NEWS CLICK

NEWS CLICK: President Obama Delivers Barnard College Commencem...

2012-05-15T13:58:00.001-07:00

NEWS CLICK: President Obama Delivers Barnard College Commencem...: President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College, where he'll share the stage with Evan Wolfson, the founder of the p...

President Obama Delivers Barnard College Commencement Address

2012-05-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

President Obama delivers the commencement address at Barnard College, where he'll share the stage with Evan Wolfson, the founder of the pro-gay group Freedom to Marry.

Later on Monday, he'll appear as a guest on The View. His remarks come after Gov. Mitt Romney briefly reaffirmed his opposition to gay marriage on Saturday while addressing Liberty University, considered a conservative and Christian university

NEWS CLICK: After Texas school shooting, many questions loom

2012-01-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

NEWS CLICK: After Texas school shooting, many questions loom: Jorge Gomez was counseling worried parents and frightened students late into the night the day police fatally shot an eighth-grader brandis...

NEWS CLICK: Kelly Clarkson’s album sales jump after Ron Paul T...

2012-01-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

NEWS CLICK: Kelly Clarkson’s album sales jump after Ron Paul T...: Kelly Clarkson’s album sales reportedly grew “Stronger” after her Twitter endorsement of Ron Paul, but her political views had little to d...

NEWS CLICK: 'Teen Mom' star Amber Portwood getting evicted fro...

2012-01-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

NEWS CLICK: 'Teen Mom' star Amber Portwood getting evicted fro...: The 21-year-old Teen Mom star is getting kicked out of her rented house in Anderson, IN after the company who owns her property filed in c...

NEWS CLICK: First Look: Bourne Legacy Photo

2012-01-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

NEWS CLICK: First Look: Bourne Legacy Photo: Everyone was really surprised to hear that "The Bourne Legacy" was going forward without star Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass. Ther...

NEWS CLICK

2012-01-07T10:11:00.000-08:00

NEWS CLICK

First Look: Bourne Legacy Photo

2012-01-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

Everyone was really surprised to hear that "The Bourne Legacy" was going forward without star Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass. There was an outcry on Twitter. People swore they wouldn't watch a film without the lead that made it so famous. But once Jeremy Renner was announced as the new lead, everyone's ears perked up. Suddenly everyone is back on board.

Today we're getting our first look at the character Renner will be playing and some info about him as well. In particular, his name, which we haven't known up until this point. Renner tells Empire Online, "My character is called Aaron Cross, but he ends up having a bunch of different names. For fans of the franchise, ["The Bourne Legacy"] has that same ticking clock, but it's a new programme and new characters."

He also has something to say about whether or not Treadstone will be involved. "Yeah, it's that same deal, it's just a new set of agents with a different leash. It's the same tempo and pace but more expansive and bigger. The differences are pretty vast but you'll know it's a Bourne movie."

Is it just us or are you guys totally excited for this film? Seeing Renner in character and hearing him talk a bit about the film ... finally ... has us over the moon about where this might go.

'Teen Mom' star Amber Portwood getting evicted from her home

2012-01-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

The 21-year-old Teen Mom star is getting kicked out of her rented house in Anderson, IN after the company who owns her property filed in court on Wednesday that she had violated her lease agreement, citing no specifics, TMZ reported Thursday.

According to the court documents, Portwood's landlord reportedly delivered a "notice to vacate" to her residence on December 20 -- just one day after the Teen Mom star was put behind bars for allegedly violating the probation terms of her 2011 plea deal for assaulting Gary Shirley, the on-again, off-again fiance and father of her two-year-old daughter Leah.Portwood was reportedly arrested when police visited her home after she missed a probation appointment and found a variety of prescription pills -- most of which she had failed to supply prescriptions for -- in her home.

After her arrest, Portwood, who refused to provide a urine sample, had a hearing and is currently being held in jail until her next court appearance later this month.

Portwood's attorney told TMZ that he was unaware of the eviction filing, and as a result, declined to make a statement about the matter.

Kelly Clarkson’s album sales jump after Ron Paul Twitter endorsement exaggerated

2012-01-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

Kelly Clarkson’s album sales reportedly grew “Stronger” after her Twitter endorsement of Ron Paul, but her political views had little to do with the sales jump, The Hollywood Reporter writes.
The week before Christmas, a flurry of stories online said that Clarkson’s album sales jumped anywhere from 200 to 400 percent, depending on the report.
Ron Paul himself was proud about what the endorsement did for her sales.
At a campaign stop before the caucuses earlier this week, the presidential hopeful bragged to a group of Iowa high schoolers about his popularity among Clarkson fans.
“They went up and bumped up her sales on her records by 600 percent,” Paul said.

After Texas school shooting, many questions loom

2012-01-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

Jorge Gomez was counseling worried parents and frightened students late into the night the day police fatally shot an eighth-grader brandishing what appeared to be a handgun inside his South Texas school. The parents said their children weren't eating, some were running fevers, and needed to talk to someone.
The death of 15-year-old Jaime Gonzalez has shaken this neighborhood along the U.S.-Mexico border, where parents already burdened by economic woes and street gangs are now faced with explaining the tragedy to their children.
Making it especially hard: It remains unclear to his parents and investigators why Jaime — a drum major who danced in his church's annual religious festival, stayed out of gangs and had two parents who closely watched him — could swerve off course and bring a weapon to school. The weapon, police later determined, was a pellet gun.
Gomez, who officiated a wake Thursday night that drew hundreds of mourners to Holy Family Catholic Church, a block from the Gonzalez family home, said parents had called him seeking his guidance Wednesday.
"Probably the last (child) left at midnight," Gomez said. "The parents are very concerned. How is this going to affect the community and their kids?"
Jaime was fatally shot in a hallway of Cummings Middle School during first period Wednesday, following frantic calls to police from school officials who, along with responding officers, believed the boy had a handgun. According to a recording of the emergency call, Jaime refused to drop the weapon.

Among the roughly 400 people at the Thursday night service was Delfina Cisneros, a teacher at nearby Longoria Elementary School. Standing in the back of the church with some of the school's young students, she said she taught Jaime in fourth grade, when his family had just moved from the Houston area.

No, the coast was not clear for Illinois LB’s cheap shot fail

2011-10-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

Cheap shots are a part of college football. They happen in the trenches, during scrambles for a loose ball and behind the referee's back. But rarely do you see one as calculated as the one Illinois linebacker Jonathan Brown laid on Northwestern offensive lineman Patrick Ward.

During the first half of today's game, Brown clearly looks around to see if anyone is watching before kneeing Ward in the groin.

Of course, with 65,000 people, eleven opposing players and five refs — one of whom happened to be standing right next to him — Brown's attempt at a clandestine cheap shot results in a major fail and an instant flag for a personal foul. Probably didn't help that Ward reacted, probably with a high-pitched scream, to the assault. Unfortunately, Brown wasn't ejected, but trust that the Big Ten office will review the play and let's hope Brown is disciplined accordingly.

If anything, Brown should be disciplined for poor sneaky cheap shot execution. As for his team, it's not going much better: Northwestern leads in the third quarter, 28-10, behind four touchdown passes by quarterback Dan Persa.

It's a final: Illinois embarked on a 28-7 run over the final 20 minutes to win, 38-35, on a late quarterback sneak by Nathan Scheelhaase. Cheap shot notwithstanding, after today's rally, the Illini are 5-0 for the first time in 60 years.

Is It Time to Ditch Your Debit Card?

2011-10-02T05:32:00.000-07:00

What's the least-friendly piece of plastic in your wallet? With Bank of America's recent announcement that it will start charging for debit card use, upset customers might say there's a strong argument it's the debit card — and increasingly, there are better alternatives.The change in debit card terms has been gradual. Most recently, Bank of America announced its plans to levy a $5 monthly fee for making debit-card purchases starting next year. Banks including Wells Fargo, SunTrust and Chase have already eliminated debit rewards programs, and Chase, PNC and TD Bank are testing ATM fees as high as $5 a pop in some markets.

Given the rising costs, consumers may be better off without debit cards at all, says Dennis Moroney, senior analyst covering bank cards at TowerGroup consulting firm. "I never understood why people wanted debit cards in the first place," he says.

Credit cards can often be a better fit. Consumers who pay off their balances in full avoid expensive interest charges and fees, often while earning rewards of 1% or better. And as recent data breaches have highlighted, credit cards offer better protections than debit cards in the case of fraud or theft. (When debit cards are stolen, consumers risk losing everything in their checking account if they don't report the theft before the card is used.)

Banks are also expected to start pushing prepaid cards as a debit alternative, says Odysseas Papadimitriou, chief executive at credit-card comparison web site CardHub.com. American Express became the first major bank to introduce one earlier this year. Of course, most of these cards aren't free either. Users with the American Express prepaid card get one free ATM withdrawal each month, then pay $2 for each one thereafter — in addition to any fees the ATM's owner might charge. The Green Dot Gold Prepaid Visa card may seem closer to a traditional debit card: For someone who signs up for direct monthly deposits of at least $2,000 and visits the ATM at least once a week, the card levies no additional fees, according to CardHub.com.

Remember cash? No fees or fine print, and more businesses are offering discounts for shoppers who use it. Of course, if it's stolen, there's no way to recover it. So even consumers who go cash-only should maintain a checking account with ATMs convenient to work and home, says Richard Barrington, an analyst at MoneyRates.com, which tracks bank rates.

For anyone who still really wants a debit card, smaller banks and credit unions may be the best alternatives. At online bank PerkStreet, for example, customers can earn up to 2% cash back on their debit purchases, as well as 5% on specific categories, like housing or dining, that change each month. (The bank has 37,000 ATMs throughout the country.) At Sovereign Bank, debit card holders get up to 20% cash back on purchases at more than 1,200 retailers, including Restaurant.com, TurboTax and Brookstone, which is then credited to their checking account.

Obama: Commander in chief must support gay troops

2011-10-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama sharply rebuked his Republican rivals, saying anyone who wants to be commander in chief must support the entire U.S. military, including gay service members.

A combative Obama on Saturday criticized Republican presidential candidates for staying silent when the crowd at a recent debate booed a gay soldier who asked a question of the contenders via videotape.

"You want to be commander in chief? You can start by standing up for the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States, even when it's not politically convenient," Obama said during remarks at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization.

Referencing the boos at the Sept. 22 Republican debate, he said: "We don't believe in standing silent when that happens."

Obama touted his administration's efforts to repeal the military's ban on openly gay service members, as well as his orders to the Justice Department to stop enforcing a law defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

But, as expected, Obama stopped short of endorsing gay marriage, saying only that "every single American deserves to be treated equally in the eyes of the law."

Obama has said his views on gay marriage are "evolving", but for now he only supports civil union.

Obama's position on gay marriage has become a sore point for some gay activists who say they're otherwise pleased with the president's handling of issues important to them. Some of the president's backers say he could be wasting a chance to energize key segments of his base, including young people, if he doesn't publicly advocate for gay marriage.

"If he doesn't, he could be missing an opportunity to mobilize voters who need to be inspired to vote for him," said Doug Hattaway, a Democratic consultant.

The president's position on gay marriage puts him at odds with some of his supporters. Numerous recent polls suggest a slight majority of Americans favor giving same-sex couples the right to marry, and support is highest among Democrats and young people.

Obama has acknowledged that public support for gay marriage is building. During a meeting with liberal bloggers last October, he said "it's pretty clear where the trend lines are going."

Titanic necklace stolen from Danish amusement park

2011-09-21T02:25:00.000-07:00

A gold-plated necklace recovered from the Titanic has been stolen from an exhibition at Copenhagen's Tivoli amusement park.Park spokesman Torben Planks says the alarm did not sound when the jewelry disappeared Saturday morning.

"The showcase has not been broken into and the alarm didn't go off," Plank said, adding police were investigating the theft. "It is pretty embarrassing."

A euro1,000 ($1,380) reward has been offered for information leading to the retrieval of the necklace.

Exhibition owner Luis Ferreiro said the necklace has an insurance value of euro14,000 ($19,300) but he doubted it could be sold because it is known internationally.

"It was very important piece. The artifacts tell stories about the people aboard," Ferreiro told The Associated Press.

The necklace was owned by first class passenger Eleanor Wildener of Philadelphia who survived the Titanic sinking, according to maritime historian Claes Goran Wetterholm.

The Titanic sank in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912, while making its maiden voyage. More than 1,500 passengers and crew perished.

The temporary exhibition at Tivoli park includes fine china, ship fittings and other artifacts from the famed shipwreck.

The Facebook effect hits the job market

2011-09-20T03:13:00.000-07:00

A new study from the University of Maryland says that Facebook’s “app economy” is responsible for some 182,000 US jobs and has put somewhere between $12.19 billion and $15.71 billion in wages and benefits into our economy this past year.
“Our findings confirm that social media platforms have created a thriving new industry. As Facebook and other platforms grow, we will continue to see job growth and the ripple effects of these advances in the US economy,” Il-Horn Hann, co-director of the university’s Smith’s Center for Digital Innovation.
And it’s a cyclical process, one that will spur further jobs creation across various markets. “The jobs created in the app economy stimulate the creation of additional jobs in other sectors of the US economy,” Hann says. “First jobs are created at businesses that supply app developers. Second jobs are created as a result of household spending based on the income earned by employees at both app developer and businesses supplying app developers.”
The news comes just as Facebook is set to begin its annual f8 developers conference, which is turning out to sound like it will reveal quite a few new additions to the site–and give developers even more opportunity. But before you drop that business major or quit your 9-5 job, the numbers deserve a second look. Conclusions were found by assessing how many app development companies there are as well as the average number of users who access these Facebook apps daily. This, the report claims, is enough to approximate how many people are working for third-party developers.
If that sounds iffy enough to you, then you probably won’t get on board with researchers’ other estimations, including the “multiplier effect.” This is the method used to determine that ripple effect the app economy has had. Employing a bit of skepticism over the report’s numbers and accounting methods is wise to say that least. Companies definitely have something to gain by promoting their platforms, making them more attractive to potential talent. Facebook and many of its competitors–namely, Google–have spent some serious cash lobbying the US government. Being a contributor to the struggling jobs market no doubt helps them in this department.
At the same time, no one can question the changing state of our jobs economy and the impact Internet companies–Facebook included–is having on that. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said earlier this summer that Facebook feels like it’s hit its stride connecting people via its network, and now it wants to build and integrate applications on top of that to enhance it, which is where developers step in.
And when you talk about job creation, you should think about elimination as well. There are a number of college majors and employment positions that have become obsolete since Facebook launched in 2004. While we can’t say for certain these are tied to Facebook’s debut, the site has had a huge effect on our socio–and some would argue economic culture. And no, we can’t begin to say we can find how many positions have been lost–and that’s why we’re a little cynical when someone says they can determine how many have been found.
There’s a new job sector that didn’t exist before Facebook’s arrival, and for that our economy can be thankful. Whether it can be 182,000 jobs thankful, however, we’re not so sure.

Ravens DT Terrence Cody dropped 65 pounds for 2011 season

2011-09-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

Ahh, only in the NFL can a 335-pound man be considered "slimmed down."
Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody(notes) underwent a massive weight loss this offseason, dropping his heaviest weight of 400 pounds to a more-manageable 335 before the season began.
Cody, a second-year player, told CSN Baltimore that he was inspired by extra motivation from Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome and a realization that he was too big during his time at the University of Alabama and in his first season in Baltimore.
"I was out of shape and overweight," Cody told Tom Worgo of the station. "That's what kind of slowed me down."
The "bigger is better" trend that had been sweeping the NFL since the early 1990s finally seems to have petered out. Teams now realize that big is good, but only up until a point. Clogging up the running lanes for a few plays with a 380-pound tackle still can work, though it's far preferable to have a slimmer player who can stay on the field and not go through oxygen tanks like they're a scuba diver. Big is good, big and athletic are far better!

Tim Tebow's Girlfriend

2011-09-14T02:13:00.000-07:00

Tim Tebow's girlfriend was rumored at one time to be Lucy Pinder. The rumors started after pictures surfaced of Tim Tebow standing with an unidentified young woman who was assumed to be his girlfriend. Check back for news about who Tim Tebow's girlfriend might be.

Broncos Lose Home Opener 20-23`

2011-09-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

The Denver Broncos lost their home opener last night to the Oakland Raiders by a final score of 20-23. I did not get to watch the game because i didn’t air until after 10pm on the east coast, so I’m relying on the highlights I’ve seen and the box score to provide today’s commentary. Based on what I’ve seen it doesn’t appear that Tim Tebow got into the game. Maybe some of you can comment and confirm.

From what I saw, Kyle Orton didn’t look good. Sure he threw for 300+ yards, but it was all dink and dunk. He also had an interception and a costly fumble. I don’t care what the national media says, Tim Tebow can not be worse than Kyle Orton. I hope the Broncos leave Orton in there for another week and he sucks it up again and then they’re 0-2. I want Broncos fans to really start killing the front office for the circus they created this offseason.

The Broncos get Cincy and Tennessee in their next two games. If they don’t win those with Orton it will have to be TEBOW TIME!

Miss Angola Leila Lopes is crowned Miss Universe

2011-09-13T03:12:00.000-07:00

It's not Shamcey Supsup of the Philippines, as one online poll suggested, who emerged the winner of the Miss Universe contest. The crown has been awarded to a contestant who didn't even appear in the list of top 10 voted contestants - Miss Angola, Leila Lopes.

In an extravaganza at the Credicard Hall in Sao Paolo, Brazil, Supsup, who led the online fan voting site of the Telemundo, the second-largest Spanish language television network in the U.S., ended up being the third runner up.

Miss Ukraine, Olesia Stefanko, became the first runner-up, while Miss Brazil, Priscila Machado became the second runner up. Both Stefanko and Machado were not found in the top 10 voted contestants.

Miss Sweden, Ronnia Fornstedt, got the Miss Photogenic Universe Award and Miss Montenegro, Nikolina Loncar, got the Miss Congeniality Universe Award.

What will Leila Lopes get as the winner? Here is the list:

- A year's supply of hair care products and tools from Farouk Systems.

- A custom diamond tiara and jewelry designed by Diamond Nexus.

- A shoe wardrobe from Chinese Laundry.

- An evening wear wardrobe by Sherri Hill.

- A year's supply of nail care products from OPI Products, Inc.

- Sun care products from Australian Gold.

- A one-year scholarship (including housing) from the New York Film Academy.

- Luxury accommodations in a New York City apartment for the duration of her reign, including living expenses

- A year-long salary as Miss Universe.

- Personal services including membership to Gravity Fitness and hair services from John Barrett Salon

- Modeling portfolio by leading fashion photographer Fadil Berisha.

- Dermatology and skincare services provided by Dr. Cheryl Thellman-Karcher.

- Professional health and nutrition consultation by Tanya Zuckerbrot and dental services by Dr. Jan Linhart.

- Casting opportunities and professional representation by the Miss Universe Organization

- Extensive travel opportunities representing sponsors and charitable partners; access to various New York City events including movie premiers and screenings, Broadway shows and launch parties.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn's lawyers not worried about civil suit

2011-08-25T03:43:00.001-07:00

Lawyers for former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said they are not worried about a pending civil suit from his accuser after a New York judge dropped criminal charges against him.

"She doesn't have much, if any, chance in a civil case," William Taylor told CNN's Piers Morgan Tuesday night, the same day that a New York judge dismissed sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn. "The same difficulties, the same lies will come back to haunt her in a civil case."

Keegan Meth Gets Hit By Ball on Mouth Video – Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe 5th ODI 21-8-2011

2011-08-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

Teen couple earned $58 million last year

2011-08-20T00:26:00.000-07:00

Justin Bieber raked in $53 million last year according to Forbes. Meanwhile, his girlfriend, Selena Gomez, made $5.5 million, which means their combined earnings for 2010 totaled a cool $58.5 million! Guess who else made the list? Plus, Lady Gaga ditches her heels for some wave action, and Jennifer Love Hewitt wows on the red carpet.

Boy Scout found after building tree-branch shelter

2011-08-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

He was scared, but the 12-year-old Boy Scout still knew what to do when he got lost during a Utah wilderness outing: He built a shelter made of tree branches and wood to get through a cold night and he covered himself in dirt to stay warm.

Jared Ropelato's lean-to — a crude structure the Boy Scout manual advises Scouts to build if they become lost — kept him warm enough so he could sleep after the overnight low in Utah's Ashley National Forest dipped to 31 degrees in the area, said Daggett County sheriff's spokeswoman Karen Peterson.
The boy was wearing only jeans and a shirt, and had no food or water, when he went missing around noon Friday. He had gotten lost while on his way by himself back to camp from a nearby lake, walking a total of eight or nine miles before searchers on ATVs found him Saturday morning some four miles from where he started, Peterson.

"He did everything right last night," his mother, Dawn, said. "We said he was smart, and he's smart."

Peterson also praised the boy, saying that building the lean-to was "good thinking" and it saved him from the elements. He told the Deseret News of Salt Lake City that he had learned to build the structure last year at Scout camp.

"We're just so glad that this story has a happy ending," Peterson told The Associated Press.

Jared's mother told the Deseret News that her son's biggest scare came when he encountered a bull moose. He got cold during the night, but not too cold. He fell in a river Saturday morning, "but he's still dirty," she said.

Jared resumed walking Saturday morning before he was found at 8:40 a.m. in good health, ending a search effort that included about 200 people.

"There were a lot of tears not only from family members, but from searchers as well," Peterson said. "Up to that point, Jared had been missing for 20 hours and 40 minutes."

Nicole Ropelato of Roy, a third cousin of Jared's, said the family was thankful for searchers and that the boy remembered the instruction about lean-tos.

"At such a young age to be calm enough to think like that is something," she said. "That's incredible what he did. We're just elated that he was found in good condition. We were worried for him and very scared."

The boy earlier had been advised by a Scoutmaster to walk with another Scout from the lake back to camp, Peterson said. The Scoutmaster gave him the advice after finding him going in the wrong direction while returning to camp.

"He never got a buddy before heading back to camp," Peterson said.

Asked if he would still go camping after his overnight ordeal, Jared simply said "yeah."

Katy Perry sets Billboard Pop Songs chart record with five No. 1 singles from 'Teenage Dream'

2011-08-04T01:43:00.000-07:00

On Monday the album, which was released in 2010, became the first album to produce five singles that have reached No. 1 on Billboard's Pop Songs chart since its inception 19 years ago.

Her latest single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" hit the No. 1 spot on the chart on Monday, according to Billboard. Perry's four previous hits are: "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework" and "E.T."

The previous record was four singles from an album, a record that was held by both Justin Timberlake's 2006 album "FutureSex/LoveSounds" and Lady Gaga's 2009 effort "The Fame."

Perry and Gaga both hold the title for consecutive No. 1s on the Pop Songs chart with six singles each.

Billboard reports that "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" is slowly creeping up the Hot 100 chart as well. The single came in No. 2 on last week's chart and this week's Hot 100 chart will be posted on Thursday.

If "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" hits the top spot, Perry will be the first artist since Michael Jackson released the "Bad" album in 1987 to have five No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 chart from one album.

Jackson had five chart-topping singles off that album including "Bad," "Man in the Mirror," "Dirty Diana," "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" and "The Way You Make Me Feel."

Last month, Katy Perry earned nine Video Music Award nominations in categories like Video of the Year and Best Female Video for "Firework," Best Collaboration for her work with Kanye West on "E.T." and Best Pop Video for "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)."