BY AOL STAFF
The New York Post couldn't help but have a little fun at Chelsea Clinton's expense after she gave birth Friday evening to baby girl Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky.
Chelsea and husband Marc's first child was welcomed into the world by the notorious tabloid under the headline: "Another liberal crybaby for Dem Clintons: PARTY POOPER."
Though meant to be tongue-in-cheek, many democratic-leaning publications and other took offense to the cover.
The Post is no stranger to controversy. A recent column about Central Park cyclists saw the paper call them terrorists because of their skin color. New York blog Gothamist called it "venomous."
The Clintons have not publicly commented on the cover flap but did take time to welcome their new bundle of joy .
At 7:03 PM on September 26th, we finally met Charlotte. We’re in love
Charlotte, your grandmother @HillaryClinton and I couldn’t be happier!
.@BillClinton and I are over the moon to be grandparents! One of the happiest moments of our life.By KEN THOMAS
WASHINGTON (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton say they are "blessed, grateful, and so happy" to become grandparents.
Their daughter, Chelsea, gave birth Friday night to her first child, Charlotte.
Chelsea Clinton announced the news on Twitter and Facebook early Saturday, saying she and husband Marc Mezvinsky are "full of love, awe and gratitude as we celebrate the birth of our daughter, Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky."
The former president and first lady said in the statement on Saturday, "Chelsea is well and glowing. Marc is bursting with pride. Charlotte's life is off to a good start."
The Mezvinskys live in New York City, but the family did not say where the child was born or provide additional details on her birth.
The news comes as Hillary Clinton deliberates whether to run for the White House in 2016. She is the leading Democratic contender to succeed President Barack Obama, her 2008 campaign rival, and has said she expects to make a decision around the beginning of next year.
The baby has been eagerly anticipated. Hillary Clinton has called the prospect of becoming a grandmother her "most exciting title yet." She even has picked out the first book she intends to read to her grandchild, the classic "Goodnight Moon."
She has said she didn't want to make any decisions about another campaign until the baby's arrival, pointing to her interest in enjoying becoming a grandmother for the first time.
Bill Clinton canceled a fundraising visit Saturday to Denver for Democrats running for the Senate and governor, but he called in to an event for embattled Democratic Sen. Mark Udall to deliver his 11-minute speech by speakerphone.
"I hope I get an excused absence," he told the crowd. "You all know my family just got a little bigger, and I figured I should stay home where I'm really needed."
Clinton has been eager to become a grandfather. During an event with former President George W. Bush in September, Clinton's cellphone rang on stage and he joked that only two people had the number "and they are related to me," musing that he hoped he wasn't becoming "a premature grandfather."
"Every day I get up and I say, 'You have to remember whose child this is. Do not interfere. Be there when you are welcome. Be loving but not judgmental," Clinton said to laughs in an interview with CNN at his annual Clinton Global Initiative, only days before the baby's arrival.
The 34-year-old Chelsea Clinton said in an interview with Glamour magazine last year that she and her husband had hoped to make 2014 "the year of the baby." She announced her pregnancy in April at the end of a forum in New York on female empowerment.
"I just hope I will be as good a mom to my child and, hopefully, children as my mom was to me," she said at the time.
Even in her late stage of pregnancy, the younger Clinton helped preside over the family's annual conference last week, conducting interviews on stage and announcing efforts to promote community service and stop the killing of elephants and trafficking of ivory. An advocate for elephants, she warned her child "could grow up in a planet without elephants."
Congrats to the happy parents and grandparents ... the PICs
Nolen has previously been convicted multiple times on drug charges and for repeatedly assaulting police officers. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections) By TIM TALLEY
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A man who was shot after he beheaded one woman and attacked another at an Oklahoma food processing plant from which he had just been fired has regained consciousness and has been interviewed by detectives, police said Saturday.
Alton Nolen, 30, remains hospitalized in stable condition after Thursday's attack at the Vaughan Foods plant in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, Police Sgt. Jeremy Lewis said. He said that Nolen will be charged with first-degree murder and assault and battery with a deadly weapon and that he may also face federal charges.
"We've already interviewed him, and charges will be filed on Monday," Lewis said.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for an Oklahoma City Islamic group said Saturday that Nolen was a frequent worshipper at a mosque the group maintains and that he remembers the suspect as "a little weird."
"He was a nice, quiet, low-key guy," said Saad Mohammed, director of information for the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City. "He acted a little odd," Mohammed said, though he added that Nolen's behavior never raised any "red flags."
Mohammed said Nolen began worshipping at one of the group's mosques in May.
Lewis said Nolen was fired right before the attack, and that he then drove from the building that houses the company's human resources department to its main distribution center.
Once inside, he attacked 54-year-old Colleen Hufford with a knife in the center's administrative office area, eventually severing her head, according to police. Nolen then repeatedly stabbed 43-year-old Traci Johnson before Mark Vaughan, a reserve sheriff's deputy and the company's chief operating officer, shot him, police said.
Johnson survived the attack and is also conscious, Lewis said, adding that she is listed in stable condition.
"She is talking. We have interviewed her," Lewis said.
Lewis said police learned Nolen was fired for "numerous reasons" involving "personnel issues," but that he didn't know the specifics.
Police asked the FBI to help investigate Nolen after co-workers told investigators he had recently started trying to convert several employees to Islam. He said police asked the FBI to look into Lewis' background because of the nature of the attack, which followed a series of high-profile videotaped beheadings by Islamic State militants.
Mohammed said Nolen had attended services where sermons were delivered condemning such attacks.
"In no way, shape or form did he represent Islam in this foolish act," Mohammed said.
In a statement, FBI Special Agent in Charge James E. Finch said the motive for the attack had not been determined, but that there is no reason to believe there was a threat to anyone else.
"We don't have any reason to believe there is any danger to the area," Lewis said.
According to Oklahoma Department of Corrections records, Nolen served time in prison and is on probation for assault and battery of a police officer. He also was convicted of cocaine possession with the intent to distribute in 2011.
The records show that Nolen has what appear to be religious tattoos, including one referencing Jesus and one in Arabic that means "peace be with you."
Chelsea Clinton vice-chair Clinton Foundation (C) is flanked by husband Marc Mezvinsky (L) and mother, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, (R) during the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York September 24, 2014.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Bill and Hillary Clinton are grandparents. The couple's daughter, Chelsea Clinton, has given birth to her first child, a daughter named Charlotte.
Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of the former president and ex-secretary of state, announced the baby's birth on Twitter and Facebook early Saturday, saying she and husband Marc Mezvinsky are "full of love, awe and gratitude as we celebrate the birth of our daughter, Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky."
Clinton spokesman Kamyl Bazbaz said the child was born on Friday but did not immediately provide additional details. The couple lives in New York City. The Clintons quickly retweeted their daughter's message on Twitter but did not immediately comment on the baby's arrival.
The baby arrives as Hillary Clinton deliberates on whether to seek the White House in 2016, a decision that could put her on a path to becoming the nation's first female president. Clinton is the leading Democratic contender to succeed President Barack Obama, her former 2008 campaign rival, and has said she expects to make a decision around the beginning of next year.
The baby has been eagerly anticipated as Hillary Clinton considers her political future - she has called the prospect of becoming a grandmother her "most exciting title yet." She even has picked out the first book she intends to read to her grandchild, the classic "Goodnight Moon."
She has said she didn't want to make any decisions about another campaign until the baby's arrival, pointing to her interest in enjoying becoming a grandmother for the first time. If Clinton decides to run for president, her campaign would coincide with the baby's first two years.
The former president has been eager to become a grandfather. During an event with former President George W. Bush in September, Mr. Clinton's cell phone rang on stage and he joked that only two people had the number "and they are related to me," musing that he hoped he wasn't becoming "a premature grandfather."
"Every day I get up and I say, `You have to remember whose child this is. Do not interfere. Be there when you are welcome. Be loving but not judgmental," Clinton said to laughs in an interview with CNN at his annual Clinton Global Initiative, only days before the baby's arrival.
Even Obama got into the act. Addressing the annual Clinton confab, Obama quipped if Chelsea Clinton went into labor during his speech, "she has my motorcade and will be able to navigate traffic."
The 34-year-old Chelsea Clinton said in an interview with Glamour magazine last year that she and her husband had hoped to make 2014 "the year of the baby." She announced her pregnancy in April at the end of a forum in New York on female empowerment.
"I just hope I will be as good a mom to my child and, hopefully, children as my mom was to me," she said at the time.
Chelsea Clinton grew up in the public eye as a teenager in the White House, later graduating from Stanford and Columbia universities. She worked in finance in New York and in public health, earning a doctorate from Oxford University.
She serves as vice chair of her family's foundation, which was renamed the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, and helps direct the organization's humanitarian and philanthropic efforts around the globe. She recently departed NBC News, where she served as a special correspondent.
The new parents, who married in 2010, were friends as teenagers in Washington and both attended Stanford. Mezvinsky is a hedge fund manager and the son of former Reps. Majorie Margolies of Pennsylvania and Edward Mezvinsky of Iowa, longtime friends of the Clintons.
Congrats to Chelsea & Marc and of course to Bill & Hillary ....from the PICs
Alton Nolen, 30, has been named by police as the suspect in a beheading and stabbing at a business in suburban Oklahoma City. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections)
The gruesome attack happened at Vaughan Foods, in Moore, Oklahoma. (KFOR)
The gruesome attack happened at Vaughan Foods, in Moore, Oklahoma. (KFOR)
Employees, who appear to be largely Muslim, gather outside the Vaughan Foods facility shortly after the attack. (KFOR) By RYAN GORMAN
A disgruntled former employee beheaded a woman and stabbed another before he was shot Thursday afternoon during a workplace dispute in suburban Oklahoma City, police said.
Alton Nolen, 30, killed Colleen Hufford, 54, at the Vaughan Foods processing plant before an off-duty reserve Oklahoma County Deputy that works for the company shot him, Moore police said during a Friday morning media briefing, according to KWTV.
He also stabbed Tracy Johnson, 43, authorities said. She is in critical condition but expected to recover from her injuries.
The deputy has been identified by the station as Mark Vaughan, the company's chief operating officer. Vaughan shot him multiple times with a rifle, sources told KFOR.
Police said Nolen had recently been terminated from his job on the company's production line and began the rampage by ramming at least one vehicle in the parking lot before entering the building.
Nolen was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover, cops said. He was in the process of converting to Islam, KFOR reported.
Federal agents with the FBI have been called in after it was reported Nolen was shouting Islamic phrases during the attack and previously tried to also convert co-workers to Islam, KWTV reported.
Nolen has multiple tattoos on his torso including one that says "as-salaamu ataikum," a common Arabic greeting, according to Oklahoma Department of Corrections records. He also has praying hands tattooed on his body.
The troubled man has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple drug charges and assaults on police officers that have resulted in four separate stints in prison, prison records showed.
His most recent prison sentence, a two-year stint for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, ended only last year.
He was out from behind bars on a suspended sentence due to last until 2017, again for a drug charge and assaulting a police officer.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the events," said a Vaughan Foods statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of the team member we lost and all those affected."
Witchy Is on a tear :
He has been incarcerated 4 times at the age of 30................What judges don't understand that a guy like this isn't going to get rehabbed??? He should have been locked up that final time for life........I don't care what the charges were.............How the hell did the CEO shoot him "multiple times" without killing the piece of s###..?? Just a poor marksman I guess............
I believe that at least some of these Jihadist murderers could be using the religion as an excuse to justify their monstrous behavior. They're just plain evil creatures.
Perhaps if the publicity the 'MEDIA" gives these 'Psychopaths' was less, this serial killer would have chosen some other perversion to embrace.
There are a ton of whackos out there looking to rationalise their instanity. They don't need any help at all. Responsible rather than sensational news reporting might help. The whacko running around Northern Pa. killing state cops is affecting a Serbian persona.
One big "realty tv" Rambo, Dirty Harry, Horror show. Featuring murder.
Marchers make their way across Central Park South during the People's Climate March on September 21 2014, in New York. Activists mobilized in cities across the globe Sunday for marches against climate change, with one of the biggest planned for New York, where celebrities, political leaders and tens of thousands of people were expected. The march comes before the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon convenes a climate change summit of 120 world leaders .
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio walks down 6th Avenue during the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014, in New York. Activists mobilized in cities across the globe Sunday for marches against climate change, with one of the biggest planned for New York, where celebrities, political leaders and tens of thousands of people were expected. The march comes before the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon convenes a climate change summit of 120 world leaders .
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 21: People protest for greater action against climate change during the People's Climate March on September 21, 2014 in New York City. The march, which calls for drastic political and economic changes to slow global warming, has been organized by a coalition of unions, activists, politicians and scientists. By VERENA DOBNIK & MICHAEL SISAK
NEW YORK (AP) - Tens of thousands of activists walked through Manhattan on Sunday, warning that climate change is destroying the Earth - in stride with demonstrators around the world who urged policymakers to take quick action.
Starting along Central Park West, most came on foot, others with bicycles and walkers, and some even in wheelchairs. Many wore costumes and marched to drumbeats. One woman played the accordion.
But their message was not entertaining:
"We're going to lose our planet in the next generation if things continue this way," said Bert Garskof, 81, as a family member pushed his wheelchair through Times Square.
He had first heard about global warming in 1967, "when no one was paying much attention," said Garskof, a native New Yorker and professor of psychology at Connecticut's Quinnipiac University.
Organizers said more than 100,000 marched in New York, including actors Mark Ruffalo and Evangeline Lilly. They were joined in midtown Manhattan by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Vice President Al Gore and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
On Tuesday, more than 120 world leaders will convene for the United Nations Climate Summit aimed at galvanizing political will for a new global climate treaty by the end of 2015.
"My sense is the energy you see on the streets, the numbers that have amassed here and in other cities around the world, show that something bigger is going on, and this U.N. summit will be one of the ones where we look back and say it was a difference maker," de Blasio said.
The New York march was one of a series of events held around the world to raise awareness about climate change.
In London, organizers said 40,000 marchers participated, while a small gathering in Cairo featured a huge art piece representing wind and solar energy.
Celebrities in London including actress Emma Thompson and musician Peter Gabriel joined thousands of people crossing the capital's center, chanting: "What do we want? Clean energy. When do we want it? Now."
"This is important for every single person on the planet, which is why it has to be the greatest grass roots movement of all time," Thompson said. "This is the battle of our lives. We're fighting for our children."
In New York, a contingent came from Moore, Oklahoma, where a massive tornado killed 24 people last year, as did hundreds of people affected by Superstorm Sandy, which the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the British meteorological office said was made more likely by climate change.
In Australia, the largest rally was in Melbourne, where an estimated 10,000 people took to the streets with banners and placards calling on their government to do more to combat global warming.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott was a particular target of the protesters. Abbott's center-right coalition has removed a carbon tax and has restricted funding for climate change bodies since coming to power last year.
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo stars Mama June and Sugar Bear have called it quits, according to People, with June "Mama" Shannon telling the mag, "Sugar Bear and I have decided to take some time apart to figure out some things in our relationship."
"We are taking things day by day, but regardless of what happens, the girls will always be our number one priority. We want to thank y'all for your support."
The news comes after the duo had a countrified recommitment ceremony in May 2013, in which June wore a camouflage gown. "The day was very special mostly because my girls were able to take part in it," June told the mag at the time. "I felt like it was important for them to see this moment and celebrate my love for Sugar Bear."
As far as what caused 35-year-old Mama June to break off the relationship, TMZ reported that she repeatedly caught Sugar Bear "trolling online dating sites."
Gina Carano and Ronda Rousey will fight in December at UFC 181 in Las Vegas if Carano signs with the UFC, company boss Dana White said Friday in Ireland. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole, the UFC has a meeting with Carano’s representatives on Monday. If the two sides are able to agree to a deal, Carano would be set to face Rousey on Dec. 6 at the Mandalay Bay.
Carano (7-1) has not fought since losing to Cyborg in 2009. She won the first seven fights of her pro career, fighting mostly in the now-defunct EliteXC promotion.
After receiving attention for her fighting, Carano transitioned into movies and has appeared in seven films. She expressed an interest in returning to fighting amid rumors of a potential fight with Rousey.
While Carano was off making movies, Rousey’s MMA career was blossoming.
Rousey credits Carano for her interest in the sport, which began not too long ago. Following a career as an Olympian judoka, Rousey began doing MMA and had her first pro fight in 2011. She’s annihilated her competition going 10-0 in a little over three years in the sport, winning all but one of her fights in the first round.
While Rousey seems to only be getting better, Carano is returning to the octagon following a five-year absence. This doesn’t set up to be a good matchup for Carano, and we seriously doubt she’ll even be able to present a challenge.
Still, Rousey wants this fight. Carano wants the fight. The UFC wants the fight. The fans will tune in to watch, regardless of how much of a mismatch it may be. I don’t think the fight is a good idea for Carano, but it will be an interest-generator and money-maker, and that’s what entertainment is all about. Previously: Rousey says she would move up in weight to fight Carano
Jeff Bridges is enjoying a kind of homecoming on this sun-drenched morning in Beverly Hills. The home in question is nothing like Bridges' actual residence, a rustic retreat up the coast in Santa Barbara. In contrast, this house is a modernist showpiece, all sharp angles, built high in the hills by a celebrated L.A. architect; its current owner rents it out for photo shoots. As Bridges wanders toward the living room — a soaring space with a view stretching from downtown to the sea — a grin of recognition spreads across his strong-boned face. "Now it's starting to look familiar," he says. Bridges spent several days in this room a little more than 15 years ago, shooting a scene in the cult hit The Big Lebowski (1998). His character, Jeffrey Lebowski — aka the Dude — is described in a voice-over as "the laziest [man] in Los Angeles County." He's a shaggy hippie, a former campus radical who's done little since the '60s besides smoke doobies, drink White Russians and go bowling. Yet the Dude is a wise fool: He strives to live a simple, peaceful life but is still capable of true (if bumbling) courage. He is, in other words, a type familiar to anyone who lived through the Woodstock era — a figure that, for many of us, embodies aspects of a former self.
Jeff Bridges' Career The Dude is also the role with which Bridges is most often identified, despite the actor's phenomenal versatility. In his 60-odd movies, he's played everything from a space alien (Starman) to an Old West sheriff (True Grit) to the leader of a futuristic dystopia (The Giver, out in August 2014). That knack for shape-shifting won him an Academy Award (as country singer Bad Blake in 2009's Crazy Heart). In real life, though, Bridges looks and sounds a lot like Lebowski. He has admitted to a fondness for the occasional toke. His speech is studded with Haight Street slang. He recently coauthored The Dude and the Zen Master with the Buddhist priest and social activist Bernie Glassman; a collection of dialogues, it uses lines from The Big Lebowski ("The Dude abides," "That's just like, uh, your opinion, man") as conversation starters.
This morning Bridges is dressed in a T-shirt and faded corduroys. He's lost the beard and gained a few wrinkles, but his caramel-and-silver hair still cascades to his shoulders. At 64, he retains His Dudeship's bearish build, so his light-footedness is a surprise. He soft-shoes it onto a triangular deck. "Very cool," he exclaims, raising his arms and stretching yogically. "This is just an amazing pad!" But the resemblance between actor and avatar goes only so far. To begin with, Bridges is far from lazy. He's known as one of the most conscientious — and least self-absorbed — stars in Hollywood. "He thinks deeply about every word, every gesture," says The Giver's director, Phillip Noyce, "yet he leaves space for moments of spontaneous combustion. He avoids confrontations and ego struggles. Jeff's vibe really helped us through some difficult days during filming." Bridges spends his spare time painting, sculpting, taking photographs, playing with his country-rock band, the Abiders, and raising cash to fight childhood hunger. And unlike Lebowski, whose closest relationship is with his bowling league, he's into communing with his kin. Indeed, he's one of filmdom's most dedicated family men. In an industry that is notorious for minute-long marriages, Bridges has stuck with the former Susan Geston for 37 years. The couple have three daughters, with whom they are exceedingly close. (Isabelle, 33, an artist, is working on a children's book with Bridges. Jessie, 31, is a guitarist who often plays at her father's gigs. Interior designer Haley, 28, helped decorate her parents' house.) It's hard to imagine the Dude with a grandchild, but Bridges has one. When the 3-year-old accidentally locked herself in the bathroom, who did she call? "Not Ghostbusters. She called Grandma!" Bridges says, beaming. In short, this om-chanting scion of Hollywood royalty (Lloyd Bridges, 1913-98) appears to be as wholesome, responsible and well grounded as your next-door neighbor. And without renouncing his Lebowski-esque persona, he seems to have achieved something that eludes many movie folks — maturity. Which raises a perplexing question. As the Dude might put it: How did he get so un-[expletive]-up?
Becoming 'The Dude' I pose that query to Bridges as we settle into a guest room to talk. He clasps the back of his head in his hands, gathers his thoughts and murmurs, "I had a pretty great childhood." For that, he credits his parents, whose marriage lasted almost 60 years. Lloyd, known for his scuba-adventure series Sea Hunt, was making movies and TV shows throughout Jeff's boyhood and wasn't home much. Dorothy, though, "was kind of a spectacular mom," Bridges recalls. An actress, poet and artist who channeled her talents into motherhood, she instituted a daily ritual in which she spent an hour focused exclusively on each of her three children — with the kid calling the shots. "I'd say, 'Let's go into your makeup kit. I want to make you up like a clown.' Or, 'Let's play spaceman. I'll be a space monster. You can be trapped under the kitchen table.'" If Dorothy's intention was to foster creativity and confidence, it worked. (And not only on Jeff. Brother Beau, now 72, became a movie star in his own right; sister Lucinda, 60, is a painter.) Lloyd gave his offspring their first acting roles; Jeff debuted on Sea Hunt at age 8. More important, he gave them wise counsel — on professionalism and on how to treat other people. During set visits, Bridges saw the joy his father took in his work: "He had such tremendous fun with what he was doing, and the feeling was contagious." The boy also watched his dad stand up for his beliefs. On one occasion, says Bridges, "this director was taking out his frustration on an assistant. My dad went up to him and said, 'Frank, I'm going to be in my trailer. When you apologize to this young person that you've embarrassed, you can find me.' " By Kenneth Miller ... photos by Jeff Lipsky
Willie Nelson, 81, country music singer-songwriter, actor and activist — exaggerating a little— "feels about 20." — David McClister
Homegrown :
In this day of genetically modified food and growth hormones, the best solution is to shop at your local farmers market. Better still, find somewhere you can plant your own organic crops.
Two on the bus:
Annie and I have been married since 1991 and found a way to make it work. Annie travels with me now. The longest I've been off the road is a month. That's why I've been married four times! It's too much to ask the wives to stay home while you're running around the world.
Ties that bind:
I value family most. My sister, Bobbie, has been on the road with me for 50 years; my daughters Amy and Lana travel with me. When me and my sons, Micah and Lukas, play together, that's about as good as it gets.
Unlikely duo:I wanted to do a duet with Barbra Streisand for 20 years, and she finally had a song written for us. I met her on the set of A Star Is Born. Once, between scenes, she sat on the floor of my bus, and I sang to her. Kris Kristofferson couldn't understand why we got along so well, but I liked her!
Hat trick: I learned a lot from Leon Russell, who may be the best entertainer ever. He's the first guy I saw throw his hat into the audience. That's where I got the idea to do that. Ripped him off pretty good!
Move it or lose it:
I don't feel 81. I feel about 20. I'm exaggerating a little, but I just got my fifth-degree black belt in [the Korean martial art] GongKwon Yusul. Every day I ride my bike or golf or ride my horses. I do calisthenics on the bus. So far it's working.
Our Favorite Willie Albums:
* Stardust
* Band of Brothers
* Red Headed Stranger
* Heroes
* Always on My Mind
The power of positive thinking:
When you think a negative thought, it releases poison in your system. Next thing you know, you wind up with cancer or other diseases. I try to live in the moment without regrets.
A toke a day keeps the doctor away:
I'll probably take a couple of hits before or after the show tonight. It relaxes me, and the medicinal form of pot can cure everything from stress to cancer. It's a shame that it was thrown in with the other hard drugs. Now that the legalization has proven successful in Colorado and in Washington state, it's just a matter of time before it's legal everywhere. There's a lot of money to be made from it, number one.
Keepin' on: There's a song on my new album, Band of Brothers, called "I've Got a Lot of Traveling to Do." It's true. For years I've said, "This might be my last tour." But as long as I'm healthy and it's fun and people show up, I'd like to keep doing it. It's like the old saying, "Don't slow down — they might be gaining on you."
(NEWSY) It's been 200 years since Francis Scott Key wrote the words to the iconic song that is performed everywhere from middle school assemblies to the Super Bowl. Yet despite it's vintage, "The Star-Spangled Banner" still holds the power to unite a nation - even if we don't love every rendition we hear.
While everyone tries their best to do the song justice, there are some performances that stay with us. In the song's 200 year history, it wasn't until the last 50 years or so that musical artists began putting their own signature on the classic ballad - which garnered mixed reactions.
"Some thought it was brilliant, others considered it disrespectful," according to NBC.
One such performance came from Whitney Houston at the 1991 Super Bowl. Giving one of the most memorable National Anthem performances of all time, Houston's rendition came at an important time for the country.
This undated handout image provided by the US Postal Service shows Star Spangled Banner forever stamp. The Smithsonian Institution is beginning a celebration of the 200th anniversary of the flag and song that became the national anthem with a new forever stamp from the U.S. Postal Service. The star-spangled banner stamp was dedicated Thursday at the National Museum of American History. The Smithsonian has housed the flag that inspired the words for the national anthem since the early 1900s. (AP Photo/USPS)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 9: Overview of the grounds of Fort McHenry, the location of celebrations this week of the 200th anniversary of the Star-Spangled Banner in Baltimore, MD on September 9, 2014. The lyrics come from Francis Scott Keys poem 'Defence of Fort M'Henry, jotted down the words while witnessing the British bombardment of the famous Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. It was officially renamed The Star-Spangled Banner and offically recoginzed as the national anthem in 1931. (Photo by Linda Davidson / The Washington Post via Getty Images
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 9: Patrons walk among the canons and an merican flag flown at Fort McHenry in Baltimore, MD on September 9, 2014. This week marks the 200th anniversity of the Star-Spangled Banner. The lyrics come from Francis Scott Keys poem 'Defence of Fort M'Henry, jotted down the words while witnessing the British bombardment of the famous Battle of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. It was officially renamed The Star-Spangled Banner and offically recoginzed as the national anthem in 1931
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 12: A giant American flag curls in the wind on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle where it is docked in the Inner Harbor as part of the Star Spangled Spectacular September 12, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the United States' national anthem, Baltimore's Inner Harbor is hosting tall ships, fireworks displays, concerts, historic tours and other events. The anthem's lyrics come from 'Defence of Fort M'Henry,' a poem written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key after he witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships during the War of 1812
The first known manuscript of Francis Scott Key's poem which became the US national anthem, known as The Star-Spangled Banner, is displayed at Fort McHenry in Baltimore on September 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)
David Haines and his baby By GREGORY KATZ
LONDON (AP) -- Prime Minister David Cameron is summoning military and security chiefs for an emergency meeting Sunday in response to the beheading of a British hostage and a threat against another. The meeting comes after Islamic extremists released a video showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines and threatening another with death. Mike Haines, the victim's brother, said David Haines had been murdered "in cold blood." Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it saw no reason to doubt the authenticity of the video. Haines is the third Westerner beheaded in recent weeks by the Islamic State group, which has seized vast swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq. The first two were U.S. journalists. Islamic State extremists had threatened Haines' life in an earlier video released nearly two weeks ago. The masked man shown on the latest video, which ends with footage of Haines' body, seems similar to the man in the earlier beheading videos. The tall man speaks with a similar British accent and - as in the two earlier videos - threatens the captive with a large knife brandished in his left hand. The video shows Cameron condemning the Islamic State group. The man with the knife then condemns Britain's support of American action against the group and says the captive must pay with his life. The 44-year-old aid worker's family had issued a plea to his captors the day before the latest beheading video was released. They urged the hostage-takers to contact them. The family said IS had ignored earlier attempts to open communications. British officials had said they were doing everything possible to protect Haines. An earlier rescue bid led by U.S. forces had failed, however, and it is not clear Western agencies know the precise location of the hostage-takers. Haines was kidnapped in Syria in March last year when he was working for the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, or ACTED, to help victims of the fighting there. After his killing, Haines' family released a statement praising his passion for charitable work. Mike Haines said his brother was "most alive and enthusiastic" when involved with humanitarian missions. "His joy and anticipation for the work he went to do in Syria is for myself and family the most important element of this whole sad affair," Mike Haines said of his late brother. "He was and is loved by all his family and will be missed terribly." Haines worked for humanitarian missions in extremely dangerous conflict zones, including Libya during its civil war and South Sudan shortly after it gained independence. In addition to ACTED, he had worked for groups such as Handicap International, which helps the disabled during conflicts, and Nonviolent Peaceforce, which sends unarmed peacekeepers into conflict zones. British officials kept news of Haines' abduction out of the public eye for security reasons until IS showed him in a video nearly two weeks ago. President Barack Obama said after the killing that the United States would stand with Britain in an expanded effort against the terror group. "We will work with the United Kingdom and a broad coalition of nations from the region and around the world to bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act to justice, and to degrade and destroy this threat to the people of our countries, the region and the world," he said. Germany and France, which is holding an international conference Monday to combat IS, also condemned Haines' killing. "The odious assassination of David Haines shows once more the need for the international community to mobilize against the base and cowardly Daesh," French President Francois Hollande said, using the group's Arabic acronym. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the Haines killing "an abhorrent act of barbaric violence beyond all limits of human civilization" and said the Paris meeting comes at the right time. There needs to be "internationally agreed action to effectively stop the flow of fighters and money," he said. Some British lawmakers called for Britain to launch air strikes against Islamic State forces after the killing.
Let's hear it from our in-house expert : Mr Humble
The world needs PEACE!! What is happening to these young men is heart breaking. We need peace. These heinous acts makes it a 'Hell' on earth.
America has destabilized the Middle East with the invasion of Iraq. It was shaky before then, but with the support of Israel and a American's foreign policies, 'BEFORE' Obama became president, it has pushed the world into an abyss. This is not President Obama's fault. Caucasian men are the ones who developed Americans and the world's foreign policies. These beheadings and madness is a results of greed and trying to control countries and cultures that should have been left alone.
This is not President Obama's mess. He is knee deep in donkey shit because he is the President. I know he will be glad when his presidency is over with because I sure will. The WORLD is a GHETTO..... all of this stuff is so crazy. I feel bad for America. I feel bad for the world.
You cannot keep slapping these scum bags on the hands,they know nothing but killing,and everyone stands by and talks about what they will do,well time to stop talking and do it,enough is enough ,do whatever it takes but rid the scum bags 'NOW.'
Australia just joined the coalition. We need the UK to follow suit. It's time to kick some Jihadi 'ASS.'
This meeting will only try to promote more sacrifices for the USA. That's the way it always turns out. Asking more and more of our country while others do and give less and less. It's time they all give equally or shut up. This is a world wide problem not just an America problem.
Another MEETING???WOW !!! That accomplishes so, so MUCH?? Is that not so ?
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 11: Councillor Doug Ford arrives at Humber River Regional Hospital Thursday morning to visit his brother, Toronto mayor Rob Ford, who was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a tumor yesterday. (Keith Beaty/Toronto Star via Getty Images) TORONTO (AP) -- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford withdrew his re-election bid Friday as he seeks treatment for a tumor in his abdomen, ending a campaign he had pursued despite a stint in rehab and persistent calls for him to quit amid drug and alcohol scandals. But he said his brother would run in his place, saying "we cannot go backwards."
Rob Ford will instead seek a seat on the City Council, after a nephew withdrew his candidacy.
"My heart is heavy when I tell you that I'm unable to continue my campaign for re-election as your mayor," Ford said in a statement. "I have asked Doug to run to become the next Mayor of Toronto, because we need him. We cannot go backwards."
Doug Ford, a city councilor who had been the conservative mayor's campaign manager, submitted his registration papers to run for mayor in his brother's place. He will face two other major candidates in the Oct. 27 election.
Ford's decision came two days after he was hospitalized and the tumor was discovered. Biopsy results won't be back for a week and a definitive diagnosis is pending.
"As many of you know I've been dealing with a serious medical issue, the details of which are unknown. But I know that with the love and support of my family, I will get through this," Ford said in a statement.
Ford became an international celebrity last year after acknowledging using crack cocaine in a "drunken stupor" following months of denials. He returned to work in June after a rehab stint for drugs and alcohol.
UPDATE:
Judge Masipa grants Oscar Pistorius bail until his sentencing trial on October 13-16, 2014.
BY GERALD IMRAY AND CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) -- A South African judge on Friday found Oscar Pistorius guilty of culpable homicide in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and declared him not guilty of murder. Prosecutors said they were disappointed by the ruling but would decide on whether to appeal only after sentencing.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said there was not enough evidence to support the contention that Pistorius knew Steenkamp was behind a locked toilet door in his home when he shot through the door in the predawn hours of Valentine's Day last year. Masipa said prosecutors had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius intended to kill Steenkamp.
The killing by a national sports hero stunned South Africans, and reactions on the verdict were mixed.
"Well I think the verdict is shocking to say the least," said Leonard Gray in Port Elizabeth, Steenkamp's home town. "I think there is clear evidence and indications that he committed murder in this case. ... I feel sorry for Reeva Steenkamp's family because they not going to get any closure because this guy is basically getting away with murder in my opinion."
However Shrina Padayachy, also in Port Elizabeth, called the judge's verdict "fair and just because it's the prosecution that must prove beyond a reasonable doubt and from what I gather and seen they haven't."
The red-robed judge ordered Pistorius, 27, to stand before she delivered the formal verdict on the multiple counts against him, and said it was a unanimous verdict, meaning she and her two legal assessors agreed on the findings. The conviction of culpable homicide, or negligent killing, can bring a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
Unlike many other times during the trial that began in March, Pistorius showed no emotion as he stood in his dark suit with his hands crossed in front of him. The double-amputee Olympian was hugged by relatives when the judge ordered a recess soon after announcing her verdicts. The judge later ruled that Pistorius be granted bail with the same terms as before.
Masipa said Pistorius' sentencing hearing would begin on Oct. 13. Both sides will be able to call witnesses to argue ahead of the judge's ruling on if, or for how long, Pistorius is sent to prison for negligently killing Steenkamp.
Some legal analysts said they understood why Pistorius was found not guilty of premeditated murder but were surprised that the runner was not convicted of murder.
"We believe there is sufficient and credible evidence to secure a conviction" on a murder charge, said Nathi Mncube, spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority. He said, however, that any decision to appeal the judge's ruling would come after the case is "concluded" with sentencing.
The sentence for a culpable homicide conviction is at the judge's discretion, and it can range from a suspended sentence and a fine to up to a maximum of 15 years in prison. Sentencing was expected to be announced at a later date.
After the verdict, Pistorius sat with his sister Aimee on the wooden bench where he has spent most of his six-month murder trial. She put an arm around his shoulders and spoke to him.
For the first time in the trial, Pistorius left by going down the stairs that led to the cells in the courthouse. That's because Pistorius' bail expired after his conviction and the judge was considering whether to re-grant him bail. Pistorius' lawyer, Brian Webber, said Pistorius was taken to a "holding position."
Defense lawyer Barry Roux told the judge that Pistorius should stay free on bail until sentencing because he had complied with bail conditions imposed on him after he killed Steenkamp. Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel, however, said Pistorius now had more reason to flee because he had probably hoped for an acquittal during the trial.
"Now he knows for a fact that, `I've been convicted of a serious offense and imprisonment is probable,'" Nel said.
Members of Steenkamp's family, including her mother June and father Barry, were in court to hear the verdict in the 29-year-old model's killing.
The judge ruled that the athlete was guilty of unlawfully firing a gun in a public place when a friend's pistol he was handling discharged under a table in a restaurant in Johannesburg in early 2013 - weeks before Steenkamp's killing.
Pistorius was acquitted on two other weapons charges, including a count of firing a gun in public and a count of illegal possession of ammunition in the Pretoria home where he killed Steenkamp.
Pistorius fatally shot Steenkamp in his home in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14, 2013. He said he mistook her for an intruder, while the prosecution said he killed her intentionally after an argument.
On Friday, armed security officers stood at each of the three entrances to the courtroom, while others stood near the red-robed judge as she explained her verdicts from her dais overlooking the court. There were also paramedics in the courtroom.
By GERALD IMRAY and CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) -- In a lengthy verdict phase climaxing Oscar Pistorius' trial, the judge said Thursday he can't be found guilty of murder but that he was negligent in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, raising the possibility he'll be convicted of culpable homicide. Judge Thokozile Masipa said she felt the double-amputee Olympian acted negligently when he fatally shot Steenkamp through a toilet door in his home in the predawn hours of Valentine's Day last year. In a moment of high-drama, she then stopped reading out her judgment in the six-month-long trial and adjourned until Friday. A formal judgment in the case that has riveted much of South Africa and the world is expected on Friday. If Pistorius is acquitted of murder, he could still be sent to jail for years if convicted of culpable homicide. While the judge did not announce a verdict, she said the prosecution had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius committed premeditated murder. She also ruled out a lesser murder charge, but said Pistorius may be vulnerable to being convicted of culpable homicide - in other words a negligent killing. "I am of the view that the accused acted too hastily and with excessive force," Masipa said of Pistorius actions on the fatal night last year. The world-famous athlete has acknowledged firing four shots through a toilet door in his home, hitting Steenkamp in the head, arm and hip area and killing her. He says he mistook her for an intruder. The prosecution alleges the athlete intentionally killed his girlfriend, a model and budding reality TV star, after a loud argument, which was heard by neighbors. Culpable homicide normally carries a five-year jail sentence in South Africa when a firearm is used, but it can be changed by a judge depending on the specific circumstances of the killing. "Culpable homicide is a competent verdict," the judge said. Masipa said there were "just not enough facts" to support the finding of premeditated murder in Steenkamp's fatal shooting. As the judge spoke, Pistorius wept quietly, his shoulders shaking as he sat on a wooden bench. Masipa earlier told Pistorius, 27, he could remain seated on the bench while she read her verdict out and until she asked him to stand for the judgment. Masipa described Pistorius as a "very poor witness" who had lost his composure on the stand and was at times "evasive," but she emphasized that did not mean he was guilty of murder. Earlier, the 66-year-old judge cast doubt on witness accounts of hearing a woman's screams, a key part of the prosecution's case. Masipa said "none of the witnesses had ever heard the accused cry or scream, let alone when he was anxious," apparently acknowledging the possibility of the defense's argument that Pistorius had been the person screaming in a high-pitched voice after discovering he had fatally shot Steenkamp. Masipa also cited testimony of an acoustics expert called by the defense, saying it cast "serious doubt" on whether witnesses who were hundreds of meters (yards) away in their homes - as some state witnesses were - could have differentiated between the screams of a man or a woman. At one point, Masipa said: "I continue to explain why most witnesses got their facts wrong." Masipa also said she was disregarding text messages between Steenkamp and Pistorius that had been entered as evidence. Prosecutors had submitted text messages that showed tension between them while the defense submitted messages that indicated mutual affection. That evidence, the judge said, doesn't prove anything. "Normal relationships are dynamic and unpredictable most of the time, while human beings are fickle," she said. Pistorius faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder for fatally shooting Steenkamp through a toilet cubicle door in his home in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14, 2013. He also faced years in jail if found guilty of murder without pre-planning, or of negligent killing. Pistorius could also be acquitted if Masipa believes he made a tragic error and acted reasonably. Earlier, Masipa began by outlining in detail the four charges against the Olympic runner: Murder, two counts of unlawfully firing a gun in a public place in unrelated incidents and one count of illegal possession of ammunition. Before the session began, Pistorius hugged his brother Carl, who was seated in a wheelchair because of injuries suffered in a recent car crash. The parents of Steenkamp were also in the packed gallery. Other members of Pistorius' family, including his father Henke, sat behind him. If Pistorius is convicted on any charge, the case will likely be postponed until a later sentencing hearing. There were many journalists at the courthouse, where the sensational trial has unfolded over the last six months. [BREAKDOWN OF JUDGE'S ANALYSIS FROM SOUTH AFRICA-BASED REPORTER:]
Witchy thoughts and they ain't nice :
This is so "O.J. Simpson" it isn't even funny. The only difference is, this guy is so BLATANTLY and defiantly putting on this act. He is cold and calculating and has no problem waving his gun around. People are convicted on "circumstantial evidence" all the time, because rarely is there an eye witness present in the majority of crimes. This guy has GOT to see prison time. Guess his "acting lessons" paid off for him. This judge will not be too popular after this.
He's as guilty as they come. I wonder if South African "justice" is as far off as our American "justice?"
Justice was not served in this trial. This judge needs to be fired for lack of common sense. This clown got away with murder.
Another corrupt example of "Money talks and BULLSHIT WALKS!!!!! Just like OJ, Yep! Pistorius! Justice WILL catch up with you! Just like with OJ who will die Alone in prison! NUFF SEZ
