via Huffington Post The nation’s “rattiest city” is putting subway rodents on birth control. Egg loss and testicle problems await Chicago’s rat population once the Chicago Transit Authority rolls out a rodent-specific birth control program next year, RedEye Chicago reports. The CTA’s new pilot program will use a semi-liquid bait that eventually makes rats infertile when ingested multiple times. Arizona-based rodent control company SenesTech, which makes the bait, says on its website that the non-lethal product is “specifically formulated for rats and does not affect other animal species or humans.” The bait, which reportedly tastes like egg cream, can decrease a rat’s litter size “as early as 2 weeks after ingestion,” according to the company. RedEye reports that rats usually become sterile within eight to 12 weeks of exposure. Last year, SenesTech’s bait was tested in several Manhattan subway stations and Grand Central Terminal as part of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Biologist Loretta Mayer, CEO of SenesTech, told The Wall Street Journal that the results of the study were “extremely compelling” — roughly half of the rats in the small-scale study took the bait, leading to a 43 percent decline in the rat population of tested facilities. “It could cut it down to the point where New Yorkers won’t see rats,” Mayer said. CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski told The Huffington Post via email that the agency does not actually have a rodent problem, but that the pilot program is a way of staying ahead of the pests. “[I]f there are ways we can do even better, we want to look at them,” Hosinski explained. “This pilot is simply the latest measure we’re looking to test in our ongoing, pro-active efforts to protect health and safety of customers and employees.” Chicago has turned to alternative rat abatement strategies before, including a “Cats At Work” program in which feral cats from a local Humane Society are used to curb the rat population.
Jeezy love the kids! Jeezy Gives Back At Annual Holiday Event Jeezy and his Street Dreams Foundation put a new spin on their annual holiday give back event this year. Seven years in the making, this year hosted approximately 100 inner city, at need kids selected by Marine Toys for Tots ranging in ages 7-14, from his hometown of Macon as well as Hawkinsville, in Atlanta. Jeezy took kids out for a fun filled day, first for a private movie screening to see “Annie” followed by an afternoon of food and gifts at popular restaurant Gio’s. Since there was room at the theater for more people, Jeezy started offering to other moviegoers to come see the film on him. Needless to say, it was a packed house! See more pics below:
So sad… Shaneka Thompson Recovering After Shooting A woman who dated NYPD executioner Ismaaiyl Brinsley less than a year before his murderous rampage isn’t dead as originally thought, but recovering in a hospital. Brinsley shot 29-year-old Shaneka Thompson in the stomach Saturday before going to New York to kill two cops. The NY Post reports: The ex-girlfriend of the gunman who fatally ambushed two NYPD cops after shooting her in the stomach banged on a neighbor’s door, yelling, “I can’t die like this! Please help me!” Shaneka Thompson, 29, the only survivor of Ismaaiyl Brinsley’s murderous rampage, pleaded for help from Yevette Seay, who saw the bloodied victim through her peephole and called 911. “I told her to hang in there. I was afraid to ask her too many questions because she was hysterical,” Seay told the Associated Press. Thompson, an Air Force reservist of Owings Mills, Md., was in critical condition at the University of Maryland Medical Center. “She’s not in any danger anymore,” her granddad, James Delly, told The Post. “Hopefully, she will make a full recovery.” Brinsley shot Thompson about 5:45 a.m. Saturday after entering her home with a key he wasn’t supposed to have, the Wall Street Journal reported. He then fled with her cellphone to New York City, where he executed NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in what investigators believe was a bid to avenge the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. Seay said she had heard her neighbors fight before, but that she got out of bed Saturday morning because of the screaming. “I could hear something going on and it wasn’t pleasant. Then I heard some screaming, then she went out onto her balcony and screamed for help,” Seay said. Thompson yelled: “He shot me! I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die.” Seay said Thompson pleaded for her to open her door, but she kept it closed because she didn’t know what was happening. Cops arrived about seven minutes after her 911 call, she said. Brinsley called Thompson’s mother about 6 a.m. to say the shooting was accidental and that he hoped she would recover, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said. Poor girl. Here’s to hoping she has a full recovery! Instagram
Earlier today, Kris and Bruce Jenner finalized their divorce , which got us thinking about the other big breakups of 2014. Celebrity couples come in all shapes in sizes (men and women, men and men, men and whatever Bruce Jenner is), and they split for any number of reasons (but mostly due to arguments over the sex tape profits). This year seemed to offer more celebrity breakups than most and they ranged from couples we couldn’t stop talking about (like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin ) to ones we couldn’t care less about. (Remember the Captain and Tennille? Neither does anyone else!) Celebrity Break-Ups of 2014 1. Jason Derulo and Jordin Sparks Say it isn’t so!!!! Jason Derulo and Jordin Sparks, stunningly, called it quits in September 2014. 2014 is notable not only because a lot of couples broke up, but also because of the strange ways that they called it quits. Not only did we learn (and learn to hate) the phrase “conscious uncoupling,” we also had a front row seat to one of the most soap-worthy breakups in history, courtesy of Naya Rivera and Big Sean: Following allegations of infidelity and Rolex theft (seriously) Sean dumped Naya in April just three months before they were scheduled to get married. Naya kept the dress, the venue and the the emotional instability, and walked down the aisle with a different dude on the same day she was supposed to marry Sean! But don’t worry, Naya wasn’t the only one to recover from a broken engagement in record time. Sean began dating Ariana Grande almost immediately after breaking it off with Naya, and now rumor has it that he’s planning to pop the question on Christmas ! So if you were dumped in 2014, take heart! If you move as fast some celebs, you could be single on New Year’s Eve and married by Groundhog Day! Check out the gallery above for a complete list famous faces who went their separate ways in 2014!
It’s that time of year, THGers. That glorious time of year once again. The time to unveil the most deserving finalists for, and the winner of, The Hollywood Gossip’s epic, prestigious, arbitrary, 8th Annual Celebrity of the Year honor. Between now and the end of 2014, we will be counting down the 10 stars who provided us with the year’s best moments, stories, scandals and entertainment value. Earlier, we kicked off the countdown with Ariana Grande at #10. Today, it’s Celebrity of the Year Finalist #9 , Iggy Azalea! Iggy Azalea: “Fancy” Who dat, who dat? I-G-G-Y. Who dat, who dat? I-G-G-Y! Like Ariana, some people knew of her prior to this year. Not unlike Ariana, the Aussie rapper had no “Problem” making 2014 a year in which her popularity exploded into the stratosphere, and not without controversy. She may or may not write her own rhymes , but she’s had some massive hits, more feuds than we can even list and bordering on household name status. Or at least mononym status. There’s only one I-G-G-Y! “Fancy” and “Problem” were bona fide chart toppers for Azalea, who became a go-to for pop radio stations, live TV performances and celebrity gossip sites. Between her relationship with Nick Young and her beefs with Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Azealia Banks and others, everyone wanted a piece of Iggy. There was even an Iggy Azalea sex tape in existence. We seriously never run out of material here at THG! 11 Odd Iggy Azalea Facts! 1. Her Stage Name Has History She took the name “Iggy Azalea” from her childhood dog and the street she grew up on. Rap’s “Black Widow” may be a bit of a flash in the pan, but it’s one that’s already lasted far longer than most people gave her credit for out of the gate. That “Booty” ain’t goin’ nowhere in 2015, either. The leggy blonde born Amethyst Kelly has been a polarizing figure, in large part because of her genre of choice and somewhat unconventional background. She’s had to battle criticism, allegations and haters at every turn, even as – or perhaps directly due to the fact – that she’s risen to the top of the charts. For the most part, she’s shaken it off, Taylor Swift style. When you’re on top, everybody wants to knock you down. Just par for the course here, sadly. Her ascent shows no signs of abating thanks to her rap skills and earworm hooks, and It doesn’t hurt that she also looks great when she cleans up, or even when she doesn’t. Check out the pics below. You’re welcome. Iggy Azalea Bikini Photos 1. Iggy Azalea Bikini Photo Iggy rocks a bikini on a yacht. Safe to say, she’s living the good life these days.
The cringe-worthy quotes were a dime a dozen (or at least a baker’s dozen, by our estimation) on Kourtney and Khloe Take the Hamptons Season 1 Episode 3 . Fans saw Kim Kardashian plan a secret birthday party for North West at Kourtney Kardashian’s house without permission, setting up a clash of the titans. Or at least boring 30-something reality TV moms reading cue cards. Kourtney & Khloe Take the Hamptons Episode 3 in Quotes 1. Praise the Lord! Lord Disick or Douche Lord? Scott was feeling pretty high on himself (and drugs) before a dangerous mixture of booze and pills landed Kourtney Kardashian’s partner in the hospital. Meanwhile, the installment centered around Scott Disick partying . Hard. So hard that the father of two outdid himself from previous weeks – not an easy feat or a good one, for that matter – and The Lord ended up in the E.R. Even more startlingly, his terrifying hospital visit and Kourtney’s icy glares only resonated so much, as he already started making excuses to avoid rehab. Will he ever get it together? Or is this a vicious, endless circle? Only time will tell, we suppose. In the meantime, follow the link to watch Kourtney and Khloe Take the Hamptons online and see his downward spiral for yourself …
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