UK Athletics Counting Mistake

Jessica Ennis, a British track athlete and potential Olympian, was excited when she thought she had broken her personal record in the 100 meter hurdles. She had gotten a time of 12.75 seconds, beating American athletes Dawn Harper and Danielle Carruthers. Unfortunately, it was noticed after the race that there were only 9 hurdles on the track instead of the required 10. Because of this error, Ennis's time won't count. UK Athletics, which was responsible for the mistake, apologized to Ennis, but that didn't keep her from feeling disappointed. In a quote from The Guardian, she said, "I feel let down. I felt like it was a good race, I was running well, I was obviously coming through at the end, stick another hurdle on there it would have been, the same outcome, but, argh, I'm just so annoyed."
http://news.yahoo.com/ennis-record-runs-unexpected-hurdle-175942826--oly.html;_ylt=A2KJ3CZgjb1PZXoAEVrQtDMD

Drug Cartel Violence on the Border

On Sunday, May 13th, police officers were disturbed to find 49 decapitated bodies, some with their hands and feet "hacked off" along a highway near the United States/Mexico border. A sign near the bodies was covered with graffiti that said, "100% Zeta." Zeta is one of two very powerful and violent drug cartels active in Mexico; the other is the Sinaloa cartel. This isn't the first time violence by this group has been seen. Earlier this month, 23 people were killed, some hanged from a bridge, and others dismembered and left near the city hall of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The government is trying to identify the victims of this most recent attack, but it will be difficult without the help of their heads, hands, or feet. Ironically, Mexico's President, Felipe Calderon, announced a crackdown on drug cartels in 2006, but there have since been over 47,500 drug cartel-related deaths.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/mexico-drug-wars-49-headless-dismembered-bodies-found-130658096.html

People Who Shouldn't Drive

Amanda Bynes is at it again! After being arrested for driving under the influence last month, as well as driving over a curb and making a y-turn in the middle of a busy highway, Bynes had another run-in with the police when it was believed she had been involved in a hit-and-run. Apparently, the 26-year-old side-swiped a pick-up truck with her Range Rover and kept driving. The owner of the pick-up called the police, who followed Bynes to a gas station with a helicopter and six police cars. "It turned out the damage to the pick-up truck was so minor that it was very plausible she had no idea that she hit anyone," said Sgt. Ben Zucker of the LAPD. "Because of that, we decided not to charge her with hit and run, took a traffic report instead, and sent her on her way. There were no arrests made and no one was injured." While she got out of this one without any trouble, maybe all the problems she's been having this past month should be telling her something. Like that she should stop driving forever.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20593308,00.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D158416

A Dentist's Revenge

When 45-year-old Marek Olszewski went to the dentist complaining of toothache, he was not ready for the surprise his dentist gave him. His dentist happened to be 34-year-old Anna Mackowiak, who he had broken up with a few days before. Mackowiak, apparently upset with the way their relationship had ended, decided that instead of treating her ex, she would pull out all his teeth. "I tried to be professional and detach myself from my emotions," said Mackowiak, "But when I saw him lying there I just though, 'What a bastard,' and decided to take all his teeth out." Mackowiak gave Olszewski a heavy dose of anesthetic before she performed this extreme surgery, and he woke in surprise to find all his teeth missing. While Olszewski sees both financial and relationship-related problems in his future, Mackowiak could face three years in prison because of this medical malpractice. The moral of the story? Don't break up with your dentist.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/dentist-pulls-her-ex-boyfriend-teeth-split-210829769.html

Japanese Soccer Ball Found In Alaska

On March 11 of last year, Japan was hit by a tsunami that wiped out entire towns and caused widespread devastation. 16-year-old Misaki Murakami, from the town of Rikuzentakata, thought he had lost everything. However, things started looking up when he found out that his soccer ball had survived and had been found on Middleton Island in Alaska, over 3,000 miles away from where it had started. It was found by David Baxter, who lives on Middleton Island with his wife, Yumi. She is Japanese and was able to read Murakami's name on the soccer ball. With help from a Japanese reporter, the couple found Murakami and plan to send the ball back to him as soon as possible.
http://news.yahoo.com/boy-glad-football-lost-tsunami-found-alaska-060602434.html

73-Year-Old Caught for Drug Trafficking

Oklahoma native Darlene Mayes was arrested on Monday, April 9 when police found four pounds of marijuana, two guns, and  $277,000 in cash stashed in her home. Apparently the 73-year-old has been the kingpin of an infamous drug ring  for at least 20 years. In that time, her drug-trafficking network reached a span of four states, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri and accounted for 40% of the pot sold in that area. When the cash was initially discovered, stored in bundles of $15,000, Mayes claimed the money was part of her retirement fund. Although drug-trafficking is not encouraged, the fact that she was able to keep her dealing up for 20 years is still pretty impressive.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/04/granny-drug-kingpin-busted-in-oklahoma/

Pizza Hut's New Crust

Pizza Hut has revealed a "succulent hot dog sausage bursting from their famous stuffed crust." Yes, a hot-dog stuffed-crust pizza. Surprisingly enough, this crust was not unveiled in the notoriously obese United States, but rather in the United Kingdom. The hot dog is actually baked into the crust and comes with "FREE Mustard Drizzle!" However, this concept isn't completely new. Sausage-stuffed crusts started in Japan and Thailand long ago. For now, the hot-dog crust is only available in the 14-inch  large size. Hopefully this crust will make its way to Sturgeon Bay, where Jasper can make hot-dog stuffed pizzas for all!
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/hot-dog-stuffed-crust-pizza-offered-pizza-hut-195100612.html
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/04/10/uk-pizza-hut-unveils-hot-dog-stuffed-crust-pizza/

High School Student Oxed To Death

On April second, Gibraltar sophomore, Nora Harris, was oxed to the death by senior, Marty Witteborg. Over the course of the past two years, oxing has become a common, but violent way for friends to greet each other. The ox is carried out by sneaking up on a friend or acquaintance, sliding your arm between their arm and their side, and pushing back and forth as hard as you can. Obviously, this causes severe discomfort to the ox-ee, which is the goal. An ox usually doesn't last for more than a few seconds, but this was different. "It started like any other day," says Witteborg,"but today, I must have gone too far. I went for the crucifixion, and suddenly, she went limp." A crucifixion is the most severe kind of ox. To start, it's a double ox, with both arms attacking. Then, to complete it, the ox-ee is lifted into the air. "I never meant to hurt her," said Witteborg, through his tears. Oxing used to be seen as a form of camaraderie at this rural Wisconsin high school, but its consequences are now being rethought. Anti-oxing rules are now being enforced in the hope of preventing such accidents in the future. Nora Harris was an excellent student, varsity athlete, and loyal friend. Hopefully with her tragic death will come an appreciation for the fleeting years of high school and a turn from violent acts.

Lawyers Fired for Wearing Orange

On the 16th of March, fourteen employees at a Florida law firm were let go for wearing orange to work. The person from management who fired them told them it was because they thought the employees were protesting management. In an interview, the former employees said that they had been wearing the same color so that they could be recognized as a group when they went out for happy hour. They had no intention of standing up to management. The law firm where they had been employed, the law offices of Elizabeth R. Wellborn, P.A., didn't have any comment as to why these employees were fired. According to Eric K. Gabrielle, a lawyer (not for the same firm), says that under Florida's laws, employers can fire a person "for a good reason, for a bad reason or even for the wrong reason, as long as it's not an unlawful reason." Unfortunately, that means that these former employees may not get the justice they deserve. They'll be forced to find new ways to support their families, all because of a misunderstanding that management wasn't willing to correct.
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/law-firm-fires-14-employees-wearing-orange-shirts-181404912.html

Boy Shot For Being Black

You would think that by now, 50 years after the Civil Rights Movement, ignorant prejudices would be almost nonexistent. Unfortunately, in February, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot outside the entrance to the gated community where his father lives. Martin was returning from a nearby convenience store after purchasing Skittles and Arizona Ice Tea when he was seen by George Zimmerman, captain of the Neighborhood Watch at the gated community. Zimmerman reportedly called the police, but, without waiting for them to arrive, got out of his car and confronted Martin. By the time the police arrived, Martin had been killed from a bullet through his chest. Zimmerman was not arrested for his misconduct, which outraged Martin's family. The police may be considering Zimmerman's actions to be self-defense, but Ben Crump, the Martin family's lawyer, says that that is ridiculous. "Zimmerman didn't have to get out of his car. If he never gets out of his car, there's no reason for self-defense. Trayvon only has Skittles. He has the gun." The Martin family has requested the 911 tape from Zimmerman's call, and if they don't receive it, they plan to file a lawsuit.
http://news.yahoo.com/family-florida-boy-killed-neighborhood-watch-seeks-arrest-044537742.html
http://hinterlandgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/trayvon-martin-204x300.jpg

A.J. Hawk Gets A Haircut

Those who dislike the trend of long, greasy hair peeking out of football helmets will be happy to hear that Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk has finally gotten a haircut. However, this change wasn't to look better while he played, but to support a good cause. His hair was donated to "Hawk's Locks For Kids," the result of a partnership with Wigs For Kids. WFK is a charity that makes wigs for children who lose their hair after undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment. Hawk said on his Twitter, "No child should have to feel ashamed of themselves due to a disease. We are hoping to raise enough money and hair donations to change many lives!" So if anyone has an excessive amount of hair that they're looking to cut off, make sure to see if you can donate it to a worthy cause like this one before allowing your hairdresser to sweep it into the trash!
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/j-hawk-cuts-famous-locks-kids-cancer-185215200.html

Is Natalie Married?

Rumors are surfacing that Natalie Portman and her fiancé, Benjamin Millepied, have secretly married. Pictures of the couple reveal them wearing new rings, a silver band on Millepied's wedding finger, and an additional ring on Portman's engagement finger. The two met on the set of Black Swan, for which Portman won an Oscar for her representation of a crazed ballerina. They fell in love on the set and were engaged in 2010. They also announced Portman's pregnancy in December of that year. She gave birth to Aleph Portman-Millepied on June 14, 2011. So did the couple elope? Or are the rings just a preview of their future plans?

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/oscars/pics-natalie-portman-secretly-married-212341707.html

90-Year-Old Woman Just Wants to Dance With Somebody

Whitney Houston may have died on February 11, but love for her certainly hasn't. 90-year-old Jeanne Harr, from Utah made her own tribute to Houston, who died from mixing drugs and alcohol. Her grandson and caretaker, Adam Forgie, also had a hand in the video, as both cameraman and a participant. Forgie posted the video to YouTube on February 12th, where it has already reached over 625,000 views. Harr says of her dance, "I'm doing this in honor of the late Whitney Houston. It's very hard to think of her being gone." Although this is her only video on YouTube, this is not the first video of this dancing queen. Another one can be found at the first link below. She may be blind, but Harr certainly does know how to move.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xofhvn_my-90-year-old-grandma-dances-to-the-black-keys-tighten-up_music
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/02/90-year-grandma-i-wanna-dance-with-somebody/

17-Year-Old Girl Can't Handle Her Nuggets

A few weeks ago, Stacy Irvine, a factory worker from Castle Vale, Birmingham in Great Britain, collapsed after having severe trouble breathing, and was rushed to a hospital. Since she was two years old, Irvine has eaten nothing but chicken nuggets at every meal and has never eaten any fruit or vegetables. Her unhealthy diet caused her to have anaemia and swollen veins in her tongue. Despite the warnings of doctors and family members, Irvine plans to continue eating this way: "McDonald's chicken nuggets are my favorite. I share 20 with my boyfriend with chips." Her mother is very concerned for her daughter, and says that she's tried several times to wean her daughter from the food, even by starvation, but without success. She says, "She's been told in no uncertain terms that she'll die if she carries on like this. But she says she can't eat anything else... It breaks my heart to see her eating those damned nuggets." Stacey is now at home and on her way to recovery. Doctors have prescribed her with heavy dosages of vitamins to make up for her severe lack over the past 15 years. Hopefully Irvine's desire to live will outweigh her desire for processed, fried chicken. 
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4086801/Girl-eats-nothing-but-chicken-nuggets-for-15-years.html

M.I.A.'s Middle Finger Causes Controversy

On Superbowl Sunday, millions of Americans sat down in front of their televisions to watch the Giants and Patriots face off. At halftime, Madonna was performing, but no one anticipated the actions of guest rapper M.I.A. At the end of her rap in Madonna's song, the 36-year-old usually pretends to fire a gun, the sound of which bleeps out the s-word. However, during her performance on Superbowl XLVI's halftime show, she chose to raise her middle finger instead. Questions have been raised as to why she would choose such an offensive publicity stunt. Was it to raise awareness for her new album? Or did Madonna encourage the controversial act? Whatever the motive, it was an interesting twist in an otherwise boring show. 
http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/m-raised-middle-finger-raises-why-provocation-054608456.html

Sturgeon Bay Man Goes Through the Ice

Ted D. LaVine, from Sturgeon Bay, broke through the ice with his Dodge Ram pick-up on Sunday. Fortunately, the 35-year-old managed to escape the sinking vehicle, which also had a snow plow attached to it, with no injuries. The truck went through near Otumba Park, which is across the bridge and on the west side of the city. The police were notified and arrived on the scene at 9:54 AM, but by then, LaVine had already made his way out of the submerged vehicle. The Sturgeon Bay fire department and DNR were also contacted about the accident, and a company in Suamico has been hired to retrieve the truck. (I couldn't find a picture of the accident, but I'm sure they're out there somewhere). 

http://www.doorcountyadvocate.com/article/20120130/ADV01/120130147/Truck-goes-through-ice-Sturgeon-Bay

Tornado Tears Through Alabama Family

On Monday, January 24th, a tornado went through Alabama, leaving behind death and destruction. Five schools in Jefferson County remained closed on Tuesday and one of them may even have to be torn down. The tornado had 150 mile-per-hour winds and affected at least 429 homes, with 211 destroyed and 218 damaged. Two people were killed in the storm, one was 16-year-old Christina Heichelbech and the other was 83-year-old Bobby Sims. Heichelbech's family found her after the storm, on her mattress, about 40 feet from the house. Her father said, "She looked like she was sleeping like a baby. But she wasn't sleeping, she was gone." The Heichelbech family's house was destroyed as well. "I know we have to go on," said Mr. Heichelbech, "but I don't know what we're going to do."

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/01/clay_father_recounts_nightmare.html
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/24/us/alabama-storms/index.html?hpt=us_c2
http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2012/01/alabama_storm_damage_1.html

Researcher Discovers Fossil Collection

On January 17, 2012, Dr. Howard Falcon-Lang, a paleontologist at Royal Holloway University of London, discovered a collection of 314 slides collected by famous evolutionist, Charles Darwin. The slides contained fossils of creatures Darwin had encountered while travelling on the HMS Beagle. The fossils had been lost for 165 years when Falcon-Lang found them in an old cabinet at the British Geological Survey. He described the feeling as a "heart-in-your-mouth sensation," at first disbelieving that what he had discovered actually belonged to Charles Darwin. This recent discovery will provide new information about that time period and how Darwin formulated his theories of descent with modification and natural selection. http://news.sky.com/home/strange-news/article/16150933