A bridge collapse this evening over the Skagit River in Northwest Washington caused cars and people to plummet into the water below, but the extent of the damage is not yet known.

The Washington State Patrol confirmed that the Interstate 5 bridge collapse, over the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, sent both cars and people into the water below — but it was unclear if anyone was injured in the incident.

Local site KomoNews.com reports:

“Both the northbound and southbound portions of the bridge dropped into the river sometime before 7 p.m., according to Washington State Patrol trooper Mark Francis … Francis said several cars were on the bridge when it collapsed, and some are now in the water.”

Before tonight’s bridge collapse, the Interstate 5 bridge was one of several deemed by the Washington State Department Of Transportation to be a “structurally deficient bridge.”

It is not currently known whether the people trapped in cars after the Washington state bridge collapse have been located and removed from submerged vehicles.

Former Reuters social media manager Matthew Keys tweeted:

Skagit Bridge “functionally obsolete” in 2010, meaning bridge design was outdated but bridge itself was not structurally deficient.

— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) May 24, 2013

Shortly after the Mount Vernon bridge collapse, images of the damage began to show up on Twitter:

Another photo of the collapsed bridge in Washington State via @kxly4news. twitter.com/kxly4news/stat…

— Andrew Kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) May 24, 2013

Photo of collapsed bridge. @gina_svh : North end of I-5 bridge over #Skagit River collapsed twitter.com/Gina_SVH/statu… via @matthewkeyslive #YA

— YourAnonLive (@YourAnonLive) May 24, 2013

#BREAKING! PHOTO OUT OF Wash! I-5 BRIDGE COLLAPSED WITH PEOPLE IN CARS TRAPPED IN THE WATER. twitpic.com/csqkht via @40ozterrorist #YAL

— YourAnonLive (@YourAnonLive) May 24, 2013

No official updates have yet been disclosed about the scope of injury or casualty following the Washington bridge collapse.

Skagit River Bridge Collapse Sends Cars, People Into Water is a post from: The Inquisitr

She will still lose the remote, but, when she finds it, life will be a lot easier.

Your Mom’s Cable Service [Fixed] is a post from: The Inquisitr

This American map of the rest of the world is the most accurate to date.

American Map Of The World [Revised] is a post from: The Inquisitr

While you are sitting here not high, California has issues with trunk space.

Meanwhile In California is a post from: The Inquisitr

A family of six seemed to have their fair share of worry when both a daughter and her dad were diagnosed with brain cancer — an aggressive form in the case of the child — but it got worse when their property management company decided the Lilly family’s house was not tidy enough and evicted them.

In Oregon, mom Melissa Weiser-Lilly has been coping with daughter Alyssa’s cancer battle for more than four years. And after remission, the girl and her family learned the cancer had returned in a far more aggressive form.

If that wasn’t enough with which to contend, the Lillys also discovered Alyssa’s dad Jeremy had brain cancer. In a video made about the family’s struggles, they discuss the concurrent diagnoses and illnesses, as well as Alyssa’s (nicknamed “Aly”) tumors, one of which she calls “peanut.”

Melissa says, breaking down in tears:

“They said that a reoccurring ‘peanut’ is most likely fatal … And the best thing they could do – the best thing they could do is hit her with chemo and hope for the best.”

Jeremy adds of his cancer struggle:

“It’s about the size of a quarter on the left hemisphere of my brain – really close to the speech center. So in the next couple months we decided to go in and do surgery.”

Much of the community was sensitive to the Lilly family’s plight — but not Portland’s C&R Real Estate Services, the management company that claims their home is “too messy” and says the family damaged the premises.

Melissa Lilly says she took a day off from working, being a mother and nursemaid to her ailing daughter and husband to attend to the home, repairing damage and cleaning until the house was “perfect.”

Melissa says:

“I didn’t sleep like a full night’s sleep, I didn’t even take care of the family. I just kind of ignored everybody and everything making sure everything was perfect.”

But the efforts left C&R Real Estate Services unmoved — they evicted the family of six, who now have ten days to find a home and nowhere to go.

Neighbor Lisa Mann said: “We need to have a heart at some point and cut this family some slack.”

The real estate management company that evicted the cancer-stricken family of six declined comment.

Family Of Six, Two With Brain Cancer, Evicted For ‘Untidy’ Apartment is a post from: The Inquisitr

Charles Ramsey will have access to free burgers for life after he put his waiting Big Mac on hold to rescue three women and a child held for years in a Cleveland home by his neighbor Ariel Castro, it has been revealed.

And it’s not just one place giving Charles Ramsey free burgers for life — a few Cleveland eateries have stepped up to ensure the hero (who told Anderson Cooper immediately after that any reward money he earned should go to the kidnapping victims) never has to pay for a meal in their restaurants again.

Free burgers for life seems a fitting tribute for the man who seems to think that he was just doing what any person should do when faced with a potentially violent madman who enslaved three women (at least one for a decade) and kidnapped the daughter of a friend.

The free burgers for life tribute for Ramsey came initially from the owner of the restaurant in which Ramsey was working at the time of the dramatic Cleveland rescue. Chris Hodges created the tasty-looking Ramsey Burger, which he describes as an “8-ounce burger of Certified Angus Beef, with a secret sauce.”

Since, a local news source reports, far more restaurants in Northeast Ohio stepped forward with similar offers, and Cleveland.com names them:

“AMP 150 at the Marriott Cleveland Airport; Washington Place Bistro and Inn in Little Italy; Fahrenheit restaurant in Tremont; Market Garden Brewery, Bier Markt, Bar Cento and Nano Brew in Ohio City; Welshfield Inn in Troy Township; Hodges and Pura Vida in downtown Cleveland; 87 West at Crocker Park in Westlake; Orchard House restaurant in Brunswick; Flour restaurant in Moreland Hills, and the Allegheny Grille in Foxburg, Pennsylvania, have joined in the offer.”

Scott Kuhn of Driftwood Restaurant Group is Hodges’ partner, and he said of the free burger tributes to the Big Mac munching Charles Ramsey:

“We want to honor our local hero with local food … He stopped his meal midway through to help those women. We’re now making sure he has other opportunities to go out and fully enjoy his burger.”

Kuhn came up with the “Chuck Card,” made just for Ramsey, good for the duration of his life and at least a free burger per trip.

Kuhn adds: ”I’m sure some places will give him more — maybe add fries and a soft drink — but that will be up to them.”

Do you think the least Cleveland can do is free burgers for life for Charles Ramsey’s heroics?

Free Burgers For Life For Charles Ramsey, Cleveland Kidnap Rescuer is a post from: The Inquisitr

The average American woman spends 30 years of her life avoiding pregnancy — and study after study has shown the IUD is a superior, reversible, difficult to screw up way to safely plan the spacing and general arrival of children.

So why is getting an IUD so hard, and why do doctors ignore IUD insertion pain despite overwhelming evidence that the issue prevents many women from accessing this life-changing method of family planning?

I am not a doctor, nor do I play on on television. I am, however, a 34-year-old mother of two. For the past 12 years, I’ve been actively trying to obtain an IUD, and, even with insurance, it’s never worked out.

And when it does work out, the issue of IUD insertion pain is almost always ignored, or flatly denied as bearable despite an avalanche of conflicting information. (Google “IUD insertion experience” to get an idea of what women are made to endure in a world where capable painkillers are widely available, but not given.)

It’s not just doctors that are making IUDs difficult, though they do their share of lack of advocacy of this method. During my second pregnancy, I asked my OB-GYN for Mirena, now widely seen on commercials during primetime. She made a face and haughtily told me she did not prescribe weight loss medication, assuming I’d asked for the similarly named Meridia.

It didn’t matter. My insurance at the time covered the device but not the insertion, which was $1000, payable in full prior to the procedure. (A princely sum to a twenty something mother of two small kids.) Our HMO changed, and then the insertion was covered but not the device.

Two years later and living in New York City, I visited another OB-GYN with new insurance. Again, I was denied because I had separated from my husband. The doctor refused me an IUD because there was “no guarantee I’d be monogamous.”

Another four years passed, and a new doctor similarly was unwilling to allow me an IUD, this time because I smoked — though smoking and IUDs are not considered a risk to a patient. The next doctor declined on the basis of my low pain tolerance, fearing I’d be unable to tolerate the discomfort of the procedure.

IUD insertion pain is indeed not just an issue in women’s heads — several studies indicate a massive lapse in provider concern for patient comfort. Across the web, women who have endured IUD insertion pain with no anesthetic repeatedly describe the procedure as “the worst pain” they have ever felt, relaying stories of vomiting, fainting, passing out alone in the parking lot after having a vasovagal reaction — the number of stories about IUD insertion pain and side effects seem to pop up wherever the device is mentioned.

Interestingly, most of the IUD insertion pain stories culminate the same way — the woman says that she’d do it over again, because the IUD itself enables her to plan her family without fear of a missed pill and without forever robbing her of the ability to have more children. (Or to have any children, in the case of nulliparous IUD users.) But it seems cruel that just because pain (excruciating, overwhelming, vomit-inducing pain) can be tolerated providers decide it should be — can anyone think of another procedure as analogously painful where doctors allow patients to suffer so intensely, so preventably?

A recent study on IUD insertion pain and provider failure to recognize it was published in the journal Contraception, and data indicates that doctors really don’t understand how painful IUD insertion is for the patient. Scaling pain measurements between patient and doctor revealed significant dissonance, Ob.Gyn. News reports:

“Patients rated pain at four points during the procedure: tenaculum placement; uterine sounding; IUD insertion; and speculum removal. Patients and providers agreed about the timing of maximum pain 41% of the time – a very poor level of agreement, [Dr. Karla E. Maguire] said.”

It’s not always that IUD insertion pain is over and done with — some studies indicate IUD insertion failure rates may be as high as 20 percent in some clinics, which may suggest that severe pain or other difficulties in completing the procedure prevented the patient from accessing the form of birth control at all.

Ultimately, it would seem IUD insertion pain and provider reluctance or disinterest has prevented the IUD from reaching its full potential among women of reproductive age, and that’s a shame.

Do you think the lack of concern for IUD insertion pain is a lapse of care that needs to be addressed?

IUDs Are Best, So Why Do Doctors Make It So Difficult? is a post from: The Inquisitr

Marijuana. Not even once. Or twice. Duuuuude. Anyone feel like Taco Bell?

On Weed It Is is a post from: The Inquisitr

Amy’s Baking Company has set the bar pretty low in that retail district.

Amy’s Baking Company’s Neighbors is a post from: The Inquisitr

He’s pretty sure he can internet anywhere always.

Overconfident IT Guy is a post from: The Inquisitr

Phoenix Police officer Daryl Raetz was tragically killed in the line of duty just days ago, and, in a show of support, hundreds of his fellow cops attended the Kindergarten graduation of his small daughter, Tatum Raetz.

While Officer Daryl Raetz’s little girl has to live with the loss of her father (killed in a hit-and-run incident) for the rest of her life, Tatum Raetz does have one impressive memory from this terrible year — her dad’s co-workers in a sea of blue, all showing up to honor her on her first big school milestone.

Phoenix Police tweeted about the graduation of Raetz’s daughter, but even with the massive turnout, the department didn’t expect the gesture to be quite so large.

Fellow Officer James Holmes told a local news source:

“[Tatum] had 300, 400 parents up here for her this morning … It was absolutely amazing. It was bittersweet and it was a bit overwhelming for all of us.”

Holmes continued:

“We tried to keep this small. We tried to keep this to Daryl’s squad and his precinct. But the word got out that this was happening and it went viral within the department and there was absolutely no way that you could keep officers who could be here away from here. they came, even with their families.”

Sara Garza is both a Phoenix Police member and Raetz family friend, and she said of the outpouring of support for Raetz’s widow and daughter:

“Usually we come together as a police family in sad times, so for something like this to happen on such a happy occasion … this is wonderful. It’s uplifting. … We honor his memory, but we’re there and we celebrate and we’re with his family. That’s the most important thing we can do … We’ll support his family forever, and this is just the first step.”

Dad would be so proud…as are we! twitter.com/SgtMartos/stat…

— Steve Martos (@SgtMartos) May 22, 2013

Officer Raetz’s daughter graduates kindergarten. He couldn’t be here so his PD family made it a point to be. twitter.com/phoenixpolice/…

— Phoenix Police (@phoenixpolice) May 22, 2013

Raetz, 29, died Saturday while on duty.

Phoenix Police In The Hundreds Attend Fallen Cop’s Daughter’s Kindergarten Graduation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Donald Rumsfeld’s gay marriage position is unclear — the former Bush administration big shot admits that he suspects acceptance of marriage equality is a slippery slope to polygamy.

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s gay marriage view is, he admits, not very solid either way — but Rummy said to Larry King recently that he can’t seem to separate marriage equality from other, more transgressive relationships.

Rumsfeld’s gay marriage position may be evolving because the 80-year-old told King that he certainly supported the repeal of the military’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy — which made it okay to be gay in the armed forces as long as no one knew.

But when it comes to marriage, Rumsfeld is not as cogent on where he stands — he said to King while speaking on Ora TV:

“You know, I’m, I guess, of a generation that I don’t … I listened to some of the Supreme Court justices and one of them said, ‘Well what’s next after that? Is it two people, three people?’ ”

The argument that polygamy (or polyamorous marriage) is the next logical step is a cornerstone of opposition to marriage equality despite any evidence that such a measure is being seriously tabled politically.

Larry King made reference to the former Secretary’s civil rights advocacy, but Rumsfeld’s gay marriage stance was one he didn’t seem to be able to reconcile with the other forms of equal treatment.

Rumsfeld elaborated, vaguely:

“I guess I just don’t equate the two … It’s not a subject I’m knowledgeable about. I guess the Rumsfeld rule here is: I don’t know.”

In an earlier interview, Rumsfeld’s gay marriage position was more tied to his old boss’ official party line, and he’d said:

“The administration has positions on these things … And if you’re part of the administration, you’re supportive of the administration.”

Do you think Rumsfeld’s gay marriage stance is evolving, or is marriage equality a lost cause for some more set in their ways politicians?

Rumsfeld’s Gay Marriage Worry: Polygamy Is Next is a post from: The Inquisitr

In Josephine County, Oregon, a disturbing result of cuts to police forces was profiled on public radio after a woman was raped by a former boyfriend — and a 911 dispatcher was unable to send units to prevent the attack.

NPR covered the situation in Josephine County, where the unidentified woman had called police to report an imminent assault after her former boyfriend came to her home to attack her.

In a call transcript, the terrified woman explains over and over that the man, a parole violator, was attempting to enter her home and rape her — and the 911 operator is unable to dispatch police to the scene of the impending attack.

The call was placed on a Saturday night last August, and, in it, the woman pleads as the man — identified as Michael Bellah — attempts to break in to her house. She says in part:

” … my ex-boyfriend is trying to break into my house. I’m not letting him in but he’s like, tried to break down the door and he’s tried to break into one of the windows.”

While the woman was raped and that alone is horrific, it’s also very chilling to realize that she was incredibly lucky to escape with her life.

In addition to local police inability to respond, state police in Oregon — to whom the woman was transferred eventually — also refused to send units to prevent the rape and assault. Before the woman was choked and violated, a state police dispatcher responded to her pleas:

“I don’t have anybody to send out there. You know, obviously, if he comes inside the residence and assaults you, can you ask him to go away? Do you know if he’s intoxicated or anything?”

Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson did not comment on the case — but acknowledging that each day brings new victims of the cuts, he also said in an earlier press release that victims of domestic violence should “consider relocating to an area with adequate law enforcement services.”

Woman Raped After Cuts To Police Force Leave Residents Unprotected is a post from: The Inquisitr

Marilyn Monroe photos stolen in Prague were set to be exhibited, but the brazen theft resulted in the loss of much of the material slated for display.

The Marilyn Monroe photos stolen were set to be featured in an exhibit to mark the 50th anniversary of Monroe’s passing, which was to open on May 30.

Fox reports:

“The collection of various items including Monroe’s dresses, shoes, photographs and diaries was assembled by curators at the Salvatore Ferragamo museum in Florence, Italy last year to mark the 50th anniversary of Monroe’s death.”

The late May exhibit was planned for Prague Castle, and Alice Titzova of the PR agency 2media explains that late Monday, a large number of Marilyn Monroe photos stolen alongside mannequins and other memorabilia were discovered to be missing from their storage location in transport.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the Ferragamo museum involvement was due to the fact that the entertainment icon favored the designer in her lifetime, and adds:

“Curator Jan Trestik said a truck carrying mannequins and photographs was raided in an apparently coordinated attack in the central Czech Republic on trucks carrying luxury goods from Italy.

“David Sebek, spokesman for Prague Castle, which is due to host the show, said most of the exhibits, including her dresses, had already arrived intact.”

Police in Prague acknowledge that the Marilyn Monroe photos were stolen but declined to elaborate on the status of the investigation.

After Prague, the exhibit honoring Monroe’s life and work was set to move on to Tokyo, and the fate of the event remained unclear.

Police did not disclose the value of the Marilyn Monroe photos stolen ahead of the Prague exhibit.

Marilyn Monroe Photos Stolen In Prague is a post from: The Inquisitr

One Reddit user has posted a picture indicating their child’s preschool has banned superhero play and overactive imaginations, fearing the little snowflakes may be getting carried away with all the fun being four entails. (A circumstance we believe has been ongoing since there were preschool kids roaming Earth.)

Redditor Oremor explains that his child came home from preschool and explained the superhero play ban, telling his dad that “make believe” was no longer allowed at preschool because of the inherent dangers of being playful and adorable.

The original text of the make believe ban read:

“Recently it has come to our attention that the imaginations of our preschool children are becoming dangerously overactive causing injuries within our pre-k community. Although we encourage creative thinking and imaginary play, we do not promote out [sic] children hurting one another.”

The note continued:

“Wrestling, Super Hero play, and Monster games will not be permitted here at [redacted school name]. In addition, please monitor the different media that your children may view. The re-enactment of televisions shows/movies are being done during active paly [sic] times in school.

Oremor posted the flyer to the r/philly subreddit, where Geekosystem rapidly picked up because there is no way to piss geeks off more than telling them they can’t be Batman. The additional factor of copious errors on the superhero play ban note was just icing on the outrage cake.

A Geekosystem writer talked about his post, to which Oremar replied in part:

“My son and I have always utilized superheroes as role models. We often talk on ways problems could have been solved rather than utilizing violence. (I have a masters in restorative practices, so believe me, I am not making this up. It’s sort of a game we play at home. “How could this have been solved peacefully?) However, sometimes, when the bully is too big, we find little recourse left but to meet force with force. It is this constant dialogue of ours regarding superheroes that has allowed us to address concepts such as right and wrong, good and bad, justice and injustice.”

Indeed, it seems contextualizing media (and not banning superhero play) is a fine strategy for dealing with life’s beasties, and the approach is correct — plus, banning imaginative play seems a losing battle.

The angry dad adds:

“You can therefore well imagine my anger when my son showed me the flyer with superheroes crossed out. I was livid! It was akin to a religious person (which we are not) finding their deity of choice called into question and ridiculed … This is nothing more than a bully who has her own issues with superheroes and is trying to force her views down the throat of others. Luckily i have my own superhero to turn to. THANK YOU REDDIT!”

The school involved has not commented on the superhero play ban (nor the atrocious spelling), but the internet is already beginning to take exception to this silly rule.

Do you think superhero play and other imaginative make believe is a healthy outlet for four-year-olds, or is the preschool correct in saying there is danger?

Preschool Bans Superhero Play, Imagination, Fun is a post from: The Inquisitr

Trevor Bolder, bassist on David Bowie’s Spiders From Mars who later joined the band Uriah Heep, has died at the age of 62.

The news of Trevor Bolder’s death was posted to David Bowie’s official Facebook page, in which the star (or his social media manager) announced that Bolder had succumbed to cancer.

In a statement made to Facebook, Bowie described Bolder as a capable musician second and a “great man” first, and the post to fans began:

“Sad to report that Trevor Bolder has succumbed to his fight with cancer at the age of 62 … The Uriah Heep bassist was probably best known to Bowie fans for his work across four Bowie studio albums: Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and Pin Ups.”

The Facebook statement continued:

“Trevor also played bass as one of The Spiders From Mars on the attendant Bowie tours along with fellow Spiders, Mick ‘Woody’ Woodmansey and the late Mick Ronson.”

Bowie was quoted as saying:

“Trevor was a wonderful musician and a major inspiration for whichever band he was working with. But he was foremostly a tremendous guy, a great man.”

Spin quotes Uriah Heep in a statement acknowledging Bolder’s death, reading:

“Trevor was an all-time great, one of the outstanding musicians of his generation, and one of the finest and most influential bass players that Britain ever produced. His long-time membership of Uriah Heep brought the band’s music, and Trevor’s virtuosity and enthusiasm, to hundreds of thousands of fans across the world.”

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard was quoted as saying:

“ … it’s devastating because we were looking forward to finishing up some new Cybernauts recording pretty soon, that may now not happen, but our real thoughts right now are with his family. TB was one of the good guys, I’m sure Mick Box & the guys in Heep feel the same way, we have lost a brother, a great bass player, a funny, funny man who lit up any room he walked into. I guess now, him & Ronno have a bit of catching up to do… RIP my friend.”

Uriah Heep bandmates say they are “numb to the core” at news of Trevor Bolder’s death.

Trevor Bolder Dies, Bowie, Uriah Heep Bassist Was 62 is a post from: The Inquisitr

In a terrifying London attack, a man was beheaded with a machete and “hacked at” with meat cleavers by two other men.

The London attack, which may be considered terrorism, happened in Woolwich near the Royal Artillery Barracks, where the active duty soldier was stationed.

A witness to the horrifying London attack explains that two “dark skinned” men were seen dragging a victim, adding:

“They started slashing him up with the knife and hitting him in the stomach with the machete. I don’t think it took long before he was dead. There were people passing by who were screaming and running away. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Witnesses to the London attack report that the assailants allegedly shouted “allahu akbar” as they assaulted the victim, and one explains:

“We saw clearly two knives, meat cleavers, they were big kitchen knives like you would use in a butcher’s, they were hacking at this poor guy, we thought they were trying to remove organs from him … These two guys were crazed, they were not there, they were just animals. They then dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road.”

The man, named James, says police did not arrive on scene for more than a quarter of an hour after the soldier was brutally killed in broad daylight:

“They took 20 minutes to arrive, the police – the armed response.”

Witnesses say the men responsible for the London attack behaved bizarrely and did not attempt to flee the scene — when police eventually arrived, the pair reportedly ran at cops before they were shot down.

A witness recalls:

“They were oblivious to anything, they were more worried about having their photo taken, running up and down the road … They had no intention of running off or leaving or anything … In my opinion, they were waiting for the police to arrive to be shot by the police. That’s the only thing I can think … It’s horrendous what they were doing to that guy.”

Authorities have indicated the London attack may have been “Islamist” in nature. The condition of the two suspects is not currently clear, but one was reportedly airlifted from the scene while the other was taken away by ambulance.

London Attack: Man Beheaded With Machete In Woolwich is a post from: The Inquisitr

Strangely, this seems so applicable to all relationships.

2 Chainz Love Advice is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sometimes, you don’t even realize it is until you’re outside vacuuming the grass.

One Of Those Days is a post from: The Inquisitr

Aw, that’s just mean — it like, glues the germs to everyone’s hands!

Pranking Germaphobes is a post from: The Inquisitr

Well, it is actually a very good likeness of the USB stick, in fairness.

Bakery, You Had One Job is a post from: The Inquisitr

We’ve gotten used to seeing her face on near everything, so the Hello Kitty melon that joins toasters, personal massagers, bathrobes, wallpaper, phone cases, and t-shirts isn’t entirely a surprise.

The Hello Kitty melon comes from (of course) Japan, and the (not sure if Sanrio sanctioned) fruit is emblazoned with the cartoon cat’s ubiquitous mug.

A Hello Kitty melon obviously doesn’t spring from the ground (or vine, or wherever melons come from) fully branded — the character’s likeness is carved into the still green young melon before it develops the dry, weird, net-like coating honeydew melons have on the outside.

If you’re enough of a Sanrio fan to need a Hello Kitty melon, there are a few things you should know about the special fruit made just for fans of the brand.

First, they’re not cheap. How much would you expect to pay for a Hello Kitty melon? Does $49, or 4,980 yen sound about right?

In addition to being $50 a pop, the melons are not a new addition to the Hello Kitty world of products. Hello Kitty melons first hit the internet’s big fruit salad back in 2010, and apparently were enough of a hit to come back for this summer’s harvest.

Not a lot of Hello Kitty melons are available for fruit-loving Sanrio collectors, either — just 300 will be sold by Belluna gourmet shopping for very dedicated Kitty-chan fans.

Hello Kitty Hell adds a bit of Sanrio fan-frustration to the mix:

“The sad, sad part is that you know the people at Sanrio are now desperately trying to figure out how to turn the inside of the melon pink to better reflect the brand image and their effort to further increase my (and everybody else’s) Hello Kitty Hell…”

Do you think a Hello Kitty melon is worth $50, even though there’s no way it can be added to a permanent collection of kitty trinkets?

Hello Kitty Melon A Bargain At Just $50 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Think your friend’s knot-tying is getting out of hand? What about a wedding with 25,000 guests?

It may sound nuts, but such a thing actually happened in Jerusalem, where a wedding and 25,000 guests flooded the city Tuesday night. (An incredibly impressive feat for a weekday wedding, can you imagine how many were unable to make it?)

While a wedding of 25,000 guests may seem a bit excessive, the teens getting hitched were from pretty connected families.

Shalom Rokeach, 18, and new wife Hannah Batya Penet, 19, married Tuesday night in Jerusalem in front of the massive hoard of guests.

As the UK’s Independent explains, Rokeach may be a kid at just 18 — but he is expected to assume a prominent position in his community as he gets older:

“Mr Rokeach is the grandson of the leader of the Hasidic Belz Rebbe dynasty – an ancient aristocratic family that has its roots in the 14th Century Poland. He is also the only male heir to the dynasty, and as such he is one day expected to head the community – one of the largest in Judaism.”

The ultra-Orthodox wedding of 25,000 guests raged until dawn in the city, with members of the Belz Rebbe sect from across the globe descending on the city to celebrate the marriage.

Roads were closed and barriers erected to contain the massive crowd of revelers.

The Jerusalem Post explained a bit about how the wedding of 25,000 guests was logistically managed:

“It is difficult enough at a regular wedding to see the ceremony under the huppa, but with so many people, even members of the family would have missed out – but for the many video screens placed in the area around the synagogue. This enabled the hordes of well-wishers to see the continuation of what many in hassidic circles consider a post-Holocaust miracle.”

MT @belznies Machnivka Rebbe’s Son R’Yisochor Dov Rokeach Sitting On The Oivenoon At Belz Chasina Photo: twitter.com/BELZERMACH/sta… #belzwedding

— Belzer Wedding (@Belzernews) May 21, 2013

The wedding, in addition to 25,000 guests, also boasted a command center with police and EMS on site due to the massive size of the party and number of attendees.

Jerusalem Wedding: 25,000 Guests Flood City For Marital Shindig is a post from: The Inquisitr

A trio of sisters ejected from a mall in Pennsylvania are mourning the recent death of their mother from cancer — but the three chose a forcefully worded yet common anti-cancer sentiment that offended mall security.

The sisters ejected from the mall in King of Prussia are Makia Underwood, 32, Zakia Clark, 29, and Tasha Clark, 27. The girls’ mother, Jackie Underwood, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 — and Jackie sadly passed away with her daughters by her side on May 14.

Makia, Zakia and Tasha explain their mother’s death was not an easy one, and the sisters ejected from the mall in suburban Philly expressed some of their anger with the anti-cancer slogan — “f*** cancer.”

While the four-letter word is perhaps the most heavily sanctioned of all profanities, the phrase is given somewhat of a pass on social media forums due to the prevalence of cancer and the sheer number of people who lost someone too soon due to the horrors of the illness.

Jackie Underwood was young, too young, when she died at 51 of the disease, and the sisters ejected from the mall have worn hats and t-shirts bearing the slogan since as a way of coping with their mom’s untimely passing.

Zakia explains why the “f*** cancer” shirts and hats are cathartic for the sisters:

“That’s how we feel. It took our mom away. It’s a demon. It’s the devil … There are no other words you can use to explain how you feel. You want cancer to get cancer and die.”

The sisters were ejected from the mall Sunday, as they shopped for a dress for Zakia’s daughter, 9, to wear to Jackie’s funeral. After two and a half hours of shopping, the group stopped for food in the food court, and security approached, demanding the hat be removed inside the mall.

Zakia recalls:

“He said, ‘Since you don’t want to take your hat off, you can leave my mall.’ … He stood there while we ate and threatened to call the cops.”

Seven guards cornered the women, and Zakia says”

“I was very embarrassed … My daughter was so scared she was crying.”

Police were summoned, and an officer ejected the sisters from the mall:

“The officer said, ‘I find it offensive that you even have that hat that says ‘F— CANCER.’ … He said, ‘It’s their mall, they want you out, you have to get out.’ ”

Makia adds:

“I just wanted to tell them the whole story. I wanted to tell them a monster came into our house, got into my mother and we had to watch that until the day it took her, so don’t tell me it’s offensive to say, ‘F— CANCER.’ ”

Makia describes the trauma of watching their mother slowly slip away, saying:

“It was gruesome to watch … When I watch monster movies, that’s the image I have of cancer – the zombie movie or the movie when Will Smith was the only person left alive. That’s what the clinics look like.”

Tiffany Wade is a friend to the sisters ejected from the mall in King of Prussia, and Wade created the “f*** cancer” garments to raise money for the cause.

Wade says:

“When you watch your mother turn from a super-strong woman to a woman who can’t walk, can’t talk, can’t breathe, you get so frustrated … You really feel like, ‘F— CANCER.’ That’s how you feel in your heart … I felt so bad they had to be the family to get thrown out. What’s the odds that the one I started it for gets thrown out of the mall?”

After the story got out, Simon Property Group spokesman Les Morris apologized for the women’s treatment, later adding:

“Certainly this could have been handled in a much more empathic and sensitive manner. We’re very sorry about her loss and wanted to apologize for the way her party was treated.”

Do you think the sisters ejected from the mall were wrong to wear the “f*** cancer” hats and shirts in a family-friendly environment, or is it appropriate considering their grief?

Sisters Ejected From Mall Over Cancer Hats is a post from: The Inquisitr

Oh my God, Kim K.’s shower invite. That is just cute.

So as Kim K.’s shower invite hits the web, it’s bound to get the inevitable Kardashian hater treatment. And to be fair, the Kardashian sisters can be a bit of a pain in the ass.

But TMZ got a sneak peek at Kim K.’s shower invite … and it’s freaking precious. Okay, most of us can’t afford a dedicated jewelry box to send out a baby shower invitation.

And even if we could, it wouldn’t play a special song just for us. And even if it did, it wouldn’t be one that our baby daddy penned as an ode to his own mama.

Kanye West’s “Hey Mama” is an emotionally laden song for many reasons — not the least of which is Donda West’s fairly recent and untimely death as the result of a surgery.

Even before Donda died and moms all over felt so, so bad for Kanye, “Hey Mama” was a really sweet and moving song. And as a Kanye fan and a mom, I haven’t been able to listen to it since the rapper broke down trying to perform it for the first time after he lost his own mom — to whom he was famously close, devoted and reverent.

So that Kim K.’s shower invite features the tinkly version of Kanye’s “Hey Mama,” that’s just … aww. It’s so sweet.

TMZ dishes on the June 2 event, hosted by the Kardashian clan to celebrate the new “Kimye” baby, and the site says:

“Not only is the invite playing the baby daddy’s tune, but the ballerina bears a striking resemblance to Kim herself — just in case anyone forgets who this party is REALLY celebrating … According to the invites, Kris Jenner, Shelli Azoff (wife of uber-manager Irving Azoff), Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian are hosting the party. Recommended attire … garden chic. We think that’s rich people speak for casual.”

(Let’s just hope Kim wears flats to the big event.)

Though it’s not the Kim K.’s shower invite remix, the video below is an approximation of a “Hey Mama” instrumental. Now, if you’ll excuse me … I have to go call my mom.

Kim K. Shower Invite Plays Kanye’s ‘Hey Mama’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Margaret Cho’s Korean spa tale of horror hit the web back in March, when the comedian did a long piece for Jezebel about her jjimjilbang encounter.

For the uninitiated, which includes many Americans, Margaret Cho’s Korean spa story may not make much sense at first.

Cho was speaking of a certain aspect of Korean culture — one that has managed to make it over to the U.S. in limited areas, mainly with Korean expat populations.

If you’ve never been, firstly, don’t let Margaret Cho’s Korean spa encounter scare you off — they’re amazing. (Here in New York, we have the very much lauded Spa Castle in Queens, an American jjimjilbang in which New Yorkers can escape the grimy city for drinks year-round in a rooftop pool with a swim up bar. Yeah.)

So Margaret Cho’s Korean spa blog post essentially told the tale of her experience with body shame at a Los Angeles jjimjilbang, and Cho wrote:

“I have been going to the jimjilbang since I was a little girl in Korea. You can have a bath and a scrub and a sauna and usually a meal and other spa treatments if you like, and aroma is special because there’s a huge swimming pool, a state of the art gym and a golf range on the top floor.”

Margaret relates being glared at by many patrons before ultimately being approached by a clothed (much of the Korean spa experience is nudity) employee, and summoned to talk — she explains:

“I walked out to next to the pools with her, and she sat me down on the wet bench and tried to tell me, very apologetically that I was making the women there upset with my heavily tattooed body. She was really sorry and embarrassed about it, and I felt bad, but I was actually enraged.”

Cho admits she pulled out the “do you know who I am?” line, but in Korean, and had been given some concessions in the form of treatments — but the damage was done:

“I told them that Korean culture is one thing, but this place is in Los Angeles. We are not in Korea right now. This is America. And it’s not like I enjoyed looking at their bodies that much. These were all women of various sizes and shapes and some, like me, bore the marks of a difficult life. My tattoos represent much of the pain and suffering I have endured. They are part of me, just like my scars, my fat, my eternal struggle with gravity. None of our bodies are ‘perfect’. We live in them. They aren’t supposed to be ‘perfect’. We are just us, perceived flaws and all. I am just only myself. I like a good scrub and a sauna, especially when you can watch Tiger Woods while it’s all going down.”

A footnote to the story is, however, that Margaret Cho’s Korean spa experience became a part of her act — as evidenced by a review of a recent performance in Atlanta, Cho told “an extended story” about her experience.

Would you try a jjimjilbang, or did Margaret Cho’s Korean spa experience put you off?

Margaret Cho’s Korean Spa Shame Becomes Part Of Her Act is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s friend, killed in Orlando following questioning about the Boston bombing, expressed fear to a fellow Chechnyan pal in Florida.

The Tsarnaev friend killed in Orlando had been one of several acquaintances of Tamerlan (the elder brother killed in a standoff at MIT) living in the area. The Chechnyan men knew one another through the MMA community.

Khasuen Taramov was taken in for questioning along with Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s friend killed in Orlando, identifying the young man as Ibragim Todashev, 27.

Taramov says that he and Todashev (who had lived in Boston and made Tsarnaev’s acquaintance) had been followed by the FBI after the bombings.

According to Taramov, Tsarnaev’s friend killed in Orlando “wasn’t like real close friends (with Tsarnaev), but he just happened to know him.”

Taramov said, “… he had no idea that they were up to something like that, like bombings and everything, you know what I mean?”

After Tsarnaev’s friend was killed in Orlando, Taramov explained that he and Todashev had been taken in for hours of questioning by the FBI Tuesday night, adding somewhat eerily that his friend ”felt inside he was going to get shot” that evening.

Taramov said:

“(The FBI) took me and my friend [Todashev], the suspect that got killed … They were talking to us, both of us, right? … and they said they need him for a little more, for a couple more hours, and I left, and they told me they’re going to bring him back. They never brought him back.”

Before the bombing, Todashev had planned a trip back to Chechnya, for which he was scheduled to leave this week — and the 27-year-old opted not to go due to the intensity of FBI interest in himself and Taramov.

Taramov said after Todashev was killed:

“He cancelled the tickets because, the FBI had been like, I don’t know, they’ve been pushing him, you know what I’m saying … They’ve been pushing him they say ‘don’t leave, don’t leave’ so he decided to stay. But we had a feeling, worst case scenario something like that was going to happen.”

After Tsarnaev’s friend was killed in Orlando, the FBI said that an agent shot in self-defense and that further details were forthcoming.

Tsarnaev Friend Killed In Orlando Feared Getting Shot By FBI is a post from: The Inquisitr

Definitely a situation that supports use of the big red marker.

Text Speak On Tests is a post from: The Inquisitr

A mysterious illness has killed two people and caused five more to be hospitalized in Alabama, and the respiratory infection has baffled public health officials in the state.

The mysterious illness that has killed two in Alabama began to emerge late last week, and some of the seven total sickened also presented with the flu when treated.

A fever, cough, and shortness of breath affected those infected by the mysterious illness, and samples from all seven patients are currently being tested by the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control Respiratory Laboratory, with results expected later this week.

Alabama Department of Public Health Spokeswoman Mary McIntyre said public health officials are hoping that publicizing the outbreak would make Alabama residents aware of the mysterious illness that has killed two:

“We’re only aware of the Southeast, but we don’t know — we haven’t received reports from anywhere else … That’s why we’re trying to get the information out.”

WFSA reports that public health officials have discovered little to connect the infected individuals with one another, and add that none had recently traveled:

“So far none of those affected by the mystery illness appear to be connected to each other and there’s no indication that any had recently traveled outside the country … The ADPH and CDC are recommending that hospitals take respiratory precautions, such as breathing masks, when treating patients with respiratory symptoms.”

The station reports that all those infected with the mysterious illness lived in the”eight-county service area including Barbour, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.” Hospitals have been advised to implement cautionary measures including masks and increased infection control as the outbreak is investigated.

Mysterious Illness Kills 2, Hospitalizes 5 In Alabama is a post from: The Inquisitr

Child abuse is a serious matter … but unintentional parent abuse, in which a tot injures their mom or dad through inadvertent lack of motor skills or temper tantrum, is not something we talk about often.

Sure, they look cute, but how many in the terrible twos bracket are repeat unintentional parent abuse offenders? If you’re reading this and have raised toddlers, chances are, you haven’t escaped unscathed.

My own son was four when I experienced my most severe instance of unintentional parent abuse. Sharing a bed at my mother’s house, we were both sound asleep when in a moment of restlessness, he yanked a wooden birdhouse off a windowsill and clocked me in the eye with it.

I told my co-workers I’d walked into something, but they knew … perhaps some victims of unintentional parent abuse themselves.

Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, medical director of the Tom Sargent Children’s Safety Center at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, spoke to the New York Times about unintentional parent abuse.

Hoffman explains that the tiny wee tyrants often can’t temper their impulses and don’t know their own strength — a bruise and fracture situation waiting to happen:

“You’re dealing with wonderful human beings who can’t be reasoned with, who are impulsive, who are stronger and faster than you think they are, and don’t understand consequences of their actions.”

The Times itself paints a frightening picture of untold scores of unintentional parent abuse going unreported, saying:

“According to emergency room physicians, pediatricians and other experts, U.P.A. is no laughing matter. With unpredictable infants and toddlers, meals, bath time or even cuddles can go terribly wrong. Though statistics for injuries caused by young children are difficult to find, parents routinely suffer concussions, chipped teeth, corneal abrasions, nasal fractures, cut lips and torn earlobes, among other injuries.”

One expert speaking to the paper advised victims of unintentional parent abuse to “children’s fingernails and to keep potential weapons out of reach.” Are you a silent sufferer of U.P.I.?

Unintentional Parent Abuse A Quiet Threat is a post from: The Inquisitr

Scrubs has been out of its heyday and off the air forever, but who doesn’t still miss Turk and JD?

Still A Better Love Story Than Twilight (Scrubs Edition) is a post from: The Inquisitr

Still, this particular bit makes more sense to most Americans than the French would.

Walmart Apparently Doesn’t Use Google Translate is a post from: The Inquisitr

Singer Burt Bacharach’s daughter Nikki died alone in her California apartment at the age of 40, and Bacharach has opened up about his daughter’s life and death in his new autobiography, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music.

Burt Bacharach’s daughter Nikki was born prematurely, weighing just one pound and ten ounces when she arrived.

Nikki, whose mom was Angie Dickinson, died back in 2007 — and Bacharach admits that he was forced to finally face her loss when he decided to pen the book.

Of the difficult decision, he explains:

“It was very tough because I had to revisit what that period was and go deeper into it … [Nikki] was one-pound, 10 ounces at birth, you should know the deck is stacked against you then.”

When Nikki was growing up, the singer explains, psychiatry was not as advanced as it is today — and his troubled daughter suffered from what we now know to be Asperger’s Syndrome.

On the autism spectrum, Asperger’s can cause significant psychosocial stressors for sufferers, but Bacharach said back then, it was not diagnosed:

“Nobody said she’s got Asperger’s or she’s got autism. [Doctors suggested] she’s just got behavior things.”

Burt Bacharach’s daughter, the singer says, suffered with her issues to the point where it became difficult to determine when she was genuinely distraught — he said:

“It’s like the boy who cried wolf. Somebody who says, ‘I can’t stand it. The helicopters are making too much noise and the gardeners and the blowers are making too much noise and if they don’t stop I’m going to kill myself.’ ”

Bacharach adds:

“And you hear that enough and you know it’s never gonna happen and then one day she just goes and kills herself … When she did kill herself she did it alone, Textbook 101. Bag over her head. Alone. Kind of brave I guess for somebody who [had been] scared of so many things and [Nikki] left a note to me.”

Of his regrets, Bacharach says that sending her to a school to treat the issues Nikki had seemed like the best choice at the time, but caused some disharmony as the girl was separated from her mother:

“There was always that resentment that I kind of imprisoned her and the last thing in the world you know … I wish somebody would have just said, you’re not going to heal her, let her be.”

Nikki left a note, but Bacharach says he’s never been able to read it, and does not plan to — he explains:

“I know exactly what’s in the note. I never read the note. I never will. There is no need to read it. I already know what she said.”

Burt Bacharach’s daughter had a “very connected, symbiotic relationship” with her mother, the singer adds.

Burt Bacharach’s Daughter’s Suicide Addressed In New Memoir is a post from: The Inquisitr

January Jones’ son Xander is too young to protect himself from prying press eyes — but the Mad Men star is just fine with doing it for him.

When January Jones‘ son Xander was born, it was a decidedly one-party parenting effort — with the actress alone having and caring for the boy.

Jones was mum from the start on who her baby daddy happened to be — and now that Xander is here and people are still asking, the actress is adamant that it’s the kid’s story to tell.

January Jones’ son is now 20 months old, and the question of his paternity came up in a recent interview. It wasn’t with Us Weekly or In Touch, either — the New York Times queried the 35-year-old star about who fathered the tot.

Of her decision to keep Xander’s private info private, Jones said to the paper:

“That’s my son’s business … It’s not the public’s business.”

Jones also said the question of who shares half Xander’s DNA and her circumspect answer was down to advice given by a Hollywood vet — she adds:

“Jack Nicholson once told me: ‘You should never give your personal life away, otherwise people will pick you apart. They’ll never believe in your character,’ … Women should have lots of secrets. It’s our right to have secrets. Otherwise, what would we write in our memoirs?”

The paper speculated earlier in the profile that Xander’s dad could be Michael Fassbender, or Vince Vaughn.

One private detail Jones was willing to reveal, however, was an unusual (but becoming more common) practice after Xander’s birth — she admits to eating the placenta.

Of the experience, Jones said:

“It was like taking a vitamin blended into a smoothie … I’m a mammal. I nursed. I did all kinds of weird stuff.”

Do you think January Jones’ son Xander will learn who his dad is before the info is otherwise leaked?

January Jones’ Son Xander’s Daddy None Of Your Business, Star Says is a post from: The Inquisitr

Strangely enough, random Facebook comment reveals much of what ails the education system today.

What We Didn’t Learn In High School is a post from: The Inquisitr

You know this is your fandom if upon reading this sign, you did not feel amused, but rather, left out.

Best Maintenance Sign Ever is a post from: The Inquisitr

Co-sleeping may raise the risk of SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, a new study suggests.

The new findings about co-sleeping and SIDS have reignited debate over the controversial sleeping practice in which parents share a bed with infants.

Advocates of co-sleeping report more workable sleeping patterns overall, as well as ease of breastfeeding, less nighttime waking, and more security for a new baby. Some experts in baby care also posit that co-sleeping can be a SIDS deterrent, due to the possible “pacemaker” effect of a mother’s heart sleeping alongside a baby.

But a recent study directly contradicts the practice of co-sleeping as a SIDS prevention method, indicating babies who co-slept were “five times more likely to die of SIDS compared with infants who slept separately in the same room,” even when controlling for SIDS risk factors such as formula use, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

After the three-month mark was passed, the study found the co-sleeping SIDS risk remained at three times higher than that of infants who slept separately from parents.

Dr. Rachel Moon is a pediatrician at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) task force on SIDS. Dr. Moon said of the research findings on co-sleeping and SIDS:

“This is a really important study, because it does what no other study has done before … Even if you do everything right, bed-sharing increases a baby’s risk.”

Moon added:

“It’s become really uncommon to encounter a baby who dies of SIDS who wasn’t bed-sharing.”

However, the study on co-sleeping and SIDS has already been criticized by UNICEF UK in a five-point rebuttal on their website.

In the response, the organization says in part:

“The stated objective of the paper is to resolve uncertainty about the risk of SIDS and bed-sharing, but this is not possible if essential data has not been collected. A more recent study (Blair et al, BMJ 2009) has demonstrated a significant interaction between co-sleeping and recent parental consumption of alcohol and drugs. None of these five case-control studies collected data on recent drug consumption and only two collected data on alcohol consumption. The over-arching argument is thus whether bed-sharing in itself poses a risk to infants or whether the risk is within the hazardous circumstances in which we bed-share. These older studies simply do not have the data to resolve this argument.”

The SIDS co-sleeping study was published in the medical journal BMJ. 

Co-Sleeping SIDS Risk Eyed In New Study is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Utah mom caught her daughter “bullying” another student — but instead of going to the school and siding with her own kid, devised a novel disciplinary method … ordering her daughter, 10, to wear thrift shop clothes.

It may sound unorthodox, but the bullying punishment makes more sense in context. The mom, Ally, learned from a teacher that her daughter, Kaylee, had been taunting a classmate about her clothing to the point where the other girl no longer wished to go to school.

Ally isn’t Kaylee’s biological mom, but has been the girl’s father’s partner for seven years. A local Fox affiliate explains that the two share a mother-daughter relationship — and when Ally learned through an email from a teacher what Kaylee had been up to, she was horrified.

The station explains:

“Wednesday, Ally received an email from Kaylee’s teacher explaining that she had been bullying another student because of how she dressed. The harassment had been taking place for the last three weeks, and according to the teacher, the student no longer wanted to come to school.”

Ally adds:

“She would take her out on the playground and call her names, and tell her she was a slob and tell her she dressed like a sleaze … Someone not wanting to go to school anymore based off of something that one other little person said to them. I mean, that’s huge, that’s damaging.”

Macklemore may drop lines about thrift shops, but the trend hasn’t trickled down to grade school, it appears — and Ally felt it was time to get creative to teach Kaylee the impact of bullying.

Ally says:

“I thought this is a perfect moment for us to really teach her, this is right, this is wrong, which path are you going to take? And then it’s her choice.”

She adds:

“If she chooses to be a bully after this, then at some point in her life, she’s going to be on the other side and she’ll know what it really feels like. And I think now that she knows what it feels like, and she doesn’t want to be that person anymore because she knows how hurtful it is.”

Kaylee spoke about her experience, saying after she wore the thrift shop clothes to school as a bullying punishment:

“I died. I did … They talk behind my back.”

But the tween seems to have absorbed the message, and now says she won’t be bullying anyone about clothes — she explains:

“Because it’s stupid and it’s mean. It hurts them.”

Do you think the Utah mom’s bullying punishment was a good lesson or too cruel?

Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

Utah Mom Catches Kid, 10, Bullying, Makes Her Wear Thrift Shop Clothes is a post from: The Inquisitr

An Archie comics gay kiss is the latest in progressive turns for the long-popular series of titles, but the contemporary storyline also reflects how the septuagenarian comic has grown alongside society.

In the 1940s when the brand debuted, an Archie Comics gay kiss would have been unthinkable in Riverdale. And while modern polyamorous people point to Archie, Betty, and Veronica as a pop culture example of a “triad,” the characters have still stayed on the family-friendly side of storyline development despite the ever-racy three-way vibe at the core of the comics.

In an issue debuting August 7, the Archie Comics gay kiss will be revealed. Last year, we learned character Kevin Keller was gay, and is now openly and recurringly Riverdale’s first out gay student.

Keller has a new boyfriend Devon, and the pair lock lips at Pop Tate’s Diner for all of Riverdale High to witness. One onlooker, not a student, takes offense — but drama-courting Veronica records the boys kissing and uploads it to the Archie universe’s version of YouTube.

Jon Goldwater, publisher of Archie Comics, says a gay kiss was the next step for the teen comic in its evolution — and he explains:

“We certainly pride ourselves on being contemporary, but that’s not the reason why we’re showing ‘The Kiss.’ Just like when Kevin first told Jughead he was gay, it was in the natural course of conversation. We are creating this in the same way. It’s just part of the story.”

Dan Parent is a writer and illustrator for the comic brand, and Parent explains that the Archie Comics gay kiss was born in response to the group One Million Moms — the anti-gay group forced Toys ‘R Us to capitulate and remove the “wedding” cover featuring Kevin, but the comic went on to sell out anyway.

Do you think the Archie Comics gay kiss is a sign that America is growing more tolerant?

Archie Comics Gay Kiss Mocks One Million Moms is a post from: The Inquisitr

A tornado survivor in Oklahoma provided a bit of happy relief to temper the horror of yesterday’s devastating weather in the state, reunited with her beloved dog live on TV while she was being interviewed.

Barbara Garcia — victim of the tornado that leveled Moore, Oklahoma — was speaking to CBS in the horrific aftermath of the massive tornadoes that hit her area Monday.

Garcia’s dog, aptly named Toto, had been separated from the woman as the twister hit. Speaking later about her experience and still unable to find her dog, Garcia said:

“I was sitting on the stool holding my dog … This was the game plan all through the years, to go in that little bathroom (together). I rolled around a little bit and when it stopped I was right there (and) that stove cooker is what I saw.”

Garcia continued: ”I never lost consciousness and I hollered for my little dog and he didn’t answer, he didn’t come, so I know he’s in here somewhere.”

Before the tornado survivor was reunited with her dog, it was one of those things pet owners can hardly bear to watch on television — something about the helplessness of a loyal pet being at issue, and the idea of being unable to protect one’s own animal really gets to everyone in disasters.

But miraculously, as the interview progressed, the tornado survivor reunited with her dog was about to get an amazing surprise.

In the rubble of what was her home, someone spotted a small, furry head. And Toto soon emerged, shaken but unharmed after he was ripped from Barbara’s arms in the twister.

Garcia said: ”Well I got God to answer one prayer to let me be OK, but he answered both of them because this was my second prayer.”

Watch in the clips as tornado survivor Barbara Garcia is reunited with her dog, Toto.

Tornado Survivor Finds Dog Live On TV During Interview is a post from: The Inquisitr

If you imagine Brad Pitt’s life with Angelina Jolie to be a blur of Hollywood fun far removed from the day to day drudgery most parents of young kids endure, you might be a bit off — and Pitt opened up about work, family, and putting his party boy days behind him in a recent Esquire interview.

While Brad Pitt has consistently remained a hot Hollywood hunk since he blazed onto the scene as a grifter in Thelma & Louise, the A-lister and partner of Angie (and dad to their brood of kids) has since put his wild days behind them.

And, Pitt says, he’s happier than he has ever been.

In a recent Esquire interview, Pitt admits he has “very few friends,” adding:

“I have a handful of close friends and I have my family and I haven’t known life to be any happier. I’m making things. I just haven’t known life to be any happier.”

While the World War Z star admits his 20s and 30s were wild, he says he has always considered family life, and wanted a gaggle of kids like he and Jolie have now — Brad explains:

“I always thought that if I wanted to do a family, I wanted to do it big … I wanted there to be chaos in the house … there’s constant chatter in our house, whether it’s giggling or screaming or crying or banging. I love it. I love it. I love it.”

And when it’s quiet?

“I hate it when they’re gone … I hate it. Maybe it’s nice to be in a hotel room for a day – ‘Oh, nice, I can finally read a paper.’ But then, by the next day, I miss that cacophony, all that life.”

Of life before fatherhood, Pitt told the mag:

“I’d get so far and then want to do something else. I mean, I’m two credits short of graduating college. Two credits. All I had to do was write a paper. What kind of guy is that? That guy scares me – the guy who always leaves a little on his plate.”

Brad Pitt’s Esquire interview is on newsstands now.

Brad Pitt Has ‘Few Friends,’ Prefers Family Chaos Instead is a post from: The Inquisitr

Introverted people totally get this feel, bro.

John Mulaney On Canceling Plans is a post from: The Inquisitr

Unless they’re massive potheads?

Doing It Wrong, Green Edition is a post from: The Inquisitr

Local news reporter Lance West of KFOR reports that 75 children may be trapped or missing at Plaza Towers Elementary in Moore, Oklahoma after the school in which they were being sheltered was entirely leveled by the tornado.

Update 6:22 PM: KFOR reporter Lance West broke down in tears indicating that he believes rescuers located storm victims in the rubble, suggesting they may not have survived. No fatalities have yet been confirmed.

Update 6:44 PM: A separate KFOR reporter confirms four fatalities at a separate location in the affected area, including one infant.

Update 6:56 PM: Southeast Oklahoma City has been warned to stop using water after a power failure.

As first responders struggle to reach the scene in Moore, local coverage out of KFOR indicates that 30 children may have been pulled from the rubble, but it is currently unclear what the situation on the ground may be in the area.

KFOR’s Lance West is on scene near Plaza Towers, reporting that all students in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades have been accounted for but that first responders are still trying to reach children possibly trapped in the rubble.

West reports that fourth, fifth, and sixth graders were evacuated to a church before the tornado hit and leveled Plaza Towers elementary, but third grade students may have been in the school when the twister hit.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center’s Bill Bunting predicts that while the devastation in Oklahoma is already bad, the weather situation will likely persist.

Bunting said:

“These storms are going to continue producing additional tornadoes. They’ll also produce some very, very large hail, perhaps larger than the size of baseballs. We’re also concerned that there may be an enhanced and widespread damaging wind threat with storms as they merge together … As bad as today is, this is not over yet.”

Tornado knocked out Draper water treatment plant. Southeast OKC residents, do not drink water.

— KFOR (@kfor) May 20, 2013

As of 7:06 pm, the no information had been updated about the situation at Plaza Towers Elementary from official sources.

KFOR Reports 75 Children In Moore School When Tornado Hit is a post from: The Inquisitr

Founding member of rock band The Doors, Ray Manzarek, has died at the age of 74.

Robby Krieger, another surviving member of the band, confirmed the passing of Ray Manzarek today in a statement.

Manzarek, who died in Germany after a long bout with cancer of the bile ducts, had in recent years performed with Krieger.

Krieger said:

“I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of my friend and bandmate Ray Manzarek today … I’m just glad to have been able to have played Doors songs with him for the last decade. Ray was a huge part of my life and I will always miss him.”

Manzarek’s death was announced on the band’s official Facebook page, and the statement posted to the social network spoke a bit about the keyboardist’s history in rock n’ roll.

The Doors’ official page posted:

“Manzarek is best known for his work with The Doors who formed in 1965 when Manzarek had a chance encounter on Venice Beach with poet Jim Morrison. The Doors went on to become one of the most controversial rock acts of the 1960s, selling more than 100-million albums worldwide, and receiving 19 Gold, 14 Platinum and five multi-Platinum albums in the U.S. alone.”

The statement continues:

“L.A.Woman, Break On Through to the Other Side, The End, Hello, I Love You, and Light My Fire were just some of the band’s iconic and ground-breaking songs. After Morrison’s death in 1971, Manzarek went on to become a best-selling author, and a Grammy-nominated recording artist in his own right. In 2002, he revitalized his touring career with Doors’ guitarist and long-time collaborator, Robby Krieger.”

Ray Manzarek is survived by wife Dorothy Manzarek, and brothers Rick and James Manczarek, son Pablo Manzarek, and three grandchildren.

Ray Manzarek Dies, Doors Founding Member Was 74 is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the disappearance of Susan Powell, new details seemed to be a lost hope when husband Josh Powell — long suspected to be behind her sudden and alarming disappearance — took his own life and those of his two toddler sons back in February of 2012.

The announcement of Susan Powell’s new details today by police in Utah marks another strange twist, one in a case riddled with bizarre turns and sad conclusions — none of which have thus far brought any peace to Susan’s family.

Susan Powell disappeared in late 2009, under circumstances that immediately pinged the radar of police. While the family of husband Josh insisted Susan ran off with another man, the late winter camping trip hastily planned by Josh Powell at the time Susan disappeared caused police to believe that her disappearance was not voluntary.

Later statements made by sons Braden and Charlie Powell further raised suspicion, and, at varying times in the immediate aftermath, the boys were reported as saying Mommy had been “in the trunk,” and that she had died.

This afternoon at a press conference, police say they have “no further active leads” to follow in the Susan Powell case, and will no longer be pursuing the investigation — and while the case will remain open, all details in the case will be made public this afternoon.

During the course of the conference, it was stated that Josh Powell committed a heinous crime, as did anyone who assisted him.

Police in Utah reveal that the case has been investigated across several states, and that the methods used were not fully conventional.

West Valley City Police:”Today Susan is still missing.We do not know where she is or what happened to her.”#SusanPowell

— KOMO News (@komonews) May 20, 2013

Police also confirm that wiretapping of communications between Steven Powell, the father of Josh Powell, and Josh Powell seemed to indicate that the elder Powell did not assist in what they believe to be Susan’s murder.

Deputy Police Chief Mike Powell, no relation to Josh Powell, also confirms that Michael Powell, the brother of Josh, was considered to have behaved “deceitfully” in the wake of the investigation. Michael Powell later committed suicide as well, further stunting the search for Susan Powell.

Documents containing the investigation of Susan Powell’s new details will be released this afternoon, but are expected to be extensive.

Susan Powell: New Details Revealed By Police is a post from: The Inquisitr

This child deserves an A.

Smart Kid is a post from: The Inquisitr

Gee, I wonder what they were up to that made them all have to go to Taco Bell right away?

Don’t Be A Stereotype At Taco Bell is a post from: The Inquisitr

These fountains have been watching too much SVU.

Fountain Wars is a post from: The Inquisitr

A video of a wife as she douses her husband with beer at Wrigley Field has gone viral, but the couple have chilled out about the incident since the enraged woman dumped a brewski on her man during a recent MLB game.

The video in which the wife douses her husband with ballpark beer was a favorite takeaway of a recent Cubs game against the New York Mets — and it seems that the hubby was in a lose-lose situation.

The “wife douses husband” moment was caught on camera … and broadcast to viewers at home. The couple admits that they immediately began getting texts about the marital spat caught on cam after Travis Wood’s wayward home run went careening their way during the fifth inning.

The man explains he was “trying to protect” his “lovely wife,” and in the process, accidentally spilled a beer on her as he shielded her from the errant hit.

Was she grateful? So grateful she took the other beer and threw it in his face in anger — she later sheepishly admitted her reaction was one of frustration when MLB.com caught up with the pair after the game.

The wife who doused her man with a beer explains that she wasn’t thinking about a ball to the face after he accidentally poured a beer on her — she explains:

“I just got livid … And took my beer and splooshed it in his face. I figured if I’m wet, he might as well be wet too.”

As many have pointed out, the beer spat was not a cheap date — with prices per beer at about $7, it was a $15 total fallout after Wood’s hit went rogue.

But even as the “wife douses husband” clip circulates the web, the animosity was long gone. Before the pair got in the car, they were already laughing about their inadvertent viral fame.

Wife Douses Husband With Beer After He Protects Her From Ball [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr