After the the plight of the American Bulldog mix was seen by millions online, Stephanie Fryns, a veterinary technician from Jackson, stepped up this afternoon and adopted him from Jackson TN Euthanasia.
Thursday 31 January 2013
‘Gay’ dog saved from euthanization
After the the plight of the American Bulldog mix was seen by millions online, Stephanie Fryns, a veterinary technician from Jackson, stepped up this afternoon and adopted him from Jackson TN Euthanasia.
Coke Ad Called Racist
Coke Ad Called Racist, A Coke ad has been called racist by Arab-American groups ahead of its broadcast during the Super Bowl half-time commercials slot on Sunday (February 3, 2013). The ad - depicting an Arab walking through the desert with a camel - will be seen by around 100 million U.S. viewers this week.
Wednesday 30 January 2013
Sex Slavery Cult: A sex slavery cult based on a series of 1960s science fiction novels has been uncovered by police in Darlington
Sex Slavery Cult, A sex slavery cult based on a series of 1960s science fiction novels has been uncovered by police in Darlington.
Durham Police discovered the bizarre sect after raiding a home in the area, after receiving complaints that a woman was being held against her will.
But a spokesman said the Canadian was a willing participant and the other people involved were consenting adults.
Durham Police discovered the bizarre sect after raiding a home in the area, after receiving complaints that a woman was being held against her will.
But a spokesman said the Canadian was a willing participant and the other people involved were consenting adults.
Tuesday 29 January 2013
Doctor Killed in Office
Doctor Killed in Office, A 75-year-old retired barber was jailed Tuesday for investigation of killing a urologist in his exam room, but police have not yet released a motive.
Stanwood Fred Elkus of Lake Elsinore was arrested following the Monday afternoon attack and held on $1 million bail, according to the county jail website.
Elkus is suspected of killing Dr. Ronald Franklin Gilbert, 52, of Huntington Beach at the medical office in Orange County.
Stanwood Fred Elkus of Lake Elsinore was arrested following the Monday afternoon attack and held on $1 million bail, according to the county jail website.
Elkus is suspected of killing Dr. Ronald Franklin Gilbert, 52, of Huntington Beach at the medical office in Orange County.
Rare Female Execution Scheduled for Tuesday
Rare Female Execution Scheduled for Tuesday, Kimberly McCarthy is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection in Texas on Tuesday, the first woman to be put to death in the United States in more than two years, for the stabbing murder of her neighbor in 1997.
Women are rarely executed in the United States. Only 12 female inmates were put to death since capital punishment was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Women are rarely executed in the United States. Only 12 female inmates were put to death since capital punishment was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
Monday 28 January 2013
Actress Hair Falling Out: January Jones Losing It In Clumps
Actress Hair Falling Out: January Jones Losing It In Clumps, She showed off an extreme, swept-back hairstyle at Sunday's SAG Awards, but aesthetics may not have been the only motivation behind her look. In a new interview, the Mad Men star reveals she's dyed her hair so many different colors that it's starting to fall out.
"I have been every color and now my hair is falling out in clumps," Jones tells the UK's Grazia Daily. "I've been blonde, red with extensions ... then blonde, then black, and now blonde again. I'm going to have to shave it off and wear a wig."
"I have been every color and now my hair is falling out in clumps," Jones tells the UK's Grazia Daily. "I've been blonde, red with extensions ... then blonde, then black, and now blonde again. I'm going to have to shave it off and wear a wig."
Sunday 27 January 2013
Menu With $110 Dirt
Menu With $110 Dirt, Dirt is the main ingredient in a $110 tasting menu from Ne Quittez pas, a French restaurant in the city's Gotanda district. (The name, for the curious, translates to Don't Leave.)
According to RocketNews24, the seven-course menu features dirt in every dish, and taste testers found them surprisingly … delicious. The news agency sent a reviewer to sample the menu and she sang its praises.
According to RocketNews24, the seven-course menu features dirt in every dish, and taste testers found them surprisingly … delicious. The news agency sent a reviewer to sample the menu and she sang its praises.
Wayne Gretzky Mansion For Sales
Wayne Gretzky Mansion For Sales, Wayne Gretzky custom designed a home in Thousand Oaks, Calif., with Richard Landry, who has designed opulent houses for stars ranging from Sly Stallone to Tom Brady.
It's now yours if you want it, for $14.995 million.
It’s 10,815 square feet, but that doesn’t factor in the two guest houses, one of which is a full gym. The two-story mansion has 6 bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms.
Among Maison du Grand's amenities include amazing views, a movie theater, a fireplace, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and an outdoor wood-burning pizza oven.
Paulina Gretzky not included.
Source:THG
It's now yours if you want it, for $14.995 million.
It’s 10,815 square feet, but that doesn’t factor in the two guest houses, one of which is a full gym. The two-story mansion has 6 bedrooms and 7.5 bathrooms.
Among Maison du Grand's amenities include amazing views, a movie theater, a fireplace, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and an outdoor wood-burning pizza oven.
Paulina Gretzky not included.
Source:THG
67 Dead Cats, 99 Live At Home
67 Dead Cats, 99 Live At Home, Officials said 67 dead cats and 99 living ones had to be removed from a filthy home in upstate New York.
Authorities said they removed the animals Wednesday night from a home in Wright, near Albany.
Authorities said they removed the animals Wednesday night from a home in Wright, near Albany.
5 Killed in Chicago Shootings
5 Killed in Chicago Shootings, At least five people were gunned down Saturday in Chicago, including a 34-year-old man whose mother had already lost her three other children to shootings.
Ronnie Chambers, who was his mother Shirley's youngest child, was shot in the head while sitting in a parked car on the city's West Side. A 21-year-old man who was also in the car was wounded, police said.
Ronnie Chambers, who was his mother Shirley's youngest child, was shot in the head while sitting in a parked car on the city's West Side. A 21-year-old man who was also in the car was wounded, police said.
Saturday 26 January 2013
Agassi Shocked by Armstrong
Agassi Shocked by Armstrong, Andre Agassi was shocked and saddened by disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong's confession to using performance-enhancing drugs and the eight-times grand slam champion said tighter, more frequent dope testing procedures in tennis would be good for the sport.
The American, who co-founded a philanthropic organisation with Armstrong and other athletes like Muhammad Ali, women's World Cup winner Mia Hamm and NBA champion Alonzo Mourning, said he had been convinced of Armstrong's innocence.
The American, who co-founded a philanthropic organisation with Armstrong and other athletes like Muhammad Ali, women's World Cup winner Mia Hamm and NBA champion Alonzo Mourning, said he had been convinced of Armstrong's innocence.
Silver Dollar Sells for $10M
Silver Dollar Sells for $10M, A 1794 silver dollar, which many experts believe was the first such coin struck by the U.S. Mint, sold for a record $10 million at auction on Thursday.
The Flowing Hair Silver Dollar more than doubled the previous $4.1 million record for a coin set in 1999, auction house Stack's Bowers Galleries said.
Legend Numismatics, a rare-coin firm based in New Jersey, bought the coin, which was the highlight of the evening sale in New York that fetched a total of $17.2 million.
The Flowing Hair Silver Dollar more than doubled the previous $4.1 million record for a coin set in 1999, auction house Stack's Bowers Galleries said.
Legend Numismatics, a rare-coin firm based in New Jersey, bought the coin, which was the highlight of the evening sale in New York that fetched a total of $17.2 million.
Hillary Clintons Glasses
Hillary Clintons Glasses, When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stepped off the plane in Seoul, South Korea on Thursday, she was sporting a pair of glasses. Most likely a wearer of contacts, Clinton's eyewear has made only a few appearances in the last twenty years. Take a look back below.
Is this her new look? Only time will tell.
Is this her new look? Only time will tell.
Monday 21 January 2013
Kardashians fake 911 call
Kardashians fake 911 call, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials are looking for the person who called 911 and falsely reported an emergency at a former Malibu residence of the Kardashians.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said Sunday that it's too soon to tell whether the reality TV stars are the latest victims of so-called "swatting," a hoax intended to get officers, including specialized SWAT teams, sent to a home.
Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said Sunday that it's too soon to tell whether the reality TV stars are the latest victims of so-called "swatting," a hoax intended to get officers, including specialized SWAT teams, sent to a home.
Sunday 20 January 2013
Accident At Gun Show
Accident At Gun Show, At least five people -- three in North Carolina, one in Indiana and one in Ohio -- were injured after weapons went off at gun shows Saturday, officials said, at a time when there's been renewed discussion about private gun sales at such shows.
The most casualties came at the Dixie Gun and Knife Show in Raleigh, North Carolina, where attendees bolted -- with at least one woman wiping out in the frenetic scene -- when gunfire rang out around 1 p.m., as seen on video captured by CNN affiliate WRAL.
Saturday 12 January 2013
Famous Twin Dies
Famous Twin Dies at 85, San Francisco residents are mourning the passing of Vivian Brown, who became a local celebrity along with her twin sister after the two regularly walked through the city's streets in matching high-end outfits, identical hairdos and cheerful smiles.
The 85-year-old Brown died in her sleep on Wednesday at an assisted care facility in the city, Barbara Farber, director of development for Jewish Family and Children's Services told.
The 85-year-old Brown died in her sleep on Wednesday at an assisted care facility in the city, Barbara Farber, director of development for Jewish Family and Children's Services told.
Aaron Swartz found dead
Aaron Swartz found dead, Open democracy advocate and internet pioneer Aaron Swartz was found dead Friday in an apparent suicide, flooding the digital spectrum with an outpouring of grief.
Swartz spent the last two years fighting federal hacking charges. In July 2011, prosecutor Scott Garland working under U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, a politician with her eye on the governor's mansion, charged Swartz with four counts of felony misconduct -- charges that were deemed outrageous by internet experts who understood the case, and wholly unnecessary by the parties Swartz was accused of wronging.
Swartz spent the last two years fighting federal hacking charges. In July 2011, prosecutor Scott Garland working under U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz, a politician with her eye on the governor's mansion, charged Swartz with four counts of felony misconduct -- charges that were deemed outrageous by internet experts who understood the case, and wholly unnecessary by the parties Swartz was accused of wronging.
Jackie Chan Anti-Americanism
Jackie Chan Anti-Americanism, Americans know Jackie Chan best for his cheery, acrobatic performances in action movies such as “Rumble in the Bronx” and “Rush Hour,” made successful by his amazing martial artistry and self-effacing comedy. Chinese know Chan, a Hong Kong native, for largely the same reasons. But they also know him for something most Americans might find surprising: He is passionately political, a staunch defender of the Chinese Communist Party and harsh critic of anyone he sees as opposing Beijing. Today, that includes the United States.
Chan, responding to widespread criticism of China’s recent censorship of a popular newspaper, insisted in a Chinese TV interview that the United States is “the most corrupt country in the world.” He scolded Chinese who criticize their country in a way that foreigners can hear or see, adding that he’s careful to only praise China when giving interviews in the U.S.
Chan, responding to widespread criticism of China’s recent censorship of a popular newspaper, insisted in a Chinese TV interview that the United States is “the most corrupt country in the world.” He scolded Chinese who criticize their country in a way that foreigners can hear or see, adding that he’s careful to only praise China when giving interviews in the U.S.
Friday 11 January 2013
Artist Found On Stairs
Artist Found On Stairs, The candy-colored steps of a staircase in Rio's bohemian neighborhood of Lapa were the life work of Chilean artist Jorge Selaron and a symbol of his adopted city. On this gray, rainy Thursday, they became his memorial.
The painter, who turned the 215 steps into a kaleidoscope of brightly hued tiles from all over the world, transforming a dingy, urine-scented alley and stairs into a rambunctious "tribute to the Brazilian people," was found dead on his masterpiece.
The painter, who turned the 215 steps into a kaleidoscope of brightly hued tiles from all over the world, transforming a dingy, urine-scented alley and stairs into a rambunctious "tribute to the Brazilian people," was found dead on his masterpiece.
Boy Abducted In '94 Found
Boy Abducted In '94 Found, Authorities on Friday identified a 24-year-old man discovered living in Minnesota under an assumed name, nearly two decades after his grandparents abducted him from Indiana.
The paternal grandparents could face federal charges in the case, a Minnesota sheriff said.
The Todd County Sheriff's Office said Richard Wayne Landers Jr. now lives in the small northern Minnesota town of Long Prairie under the name Michael Jeff Landers.
The paternal grandparents could face federal charges in the case, a Minnesota sheriff said.
The Todd County Sheriff's Office said Richard Wayne Landers Jr. now lives in the small northern Minnesota town of Long Prairie under the name Michael Jeff Landers.
Three Women 'Executed'
Mystery swirls around the slayings, with no claim of responsibility or any indication from authorities as to who might have pulled the trigger.
The fact that one of the women is a founding member of the Kurdish Workers' Party, or PKK -- a group viewed by Turkey, the United States and others as a terror organization -- has led to heightened speculation.
Sunday 6 January 2013
Ugly Flash Mob Mall
Ugly Flash Mob Mall, The Mall of Louisiana was evacuated Saturday night after a flash mob turned into an ugly brawl.
Cellphone video captured the chaos as shoppers jammed escalators and ran for the nearest exits in Baton Rouge, the state capital. Employees at the mall were ordered to abandon their cash registers and evacuate immediately.
Cellphone video captured the chaos as shoppers jammed escalators and ran for the nearest exits in Baton Rouge, the state capital. Employees at the mall were ordered to abandon their cash registers and evacuate immediately.
Plane Crash Kills Family
View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.
Plane Crash Kills Family, Four members of a Southlake family died in the crash of small plane in Van Zandt County on Saturday.
The plane departed Saturday from a regional airport near Roanoke.
Leonard Ledet, his brother Greg and his sons Paul and Mason died in the crash.
Fraternity brothers of Leonard and Greg Ledet said the family was headed to a Mississippi and Texas A&M game. Friends said the brothers had attended Texas A&M.
The plane departed Saturday from a regional airport near Roanoke.
Leonard Ledet, his brother Greg and his sons Paul and Mason died in the crash.
Fraternity brothers of Leonard and Greg Ledet said the family was headed to a Mississippi and Texas A&M game. Friends said the brothers had attended Texas A&M.
Wednesday 2 January 2013
Woman dies on plane
Woman dies on plane, A woman who boarded an American Airlines flight bound for Dallas-Fort Worth from Brazil was pronounced dead on the plane.
Flight 962 from Sao Paulo to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was diverted to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston after 6:30 a.m. Wednesday when a medical emergency was reported inside the Boeing 777 aircraft.
Flight 962 from Sao Paulo to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was diverted to Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston after 6:30 a.m. Wednesday when a medical emergency was reported inside the Boeing 777 aircraft.
Neil Armstrong lied
Neil Armstrong lied, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
It's one of the 20th century's most famous lines, but what if Neil Armstrong lied about when it was composed?
The Apollo 11 astronaut was quoted in a 2005 biography as saying he formulated the line while en route to the moon, NBC News reported. But Armstrong's brother Dean said in a new BBC documentary that it was written long before the astronaut's boots ever touched moon dust.
It's one of the 20th century's most famous lines, but what if Neil Armstrong lied about when it was composed?
The Apollo 11 astronaut was quoted in a 2005 biography as saying he formulated the line while en route to the moon, NBC News reported. But Armstrong's brother Dean said in a new BBC documentary that it was written long before the astronaut's boots ever touched moon dust.
Tuesday 1 January 2013
Dinosaur Smuggling
Dinosaur Smuggling, A Florida fossils dealer pleaded guilty to smuggling charges Thursday and agreed to give up a celebrated $1 million dinosaur skeleton seized by the U.S. government earlier this year for its eventual return to Mongolia.
Eric Prokopi, 38, said he would surrender the 70 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton known as "Ty" and give up any claims to six other dinosaurs and various other bones in a cooperation deal that might win him leniency from charges that carry a potential prison sentence of up to 17 years.
Eric Prokopi, 38, said he would surrender the 70 million-year-old Tyrannosaurus bataar skeleton known as "Ty" and give up any claims to six other dinosaurs and various other bones in a cooperation deal that might win him leniency from charges that carry a potential prison sentence of up to 17 years.
Worlds Oldest Twins
Worlds Oldest Twins, On Monday, the world's oldest living identical twins celebrated their 103 birthday!
Charlotte Eisgrou and Ann Primack of South Florida and Daytona Beach, Fla. are still in the best of health, despite their age. Neither uses a hearing aide or reading glasses, reported the Daily Mail.
"I feel wonderful. I have all my faculties," Eisgrou told the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Although the pair was unable to spend their birthday together since they are both recovering from recent falls, they still consider each other best friends.
Charlotte Eisgrou and Ann Primack of South Florida and Daytona Beach, Fla. are still in the best of health, despite their age. Neither uses a hearing aide or reading glasses, reported the Daily Mail.
"I feel wonderful. I have all my faculties," Eisgrou told the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Although the pair was unable to spend their birthday together since they are both recovering from recent falls, they still consider each other best friends.
Hester Retirement
Hester Retirement, Chicago Bears record-setting kick returner and wide receiver Devin Hester says he doesn’t know if he is going to play football anymore and is devastated that the team fired head coach Lovie Smith after nine seasons.
Hester also blamed the media and fans saying they “got what they wanted” with Smith’s firing. Smith was let go on Monday despite the Bears going 10-6 in 2012, but the Bears won’t be playing in the postseason for the fifth time in six seasons.
Hester also blamed the media and fans saying they “got what they wanted” with Smith’s firing. Smith was let go on Monday despite the Bears going 10-6 in 2012, but the Bears won’t be playing in the postseason for the fifth time in six seasons.
Hannah Storm ESPN Return
Hannah Storm ESPN Return, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm will return to the air on New Year's Day, exactly three weeks after she was seriously burned in a propane gas grill accident at her home.
Storm suffered second-degree burns on her chest and hands and first-degree burns to her face and neck. She lost her eyebrows and eyelashes and roughly half her hair.
Storm suffered second-degree burns on her chest and hands and first-degree burns to her face and neck. She lost her eyebrows and eyelashes and roughly half her hair.
Michael Phelps Break Up
Michael Phelps Break Up, Michael Phelps and Megan Rossee have reportedly broken up, and if the report is true the split had to have happened at some point within the past several days. According to TMZ, Phelps has ended his relationship with the model/actress:
According sources, Phelps felt the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, so he decided to end it so he could pursue other options.
According sources, Phelps felt the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, so he decided to end it so he could pursue other options.
Ban On Demanding Facebook Passwords Among New 2013 State Laws
Ban On Demanding Facebook Passwords Among New 2013 State Laws, Employers in California and Illinois will be prohibited from demanding access to workers’ password-protected social networking accounts and teachers in Oregon will be required to report suspected student bullies thanks to new laws taking effect in 2013.
In all, more than 400 measures were enacted at the state level during 2012 and will become law in the new year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
In all, more than 400 measures were enacted at the state level during 2012 and will become law in the new year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
Snooki Lets Get Married
Snooki Lets Get Married, From getting engaged to welcoming her first baby and then wrapping MTV's Jersey Shore, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi sure had an eventful 2012.
However, judging by her Twitter posts on New Year's Eve, the pint-size MTV star is even more excited to usher in 2013. In a lovey-dovey message to her fiance Jionni LaValle, Snooki told her son's father that she's anxious to end their nine-month engagement -- and get married already.
"I LOVE U! Ur amazing and you made my 2012 AMAZING!" Snooki, 25, tweeted to her fiance. "Thank u for giving me Lorenzo, I love my family. NOW LETS GET MARRIED!"
However, judging by her Twitter posts on New Year's Eve, the pint-size MTV star is even more excited to usher in 2013. In a lovey-dovey message to her fiance Jionni LaValle, Snooki told her son's father that she's anxious to end their nine-month engagement -- and get married already.
"I LOVE U! Ur amazing and you made my 2012 AMAZING!" Snooki, 25, tweeted to her fiance. "Thank u for giving me Lorenzo, I love my family. NOW LETS GET MARRIED!"
NFL Black Monday
NFL Black Monday
They are strewn across the NFL landscape like fresh roadkill.
Andy Reid. Lovie Smith. Ken Whisenhunt. Norv Turner. Romeo Crennel. Chan Gailey. Pat Shurmur.
Those are just the head coaches who were kicked to the curb on Black Monday.
Most striking this time is that five general managers were forced to walk the plank, too. In three cases -- with the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns -- the teams double-dipped and canned the coaches and GMs.
Goodbye, A.J. Smith, Rod Graves, Tom Heckert, Mike Tannenbaum and Gene Smith.
In another case, with the Tennessee Titans, neither the coach nor GM was fired (yet), but the football man above them, CEO Mike Reinfelt, was given his walking papers by owner Bud Adams.
More moves surely are pending.
Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, in firing Crennel, will head the search for a coach, which leaves GM Scott Pioli on shaky ground.
The Jacksonville Jaguars fired Gene Smith, but first-year coach Mike Mularkey can hardly be assured he'll survive when the new GM arrives.
Gailey is out in Buffalo, but GM Buddy Nix, who spent more than $100 million in free agency to upgrade a defense that got worse, must still meet with owner Ralph Wilson.
The common thread in all of these cases is what you'd expect.
It's about winning. Fast and now.
Reid took the Eagles to five NFC title games, but that's history. He hasn't been to the playoffs in three years, out in Philadelphia after a 4-12 finish this season. So much for that "lifetime" job.
Hard-luck stories can be found in many outposts. Crennel got one season as Todd Haley's replacement, after players lobbied for him to get the job. He drew rave reviews for his handling of the team amid the murder-suicide tragedy involving linebacker Jovan Belcher.
The Chiefs were 2-14. Gone.
A recent chat with ousted Chargers GM A.J. Smith comes to mind. The topic was job security.
"It's a bottom-line business," Smith said.
The Chargers have missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season. So Smith, who stumbled with recent high draft picks and didn't hang on to a few other talented producers, is out the door with Turner -- fired as a head coach for the third time.
With so many GMs fired along with or instead of the coaches -- as was the case with the New York Jets, who kept coach Rex Ryan and ran Tannenbaum out -- the movement reflects increasing pressure upstairs.
Gone are the days, apparently, when GMs get to cycle through three or four head coaches. That was another generation.
In a salary-cap era flush with the biggest revenue in league history and with "football people" wielding less power, patience with GM tenures is waning.
What's evident now is that a GM had better get it right on the two most crucial hires -- the head coach and the quarterback -- or else.
And the GM might get just one crack at both -- if that. New Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Monday that in his new order, he'll hire the coach first.
A.J. Smith might have been an exception. He lasted 10 years in the GM seat for the Chargers and had a quarterback to build around in Philip Rivers.
Yet it still wasn't enough, given other blunders.
So many of the firings on Monday, though, were linked by the common denominator of poor quarterbacking. The Jaguars, who have had a series of draft-day blunders and a few glaring cases of free agency overspending, are floundering with Blaine Gabbert.
Buffalo re-upped with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and now Gailey is gone after three years.
The Cardinals? Whisenhunt won more playoff games than any other coach in franchise history and took Arizona to a Super Bowl when he had a legit quarterback in Kurt Warner. But injury-riddled Kevin Kolb has flopped, and the replacements were even less impressive. And after plummeting to a 5-11 finish following a 4-0 start, the Cardinals missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
Then again, Lovie Smith had a decent quarterback in Jay Cutler.
That quarterback, it turns out, played under three offensive coordinators and never seemed to have an offensive scheme that was consistent enough to win big.
So they'll start over again. Like Whisenhunt, Smith has a Super Bowl appearance on his resume. No matter. What he didn't have was enough victories, especially after the Bears faded from a 7-1 start to miss the playoffs. Would one more win have saved his job? Smith is the rare coach to get fired after a 10-win season.
Then again, Marty Schottenheimer was fired by the Chargers after the 2006 season after a 14-2 campaign resulted in an early playoff exit.
It's a cold business. Especially on Black Monday, which for many NFL coaches and GMs is the coldest day of the year.
Andy Reid. Lovie Smith. Ken Whisenhunt. Norv Turner. Romeo Crennel. Chan Gailey. Pat Shurmur.
Those are just the head coaches who were kicked to the curb on Black Monday.
Most striking this time is that five general managers were forced to walk the plank, too. In three cases -- with the Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns -- the teams double-dipped and canned the coaches and GMs.
Goodbye, A.J. Smith, Rod Graves, Tom Heckert, Mike Tannenbaum and Gene Smith.
In another case, with the Tennessee Titans, neither the coach nor GM was fired (yet), but the football man above them, CEO Mike Reinfelt, was given his walking papers by owner Bud Adams.
More moves surely are pending.
Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, in firing Crennel, will head the search for a coach, which leaves GM Scott Pioli on shaky ground.
The Jacksonville Jaguars fired Gene Smith, but first-year coach Mike Mularkey can hardly be assured he'll survive when the new GM arrives.
Gailey is out in Buffalo, but GM Buddy Nix, who spent more than $100 million in free agency to upgrade a defense that got worse, must still meet with owner Ralph Wilson.
The common thread in all of these cases is what you'd expect.
It's about winning. Fast and now.
Reid took the Eagles to five NFC title games, but that's history. He hasn't been to the playoffs in three years, out in Philadelphia after a 4-12 finish this season. So much for that "lifetime" job.
Hard-luck stories can be found in many outposts. Crennel got one season as Todd Haley's replacement, after players lobbied for him to get the job. He drew rave reviews for his handling of the team amid the murder-suicide tragedy involving linebacker Jovan Belcher.
The Chiefs were 2-14. Gone.
A recent chat with ousted Chargers GM A.J. Smith comes to mind. The topic was job security.
"It's a bottom-line business," Smith said.
The Chargers have missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season. So Smith, who stumbled with recent high draft picks and didn't hang on to a few other talented producers, is out the door with Turner -- fired as a head coach for the third time.
With so many GMs fired along with or instead of the coaches -- as was the case with the New York Jets, who kept coach Rex Ryan and ran Tannenbaum out -- the movement reflects increasing pressure upstairs.
Gone are the days, apparently, when GMs get to cycle through three or four head coaches. That was another generation.
In a salary-cap era flush with the biggest revenue in league history and with "football people" wielding less power, patience with GM tenures is waning.
What's evident now is that a GM had better get it right on the two most crucial hires -- the head coach and the quarterback -- or else.
And the GM might get just one crack at both -- if that. New Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said Monday that in his new order, he'll hire the coach first.
A.J. Smith might have been an exception. He lasted 10 years in the GM seat for the Chargers and had a quarterback to build around in Philip Rivers.
Yet it still wasn't enough, given other blunders.
So many of the firings on Monday, though, were linked by the common denominator of poor quarterbacking. The Jaguars, who have had a series of draft-day blunders and a few glaring cases of free agency overspending, are floundering with Blaine Gabbert.
Buffalo re-upped with Ryan Fitzpatrick, and now Gailey is gone after three years.
The Cardinals? Whisenhunt won more playoff games than any other coach in franchise history and took Arizona to a Super Bowl when he had a legit quarterback in Kurt Warner. But injury-riddled Kevin Kolb has flopped, and the replacements were even less impressive. And after plummeting to a 5-11 finish following a 4-0 start, the Cardinals missed the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
Then again, Lovie Smith had a decent quarterback in Jay Cutler.
That quarterback, it turns out, played under three offensive coordinators and never seemed to have an offensive scheme that was consistent enough to win big.
So they'll start over again. Like Whisenhunt, Smith has a Super Bowl appearance on his resume. No matter. What he didn't have was enough victories, especially after the Bears faded from a 7-1 start to miss the playoffs. Would one more win have saved his job? Smith is the rare coach to get fired after a 10-win season.
Then again, Marty Schottenheimer was fired by the Chargers after the 2006 season after a 14-2 campaign resulted in an early playoff exit.
It's a cold business. Especially on Black Monday, which for many NFL coaches and GMs is the coldest day of the year.
Banned Words List
Banned Words List
'Fiscal cliff' tops the 38th annual List of Words to be Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness.
Spoiler alert: This story contains words and phrases that some people want to ban from the English language. "Spoiler alert" is among them. So are "kick the can down the road," ''trending" and "bucket list."
Texas Ban Planned Parenthood
Texas Ban Planned Parenthood, Texas can cut off funding to Planned Parenthood's family planning programs for poor women, a state judge ruled Monday, requiring thousands to find new state-approved doctors for their annual exams, cancer screenings and birth control.
Judge Gary Harger said that Texas may exclude otherwise qualified doctors and clinics from receiving state funding if they advocate for abortion rights.
Judge Gary Harger said that Texas may exclude otherwise qualified doctors and clinics from receiving state funding if they advocate for abortion rights.
Assault Rifles Selling Out
Assault Rifles Selling Out, The feverish demand for military-style rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines is outstripping supply, ahead of legislative efforts to ban them in the wake of mass shootings.
"Our phones are ringing every 10 seconds and people are saying, 'Do you have any assault rifles?'" said Dennis Pratte, owner of My Gun Factory in Falls Church, Va., a store that also sells products online. "They've sold out of just about every gun shop nationwide and just about every distributor is out of stock."
"Our phones are ringing every 10 seconds and people are saying, 'Do you have any assault rifles?'" said Dennis Pratte, owner of My Gun Factory in Falls Church, Va., a store that also sells products online. "They've sold out of just about every gun shop nationwide and just about every distributor is out of stock."
Erika Menendez Arrests
Erika Menendez Arrests, Long before Erika Menendez was charged with pushing a stranger to his death under an oncoming train at a Queens elevated station, she had years of contact with New York City’s mental health and law enforcement establishments. She was treated by the psychiatric staffs of at least two city hospitals, and caseworkers visited her family home in Queens to provide further help. She was also arrested at least three times, according to the police, twice after violent confrontations.
Ms. Menendez’s years of inner and outer turmoil culminated in the deadly assault on an unsuspecting man who was waiting for a train on Thursday. Beyond stirring fear among riders on crowded platforms across the city, the attack also raised new questions about the safeguards in a patchwork private and public mental health system that is supposed to allow mentally ill people to live as freely as possible in the community while protecting them and the public.
Ms. Menendez’s years of inner and outer turmoil culminated in the deadly assault on an unsuspecting man who was waiting for a train on Thursday. Beyond stirring fear among riders on crowded platforms across the city, the attack also raised new questions about the safeguards in a patchwork private and public mental health system that is supposed to allow mentally ill people to live as freely as possible in the community while protecting them and the public.
21 Policemen Shot Dead in Pakistan
21 Policemen Shot Dead in Pakistan, Twenty-one tribal policemen believed to have been kidnapped by the Taliban were found shot to death in Pakistan’s troubled northwest tribal region early Sunday, government officials said.
Officials found the bodies shortly after midnight in the Jabai area of the frontier region of Peshawar after being notified by one policeman who escaped, said Naveed Akbar Khan, a top political official in the area. Another policeman was found seriously wounded, Mr. Khan said.
Officials found the bodies shortly after midnight in the Jabai area of the frontier region of Peshawar after being notified by one policeman who escaped, said Naveed Akbar Khan, a top political official in the area. Another policeman was found seriously wounded, Mr. Khan said.
Psy ending Gangnam Style
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Psy ending Gangnam Style, In 2012, Psy went from being unknown outside of his native Korea to a genuine global superstar, thanks entirely to "Gangnam Style" (you know, the one that made history by racking up 1 billion views on YouTube.)
So you may be surprised to learn how he plans on capping off his tremendous year: by "ending" his signature song with a performance on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve."
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