig went a combined 7 for 8 from the free throw line to seal Kentucky’s fate.

Kentucky showed great resolve, according to Yahoo! Sports. The Wildcats overcame an eight-point deficit in the first half, and a nine-point deficit during the second half to stay in the game.

Sam Dekker, Wisconsin guard, hit a three-pointer late in the game for the Badgers to take a 63-60, a lead that the Badgers would not relinquish.

The Kentucky supporters could not believe the result. All year long, the Wildcats found a way to come from behind to win games to get to 38-0 into today’s semifinal game. It also seemed like Wisconsin was gassed near the end, but, as champions do, they found a reserve and it carried them through to the end and the victory.

One action that will come into further focus by the NCAA were the actions of Kentucky players Willie Cauley-Stein and Andrew Harrison. After the game ended, with Wisconsin celebrating and Kentucky contemplating, Cauley-Stein and Harrison both left the court without participating the handshake lineup at the end of the game to congratulate Wisconsin on their hard-fought victory.

CBS Sports is reporting that Wisconsin’s victory gains a measure of revenge for Kentucky’s one-point victory in the NCAA Basketball tournament semifinal from last year. Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan will be going to his first Division I NCAA basketball tournament final. While coaching at Division III University of Wisconsin-Plattville, Ryan won four titles.

The game lived up to its billing as a fast-paced, over-the-rim contest where the underdog Badgers and favored Wildcats played their best. Today, that means Wisconsin moves on, and Kentucky, and its perfect season, is history.

[Image courtesy of Guardian L.V.]

Kentucky Wildcats Vs Wisconsin Badgers: No Perfection As Wisconsin Advances is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Social media can be tough on pop stars, even Beyoncé. She released a video on Jay-Z’s new Tidal streaming service and the reaction probably isn’t what Beyoncé was hoping for, especially on Twitter.

@BeyonceExplicit #DieWithYou sounds like an alley cat being choked to death. Quit while you are ahead, darling!

— Stephani Spangler (@StephanSpangl23) April 5, 2015

@Beyonce Please leave piano playing to people WHO ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO PLAY and leave singing to people WHO HAVE TALENT! #DieWithYou

— Armen Sarkisian (@ArmenSarkisian2) April 5, 2015

The Beyoncé clip is reportedly being taken down on all Internet sites. However, you can view Beyoncé’s new song on Tidal by paying $9.99 a month. Once again, there is a huge difference between what the media writes about Beyoncé and what people actually think. Entertainment Weekly gave Beyoncé‘s video a thumbs up.

“In the video for ‘Die With You,’ a soft, simple ballad, a make-up free Bey plays the piano in a baseball cap, smiling broadly as she sings. It can be easy for the singer’s larger-than-life persona to eclipse her raw talent, but when she belts the bridge of ‘Die With You,’ her powerhouse voice is on full display.”

As usual, many commenters accused Beyoncé of paying media outlets to give her good reviews. This is something that has always been suggested, but never proven. A poster named Migliore29 isn’t afraid to give a harsh opinion on Beyoncé after the Entertaiment Weekly review.

“How much does Beyoncé pay media outlets to hype her up and give her good reviews? I notice a pattern in which anything Beyoncé does, the media fawns over. However, everybody else criticizes what the media praises. Is there something inside going on here? This song was horrific and Beyoncé needs to stop pretending she can play an instrument.”

Another commenter named Thugs on a Train was even more harsh on the article.

“She’s the best r & b lip synch out there but I listened for a minute waiting for a melody or a lyric but all I heard was a breathy and simplistic piano she obviously wasn’t playing. Aretha she’s not.[sic]”

It’s doubtful that Beyoncé will release “Die With You” as a single; it’s just something to hype up her husband’s Tidal service. Beyoncé, along with Madonna, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, and many others appeared with Jay-Z this past Tuesday in order to help him launch the Tidal streaming service. The Washington Post reports that Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and their rich friends didn’t get the reception they were hoping for.

“Many of the corners of the Internet suggested these musical Superfriends could, more or less, take their high-minded streaming service and stuff it,” said writer Justin Wm. Moyer, a veteran Washington Post entertainment reporter.

Many seem to think the new Tidal service is too expensive and unnecessary. However, there will possibly be more Beyoncé exclusives on Tidal. Let’s hope that Bey gets a better reception for her next “surprise” video. What do you think of Beyoncé’s new song? Tell us in the comments section.

[Photo by James Devaney/Getty Images]

New Beyoncé Song Gets Brutal Reaction On Social Media is an article from: The Inquisitr News

NBA playoff standings for 2015 continue to be fluid in the Western Conference. As the 2015 NBA Playoffs quickly approach, the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers have become two teams with must-win games almost every night. The Blazers played Saturday night (April 4) against the New Orleans Pelicans in a contest that directly impacted seeding. They won 99-90 thanks to All-Stars LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard carrying the team on their backs.

The Clippers also won a tough road game against the Denver Nuggets (107-92) thanks to some tough defense and a remarkable 22 rebounds from DeAndre Jordan. All five starters scored in double-figures as well, showing the balanced attack that has won nine of the last 10 games they have played. The Clippers improved to 51-26 with the victory, staying slightly ahead of the 50-26 Blazers when it comes to home-court advantage in the first-round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

In the updated NBA playoff standings, the Portland Trail Blazers maintain the No. 4 seed and the Los Angeles Clippers stay at No. 5. The Blazers are No. 4 due to a Northwest Division title, but will have to open the postseason on the road if the fifth seed finishes with a better record. The teams would play each other in the first round at this point, with the first two games taking place at Staples Center unless something shifts.

The Golden State Warriors (63-13) have already clinched the top seed in the West and are currently on a 12-game winning streak. As previously reported on The Inquisitr, the Warriors have been able to make this remarkable run with a new head coach (Steve Kerr) calling the shots. Golden State is followed by the Houston Rockets (52-24) as the No. 2 seed and the Memphis Grizzlies (52-25) as the No. 3 seed. Further down the NBA playoff standings for the West, the San Antonio Spurs (50-26) are at No. 6, the Dallas Mavericks (46-31) are at No. 7, and the Oklahoma City Thunder (42-34) currently sit at No. 8.

The Pelicans really needed to beat the Blazers on Saturday night, as the team could have been tied with the Thunder for the eighth seed. Instead, the team fell to 41-35 on the season and a game back of making it into the 2015 NBA Playoffs. The Pelicans have some tough games against the Warriors, Grizzlies, Suns, and Spurs coming up. Oklahoma City has games against the Spurs, Blazers, Rockets and Indiana Pacers that could be tough.

With less than two weeks until the 2015 NBA Playoffs begin, time is running out for teams to make that late push. The teams are very bunched up in the Western Conference and things could shift in just two days time. The team with the easiest shot at moving up the NBA playoff standings would be the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers have two games coming up against a Los Angeles Lakers team that has stopped trying to win.

[Image Source: Steve Dykes/Getty Images]

NBA Playoff Standings 2015: Blazers, Clippers Win Big As Playoffs Approach is an article from: The Inquisitr News

It didn’t take long for somebody to take a shot at the recently departed AJ Lee, as NXT commentator and superstar Alex Riley took to Twitter to poke fun at the former WWE Divas champion.

I just got 4-3-15 tattooed on my neck

— Alex Riley (@AlexRileyWWE) April 5, 2015

What the 33-year-old Riley is allegedly referring to is a tattoo that Lee got after winning her first Divas championship with the WWE. The tattoo is written in tally marks to commemorate the date of her triumph. The date in the aforementioned tweet is the date of Lee’s retirement from WWE being announced.

Lee, whose real name April Mendez spoke to WWE about the tattoo and the meaning it has to her after her first title win.

“When I was really young, my entire family was covered in tattoos, so it was okay to get one. But I knew, when I did get one, that I wanted it to be something important and special. So, at a very young age, I decided that I would get it when I won the title. I’m not a girly girl. And I didn’t want fancy script or a butterfly or anything like that on me. I wanted something surreal; something that showed time served. That’s why it’s in the style that it’s in. [The Divas Championship is] something that I worked for and spent a great deal of my time trying to get. It’s 14 years in the making, so, it’s supposed to be really cold. Just a mark of an accomplishment and now I move on.”

With the obvious meaning behind the tattoo and her loyal legion of fans, Riley has become a target of criticism on Twitter. The tweet earned the former “Apprentice” for The Miz to be one of the top trends on Twitter. The attention could turn out to be a positive for the former Boston College football player as he recently returned to the ring.

Having spent a majority of the past two years in a commentators role, Riley began an online movement by using the hashtag “#FreeRiley.” He continually voiced his displeasure with his position in the company and made it clear that he wanted to resume his in-ring career.

Riley’s return came on an edition of NXT in mid-March where he faced off against the also recently departed CJ Parker in a victorious outing. His next bout came against current NXT champion Kevin Owens in a losing effort. Riley was also one of the 30 entrants in this past Sunday’s Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at Wrestlemania 31 before being eliminated by Damien Mizdow.

Considering the fact that Lee is no longer a part of the roster after her retirement was announced, Riley’s comments will likely not put his job with the WWE in danger. However, he did himself no favors with the Twitter community and AJ Lee fans as critical response to his tweet continues.

[Image via WWE]

WWE News: Alex Riley Takes A Shot At AJ Lee? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Jackie Neal, 41, was charged with raping a 19-year-old handcuffed in the back of his patrol car in 2013. With an upcoming court date over the charges, it was expected that Neal would make his appearance and the court would be able to plot a course moving forward.

But on Saturday (April 4), Bexar County Police confirmed that Neal was shot in the neck and is now in stable condition despite some initial reports that he was in critical. He is expected to survive.

The San Antonio Police Department officer, on an indefinite suspension, was accused of stopping the teen two years ago after tailing her car for an undisclosed distance.

When he reached the young woman’s window, he said that he suspected her car was stolen. After the woman produced papers confirming it was not, he decided a pat-down was in order.

The 19-year-old said that she requested a female officer do the search but Jackie Neal insisted otherwise, reports claimed. After the pat-down, he allegedly cuffed her, put her in the back of the car, and raped her.

His in-vehicle surveillance camera was turned off during the incident — something Neal’s superiors said he would have known.

According to the video from Tomo News below, it wasn’t the first time that Neal had been charged with inappropriate conduct, and he’d also been reprimanded for dating an 18-year-old woman, who was a participant in a police-sponsored youth program.

Neal’s shooter is said to be 46-year-old Sandra Diaz, which KSAT described as being his current girlfriend.

Diaz’ motive isn’t clear at this time, but she will be facing charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She is being held on a $100,000 bond.

As for the woman accusing Jackie Neal of rape, she was not named in court docs, but she is seeking a $10 million judgment against Neal and the San Antonio Police Department.

KSAT added that they expect the city will try to settle the suit soon for $500,000.

Unfortunately, this is hardly the first time the Inquisitr has reported on a case involving an officer being charged with sexual assault in the line of duty.

In 2012, there was the story of Anthony Nicholas Orban, the convicted rapist and ex-southern California police detective, who reportedly raped a 25-year-old waitress at gunpoint.

His defense was that he was under the influence of Zoloft and didn’t know what he was doing. He later killed himself in prison.

In the case of Jackie Neal, what do you think should happen to him when he’s well enough to face charges, and do you think the 19-year-old deserves a $10 million judgment? Sound off in the comments section.

Jackie Neal Shooting: Update On Cop Charged With Raping Handcuffed Teen is an article from: The Inquisitr News

WrestleMania 31 was a huge hit, and one of the biggest segments on the show included UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey. She appeared in the ring during a segment with The Rock as he confronted The Authority’s Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. This sent huge rumors around the ‘net speculating that both Rock and Ronda would compete against Triple H and Stephanie next year.

UFC heard about these rumors and shot them down quickly, however that didn’t stop internal talks within WWE.

Ronda Rousey is the baddest girl on the planet and UFC’s top draw. So having her on WrestleMania was clearly a move that helped both Ronda and UFC out. Now however, WWE is trying to bring in the Rousey love and have her at WrestleMania 32 in a bit of a different match than we imagined.

According to The Wrestling Observer, WWE wants to use the confrontation with Stephanie McMahon and Ronda Rousey to set up a singles match with the two of them next year. This would allow for Triple H to have something else, potentially a match with The Rock or someone similar. Meanwhile, McMahon would have her time with Ronda where Rousey would most likely get the win.

WWE wanted to have this match at WWE SummerSlam last year, but a lot of things got in the way of it and they simply had the Four Horsewomen dump ice water on Stephanie for charity.

There are a lot of variables involved in this match happening. UFC President Dana White would have to first sign off on Rousey doing the match, which is an uphill battle right away. Additionally, Ronda can’t risk getting injured in any way because it could affect a fight the UFC has scheduled for her to compete in. On top of this, if UFC needs her to compete in a fight around the same time as WrestleMania 32 it would ruin any potential for this match to happen.

Regardless, WWE feels that this match would do quite well for them. It is the best opportunity for success at next year’s show. The problem is that while UFC might have signed off on Rousey doing a segment with Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, it is unlikely they would clear a match. Rousey does have a long career ahead of her, so she could very well be back in a WWE ring in the distant future. For now however, it might be doubtful we see her compete in a WWE ring.

[IMG Credit: WWE.com]

WWE News: WWE Pushing Hard For Ronda Rousey To Face Stephanie McMahon At WrestleMania 32 is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Ahead of Billie Holiday’s 100^th birthday on April 7, musicians, writers and lovers of jazz are honoring a singer whose pioneering vocal stylings stood the test of time.

As the New York Times reports, Billie Holiday’s centennial will be marked by tributes from Cassandra Wilson, José James, Queen Esther and others, as well as a Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Apollo Theatre on Monday night.

Why Billie Holiday Still Matters is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Devolver Digital and indie game developer Acid Nerve are opening pre-orders for the game jam project turned full-fledged game release, Titan Souls. Pre-purchasing the digital download on Steam, GOG or Humble before the April 14 launch date gives players a 10 percent discount off the purchase price.

The Ludum Dare 28 game jam brought game makers Mark Foster, David Fenn and Andrew Gleeson together (who now make up the Acid Nerve team) and it was through the theme of the jam “you only get one” that the trio created Titan Souls. The game jam original prototype piqued the interest of gamers with the premise of equipping the player with only a single arrow and one hit point of life. The player was charged with defeating Titans, who also had only a single hit point and only one way they could be taken down. Figuring out each Titan’s Achilles heel, successfully re-using that one arrow and avoiding attacks because one hit was all it took to take the player out provided a surprisingly engaging gameplay experience.

To pay homage to Titan Souls’ roots, the newly released free game demo is a scene-for-scene remake of the original game jam prototype. Composer David Fenn explains in a recent press release the reasoning behind remaking the original prototype into a game demo.

Titan Souls wouldn’t have existed if it wasn’t for the original Ludum Dare game jam, which saw your hero take down three titans with a single arrow, and gave birth to the core concept behind the entire game… Now that the development is complete, we thought it’d be fun to celebrate our journey by remaking this original sample of Titan Souls, replacing the bosses with their full-game counterparts that each of these initial ideas evolved into, and enhancing it with the new engine, graphics and audio.

Players wanting a little more behind-the-scenes goodness can pre-order the Titan Souls Digital Special Edition that includes a complete digital soundtrack, digital art book and world map, plus high-res desktop backgrounds. The regular edition is listed as $14.99 USD on Steam, while the collector’s edition is listed as $19.99 USD before the 10 percent discount, which applies to both versions. Getting the soundtrack and other digital goodies for about five dollars more is not a bad deal at all for collectors and enthusiasts eagerly anticipating the game’s launch.

As can be seen in the demo, the newly developed title boats a refreshed art style, gameplay improvements, audio enhancements and an all-new soundtrack. Titan Souls is playable on PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita beginning April 14.

From Game Jam To Game Release: ‘Titan Souls’ Is Now Taking Pre-Orders is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Would you like to live in the penis house? The Family Guy’s Quagmire may say this house’s unique design is “giggity” approved, but many women will probably roll their eyes right out of their heads once they realize the sales price is $853,000.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, a shepherd was found dead after having “relations” with a scarecrow.

A penis house with the nickname of “Buckingham Phallus” may seem like a bit of a cock-up, but it was actually erected in 1958 by acclaimed Aussie architect Stan Symonds. Pictures from the outside do not automatically let you know it really is the penis house since you either have look at the blueprints or have a birds-eye view of the place. Even if you do look at the blueprints, the only thing noticeable at first is that the four bedroom house is designed to be very circular, but any sixth grader can tell you what it really looks like.

The penis house is properly known as the Sherwin House, but real estate agent Phil Vanstone, from LJ Hooker Mona Vale, says he believes the architect deliberately designed the property to look phallic, even if you can’t tell the difference while walking around.

“He is a very bright fellow, so I imagine he probably does know it is shaped as the way it is. [The current owners] think it is a bit tongue in cheek,” said Vanstone.”I had one couple come through and the husband was having a bit of a chuckle about it, and his wife was telling him to stop being a child.”

Vanstone believes the penis house may seem a bit pricey at $853k, but the house’s unusual shape is not the only reason to grab onto it.

“To have a house that the kitchen has a view of the swimming pool and for the outdoor and indoor entertaining areas to flow off the kitchen is a premium thing to have in a property,” he explained, according to Express. “This house has been designed with that in mind. It is a very liveable floor plan, although a bit odd, and the fact it has all the original carpentry shows it is a very liveable design, as people haven’t gone messing with it.”

The listing for the penis house notes the bushland backdrop alongside the beautiful sandstone features. There is also floor-to-ceiling glass in the living and dining areas, which gives a nice view of the in-ground pool. The house is currently set to go to auction on September 4, 2015.

Would you ever consider living in anything like the penis house… or would that be too ballsy a move?

Penis House’s Sales Price Asks A Ballsy $853k For ‘Buckingham Phallus’ [Photos] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A new study indicates that the overall temperature increases worldwide caused by global warming will have a devastating effect on spider populations – effects that scientists never saw coming.

A recent study published in The Journal of Experimental Biology says that increased temps will have an effect on spiders the same way they would have on robotics. The study says that most robotics rely on hydraulic pumps to move their limbs or ‘parts.’ Thos pumps in robotics, are, in fact, not that different from how spiders move their own limbs, where, in the place of muscles, they have joints that inflate with something called haemolymph to straighten.

Scientists have long known that fluid viscosity can increase dramatically as temperature falls, which can in-turn affect the effectiveness of hydraulics. Lead researcher, Anna Ahn, from Harvey Mudd College to posed the question, if robotics were drastically influenced by temperatures, would spiders be as well?

“I’ve always wanted to study spiders because they use hydraulics. This is a fascinating question.”

Ahn and three other researchers from California colleges, decided to test the running abilities of Texas brown tarantulas (Aphonopelma hentzi) in various temperatures. The researchers wanted to make sure that their data was relevant to natural circumstances, so they limited the temperatures the spiders ran in to those they would naturally see – anywhere between 59 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, by marking the spider’s legs and recording their progression down a runway at set speeds, the researchers were able to assess the spider’s performance under these conditions.

When their data was compiled, the researchers knew that the spiders were indeed affected by heat, actually heavily speeding up from a slow 20 centimeters per second to a surprising 53 centimeters per second when exposed to the harshest heat. However, while the tarantulas were faster, the researchers found that they were also much more clumsy, with the strides of all eight of their legs no longer perfectly synched for maximum efficiency. Ahn suspects this is because there just isn’t enough time for the haemolymph mechanism to fill and drain at the arachnid’s top speed.

“Hydraulic extension may allow spiders to save space and mass in their limb, but it may come at the expense of control.”

Even tarantulas can be a little unsteady on their (eight) feet: http://t.co/0TbFg1r9Wt

— Nat Geo WILD (@natgeowild) April 4, 2015

Hot stuff. When things warm up, tarantulas get faster but uncoordinated. Fascinating: http://t.co/Jervr0JxMT #spiders by @LauraGeggel

— Malcolm M. Campbell (@m_m_campbell) April 4, 2015

Ahn guesses that the effects that temperatures have on tarantulas is the reason why the spiders tend to feed most often right around dusk, when temperatures are at an optimum.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Global Warming Will Devastate Spider Population Worldwide is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A dog adopted after five years has his story making headlines to kick off the week. The pit bull mix spent the past five years in and out of animal shelters, and someone at the shelter he was last housed in decided to go an extra step to insure people heard about the pup.

According to Mail Online, Chester was a resident of the North Fork Animal Welfare League in New York State. He is currently six-years-old, and he has been in and out of several shelters in the state since he was about a year old.

Gabby Stroup, the manager of the shelter, decided to make a special Facebook page and post Chester on it. The photo did not just feature the dog though. It also featured a sign, and it is the sign that caused the dog’s story to go viral.

“Why doesn’t anybody want me? I’ve been waiting 5 years. Everyone at the shelter tells me what a good boy I am. So why has no one adopted me? I promised to be good and love my new family. Please maybe you are my new family. I sit and wait for you to come.”

This Dog Was Finally Adopted After Five Years Of Waiting When His Photo Went Crazy On Facebook http://t.co/ya8bsLzhRq

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) April 5, 2015

Stroup posted the photo on Facebook on Thursday. By Friday, the photo had been shared 6,000 times on social media. The post caused people to call in and email from the around world. People as far away as Australia sent in inquiries about Chester.

“It was crazy. I posted the original photo on the League’s Facebook page and by later that day there were over 6000 shares. There were more phone calls then I can count; the phone just never stopped. People called from Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Michigan, Oregon, New Jersey Wisconsin, Nova Scotia, Australia and more — people were tearing up as they called.”

By Friday afternoon, Chester’s new family made their own inquiry. Stroup shared the details about how Chester’s new forever home came about as well.

“A woman named Dana called me inquiring about him; a friend of hers from Michigan had shared Chester’s picture on her page. Dana and I talked about Chester for a bit; she wanted to talk it over with her family. They came and met him and it is just a perfect match.”

Chester went home with his new family on Saturday, and he spent his first holiday in his new home on Easter Sunday. His page updated Chester’s fans with some new photos of him with his family, and another new family photo went up on Sunday.

Adi Dor, Dana’s husband, said that the adoption was “meant to be.” The family felt a connection with Chester from the moment they met him.

Chester now has a home, but he had to wait a full five years for a family to adopt him. Joseph Pinciaro with the Suffolk Times shared Chester’s full story with his readers.

“Chester came to NFAWL in 2010 and had a glimmer of hope of being adopted not long after. Like many dogs who get adopted, he found a home for a little while, but it just didn’t work out. After that, shelter volunteers brought him out to parades and featured him through social media. Chester’s “advocate” — a Shoreham man with three dogs whose wife (quite understandably) won’t let him bring the dog home — comes in and checks on him periodically. Volunteers can regularly be seen walking Chester along with the shelter’s other 17 dogs in the area.”

Chester is a pit bull mix. That likely caused the long period of time it took for his adoption. Pit bulls have a bad reputation. Many consider pit bulls too violent. However, Chester had a loveable and fun demeanor. He earned the nickname “The Court Jester” at the shelter.

Not all pit bull mixes are violent or dangerous. A previous Inquisitr report shared the story of a pit bull mix that a cop encountered on a street in Florida. The dog had escaped his home yard through an open gate.

Deputy Mark Elsaid shared about the encounter, and the dog’s story was also shared on social media.

“[The pup] didn’t want to terrorize the neighborhood, he just got out of his gate, and just wanted to go and be friends with everybody. This dog just wanted to lick the officer and love him. Not all dogs are bad, especially pit bulls. We don’t always hear the best things about them, but this story shows they can be really loving and friendly. [Red] just wanted to play!”

Chester found his home because of the power of social media. Not all animals located in shelters are so lucky. If you have the room in your home for a dog or cat, visit an animal shelter in your area to adopt a pet like Chester.

On the League’s Facebook page, “Chester” shared his own plea for other animals at the shelter on Sunday.

“Happy Easter! I am loving life I cannot thank everyone who shared me enough. I found the perfect family! Now I am spending my very first holiday with a family in a home! If you have room in your home to help one of my friends who are still waiting please check out link below for the dogs at the shelter I came from. If you don’t have room for one of them please just continue to share. They all deserve what I now have thanks to all of you! I’m off to enjoy my family!”

The North Fork Animal Welfare League plans to use Chester’s Facebook page to help out other long time animal residents of their shelter to find homes like they found for Chester.

[Photo: Chester’s Facebook]

Dog Adopted After Five Years: Lucky Dog Finds Home After Plea Goes Viral is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Attending the senior prom is a highlight of a student’s year. It’s an important moment to be cherished and remembered for a lifetime. Star basketball player Trey Moses, of Eastern High School, Kentucky, decided to take a friend to the prom. The friend is freshman Ellie Meredith, a student with Down syndrome, according to SN Sporting News.

The 17-year-old senior went all out, carrying a bouquet of red roses along with a hot-pink sign asking Ellie out. The sign, which paid homage to her favorite singer, Taylor Swift, stated “Let’s Party Like it’s 1989. Prom?”

Before asking his friend to the prom, Trey discussed whether he should pop the question with Jason Wheatley, the adviser of Eastern’s Best Buddies program. The Best Buddies program pairs students with disabilities with volunteer buddies. Questioning Wheatley demonstrated how important this decision was to Trey, according to Sportal. Wheatley indicated the following.

“He looked at me and said, ‘Mr. Wheatley, do you think she’ll say yes?’ A guy who’s been hitting game-winning shots throughout the season and….playing in front of large crowds, and he’s sitting here saying how nervous he is before this proposal.”

Trey entered the school’s gym during Ellie’s sixth-period gym class, holding his sign. Ellie was taken aback and was quite surprised. But she quickly recovered and answered “yes.” According to the Courier-Journal, Trey stated the following.

“She was kind of speechless. She turned red a little bit.”

Ellie had been dropping hints about going to the senior prom to Trey, who has a girlfriend, but Trey let her down easy, informing her that he already asked his girlfriend Hayley McPherson to go to the prom. But he had a change of heart apparently to make Ellie happy.

Trey discussed it with Hayley, and she supported his decision to take Ellie to his prom, and even helped him create the winning sign. He even tweeted on his Twitter account that he decided to ask his best friend to the prom.

The “promposal” went viral on social media and national news when CNN picked up the story.

Trey plans to attend Ball State next year studying special education. He has worked with special education students since his sophomore year and enjoys it. “They really made me happy,” Trey said of the special needs students with whom he has worked.

The state Director Best Buddies Kentucky, Emily Cleveland, stated that Trey and Ellie demonstrate on a national level that “inclusion is something that we are moving towards and that people are providing opportunities to make new friends and break down those barriers.”

Another student with Down syndrome also got a special treat recently. An Inquisitr article reported that Michael Kelley, a young athlete with Down Syndrome whose high school officials allegedly told him to stop wearing his beloved varsity letter jacket because he “didn’t earn it,” got a special treat. Gordon Hartman, the owner of the San Antonio Scorpions, a minor-league soccer team, flew the teen and his family to Texas to watch the Scorpions’ season opener. He even went an extra step and gave Kelly a contract, making him an official member of the team, along with an honorary ring marking the team’s 2014 championship.

[Photo Courtesy Twitter]

High School Basketball Star Asks Special Needs Friend To Prom is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Easter has been a busy holiday for Chris Martin. The Coldplay singer just arrived back from a holiday getaway in Mexico with Gwyneth Paltrow, causing the rumor mill to overflow with stories of a possible reunion, when Martin did an about-face and took off again, this time with girlfriend Jennifer Lawrence.

Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow
Photo courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images Entertainment

As far as Gwyneth Paltrow, sources have also confirmed that their relationship has ended, though both Paltrow and Martin work hard to provide a stable transition through this period for children Apple, 10, and Moses, 8.

“A divorce is definitely 100 per cent on. They are working out a deal privately and there will be no leaks…They both love their children and they still have the utmost respect for each other. But they are not getting back together.”

Martin and Jennifer, seen together again for the first time since New Year’s Eve, boarded a private jet at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey for a private vacation, while both Lawrence and Chris are able to take the time. Sources report that Lawrence and Martin have actually remained closely connected throughout the past months, though discreetly.

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Martin Photo courtesy of Isaac Brekken/Getty Images Entertainment

Ms. Lawrence has been busy working on her latest project, Joy, now that she has finished promoting Serena with her co-star from that film, Bradley Cooper.

Martin has also been busy helping Jay Z establish Tidal, a music streaming service.

“They see each other when they can, yet each continues to do their own thing,” a Martin source said. “Both have full plates, and they like it that way.”

Jennifer Lawrence sources confirm that Jenn’s romance with Chris is on track. The source adds that they are happy together and communicate on a daily basis, negating any rumors that may imply trouble for the pair.

The speculation that Jennifer and Chris may have split up came, when it was discovered that they spent Valentine’s Day on opposite sides of the country. It was later discovered that the situation was necessitated by professional commitments. While Martin was busy in L.A. working on that Jay Z project, Ms. Lawrence has been committed to working on Joy, which is filming on location in Boston.

Joy is a drama that spans four generations and focuses on a powerful family dynasty and the strong matriarch (Jennifer Lawrence) responsible for founding it. Bradley Cooper again co-stars alongside Jennifer Lawrence in this film from director David O. Russell, fueling rumors that Lawrence and Cooper may be involved as well.

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Martin Together Again? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Last July, Sierra Sharry and husband Lane Smith joyfully expected their first child. Life was perfect. Then, the unimaginable happened: Smith suffered a head injury and died suddenly thereafter, according to the Huffington Post. Sharry’s life fell apart, and she posted the following on Facebook.

“July 13th 2014 was the absolute worst day of my life. I lost my best friend. The father of my unborn child.”

Son Tao was born two weeks later. When he was six months old and it was time for pictures to be taken, Sharry decided that she wanted to honor her late husband. She wanted a picture of their whole family, including Lane. “I just got to thinking, we don’t have a picture with Lane in it,” Sharry stated. So she contacted a photographer, Kayli Rene Photography. She told the photographer the following, according to NBC News, Channel 2.

“They asked me if I would be willing to ‘play around’ with capturing their first family photo by editing Taos’ daddy in one of their pictures.”

Although Kayli wasn’t sure that she could find exactly the right picture that would work, she did. A picture of Lane looking over his family’s shoulder was edited into one of Sharry holding infant Taos. The ghost of Lane Smith now is literally and figuratively watching over his family, as Kayli imported a transparent likeness of Lane into the photo of Sharry holding her precious son Tao.

Little did they know that the photo would go viral on the internet. Sierra thanked Kayli on the photographer’s Facebook page with a touching tribute.

Thanks to Kayli I now have a picture of my little family. It brought me to tears as I know it will many if y’all. This is how I picture us. Taos and I living our lives the best we can with Lane ALWAYS watching over our shoulder. He is watching out for his little boy better than anyone and [I] know he’s got to be so proud. I love my little family sooooo much and I’m proud to be the mother to Lane[‘]s little boy.”

Sharry indicated that “Lane’s not physically here with us, of course, but that picture represents to us that he is always watching over us and he will always be there for us not matter what.” Apparently, the photo and her story touched many, as the photographer’s Facebook page had over 200 thousand “likes” and over 28 thousand shares regarding the special family photo and Sharry’s story.

On another family note, an often-photographed family, the Duggars, are waiting a new addition. Jill Duggar Dillard and husband Derick are awaiting their baby, who is more than a week overdue. According to an Inquisitr article, Jill’s mother Michelle indicated that it was up to God whether or not she would have more children.

[Photo Courtesy Facebook]

New Mom Honors Deceased Husband By Adding His ‘Ghost’ To Photo, Picture Goes Viral is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Rapper Vanilla Ice is spared from doing jail time after he accepted a plea deal over a grand theft charge filed in February.

The grand theft charge against Vanilla Ice was considered as a third-degree felony. The maximum penalty for the said crime includes five years of imprisonment and a fine of $5,000. However, because of the said plea deal, the artist will only be doing 100 hours of community service for Habitat for Humanity, a Christian housing organization in Palm Beach Country. The monetary penalty has also been significantly reduced to $1,333.

Vanilla Ice gets community service after accepting ‘burglary’ plea deal http://t.co/KNZQzpwK5L pic.twitter.com/tLJVFg9wvK

— ITV News (@itvnews) April 2, 2015

Although the rapper asserted that it was all just a misunderstanding, the plea requires him to acknowledge that he is guilty of the crime. When Vanilla Ice successfully complies with all the terms of the plea deal, the grand theft charge will be dropped. Vanilla Ice’s defense attorney Bradford Cohen said that his client is happy that the charge was resolved before the start of the fifth season of his TV series.

“He’s pretty thrilled. He’s never really been in trouble like this before so obviously he was nervous,” he explained.

Apparently, the rapper famous for the hit song Ice, Ice Baby opted for a career change. He is now a general contractor who hosts a reality show entitled The Vanilla Project. In the program, Vanilla Ice and his crew renovate foreclosed homes in Florida and one of their projects included the one located next door to the house that the rapper was accused of stealing from.

Super excited for the premiere – NEW SEASON tonight the #vanillaiceproject 10:00pm et @DIYNetwork @scrippscomm pic.twitter.com/IeBYEuHfLq — Vanilla Ice (@vanillaice) April 4, 2015

He was arrested for stealing art work, furniture and a pool heater from a million dollar home that belonged to Morgan James Wilbur III. Initially, Vanilla Ice claimed to own the house. Later, he revised this story saying that he was planning to buy the house and was waiting for the finalization of the deal. He said that he found the stolen items out on the curb but his own foreman admitted to receiving instructions to take all that stuff from the house since the artist had already purchased it.

Despite the foreman’s statement, Vanilla Ice insisted that the accusations against him were ‘overblown.’ He stood by his story and blamed squatters in the property for leaving the stolen stuff outside.

Vanilla Ice was also accused of burglary when he was arrested but prosecutors never formally filed the said charge.

[Image via Getty Images]

Vanilla Ice Avoids Jail Time, Accepts Plea Deal For Grand Theft Charge is an article from: The Inquisitr News