Monday, February 29, 2016

Erin Andrews Said ESPN Required Her To Do Interview On Nude Video

Erika Goldring / Getty Images

Sportscaster Erin Andrews on Monday described through tears the aftermath of a 2009 peeping tom video that showed her naked in a hotel room, and ESPN's insistence she discuss it in a nationally-televised interview before she could return to her on-air job.

Andrews took the stand in Nashville in the civil suit she filed against the man who shot the video as well as the Marriott where it was taken. Michael David Barrett, who filmed the 4-minute video, was convicted and sentenced to 30 months behind bars. Andrews is now seeking $75 million in damages from Barrett and the hotel — who she said never informed her a man had requested to stay in the room directly next to hers.

On Monday, Andrews described being overwhelmed by a media frenzy surrounding the video while she also feared for her safety. As the video circulated online, she said she had no idea where it was taken or who was behind it.

"No one knew that it was a stalker," she said. "No one knew the Marriott had put him next to me. Everybody thought it was just a publicity stunt."

WFLA / Via youtube.com

With still frames of her body splashed across tabloids and sports blogs, ESPN told her she would have to address the video publicly, she said.

"Because there wasn’t an arrest, because we didn’t know where this happened, my bosses at ESPN told me before you go back on-air for college football, we need you to give a sit-down interview," she said. "And that was the only way I was going to be allowed back."

Her bosses recommended she speak on Good Morning America, she said, since the program fell under the same corporate ownership as ESPN.

"I didn’t want it to be a two-second thing," Andrews said. "This is my life and I feel terrible about myself, and we want to figure out how this happened."

Instead, she opted to speak on The Oprah Winfrey Show, knowing that Oprah herself had been a crime victim. Still, she said she didn't want to do the interview. In the green room, she said she was crying hysterically.

"I just want to go back to college football," she said she thought at the time. "I don’t want to talk about what happened to me. Why can't I just be normal?"

Andrews' return to sideline reporting came the same week the air date of the Oprah interview was announced.

On Monday, Andrews also told the jury about her beginnings in sports media and her desire to become known for her skill — not as a stereotype.

"My goal was to get everybody’s respect," she said. "I wanted everybody to know I knew what I was taking about. I loved the game as much as they did, and I had the respect from athletes and coaches."

Her attorney asked if she had ever done pornography, and she said no.

"If the hotel had called you and told you that a man was asking to have the room next to you, what would you have done?" he asked.

"I would have called the police," Andrews replied.

"And then would you have stayed there?"

"Never," she said.

The trial continues on Tuesday.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

No Criminal Charges Expected For Rancher Who Fatally Shot Salma Hayek’s Dog

Mozart was shot with a pellet gun by a neighbor who was trying to break up a dog fight in his garage, authorities said, and no criminal charges will be filed.

Anthony Harvey / Getty Images

The rancher who fatally shot Salma Hayek's dog in Washington state earlier this month is not expected to face criminal charges, sheriff's officials said Monday.

Hayek posted on Instagram Friday that her dog, Mozart, had been shot and killed on her ranch Feb. 19, but delayed making the announcement so she could grieve.

"I haven't posted for a week as I been mourning the death of my dog, Mozart who I personally delivered out of his mother's womb," the actress wrote in a caption to a photo of Mozart.

Instagram: @salmahayek

"He was found dead in my ranch last Friday with a shot close to his heart," she said, adding that the 9-year-old dog had "never bit or attacked anyone."

On Monday, the Thurston County Sheriff's Office released details of its investigation into Mozart's death. The dog had been struck with a .177 pellet, which nicked an artery and caused fatal internal bleeding.

According to the sheriff's office, the ranch's caretaker had brought a few dogs with her for a horseback ride in the area. At one point, the dogs took off onto an adjacent property after hearing other dogs barking, she told investigators.

She regrouped the dogs and returned home, then realized Mozart was missing.

The dogs had come into the open garage of a neighbor, who told investigators he went out after hearing the sounds of a dog fight. His German shepherds were fighting with two other dogs, and the neighbor fired at them once with an air rifle. The two dogs then ran off.

The man did not realize he had struck any of the dogs, investigators said.

Mozart was later found dead on a trail as the caretaker searched for him.

Sheriff's Lt. Cliff Ziesemer later said the single pellet shot wouldn't normally have been fatal, and described Mozart's death as a fluke. Criminal charges are not expected, KOMO News reported.

"He was the most loving and loyal companion," Hayek wrote on Instagram. "He didn't deserve a slow and painful death.

BuzzFeed News has reached out to Hayek's publicist for more information.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Ted Cruz Calls On Trump To Release Secret New York Times Interview

Mike Stone / Reuters

Ted Cruz on Monday called for Donald Trump and the New York Times to release tape of an off-the-record interview the billionaire businessman conducted with the newspaper on his immigration views.

Cruz's comments came after BuzzFeed News revealed the newspaper is sitting on tape of Trump that some staffers believe could deal a massive blow to the candidate's campaign for president. The interview conducted on Jan. 5 included an off-the-record segment in which sources said Trump revealed a degree of flexibility in his otherwise hardline stance on immigration.

The New York Times would not comment on the interview.

Speaking to reporters in San Antonio, Texas, Ted Cruz called for the tape to be made public.

"Apparently there is a secret tape that the New York Times editorial board has of Donald Trump saying that he doesn't believe what he's saying on immigration, saying that all of his promises to secure the border are not real and if he's president he doesn't intend to do what he said," Cruz said.

"I call on Donald: ask the New York Times to release the tape and do so today before the Super Tuesday primary," Cruz said.

The Texas senator, who is trailing Trump in the polls despite an early win in Iowa, said releasing the tapes would clear up whether, in fact, Trump made the comments.

"If Donald didn't say that to the New York Times then he deserves to have that cleared up and releasing the tape can clear it up," Cruz said.

"The alternative is that it is true."

BuzzFeed News has contacted the Trump campaign for comment.


LINK: Donald Trump Secretly Told The New York Times What He Really Thinks About Immigration



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

This Puppy Had To Get Braces And Is So Awkwardly Cute

Pictured: All of our former teenage bracefaces.

Meet Molly Moore and her six-month-old golden retriever, Wesley.

Meet Molly Moore and her six-month-old golden retriever, Wesley.

Molly Moore

Molly lives in Spring Lake, Michigan, where she works at the veterinary clinic owned by her dad, Jim Moore.

Molly lives in Spring Lake, Michigan, where she works at the veterinary clinic owned by her dad, Jim Moore.

Molly Moore

Wesley is a happy puppy, but he's had some teething problems.

Wesley is a happy puppy, but he's had some teething problems.

Molly Moore

"Once his adult teeth started coming out, we noticed they were coming in wrong and he was unable to close his mouth fully," Molly told BuzzFeed News.

"Once his adult teeth started coming out, we noticed they were coming in wrong and he was unable to close his mouth fully," Molly told BuzzFeed News.

Molly Moore


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

A Group Of People Rented An Airbnb In Paris And Found A Dead Body

A group of young people who rented an Airbnb listing in the Paris suburbs made a grisly discovery on Saturday: a decomposing corpse.

The woman's body was found near a wooded area at the base of the property in Palaiseau in the southern suburbs of the French capital on Saturday afternoon.

The house had been rented out by people over the weekend to celebrate a party.

"From all the evidence, a criminal act has taken place," prosecutors said in a statement to Le Parisien newspaper.

Bertrand Daillie, deputy prosecutor for the commune of Evry, told France Bleu radio that the body was in an "advanced state of decomposition."

Daillie said the corpse was "surrounded by wooden logs and covered with branches" in an "extremely steep and wooded area."

Clothes and a ring were found on the corpse, but the body was not wearing shoes nor carrying any identifying documents, Agence France-Presse reported.

An autopsy is being carried out to determine the cause of death.

Police are now investigating and have questioned the people who rented the house.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Marco Rubio Joked That Donald Trump Has Small Hands

“You know what they say about men with small hands.”

As Marco Rubio campaigned in Virginia on Sunday, he joked that Donald Trump had abnormally small hands.

"His hands are the size of someone who's 5'2''. And you know what they say about men with small hands," Rubio said before pausing.

vine.co

Trump's hands have long been a target of jokes from his critics. In November, Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter wrote how Trump for years remained indignant that Carter had described him 25 years ago as a "short-fingered vulgarian." In response, Trump over the years would send photos of his hands, Carter wrote.

"I almost feel sorry for the poor fellow because, to me, the fingers still look abnormally stubby," Carter wrote.

It's become a frequent troll of Trump among some conservatives and libertarians. In January, Sen. Ben Sasse joined in.

But what do they say about men with small hands? Per Rubio: "You can't trust 'em."

But what do they say about men with small hands? Per Rubio: "You can't trust 'em."

CNN / Via giphy.com


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Surge Pricing Just Started At Disneyland And Disneyworld

The company announced “seasonal pricing” for one-day tickets as attendance has steadily increased over the past several years.

Jae C. Hong / AP

With attendance up at Disney theme parks, the company is turning to a form of surge pricing.

Tickets for Disneyland and Walt Disney World starting Sunday vary in price depending on the day they are used. The company is using a three-tier pricing scheme with "value tickets" — generally for dates during the week outside of summer months and holidays — costing $95 for anyone age 10 and up, "regular tickets" starting at $105, and "peak tickets" starting at $119.

The company described it as seasonal pricing, aimed at spreading out visitors.

"It's an approach that you are probably familiar with from many other areas, including sports, entertainment and travel," Disney's Thomas Smith wrote on the official Disney Parks blog.

Disney Parks / Via disneyparks.disney.go.com

Since February 2015, a one-day ticket to Disneyland had cost $99. That was an increase from the previous price of $96.

Attendance has been up at Disney parks in recent years with the debut of new attractions tied to Star Wars and Frozen. In 2014, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom saw 19.3 million visitors and 16.8 million visited Disneyland, the Orange County Register reported. Though 2015 theme park attendance rankings have not yet been compiled, crowds have continued to be large. At Disneyland's 60th anniversary in May, the park closed its gates in the early afternoon because it had reached capacity.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Police Officer Killed One Day After She Was Sworn In

Ashley Guindon was killed during her first ever shift as a Virginia police officer. A Pentagon employee has been arrested over her death.

Guindon, 28, died during her first shift after she and two other officers — 31-year-old Jesse Hempen and 33-year-old David McKeown — responded to a call of a domestic disturbance in Woodbridge, Virginia, on Saturday shortly after 5:30 p.m. ET.

As they approached the home, police said they were confronted by Ronald Hamilton, 32, who allegedly opened fire.

Hamilton works as an active duty staff sergeant with the Joint Staff Support Center at the Pentagon, military spokeswoman Cindy Your told BuzzFeed News.

He surrendered after additional officers arrived on scene, police said.

The three first responders were taken to hospital in critical condition, but Guindon died from her injuries.

"Our sincere condolences go out to Ashley's family and friends, as well as our fellow officers and department staff," police said in a statement Sunday, adding that the department was in "deep mourning."

Prince William County Police Department / Via pwcgov.org


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Three Florida Middle Schoolers Arrested For Allegedly Poisoning Their Teacher's Soda

Google Maps

Three 12-year-old girls in Florida were arrested Friday for allegedly poisoning their middle school teacher by lacing her soda with red pepper.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook that the three Deltona Middle School students will be charged with felonies and taken to juvenile detention over the alleged poisoning on Tuesday.

Officials said the plan was hatched after the teacher, 52-year-old Jayne Morgan, sent a student to the principal's office on Monday for dumping glue onto another student's bag and over the alleged theft of a laptop.

"It should be noted, this act was done in retaliation for the teacher upholding her duties and responsibilities as a teacher, maintaining control of her classroom and attempting to protect the other children from [one of the girl's] unacceptable behavior," investigators wrote in their affidavit, according to the Sheriff's office.

On Tuesday, the girl allegedly brought some "crushed red pepper" from home and then enlisted two friends to help her seek revenge.

During second period, officials said one of the girls distracted the teacher while the student sent to the principal and her other friend took the teacher's open can of soda and poured in the flakes.

"When Morgan took a drink of the tampered soda on Tuesday, her throat immediately became hot and scratchy and she started to choke and experience shortness of breath," the Sheriff's office said. "After taking a second sip, the teacher poured the rest of the soda into a clear plastic cup and noticed the flecks of red pepper."

The teacher continued to suffer from a "sore, scratchy throat and stomach pains" into the evening, officials said.

After officials began investigating the incident on Thursday, the girls were arrested the following day.

The two girls who allegedly dumped the pepper in the can are facing charges of "poisoning food or water and tampering with consumer products," while the other will be charged with "tampering with consumer products and being a principal to poisoning food or water."

In a statement to NBC, Morgan said she didn't intend for her students to be arrested.

"I want them to have a consequence that teaches them a lesson. I did not want them to be arrested and go to jail," she said. "I love my students. They broke my heart. My career won't be the same."



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Aaron Carter Just Endorsed Donald Trump, So Do With That What You Will

He’s got a crush on you, Donald.

The political voice of our generation has made his decision known...

Instagram: @aaroncarter


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

J.J. Abrams Says There Will Be Gay Characters In "Star Wars"

“It seems insanely narrow-minded and counterintuitive to say that there wouldn’t be a homosexual character in that world.”

For any Star Wars fans who were left fantasizing about the Finn/Poe dynamic in The Force Awakens, we have some good news: Director J.J. Abrams says LGBT characters are coming to the galaxy far, far away.

For any Star Wars fans who were left fantasizing about the Finn/Poe dynamic in The Force Awakens, we have some good news: Director J.J. Abrams says LGBT characters are coming to the galaxy far, far away.

Lucasfilm / Via youtube.com

"When I talk about inclusivity it’s not excluding gay characters. It’s about inclusivity." Abrams told reporters at the Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday, the Daily Beast reported.

"When I talk about inclusivity it’s not excluding gay characters. It’s about inclusivity." Abrams told reporters at the Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday, the Daily Beast reported.

Alberto E. Rodriguez

His comments reflect previous remarks Abrams made to BuzzFeed News in December, where he stressed his desire for the film to feature a diverse cast.

"It was hugely important to me that the actors in the film look the way the world looks," Abrams said.

"I want people to feel that this is an inclusive world," he said. "Because that's what I felt when I saw Star Wars originally. The Force binds all living things together —not just white dudes."

While critics lauded Abrams for placing Rey (Daisy Ridley) and black character Finn (John Boyega) at the center of The Force Awakens, many fans were rather ~inspired~ by the dynamic between Finn and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).

While critics lauded Abrams for placing Rey (Daisy Ridley) and black character Finn (John Boyega) at the center of The Force Awakens, many fans were rather ~inspired~ by the dynamic between Finn and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).

Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Studios


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Friday, February 26, 2016

Big Banks Made 8% Of Their Profits Last Year From Overdraft Fees

Wells Fargo ATM bank machines are shown at one of their new retail banks in Carlsbad, California January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Mike Blake / Reuters

America's big banks collected over $11 billion in overdraft fees in 2015, according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, with the charges making up about 8% of their total profits for the year. The banks covered in the report — the 628 U.S. banks with assets of over $1 billion — have a total of $3.9 trillion deposited in consumer checking accounts.

Overdrafts are essentially short-term loans that allow users to access money even if their accounts are at or near zero, and can have incredibly high interest rates.

Regulators have pushed banks to reform their approaches to charging such fees, which are levied in large part on low-income consumers. But they still account for almost two-thirds of all fee revenue from consumer bank accounts, the CFPB said.

New regulations have required banks to have their customers affirmatively opt-in to overdraft services and the fees that come with them, but CFPB is still considering further rules. The Bureau said it was "looking closely at overdraft practices and will continue to analyze this data to better monitor and understand overdraft programs in the market and the consumer experience."

In 2014, a CFPB report found that overdraft and insufficient fund fees were on average over $250 a year, but that only 8% of customers incurred three-quarters of all the fees. The typical overdraft fee, the CFPB found, was $34, while the median transaction size that results in the fee is about $50, while for debit cards it's $24.

A survey by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that overdrafters were disproportionally likely to be young, low earning, and non-white. 25-year olds, the survey found, were 133% more likely to pay an overdraft fee than 65-year olds, while nonwhites were 83% more likely to pay the fees than whites.

Most worryingly, the Pew survey found that in 2012 and 2013, over 50% of overdrafters did not recall opting into an overdraft program.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Four People Killed, 14 Injured In Kansas Shootings

Authorities said four people — including a gunman — were killed in the shootings at several locations, including a turf production plant.

Harvey County Sheriff T. Walton said the shooter was an employee at turf product company Excel Industries, the site of the final shooting scenes in Hesston, Kansas.

Four people were killed, including the gunman, and 14 others shot in the attack, Walton said. The gunman was killed by an officer, he added, and at least five people remained in critical condition Thursday night. None of them have been officially identified.

Officials earlier said more people had been injured, then revised their count.

Authorities first received a report around 5 p.m. that a driver had fired at another car, leaving a man shot in the shoulder. Another shooting took place further up the road, leaving a victim shot in the leg, and the suspect then took the victim's truck, Walton said.

The gunman then shot another person at the Excel Industries parking lot, Walton said. He then entered the building and continued to open fire. In all, 15 people were shot inside the building, Walton said.

"This is just a horrible incident here," Walton said. "There's going to be a lot of sad people before this is all over."

The first deputy who arrived entered the building while the gunman was shooting, Walton added. They exchanged fire, and the suspect was killed.

"Even though [the officer] took fire, he went inside that place and saved multiple multiple lives," Walton said. "A hero as far as I'm concerned."

KWCH-TV / Via kwch.com

An employee at Excel Industries who identified himself only as Matt said he was work partners with the shooter.

The employee said he was taking a break when he heard someone yell, "Hey," and saw his coworker with an assault rifle strapped to his shoulder.

"He was ready to go," Matt told KWCH-TV.

The witness said the shooter, his partner in the paint department, fire a few rounds before going into the building.

The shooter had been acting normally earlier in the day, he said.

"Never would've through in a million years that this guy would've done it," Matt said.

Matt said the shooter had just purchased a new truck but showed up to Excel Industries in a different truck.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sole Survivor Of Alleged "Grim Sleeper" Serial Killer Recounts Horror

Enietra Washington pauses to compose her thoughts during a court hearing on Feb. 6, 2015.

Nick Ut / AP

LOS ANGELES — As she faded in and out of consciousness, Enietra Washington begged the man who had shot her in the chest to take her to a hospital.

She had kids; she’d haunt him if he took her life and didn’t provide for her kids.

As the 57-year-old recounted her experience 28 years ago to a Los Angeles courtroom, her daughter, now grown, began to cry.

On Thursday, Washington — the lone survivor of a serial killer who police say roamed the streets of South L.A. for decades — testified in the trial of Lonnie Franklin, Jr. Prosecutors allege he had been on a killing spree of seven young black woman from 1985 to 1988. Then he met Washington — who lived, despite the bullet at point blank range. Three more victims were found in the 2000s, a pause that inspired the nickname the Grim Sleeper.

Washington never knew the name of the man who tried to kill her. On Thursday, prosecutors asked if she was now sure that man was Lonnie Franklin.

Lonnie Franklin, Jr.

Al Seib / AP

“100 percent,” Washington said. “Less hair now, he still looks the same.”

Franklin’s defense attorney declined to make an opening statement in the trial to outline why the jury should find him not guilty. Instead, attorney Seymour Amster has questioned whether the evidence and investigation was as complete as it should have been. Prosecutors have said each death has been linked to Franklin with DNA, firearms evidence, or both.

Washington’s testimony also offers a unique look into the methods of a serial killer who moved undetected for decades, prosecutors have said.

On Nov. 19, 1988, Washington, who was 30 years old at the time, was walking to her friend’s house in South L.A. The two were supposed to get ready for a party together. As she walked, she spotted a parked orange Pinto — customized with racing stripes, rims, and high-end tires.

“It reminded me of Hot Wheels, the little miniature cars my kids used to have,” she said.

The driver of the car must have noticed her looking, and he called out to her. She ignored him, and he pulled up alongside her and again said something through the rolled-down passenger window.

“I told him you can’t holler at me through car windows,” she said. “You have to get out and talk to me.”

He asked where she was going, and what she was doing. He offered her a ride, and she said she was fine to walk.

Washington remembered he was shorter than her, wearing khaki pants and a short-sleeve work shirt.

“He was dressed neat,” she said. “He wasn’t tacky or scruffy looking.”

He pressed her again to accept the ride, and she refused.

“That’s what’s wrong with you black women,” he told her. “People can’t be nice to you.”

The statement made her reconsider — maybe she was being rough, too standoffish. She began to feel sorry; he was just trying to be nice, so she got into the car.

After driving for awhile, she thought he called her Brenda, and realized he was talking to her.

“All of a sudden, everything just went really, eerily quiet,” she said.

In shock, she reached for the door handle.

“Don’t touch that door, bitch, or I’ll shoot you again,” he told her. For the first time she realized she had been shot.

His voice was menacing, but mostly calm, she told the court. She kept asking him why he shot her. He again called her by someone else’s name and said she was always “dogging him out” — disrespecting him.

“I don’t even know you,” she insisted.

Washington said she blacked out, and when she came to, he was on top of her. She continued to lose and gain consciousness, waking up to him kissing her, then with his face between her legs, then again to the flash of a camera — he had taken a Polaroid photo of her.

Adam Lau / AP

That photo would later be found inside Franklin’s longtime South L.A. home, prosecutors said, which was not far from the house he stopped at with Washington in 1988. On Thursday, the Polaroid was enlarged and projected for all in the courtroom to see — Washington with blood spatters on her blouse and jacket, one breast exposed, leaning against what appeared to be the inside of a car door.

“I remember trying to fight him,” she said, “pushing him away, and then he started pushing me.”

Deputy district attorney Beth Silverman asked if he raped her.

“Yes,” Washington said.

“Did you feel that happen?”

“No, thank god,” Washington responded.

Finally — she didn’t know how long after — he restarted the car. She again reached for the door handle.

“He just pushed me out and the door opened at the same time,” she said.

She doesn’t remember how long she lay in the street. Finally, a voice in her head told her she had to get up.

She rolled to the curb and managed to stand, confused as to where she was. As she pulled herself forward, leaning on parked cars, she realized she was on the street of her friend’s home. Still fading in and out, she made it to the home’s porch. No one answered as she banged on the door.

So she waited, hoping to build up the strength to walk to a main road for help. Finally, her friend and her friend’s husband pulled into the driveway. Her friend asked here where she had been, then started hysterically screaming when she saw the blood.

Paramedics soon arrived, who took Washington to a hospital where she would undergo surgery and spend about three weeks. Full recovery took about a year.

It was around that time that Washington thinks she saw Franklin again. She was outside her house in Inglewood when a man walked up to her.

“Do you know me?” the man asked. “Am I supposed to?” she responded.

But then she thought about it, and she remembered the Inglewood address was on her driver’s license, which had gone missing at some point during the attack.

“Oh my God,” she remembered thinking. “Then I shook it off.”

LINK: Trial Begins For Man Accused Of The Serial Killing Of 10 Women



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

SeaWorld Bans Employees From Posing As Animal Rights Activists

Handout / Getty Images

SeaWorld chief executive officer Joel Manby said today on a call with analysts to discuss the company's financial results that it would no longer allow employees to pose as animal rights activists.

"Our board of directors," Manby said, "have directed management to end the practice in which certain employees pose as animal rights activists. This activity was undertaken in connection with efforts to maintain the safety and security of employees, customers, and animals in the face of credible threats." A SeaWorld spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

In July, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, accused SeaWorld of having an employee named Paul McComb, who worked in human resources for the company in San Diego, pose as "Thomas Jones" and sign up for PETA's Action Team.

PETA said that Jones "repeatedly tried to incite animal advocates to act illegally" and said he encouraged protestors to “get a little aggressive" and “grab your pitch forks [sic] and torches." PETA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Manby said that "all personnel matters pertaining to those involved had been handled internally" and that McComb "remains an employee of SeaWorld and has returned to work at SeaWorld in a different department and is no longer on administrative leave."

The announcement came at the end of a call to discuss another disappointing quarter for the company, whose public image took a hit from the CNN documentary Blackfish, which accused the company of mistreating the orcas it keeps in captivity. SeaWorld has phased out orca performances at its California locations and the state has banned the breeding of Orcas in captivity. SeaWorld has challenged the Commission's decision.

The company's chief financial officer Peter Crage said the company had seen reduced attendance in California which "primarily relates to continued SeaWorld brand challenges at this location." Crage also said, however, that earnings and revenues started to turn around in the second half of last year, specifically that the rate of decline had slowed.

For all of 2015, SeaWorld had total attendance of 22.5 million, up slightly from 22.4 million in 2014. Its revenue was roughly flat at $1.4 billion, while its earnings fell slightly. The company recorded a net loss of $11 million in the last three months of this year. The company's total attendance in 2013 was 23.4 million. The company’s shares are down almost 12% following the weak earnings report.

Blackfish premiered on CNN in October 2013 to an audience of 21 million, one of the most successful film airings in CNN's history. SeaWorld was taken public on the New York Stock Exchange by its private equity owner Blackstone in April 2013, raising over $700 million.

SeaWorld said that its sales and administrative expenses had gone up this year thanks to consulting fees and "an increase in marketing costs associated with the company's reputation campaign and an increase in legal fees when compared to the prior year."



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Charges Dropped In Alleged NYC Gang Rape After Victim Recants Story

Kathy Willens / AP

Authorities have dropped charges against the teenagers accused of raping an 18-year-old woman at a Brooklyn playground in January.

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said Wednesday his office did not have the evidence necessary to pursue the case, and he added he hoped the young woman would receive the support she needed.

On Jan. 10, the 18-year-old's father stopped New York police officers to report that his daughter had been attacked by five men. One was armed with a gun, her father said, and had told him to leave. Each of the five then raped the 18-year-old, the father said.

Since then, Thompson said the young woman and her father have given several different versions of what happened. She ultimately told authorities she did not wish to pursue the case, and took back what she had said about the rape and the existence of a gun, Thompson said.

Bebeto Matthews / AP

The District Attorney's office also said she did not wish to cooperate with a case against her father, who authorities said has also engaged in sexual conduct with her.

"That night, this young woman’s father and the five young men engaged in conduct that was reprehensible and wrong, but because of the lack of reliable evidence, criminal charges simply cannot be sustained," Thompson said on Wednesday.

The case drew outrage from city leaders as well as residents of the neighborhood. The Brooklyn borough president questioned the police response, which came roughly 20 minutes after the woman's father said the crime took place. Residents also questioned the time it took police to notify community members that they were searching for suspects. New flood lighting was also installed at the playground.

In the days following the report of rape, New York police arrested five teenagers. They ranged in age from 14 to 17, and they were charged with forcible rape, criminal sexual acts, and sexual abuse.

Those charges have now been dismissed.

"It is my fervent hope that this young woman gets all the support that she needs going forward," Thompson said. "My office, including our victim advocates who have been working with this young woman, stand ready to provide her with any assistance she may need.”



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

London Hostage Situation Unfolds In Leicester Square Restaurant

Police say a man claiming to have a knife is holding a woman against her will.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sheriff's Deputy Killed, Two Others Injured In Colorado Eviction Shootout

The deputy had been on the force for 12 years.

A deputy who has worked with the Sheriff's office for 11 years was taken to the hospital for surgery on life-threatening injuries.

A 21-year veteran was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Can You Guess Which Candidate These Voters Support Just By Looking At Them?

Is politics skin deep?



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Kanye West Goes Off On A Producer (And Taylor Swift) On Twitter

After rock producer Bob Ezrin called Kanye’s music unmemorable, the rapper tweeted the old guard in the music industry are embarrassing and out of touch.

Kanye West tweeted a question on Tuesday.

Kanye West tweeted a question on Tuesday.

Twitter: @kanyewest

Matt Sayles / AP

Bob Ezrin is a 66-year-old producer best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Kiss, and Pink Floyd.

Bob Ezrin is a 66-year-old producer best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Kiss, and Pink Floyd.

Jim Ross / Getty Images

Ezrin wrote a review critical of Kanye, calling his music unmemorable compared to rappers such as Jay Z and Tupac.

Ezrin wrote a review critical of Kanye, calling his music unmemorable compared to rappers such as Jay Z and Tupac.

Twitter: @kanyewest


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

3 Dead, States Of Emergency Declared As Tornadoes Sweep Southeast

Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana’s governors declared states of emergency for areas affected by the severe storms.

Multiple tornadoes swept through the southeastern U.S. on Tuesday, damaging homes and businesses, and leaving at least three people dead.

Multiple tornadoes swept through the southeastern U.S. on Tuesday, damaging homes and businesses, and leaving at least three people dead.

Handout / Reuters

Two people were killed and dozens injured after a tornado hit a recreational vehicle park in St. James Parish, Louisiana, the Associated Press reported. In Lamar County, Mississippi, another person died in a mobile home.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Reports: Suspect Indicted In Burning Death Of Jessica Chambers

Jessica Chambers

Photo courtesy Lisa Daugherty

A grand jury has indicted a suspect in the death of Jessica Chambers, a young woman whose brutal murder in a small Mississippi town inspired a legion of amateur detectives to try in vain to solve her case, several local outlets reported Tuesday.

Details on the reported indictment in the case were scant on Tuesday night, but WREG and WMC reported a person was in custody.

The offices of Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby and District Attorney John Champion, which have led the investigation, declined to comment on the reported indictment except to say officials had planned a press conference for Wednesday morning. Chambers’ mother and several members of her family did not return requests for comment from BuzzFeed News.

Chambers was burned alive in her car in December of 2014, when she was 19 years old. Her gruesome death — and her mysterious last words: “Eric did this to me” — shook the 500 inhabitants of her hometown of Courtland, in the northwestern corner of Mississippi.

Yellow crime scene tape marks the location where Jessica Chambers was found on Dec. 10, 2014 in Courtland, Miss.

Adrian Sainz / AP

Federal, state, and local law enforcement agents interviewed more than 130 people, but were unable to find an explanation for her death. But that didn't stop tens of thousands of strangers around the world from trying to solve the mystery on the internet.

As BuzzFeed News documented last year, Chambers’ family and friends have received countless messages from people who have become convinced that they know what happened to the young woman.

Local media identified the suspect indicted in her death as 27-year-old Quinton Verdell Tellis, who has since last summer been in custody in Louisiana in an unrelated case. Jail officials in Louisiana confirmed to BuzzFeed News that authorities from Panola County, Mississippi had on Tuesday brought a new accusation against Tellis of being a fugitive from justice.

Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office

Tellis was arrested by Monroe, Louisiana police officers on Aug. 20 on suspicion of unlawful use of a credit card. The credit card belonged to 34-year-old Mein Hsiao, a graduate student at the University of Louisiana Monroe, who was found stabbed to death in her apartment.

The investigation into Hsiao's death remains open, a Monroe Police Department detective told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday. In November, the department's Chief Quentin Holmes told local media they suspected Tellis in her death, though he had not been charged with murder.

Tellis is being held on $200,000 bond at the Ouachita Correctional Center in Monroe, Louisiana.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Scalia Suffered From Variety Of Health Problems Before Death

Drew Angerer / Getty Images

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia suffered from a variety of health problems before his death in Texas earlier this month at age 79, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.

Presidio County District Attorney Rod Ponton told the AP that he had reviewed a letter from the justice's doctor outlining Scalia's medical history. The information — along with a sheriff's statement that there were no signs of foul play — led a county judge to certify that Scalia died from natural causes.

Ponton told the AP that Scalia had suffered from a number of ailments, including sleep apnea, degenerative joint disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, obesity, and diabetes before his death. The justice also smoked, his doctor noted. No autopsy was performed after Scalia was found dead at a rural ranch resort, and the judge made the death declaration over the phone.

Ponton received a copy of the letter from Scalia's doctor, and there were no signs of anything suspicious about the Feb. 13 death, he told the news agency.

The district attorney was not immediately available for a BuzzFeed News request for comment.

LINK: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Dies At 79

LINK: Experts Question Decision To Not Perform Autopsy On Scalia




SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Former CFPB Lawyer Joins Goldman Sachs Online Lending Unit

LinkedIn

A former attorney for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has joined Goldman Sachs as the head of compliance for its new online consumer lending business.

Mitch Hochberg was a senior counsel at the CFPB from mid-2011 to mid-2013, working on new mortgage regulations tied to the implementation of the Dodd-Frank financial reform laws. He left the regulator to join Fenway Summer, a consumer finance investment and advisory firm founded that year by former CFPB deputy director Raj Date. He joined Goldman last month, according to LinkedIn; a Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment.

Web-based financial services companies have taken off in recent years, with billions poured into the sector by venture capitalists. The industry exists in a regulatory niche, as the companies make loans to consumers but are not treated as banks by authorities. Startup lenders like SoFi, Lending Club and Prosper have originated billions of dollars of loans over the past few years, and regulators are still working on their approach to the fast-growing market.

Last summer the Treasury Department put out a request for information on the industry; the CFPB's interest in online lenders has so far been focused on internet companies offering so-called payday loans. Goldman’s online business will be run through its chartered bank, GS Bank.

Hochberg is one of many new hires made in the past few months as Goldman Sachs builds up its online lending program. In May, the bank hired Harit Talwar from Discover to run the new business. It has since hired employees from companies like Lending Club, the publicly traded online lender, American Express, and Citi. A source familiar with the matter told BuzzFeed News that Goldman has hired dozens of people to work on the lending business.

In a memo last year announcing the hiring of Talwar, Goldman's chief executive Lloyd Blankfein and president Gary Cohn said that they had "identified digitally led banking services to consumers and small businesses as an area of opportunity" for the company. Goldman Sachs analysts said in a separate report that $4.6 billion worth of bank profits were at risk of being lost to online lenders, and that digital upstarts could capture up to 15% of the $843 billion worth of outstanding consumer loans.

For nearly its entire existence, the CFPB has been criticized by conservative groups and the financial industry, saying the regulator is stifling the growth of financial services and introducing rules that make it harder for people to get loans. Last year, the American Action Network, a conservative non-profit, ran an ad depicting the agency as an officious, Soviet-style bureaucracy dedicated to denying loan applications.

youtube.com

When Date and other CFPB employees left the Bureau to found Fenway Summer — which says it invests in business that "drive consumer-friendly innovation in financial services" — several Republican House members wrote a letter raising questions about the move. The letter expressed concerns that the CFPB under Date's leadership had written new rules on consumer finance, and Date and others now planned to work on lending businesses that could operate around the regulations written by the CFPB.

Just last week, the CFPB rolled out a process intended to reduce regulatory uncertainty for newer financial services products and companies.



SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Monday, February 22, 2016

mproving Return on Investment (ROI)

mproving Return on Investment (ROI):

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SOURCE: ContactDb

Uber Defends Driver Background Checks After Michigan Shooting Spree

Eric Risberg / AP

Uber officials said Monday the driver accused of killing six people in Kalamazoo, Michigan, had generally received favorable feedback from passengers and Saturday's tragedy could not have been foreseen.

Jason Dalton, 45, was arraigned Monday on six counts of murder as well as attempted murder and firearms charges following an hours-long shooting rampage at three locations in the Kalamazoo area. Dalton was approved to drive for Uber on Jan. 25 and had completed about 100 rides with a rating of 4.73 out of 5 before Saturday, company officials said.

"Overall, his rating was good," said Joe Sullivan, chief security officer at Uber.

Police believe that the shootings on Saturday were random, and Dalton has yet to officially enter a plea. Sullivan said Uber was contacted by several passengers about Dalton, including one man who also called 911 to report Dalton's erratic driving.

Jason Dalton

Handout / Reuters

In cases of reported violence, drivers are generally suspended from Uber within minutes while the company investigates, Sullivan said. Reports of bad driving are more common, he added, and the company contacts drivers first to gain more facts before taking action.

"It's important to hear both sides," Sullivan said.

Uber did not comment on the timeline of Dalton and the company's actions on Saturday, citing the ongoing law enforcement investigation. But the company was able to provide assistance to authorities immediately, he said, and GPS tracking of Dalton's vehicle is also supporting the investigation.

Overall, Sullivan said, Uber did not plan to change its policies following the shootings. Drivers are screened based on their criminal and driving histories.

"No background check would have made a difference in this case because this person didn’t have a criminal history," Sullivan said.

Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images

The scrutiny Uber is facing is more a factor of its rapid expansion than security failures, added Margaret Richardson, a member of the company's safety advisory board and former chief of staff to Attorney General Eric Holder.

"In many ways, this focus on Uber is a distraction from the availability of guns, and guns in perhaps the hands of people who shouldn't have such easy access to them," Richardson said. "A background check wouldn't have affected this person's ability to drive anyways."

Uber also does not plan to roll out a "panic button" within its app in the U.S. market, Sullivan said. The feature was added in India after a woman in New Delhi accused an Uber driver of rape.

Adding a panic button would not be in U.S. passengers' best interest, based on the company's consultations with safety experts, Sullivan said.

"Anyone who has a smartphone here knows you can easily engage 911, and people know the number to call," Sullivan said. "That's exactly the behavior we want to encourage rather than build something into our app in the United States."

LINK: These Are The Victims Of The Kalamazoo, Michigan, Shootings

LINK: Uber Driver Arraigned On Six Counts Of Murder In Kalamzoo Shootings




SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Teen Allegedly Posed As A Senator, Got A Chauffeured Car, And Toured A School

School adminstrators in Ohio didn’t realize they had been duped until weeks later.

Instagram

Wyandot County Sheriff

Charging documents provided to BuzzFeed News show Izaha Akins of Marion, Ohio, was indicted by a grand jury last week on one felony count of telecommunications fraud and one felony count of impersonating a peace officer for the December stunt.

Charging documents provided to BuzzFeed News show Izaha Akins of Marion, Ohio, was indicted by a grand jury last week on one felony count of telecommunications fraud and one felony count of impersonating a peace officer for the December stunt.

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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Michigan Students Angry College Didn't Alert Them During Kalamazoo Shootings

“Why are you so quick to alert us of robberies, and muggings on campus, but when someone is murdering innocent people in our community you say nothing?”

As a gunman drove the streets of Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Saturday evening, firing shots at random that killed six people and injured two others, students at a local college were left in the dark about the potential threat.

As a gunman drove the streets of Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Saturday evening, firing shots at random that killed six people and injured two others, students at a local college were left in the dark about the potential threat.

Jeff Karoub / AP

Police arrested 45-year old Uber driver Jason Brian Dalton over what they said were "sensless, random" fatal shootings in three separate locations around the city.

Police arrested 45-year old Uber driver Jason Brian Dalton over what they said were "sensless, random" fatal shootings in three separate locations around the city.

Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office

Western Michigan University did not send out any text message alerts to students despite two of the three shootings happening just miles from campus.

Western Michigan University did not send out any text message alerts to students despite two of the three shootings happening just miles from campus.

Michigan Municipal League / Via Flickr: michigancommunities


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Sunday, February 21, 2016

San Bernardino Victims Will Weigh In On Apple-FBI Dispute

Jae C. Hong / AP

As Apple and the FBI continue to spar over access to an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters, a Southern California attorney is preparing to file a brief showing the perspective of some of the attack’s victims.

Stephen Larson told BuzzFeed News he was asked by U.S. Attorney Eileen Decker and San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos to write a friend of the court brief in support of the government’s position. Larson, a former federal judge and prosecutor who grew up in the area, said he has spoken with multiple victims as he prepares to file the brief by March 2.

As the government seeks access to the iPhone used by Syed Rizwan Farook, their primary interest is filling gaps in the criminal investigation, Larson said.

“The victims, however, their interest is a little broader,” he said. “They have a real interest in why they were targeted, whether they’re still targeted.”

FBI, California Department of Motor Vehicles via AP

Fourteen people were killed and 22 were injured when Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, opened fire at a holiday party for Farook’s fellow San Bernardino County employees. The Dec. 2 event was held at the Inland Regional Center, a facility which coordinates services for people with disabilities, houses government offices, and provides conference space to about 600 people daily.

Larson would not say how many victims his brief will represent, but they include family of those who died, survivors, and witnesses. They are asking Apple to comply with a court order to provide access to Farook’s work iPhone in the hopes that it can bring closure, and answer the lingering questions and fears since the attack, he said.

“This is the largest act of terrorism in the United States since 9/11,” Larson said. “For something like this to happen, it is so random, so unexpected, it really hits deep.”

He added he was a supporter of privacy rights, but this particular case had received exhaustive court review and had a narrow focus.

“We’re talking about the privacy interests of a dead, murderous terrorist who was using an iPhone that was the property of San Bernardino County,” Larson said.

Carolyn Kaster / AP

Apple, however, has said the court order would have sweeping implications that would make all iPhone users less secure. The company is challenging the court order, and a hearing is scheduled for March 22.

On Sunday, FBI Director James Comey released a statement that also pointed to the interests of the victims.

“The San Bernardino litigation isn't about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message,” Comey said. “It is about the victims and justice.”

Comey reiterated that the FBI was not seeking the power to break Apple’s encryption; rather, he said, the FBI wanted the chance to guess Farook’s particular phone’s passcode, as allowed by a search warrant, without it wiping its data.

“Maybe the phone holds the clue to finding more terrorists,” Comey said. “Maybe it doesn’t. But we can't look the survivors in the eye, or ourselves in the mirror, if we don't follow this lead.”

He added that as technology has advanced, new tensions have arisen between privacy and public safety. Ultimately, Comey said, the American people should settle the issue, rather than corporations like Apple or government agencies like the FBI.

“We shouldn't drift to a place – or be pushed to a place by the loudest voices – because finding the right place, the right balance, will matter to every American for a very long time.”

LINK: Date Set For Apple-FBI Court Showdown Over Terrorist’s iPhone

LINK: Apple Says It Will Fight Order To Break Encryption On San Bernardino Shooter’s iPhone

LINK: Apple Helped The Government Extract Data Before. Here’s Why Things Are Different Now




SOURCE: BuzzFeed

These Are The Victims Of The Kalamazoo, Michigan Shootings

Six people were killed Saturday in what authorities have labelled a “random, senseless” series of shootings.

Six people were killed Saturday and two others were wounded in a shooting rampage across Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Six people were killed Saturday and two others were wounded in a shooting rampage across Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images

A suspect, 45-year-old Jason Dalton, was taken into custody after police said he fired randomly over a period of four hours at a townhome complex, a car dealership, and the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel restaurant.

This post will be updated as more information emerges, but here's what we know about the victims of the deadly shooting:

Mary Jo Nye, 60

Mary Jo Nye, 60

Via Facebook: maryjo.nye

Mary Jo Nye was a retired teacher and had long taught at Calhoun Community High School, the Battle Creek Enquirer reported.

Even after her retirement, she attended graduation ceremonies at the alternative charter school, the Enquirer reported. To many students, she was like a mother.

On her Facebook page, Nye posted photos of traveling with her husband, her dogs, and quilting projects.

She was the driver of the Chevrolet Cruze in the Cracker Barrel parking lot at the time of the third wave of shooting. A 14-year-old girl who was in the front passenger seat remains in critical condition.


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed

Someone Inserted Donald Trump Into "Game Of Thrones" And It's Incredible

He’s going to build a wall — and the Wildlings are going to pay for it.

Donald Trump has successfully knocked out a bunch of establishment Republican candidates in his quest for the GOP nomination — and now the King-slayer (Jeb-slayer) has found himself in Westeros.

youtube.com

We start out with Trump turning away Khaleesi and her Dothraki followers, maybe because he fears they're all just a bunch of rapists and drug-smugglers.

We start out with Trump turning away Khaleesi and her Dothraki followers, maybe because he fears they're all just a bunch of rapists and drug-smugglers.

ABC / Via youtube.com

Trump also tells the brave Men of the Night's Watch that the northern border may need some reinforcing.

Trump also tells the brave Men of the Night's Watch that the northern border may need some reinforcing.

ABC / Via youtube.com


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SOURCE: BuzzFeed