The Stir By CafeMom: Blogger Cynthia Dermody

Watch Tan Mom's Astoundingly Bad Music Video at Your Own Risk

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:18:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

It's Tan Mom ... biiitch. Are you ready??? begins a new music video by Patricia Krentcil aka "Tan Mom," and it just gets worse from there. TMZ had obtained exclusive rights to the video, which is being hailed as possibly the worst music video you have ever seen. That pretty much nails it. The video features 45-year-old Krentcil and all her browned and saggy bits sexing it up in tight outfits and rubbing herself againt random men, singing about how she's so much hotter than Teen Mom (Farrah, I guess?) and Octomom. It's so astoundingly bad it's awesome.

We were able to decipher some of the lyrics (some of which she does sing), but not all, sorry. It was impossible to replay this video because you can really only watch this once without burning your eyes out.

Heres' our best guess at the chorus:

My name is Tan Mom, tanning as a mom, but I'll be in my tanning booth, but outside the [something] sun, the flowers in the sun, and lets have fun on the [something something].

Maybe you can figure it out and tell us -- click to watch the exclusive Tan Mom video on TMZ.

Good luck.

We're sorry.

Did you get through it? Overall impressions?

Image via Splash News

Singer 'Sorry and Embarrassed' for Butchering National Anthem on Live TV (VIDEO)

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:09:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Canadian singer Alexis Normand tweeted that she is 'embarrassed and deeply sorry' for the most cringeworthy rendition of the Star Spangled Banner ever yesterday at a junior hockey game. I guess that's really the only thing you can say after a performance like that. It's brutal to watch. Poor thing. She is Canadian after all. Even many American singers have a hard time getting through it flawlessly, though I will never truly understand why, as the lyrics aren't that hard to memorize.

To make things even worse (if that's possible), when Normand forgot some of the words, she started to make them up ... prompting laughs from the American and Canadian hockey players in the 2013 Memorial Cup.

But then, something pretty amazing happens, the kind of thing that exemplifies what America is all about.

The crowd jumps in ... and helps finish the song for her on a really strong note. Aww, sweet.

Watch:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Reactions? Was it as bad as you thought it would be?

Image and video via wsukeeper30/YouTube

Stephen Colbert's Hysterical UVA Commencement Speech: 9 Lines That Killed It (VIDEO)

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:44:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Stephen Colbert had graduates from the University of Virginia grabbing their stomachs for most of his 17-minute commencement address yesterday. The satirist, who did not attend the university (his application to attend there as a transfer student was rejected) but whose wife, Evelyn, did, put on a show worthy of any Colbert Report. Even the mandatory "advice" part on the end, where he makes fun of Millennials for be self-absorbed and beholden to their social media gods, is hysterical. But seriously, is this guy never not funny? He could breath and we'd laugh.

Here are 9 of his most brilliant quips from the speech:

1. "If anyone here has a cell phone, please take a moment to make sure it's turned on. I wouldn't want anyone to miss a text or a tweet while I'm giving my speech."

2. In referring to all the school's rankings ... "As has been stated before, the most impressive ranking of all has once again has to be Playboy naming you the number one party school in America. Now to be clear, I only read Playboy for the rankings."

3. "You know this is an impressive institution because it rejected my application."

4. My favorite thing about UVA has always been it's secret societies. That's sexy. You got the Zs, you got I think the Illuminati, the Masons, and Shield ... but of course the most secret of all is the Sevens Society. Nobody knows who's in it. I'm not going to say I'm a Seven. I'm not going to say I'm not a Seven ... I'm just going to say eviganblumencroft ... benedictcomberbachen [while making hand-flapping motion on face]. Now I have to have all of you killed!"

5. Referring to UVA's founder, Thomas Jefferson ... "In Jefferson's public life as a founding father, we often see him as the embodiment of the white male patriarchy. But in his private life, he was known for shall we say embracing diversity. Very affirmative, am I right? I'm right, they did the DNA tests on that one."

6. "I'm not going to say anymore on that, you've head too much about that in the past, instead I'll just tweet it."

7. In referring to the recent Time magazine cover calling the Millennials the "Me Me Me Generation," Colbert says:

"So self obsessed -- tweeting your Vines, hashtagging your Spotifys and Snapchatting your YOLOs -- your generation needs everything to be about you. And that's very upsetting to us baby boomers because self-absorption is kind of our thing. We're the original 'me' generation, we made the last 50 years all about us."

8. "While traditional paths may seem harder to find, that also means that you will learn the hard lesson sooner than most generations that you must always make the path for yourself. There is no secret society out there that will tap you on the shoulder one night and show you the way. Your life will not e defined by the society that we have left you."

9. "If you must find your own path, and we have left you no easy path, then decide now to choose the hard path that lead to the life and world that you want. And don't worry if we don't approve of your choice. In our benign self-absorption, I believe we have given you a gift. A particular form of independence because you don't own the previous generation anything. Thanks to us you owe it to the Chinese."

It's worth a watch for yourself if you have 17 minutes to spare:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Image and video via University of Virginia/YouTube

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart Break Up and This Time It's REAL

Sat, 18 May 2013 20:36:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

It's a sad, sad day, everyone!!!! Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart have really broken up, you guys!!!! No really. No REALLLY. Do you notice all the soggy tear marks over these sentences?!!! Do you notice all the exclamation points to try to convince you we really believe this latest bit of gossip, and that we're absolutely distraught?!!!! Okay so, no, it's probably just all bullshit again. Or a day that ends in "a-y." Yes, we know we all have a right to be skeptical. But we have to go with this, you know, because it's our duty to the entire Bella and Edward-loving world. We have to be positively wrecked by this news even though these two break up every other day and it doesn't surprise us in the least.

Yet there is one thing about this recent rumor that makes us wonder if this time, it's really, kinda, sorta true, and that's ....

... that People magazine is the one reporting. They tend to have a pretty reliable track record with these types of things. Not like the Enquirer or even Hollywood Life, whose headline on their daily RPattz/KStew post this morning reads:

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart 'Won't Be Breaking Up Anytime Soon Despite Relationship Rut'

Oufff -- talk about opposites day. According to People, "the source" (yes, there appears to be only one) says the beginning of the end happened when Rob blew off Kristen for his 27th birthday party. She had planned a gathering with some friends, but Rob said he wanted to keep it low-key and just hang out with some guys. Slam.

The only question remains now is who did the deed. Did she tell him to eff off after such a major diss or did he passive aggressively pull that stunt because he knew it would cause a big fight, making the split up mutual?

Oops ... there we go speculating on details of something that probably isn't real in the first place again. Even the People headline contains the phrase "-- For Now" ... in it. It's the game, gotta play it.

Honestly, we just can't imagine a world without these two together so they can constantly break up. Things just wouldn't feel right anymore, which is why we pray this news isn't true so we can continue to keep guessing.

Nevertheless, now might be a good time to stop and meditate on this heavy bit of news and try to figure out what it all means. But don't try all that hard, everyone, for tomorrow is a brand new day.

Do you believe this latest rumor?

Former Hero Cop Arrested for Holding Hostage and Raping 2 Women

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:25:20 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Is it just me or has this been a particularly awful month in terms of horror stories about women being kidnapped, killed or forced to do depraved things against their will? Last thing we need is another one, but of course, we got it. A former Philadelphia police officer has been arrested for date raping -- possibly at gunpoint -- two 20-year-old women he met at a party. Richard DeCoatsworth, 27, was arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault, terroristic threats and related offenses after the two victims reported him to police.

Here's how the sordid string of events went down:

DeCoatsworth was apparently at a party Thursday night where he met two women -- one of them he may or may not have already known. The three left and went to some location where DeCoatsworth is accused of forcing the women to use narcotics and engage in sexual acts, according to police. He may have even threatened them with a handgun -- though that's unclear at this point -- but makes sense if you consider the "terroristic threats" charges he's facing.

This is a dude was hailed a hero after getting shot in the face by a suspect, but still managed to chase him down and catch him despite his bullet wound. This is a dude who was honored by Sen. Joe Biden for his heroism and got to meet and sit next to Michelle Obama in 2009. This is a dude who is obviously pretty messed up.

After the facial gunshot incident that shot him to local fame, DeCoatsworth was involved in a few sketchy types of incidents where gunfire was involved, and started to become the suspect of numerous complaints. He retired from the force in 2011 on disability from his original injuries, which now seems like a good move, considering the recent chain of events.

We still need to hear DeCoatsworth's side of the story. He's not guilty of anything yet. But if all that police are claiming is in fact true, this is not a guy you want out on the streets "protecting" women and children. Just a guy who needs to be behind bars -- former cop or no.

Check out footage of DeCoatsworth with Michelle Obama below:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Image via TECHMOTO88/YouTube

Beyonce Denies Pregnancy Rumors in Snarky Instagram Post (Must Be the Hormones)

Sat, 18 May 2013 12:40:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

There were lots of little clues that led to yesterday's "pretty much" confirmed news that Beyonce is pregnant with her second child. One -- that high waisted, shape-camouflaging gown she wore to the Met Ball a month ago (right). Two -- the cancellation of one of her Mrs. Carter venues for "exhaustion and dehydration." Three -- her noticeably -- and quite uncharacteristic for her -- rounder belly lately. That thing was a board at the Super Bowl, so something was definitely up there!

As if all of the above isn't enough for "official confirmation" in Celebrity Pregnancy Land, here's a fourth nugget to convince you -- the super snarky message Bey posted on her Instragram account that has since been removed. Seems Beyonce was pretty pissed at all of us for talking 'bout her womb behind her back like that. She wanted to make her feelings known, and whoa, there was no reading between the lines with what she said.

She posted a note in white letters on a stern black background on Instagram:

"I can't stop the rumors from starting, and I can't really change peoples minds who believe them, all I can do is sit back and laugh at these low life people who have nothing better to do than talk about me."

I can't imagine she'd write something like that if she WASN'T actually pregnant this time, because it's not like this is a new rumor. She's always said she wanted more kids.

And what about that part about the low-life people! Ouch. I hope she's not talking about you and me! I get that Beyonce wants her privacy and all, but she also has to get that that's just not possible, being the mega-superstars she and her husband are. And it's not like everyone's making this out to be a bad thing -- the world is excited for her and for Blue Ivy getting to be a big sister! It's all good stuff, Bey! Of course, we all remember how dramatic Beyonce and Jay-Z were about announcing their first pregnancy at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2011. So maybe she's more aggravated with the fact that they couldn't break the news their way. I'm sure they'll get over it. At any rate, we're going to chalk this little outburst up to pregnancy hormones an leave it at that. Now, on to the baby names ... Do you think Beyonce's message was a little crass?

Image via Jaimie McCarthy/Getty

New Hope That Madeleine McCann Might Still Be Alive!

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:24:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Just weeks after those three girls were rescued in Ohio, here's some more encouraging news about another missing child: Madeleine McCann might still be alive! Yes, we've heard this before. And yes, we -- especially her parents -- have been disappointed. Supposed leads and sightings that turned out to be nothing. But this time feels different, dare I say it, more hopeful. Police in England say they have identified about 20 new "persons of interest" that they want to talk to, and have found some "forensic evidence" they want to take a look at. In the six years since 3-year-old Maddie vanished from her bedroom at the Portuguese resort where her family was staying, we have never heard the police come forth with something this "big" before.

But will it lead anywhere this time? There are a number of problems right from the get-go. The biggie: The Portuguese police are not exactly cooperating. This is not a big surprise since they pretty much royally screwed up the investigation of the 3-year-old's disappearance early on, failing to interview certain suspects and messing up the crime scene. It's not a surprise that they just want to put the case behind them and move on, plus, they say they can only re-open a case if there's new evidence, which they don't technically have.

Unless, that is, one of those 20 "people" the British police have identified, many of them English citizens, can lead them in a direction that they haven't been led before. Police aren't giving out many details about those people yet, but it seems logical they might have been vacationing at the same resort as Maddie and her family, and might have seen or known something. Who knows where even the tiniest bit of new information could lead? Sometimes it just takes one person to turn the world upside down -- looking at you, Charles Ramsay!

With the Ohio kidnapping still so fresh and raw on everyone's mind, it's hard not to think of a 9-yar-old Maddie in a similar position as those three women right now. Living in a house, somewhere in the world, against her will, away from her parents and family forced into God knows what types of horrors. This is the evil reality of our world, as we all well know.

But it's still better to think of her that way than the alternative -- because then at least the chance of finding her and bringing her back home still exists. What happened in Ohio teaches us that no matter how many years pass, it's never time to stop searching for these children. Until we know with 100 percent certainty their fate, we always need to keep looking and believing.

Do you think this might finally be the big break this case needed?

How Many Calories Moms Burn in a Day -- Just By Being Moms!

Fri, 10 May 2013 19:14:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

You probably don't realize that all the things you do every day, getting the kids ready for school, shopping, playing scary blanket monster, are helping you burn some serious calories! So no more complaining you don't have time for the gym, K? Check out some typical mom activities and the amazing caloric payoff:

Are you surprised you are burning THIS many calories?

Photo via USACE Europe District/Flickr

Graphic via BodyMedia

12 Amazing Things to Expect When Meeting Alexander Skarsgard in Person

Mon, 06 May 2013 17:43:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

I think we can all agree that Alexander Skarsgard is pretty much perfect, right? Good. So allow me to blow your mind a little bit when I say that he's even more perfect in person. The Stir (me) got to meet him at a press event for his latest film What Maisie Knew. Let's just say there was a lot of thoughts going on that day, but in all fairness, one of them was professional. Would he look or act anything like his film or TV characters, particularly that of Vampire Eric on True Blood, the role that cast him into the spotlight and into our hearts? Is he as laid-back as he always seems? Will he wear skinny jeans?

Oops, that's veering into the non-professional again ... so without further ado, here's a list of what you can expect if you are ever so blessed in life to meet Skarsgard in person so you can make sure you keep yourself together. Because damn he's like a drug (from what people tell me).

12 Things You Can Expect From Meeting Alexander Skarsgard

1. He's super polite. He walks in and shakes everyone's hand while introducing himself ... while looking you straight in the eyes.

2. If you haven't already fainted by this point, you will have to fight the urge to keep holding his hand past the customary two seconds, but that is not advised. Just let go.

3. You will hold your hand out strangely for the rest of the day, looking at it, avoiding handwashing for as long as possible, until you realize that's futile and relent -- but not before you rub your hand all over your face in hopes you will get sick so you can tell your friends, "Yeah, I caught this bad cold from Alex Skarsgard. Sucks."

4. Upon him entering a room, it will feel as if all the energy in that room is being sucked away from every living thing and inanimate object and directly toward him, because his presence is so immense.

5. He's so so so tall -- seeming even taller than his 6 foot 4 inches. It is virtually impossible not to stare at him trying to memorize every detail of his face like you're some sort of crazy person. Avoid this tendency, too.

6. His blue eyes are endless pools.

7. His smile, revealing those perfect teeth, is arresting, and he smiles a lot when he talks. He's clearly a happy, friendly, at-ease person who really enjoys talking about his craft.

8. He's modest. When his 7-year-old costar Onata Aprile was told that other girls are going to be so jealous of her for getting to spend so much time with the tall blonde Swede, Skarsgard just shrugged the compliment off with an "eh."

9. He's loyal and brave. Well, at least loyal. When asked if rumors about his character Eric getting killed off True Blood in the next season were true, he smiled and said: "I can't tell you that." It was worth a shot.

10. His blue eyes are endless pools. (Oops, next.)

11. His perfectly sculpted torso is like ... how to even describe ... a priceless work of art? A tall glass of cool water? Breathtaking? There are almost no words fit to describe Skarsgard's toned, lean physique under that tailored chambray button-down. With the top three buttons opened. Just enough to see the tops of his hairless pecs. Not that I noticed.

12. He will probably not ask you to have coffee with him after the briefing. So stop fantasizing about that. No, seriously, it's getting a little obsessive. He's way too busy making movies, meeting directors, and attending all these events to have time for something like that. Very busy.

What's the first thing you would do or say if you met Alexander Skarsgard in person?

Image via Splash News

Alexander Skarsgard and His Much Younger 'What Maisie Knew' Co-Star Went on a Date

Fri, 03 May 2013 17:24:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

When 7-year-old Onata Aprile entered the hotel conference room for press interviews for her new movie What Maisie Knew, she was more concerned with resuming her doodle of a "crazy town" than the fact that Alexander Skarsgard was sitting right next to her. I mean! He might as well have been the janitor for all she cared, scribbling away, head down.

Okay, granted she's 7. But meanwhile it was all every other woman in the room could do to keep themselves together being just mere feet away from such a stunning specimen of manhood. But Skarsgard did not hesitate to make clear that Onata, with her perfect pout and eyes that pierce your soul, was the real star in the room.

The directors of this film, Scott McGehee and David Siegel, explained that finding the right actress to portray Maisie, an only child in the middle of a bitter custody battle with the worst parents you could possibly imagine, was "harrowing" -- to the point that it was three weeks before filming started and they still did not have their lead.

Maisie is a story that is told through the eyes of a child -- it's not so much about the storyline or what happens next as it is about making the audience feel like they are living the experience with her.

The filmmakers had gotten permission to scout elementary schools to find the perfect fit, but it wasn't until a casting director called them about Onata, a public school kid who had recently started to dabble in acting, that they knew they found her girl. "We really felt we had to have a child whose face ... as you're watching her, you're getting into her head somehow, without her being able to speak," Siegel said.

"We were excited the first time we saw her," he continued. "Avi Kaufman, famous for casting Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense, calls us and says you've got to come down right now. We feel like we found it with her."

But there was still one little detail to X out. The "chemistry" between Maisie and Skarsgard's character Lincoln could make or break the film. They had to make sure it would work.

So, as Skarsgard put it, he and Onata "went on a date." They met for a dinner at Seigel's house. "We sat down and starting drawing," he said. "What did we draw, Onata?"

"A castle," Onata said. Just like their two charactres did in a scene from the movie.

"It took about three minutes together," Skarsgard said. "And I knew we were good."

And it's so true. Skarsgard and Onata act in real life just like they did onscreen -- hanging out, eating lunch, joking around. The funny part of that is she is totally oblivious to the fact that nearly every woman in the world would give anything to be sitting on Alexander Skarsgard's lap right now. But she just wants to draw. Oh, sweet innocence. Sigh.

Alexander Skarsgard and His ‘What Maisie Knew’ Leading Lady Will Steal Your Heart

Fri, 03 May 2013 11:08:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Yes, the picture above is in fact Alexander Skarsgard helping adorable then-6-year-old Onata Aprile with her coloring book in a scene from the upcoming movie, What Maisie Knew, opening in select theaters tonight. I know -- my ovaries just fluttered, too. ASkars playing with a kid. Being tender and fatherly. Wow to the hundredth degree. His role as Lincoln in the film is a real departure for the 36-year-old Swedish actor, a side we haven't seen onscreen before and it's positively heartwarming (but still equally sexy).

(If you'd rather wait to see the film yourself, which I strongly advise, don't read ahead: SPOILERS!)

As the bartender and Julianne Moore's boyfriend, Skarsgard portrays a clueless, accidental father when Maisie, played by Aprile, gets caught up in a nasty custody battle between her parents. And, no, I've never been more jealous of a 6-year-old girl in my entire life.

And not just because she has the best layered haircut and side bangs ever seen, or because this kid's on-screen talent at just 6 years old will totally blow you away. It's for a far more selfish reason.

I didn't count how many times Lincoln hugged, cradled, carried, or sat with Maisie on his lap, but it was a lot -- and those sweet and simple moments and the slow development of their bond is what propels this film and the storyline. Lincoln gives Maisie the attention, spontaneity, and fun that all kids need and that is practically non-existent from her own parents, aging rock star Susanna (played by Moore) and her globe-trotting, art dealing father, Beale (played by Steve Coogan).

One of the best lines in the film is when the nanny Margo (played by Joanna Vanderham) asks Maisie: "You really like Lincoln, don't you?" To which Maisie replies: "I love him."

Don't we all, sister, don't we all.

But oh, ehem ... yes, about those other actors in the film. They are pretty outstanding in their roles, too. Moore gives another knockdown performance, this time as the world's shittiest and scariest mom.

Moore says that her real life mom instincts helped her to work with Onata. "Because I am a parent, I made extra care of not scaring her," she said. "What I said was, we're going to do this scene and I'm probably going to yell at you, don't be scared. Or maybe in this scene I'm going to cry, but know that it's just pretend."

Maisie's father Beale may not be as scary and emotional as Susanna, but he's just as detached and incapable of parenting. He clearly loves his daughter, and even goes to court to fight for custody of her. But he just doesn't know how to give her what she needs, and proves it by marrying the former nanny Margo -- partly because she's a hot young thing but also so that he has someone to take care of Maisie when he's jetting around doing his art dealing stuff.

The film is not so much about a string of events as much as it is about the audience being able to experience Maisie's misery and her traumatic and shifting relationships with the four adults through her own eyes and perspective. You totally feel her pain, and frequently want to grab her out of the screen and take her home with you.

You don't need to have kids of your own to thoroughly enjoy the storyline and convincing performances (it's based on a Henry James novel of the same name), but the impact of the film -- beyond simply that divorce sucks -- will resonate extra fervently if you do.

One of the most poignant scenes in the film is when Lincoln takes the time to make Maisie a lunch with one of her favorite foods, eggs. He does not just make her lunch, he makes her lunch. He prepares her plate as if he's serving a food critic in a five-star restaurant, lining the plate with greens before delicately placing a perfectly sliced hard-boiled egg on top, topping it off with cherry tomatoes for some color.

When Lincoln asks why she's just staring at the food and not eating it, Maisie replies: "Because I don't want to ruin it."

Devastating.

Here's the trailer:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Think you might want to see What Maisie Knew?

Image via Millennium Entertainment

Video via MegaTrailer/YouTube

7 Confessions About Motherhood From a Scary Mommy

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:56:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Blogger Jill Smokler delights and enlightens us with her real mom confessions and honest takes on motherhood every week in her Stir column. So today, in honor of her second book Motherhood Comes Naturally (And Other Vicious Lies) (which is awesome!) (you need to buy this book!) (trust!), we thought it would be fun to give you a sneak peek of some of the gems inside.

Here are 7 of Jill's OWN revelations from her book told in the sweet, refreshing, no-bullshit style we've come to know and love. If you're a mom, you already know this stuff and can laugh your way through in a spirit of camaraderie -- and if you're not, this is required reading. Consider yourself warned.

1. Ladies, there's just no way around it, I'm sorry to say. You will never get your pre-baby body back.

2. No matter how hip you think you are, or how cool you try to be, that come a certain age, your child is bound to find you to be THE MOST EMBARRASSING CREATURE ON THE PLANET.

3. The list of things parents do to make raising children harder for the rest of us goes on and on. There are parents who do a half-assed job of shampooing the lice out of their own kids' hair. The parents who throw birthday parties that rival wedding receptions. If I could, I'd gather all of those parents in one room and become the parent who goes Nightmare on Elm Street on their asses.

4. Whoever first uttered the phrase "children keep you young" clearly didn't have children. Children don't keep you young; they prematurely age the hell out of you.

5. The very fact that a woman is built to carry and nurse a child ALL BY HERSELF should be enough of a sign that marriage is not meant to survive parenthood.

6. Neither children nor mothers sleep better as kids age. I would argue it gets worse. I'm hoping I'll get some rest when my kids leave for college.

7. The dynamic of going from two kids to three kids is kind of like going from pulling up to Portofino, Italy, in a beautiful yacht in perfect, cloudless weather, to finding yourself on the Titanic after its collision with the iceberg.

You'll find this and so much MORE awesome wisdom (including helpful tips on how to mortify your child, things you need to do for yourself before you have children, and 25 things kids never say) in the book!

What's the biggest lie you were told about being a mother?

Girls Are Raped and They Blame Themselves ... And We Let Them

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:26:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

You'd hope that it's only because the Steubenville, Ohio rape case has gotten so much attention lately that we are hearing of another, almost identical case in Connecticut. But unfortunately I don't think so. Wake up, everybody. What 18-year-olds Edgar Gonzalez and Joan Toribio of Torrington are accused of doing to a 13-year-old girl is not uncommon. So, what the athletic director of that town says is infuriatingly true: “If you think there’s some wild band of athletes that are wandering around, then I think you’re mistaken.” That may make those concerned about the reputation of Torrington, Connecticut, feel better, but it should shock the pants off the rest of us, especially when you read jaw-dropping posts like this one from blogger Tracey Morrison about her almost identical rape years ago in high school. So, no, don't be shocked by all these rape cases. But do be shocked at how everyone continues to let kids and adults get away with it.

I was so mad and sad when I read Morrison's story. Sad that it took this mother of three little kids years and years before she was able to realize that none of what happened that night long ago was her fault. And sad to think that the victims in the Steubenville and Torrington, Connecticut, cases may still believe the same thing about themselves this very minute.

Sure, sometimes juries find these barbarians guilty and send them to prison, but what happens then? Asshole teenagers go on social media in defense of these accused rapists and tweet unbelievable statements like:

"I wanna know why there’s no punishment for young hoes."

"You destroyed two people’s life."

"Sticking up for a girl who wanted the D and then snitched? have a seat pleaseeee."

Yes, that's rape victim = hoe, in case the connection was lost on you. Who can blame other girls for being afraid to report these crimes or for blaming themselves when this is the shit many people believe and actually put out there?

And these social media bullies are not naive "young people" who just haven't learned the ways of the world yet, these are assholes. And their coaches are assholes for downplaying it or writing it off as "boys being boys." And their parents are assholes for not paying attention enough to realize they let their kids grow up without any type of moral compass or shred of human decency.

You know what's really sad? That there are so many assholes involved here that you don't even know who to direct most of your anger at! And that's part of the problem.

Except that what may seem so complicated is really very simple. Jaycee Dugard always helps us to remember that in her famous quote: “The shame is his, not mine.” Problem is, no young female victim is actually allowed to believe this in the culture we perpetuate. How could she when her rapists are celebrated, pitied, and allowed to be a “star” on the football field even after charges are filed against them?

We as a society need to lead with this message. Respectable, decent boys and men do not “rape” defenseless girls. The end.

Sheri Reed contributed to this post.

How do you react when you read people calling a 13-year-old rape victim a whore?

Image via Ian Alexander Watkins/Flickr

Teen Race Car Driver Kills His 'Best Friend' and Cousin in Freak Crash

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 16:09:45 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

The story of the 17-year-old race car driver whose car crashed into the pit area on Saturday night that killed two people gets sadder and sadder as more details emerge. One of the two people that sprint car driver Chase Johnson's car struck was his 14-year-old cousin. And not just his cousin but his "best friend," Marcus Johnson. According to family members the two boys were like "two peas in a pod." Marcus was an aspiring race car driver, too. You can only imagine the bond that these two boys who grew up together all their lives must have shared. The grief that Chase Johnson must be experiencing right now must be unbearable for this poor kid.

We need to remember that even though Chase Johnson's is a professional race car driver he is still a kid, yes. If you go to his website and look at some of his photos you will see how much of a kid he still is, with those big blue eyes and brown hair still styled in a little boy haircut. Maybe it's an old photo, but still -- you can't help looking at those photos and imagining your own child in his place and wanting to hug him and tell him it wasn't his fault, it was just an accident, a horrible, unfair, sad, sad accident.

I can hear the critics now: He was too young to be racing cars! He or his pit crew forgot to do equipment checks! His cousin should never have been allowed in the pits! The track should have been built safer! Racing is a dangerous sport and should be banned!

Some of those comments may be valid and worth discussing, but as of right now, age doesn't appear to have anything to do with this. Unless investigators find driver error played a part -- which I seriously hope it doesn't, because it still won't change the facts -- this accident could have happened to someone aged 57 as easily as it could have to someone 17. The car also struck and killed 68-year-old Dale Wondergem, the owner of a race car but not the one that killed him.

Reports say that Johnson's steering wheel malfunctioned and came off the column moments before it careered off the track and into the pits during a warm-up before a race. Steering wheels in race cars are designed to quick-release, it's how drivers are able to get in and out of the car quickly. They are always supposed to check that the wheel is locked properly in place before the drive. Johnson's father said his son was always very very diligent about that but if he forgot ... let's not go there just yet. Chase Johnson certainly doesn't need any more guilt to deal with the rest of his life and racing career, if he even decides to continue with it.

Professional racing has faced increased scrutiny in recent years, and no doubt this recent even will put the sport back in the spotlight even more, as these things always do. If anything can make the sport safer for its racers and spectators, that's a good thing. Here's hoping that regardless of what Chase Johnson or the racetrack or the car builder did or didn't do, that everyone will cut this family a break and let them grieve and try to make some sense of it all. Unfortunately, accidents do happen.

Do you think this latest accident is going to hurt the sport even more?

Image via RachetNewz1/YouTube

Family Wants Sex Offender Who Molested Their Daughter to Buy Their House

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:55:11 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

The case of a man who molested a 7-year-old neighbor over several years is raising eyebrows in the legal community because of a bizarre step the victim's family is taking to try to put the horror behind them. They want Larry Beck to buy their home so they can leave the neighborhood. Who can blame them? They tried to sell but no one wants to live next to a convicted child predator, surprise surprise. Beck served just a year in prison and now he's back home. But while everyone is so focused on the Constitutional and legal aspects of forcing someone to buy a property against their will, what's hard to get passed is why the family is even moving in the first place?

It's not THEY that should be leaving the neighborhood, it's HIM.

The gall of this man to even step foot back in the community that he exploited and betrayed. But there's a child molester for you. I am so skeptical of the ability to rehabilitate the sick minds of these people that I fear he probably doesn't even think he did anything wrong. Larry Beck is 65 years old, and I'm sorry but that ship has sailed a long time ago.

If I were one of the neighbors in this Pennsylvania town I would be outraged that such a man continues to live there. I would not feel safe with him lurking around, and I would do everything possible to make it clear to him and his family (he lives with his wife and mother) that he is no longer welcome. There are legal ways to do this. Let him be the one who has to uproot his life and leave. The risk of a repeat offense is just too great, and even if he learned to control his impulses, the aura of his crime would still linger. Who would feel comfortable having one of their kids even ride a bike in his perview? He has to go!

The owners of the house claims one of the reasons they can't sell their property is because they can't in good conscience not mention to prospective buyers that a convicted child molester lives nearby, which is commendable. What parent wouldn't do that?

Perhaps the memories associated with the house and the community are just to painful to bear, and moving is the best thing for everyone. If that's so, then by some miracle, I hope the lawsuit demanding Beck buy the $235,000 property works out for them and they can all finally begin to heal. If it doesn't, then it's time for the neighbors of the community to rally together and figure out another way to support this family and force Beck out. That's what neighbors are for.

Would you be able to live in a community where a known child molester resides?

Image via Images_of_Money/Flickr

Rutger Hauer Joins 'True Blood' as Season 6’s Creepiest Vampire Yet (VIDEO)

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:03:00 EDT

Post by Cynthia Dermody

So, Rutger Hauer and Alexander Skarsgard are appearing in the same TV show. I'm not sure how I'm going to make it through an entire episode of True Blood next season without self-combusting. Anyhow, when I heard the positively brilliant move that the makers of True Blood cast the enigmatic and captivating actor Hauer in the part of vampire Macklyn Warlow, I almost didn't go to YouTube to replay his "Tears in Rain" soliloquy from Blade Runner more times than I care to reveal, but I did because how can you not any time you hear the name Rutger Hauer? That speech is epic! The whole movie crew cried when he filmed that! Don't worry if you haven't seen it because there's an obligatory forced viewing at the end of this anyway, but not before we take a step back and chat about how Hauer is going to be this season's creepiest vampire yet!

It should be noted: The True Blood creators are no doubt trying to make up for that whole Chris Meloni fiasco from last season. No matter how much white makeup Meloni wears, he's still always going to be a cop. So I get it.

Rutger Hauer, on the other hand, was born to be evil. Oh those piercing and slightly terrifying blue eyes and that sinister sexy smirk -- Hauer has totally got the vampire look down. Yes, I know he's a 69-year-old dude now and wearing a really bad wig (God I hope that's a wig?), but underneath that clown suit, he's still got major sex appeal and always had it. If you don't believe me, you can ask Anne Rice. As in, Interview With a Vampire Anne Rice. It was a younger Hauer she visualized as Lestat as she was writing her books. Unfortunately, Hauer was too old to play the lead role opposite Brad Pitt when the movie version came out, and we got stuck with Tom Cruise instead.

This is not the first vampire role Hauer has played (you need several days just to get through his IMDb profile). He's portrayed Dracula (and also the Van Helsing guy that kills Dracula), so he's definitely made his rounds on the bloodsucker circuit. But mark my words, this is going to be one of his best showings yet. Unlike Meloni, THIS GUY CAN ACT.

Watch this scene from one of the best movies of all time that he totally improvised and tell me I'm wrong. And while you're doing that, I'm going to imagine myself as Sookie and let Rutger Hauer bite me. And then I'm going to run to Eric for help. So, really, no rush.

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

What do you think of Rutger Hauer in the role of Macklyn -- is he perfect for it or what?

Image via Pacific Coast News

Did 'Blade Runner' Shoot Reeva Steenkamp Because He Thought She Was Cheating?

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:21:00 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

One day after a reality show showed a glowing and beautiful 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp swimming with dolphins, basking in the Jamaica sunshine, and telling viewers how much she loved them by blowing kisses, new and puzzling details have emerged in her murder case. Her boyfriend, paralympian Oscar Pistorius, known as "Blade Runner" due to his two artificial legs, has been arrested for shooting her to death four times through a door, while Steenkamp allegedly hid inside the bathroom. Pistorius maintains it was an acccident and that he thought she was an intruder, though the new reports about a handsome young rugby player and how Pistorius acted right after the shooting give this story so many twists and turns that who knows what to believe.

The speculation today is that Steenkamp and Pistorius might have been fighting over Francois Hougaard, a 24-year-old rugby player that Steenkamp had dated in the past and who was friends with Pistorius. Not that we could blame her if what everyone is saying about Pistorius and their relationship is true. Witnesses have reported fighting coming from the house on the night Steencamp was shot. Claims are also going around that Steencamp was in "an abusive relationship," which does not look good for Pistorius.

Police have also said they recovered a "bloody cricket bat" at the home that may have been used to crush Steenkamp's skull before she was shot -- or it could have been used by Steencamp to defend against Pistorius.

All these clues make Pistorius more guilty-looking by the minute ... except then comes the strange phone call that Pistorius made to a friend after he fired his bullets. "My baba, I’ve killed my baba. God take me away," he reportedly told the friend, who asked what he was talking about. “There has been a terrible accident, I shot Reeva."

That does not immediately spell calculated "premeditation" to me, but rather someone who lost it in a fit of rage and passion. Pistorius is also said to have tried to give Steenkamp CPR after she was shot.

Steenkamp's family plans to creamate her body and hold private funeral on Tuesday, the same day that Pistorius is due back in court to answer to his charges, so maybe the role of Francois Hougaard and some of the other pieces of this puzzle will finally start fitting together.

Are you following this case? What do you believe happened in that house on Valentine's Day?

Image via Splash News

Hugh Grant's New Baby Has the Luckiest Name and the Coolest Dad

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:04:37 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Dang that Hugh Grant knows how to keep a secret! The intensely private 52-year-old actor had a second child in December and managed to keep it under wraps until just this weekend. Only a few of his friends new about it. Grant has been so out of the spotlight lately that I didn't even know he had a first child, which judging by the circumstances of how that went down, isn't all that strange. But before we get to that, wait till you hear what Grant named his new little boy ... it's positively unique and adorable all at the same time.

Felix Chang Hong Grant!

Felix means "lucky" in Latin and Chang Hong translates to "long lasting," so as far as names go, you can't be more positive than that. And when is the last time you heard the name Felix (re-runs of The Odd Couple excepted)? It sound perfectly British and offbeat enough to sound like name of the son of Hugh John Mungo Grant.

Grant's first child is a 16-month-old little girl named Tabitha, another sweet and unusual name (is he getting these names from old 1960's American sit-coms, you have to wonder?). The daddy bug clearly bit Grant fast and hard for him to have kids so close together in age, they are practically Irish Twins! The mother is Grant's girlfriend, 32-year-old Tinglan Hong, a woman Hugh met in 2010 in a wine bar and supposedly had what he called a "fleeting affair" that resulted in the child. Grant later retracted that term, said he regretted characterizing it that way, and that we was thrilled to have a baby and would be supporting her and Hong every step of the way. He and Hong are still together, so it sounds like it was meant to be.

And now comes baby brother Felix! It's been hard to forget Grant's less-than-glorious past with that whole prostitute mess, but it looks like the witty Brit has finally grown up thanks to parenthood, but he has still managed to hold on to the goofy, self-deprecating humor and charm that he's known and loved for in his films. After a reporter asked him about the baby outright, he came clean to the world in a tweet:

In answer to some journos. Am thrilled my daughter now has a brother. Adore them both to an uncool degree. They have a fab mum. And to be crystal clear. I am the Daddy.

Yay for daddy Grant and mum Tinglan and their happy family!

Do you like the name Felix for a boy?

Image via Splash News

Alec Baldwin's Wife Sued for 'Bloody' Yoga Class Accident

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 12:05:53 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

I never considered yoga a dangerous sport, but you learn something new every day. Alec Baldwin's wife Hilaria Baldwin is being sued for a yoga accident that happened at her downtown Manhattan studio last month. No I did not say ice hockey, I said yoga. This is Hilaria Baldwin, after all. You can imagine how sardines-like one of her yoga classes would be, especially since she only charges $10 per person for this particular "Flow" class. But don't go racing down to Union Square so fast, as these classes sound more stressful than relaxing. When Spencer Wolf, a 32-year-old literature student, attempted a handstand in her class last month, the only space he could find was up against the wall. And when he went off balance, he accidentally fell against a window, shattering it and tearing his legs to shreds. He says it's all Hilaria's fault.

The suit alleges Thomas put students in a position of “extreme danger” by letting them “exceed a safe and/or maximum allowable number of persons.”

I always thought it was really cool that Hilaria, who is also pregnant now, continued to give her classes even after she got married to a big celebrity and basically became a celebrity herself. With all the crazies out there, I'd imagine she'd need some type of security detail to keep an eye on things while she was alone at her studio, especially since her husband is having his own issues with a stalker.

According to Wolf's lawsuit, Hilaria Baldwin had allowed way too many people into her yoga class, exceeding the legal safe limit, with only inches between each mat. When Wolf's handstand went wrong, his legs smacked against the window, shattering it and sending shards outside to the street, as well as tearing up his leg. People ran up from the street asking who was pushing out the windows, and someone in the studio reportedly yelled, "It's your fault, It's your fault!" to Hilaria, who was concerned enough to ride in the ambulance with Wolf to the hospital.

Now Wolf fears he's permanently disabled because of the accident, his foot is supposedly pointed forward and he's wearing a boot.

If Hilaria Thomas did in fact exceed students in that room she shares a part of the blame -- but you would think Wolf would have had the sense not to attempt a handstand near glass. I mean, it's mind OVER body, yoga people.

Do you think Hilaria is solely at fault here?

Image via Splash News

6 Natural-Looking Celebrities You'd Never Guess Use Botox and Fillers

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 07:48:00 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Facial fillers and Botox are incredibly popular in Hollywood because they are a great way to shave years off your face without going under the knife -- if your plastic surgeon knows what he's doing, that is. We've all seen what happens when doctors go overboard with the needle -- that constantly frozen, pillow-faced look a la Real Housewives. But you'd be surprised how many celebrities are using fillers and Botox and who come out looking like ... well, themselves! Dr. Robert Guida, a leading facial plastic surgeon in Manhattan who does these procedures daily, says fillers and Botox done right do not look "fake" at all. "If people start looking the same, the surgeon is doing it wrong," he says. "Fillers should enhance one's facial expressions, natural appearance, and individuality."

Here are 6 examples of celebrities who have probably, almost definitely gotten a little facial smoothing and plumping, but who look so natural you'd never guess in a million years.

Harrison Ford WILL Play Han Solo in 'Star Wars VII' (Says Source So Unlikely It Must Be True)

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:12:00 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

The rumor that Harrison Ford was considering reprising Han Solo in the new Stars Wars Trilogy has been floating around for a while, but today comes news that it's a "done deal." We all know Hollywood gossip is as reliable as the weather forecast, but the source confirming it is so odd and unlikely that it has to be true! It was not People or Entertainment Weekly but El Mayimbe of the entertainment news site Latino Review who broke the news this morning on FoxNewsLatino. He actually used the words "done deal" to describe Ford signing on. And because of the good track record he and his site have had in breaking these kinds of stories, everyone in the biz is really optimistic. I thought I was 25 years done with Star Wars until I heard this. The newer movies just didn't have the same edge or appeal. That's all changed now. I can't wait to see what Ford does with this role!

So yeah, Ford is getting up there. He's 70, wears glasses and has a big bald spot on the back of his head. Not very rougish. Everyone is making jokes about how if Ford has signed on, Hans won't be a central character, only making a cameo playing space Bingo in a retirement home and commenting about how much his joints hurt ... but I think we're in for a much bigger surprise.

Ford is not going to stake his entire acting reputation on a one-minute bit where everyone laughs at him. He's way cooler and more discerning than that. We've all seen how awesome Ford was when he played Indiana Jones as an older gentleman -- he still had the rugged good looks and sex appeal of his younger days, but with that added maturity and swagger that made him more desirable that ever.

And how cool for Ford's son Liam, his adopted son with wife Calista Flockhart. Liam wasn't even a gleam in the eye when Ford was smuggling space goods around the universe with Chewbacca and wooing Princess Leia. What a thrill this would be for him to get caught up in some of the mind-blowing awesomeness that infected our consciousnesses when Star Wars first blasted into popular culture in the 1970s. At its root, Star Wars is an old-fashioned story about good versus evil, and morality over personal gains, and even though the characters and scenery has evolved through the franchise's history, that has stayed constant.

Of course, now the really big question: Is Peter Mayhew going to play Chewbacca? He's the 7 foot 3 inch British actor who portrayed Solo's furry, lovable co-pilot in the first trilogy. If Hans is coming back they have to give us Chewie! Plus Mayhew is only 68.

Do you like the idea of an octogenarian Hans Solo in the next Star Wars Trilogy?

Image via Splash News

Fifth-Graders Plot to Murder Classmate for 'Being Rude' and 'Making Fun' of Them

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 13:07:26 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Yes it's stating the obvious, but something is seriously wrong with our civilization when two 5th-graders bring weapons to elementary school in a plot to murder one of their classmates. They should not even know what murder is at that age! I know what you are thinking. I have a boy who is nearly 10 and what he says and what he actually does are oftentimes two entirely different things. Could these boys have really gone through with it? Or was this just fifth-grade boys taking their usual smack-talk just a step too far? I considered that until I read how carefully the boys thought all he details through, and now I'm not so sure.

They boys spilled everything to the cops. Each boy had a role: The 11-year-old got the knife, the 10-year-old an ancient but still functional Remington Model 1911 semi-automatic handgun that he got from an older's brothers room. Both boys smuggled the weapons onto their school bus to their elementary school in Colville, Washington, with them last week. A fourth-grader on the bus spotted the knife and told a teacher's aide, and the boys were intercepted before they could carry out their plan.

The boys allegedly told police that they planned to lure a female classmate away from the school, where the older boy would stab her. The younger boy was going to use the gun to prevent anyone else from messing up their plan. It may sound like a silly fantasy on the surface, but when you consider that the boys actually thought the steps through with the end result of stamping out another child's life, all kinds of alarming questions pop into your head.

The boys are being held in a detention center and will appear in court next week, where a judge will give a ruling on their mental capacity and whether they should be tried in a juvenile court. There is no question these boys have been the victim of at least one bully and possibly more, and may have been turning to voilence as a last resort. Didn't anyone see what was happening here? Did the parents or teachers have any idea these boys were having trouble? And what the heck was that older brother doing with an unlocked gun just hanging around in his room for anyone to steal and use?

Thank goodess that other kid saw the knife or this could have been Newtown, Connecticut all over again, on a much different scale, but equally as tragic.

Do you think these fifth-grade boys were actually going to go through with this?

Image via 04deveni/Flickr

Man Allegedly Slaps Crying Baby on Airplane and We Wish the Mom Had Punched Him Back

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:52:00 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Get ready to be appalled and shocked. A man is accused of slapping a crying baby on an airplane! We have all been in the situation where we've been out in public and have been unable to calm our crying infants down for one reason or another. We feel embarrassed and apologetic for the annoyance it's causing everyone around us, but never in a million years do we dream someone would resort to something as cruel and violent as this!

Jessica Bennett, 33, was traveling on the Delta flight from Minneapolis to Atlanta with her 19-month son Jonah sitting on her lap. As soon as the altitude started to change, Jonah got fussy and uncomfortable and began wailing. That's when Joe Rickey Hundley, 60, who was seated next to her, allegedly did the unbelievable.

Hundley apparently shouted, "Shut that (n-word) baby up!" before he slapped the baby open-handed across the face. Yes he the presumably educated man who runs a company and lives in the year 2013 and not caveman days actually used that word to describe a baby. Before he hit that baby. I won't tell you the word in my head I'm using to describe him right now.

Hundley was charged with simple assault for striking the child, which could cost him one year in jail if convicted, though that doesn't seem harsh enough in my opinion. And of course he's saying it's all a lie -- that he never called the baby a bad word and never struck the child, that he only implored the mother to quiet her child.

He also insists he wasn't drunk -- that he only had one drink on the plane, even though Bennett claims he was plastered, stumbling and fumbling all over the place.

But even that does not excuse his deplorable behavior, and it's not like it was the first time he's lost his temper over something like this. Court records in Virgina say he was arrested in 2007 following a fight with his girlfriend, a charge to which he pled guilty to a misdemeanor.

Hundley should thank his lucky stars that he's only facing a year of jail for this crime, and that it wasn't me sitting next to him with my son on the plane that day, because if it were, I would have punched him back, and left a lot more than a scratch.

What would you do if a man sitting next to you on a plane struck your baby?

Image via angeloangelo/Flickr

Oprah's Over-Dramatic Gift-Lifting Injury Is Still News and I Have No Idea Why

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:40:00 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Don't you hate when you get a humongous bouquet of flowers for your birthday that is so heavy and awesome that you sprain yourself trying to move it around your house haha ... er no.

Take two.

Oh that zany lovable Oprah! Only Oprah would sprain her back moving a huge birthday bouquet given to her by one of her celebrity friends Tyler Perry and THEN tweet about it ... nope, not working either.

Third and final try.

Legendary talk show host and woman extraordinaire Oprah Winfrey has recovered from a terrible back injury ... no, I can't. I can't write this story that is trending on the Internet today. For the second day in a row!

I am not surprised that Oprah's flower injury is being talked about. She still has tons of fans that still love her and continue to follow her every move, so yeah okay I get that.

But one of the top trending news stories of the day ... whyyy?? I mean, Oprah is okay. She just needed an icepack. I use one practically every day myself for something. She was up and walking the next day, according to followup reports. No word on whether she needed to take ibuprofen, however.

The flowers were a 59th birthday gift from Oprah's friend Tyler Perry (who I had to google to remember who he was). To prove she was recovered, Oprah tweeted a picture of herself in pajamas surrounded by the indoor botanical garden of very expensive orchards and exotic flora given by her adoring friends. Tyler Perry tweeted back that he felt bad Oprah "got hurt" from his gift, to which Oprah shot back "no need to feel bad, love the roses and got an extra day in bed. Can you say #icepack." I could see if the tweets were newsworthy, but they weren't even funny!

She didn't even need to go to a doctor! People!

I was hoping that by the time I finished writing this, "Oprah's injury" would have fallen out of trends and I could just delete this non-post and forget it ever existed, but mysteriously, confoundedly, she's still up there. So here you go.

I'm glad Oprah is okay and wish her all the best, but please explain to me why this is news?

Image via Splash News

Did the Long Island Serial Killer Strike Again? ANOTHER Woman's Body Found

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:09:00 EST

Post by Cynthia Dermody

Picture it: You are minding your own business walking your dog along the beach like you do every day of your life when suddenly you stumble upon HUMAN BONES! This may be oversimplifying, but that's basically what happened to a woman in Lattingtown, Long Island, not far from the stretch of shoreline along Gilgo Beach where nearly two dozen bodies of women (and a toddler) have been found buried in the scrub the past several years. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Did the Long Island serial killer strike again? Well, police are warning everyone not to make a connection between the two just yet, saying that it's too early to tell if the recent death is connected to anything, but how can you not think that every time you hear that another body was found buried in Long Island? Is it just me or does it seem to keep happening again and again?

There is one interesting clue that police hope might lead to the identity of the woman and whether these cases are related ... and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that it's the pig pendant in the picture above that police are sharing around. So take a good long look -- recognize it?

The woman, estimated between 20 to 30 years old and who died of some type of trauma (that does fit the profile), was wearing this gold pig ornament necklace. What's unusual is not what the necklace is, but what it's made of: 24-karat gold and not the 14-karat gold that most people buy (especially with the price of gold these days). This caliber of gold is big in Indian and Asian community jewelry stores.

It's possible the pig could represent "the Year of the Pig" in the Chinese culture, which could help point to the wearer's birth year.

Police seem pretty confident they'll be able to identify the body using forensic samples -- yet the biggest questions in this case promise to be a lot more daunting.

Why was she killed?

Is this case related to the other bodies?

Who killed her? Was it the work of one man who's still on the loose? Or someone else totally unrelated?

Is there even such a thing as a Long Island serial killer?

It's the case that never seems to go away, and with each new gruesome discovery, more unanswered questions continue to mount.

Do you think this is the work of the Long Island serial killer?

Image via Nassau County Police