Could Julian Assange Arrested Conclude Wikileaks Debacle?

Could Julian Assange arrested conclude the Wikileaks debacle? The US, as well as many around the world are frustrated with Australian Julian Assange's insistence on leaking certain documents that have arguably caused a lot of worry to US officials, as well as our allies.

The founder of Wikileaks has been arrested on a warrant issued by Sweden, and was on Interpol's most wanted list.

Assange is accused of sexually assaulting two women in Sweden, and that's the charge he's being held on. He's currently in Britain, and will have a hearing on December 14 over whether or not he can be extradited to Sweden.

Previously, Assange claimed that he had an 'arsenal' of more information that he would leak on the site if he were arrested, or if his site, Wikileaks continued to have technical difficulties which many think are caused by hacks by countries who don't want Assange's information to get out there.

Now that Julian Assange is arrested, maybe at least for now the whole Wikileaks scandal will end. There's a reason some information is classified, and for matters of national security I think it's best if it's not out there for all the world - including our enemies, to see.

Chinese Vase Found in Attic Auctioned For $83M

Chinese Vase Found Auctioned For $83M. It's the ultimate steal and what every person dreams about when searching through garage sales, antique stores, and flea markets. The Chinese Vase was found in an attic that a family was clearing out when a loved one passed away.

This is yet another indication on how the Chinese art market is exploding. The vase sold at an auction in London for the equivalent of $83 million - about 20 times the presale estimates. The 18th century porcelain vase is very rare.

It's believed that the vase had been in the family since the 1930's, and that Chinese Art has been found in London after British and French troops looted the Beijing Summer Palace in the 1800's.

As the Chinese economy booms, wealthy buyers want to purchase their own artifacts. The market is hard to pinpoint as it is expanding so rapidly.

This is the most expensive piece of Chinese artwork to be sold, beating a Song Dynasty scroll which was sold this summer for $64 million.

Ukraine Bus Accident

Ukraine's bus accident happened when a bus and a train collided in the Ukraine. This ended up being devastating, as 43 people were killed. At least a dozen more are injured, many of them critically.


Basically the Ukraine bus accident is the result of human error. The bus driver is said to have ignored warning lights and passed in front of the train. This is only the latest accident, and took place about 500 km from the capital of Kiev.


Traveling around the Ukraine is difficult, and dangerous. Many drivers disobey safety rules and regulations in the name of getting in a hurry and these are the sort of situations that erupt. It's even been said that the accident today was something that is looked at by many as "common."


Of course the Ukraine bus accident is a tragic tale. Hopefully no one else will die as a result of their injuries sustained during the Ukraine bus accident.

Body Found In Shark at Bahamas Missing Sailor Judson Newton

A Body found inside a shark turned out to be missing sailor Judson Newton.  Newton went missing when swimming to shore after his recreational boat stalled.  He is a cargo ship sailor. A tiger shark turns out to be the culprit behind the sailor's disappearance, as authorities identified him via fingerprint tests after he was discovered in the body of a Tiger Shark. 

Authorities are still waiting DNA testing to be 100% positive that they have not misidentified the body. Ironically, the area where the shark was caught was near where the hit movie "Jaws the Revenge" was shot.

The events unfolded when a recreational fisher hooked the shark.  He was appalled to find a human leg protruding from the carnivore's mouth.  Upon dissection, it was revealed that a torso and severed limbs were found inside the creature's body.

Friends of the missing sailor note that he was an experienced swimmer, and that they would be shocked if he drowned.  

Pope Benedict XVI's Aide Cardinal Walter Kasper: UK is Like a Third World Country

Pope Benedict XVI's aide Cardinal Walter Kasper told a German magazine that landing at London's Heathrow Airport is like "landing in a third world country." The Catholic leader also stated that "an aggressive new atheism has spread through Britain. If, for example, you wear a cross on British Airways, you are discriminated against."

The comments were made at a time where a Papal visit to England and Scotland are underway. Needless to say, Kasper has come down with a diplomatic "illness" and will not be accompanying the Pope on the trip - even though he had previously made plans to do so.

The Catholic church is trying to be diplomatic and clean up their tainted image, which was damaged by various sex scandals. Approximately 80,000 people were expected to attend events featuring the Pope, but new reports show that 30,000 people aren't going to attend because of the comments made.

The controversy comes at a bad time for the Catholic church, who is trying to defeat claims of inappropriate behavior.

Thai Airlines Bomb Threat a Hoax

The Thai Airlines bomb threat where authorities found a note in a lavoratory on a flight from Thailand to LA on Thai Airways which said a bomb was on the plane.  The message was written on a mirror. 


The plane landed safely in LA and was taken to a remote area where it was met by authorities for a thorough searching.  There was no indication that there was any issue with the plane. 


Making these kinds of threats is a federal offense, and one that can land you in jail for up to five years.  So far, there's no reason to believe that a crew member was involved in this instance. 


It's kind of sad that people do these things.  After all, can you imagine the hundreds of people this inconvenienced, and how much money this cost taxpayers and the airline? 


The plane's return flight was delayed several hours, and didn't take off until 2:30 am on Wednesday morning. 

Hare Krishna Temple Explosion and Burning Building (VIDEO)

A Hare Krishna Temple exploded in Leicester England . Over one third of the Hare Krishna Temple has collapsed, yet none of the worshippers inside are believed to have been injured.

In a flash of irony, the worshippers had a miraculous rescue from the blaze, which is believed to have been caused by a gas leak. According to reports from Sky News and UK Daily Mail, the fire from the building could be seen from miles away.

Approximately 30 people were inside, and authorities used thermal energy cameras to locate those trapped in the blaze.

Many were very shaken by this tragic fire. An eye witness is quoted as saying “'Everyone is really worried. There's a lady crying outside, there's a really injured gentleman and people are really shaken. It's really upsetting to see this happen.'

Below is the video of the blaze. As you can see, this was one really serious fire!

Puppy Tosser Busted, and It’s Not Katja Puschnik (Apology Video Removed from YouTube)

The infamous “puppy tosser” is busted, and she’s not Katja Puschnik. Many people and organizations identified the girl who threw live puppies into a river as Katja Puschnik. The puppy tosser video can be seen HERE.

Bugojno is the town where the puppy tosser is from, but she’s a minor and as such her name cannot be released. However, as 4Chan outed Mary Bale as the “lady who put a cat in the dumpster” many expect them to do the same for the puppy tosser.

An apology video for killing the puppies by throwing them into the river was posted to YouTube then subsequently removed.

The girl faces a fine of 15 to 5,000 euro, but no jail time. It’s sad that there likely won’t be any large repercussions for this heinous act of animal cruelty.

Canadian Idol Contestant is Terror Suspect

Canadian Idol, which is American Idol for Canada, had a terror suspect for a contestant. Dr. Khurram Sayed Sher auditioned for the show back in 2008. During his audition, he sang a version of Avril Lavigne's "Complicated."

He also did a dance, which included a moonwalk. The judges were not impressed with his antics, and needless to say he didn't advance very far in the competition.

The whole thing looked more like a comedy act than anything else. Well, now Sher was arrested on Tuesday. It's alleged that he and a couple other suspects also arrested had the schematics and plans to build IEDs.

Even scarier, one of the men had been trained overseas on how to make booby traps - how dangerous.

The worst part about the war on terror is that the terrorists try to integrate (and usually do) with the western world, capitalizing on their acceptance of those who are different. Who would have thought that a terrorist would try to be on Canadian Idol?

Antibiotics: 'Super Bug' May Not Respond to Treatments (VIDEO)

A super bug has been discovered in India. The superbug releases a chemical rendering typical antibiotics useless. This is very scary - and although the bug has origins in India and Pakistan, it could make its rounds around the world rather quickly.  Already, there are reports that people in the UK who have traveled to India and Pakistan have been impacted by the so-called super bug.

US officials have noted that three people who have gone to India for affordable health care have contracted the super bug. This is the fear that many health officials have - many people who go in search of affordable  cosmetic surgery could unknowingly bring back the bug and spread the infection around the globe.

It takes time for researchers to come up with ways to treat these so-called super bugs.  Typical antibiotics have been used for many years as a way to combat bacteria and illness, and the inability to use them puts up a road block for medical treatments.

This is a story to keep an eye on.  Rest assured that there are treatments available for those who contract the super bug, but it's still a dangerous situation as germs can mutate.

Read more about the super bug at Reuters.com

19 Killed in Germany: A Stampede at German Love Parade

There were 19 people killed at a German festival, after mass panic erupted.  Police and security present at the Love Parade where 1.4 million people showed up.  Duisburg, Germany is the venue for the world's largest techno music festival.  Previously, it was in Berlin but was driven out because of the noise.

After the city reached capacity, officials shut off a tunnel that enters the city - but opened up a second exit so that people could still get out.  For some reason or another that hasn't been determined panic spread and people flocked to the exits.

The end result was that 19 were crushed to death and 342 more individuals injured.  This is a classic case of why panicking in a crowd is never a good ideal.

The festival was free so there was no ticketing system available to help investigators figure out why the stampede took place.

The stampede is a tragedy.  There's a lot of finger pointing going on over who is to blame.  Is it the festival, or is it the city, who should have kept better control over the city? There's no word over who started the panic but here's a good question - if the person could be identified, should they be held responsible?

Reference: Associated Press

British Prime Minister: David Cameron Visits White House, Discusses Afghanistan, Lockerbie Bomber

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, visited the White House Tuesday to discuss some very important political topics.  Among the topics discussed between the British leader and President Obama included the BP Oil Spill and the Situation in Afghanistan .  This is his first official visit to the United States .

Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, recently attended the International Conference on Afghanistan in Kabul . At the conference, NATO and other International leaders spoke about the possibility of pulling out of Afghanistan by 2014.

Afghanistan topped the agenda for the visit. Cameron wants to see most British troops out of the war torn area by 2014.  Obama recently approved 30,000 troops to go to the country, although these resources haven’t been totally deployed yet.

The situation is grim, and it’s more likely that there will be a scaled back operation by 2014 – not an all out retreat.

The two world leaders also discussed the Lockerbie bomber and his release from a prison in Scotland .  Cameron condemns the decision, as the bomber was responsible for killing a host of people on a PanAm flight, including many Americans.  The White House is hinting at a probe to see if BP had anything to do with the terrorist’s release, as they could have done so in order to help secure the Libyan oil field.

References: The Washington Times

Donkey Parasail: A Russian Group Forces Animal to Parasail (Video Link)

Call PETA, we have a forced donkey parasail incident to report! A Russian group has reportedly forced a donkey to parasail over a beach.  This activity, caught on video, took place over the Sea of Avoz and took place as part of an advertisement for parasailing services offered on the beach.

For those who aren’t familiar with parasailing, this is when someone is strapped to a parachute and then drug behind a speedboat at warped speeds.  For humans, this is not cruel.  The person who is parasailing is actually a willing participant in the matter.

The sight of the donkey in the air frightened children.  The animal brayed in anguish as it was ripped up into the air.  When it landed, it was half dead.

Children were screaming at the sight of this.  Russian police were not even called, believe it or not; they found out about the incident only after cell phone camera footage of the incident hit the press.  A police probe into the donkey parasailing event is currently underway.

Had this happened in the US instead of Russia , police would have been all over it – and so would PETA. Forcing an animal to do something such as parasailing is just not cool.

Reference: Daily Record UK (Video Here);

Hillary Clinton: Secretary Of State Clinton, Arrived in Kabul on Monday

Hillary Clinton arrived in Kabul yesterday. The US Secretary of State has urged Afghanistan continuously to fight against and end the corruption that is rampant in the mountainous region. The US has been at war with Afghanistan since 2001.

Clinton and General David Petraeus are meeting with Hamid Karzai to discuss the future of Afghanistan and ensure that the country is acting on past promises. It's the hopes of the US that troops will be able to pull out.

The International Conference on Afghanistan takes place today, and many world leaders will meet to discuss the future of the war-torn country.

It's also been thrown around that there's a possibility that NATO forces will pull out of the region by 2014. If this is so, the country will have to be able to act independently without Western control.

The 2014 date may be a lofty goal, and it's also been speculated that the forces will be reduced - not eliminated by that date. The country will have to have capabilities to conduct military operations on their own before they can be eft to their own devices.

Although the International Conference on Afghanistan is an interesting and important venue for the former First Lady, her daughter Chelsea's wedding is likely also on the forefront of her mind.

Reference: CS Monitor

Omar Bin Laden: Osama's Son, Would Like to Date Drew Barrymore

Even if Drew Barrymore had never been kissed, we doubt that Omar Bin Laden, Osama Bin Laden's son, would be her first choice in suitors. For those who don't remember, Osama was responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City.

Omar is recently separated from his wife, Zaina. He's reportedly had a host of mental problems that stem from his father's actions. It's reported that he checked himself into a mental institution with drug-induced schizophrenia. He claims that he hears the voice of his father in his head.

His wife swiftly filed for divorce, not long after it was announced that their surrogate was pregnant with their first child. This should be a very happy time in his life, but nothing appears to be going right.

Omar is reported as saying "I want to go to America and I would love to meet Drew Barrymore. I am single now and she is the most beautiful woman in Hollywood."

Those are very kind words, and there's no word on whether or not Barrymore will take Bin Laden up on his offer. Meeting him would be a kind thing for her to do, as he hasn't ever done anything wrong and he's said to love many American things such as Jim Carey Movies, American Football, and rock music.

Reference: Times of India

Norma Lopez Missing: California Girl, 17, Disappears on Way Home from Summer School

Norma Lopez is missing.  She's a 17 year old student at Valley View High School student who disappeared on her way home from summer school.  She was last seen walking on Cottonwood avenue.  This is yet another missing child case that has the world in a storm.

Chelsea King was the last high profile teenaged girl to go missing in California.  She was on a jog at  a nearby park when she was abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered.  She was also only 17 at the time of her death.

Norma is tall and slender and has dark hair.  She's 5' 7" and weighs around 113 pounds.  She was last seen wearing a sleeveless black and white striped shirt.  She was supposed to meet her younger sister and some friends, and never showed up.

Police in the area are going door to door, informing families of the missing persons case so that they can keep an eye out for the young woman.  The quicker they can find her, the better off she will be.

Authorities are also looking for the owners of a green SUV which was seen in the area at the time of her disappearance.  The owners aren't suspects but authorities are hoping that they will have information that will help them locate the missing girl.  They have already found signs of a struggle and some personal effects of the missing teen, indicating that she could be in danger.

Reference: Associated Press

Tea Party Movement: NAACP and Tea Party Racist Accusations

The Tea Party Movement is alive and well, but the NAACP and the Tea Party Movement leaders have accused each other of racism. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and the Tea (Taxed Enough Already) Party are at odds - even though they are two of the most widely regarded movements/organizations in politics.

According to a non-scientific poll at USA News, 43% of Americans feel that the Tea Party movement is racist, whereas 56% of people disagree with that statement. The poll results will change as more and more people take the poll on the Web site.

According to USA Today, Sarah Palin calls the NAACP's claims "appalling." The NAACP has accused the Tea Partyers of waving signs that are degrading to African Americans and also the nation's first African American President, Barack Hussein Obama.

Blogger Peter Roff has accused the NAACP of using tactics similar to those used in the 1960's by Bull Connor. He states that "It was not all that long ago that the likes for Georgia Gov. Lester Maddox, Sheriff and one-time Democratic National Committeeman for the State of Alabama Theophilus “Bull” Connor and others garnered national attention through their attacks on the civil rights movement. One frequently used tactic by the movement’s critics was to seize on isolated incidents and the outrageous behavior and statements of some of its activists to brand everyone associated with it as subversive, dangerous, and un-American."

On the other hand, there are still many who agree that the Tea Party is acting with a racist agenda. According to Fox News, reference was made by the group to racial slurs hurled at black legislators during the 2010 Health Care reform bill vote. Ben Jealous, an NAACP leader said that "We [the NAACP] take no issue with the Tea Party movement. We believe in freedom of assembly and people raising their voices in a democracy. What we take issue with is the Tea Party's continued tolerance for bigotry and bigoted statements. The time has come for them to accept the responsibility that comes with influence and make clear there is no place for racism and anti-Semitism, homophobia and other forms of bigotry in their movement."

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out, considering that the Tea Party movement has very few African American followers.

Do you think that the Tea Party movement is racist or not?

ESPY Awards 2010: Highlights, Voting Results, Recap

The ESPY Awards 2010 took place Wednesday. The ESPN ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards honor those who have had stellar athletic performances during the year. This year, the voting results favored Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. The Saints had the Best Team Performance for their Superbowl Win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Drew Brees won not only the Team honor, but Best Male Athlete, best NFL star, and Best Championship performance. He had the most wins with four. He even beat out Kobe Bryant for the best male athlete.

The Saints' Super Bowl win was the first for the franchise in New Orleans and gave those in the Bayou something to really be proud of. The ESPY Award just adds to the good news that New Orleans is hearing about as it was recently announced that the oil spill was stopped as well.

Other winners of awards included Bret Favre, the Canadian men's Olympic Hockey Team, Serena Williams, Lindsay Vonn, and Shaun White. Of course, there were also many other winners, as can be seen in the official list of winners available by clicking here.

The ESPY Awards 2010 ceremony was widely celebrated and will go down in history as another great awards ceremony of 2010. Hosted by Seth Myers of Saturday Night Live many people are still talking about the Awards ceremony, the red carpet best and worst, and much, much more.

Captain Phil Harris Deadliest Catch Last Episode Brings Big Ratings

Captain Phil Harris of the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch" passed away. The dynamic captain of the Cornelia Marie was a big personality on the popular show, which follows around crab fishermen in the Alaskan waters. Captain Phil's last show aired this week, and the ratings and viewership were through the roof, showcasing just how popular the captain is.

The last episode which included Captain Phil brought in a reported 8.5 million viewers - the largest viewership for the Discovery Channel in 10 years. The ratings are usually reasons to celebrate - but it's hard to celebrate the loss of such an important and dynamic person.

Instead of celebrating Phil Harris's last episode, it's important to celebrate his life and all he contributed not only to the series, but also to the career of crab fishing. Awareness of the career and industry wouldn't be as widespread without the "Deadliest Catch" show.

Many viewers - and other show characters - were brought to tears. The show won't be the same without the loudspoken captain.

AIDS, HIV Vaccine Research Antibodies VRC01-03

HIV and AIDS have been a killer for many years. Since HIV and AIDS were discovered in 1981, work on a vaccine has been a top priority. AIDS isn't just a killer in the United States. In fact, the AIDS epidemic is much worse across third world countries where access to sanitary healthcare conditions and access to decent preventative health care isn't available.

In fact, 90% of the world's HIV positive pregnant women live in the sub-Saharan African continent.

A breakthrough in finding a cure for aids may be here. Researchers have identified antibodies such as VRC01, VRC02, and VRC03 that appear to be useful in vaccines that could prevent as many as 95% of new HIV cases.

There's no vaccine that will be available in the near future, but the breakthrough could provide scientists and drug companies with a starting point to develop a vaccine that could save lives.

Previously, researchers realized that the virus quickly mutated in the human body - much quicker than they could create a vaccine for it. While the virus is still one that mutates rapidly, scientists are getting a better understanding of the inner workings of the virus itself and what vulnerabilities are present which could prove useful in a vaccine.

Currently, the best way to prevent AIDS is to avoid sharing bodily fluids with those who have the illness, and avoid sharing needles. Being in a true monogamous relationship with someone unaffected by the illness or abstaining altogether from intercourse are the only ways to avoid contacting the disease from sex. Due to new screening procedures, AIDS from blood transfusions are very rare.