Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, The 56 year old President and dictator of Iran has lost the presidential vote. Fridays national elections have determined that the current Presidents time in office will end soon. He will depart the gates of the Presidential palace no later than August 3rd.

According to many experts it’s unlikely the Iranian leader will leave quietly and without a fuss. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad virtually bought his country to its knees during his time in office. This is primarily due to his aggressive nuclear program which saw crippling sanctions imposed on Iran.

The Iranian leader broke with convention and in a typical display of audacity did not turn up to cast his vote until 5:22pm, nine hours after the polling stations opened. It is customary in Iran for leaders and politicians to be among the first to cast their votes, in the morning when polling stations open.

Suzanne Maloney, of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy and a former State Department adviser spoke to Nbcnews.com commenting on the recent events in Iran: ”He (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) is unlikely to retire quietly in the way that his predecessors have done where they play a role in the political scene, but they are very cautious not to disrupt the balance of power in any way. That’s not Ahmadinejad’s style”.

Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations comments that it will be hard for the outgoing president to garner support further to this election: “He would have to have a constituency, a popular base. And he doesn’t seem to have that. I think his presence in the last week of the election, his insignificance and inconsequentiality, probably portends his life after office”.

Whatever his future plans it is likely that world leaders, especially western ones will watching Mahmoud Ahmadinejad very closely. It is unclear how advanced Iran’s nuclear program is thanks to Ahmadinejad’s influence over the last 8 years.

Do you think Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will slip into the background of politics in Iran or do you think he will continue to encourage the countries aggressive nuclear program which threatens world peace? Your comments below.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Votes Nine Hours Late, Loses Presidential Election is a post from: The Inquisitr

Reports indicate Kim Kardashian is in labor at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Hospital, ensconced in a special maternity ward suite for celeb moms.

While no confirmation Kim Kardashian is in labor has surfaced from either the Kardashian or Kanye camps, there’s reason to believe Kim K and fam will keep the baby’s birth under wraps and wait until the baby (believed to be a girl) arrives safely before taking to Twitter or other sources to announce the arrival.

As Kim’s due date drew near, the pregnant celebutante was growing frustrated with and even fearful of paparazzi intrusion and “stalking.”

Just before Kim Kardashian’s labor set in, the star posted a Twitter rant about how difficult life had become with constant photographer interaction every time she left the house.

She said over on Twitter:

“I wouldn’t let the paps get a pic of me today & they threatened my life & said if I continue to block shots then they will make my world dangerous to live in! How dare they threaten my life & my unborn child! This has gotten way out of control!”

Kim continued:

“Yesterday 4 cars boxed me in. One in front, behind, & one on each side just to have me drive at their speed so they can snap through the window. Its really so scary what they are legally allowed to get away with!”

As Kardashian prepped for the baby’s imminent birth, she added:

“For years I’ve always been so gracious. Every shot they take now just isn’t flattering & crazy stories get made up, so why would I willingly just let them stalk me & smile for them? Let me enjoy this last month of pregnancy please without threats & being scared to leave my home due to what dangerous thing they just threatened to do to me … I get I live a public life. I live my life on a reality show for the world to see. I love my life, but when the cameras stop, that doesn’t mean I don’t want a break too. I’m 32 yrs old now, about to be a mom. I’m not 25 clubbing around LA anymore. There’s no excuse for threats & stalking!” she added.

In an earlier tweet just days before reports Kim Kardashian’s labor began, the star said while a pap followed her that she feels “so unsafe … I really don’t feel safe.”

Sis Kourtney may have tried to draw attention away from sis Kim’s labor reports, by tweeting:

Saturday morning jungle hike! http://t.co/EFUT9PbBVb

— Kourtney Kardashian (@KourtneyKardash) June 15, 2013

Hopefully, Kim Kardashian’s labor will go off without any interruptions from uninvited cameras.

Kim Kardashian In Labor, Terrified Of Paparazzi is a post from: The Inquisitr

Justin Bieber is allegedly hated by Paris Jackson.

The alleged quote currently in circulation is that the 15-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson “hates Justin Bieber for ignoring fans’ self-harm,” and thinks he is a terrible role model for young girls.

TMZ ’s story follows Paris’ admission to L.A.’s UCLA Medical Center last week, after she cut her arm with a kitchen knife and took Motrin painkillers in what is believed to have been a suicide attempt.

She is still being treated at the Center but has now been released from a 72-hour psychiatric hold.

Some context:

Back in January — after online pictures surfaced of a then 18-year-old Bieber allegedly smoking marijuana in a Newport Beach, CA, hotel room with friends — a Twitter hoax by pranksters who pretended to be fans of the pop star, urged fans to trend #cutforbieber and to cut themselves, to get the singer to stop smoking.

The hashtag first trended worldwide at around 3pm Eastern Time on Monday, January 7, and was still trending by early morning Tuesday.

Even though the hashtag was started by Internet trollers 4chan’s /b/, a forum whose users are typically male teens, it took hold online.

“Tweet a bunch of pics of people cutting themselves and claim we did it because bieber was smoking weed” wrote the Anonymous user (link NSFW) who started the hoax. “See if we can get some little girls to cut themselves.”

Members at the forum then set about ways to make their newly created Twitter accounts appear authentic, how to write phrases like a teenage girl, and what sort of cutting photos to use. [Note: The pictures here are disturbing.]

In the end, although many actual female Bieber fans helped make the hashtag trend, 4Chan’s twisted prank was quickly exposed by media outlets. Despite 4Chan’s aim to make teenage girls self-harm, as yet no known reports of anyone self-harming because of the hashtag have been recorded.

Previously, 4chan’s /b/ tried to lure ‘Beliebers’ to shave their heads with a Bieber cancer hoax.

At the time, Bieber did not comment on his Twitter account about the cutting drama. For better or for worse, he may have been advised to avoid becoming embroiled in a particularly nasty aspect of teenage, trolling online activity.

TMZ claims sources say Jackson is (still?) enraged by the January photos of Bieber allegedly smoking weed, his silence over the cutting hoax, and stories about his alleged behavior in the Calabasas, L.A. community she also lives in, describing them as a “disgrace.”

This is an odd story, mainly because of its timing. Notwithstanding Paris’ April criticism of Bieber, she hadn’t then — as far as is known — tried to take herself off the planet.

One media report asks whether it’s an attempt to deflect attention from Paris’ own troubles, which as well as her current medical needs, include her family’s fight against concert promoters AEG Live in a wrongful death suit brought by Katherine Jackson over the death of Michael Jackson.

Until recently, Paris was on the witness list for the trial. It’s been reported that she is no longer required to testify. In addition, she has also been targeted by online bullies over recent allegations that her father molested choreographer Wade Robson when he was a boy, and has reportedly been bullied over these issues at school.

For the above reasons and perhaps others, it seems inconceivable that Paris, who is expected to be released from hospital shortly, would be lashing out at Bieber now and focusing on a online hoax perpetrated six months ago by irresponsible Internet users.

But, maybe, Paris really is projecting feelings of anger toward Bieber? If so, it seems an odd priority for a young girl at this critical time in her life.

One undeniable by-product of TMZ’s story is that far more outlets are covering it compared to news of the security video that exonerates Bieber over reckless driving allegations in Calabasas on Memorial Day.

So there is that.

[Image via Mujer Deelite]

Is The Paris Jackson ‘Hates’ Justin Bieber Story The Oddest Yet? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Krysten Ritter is absolutely thrilled to join the cast of the Veronica Mars movie.

Ritter, who has recently had starring roles in Breaking Bad and Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment 23, played Gia Goodman in Veronica Mars in 2006. She recently announced that she’ll be reprising the role in the new Kickstarter funded movie.

Ritter said: “G-G-G-Gia!!!! I’m thrilled to be reprising my role of Gia Goodman in the Veronica Mars movie!!! It’s gonna be very juicy Marshmallows!!!!! AAAHHHH!!!! Forgive my over-use of exclamation points. Since you can’t hear me squealing, I’m reduced to excessive punctuation. Ha! Veronica Mars has a special place in my heart because it was my first big acting job (!!!!!!) and it was also one of the most lovely on-set experiences you could ever ask for. This will truly be an awesome shoot, not only because we all get to be reunited (can’t WAIT!) but because of the revolutionary way this all was able to come to life! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Rob Thomas, Kristen Bell, Kickstarter, and most of all, to you, our AMAZING FANS, for making it happen. I’m honored to be a part of it!”

Ritter appeared in 8 episodes of Veronica Mars during the show’s 2nd season. The actress will join Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Chris Lowell, Christine Lakin, and several other Veronica Mars alumni for the new movie.

Creator Rob Thomas said: “I’m delighted to confirm that Krysten Ritter will be returning as Gia Goodman … Despite the name of her most recent television series, Krysten couldn’t be lovelier to work with. I’m thrilled that she’ll be joining us for the movie.”

Here’s a clip of Ritter and Bell from Veronica Mars.

Are you excited for the new Veronica Mars movie? Are you happy that Krysten Ritter joined the cast?

[Image Via Phil Stafford / Shutterstock.com]

Krysten Ritter On ‘Veronica Mars’ Movie: I’m Thrilled To Play Gia Goodman Again is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Donaldsonville explosion represents the second fatal chemical plant explosion in Ascension Parish, Louisiana in two days. One worker was killed when an 18-wheeler offloading nitrogen at CF Industries exploded Friday night. Seven others have been injured.

The dead man was 55-year-old Ronald Morris Jr. of Belle Rose. He had worked for 34 years in the plant.

The Donaldsonville disaster came back to back after Thursday’s huge fire and explosion at the Williams-Olefins chemical plant in Geismar, Louisiana on Thursday. 29-year-old Seth Green of Pontchatoula was killed, and over 70 injured had to be treated in area hospitals.

In a tragic twist, Green’s father had also died in an industrial accident almost two decades before.

With nerves on edge from the Geismar explosion, multiple media sources described the new industrial accident as the Donaldsonville explosion.

However, some authorities objected to the description. Ascension Parish sheriff Jeff Wiley said:

“There was no explosion and no fire. Everything is secure right now. There was never any public threat.”

Two of the seven injured were airlifted to area hospitals, but all of the survivors were in fair to stable condition in the immediate aftermath of the incident. By Saturday afternoon, only one of them remained in the hospital.

The event might be better characterized as a high pressure rupture or leak, something like an overinflated tire popping.

The cause of the accident isn’t known, but plant manager Lou Frey said that it was under investigation. A CF Industries statement said they will cooperate with regulatory agencies to find out what went wrong. The plant produces ammonia and potentially hazardous nitrogen fertilizer.

In much more serious accident in West, Texas, an explosion at a nitrate-producing plant killed 14 and devastated a large area of the small town.

A 2000 Donaldsonville explosion at the same CF Industries plant killed three and resulted in an almost $150,000 fine from OSHA.

[fire photo by Marcus Obal via Wikimedia Commons]

Donaldsonville Explosion: Two Chemical Plant Deaths In Two Days [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Loch Ness monster debate is brewing in Scotland, where locals are bickering over whether the creature’s existence and a growing embrace of science will hurt the local tourism racket.

While the Loch Ness monster is an old legend, it’s also one existing in a world where such claims prove harder and harder to accept.

In the past, lack of Loch Ness monster footage could have been more believably attributed to its alleged habit of hiding and rarely emerging — but in a world where everyone is equipped with a tiny video camera and instant internet uploading device (which also makes phone calls), it becomes far less believable that a massive sea beast could evade proof of existence so thoroughly and for so long.

Sure, in 2013, it may seem most reasonable people don’t really believe the Loch Ness monster exists, but tourism advocates in the area would like doubting Thomas locals to shhhh about the whole “monster isn’t real thing.”

According to The Scotsman, there have been “esignations from Drumnadrochit Chamber of Commerce following comments made by one member, George Edwards, of Loch Ness Cruises” regarding the creature’s existence, and the situation is currently quite heated.

Much of the dissent was stirred following a letter Edwards sent decrying Nessie deniers and accusing science-minded folk of harming the local tourist industry.

The paper quotes Edwards as saying:

“Just about every time that [researcher Adrian] Shine appears in the media he talks about big fish and big waves. I believe they are doing more harm than good in promoting Loch Ness tourism with their negative theories … How many people come here to see the Loch Ness Big Fish or the Loch Ness Big Wave? … In recent years we have seen a decline in tourism across Scotland and maybe it is time for Mr Shine to put up or shut up.”

Shine responded, saying Edwards seemed not to believe in the Loch Ness monster either, and said in part:

“He clearly doesn’t think that many other people believe in it either. The irony is that the serious investigations and presentations such as that at The Loch Ness Centre, afford a great deal more respect to over a thousand honest and sober eyewitnesses by explaining what they have truthfully reported in terms of some rather special features of Loch Ness.”

Do you think the Loch Ness monster based local tourism economy is sustainable in 2013 even if researchers quit boosting skeptical assessments?

Loch Ness Monster Tourism Hampered By Facts, Reality is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sergio Garcia was heckled at the U.S. Open Today with two simple words: Fried chicken.

Garcia recently apologized to Tiger Woods for making a racist joke earlier this month but it doesn’t look like the golf world is ready to forgive the golfer just yet. NESN reports that Garcia has been followed with “fried chicken” chants this week at the U.S. Open and one fan even heckled the golfer when he was standing in the tee box on the 11th hole.

It’s unclear if Garcia heard the comment (the crowd definitely did and started laughing at the joke) but Garcia does seem distracted by something on the course. He bogeyed two of his first three holes today and then completely imploded on his fourth hole.

Garcia knocked his first shot out of bounds, and then his second, and then his third. Garcia ended with a score of 10 on the 15th hole.

Garcia said before taking to the course today: “I’ve been very worried about the whole situation … I felt terrible about it. I feel like I had a great relationship with the crowds for pretty much my whole career. Obviously a couple incidents here and there, but other than that, I feel very fortunate. I feel like they love me. I love them too. I respect them very much.”

Garcia’s attitude to the crowd could change by the end of the weekend.

Here’s the video of Sergio Garcia being heckled with “fried chicken” at the U.S. Open.

Sergio Garcia Heckled With ‘Fried Chicken’ At U.S. Open [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Next generation games are coming, and here are the nine titles I’m most excited about.

Now to start off, this is the list of games that I found most intriguing. It’s not based on any one console, as I’m taking them both under consideration for this list. It could have been more than ten, but this is based on next generation announcements, not current generation. If the game isn’t being planned for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, it won’t be included.

This list is my opinion, and does not reflect the choices of anyone else at The Inquisitr. The list is in alphabetical order, and not in order of preference.

• Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag – I played Assassin’s Creed and Assassin’s Creed 2, and found myself drawn into their realistic gameplay surrounding someone who kills in the name of a greater good. AC Brotherhood and Revelations were a let-down due to the fact that I could never get more than halfway through without getting stuck playing a minigame over and over, and AC3 just never really impressed me enough to try it. The idea of playing on the open sea sounds like a fresh approach, and an escape from the land-heavy parkour that the games have depended on so heavily thus far.
• Destiny – I will admit that I’m tired of Halo, even after just two games. However, I do respect how much ambition Bungie puts into their games, and the idea of something new, different, and even more epic just makes me wonder how cool it’s going to get.
• Infamous: Second Son – Since one of my all-time favorites, Prototype, isn’t seeing a sequel any time soon, and Batman: Arkham Origins isn’t being planned for next generation consoles, I’m going with the game that’s said to be the PlayStation equivalent of Prototype. The aspect of a superhero who didn’t really want his powers in the first place, yet ends up being a general badass, just fascinates me. It just reeks of wanton destruction as long as you can survive the consequences.

• Killer Instinct – Being the only fighting game on the next generation list, I have to include this one. Perhaps they will revamp it and make it more interesting, like they did with Mortal Kombat before they started crossing it over with DC Comics characters.
• LocoCycle – The idea of a sentient motorcycle that kills in multiple ways could be incredibly cool if they do it right. It’s too early to tell, but the concept is enough to turn my head.
• Mad Max – I repeat: Mad Max. I really hope they get this one right, because it has so much potential to be fun. Please don’t let it fall to the movie tie-in curse that so many of those games do.  I want to bust some steampunk gang heads in.
• Need for Speed: Rivals – Need for Speed is the only car racing title I’ll even look at. Everything else just seems boring to me. Of course I got into the series when it was basically The Fast and The Furious in video game form, and those movies are so enjoyable every time there is a race sequence.
• Titanfall – The idea of fighting giant mechs with only what you can carry on your human body just feels like it could kick all kinds of ass. It seems like a high-tech futuristic Devil May Cry in an open world.
• Watch Dogs – Using the electronics all around you to steal money, track targets, and even just cause mayhem, all from your portable device, just sounds too cool to pass up. Yes, in the real world it would be terrifying to know someone could do that. Perhaps that’s what draws me in.

These are my nine favorite games announced for next generation consoles. What are yours?

Next Generation Games: Top Nine I’m Most Excited About [Op-Ed] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Baby Kimye has arrived! Kim Kardashian has reportedly gave birth to a baby girl at a hospital in California this morning.

The Inquisitr reported earlier today that Kardashian was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center last night after she went into labor. TMZ is now reporting that the reality star gave birth to a baby girl this morning.

A source close to the couple said that Kim and her baby are both in good condition.

Kanye West, who reportedly wanted nothing to do with the hospital room, was at Kim’s side during the delivery. Kanye was scheduled to appear at a record release party last night but the singer skipped out on a chance to hear praise for his Yeezus album in order to bring Kim to the hospital.

This is the first child for Kim and Kanye.

Kim and Kanye haven’t confirmed the birth yet and the Kardashian family has been unusually quiet on social media. Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian, as well as Kris, Kylie, and Kendal Jenner have all sent out tweets this morning but none of them have mentioned Kim Kardashian’s new baby.

Kim is reportedly “terrified of the paparazzi” chasing her down with the new baby and the Kardashian family could just be trying to throw the media off the scent.

Are you excited to meet baby Kimye? What do you think Kim Kardashian and Kanye West will name the baby girl?

Kim Kardashian Gives Birth To Baby Girl is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kim Kardashian gave birth to a baby girl this morning, The Inquisitr has just reported.

As we reported earlier, Kim Kardashian was in labor under the radar at Cedars-Sinai hospital today, after a week dodging paparazzi as she prepared for her baby girl to arrive.

While Kim K and Kanye were spotted out last night, it seems that the baby girl was eager to make her entrance fabulously early.

Reports indicate that the pregnant mom-to-be and baby daddy Kanye ducked out early because Kim was feeling unwell — and “off.”

It didn’t turn out to be insignificant — some time after the pair went home, Kim Kardashian headed to the hospital and baby Kimye was determined to make an appearance.

It’s not clear whether a complication prompted the early delivery or whether Kim K gave birth via c-section or vaginally, but a source at the celeb-friendly hospital spilled to Us about Kardashian’s labor and delivery. (It’s also possible the pair obfuscated the baby’s due date to avoid a press frenzy when Kim went into labor.)

The source dished:

“Kim had her baby … She’s five weeks early. Kim got sick last night and had the baby early.”

Anyone who has been through the process of first time parenthood can tell you that babies often have a mind of their own when it comes to showing up frustratingly late or early.

No one has yet determined whether Kim Kardashian gave birth so early simply because sometimes babies arrive early, or if a complication prompted the unscheduled delivery — but TMZ confirms that both mom and baby are doing fine right now:

“Sources close to KK tell TMZ the baby and Kim are both in good health. We’re told Kim delivered the baby at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center this morning … 5 weeks sooner than originally planned.

Though news Kim Kardashian gave birth to the baby this morning has been widely reported, neither Kim K nor Kanye’s camp has offered a statement — though we imagine they are all a bit busy right now.

Kim Kardashian Gave Birth 5 Weeks Early is a post from: The Inquisitr

Degenerative diseases of the retina arise from pathogenic mutations in mRNA transcripts expressed in the eye’s photoreceptor cells or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), leading to cell death and structural deterioration over time.

A photoreceptor cell is a specialized type of neuron found in the retina, capable of phototransduction – converting visible electromagnetic radiation into signals.

There are two types of photoreceptors present in the eye – rods and cones.

Cones are responsible for detecting and visualizing color while rods absorb light. Interestingly, rods are extremely sensitive, and can be triggered by as few as six photons.

At very low light levels, visual acuity is based solely on the rod signal. This explains why colors cannot be seen at low light levels, as only one type of photoreceptor cell is active.

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is the pigmented cell layer just outside the neurosensory retina that nourishes retinal visual cells, and is firmly attached to both the underlying choroid and overlying retinal visual cells.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a small respiratory virus which infects humans and some primate species. Gene therapy vectors using AAV can infect both dividing and quiescent cells, and persist in an extra-chromosomal state without integrating into the genome of the host cell.

These features make AAV a very attractive candidate for creating viral vectors for gene therapy. Recent trials using AAV for gene therapy in the retina have shown promise.

Inherited retinal degenerative diseases are a clinically promising focus of AAV mediated gene therapy, reports Science, as current treatments require a delivery method of sub-retinal injections in order to reach the photoreceptors and RPE.

But this technique – requiring hospitalization and general anesthetic – has the potential for injury and is only suitable for extremely rare cases so long as the retinal structures are still intact.

Directed evolution of a gene therapy virus vector improves penetration of the treatment into the retina. To test this, researchers, using a mouse models, implemented in-vivo directed evolution, engineered AAV variants capable of delivering the designer gene cargo into the outer retina after intravitreally injecting it into the eye’s vitreous humor – a much easier, less invasive approach over traditional methods.

David Schaffer – a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, bioengineering, and neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley, led the research. The AAV variant mediated widespread delivery to the outer retina and rescued the disease phenotypes of X-linked retinoschisis and Leber’s congenital amaurosis in the models.

However, AAV vectors are still problematic as the vectors themselves are currently incapable of penetrating deeper into the retina where a disease is typically located. Schaffer and his colleagues evolved AAV to be better at tissue penetration.

[Image via Shutterstock]

More Effective Gene Therapy May Be On The Horizon is a post from: The Inquisitr

Billy Joel and Elton John have finally made up, or at least killed the awkwardness behind their feud. On Thursday night, the two pianist had a reconciliation of sorts after John publicly bashed Joel in 2011 by saying he wasn’t taking his battle with alcoholism seriously and that he was also lazy.

“He’s going to hate me for this, but every time he goes to rehab, they’ve been light,” John told Rolling Stone Magazine two years ago. “When I went to rehab, I had to clean the floors. He goes to rehab where they have TVs. I love you, Billy, and this is tough love.”

Ever since the 66-year-old called out his fellow pianist, there hasn’t been much talk, if any, between the two. Now they’ve settled their dispute at the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony this past Thursday.

Elton John and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin were in attendance to receive the ceremony’s top honor, the Johnny Mercer Award.  John took the stage and addressed Billy Joel personally as he said, “I didn’t see you tonight, Mr. Joel, but I want to see you.”

Before you knew it, Joel was on the stage as well, introducing Mick Jones and Lou Gramm of Foreigner for their performance. He went on to send a message right back to the “Rocket Man” pop icon, explaining that everything is alright.

“Is Elton still here, by the way? Anyway, we’re OK,” he said. “Call me. It’s the same phone number.”

The former touring partners have finally ended their feud, though it’s unknown whether the phone call ever came. Nevertheless, Joel explained that “we’re OK,” which should be enough to keep the talking at bay for now.

Who knows, maybe they’ll rekindle their past tours and even take the stage together for a “make-up performance.” Anything could happen and both are still creating music and doing live shows.

Do you think Elton John has killed the awkward feud with Billy Joel after addressing the situation on Thursday night?

[Image via Creative Commons]

Billy Joel Ends Feud With Elton John At Songwriters Hall Of Fame Ceremony is a post from: The Inquisitr

Eyeball licking or ‘Worming’ is the latest craze among Japanese teenagers and kids. The technical term for this weird practice is Oculolinctus and involved holding ones eye open while another person licks it.

The Inquisitr.com reported recently  that the eyeball licking phenomenon sweeping Japan has had doctors worried, raising health concerns. Truthdive.com reports that eyeball licking can have some serious consequences.

Dr. Robert Cykiert from the department of ophthalmology at the New York University Langone Medical Center, confirms that: “The surface of a healthy eye is normal mostly sterile, while the mouth is filled with bacteria and food particles”. Dr Cykiert continues ““When you get licked on the eye, you’re transferring dangerous bacteria to the eye. It’s a very dangerous trend, to say the least.”

A teacher from a school in Japan spoke to online news agencies discussing an actual incident of eyeball licking which he encountered: “After class one day, I went into the equipment store in the gymnasium to tidy up. The door had been left open, and when I looked inside, a male pupil and a female pupil had their faces close together and were kind of fumbling around. Could it be bullying? I wondered, but when I had a good look, the boy was licking the girl’s eye!”

Eye patches are the tell tale sign that students have be engaging in the practice of eyeball licking. One teacher reported that he saw up to 10 students at any one time sporting the patches. Wearing the eye patches hides ailments and eye complaints caused by the dangerous practice.

There is no consensus yet among teachers and educational staff in Japan as to how best deal with this phenomenon. What measures can be taken, if any to curtail this kind of behavior in schools? Is there anything that can be done to stop it or at least to warn the youth about the potential health hazards involved ?

Eyeball Licking Phenomenon Sweeping Japan is a post from: The Inquisitr

Oregon wildfires have burned away thousands of acres in the Eastern part of the state.

Wildfires have increased over the last few years, causing the evacuation of entire cities and laying waste to places where they are least likely to happen. Take Australia for instance; in the middle of winter, a wildfire grew out of control and lost hundreds their homes, and even their lives. The disaster was made famous by pictures taken of a family who took refuge in the nearby water and lived to tell about it.

The Oregon wildfires were presumed to have been caused by a series of lightning strikes, and haven’t stopped for several days now. Firefighters are pressing on to try stopping their spread, but winds have already driven them to the point of destroying over 400 homes.

The fire exploded Tuesday, in the midst of dry conditions and record heat, lighting up the Eastern portion of Oregon like so much kindling. By Wednesday morning, the fire had already covered 23 square miles and threatened to take out three nearby ranches. Two people tried to escape the Oregon wildfires, and didn’t make it as they left their car in an attempt to flee.

Deputies suspect that the fire may have been encouraged with human help. Sheriff Terry Maketa stated, “it looks like a nuclear bomb went off in some of those areas, and you can’t even recognize whether it was a house or some other kind of structure. That is the level of incineration and destruction that took place in some areas.”

UPDATE: Wildfires burn 20,000 acres west of Jordan Valley http://t.co/svRBbgtf8V pic.twitter.com/fCpdR5Vvej

— KTVB.COM (@KTVB) June 13, 2013

Containment is currently at 45 percent, up from 30 percent on Friday, indicating that firefighters may be gaining the upper hand with the Oregon wildfires.

Jack and Judy Roe had been spared their lives and their home, but their neighbors weren’t so lucky. Judy Roe said that with all of the blackened destruction, the remains of charred brick were the only indication of where homes used to be.

President Obama called Governor John Hickenlooper on Friday to get an update on conditions and reinforce his commitment to help. He sent the Governor his condolences for those who have lost their homes and relatives in the Oregon wildfires.

How do you feel about the destruction in the wake of the Oregon wildfires?

Oregon Wildfires Lay Waste To Thousands Of Acres is a post from: The Inquisitr

When people think of shirt folding, they immediately think of how tedious it is, well that is unless you use this neat shirt folding trick, then you’ll be folding shirts like a ninja in under two seconds.

It might sound impossible, but we have the video and the walk-through instructions for you to actually achieve this, thanks to a YouTube vid posted by DaveHax; this particular YouTube poster is always uploading useful vids to get people conquering their DIY fears, or just learning to fold clothes like The Flash (DC comics, guys).

In the video a simple arm-crossing technique is used; when he first demonstrates his mad skills, and trust me, they really are mad, you’ll probably want to give up attempting to try this for yourselves; however, the video then slows the whole thing down, meaning you can follow it step-by-step until you have the tip perfected.

Due to this handy how-to guide, you can now have a shirt that is fresh, uncreased and ready to wear; you might still hate how your clothes fit just like Chris Christie did, but at least they will look immaculate.

The wide response of comments are nearly as impressive as the shirt folding trick itself; there are users that are instantly wowed by the tip, and then there’s others that criticise and call out the two second time frame to be a lie.

Even more amusing is how much the users swear about the video, while the skill is clearly a cool ‘party trick’ to have in your arsenal of abilities, never before have so many people cursed about someone folding a shirt:

“THIS IS THE MOST USEFUL SH*T I’VE EVER SEEN MY LIFE NOW SEEMS LIKE A WHOLE LIE”

Whether other people are impressed or not, just make sure that you hide these newly folded shirts somewhere safe, otherwise you could end up with your feline friends ‘hanging out’ with your shirts and ruining that just pressed look.

Overall, this is a pretty neat trick; however, considering the majority of us will either, a) mess it up or b) place the folded shirt in our drawers for it to become a creased mess, it would seem that this shirt folding trick is for professionals only.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Become A Ninja, Use This Shirt Folding Trick [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Is Father’s Day a good reason to skip an NSA briefing? The majority of US senators believed that it was more important to head out early on Thursday afternoon to catch flights home than to attend an official briefing on NSA surveillance programs.

The briefing including senior intelligence officials like James Clapper, the Director of National Intelligence, and Keith Alexander, the head of the National Security Agency (NSA).

A media head count showed that only 47 of America’s 100 senators hung around for the 2:30 NSA briefing about the supposedly controversial programs to monitor telephone and Internet activity. The program was recently cast into the spotlight when NSA contractor Edward Snowden fled to Hong Kong after leaking classified information regarding the program.

Initially hailed as a hero after his story was published by UK newspaper The Guardian, Snowden’s boasts that he could have even wiretapped the President have begun to raise some skepticism about the genuine scope of his power with the NSA.

A Father’s Day get-together with the family may indeed seem more pressing to some senators than the NSA briefing.

However, some observers were angry, because senators had previously complained that they hadn’t been fully informed about the NSA surveillance program — and yet they chose to pass on the opportunity to learn more from senior officials.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) was particularly fired up about the Father’s Day senator skip-out:

“People should go out and see how the program is set up, see how it’s conducted, ask questions, come to the briefings. It’s hard to get this story out. Even now we have this big briefing – we’ve got Alexander, we’ve got the FBI, we’ve got the Justice Department, we have the FISA Court there, we have Clapper there – and people are leaving.”

If you were a senator, would you have played hooky from the NSA briefing? Is Father’s Day more important?

[image by Hayati Kayhan via Shutterstock]

Father’s Day: NSA Briefing Skipped So Senators Can Head Home Early is a post from: The Inquisitr

Miami, FL – An investigation into the collapse of a deck at Shuckers Bar & Grill last week is currently underway.

Around 100 patrons were plunged into the Biscayne Bay while watching the Miami Heat game on Thursday night. Many of the individuals who hit the water were eating and drinking at the time of the accident.

According to the Miami Herald, the clean-up process is still ongoing. Authorities are also looking into what caused the deck to collapse. At present, officials believe a structural problem may been behind the accident.

North Bay Village Police Chief Bob Daniels said an inspection at Shucker’s Bar & Grill took place six months ago. Although the engineer said he wasn’t required to inspect the deck that collapsed, authorities stated he made mention of the area in his report.

“We are at the moment investigating the structure. The engineers are taking a closer look at it. They are certain it is some type of a structural incident,” Daniel explained.

Around two dozen people were injured when the deck collapsed in Miami. First responders dived into the water to help rescue those who had fallen in the bay. Thankfully, no one was killed during the accident.

Firefighter Luis Cal told WSVN the restaurant was in “chaos” when the incident occurred. Although everyone was in a panic, he said that he tried his best to stay focused while trying to help people who were underwater.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Andre Cruzeta credited everyone at the scene for rescuing the people who tumbled into the Biscayne Bay when the deck collapsed.

“We had to get in the water as soon as possible, because if someone’s in there, they have a limited amount of time before survivability is zero to none,” he explained.

Miami police are still investigating what caused the deck to collapse at Shuckers Bar & Grill. The clean-up progress is reportedly ongoing as well.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Miami Deck Collapse Investigation Still Underway is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tampa Bay right-hander Alex Cobb was hit with a line drive and rushed off the field on a stretcher during the Rays win over the Royals on Saturday.

While the Rays won the match 5-3 all eyes were on Cobb after the line drive by Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer hit him in the right ear.

Cobb was immediately taken for tests and was reported to have suffered only a mild concussion from the incident.

Alex Cobb was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. Doctors chose to keep Cobb under observation until Sunday morning.

Following hist tests Cobb tweeted to fans:

“Can’t thank everyone enough for the prayers. Was the only way for me to make it out of there ok. Look forward to getting back out there.”

After Cobb was hit on the head he fell to the ground and grabbed his right ear. As medical staff examined Cobb’s injury he could be seen kicking his legs in pain.

David Price visited Cobb in the hospital and later tweeted:

“Cobber is way more tough than me!! Laughing at jokes and the name they gave him!! Please keep him and his family in your prayers.”

While the incident was scary team officials say Alex Cobb’s hit never caused him to lose consciousness.

After witnessing that his line drive hit Cobb, Hosmer says he didn’t even want to run to first base.”I just wanted to see how he was doing,” Hosmer said. “You hate to see that, especially Alex having a great year. It’s just scary stuff, man. I’m glad he’s alright. I know he’s been talking and having conversations.”

Cobb was hit just one month after Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ was also struck by a liner against the Rays. Happ suffered a skull fracture.

Best wish go out to Alex Cobb as he recovers from his line drive hit.

Alex Cobb Hit by Line Drive, Taken Off Field On Stretcher is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, has finally made her last public appearance in anticipation for her due date.

As already reported by an earlier article by The Inquisitr, Kate Middleton has decided to go on maternity as of this month, however, she made sure that she was able to make the Queen’s official birthday celebration, the Trooping the Colour parade, which took place yesterday.

The Duchess journeyed to London’s Whitehall in a pageant carriage, accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry.

She maintained the expected royal waves and public recognitions as they made their way to watch the Horse Guards Parade, which is quite a feat when you take into account that Middleton is eight months pregnant.

Most moms by this point want to remain in a relaxed environment where they can just be themselves, not go to official occasions and smile and wave for the cameras; however, that’s part of the job when you’re the Duchess of Cambridge.

In the renowned UK event, Kate Middleton was seen sporting a soft pink Alexander McQueen coat and hat, which perfectly complimented her pregnancy bump; no doubt all moms reading this will relate to how hard it is to find clothes that fit properly when you’re expecting.

The news that Middleton made this event comes as surprise when readers consider that she was rumored to be taking it easy after the boat naming ceremony that took place the other day; it would seem that the royal is unable to ease up on her public duties so easily.

Therefore, although this appearance is meant to be her last until after the baby is born, it seems more than likely that Middleton will be unable to keep away from the public for long, which isn’t surprising when you take into account how loved she is by the public.

No doubt everyone remembers the hype when the royal baby news came out; it wasn’t that long ago that readers were hearing about Middleton’s second public appearance sporting her baby bump, and now she’s ready to make the last of her pregnancy preparations.

Nevertheless, for now, this is the last time the public will see Kate Middleton at a public event.

[Image via Huffington Post]

Kate Middleton Has Officially Made Her Last Public Appearance is a post from: The Inquisitr

Krysten Ritter has signed on for a role in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes.

The Alice in Wonderland director’s latest big screen endeavor tells the story of Margaret and Walter Keane. The couple were responsible for painting pictures of children with large eyes in the 50s and 60s. Their work is credited as one of the first mass-marketed art sensations.

According to Deadline, Krysten Ritter will play Margaret’s friend in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes. Django Unchained star Christoph Waltz will tackle the role of Walter Keane, while Amy Adams will portray his wife Margaret.

The biopic was penned by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The story follows the couple’s rise to fame and their eventual separation. The couple would go on to fight over the rights to their creations in court.

The Belfast Telegraph reports Krysten Ritter is understandably excited about her role in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes. Shortly after landing the role in the flick, the actress shared her excitement about the project with her followers on Twitter.

“Over the moon!! It’s been a dream to work with Tim Burton! Dream big kiddies!” she tweeted.

Big Eyes isn’t the only thing the Breaking Bad actress is excited about right now. Krysten Ritter has also signed on for Rob Thomas’ big-screen adaptation of his cult TV series Veronica Mars. Filming on the project is expected to begin shortly.

“I’m delighted to confirm that Krysten Ritter will be returning as Gia Goodman. Despite the name of her most recent television series, Krysten couldn’t be lovelier to work with. I’m thrilled that she’ll be joining us for the movie,” Thomas said shortly after her casting was announced.

Ritter will join Veronica Mars alumni Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Chris Lowell, and Christine Lakin in the upcoming flick. The movie should hit theaters at some point next year.

Are you a fan of Krysten Ritter? What do you think about the actress landing a role in Tim Burton’s Big Eyes?

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Krysten Ritter Signs On For Tim Burton’s ‘Big Eyes’ is a post from: The Inquisitr