February 3, 2015

Chris Christie shows a fondness for luxury Benefits When Others Pay the Bill

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/nyregion/in-christies-career-a-fondness-forluxe-benefits-when-others-pay-the-bills.html
As Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey waited to depart on a trade mission to Israel in 2012, his entourage was delayed by a late arrival: Mr. Christie’s father, who had accidentally headed to the wrong airport.

A commercial flight might have left without him, but in this case, there was no rush. The private plane, on which Mr. Christie had his own bedroom, had been lent by Sheldon G. Adelson, the billionaire casino owner and supporter of Israel. At the time, he was opposing legislation then before the governor to legalize online gambling in New Jersey.

Mr. Christie loaded the plane with his wife, three of his four children, his mother-in-law, his father and stepmother, four staff members, his former law partner and a state trooper.

King Abdullah of Jordan picked up the tab for a Christie family weekend at the end of the trip. The governor and two staff members who accompanied him came back to New Jersey bubbling that they had celebrated with Bono, the lead singer of U2, at three parties, two at the king’s residence, the other a Champagne reception in the desert. But a small knot of aides fretted: The rooms in luxurious Kempinski hotels had cost about $30,000; what would happen if that became public?

February 3, 2015

Police: Lance Armstrong hit parked cars, let girlfriend take blame

DENVER
Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong hit two parked cars after a night of partying in Aspen but agreed to let his longtime girlfriend take the blame to avoid national attention, police reports show.

Aspen police cited Armstrong with failing to report an accident and speeding weeks after the Dec. 28 accident, but only after his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, admitted to lying for him.

Armstrong declined immediate comment, and his attorney, Pamela Mackey, didn’t immediately return a call.

Hansen initially told police she had been driving home from an Aspen Art Museum party when she lost control of Armstrong’s GMC Yukon on the icy roads, hitting the cars. She said she drove because “Lance had a little bit to drink,” according to the reports.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article9114497.html#storylink=cpy

February 3, 2015

where was your god when a guy is burning alive in a cage?

Or when Hitler was having people marched into ovens?

February 3, 2015

Val Kilmer is praying away his tumor instead of treatment. Family worried

Val Kilmer’s family says actor’s faith is hampering tumor treatment: report
Family members told TMZ that Kilmer, a Christian Scientist, has been trying to pray away his throat ailment, rather than seeking medical treatment.

TMZ reported Kilmer's kin are worried sick that he has been ignoring a growing a tumor in this throat because followers of Christian Science typically shun medical treatment.

Sources told the site Kilmer has known about the tumor since the summer, but didn't take any action.

The 55-year-old "Top Gun" actor over the weekend confirmed reports that he was taken to a hospital recently, but chalked it up to "a complication," not a tumor, word of which he called "silly talk."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/val-kilmer-ignoring-tumor-faith-report-article-1.2100542

February 3, 2015

Adoption Offers Pour in for dog curled up on abandoned couch

A picture of a 3-year-old Pit Bull curled up on an abandoned couch in Phoenix caught the attention of social media — and led to lots of potential adopters for the dog. The woman who took the photo says her neighbor moved Wednesday, and she spotted the dog on the couch when she got home from work Thursday. The people who moved into the home said the dog wasn’t theirs, and he’d been there all day. "I guess the old owners had left him there," said the neighbor, who declined to give her name.

She contacted Maricopa County Animal Control, who came out to get the dog that night. "When I saw it, I almost cried. It's this picture of this dog and he looks so pitiful and tiny," said animal control’s Melissa Gable. "We've been inundated with calls, people, rescue groups, people that want to step up and help.” Animal control has relayed information about the dog to Phoenix police, and the pooch is now in the care of the Arizona Humane Society. Gable told AZFamily she wanted to let the public know he’s OK

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/pet-scoop-adoption-offers-pour-in-for-dog-left-on-couch-kitten-bowl-lineup-revealed?WT.mc_id=Outbrain;Premium

February 2, 2015

Metro Bus Driver Says She Was Also Bullied by Officer Whitlatch.(golf club as cane arrest)

Yesterday, we broke the news that Seattle police officer Cynthia Whitlatch—the cop whose racially charged Facebook remarks and treatment of a retired Metro bus driver, William Wingate, have landed her in hot water—has a history of using the n-word and once stole marijuana from SPD, according to her former girlfriend, an ex-cop.

Now another person has come forward alleging that she, too, has been on the receiving end of Whitlatch’s aggressive behavior.

Fifty-seven-year-old King County Metro bus driver Kathleen Dunne says Whitlatch harassed her several years ago. According to Dunne, she was driving a route on Capitol Hill on a chilly morning in November. Dunne, who is white, said that Officer Whitlatch would regularly park her patrol car in the bus stop on the west side of Broadway near the intersection with Roy Street. That morning, Dunne had to go to the bathroom (Metro drivers' attempts to secure accessible bathrooms is whole 'nother story). On her way in to Roy Street Coffee to use the restroom, Dunne said, she asked Whitlatch and her partner to move their patrol car out of the bus stop. It wasn’t the first time Dunne had asked one of them to do so.

-----
Dunne said after she went to the bathroom and walked out of the coffee shop, past Whitlatch and her partner, Whitlatch followed her out and down the street. She said she remembers Whitlatch saying something along the lines of, "You! Come here! You're not going anywhere."

Dunne said she felt threatened. "She was trying to physically intimidate me," Dunne said. "She was pretending like she was going to chest bump me... She kept rocking on her heels and coming up about an inch from my chest. I was so afraid she was going to put me in handcuffs."

While Whitlatch berated her, she said, her partner "stood there like a dolt. I kept looking at him, and he said nothing... It felt like a nightmare."
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2015/01/30/metro-bus-driver-says-she-was-also-bullied-by-officer-cynthia-whitlatch-warned-spd-years-ago

February 2, 2015

woman in iconic Selma beating photo is 103

'I saw blood on the highway, I saw people falling': 103-year-old campaigner and inspiration behind civil rights film Selma recalls savage beating that was to become iconic image of police brutality
Amelia Boynton Robinson took part in famous 1965 Alabama protest march
600 people attacked during demonstration now known as 'Bloody Sunday'
She was was violently beaten and knocked unconscious by state troopers
The harrowing image of her helped black Americans secure voting rights
The monumental event is portrayed in the new Oscar-tipped film Selma
By JACK CRON


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2935247/103-year-old-campaigner-inspiration-civil-rights-film-Selma-recalls-savage-beating-iconic-image-police-brutality.html#ixzz3QXvVpvrp

February 1, 2015

QVC host trashes black woman's natural hair live on air _ or seems to

'You'll look back and think - why did I wear my hair like that?': Shopping channel host apologizes for shaming black model's natural hairstyle live on air
Sandra Bennett was discussing fashion accessories on QVC last Sunday
Camera then turned to model Michelle Holloway posing with a purse
Bennett then says: 'You may look back and think, ‘Why did I wear my hair like that?'
She was slammed on social media with some saying she was 'insensitive'
The host later said she was 'sorry' and 'wasn't talking about her'

A TV host has apologized for shaming a black model's hairstyle live on air.
Sandra Bennett was discussing fashion accessories on shopping channel QVC last Sunday when the camera turned towards Michelle Holloway who was posing with a handbag.
The host is then heard saying: 'You may look back and think, "Why did I wear my hair like that?" But you’ll like your bag still.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2934278/Shopping-channel-host-apologizes-shaming-black-model-s-hairstyle-live-air.html#ixzz3QRxnMTZp


### edit, some think the camera happened to.land on the black woman when the comment was made. Not sure