7/6 The Huffington Post | Full News Feed

The Huffington Post | Full News Feed         College Hiring Returns After Two-Year Lull July 5, 2011 at 4:38 PM   FORTUNE -- After a two-year hiatus, major corporations are starting to hit college career-fair tables once again. Bank of America plans to offer 1,300 new graduates jobs in 2011, and Microsoft (MSFT) will visit more business schools, marking the first time the company has expanded its footprint since 2009 Read More...         Treasure Worth An Estimated $20 Billion Discovered In Sree Padmanabhaswamy Indian Temple (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 4:38 PM   Jackpot! An estimated $20 billion and counting in gold, diamonds, statues and other valuables have been discovered in an Indian Hindu temple, according to reports. The incredible treasure trove was stored for approximately 140 years among five faults in the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, located in southern state of Kerala. Police are now on guard around-the-clock to prevent looters from rushing the building. Read More... More on Good News         Anne LaBastille Dead: 'Woodswoman' Author, Environmentalist Dies At Age 75 July 5, 2011 at 4:25 PM   ALBANY, N.Y. -- Anne LaBastille, the environmentalist, sometime hermit and author whose "Woodswoman" autobiographies inspired others to venture into the wilderness, has died at a nursing home in Plattsburgh. She was 75. The city clerk's office confirmed a death certificate was filed for LaBastille but would not release other details. Read More... More on Death & Dying         Bill Self, Kansas Basketball Coach, Wants To Get Rid Of One-And-Done Rule July 5, 2011 at 4:25 PM   If Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self had his way, the NBA's next collective bargaining agreement would include an alteration of the so-called "one-and-done rule." Read More... More on NBA         Jason Chaffetz, Tea Party-Backed Congressman, Endorsing Mitt Romney For President July 5, 2011 at 4:25 PM   WASHINGTON - Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Tea Party favorite who is likely to run for the U.S. Senate in 2012, will endorse Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, on Wednesday. Chaffetz is backing Romney over former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, despite the fact that Chaffetz worked for Huntsman for two years, eventually serving as his chief of staff. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Chaffetz said his assessment that Romney has the best shot of defeating President Obama in the general election had led to his decision. "I like them both, but I want to beat Barack Obama and I think Mitt Romney's in the best position to do that. I think he's the right person at the right time," Chaffetz said. "It's tough for a lot of Utahns because we're having to choose among friends." Read More... More on Elections 2012         Gallup: Slight Uptick In Trust In Newspapers, TV July 5, 2011 at 4:25 PM   WASHINGTON — Public confidence in newspaper and television news has picked up slightly in recent years but still lags behind levels of trust from two decades ago, a Gallup poll shows. The biggest improvement in media trust over the last year registered among 30-to-49-year-olds and men, the poll found. But those under 30 delivered a split verdict: confidence in television news rose 10 percentage points for that age group, while trust in newspapers declined 10 points in the same group. And improvements in media confidence among women were within the margin of sampling error. Read More... More on Newspapers         Senate Cancels Consideration Of Libya Resolution Over GOP Objections On Budget Talks July 5, 2011 at 4:25 PM   WASHINGTON -- Republicans, led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), successfully forced the Senate to drop consideration of a resolution on Libya Tuesday in order to focus on budget negotiations and raising the debt ceiling. A Republican aide familiar with the situation said that 37 senators -- more than half of the GOP caucus -- said they would vote against the motion to proceed on the Libya resolution, which would grant congressional approval for President Obama to continue military operations in the conflict. "The Senate was scheduled today at 5:00 to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bipartisan Libya resolution. ... I've spoken with the Republican leader just a short time ago, and we've agreed -- notwithstanding the broad support for the Libya resolution -- the most important thing for us to focus on this week is the budget," said Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on the floor about an hour and a half before they were set to consider the Libya measure. Read More... More on 112th Congress         Bank Of America's $8.5 Billion Mortgage Settlement Challenged By Bondholders July 5, 2011 at 4:25 PM   NEW YORK (Jonathan Stempel) - A group of bondholders plans to challenge Bank of America Corp's $8.5 billion settlement with holders in soured mortgage-backed securities, saying it may be unfair to other bond investors. In court papers filed on Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan, 11 companies sharing the name Walnut Place said they had "serious concerns about the secret, non-adversarial, and conflicted way in which the proposed settlement was negotiated and about the fairness of the terms." Read More...         Casey Anthony Trial Verdict: Not Guilty Sparks Celebrity Reactions July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   From politics to health to child rearing, celebrities are quick to make sure their opinions are heard by the world at large. And with the advent of Twitter, it's never been easier for a movie star, musician or reality personality to get their message out to the world as soon as news breaks. With Casey Anthony being found not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child (though she was convicted of misleading law enforcement) in the case of daughter Caylee Anthony's death, celebrities were quick to tweet out their thoughts -- including Kim Kardashian, whose father Robert helped lead OJ Simpson's successful defense in his murder trial. In this case, she was with the prosecution. Here's an expanding list of some of those reactions: Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Newt Gingrich Urges Republican Courage On Debt Ceiling July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   ATLANTA — Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is urging fellow Republicans to stand firm in their battle with President Barack Obama over raising the debt ceiling. Gingrich outlines his views in a policy paper provided Tuesday to The Associated Press. Read More... More on Newt Gingrich         Srebrenica Massacre Victims Win Dutch Lawsuit July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- The Netherlands is liable for the deaths of three Bosnian Muslim men slain by Serbs during the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, appeals judges ruled in a civil suit Tuesday, ordering the Dutch government to compensate the men's relatives. The ruling could open the path to other compensation claims by victims who claim their male relatives should have been protected by the Dutch U.N. peacekeepers in charge of the U.N. "safe zone" near Srebrenica during Bosnia's 1992-1995 war, although the same Hague Appeals Court has dismissed such claims in the past. Read More... More on Genocide         Marijuana 'Munchies' Give Clue For Future Obesity Drugs July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   The "munchies" may be triggered not only by marijuana hitting the brain, but by its effects on the gut, according to new research that suggests intriguing possibilities for the development of new drugs to fight obesity. Read More... More on Healthy Living Health News         El Hierro To Become World's First Renewable Energy Island July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   From EarthTechling's Jasmine Greene: The small island of El Hierro – iron in Spanish – is located in the Canary Islands 1,500 miles off the coast of Spain. Aside from being a main tourist attraction, El Hierro will also reportedly soon become the world's first island to run off of 100 percent renewable energy. The renewable energy consists of an 11.5 MW wind farm and 11.3 MW hydroelectric plant that will generate around 80 percent of the island's needs, with the remaining 20 percent produced via solar thermal collectors and grid-connected photovoltaics. Producing local energy reportedly will offset 18,200 tons of CO2 alone due to cutting out oil transport to this remote location. Read More... More on Green Energy         Gaddafi's Forces Strike Rebels In Western Libya July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   CAIRO — Moammar Gadhafi's forces stepped up pressure near the port city of Misrata and a key western mountain range to try to block rebel fighters from advancing toward the capital of Tripoli, rebels said Tuesday. At least 11 people were killed in the fighting that began late Monday and continued Tuesday, activists said. Read More... More on Libya Protests         Traveler Matt Scheurich Shot With Arrows By Tribesmen In Papua New Guinea July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   More on Asia         Casey Anthony Trial Timeline July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   Four hundred pieces of evidence, more than 90 witnesses, and 33 days of testimony all added up to today, when Casey Anthony was found not guilty of killing her daughter, Caylee, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child. Although she was found guilty of misleading law enforcement, Anythony wept and embraced members of her legal team. Looking back on such a complicated and drawn out case, it's easy to forget some of the important landmarks along the way. Scroll through the timeline of the trial and let us know what you think. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         CAPTION THIS: President Obama's Bumper Car Face (PHOTO) July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   We spend most of our days coming up with funny things to say about ridiculous photos, so it's only fair that we put our dear readers' skills to the test. Cue "Caption This," our weekly caption competition where you can submit hilarious captions for the photo of the week via Twitter. Simply tweet your best captions to @HuffPostComedy or use the hashtag #CaptionThis to send us your submission, and you might make into our slideshow of the best captions! Check back later to see all the hilarious submissions and try again next week when we pick a different photo to have fun with. LOOK: Then-Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama driving a bumper car with daughter Sasha in 2007 Read More... More on Barack Obama         Jurors Not Talking After Casey Anthony Verdict July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   ORLANDO, Fla. — The jurors who found Casey Anthony not guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter have told court officials that they do not want to talk to the media at this time. Court officials told the media Tuesday that the jurors are asking for the media to respect their privacy and don't want to make any comments at the courthouse. The group of seven women and five men were brought in from the Tampa Bay area and sequestered for the entire trial that started in mid-May. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         'Derek Jeter 3K': HBO To Air One-Hour Special On Jeter's 3,000-Hit Chase July 5, 2011 at 4:09 PM   NEW YORK -- HBO will broadcast a documentary about Derek Jeter's pursuit of career hit No. 3,000. Major League Baseball Productions is following the Yankees captain for a one-hour special called "Derek Jeter 3K." The network said Tuesday that Jeter agreed to let camera crews follow him at home and while he was rehabilitating a recent calf injury. Read More... More on MLB         Obama Website Invites Supporters To Fake Anti-Government Events Hosted By 'Commy Obama': Report July 5, 2011 at 3:57 PM   President Barack Obama's campaign website was infiltrated on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner reports. Users of the Obama 2012 application for mobile devices were informed of two fake anti-government events hosted by "Commy Obama" in the nation's capitol, according to the Examiner. The Obama campaign has made headlines for its push to go digital ahead of 2012. The AP recently reported: Read More... More on Barack Obama         Larissa Riquelme Promises To Pose Nude If Paraguay Wins Copa America (PHOTOS) July 5, 2011 at 3:57 PM   Larissa Riquelme strikes again! The stunning lingerie model, who promised to run naked through the streets if Paraguay won the 2010 World Cup, made another similar promise over the weekend. "If Paraguay win the Copa America then I shall pose nude on the pitch," she said just before her team took on Ecuador on Sunday. Read More... More on Soccer         Poetry Bombing: Augustina Woodgate Sews Poems Into Clothes In Miami Store (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 3:57 PM   Agustina Woodgate was filmed for "O, Miami" secretly sewing poetry "tags" into clothing at a local thrift shop. She began the project in order to make poetry more accessible and to give customers an extra little gift. Hiding among the clothes in order to complete her task, she's rarely been caught. We found her irresistible. WATCH: Read More... More on Video         Murder Suspect Killed After Police Standoff (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 3:57 PM   A career criminal seeking revenge for a 2006 insurance fraud scheme shot a family vacationing in Pennsylvania and was killed by police after a six-hour standoff. Mark Richard Geisenheyner burst into a vacation home where Paul Shay, his intended target, was staying. Geisenheyner killed Shay, and also Shay's 2-year-old nephew, Gregory, authorities said. Shay's girlfriend, Kathryn Erdmann, as well as Shay's aunt and uncle, Paul and Monica Shay of New York City, were all seriously injured and taken to nearby hospitals, with Monica Shay's injuries described as life-threatening. Geisenheyner fled to a friend's home in the area and was later killed as a result of police actions. Read More...         Persian Princess' Malibu Home For $5.7 Million July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   We recently wrote about a LA house built for a beauty queen and owned by an Internet king, and now we've found a Malibu home built for a princess. This house in the Malibu Colony community was built for a "Persian princess," according to an email its owner sent to Curbed LA. An educated guess about its 1978 construction places it under the ownership of Shanaz Pahlavi, the Shah's first daughter. Since then, the current occupant says, it has been owned by two other families. So what did all that Iranian government money get Ms. Pahlavi? First of all, the home, built by an engineering company called Vincent Kevin Kelly and Associates, uses compressed, curved wooden beams that run from the front to the back of the house. This swanky '70s feature is highlighted by light-hued wood and stone floors and an edgy spiral staircase. There are three bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as two fireplaces. While the cedar sauna is a nice touch, it's outshined by the home's spacious deck, which hovers above the sands of the Pacific. Read More... More on LA Real Estate         Boat Accident In Mexico Leaves 7 US Citizens Missing, 1 Dead July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   TIJUANA, Mexico -- Mexican rescuers were scouring the Gulf of California on Tuesday for seven U.S. tourists whose fishing boat capsized two days ago, saying they were extending their search because the missing tourists could still be alive in the warm, calm waters. One American has been confirmed dead in the accident, which came after a sudden storm upended the boat before dawn Sunday, spilling dozens of tourists and crew members into the water. The identity of the dead man was not released. Read More...         Portugal's Credit Rating Downgraded To Junk Territory By Moody's July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   NEW YORK (Walter Brandimarte and Daniel Bases) - Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday slashed Portugal's credit rating into junk territory, saying there is great risk the country will need a second round of official financing before it can return to capital markets. Heightened concerns that Portugal will not be able to fully achieve the deficit reduction and debt stabilization targets set out in its loan agreement with the European Union and International Monetary Fund weighed on Moody's decision. Read More... More on European Union         Vacuum Cat Cleans Up His Act (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   After a long holiday weekend chowing on too much barbecue and staying out late at the local pub with his old friends from home, this little cat decided to mix business with pleasure. Not only is he getting a good rub down, which felines go bonkers for, by the way, he's also cleaning all the hot sauce, draft beer and red, white and blue confetti out of his silken hair. At least that's what we'd like to imagine he's doing. In reality, he's a cat, so he's probably just really enjoying the petting sensations courtesy of the vacuum hose. But we can dream, can't we? Read More... More on Cute Animal Videos         Google Axes Blogger, Picasa Brands As Part Of Google+ Social Effort July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   Google will axe two popular brand names, Mashable has reported. Blogger and Picasa will be renamed as part of a branding push following the release of Google+, the company's new social network. Blogger will be called Google Blogs and Picasa will become Google Photos. From Mashable: Read More... More on YouTube         Obama Website Hacked, Supporters Invited To Fake Anti-Government Events Hosted By 'Commy Obama': Report July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   President Barack Obama's campaign website was hacked on Tuesday, the Washington Examiner reports. Users of the Obama 2012 application for mobile devices were informed of two fake anti-government events hosted by "Commy Obama" in the nation's capitol, according to the Examiner. The Obama campaign has made headlines for its push to go digital ahead of 2012. The AP recently reported: Read More... More on Barack Obama         Restore Our Future Fundraising Efforts Net $12 Million July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   WASHINGTON — An independent fundraising group supporting former Republican Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's presidential bid has raised $12 million so far this year. Restore Our Future announced its latest fundraising figures Tuesday. The group, founded by several strategists who worked for Romney during his 2008 campaign, is expected to be one of many groups helping Republicans try to defeat President Barack Obama next year. Read More... More on Mitt Romney 2012         10,000 U.S. Troops On Offer For Iraq: Sources July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   BAGHDAD — The White House is offering to keep up to 10,000 troops in Iraq next year, U.S. officials say, despite opposition from many Iraqis and key Democratic Party allies who demand that President Barack Obama bring home the American military as promised. Any extension of the military's presence, however, depends on a formal request from Baghdad – which must weigh questions about the readiness of Iraqi security forces against fears of renewed militant attacks and unrest if U.S. soldiers stay beyond the December pullout deadline. Read More... More on Iraq         As Iraq Violence Rises, Paratroopers Practice a New Iraq Mission [VIDEO] July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- The assault began late on a moonless night with the muted drone of heavy, low-flying aircraft and the silent blossoming of a thousand parachutes. Minutes later, several tons of artillery -- four 105mm and 155mm howitzers, and an ammo truck -- thudded to the ground. Gun trucks mounted with .50-cal. machine guns and grenade launchers soon followed, and then soon afterward the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team themselves landed. Combat-loaded with 100 pounds of gear, they hit the ground from 800 feet in less than 20 seconds, bagged their chutes and sprinted away in the darkness. Their mission: seize and secure an airstrip, eliminate two nearby enemy positions, evacuate several dozen American civilians and repair the runway to enable heavy-life cargo planes to land with water, ammo, fuel and troop reinforcements. Their deadline: four hours. Read More... More on Iraq         Casey Anthony Verdict: Nancy Grace Reacts July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   Perhaps no one was more shocked that Florida mother Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her 2-year-old daughter than Nancy Grace. Narrating the denouement of 33-day trial, Grace said that she was more stunned by the outcome of the case than when O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of murdering his ex-wife and a friend in 1995. The body of Anthony's daughter, Caylee, was discovered in woods near her family's home in December 2008. Anthony's defense team alleged that Caylee had drowned. Grace railed against the 25-year-old Anthony, whom she nicknamed "Tot Mom." "It's tough when you think about Caylee and you think about this evidence and you think about all those days that Tot Mom went about partying as if Caylee had never existed," she said. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Cy Twombly Dead: Artist Dies At 83 July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   American artist Cy Twombly is dead. He died in Rome at the age of 83, according to AFP. The artist had been battling cancer for several years, a spokeswoman said. Read More...         Sarah Huckabee Sanders Tapped As Iowa Senior Adviser To Tim Pawlenty July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   DES MOINES, Iowa -- Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty is naming the daughter of 2008 Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee to help lift his own effort ahead of a key test of strength in Iowa. Pawlenty's campaign says Sarah Huckabee Sanders begins today as the former Minnesota governor's senior adviser for the state's Republican straw poll. Read More... More on Iowa Caucus 2012         Home Births Up By 20% July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   NEW YORK -- One mother chose home birth because it was cheaper than going to a hospital. Another gave birth at home because she has multiple sclerosis and feared unnecessary medical intervention. And some choose home births after cesarean sections with their first babies. Whatever their motivation, all are among a striking trend: Home births increased 20 percent from 2004 to 2008, accounting for 28,357 of 4.2 million U.S. births, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in May. Read More... More on Healthy Living Health News         Penis Size Study: Finger Length Ratio Indicator Of Penis Size July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   Researchers in South Korea think they've finally been able to crack the code that indicates the size of a man's penis, and it comes down to a ratio of finger length on the right hand. A new study published in the Asian Journal of Andrology says that the lower the ratio between the length of a man's index finger and the length of his ring finger, the longer his penis. From Reuters: Read More...         HuffPost Greatest Person Of The Day: Idris Bello, 'Afropreneur,' Wants Libraries Across Africa July 5, 2011 at 3:41 PM   While speaking with Idris Bello and hearing about his numerous accomplishments, one begins to feel a bit lazy in comparison. Though he only just graduated from Rice University's business school, Bello has amassed a laundry list of awards and fellowships that barely fit on one page. But for this self-proclaimed "Afropreneur," the grants and awards are only the tip of the iceberg. Bello has also been instrumental in creating a staggering number of organizations that aim to make Africa more self-sufficient, a goal he has had since he arrived in the U.S from Nigeria to attend the University of Houston in 2004. There's the Next Cool Idea program, which funds unique proposals from Rice students and alumni, the Wennovation Hub, which supports West African startups and small businesses, and AfyaZima Africa, which Bello co-founded to provide sustainable health technologies for the developing world. Read More... More on Greatest Person Of The Day         New Food Films To Savor: Dive!, Farmaggedon, CT Hot Dog Tour, Fresh July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   Hungry for a good film? Check out these new food films, and make sure to see the food films listed in Part I of the series. Dive! Watch as filmmaker Jeremy Seifert and friends dumpster dive around Los Angeles and uncover thousands of dollars of wasted food. The film explores the fact that, despite there is so much food waste, millions of people remain hungry. Read More... More on Video         With Venice In Danger, Protectors Look To Rich For Rescue July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   An Italian heritage protection group has issued a warning claiming that a rising tide of tourists in Venice is likely speeding the flooding of the city and recommending that the government cap the number of tourists before there is nothing left to visit. According to Italia Nostra, a prominent domestic organization, Venice is receiving about 60,000 visitors daily, twice what the city's infrastructure can handle. Read More... More on Italy         How Broke British Author Paul Carr Lives In Luxury Hotels Instead Of His London Apartment (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   Broke British author Paul Carr gave up his dumpy London flat for a life of luxury in the best hotels around the world. How did he do it? A combination of a strong British pound, a weak dollar and some clever uses of Internet travel sites. Watch for his favorites, his failures, the cities he loves and those he won't be returning to any time soon. WATCH: Read More... More on Video         Japanese Divorce Ceremonies Gain Popularity Following Crises July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   (Reuters) - Ceremonies to celebrate divorces have gained momentum in Japan after the massive March earthquake and tsunami, followed by an ongoing nuclear crisis, caused unhappy couples to reassess their lives. The ceremony to mark a couple's transition to being single again costs 55,000 yen ($690), includes a buffet meal and culminates with the ritual smashing of their wedding rings with a gavel. Read More... More on Japan         Solar-Powered Plane To Make First Trans-Mediterranean Flight (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   A team of Swiss engineers have announced their plan to fly the world's most advanced solar-powered airplane across the Mediterranean in 2012, then around the world in 2014. Encouraged by a recent flight to Belgium and France, the team is considering flying to Morocco next year. The pilot and engineers on the Solar Impulse team will be challenged by the trans-Mediterranean trip as the plane is very sensitive to turbulence. It will also have to remain airborne for 48 hours. Read More... More on Airlines         Ron Paul: TSA Should Be Abolished (AUDIO) July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is calling for the elimination of the Transportation Security Administration and recommending that the agency be replaced with "real privatization of security." "The press reports are horrifying," writes the Texas congressman in an op-ed published online by The Hill. "Children molested; disabled people abused; men and women subjected to unwarranted groping and touching of their most private areas; involuntary radiation exposure. If the perpetrators were a gang of criminals, their headquarters would be raided by SWAT teams and armed federal agents. Unfortunately, in this case the perpetrators are armed federal agents. This is the sorry situation ten years after the creation of the Transportation Security Administration." Paul called such treatment "appalling." He addressed his introduction of the American Traveler Dignity Act, saying that the legislation would establish "that airport security screeners are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation-emitting machinery on another person." Read More... More on Elections 2012         Casey Anthony Verdict Reached July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   ORLANDO, Fla. — Casey Anthony was found not guilty Tuesday of killing her 2-year-old daughter in a case that captivated the nation as it played out on national television from the moment the toddler was reported missing three years ago. Anthony, 25, wept as the judge read the verdict, which jurors reached after less than 11 hours of deliberation over two days. She was charged with first-degree murder, which could have brought the death penalty if she had been convicted. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Nat Borchers, Real Salt Lake Defender, Gets Arguably Worst Red Card In MLS History (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   The refereees in Major League Soccer have come under fire with great regularity this season. From refs getting suckered by players taking dives to them sending star players off the pitch for no apparent reason, the league has seen its season disrupted by an alarmingly high number of bad calls. That trend continued on Monday night during the New England Revolution's visit to Real Salt Lake. Just three minutes into the match, RSL defender Nat Borchers made what appeared to be a great defensive play during a Benny Feilhaber breakaway by catching Feilhaber from behind and kicking the ball off of his face and out of bounds. The refs saw the play very differently, however, and didn't just award a penalty kick to New England, but they sent Borchers off the pitch with a red card as well. This prompted ESPN soccer analyst Alexi Lalas to describe the referee's gaffe as, "the worst refereeing job -- definitely this year and probably in history." Read More... More on Soccer         Yankee Stadium 'Service Fee' Scheme Now Disclosed To Beer Drinkers July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   Back in May, a group of beer and food servers at Yankee Stadium sued the concession company they worked for, accusing Legends Hospitality of pocketing their hard-earned tips. Legends -- which is co-owned by the Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys and Goldman Sachs -- seems to have gotten the vendors' message, judging from revamped menus now found inside the stadium. The vendors' lawsuit revolves around an involuntary 20 percent service fee that's tacked on to the original price of a cold beer, hot dog and any other ballpark fare sold to fans in lower-level seats. Although most fans would assume the 20 percent fee is a tip, the bulk of that surcharge has been going not to the hustling vendors but to Legends itself, according to the lawsuit. Brian Schaffer, an attorney for the vendors, previously told HuffPost that Legends management had forbade his clients from explaining to spectators how the system really works. But now fans can see for themselves, thanks to a disclaimer added to the food menu [see photo below] sometime between the filing of the vendors' lawsuit in federal court and last week's sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. It reads, in part: Read More... More on Beer         Casey Anthony Trial Verdict: NOT GUILTY Of First-Degree Murder (UPDATE) July 5, 2011 at 2:48 PM   After 33 days of testimony, 400 pieces of evidence and more than 90 witnesses, the jury in the Casey Anthony case has reached a verdict. After just a day of deliberation, jurors informed the court at midday that they had reached a decision, and both sides in the case were ordered to assemble in the courtroom. The verdict is expected to be read at 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time. Anthony has been found not guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter. She was also found not guilty of aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child. But she was convicted on charges of misleading law enforcement. Read More... More on Missing Persons         Barcelona's Prostitution Problem: Catalonian City Becoming Human Trafficking Epicenter (VIDEO) July 5, 2011 at 2:46 PM   Barcelona may be beloved the world over for its sun-drenched beaches and spectacular nightlife, but the city has also become a notorious epicenter for the local prostitution trade. As CNN is reporting, Barcelona's tourism trade isn't the main draw for human traffickers, although the sex worker industry undoubtedly benefits because of it. Not only can vacationers become a great source of clients, but tourist visas are used to draw potential prostitutes from Bulgaria, Albania, Nigeria and elsewhere. Many women are drawn to Barcelona to become prostitutes in a desperate effort to help family back home. The region's less-than-rigid prostitution laws are yet another draw -- in Barcelona, it's legal for a woman to sell herself, although she cannot become a licensed prostitute. "You cannot act in any case against her because she is exercising her right to prostitute herself on her own free will," inspector Xavier Cortes is quoted as saying. "Unless you can prove that another person is benefiting from the prostitution of this woman...our goal is to locate people who exploit women." Read More... More on Spain         Maria Shriver-Arnold Schwarzenegger Divorce: Shriver Will Receive 'Generous Settlement' July 5, 2011 at 2:09 PM   Arnold Schwarzenegger is willing to give Maria Shriver a "very generous divorce settlement," much more than is required under California law, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned. Maria formally filed for divorce from the former California governor on Friday, July 1, but settlement talks between their respective lawyers have been ongoing for more than two months. Read More... More on Arnold Schwarzenegger             This email was sent to venturepoliticalcapital@gmail.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox PO Box 682532 Franklin, TN 37068 Account Login Unsubscribe Here