Congress is currently deciding whether or not to minimize programs that help poor people buy food. There are public health experts however, that say food stamp cuts could put both the short- and long-term health of tens of thousands of children in danger.

The concern comes from a dozen or so studies that looks at families and what happens when they aren’t able to put food o the table for their children. Time and time again food insecurity they prove that food security leaves children more susceptible to illness – even slowing their cognitive development in some cases.

Public health nutritionist Mariana Chilton of Drexel University comments on the possible effects of food stamp cuts:

“We’re going to see the consequences of this for a generation if we don’t help our kids.”

Nearly 46 million Americans currently receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), otherwise known as food stamps. More than half of SNAP recipients are children. Since the 2008 recession, federal SNAP funding rose from $35 billion to $80 billion. Those who consider the increase unecessary are pushing for cuts in the next farm bill, a food and agricultural policy currently being debated in the senate.

Currently, the House farm bill would cut SNAP spending by roughly $21 billion over the next 10 years — Senate cuts would be $4.1 billion over the next decade. The main advocates say that a lot of funding is being misdirected, as well as the fact hunger is an exaggerated problem.

Some reports indicate otherwise, quoting 50 million Americans as food-insecure – which doesn’t mean they are malnourished or starving, but lacking access to nutritious food, sometimes not knowing where there next meal is going to come from.

This situation contributes to illness in children, as well as physical, academic and social problems both early on in life and during adult years. There is even evidence to suggest the stress it causes amongst parents can contribute further to the problems experience by children who are food-insecure.

Do you think food stamp cuts are really as harmless as they’re being made to sound?

Image: Clementine Gallot via Flickr

Food Stamp Cuts Could Pose A Threat To Children’s Health is a post from: The Inquisitr

Bradley Cooper is taking his duties as PEOPLE’S “Sexiest Man Alive” seriously when it comes to dating around.

Bradley Cooper was recently dating Suki Waterhouse, or so the rumors claimed of The Hangover actor and the British model.

On Tuesday night however Cooper showed up at the Tombs with a previously unseen female.

According to Carol Joynt Bradley Cooper dating different women isn’t a question of “if” but rather “when”:

Cooper seems to have a new girlfriend almost quarterly. Previously he was linked to Zoe Saldana, while of late he’s been making the rounds with British model Suki Waterhouse. But our sources say on Sunday night he was with someone else, a woman named “Alex.” No one else joined them at their corner booth in the pub’s wood-paneled and cozy main room.

Lately we can’t keep up with the Bradley Cooper dating rumors. It was only March 18 that the 38-year-old actor was spotted with the much younger 20-year-old Suki Waterhouse.

The Waterhouse dates started only months after Bradley Cooper split from former flame Zoe Zaldana.

So is Bradley Cooper’s dating practices leading him towards becoming Hollywood’s next big playboy? The guy still has a long way to go if he wants to keep up with the dating habits of George Clooney. Heck he has a long way to go before he’s dating girls with the same age gap of George Clooney.

We’ll update this post with the mystery girls full name once she is revealed. For now we leave you with her first name — Alex.

Bradley Cooper Dating Mystery Woman Named Alex is a post from: The Inquisitr

The legendary Atari landfill is set to be excavated at some point within the next six months.

It’s believed that around 3.5 million unsold copies of the infamous E.T. video game were dumped into the New Mexico desert back in 1983. Although some folks at Atari have denied these rumors, the company hired to dispose of the unwanted products confirmed the job with The New York Times.

In addition to millions of copies of what many consider to be the worst video game of all time, reports suggest the Atari landfill contains an assortment of software and hardware.

Many believe that the company dumped quite a bit of unwanted items into the desert during the height of the video game industry crash in the 80s. Rumored to be buried with the cartridges are PCs, unsold consoles, and prototypes of the Atari Mindlink.

According to legend, the company dumped all of this stuff in a Alamogordo landfill before covering it with concrete. Video game enthusiasts have wondered for decades what Atari buried in the desert all those years ago.

The Alamogordo town council gave permission to multimedia and marketing firm Fuel Industries to excavate the site for a documentary the company is putting together. The film will follow the unearthing of all that unwanted Atari stuff nearly 30 year after it was covered with dirt.

The disastrous E.T. video game is considered to be the reason why Atari experienced some financial hardships between 1983 and 1984. The adaptation is so terrible that it has actually developed a cult following over the years. As someone who played the game as a kid, this writer doesn’t have very many fond memories of the title.

The Atari Mindlink system was essentially a precursor to the Nintendo Wii and other motion-controlled device. A headband worn by the user would allow for hands-free gaming. According to the Atari Musuem, the device would “detect the myoneural signal voltage to muscles in the users forehead (or elsewhere) and interpret them into commands on the screen.”

Engineer Bill Lapham said the Mindlink system never went to test at Atari. Only around six devices were created, and none of them were handed out for official use or testing.

What do you think about the legendary Atari landfill? Are you excited to see what the documentary filmmakers unearth at the site in New Mexico?

Atari Landfill May Contain 3.5 Million Copies Of ‘E.T.’ Video Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Another 105-year-old driver has passed his latest driving test. The oldest licensed driver in New Zealand, 105-year-old Bob Edwards recently said that he didn’t feel old and that he had no plans to give  up driving his four-wheel-drive red Mitsubishi.

How old is 105? It’s so old that Edwards said that his first car had a lever because it predated the universal use of a steering wheel. “It was something new. Cars were just coming in,” he said of that first automobile, a De Dion Bouton from France that he learned to drive in England.

But…but…I can hear you scratching your head out there. Wasn’t the 105-year-old driver an American woman?

Can there really be two 105-year-old drivers still on the road?

Relax. You’re not crazy. Yes, indeed, a 105-year-old woman in California named Edythe Kirchmaier passed her latest driving test in January.

Because of her age, she is required to pass a road test, which she reportedly did with flying colors. Her first car in 1927 was a Model A Ford Coupe, but she was driving a 1997 Dodge Caravan as of  January.  Fun fact:  Kirchmaier may also be the oldest known Facebook user.

As for her ’97 Dodge Caravan, don’t get me started.  No offense to the fine folks at Dodge, but most of you who have driven one of those 1990s era turkeys knows that Kirchmaier is definitely the favorite to outlive that vehicle.

With an aging population worldwide, some public health officials would like doctors to be more proactive about talking to older people about when it’s time to quit driving.  The problem is, once you take someone’s car keys, you have also taken their freedom, so it isn’t an easy discussion.

But older drivers aren’t necessarily bad drivers.

Kirchmaier has never had an auto accident, and Edwards has had only one accident in 88 years of driving. That’s more than most of us can say.

Heck. Maybe we’d do better with more 105-year-old drivers on the road.

[Dodge Caravan photo by IFCAR via Wikimedia Commons]

105-Year-Old Driver Still Behind The Wheel, Yes, Another One is a post from: The Inquisitr

An unexploded World War II bomb was discovered and detonated near a busy train station in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Officials from Tokyo’s bomb squad were called in to deal with the World War II relic and it took experts 10 feet of sand bags and a detonator to ensure the devices safe removal.

According to reports the World War II bomb in Tokyo featured a 1 1/2 foot long shell and was possibly expelled from an Imperial Army anti-aircraft gun.

After the WWII bomb was discovered shops around the area were closed and traffic including commuter trains and a bullet train line was halted.

The bomb in Tokyo was diffused by  Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force.

Four minutes before noon the bomb was set off and officials claim the explosion could be heard across the city.

While Japan ended World War II with its unconditional surrender in 1945 the area is still known to house various unexploded ordnance that has yet to be discovered. Before its surrender Japan was heavily bombed by Allied forces.

While many of the duds recently discovered were dropped by the United States, Japan’s own Army also buried some of its own weapons towards and after the end of World War II.

Here is a video that showcases Tuesday’s World War II bomb detonation in Tokyo:

World War II Bombs in Tokyo have recently been discovered directly inside residential areas, this time however there were no residents within 300 feet of the bomb.

Officials in Tokyo typically choose to detonate the bombs rather than attempting to move them because of their delicate state.

Would you freak out if you learned that you could be living in an area where undetonated bombs are located?

World War II Bomb Discovered In Tokyo, Detonated Near Busy Train Station is a post from: The Inquisitr

Calling Adele “fat,” which Karl Lagerfeld didn’t actually do (he says), totally helped the singer lose weight, even though there was no fat calling … wait, what?

Adele has gone on record in the past (rightly) explaining that as a musician, her job is to make music and not to be skinny — and in addition, the singer is visually stunning, so nyeh.

But Adele is a curvier woman, and as such, tends to attract trolls both famous and not seeking to ride her coattails to publicity — Karl Lagerfeld among them.

Back in February of last year, Karl Lagerfeld got a bit of press attention when he ragged on Adele’s appearance in comments from which he rapidly backpedaled.

Lagerfeld himself is a “former person of size,” and like many who struggle with body image after having lost weight, tends to excoriate overweight people with frequency and bitterness.

At the time, Lagerfeld is said to have remarked of Adele in general:

“I prefer Adele and Florence Welch [to Lana Del Rey]. But as a modern singer, she is not bad. The thing at the moment is Adele. She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice.”

Lagerfeld later clarified, claiming his statement (to which he then presumably admitted) was “out of context.” Not inaccurate or misquoted, simply just taken out of its larger setting:

“I’d like to say to Adele that I am your biggest admirer. Sometimes when you take a sentence out of the article it changes the meaning of the thought. Adele is my favorite singer and I am a great admirer of her. I lost over 30 kilos over 10 years ago and have kept it off. I know how it feels when the press is mean to you in regards to your appearance.”

Keeping up? So Lagerfeld said Adele was “too fat,” which he then added to by saying “but but but” you have such a pretty face (not a direct quote), and now, the Chanel designer says, he didn’t say it at all.

Lagerfeld recently claimed:

“I never said that she was fat, I said that she was a little roundish. A little roundish is not fat.”

But totally not calling Adele fat, which Karl Lagerfeld was totally the only person to ever do, caused her to go on a journey of self-discovery in which she lost eight kilos! Or so Karl Lagerfeld thinks!

The designer adds:

“But for such a beautiful girl, after that she lost eight kilo so I think the message was not that bad.”

If there was a message at all, because Karl Lagerfeld didn’t call Adele fat. Luckily for Adele, she was listening to all the words he wasn’t saying because just look how held back she was from being overweight, not making the year’s biggest album or winning Grammys or anything.

Adele’s Weight Loss ‘Helped’ By Karl Lagerfeld, Insulting Designer Claims is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dog boarding is now easier, just in time for summer vacation. DogVacay has created a website with a comprehensive list of hosts offering dog boarding nationwide. Dog owners are assured peace of mind as their dogs receive personal care while they away from home.

My husband and I recently adopted a dog from a local rescue organization. As we like to travel, we have explored several different options for boarding our new pet. Traveling can be incredibly stressful for some dogs, in addition to being impractical.

In searching for options, I found DogVacay.com. The first thing that caught my eye was the fact that all hosts guarantee vet care and are insured. Our dog is part of our family. Leaving her with strangers is not easy. However, knowing that all of the hosts are vetted and insured makes the decision much easier.

All reservations include simple booking, insurance, and 24/7 customer support. The hosts provide daily pictures of your pet, which is a fantastic personal touch.

Customized searches include options for hosts with and without other pets and can be further categorized depending on the type of dwelling and size of the yard. There are also options to search only for hosts who are certified in pet CPR and first aid.

Hosts are available nationwide. Most of the hosts I found in Northwest Ohio offered their services for $25 to $30 per night. The hosts all provide a biography and extensive information, including photos of their homes, yards, pets, and pet guests.

The website also includes written reviews and a star rating system, making selecting the perfect host even easier. Calendars are included in each profile, so pet owners can be assured the host will be available when needed.

For dogs who are uncomfortable leaving home, the site also offers hosts who are willing to sit with dogs while their owners are away.

Pet owners face some difficult decisions when deciding to travel. DogVacay.com offers a simple and convenient solution that also provides peace of mind.

[Image via Flickr]

Dog Boarding Made Easy For Summer Vacation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Britney Spears showed off her recently-toned body in a tiny bikini while on vacation with her boyfriend.

The singer and former X Factor judge has been dedicated to losing weight and getting in shape. Her hard work was seen on the cover of Shape magazine.

Spears recently went on vacation with her boyfriend David Lucado at Terranea Resort in Racho Palos Verdes, California. At one point during their holiday, the singer showed off her body while wearing a skimpy bikini by the pool. You can find pictures of the singer embedded below.

Personal trainer Tony Martinez said Britney Spears has started doing cross fit training in an effort to stay in shape. Judging from the photos, it would appear the hard work is paying off.

“[It's] a very tough workout involving a punishing series of weight-training exercises mixed with spurts of high-interval cardio,” Martinez explained.

The singer and her boyfriend didn’t spend the entire vacation sitting by the pool. Those who spied Spears and Lucado during their excursion said they also shopped for antiques and enjoyed the sights in and around Palos Verdes.

Britney Spears and David Lucado have been dating since February. Sources with inside knowledge of the relationship told the folks at E! Online that the couple are starting to get serious.

“[To David] it is a regular relationship with a regular girl. He is pretty serious about it. I think they are in a really good place. It is going pretty well,” the anonymous individual explained.

Photos of the singer and her revealing bikini are embedded below.

Bikini Shot of the Day: Britney Spears Is Poolside Perfection twitter.com/wwe_hollywood/…

— WWE and Hollywood (@wwe_hollywood) June 1, 2013

Britney Spears Looking Great in a Blue Bikini (Pics) #britneyspears #bikini #hot #cleavage celebrityadore.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/britne… twitter.com/CelebrityAdore…

— Celebrity Adore (@CelebrityAdore) May 30, 2013

Are you a fan of Britney Spears? What do you think about the singer’s new bikini body?

Britney Spears Sports Tiny Bikini While On Vacation [Photo] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Adele could soon find herself sharing a stage with rock legends The Rolling Stones. The group recently revealed that they would love to perform with the British songstress.

Mick Jagger, Ronnie Wood, Keith Richards and Charlie Watts are no strangers to performing with today’s hottest starts. The band recently performed with Lady Gaga, Florence Welch, and various other pop chart hitmakers.

The Rolling Stones are playing a Hyde Park show on July 6 as part of their 50 & Counting Tour.

A source tells The Sun:

“The Stones would love to get Adele on with them. It would be a massive coup, even for them …”

That same snoop reveals:

“She is the name they want to announce as their special guest – and their invite should be special enough to get her out on stage.”

There may be one problem with the Rolling Stones hopes to land Adele, the singer has been extremely private ever since she gave birth to her son Angelo in October 2012.

While Adele has been extremely private since giving birth there is a very real chance she’ll answer when the Rolling Stones come knocking.

It’s not clear at this time if Adele would simply open the show for the Rolling Stones or if they would rock out together on stage.

I have to admit I’m curious to see how Mick Jagger and Adele can meld their very different song styles together to create someone new and fresh.

Would you like to see Adele perform with the Rolling Stones or is this just a publicity stunt for the rockband?

Adele Might Sing With Rolling Stones At Hyde Park is a post from: The Inquisitr

Nearly two years ago DC accepted the digital age and started offering digital versions of their comics on the same day they released the physical ones. Now the company is taking another big step into the internet age by offering digital comics that let you choose your own path through them.

The DC2 format also features dynamic artwork that will unfold as the user taps from screen to screen. When it comes to the digital comics’ choose-your-own-path format – DC2 Multiverse – the main premise is to determine how the story unfolds at key junctures throughout.

Batman ’66 – created by Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case and based on the classic Batman television series – will debut the new DC2 format. Tapping on the screen will bring the next element of the story to life, whether it’s a speech bubble, new panel or an entirely different page. It opens up the option for more dynamic storytelling, making it less linear in nature.

Batman: Arkham Origins – which is being created as a comic book tie-in for the video game will debut the DC2 multiverse format. The ability to choose your own path through the digital comic book with add an element of gameplay, mirroring the actual video game in many respects.

DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee describes the replay ability the new format will offer:

“If you go back in the decision-making tree and replay other events or other decisions, you’ll get a lot more reading experience and reading content.”

The format also allows the company to collect useful data on which story branches are most appealing, allowing for more captivating content in future instalments. Some also worry that it will create tired story-lines which never try anything new due to their reliance on public opinion.

Which camp are you in? Do you think the choose your own path format with make digital comics better or worse?

Image Via: www.gameinformer.com

DC Announces Digital Comics That Let You Choose Your Own Path is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jennifer Love Hewitt is engaged to boyfriend Brian Hallisay.

The Client List actress, 34, recently announced that she is pregnant with her first child and now everything is coming up roses for the actress.

In an exclusive interview for the newest edition of US Weekly Hewitt revealed her good news.

The couple revealed on June 4, 2013 that they are expecting their first child. Jennifer Love Hewitt is three months along with her pregnancy and proclaims “We’re so thrilled and happy to start a family.”

Jennifer Love Hewitt has been vocal about her plans to wed in the future. In 2010 Jennifer gave an interview in which she said with no uncertainty: I think that I could be a really good wife.” Hewitt then added, ”I know that I love being able to give my love out to someone. I know there is somebody great out there for me.”

Hewitt hasn’t revealed when she will walk down the aisle with Brian Hallisay.

According to USA Today Brian proposed to Hewitt in May when the couple were vacationing in Europe.

Jennifer Love Hewitt has had rocky relationships in the past but recently proclaimed that she is a “hopeless romantic” who was ready to start a family.

Following her engagement announced Hewitt posted the following message to her fans on Twitter:

Have a beautiful and magical day everyone!

— Jennifer Love Hewitt (@TheReal_Jlh) June 5, 2013

More information about the baby and the wedding as details are leaked.

In the meantime the mom-to-be continues to work on her popular Lifetime series. It will be interesting to see if The Client List reaches season 3 and how the stars pregnancy will affect shooting on the risque TV series.

Congratulations to Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay on their upcoming marriage and baby.

Jennifer Love Hewitt Engaged To Brian Hallisay is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Atari landfill legend (concerning truckloads of a failed early gaming title and vintage consoles to boot dumped in the New Mexico desert) has persisted for years — but while interest in the contents of a remote spot in Alamogordo has increased with news the excavation is moving ahead, some say not to get all that excited.

The Atari landfill may sound like an indie rock band of whom you’ve never heard but the story is a long-seated and much buzzed about one, with the idea that loads of old cartridges were just languishing underground bothering many modern gamers. (Even as they agreed the title in question, Atari’s E.T., was likely the worst video game ever.)

But while the Atari landfill excavation was met with mostly piqued enthusiasm, at least one guy says that the story as it has come to be repeated isn’t exactly accurate.

PC Mag recently spoke to Marty Goldberg, co-author of Atari Inc.: Business is Fun. Goldberg seems to think that Fuel Industries’ Atari landfill excavation is a “non-issue publicity stunt,” and he’s quoted as having commented:

“There were never thousands of E.T. games buried in Alamogordo, that’s a myth that sprung up later and was also never once mentioned by the actual press articles of the time. The dump there was simply a clearing out of Atari’s Texas manufacturing plant as it transitioned to automated production methods and a focus on personal computer manufacturing.”

Goldberg continues:

“It had previously been one of the main plants for manufacturing of game cartridges and other hardware, and game manufacturing was being moved overseas to China.”

Well, that’s certainly a less fun way of putting it. Goldberg is also quoted as saying that the Atari landfill was never a lost treasure trove of suppressed games — so much so he’s “surprised” the story has spun up considering media coverage at the time:

“As part of the transition, the unused cartridge stock of a group of titles (not just E.T.), console parts, and computer parts were all dumped there in New Mexico. It was covered in detail by the Alamogordo press at the time, and is just such a non-mystery that I’m surprised by all this.”

Are you still interested in what secrets the Atari Landfill may hold?

Atari Landfill ‘Myth’ Debunked As ‘Publicity Stunt’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

As reported last month by The Inquisitr Henry Cavill was in talks with Warner Bros. to replace Tom Cruise in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

The film is an adaptation of the television series of the same name that was broadcast from 1964 to 1968 on NBC, and starred Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. The two are fictional spies working for U.N.C.L.E which means United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.

In an interview with USA TODAY Henry confirmed that he has signed on to the project which is directed by Guy Ritchie. The loss of Cruise was a big set back for the project, but it seems the studio have chosen the next best man.

He didn’t offer much in new information, only saying that he will play the role of Napoleon Solo alongside Armie Hammer from The Lone Ranger who will play Illya Kuryakin. “Things are full-steam ahead. It’s all very early days. But it’s gonna happen,” Cavill said during the interview. “Well, this is Hollywood. It’s supposed to happen.” IMDB is also listing him as being part of the cast.

The interview also describes how Man of Steel director Zack Snyder became convinced that Henry was their Superman as early as December of 2010, after he auditioned for the part. Then when he saw him in the suit he said, “It was like, ‘OK, that’s our Superman,’.” Even though Cavill had been eating pizza to look like a “regular guy” for his movie The Cold Light of Day.

As far as Henry, when Snyder called to offer him the job, he was playing video games and not paying attention to his phone. When they finally spoke he recalls, “I’m thinking, ‘He’s letting me down easy.’ And then he said, ‘I was also wondering if you wanted to do a little movie with me.’ Inside there were fireworks going off. But I played it extremely cool.”

Of course we all know what the “little” movie is. And now things are starting to happen for the unassuming 30 year-old Brit. He has signed on for two more possible Man of Steel films, if the movie does well and the studio decides to turn the film into a franchise. The sky’s the limit for Henry Cavill at the moment.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E has no release date set and no date has been announced for production to begin. Henry Cavill is currently promoting Man of Steel.

[Image via Miro Vrlik Photography / Shutterstock.com]

Henry Cavill Confirms His Role In ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’ And Shares More About ‘Man Of Steel’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Swiffer’s “Rosie the Riveter” ad campaign raised several eyebrows this week, and, after several days of criticism from Twitter users, feminist bloggers, and others, the mop makers have quietly pulled the plug on the ad.

It’s been three days since the story went viral, but, just the day after the web noticed Swiffer’s Rosie the Riveter ad, the company started the clean-up process.

Swiffer had used an image of a tough-looking woman with her sleeves rolled up and a bandanna around her head for its Steam Boost mop ad campaign, which a couple of Twitter users interpreted to be a remix of the WWII propaganda poster and feminist icon, Rosie the Riveter.

From there, it was picked up by a variety of political and feminist blogs, where the general consensus was that the campaign was “particularly offensive.”

Swiffer did issue a quiet mea culpa with the following statement:

“It was not our intention to offend any group with the image, and we are working to make changes to where it is used as quickly as possible.”

They made good on that promise too. If you jog over to Steam Boost’s official website, it simply redirects to Swiffer’s homepage. The company is also doing some damage control on Twitter:

Our core value is to make cleaning easier, no matter who’s behind the handle. We apologize and are working hard to remove the image.

— Swiffer (@Swiffer) June 4, 2013

Heather Beschizza, the Twitter user who originally spotted the Rosie ad, told Yahoo that she still saw the image in a Sunday morning insert, so there are still probably a few floating around out there.

What do you think of Swiffer’s Rosie the Riveter ad? Did the company make the right call by pulling it?

Swiffer’s Rosie The Riveter Ad Campaign Quietly Cleaned Up is a post from: The Inquisitr

Beyonce’s reps have finally addressed the longstanding Beyonce pregnancy rumor, by confirming to CBS This Morning anchor Gayle King, that the Beyonce is “absolutely, positively not pregnant at this time.”

Gayle King recently revealed on CBS This Morning that Beyonce is not pregnant, after speaking with Beyonce’s reps on Tuesday:

“I got a call yesterday from Team Beyonce you guys, and they’re basically saying to stop the crazy, she is absolutely positively not pregnant at this time.  It’s a crazy rumor that started that they can’t seem to stop, and so they wanted us to-they said you know, CBS, news is back in the morning , they wanted us to know she’s not pregnant.”

King also continued that, “It is true that she and Jay Z absolutely want to have another baby when the time is right.  And when the time is right, they will share it.”

The Beyonce pregnant rumors seem to have started during May’s Met Gala 2013 event when sources speculated that her high waisted gown and patterned dresses were really just efforts to conceal a pregnant belly. Then there was that page six report, which said that Beyonce was canceling a concert due to exhaustion.  Then we heard a mid-May report by E! News which supposedly “confirmed” her pregnancy.

The last few weeks, it seems as though Beyonce and Jay Z have been doing their best to put the kibosh on the Beyonce pregnancy rumors, first by Beyonce posting on her Instagram that she was sitting back and laughing at the rumors.  Jay Z also told Hot 97 Program director Ebro Darden that Beyonce was not pregnant, in an email which said, “It’s not true.  The news is worse than the blogs.” A few days ago, Beyonce also posted a picture of herself drinking a glass of wine while sitting in husband Jay Z’s lap on her Tumblr account, an obvious no no, if the Beyonce pregnant rumors were true.

Beyonce and Jay-Z emphatically deny pregnancy rumors. @gayleking with her scoop: cbsn.ws/11YOic8

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) June 5, 2013

Are you disappointed that Beyonce is not pregnant?  Do you think Gayle King’s statements on CBS This Morning will be the last that we’ll hear about Beyonce pregnancy rumors?

[Beyoncé and Jay-Z picture via: Beyoncé via Tumblr]

Beyonce Is ‘Absolutely, Positively Not Pregnant’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

COMMENTARY | High school senior Briana Leonard lost a set-of-three New Hampshire girls tennis singles final, not because of her talent, but rather because she says the crowd bullied her.

The Nashua (N.H.) Bishop Guertin senior was facing off against Bow (N.H.) High senior Sunday Swett when the constant heckling from the crowd led her to exit the court.

In professional sports we hear heckling all the time, in this particular case though officials from the New Hampshire Interscholastic Activities Association seem to this it got out of case.

The girls were preparing to shift their game to a different court after Swett won the first set 6-4. Instead of moving coursts Leonard head to her car and left the event.

The girls father says she was being attacked by the crowd because she lives in Massachusetts but attends school in New Hampshire.

Karen Leonard tells The Telegraph:

“They were bullying her. This has been going on for two years. They’ve wanted her out for two years because she’s not a New Hampshire girl. Because we live in Massachusetts.”

Leonard’s own coach admits that Briana Leonard should learn to deal with hostile crowds which have always been a part of sports.

Bishop Guertin coach Barry Ndynia says of the crowd:

“Bri was heavily not the crowd favorite today. But in sports that’s something you have to deal with. Some people will not cheer for you. They’ll cheer for your opponent. That’s why I was trying to keep her focused.”

After the match opponent Sunday Swett said she was just happy to have the win. Swett tells The Monitor

“I thought it was a bathroom break and when everyone started cheering I thought it was more like, ‘First Set! Keep it going!’ And I was kind of like, thank you, but I’ve got to stay focused here. But she just picked up her stuff and left. I’ve played her before [including a 6-0, 6-1 loss to Leonard in the 2012 quarterfinals], and, not to be mean, but I know she has an attitude, and I was ready to put up with it. But this brought it to a whole new level.”

For her part Sunday Swett has been named her local news stations “hometown hero” in the past:

So was bullying to blame? Any sports fan who has watched a hometown crowd back their hometown player will say absolutely not. The fans didn’t throw anything at Leonard, they didn’t threaten her, they just booed and heckled.

When I played baseball I literally heard parents heckled 5-year-old t-ball players. Unlike Briana Leonard those kids ignored the heckles and continued to play.

Professional sports and even high school level sports come with their fair share of distractions, some people just aren’t cut out to deal with those distractions.

Do you think this was a case of bullying or just a simple crowd heckling situation?

High School Senior Bullied Off Tennis Court? Not Really is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Alabama kidnapping involved seven people in a complicated revenge abduction of a six-year-old child, resulting in the arraignment of six of the seven participants in a Mississippi US District Court on Wednesday. Among the accused is 18-year-old Alabama freshman forward Devonta Pollard, who appears to have been pulled into the botched scheme by the plan’s mastermind, his mother Jesse Mae Pollard.

Six of the seven kidnappers were charged with conspiracy to kidnap Jashayla Hopson on April 30 from the Kemper County elementary school in eastern Mississippi. In addition to Devonta Pollard, Wanda Dancy, Shamarius Ruffin, Shaquayla Johnigan, Joyce Johnigan, and James Johnigan, were arraigned at the Jackson, MS federal courthouse.

All six face possible sentences of up to five years.

Jesse Mae Pollard allegedly plotted the kidnapping to pressure the child’s mother in a land dispute. She faces a life sentence and will be arraigned separately. She remains in federal custody and is reportedly outside Mississippi in a facility to evaluate her mental health.

Devonta Pollard has now been released on a $10,000 bond. His trial is set for August 6.

The FBI said that they believe that the University of Alabama basketball player knew in advance that his mother was going to kidnap the young girl, reportedly her cousin’s daughter. In addition to supplying a screwdriver and a wrench, the federal investigators believe that Devonta Pollard gave a ride to co-conspirator Ruffin, her own baby, and the kidnapped child.

After checking them into a hotel in Bessemer, AL, Devonta Pollard then allegedly brought another member of the kidnapping conspiracy to the same hotel.

As a result of the fumbled kidnapping, a once-promising Alabama basketball player’s future is now clouded with doubt.

After some fumbling attempts by his co-defendents to extort up to $50,000 from Jashayla Hopson’s mother, the child was eventually released unharmed.

[Devonta Pollard photo by Devonta Pollard via Facebook]

Alabama Kidnapping Indictment Released, Freshman Forward Devonta Pollard Arraigned is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pia Zadora was arrested last weekend after a domestic dispute erupted at her Las Vegas home. During the altercation, the 61-year-old entertainer allegedly scratched and choked her teenage son, Jordan, while arguing over the boy’s bedtime.

According to a report by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, Pia Zadora was arrested and charged with coercion and domestic violence battery for her actions during the incident. Other family members involved in the dispute included the actress’ husband, Las Vegas Police Detective Michael Jeffries, and her 32-year-old stepson, Mike Jr.

The argument reportedly began around 11 pm on Saturday when Pia Zadora demanded that her 16-year-old son Jordan retire to his bedroom for the evening.

The teenager apparently disagreed with his mother’s wishes and asked to continue socializing with family members at the residence.

The police report indicates that, “Jordan said he told his mom he wanted to stay outside and talk because it was a weekend night.” Her son’s refusal to comply with the bedtime request allegedly sparked anger from Zadora, who began spraying her family with a water hose.

The argument reportedly intensified and turned physical as Zadora began “punching and scratching” at her adult stepson, requesting that he leave the premises when he tried to intervene. The actress-singer also apparently scratched her husband’s face during the assault.

The family fight continued for several hours, culminating around 4:30 am with a physical struggle between Jordan and his mother for control of the teenager’s cellphone as he attempted to report her behavior to authorities. According to the police report:

“Pia then grabbed him from behind around his head, grabbing his eyes and face, leaving a scratch on his left ear. Jordan got away and Pia came up and again grabbed him from behind encircling his neck in the process.”

The call to 911 regarding the domestic disturbance brought police to the entertainer’s home where they were denied access by the occupants. Although responding officers were able enter the residence through an unsecured door at the back of the property, their requests for the family to step outside were reportedly met with resistance.

According to the police report, the officers exited the house and a SWAT team was dispatched to the location. After several hours, Pia Zadora placed a call to emergency services and was instructed to present herself to the law enforcement team waiting outside.

The entertainer complied with the request, reportedly informing officers that she had remained inside because she was initially under the impression that her husband — in his capacity as a detective — would resolve the situation.

According to police, Pia Zadora was eventually taken into custody and transported to the Clark County Detention Center. Shortly after being booked on domestic violence charges, the actress-singer posted a $4,000 bail requirement and was released.

[Top image via the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department]

Pia Zadora Allegedly Choked Son During Domestic Altercation is a post from: The Inquisitr

The free pot plants given out by a Cincinnati mayoral candidate turned out to be tomatoes.

In an effort to draw attention to the fact that medical marijuana is illegal in the Buckeye State, Jim Berns intended to give away pot plants to anyone who wanted one.

Unfortunately for those looking to get high on their own supply, the pot plants he passed around were actually tomato plants. This isn’t altogether surprising since marijuana is considered a controlled substance in Ohio.

Berns believes that denying people access to medical marijuana is extremely wrong. The Libertarian candidate said in a release that he intended to hand out the plants in hopes of drumming up support for its legalization.

In the release, the candidate is posing next to a planter full of what appears to be pot. Berns can be seen in the photo holding a sign that reads: “Free Marijuana Plants.” He’s joined in the photograph by two individuals who seem pretty excited about the idea.

“Our brave men and women go to foreign countries and risk their lives to protect our freedoms. But with the marijuana issue, we lost our freedoms. I’m trying to bring attention to an abusive law,” the candidate explained.

When the time came to cough up the goods, Berns gave his supporters tomato plants instead of marijuana. Around 50 plants in total were handed out during an event on Wednesday. When asked if he had backed out of the offer, the candidate explained that he had given out the plants shown in the press release.

However, Berns didn’t say if the pot plants shown in the photo were actually tomatoes.

The Cincinnati mayor candidate previously ran for a seat in the US House of Representatives back in 2010. He lost the race to Steve Chabot after receiving only 1.5 percent of the vote.

What do you think about Jim Berns handing out pot plants that were actually tomato plants? Do you think this was just a weak attempt to draw attention to his campaign?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Free Pot Plants Given Out By Mayoral Candidate Are Just Tomatoes is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the opening sequence of the new Ethan Hawke thriller, we find our society bouncing back from a collapsed economy in year 2022. Welcome to a world where there’s a one percent unemployment rate, and crime rate is non-existent. In a post-recession era of 2013 this reality seems too good to be true, so what’s the catch? For director James DeMonaco’s thriller film, it’s the purge itself.

The film wraps itself around the night of March 21, which is an event appropriately titled “the purge.” On this night the new Founding Fathers, reminiscent of the tea party, encourage people to release their anger on each other for a span of 12 hours. The police are off for the night as murder, rape, and other acts of violence are committed to release the impure and undesirable thoughts that run rampant. The purpose is to better our environment in order to control crime for the rest of the year. While the idea isn’t too far fetched it’s not fully realized in the DeMonaco thriller.

Man of the Sandin family, James (Ethan Hawke), sells home security systems. He’s on a huge upswing as everyone in his upper class gated community has bought into what he’s selling. Being old enough to remember a very different America, it’s easy to get a sense that James takes pride in what he has built for his family, and because of this he has the top of the line security system.

Preparing for the night of destruction, the Sandins, which include kids Charlie (Max Burkholder) and Zoe (Adelaide Kane), and mother Mary (Lena Headey), decide to bunker down and not partake in the purge. After Charlie feels horrible for a dying African American man screaming for help, he unlocks the flashy security system, and opens the family to become targets in their own home as they are pursued by Ivy league yuppies for harvesting their purge victim. In order for the family to survive unharmed they must find and give over the man, which brings up interesting power dynamics in the household.

This set up of the sub-genre is reminiscent of the popular film The Strangers, where psychopaths in masks target a suburban family in their home. What worked for that film gets a bit lost in exchange for the very familiar trappings of the same quick-scare tactics we’ve seen before.  What should have been a real suffocating experience, as you watch the family become prisoners in their own home just doesn’t hold up like it should. This could be attributed to the fact that their purge hunters are unmasked for a great deal of the film, as the group of college-aged kids exchange threats over a video surveillance system.

The ringleader of the group is creepy with menacing smiles, and has gleeful joy about fulfilling his purge, but DeMonaco’s greatest downfall in this genre is revealing too much in his exposition than needed. Instead he relies on lazy spooks with loud banging on walls from the intruders, and quick jolts. It’s something that’s typical for slasher films, but for The Purge, which had promise as a smart thriller, felt a bit cheap.

While DeMonaco didn’t overexpose gory moments of the film, he didn’t show enough to impose a huge threat to the characters in the film. Although a blood bath shouldn’t be the first thing expected from a suspense film, the director failed to show much of anything than a group of kids menacing an unassuming family.  The only slice of gore we do get is James insisting Mary to twist a letter opener in the nameless African American man’s wound as he fights getting tied up by the family. The scene had potential to be the only squeamish moment or better, a clever commentary on hypocritical suburbia, but failed with its over dramatics.

What The Purge does have going for it is its unique set up. It has the advantage of playing up on our present society’s turmoil. With the realism already set in its plot, the thriller has at least the most interesting premise we’ve seen in comparison to most films in the genre. The Purge flirts with themes of class and race, which prove to be intriguing, and it drives the film strong for the first half, but in order to get a ghoulish response from the audience, its points feel a bit rushed.

The film takes on a big brother effect, as announcements are on television sets, encouraging the upper classes to eliminate the homeless who “aren’t contributing to society.” These announcements speak a bit about how often we ignore the trappings of our own society.  While the fact that a homeless African American man, complete with dog tags, is the main target by a bunch of blonde-haired trust fund babies does say something about the racial lines of society, but like the film as a whole, it just doesn’t say enough.

THE PURGE HITS THEATERS FRIDAY, JUNE 7.

‘The Purge’ Introduces A New America But Falls On Old Tricks [Review] is a post from: The Inquisitr