My name’s Claudia and I’ve actually had two Justin Bieber experiences and I must say they were the absolute BEST moments of my life! I’ve been a fan of Justin from the first time I heard him on Youtube before he was even anything. To meet him was my dream, little did I know my dream would come true. The first time I met Justin was back on October 22, 2009 before he got really big. He was performing at the Steamtown Mall, a mall in Pennsylvania which is like 45 minutes away from where I live. I was soo excited to go to this, just to see him having no clue I would be able to meet him! Then two days before the concert, my friend and I entered a radio contest for 2 people to meet him. When my friend found out she won, and said she was taking me I was freaking out! I don’t think I’ve ever screamed that loud before! When I finally met Justin, I was shaking, I was so happy! He was honestly the sweetest person ever. He truly does love his fans. I got autographs and of course a picture , which is included above. The second was August 21 of 2011. We went to Hershey Park for my brothers birthday. We had no clue that Selena Gomez was performing there that night until we got there. It was funny because when I found out that Selena and All Star Weekend were performing, I said to my family and my friend, “If I see all star weekend here I’m going to be so happy!” because I love them too, and my dad said “Yeah you’ll probably see Justin and Selena walking around holding hands” and I said “Yeah right”. The day went on and we stopped to get french fries, when a man who worked there came up to my friend and said, “I’m going to make your day.” Here I am thinking he’s going to tell a stupid joke or something and then he says, “Do you like Justin Bieber?” and of course I was like, “YES!” He said, “Word on the street is him and Selena Gomez are going to be over by the Wildcat in a few minutes!” I was freaking out and we ran over, and there they were buying Dippin’ Dots! It was seriously the coolest thing ever! I was sooo excited to see him again! -@claudiamonea More here: My name’s Claudia and I’ve actually had two Justin…
Jerry Sandusky pleaded not guilty inside of a Pennsylvania courtroom today, waiving his right to a preliminary hearing in the process and avoiding any testimony from those who have accused him of child abuse. For now at least. The disgraced ex-defensive coordinator at Penn State subsequently appeared on the courtroom steps alongside his lawyer, Joseph Amendola, who told the press: “There will be no plea negotiations. This is a fight to the death.” Amendola added that his client also waived his appearance at the January 11 arraignment and asked for a jury trial. A handful of alleged victims were present at the court house this morning and prepared to make their claims public , a step they will now take instead some time in 2012. Said Howard Janet, an attorney for one of the boys who has said he showered with Sandusky : “It would have been apparent from watching those boys and their demeanor that they were telling the truth.” Amendola, of course, says otherwise, telling reporters: “We’re pursuing a financial motivation. Finances and money are great motivators.” Late last week, Sandusky’s wife spoke out in support of her husband. She said the former coach only tried to ” help and care ” for the children that came through Second Mile, a charity he founded in the late 1970s, from which many believe he culled his young prey.
You know how you don’t really want to laugh at old people when bad things happen to them. We think you’re allowed one good chuckle and a couple of Charlie Brown/Great Pumpkin jokes on this one. Oakmont Police are investigating after a 64-year-old man was hit in the head by a pumpkin. Police Chief David DiSanti says Rose and Daniel Wagner were walking along the 900-block of Pennsylvania Avenue at about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when someone tossed the pumpkin from a moving car. Daniel was taken to a local hospital emergency room for treatment. His wife told KDKA-TV it doesn’t appear he had any brain injuries, but may have suffered a concussion. He’s also sore and bruised. She said it happened so fast that her husband fell face down. They didn’t realize it was a pumpkin that struck him at first. Yes, we know we’re probably going to hell for finding this a little funny. Parents, please give you kids better things to do than crystal meth. SMH . Source
(Originally published August 17, 2011) Tony Todd , the star of Final Destination 5, is on his way to visit his hometown of Washington D.C. on a sunny August morning, and hasn’t a care in the world. While audiences know Todd for his role in the 1992 cult classic Candyman , he is a classically trained thespian whose roots started in theater. Born into poverty to a single mother in 1954, Todd first fell into acting as a teenager since–as he puts it– “I wasn’t any good at basketball.” After 22 years in the game, and over 150 acting credits under his belt, Todd has carved out an impressive and enviable career—not bad for a geeky 6’5 teenager from Chocolate City. The Urban Daily chatted with Todd about his return as William Bludworth in the newest Final Destination movie, his iconic role in Candyman , and the current state of the horror film genre. TUD: Tell us about the plot of Final Destination 5. Tony Todd: We have a new cast of young people with tragic demises and I have more than one scene. I like doing more than one scene, I like continuity (laughs) . There are a few theories going around as to who your character, Bludworth really is—one theory is that he’s death incarnate. What do you say to that? I think that’s too much of an easy choice, I mean how can you be death incarnate when you’re only in the movie for five minutes? Actually someone came up to me and said maybe Bludworth had cheated death himself. I’ve never personally accepted he was the angel of death, or the emissary of death. Just a very unpopular guy. Why do you think the Final Destination franchise has remained so popular? Because it’s the perfect date movie. Everybody loves a horror story because it’s a roller coaster ride –you wait for the slow ride to the top then speed down with all the bumps, twists and turns. If you’re a smart person, you bring your date and for every bump that goes on, you squeeze a little closer. I think Final Destination is singularly responsible for more births in America in the last 10 years than any other movie. You might be on to something there. I know I’ve done the research. I interview people when they leave the theatre, and when they see me they’re like “Oh my God!” That really freaks them out! Final Destination movies are known for their graphic death scenes. Which ones are the most memorable to you? Well I’m a big fan of the first movie, because that was the template. Jeffrey Reddick, the creator of this franchise, is a genius. In Final Destination 5 , the bridge collapse sequence is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Audiences still remember you from the Candyman movies. Do people still stop you in the street about that role? Candyman is almost 20 years old and not a single day goes by when someone doesn’t stop me in the street. It was a great role and one of the greatest experiences in my life. Have your kids seen Candyman ? They didn’t watch it until they were well into their teens. True story—When Candyman first came out, my daughter and I were Christmas shopping, and people were harassing us. Finally my daughter puts down her shopping bag and said “That’s not Candyman! That’s my dad!” I will never forget that, because that’s when we really bonded. Let’s talk a little about your background. When you were growing up, which actors or actresses did you look up to or admire? When I was a kid I really loved Humphrey Bogart. But when I was in theater school, Robert DeNiro was my go-to guy. I like good actors like Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman. I grew up a poor kid to a single mom, so as an African-American actor I have a responsibility to hold the mirror up and reflect our stories. I’m living the dream and also escaped the inevitable. Your first lead role in a movie was in the remake of Night of The Living Dead . Your character in that movie has historical significance, as the original was the first horror movie to cast an African-American (Duane Jones) in the lead role. What are you memories about being cast in that project? I actually saw the original while I was studying to be an actor, and watching Duane Jones I thought “Good, there’s hope.” When I heard they were casting for the remake I ran to the casting office and told them they had to let me audition. I think they already had someone in mind, but the casting director took a chance on me and gave me the job. It was my first leading role and my son was born around that same time. It was a chance to play a hero, so I was very appreciative. We shot the movie in Washington, Pennsylvania, singularly the most racist place in America. The beautiful thing is all these people were lining up to play zombies, and if I wasn’t an actor, they wouldn’t have anything to do with me. You also do a lot of voice-over work as well. How did you fall into that? When I was younger, I wanted to do Disney movies but I could never get a role. When I finally got a part in Transformers 2 I called my daughter and told her “Honey, I’m gonna be a Transformer!” and she said “Grow up Dad!” But it paid her tuition, so there you go! What are your thoughts on the current state of the horror genre, and should actors of color be more open-minded to doing these types of movies? Television is dying because of the influx of reality shows, so I think smart horror movies like “Final Destination” area great thing because it makes people think. I’m not a fan of torture for torture’s sake. That’s why you’ll never see me in Saw. I think young African-American filmmakers and actors need to hold their heads up and know if a project is meant for them, they’ll get it. From our partners: Unhappy Halloween: The 20 Greatest Candy Fails 20 Hottest Halloween Costumes (Heavy.com) A How-to-Guide For A Non-Racist Halloween Costume(BlackVoices)
This is so sad… Rates of abusive head trauma in children under age 5 rose during the last recession, suggesting that economic woes may have led parents to lash out against their kids, researchers reported Monday in the journal Pediatrics. The data also suggest that physicians today may want to be extra vigilant for signs of child abuse as economic conditions remain in the doldrums, the team wrote. The notion that economic hardship leads to increases in child abuse is not new — scientific research and anecdotal reports have long shown a relationship. For example, the Los Angeles Times reported during the recession in 1994 about increases in child abuse and neglect in Los Angeles County. In recent years, the co-authors noted in the Pediatrics study, articles in the popular press including this one and this one have again stoked concerns that abuse was on the rise as the economy worsened. Hoping to better understand the relationship, Dr. Rachel Berger of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and her co-authors reviewed medical records of children under 5 years old with abusive head trauma in three regions — six counties in the Seattle area, 23 counties in western Pennsylvania, and 45 counties in Ohio and northern Kentucky — between Jan. 1, 2004, and June 30, 2009. Roughly the first four years of that period preceded the recession; the last 19 months coincided with it. A total of 422 children in the studied regions, 58% of them boys, were treated for abusive head trauma during the research period. Their average age was 8.9 months; more than three-fourths were less than a year old. Sixty-three percent went to a pediatric ICU. Sixteen percent died. All three areas had significant increases in abusive head trauma during the recession. Put together, the annual rate of the injuries went up from 8.9 per 100,000 before the recession to 14.7 per 100,000 during the recession, the team reported. The researchers did not find any correlation between unemployment rates in the counties and abusive head trauma. They speculated that this might be because official unemployment figures exclude people who are underemployed, people who are discouraged in their job searches and others who might be under economic pressure. But them shady a** Republicans have the audacity to talk about “class warfare” ?? Source
August 31st, 2011 will go down in history as the day Jack White became the James Franco of music. You see, now that the White Stripes are over and he’s celebrated the end of his marriage to Karen Elson with a big, ol’ divorce party, he’s got time for more ridiculous projects than ever. In Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Flavorwire Discovery Date : 31/08/2011 18:00 Number of articles : 2
August 31st, 2011 will go down in history as the day Jack White became the James Franco of music. You see, now that the White Stripes are over and he’s celebrated the end of his marriage to Karen Elson with a big, ol’ divorce party, he’s got time for more ridiculous projects than ever. In Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Flavorwire Discovery Date : 31/08/2011 18:00 Number of articles : 2
Rick Santorum was slammed by students at the University of Pennsylvania yesterday during a discussion on same-sex marriage. (Video) Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The New Civil Rights Movement Discovery Date : 31/08/2011 20:29 Number of articles : 2
Rick Santorum was slammed by students at the University of Pennsylvania yesterday during a discussion on same-sex marriage. (Video) Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The New Civil Rights Movement Discovery Date : 31/08/2011 20:29 Number of articles : 2
I’m sworn to secrecy regarding my recent previewing of Machine Gun Preacher , director Marc Forster’s forthcoming biopic about Sam Childers, a Pennsylvania junkie ex-con-turned-born-again-orphanage-building-gunslinging savior of Sudan. But there’s nothing that I or anybody else can say about the film that isn’t summed up in its new one-sheet featuring star and co-producer Gerard Butler, which is like whoaaa .
