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 Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:54 pm
A place to post odds and ends that don't go in a specific forum or you just don't know where it would go.
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 5:11 pm
YFZ polygamist ranch
In April 2008, Texas authorities took more than 460 children from the Yearning for Zion Ranch operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Eldorado, Texas.
The raid was prompted by a phone call from 16-year-old "Sarah," who claimed she was being physically and sexually abused.
The call was later traced to Rozita Swinton, a non-FLDS member living in Colorado Springs, Colo. Swinton reportedly has a history of making false reports by phone.
The call launched a full-scale investigation into possible physical and sexual abuse of children living on the compound. But just two months after they were taken, all of the children were reunited with their parents, except one.
The case exposed many to the existence of organized polygamist communities. And while the Mormon church rejected polygamy in 1890, some fundamentalist sects still practice multiple marriage.
Still, we wonder: What is life like behind the gates of the YFZ compound?
Plus: FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was once among the FBI's most wanted, and is currently serving 10 years to life for being an accomplice to rape.
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Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:28 pm
How to meet the queen
You've seen the headlines of the Obamas' visit to Buckingham Palace. The president gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod. She gave him a picture of herself.
It was all very well planned, as is every visit with the queen of England. Centuries-old protocols must be followed — and, yes, women are expected to curtsy. Here are more ways on how to act … or not act … when meeting Her Majesty.
Small talk: The Obamas were prepped on the dos and don'ts of royal chitchat. Were they successful? You be the judge. The audio is now available. Listen for yourself.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/01/obamas-and-queen-audio-li_n_182031.html
Hand-shaking: You may shake the queen's hand, but make contact only briefly.
Touching: You're not supposed to touch the queen, as Michelle Obama did. Or are you?
Apparently protocol isn't everything, since the queen was willing to bend the rules for Obama.
What to wear: Questions about the doffing or donning of hats, gloves (white?), etc., were all covered in an official advisory put forward by Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine for the queen's last visit.
Bonus: A state dinner at the Bush White House to which George W. wore a white tie was apparently the first time that he'd dressed up that much since his election. No swigging from water bottles or wolfing down food, please.
Wait, there's more: Headlines from this visit called out an ill-conceived Bush improvisation in which the former president suggested that the queen was old enough to have been around in 1776. Ouch. And then he what did he do?
answer: he introduced himself to the Queen as the "black sheep of the family", and asked the Queen who was his equivalent in the Windsor family. Also he winked at her...
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Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:16 pm
Life after 'Idol'
Admit it, you've been wondering: What's Fantasia up to? And even: What's Sanjaya doing with his hair? As the finalists in this season's "American Idol" emerge, we had to ask: What's life been like for the contestants of yore?
Kelly Clarkson: The 2002 season winner, Clarkson hasn't slowed for a moment since she beat Justin Guarini in the final round. Some are calling her latest video "steamy."
Ruben Studdard: The show's second season winner. Next to his name and his lyrics, one of the most popular searches for Studdard has to do with his weight loss.
Carrie Underwood: Multiple Grammys, millions of records sold? Yup. But what do searchers really want to know about Carrie Underwood? That thing she had with Tony Romo.
Fantasia Barrino: Just the first name, please. The eight-Grammy nominee may soon make the jump from Broadway to the silver screen.
Taylor Hicks: Fifth season winner and then … ? Hmm. Turns out a much grayer Hicks is starting his own record label in what he himself is calling a comeback story.
Chris Daughtry: He may have been an "Idol" loser, but he's since won four Grammys.
Jennifer Hudson: Another "Idol" loser? Hardly. She finished seventh in Season 3, then went on to win an Academy Award for "Dreamgirls." The latest headlines on Hudson have to do with her dogs.
William Hung: Sure, he can't sing, but that hasn't stopped him from releasing three albums.
Clay Aiken: Season 2 runner-up Aiken wowed with his first album and has been very successful since. Like others, his post-"Idol" career path has included Broadway, where he was earlier this year.
Sanjaya: The hair, the weird androgyny of the sixth-season finalist. If you want more on Sanjaya, you'll be glad to know he's got a book coming out.
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Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:33 pm
'Pap fights'
Bullets reportedly flew outside the wedding ceremony for Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen in Costa Rica last weekend, raising the level of paparazzi conflict to new heights.
It's not clear who was to blame, but it got us thinking about some of the more recent and more memorable of the "pap fights," as they are now called.
Farrah Fawcett: Cancer-stricken Farrah Fawcett slammed photographers for ignoring her pleas to stop taking pictures of her in a wheelchair.
Lily Allen: Just last month, singer Lily Allen sought and got a court order aimed at keeping the paparazzi at bay. No word on whether it's working. The request came after an incident in which Allen's car was rear-ended and some punches were thrown.
Julia Roberts: After a photographer tried to take a picture of her at her children's school, she chased him down.
Tobey Maguire: Fight at the pumpkin patch?You be the judge, but be warned: Blood was spilled during the apparent confrontation last October.
Matthew McConaughey: Can't a guy hang ten in peace? Two surfers were charged last year when they allegedly assaulted a photographer trying to snap images of McConaughey surfing.
Sean Penn: Penn's hatred for the paparazzi is legendary. He once scuffled with a photographer who got too close during his brother's funeral, but Penn also is said to have dangled a photographer by his ankles out of a ninth-floor Shanghai window when he found him in his room. And that's not half the story.
Hugh Grant Knees Paparazzi in the Groin for not honoring request to stop taking his picture.
US rapper Kanye West had been charged over an incident at Los Angeles International which led to the destruction of a photographer's camera.
Bjork attacked, and tore the shirt off of, paparazzi Glenn Jeffrey at the Auckland International Airport in New Zealand.
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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:08 pm
Child abduction statistics
The body of an 8-year-old girl was discovered this week. She had been missing since March 27 and was last seen near her home in Tracy, Calif.
When a child goes missing, the unrelenting media coverage can be frightening. According to a landmark NISMART–2study by the U.S. Department of Justice, as many as 800,000 children younger than 18 are missing each year. (While released in 2002, these statistics endure as the best national estimates for the number of missing children.)
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children clarifies: "Children may become missing due to abduction by nonfamily members or abduction by family members … as a result of running away from home … due to becoming lost, injured or otherwise missing to their parents or guardians."
But how pervasive a threat is stranger abduction?
Here is a breakdown of categories of child abductions:
Family abductions: The DOJ study estimates that 203,900 children are abducted by a family member. The Sean Goldman case, involving a boy whose mother took him to Brazil, is a family abduction.
Nonfamily abductions: An estimated 58,200 children are abducted by a nonfamily perpetrator. On July 15, 2002, Samantha Runnion was kidnapped outside her home by a man she did not know who claimed to be looking for a lost dog.
So, have abductions by strangers increased or decreased? The DOJ study finds:"No scientific basis exists to conclude that there has been a true decline — although it is possible. On the other hand, NISMART–2 results do not indicate an increase in abductions by strangers."
Extra: Another disturbing category of missing child is the "stereotypical kidnapping." (How does the DOJ define "stereotypical kidnapping"?) The abduction of Elizabeth Smart, who was taken from her bedroom on June 5, 2002, fits this description.
answer: a stereotypical kidnapping "when a stranger or slight acquaintance perpetrates a non-family abduction in which the child is detained overnight, transported at least 50 miles, held for ransom, abducted with the intent to keep the child permanently, or killed."
Bonus: Who were Amber Alert laws named after?
answer: Amber Hagerman (November 25, 1986 – January 15, 1996) was a young girl who became a victim of an abduction and murder. On January 13, 1996, she was riding her bike near her grandparents' home in Arlington, Texas, and was kidnapped soon thereafter. Her murder would later inspire the creation of the AMBER Alert system.
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Posted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:46 pm
Thomas Jefferson
Sure, he was our third president and author of our Declaration of Independence, but what about his sex life?
On the anniversary of his birthday, we search for Jefferson's women.
Though he was famously private when it came to his personal affairs, few historical topics have undergone as much speculation as Jefferson's personal life and relationships with these women.
Martha Jefferson: Martha and Thomas Jefferson were married Jan. 1, 1772, and during their marriage of 10 years, had six children. Unfortunately, Martha was sickly. She died before she could become first lady. Accounts of her death suggest Jefferson promised he would never remarry.
Maria Cosway: During his time serving as American minister to France, Jefferson met Maria Cosway, a British painter, and together they attended exhibits and concerts over a six-week period. Though personal correspondence would seem to suggest a shared affection, the extent of their relationship is not exactly known.
Sally Hemings: For years there was speculation that Jefferson had a sexual relationship with Sally Hemings, a slave at Monticello who was rumored to be the half-sister of his late wife, Martha. It is thought their relationship lasted for many years and produced several children.
Extra: Want more Jefferson? Tune in to "The Thomas Jefferson Hour," a weekly radio show hosted by scholar and author Clay Jenkinson.
Bonus: Jefferson died on what national holiday, in 1826?
answer: July 4, Independence Day
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:20 pm
U.S. Map of the Top UFO Hotspots
Plus, how to report a UFO sighting.
By Phil Patton
Reported UFO Incidents (1947-2005)
Major Metro Counties (in Red)
1. Los Angeles, CA: 1346
2. King, WA: 621
3. Cook, IL: 468
4. Maricopa, AZ: 424
5. San Diego, CA: 348
Less Populated Counties (in Blue)
1. Westmoreland, PA: 396
2. Saguache, CO: 263
3. Santa Rosa, FL: 242
4. Yakima, WA: 227
5. Rockingham, NH: 183
Where is UFO country?
To find out, PM consulted the Center for UFO Studies, which maintains a database of sightings reported from 1947 to 2005. Illinois-based CUFOS gathers data from UFO reporting groups and public records, including Project Blue Book. (If several people report the same sighting, CUFOS registers it as a single event.) For a broad comparison, we ranked both metropolitan and more sparsely settled counties.
Why did these 10 top the list? Perhaps because some are close to military training zones called Special Use Airspace. An uptick in sightings over Santa Rosa County, Fla., could stem from the presence of an air wing that tests every fighter, bomber, unmanned aerial vehicle and weapon in the Air Force inventory. Military refueling lanes crisscross the nation, and lights from air tankers and warplanes flying at night in close formation could appear as triangles of light from the ground.
Psychology may also play a role. Westmoreland County, Pa. (pop. 362,326), which records more sightings than the metro Houston area (pop. 3.9 million), includes Kecksburg, the location of a reputed 1965 UFO crash. Residents there may be more likely to report strange lights to a UFO group.
What to Do Before You Report a UFO
So you've just seen some eerie lights in the sky, glowing orbs that moved in strange ways. This is a UFO report waiting to happen. But before you go tell all to the MUFON it could help to check what's in the sky in your area. Here is your 3-step checklist. –Joe Pappalardo
1. Is it Venus?
February was a great time to watch for Venus because it was at its brightest in the evening twilight sky. "Venus will be coming closer still to Earth," the dedicated skywatchers at www.earthsky.org wrote. "But it will be showing us less and less of its lighted hemisphere as it prepares to pass between us and the sun. So now is the time of maximum brilliance."
Earthsky.org and Space.com have updates on prominent celestial happenings that might explain your UFO. If you feel like spending money, programs like Starry Night are available for download.
2. Is it a military exercise?
There's no way to tell when and where the military is conducting flights, right? Wrong.
The FAA needs to tell pilots when military airspace is being used to keep collisions from happening. This website tracks which sections of "special use airspace" will be used for military flights. This includes military operations areas and aerial refueling Missions. For a list of airbases, airports and special use airspace, also see seeandavoid.org, a website established by the Defense Safety Oversight Council to deter midair collisions.
3. Is it an Earthling's spaceship?
Satellites and spacecraft can be tracked via NASA's website. They use data from flight centers to track satellites and spacecraft. There is a text-based version and an 300 K applet.
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Posted: Wed Apr 22, 2009 6:52 pm
Miss Moneypenny
On Admin Day, we honor Miss Moneypenny. She's the buttoned-up assistant to M, the head of the British Secret Service, in the novels and most film adaptations of Ian Fleming's James Bond series. Five actors have played the role, with Lois Maxwell holding the record for 14 films as Miss Moneypenny.
What about the others? In second place: Samantha Bond had the role in four films. And third: Caroline Bliss played Moneypenny in just two.
But Maxwell was the most practiced in the role, mastering that taut dialogue with Bond, in quips amusingly riddled with sexual innuendo and bawdy flirtation.
Of course, what we really want to know is this: Did Moneypenny and Bond ever consummate their relationship? Search won't tell, but "The Moneypenny Diaries," a trilogy of novels written from her point of view, just might.
Bonus: Miss Moneypenny hasn't appeared in the last two Bond films starring Daniel Craig. Will she be in the next one, "Bond 23"?
answer: They are trying to working it into the picture
Plus: Who might be the next Bond girl: Jennifer Aniston or Freida Pinto?
answer: Jennifer Aniston
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Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:06 pm
Energy vampires: Fact versus fiction
By Lori Bongiorno
Posted Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:52pm PST
It's well-known that most electronic devices in our homes are sucking up energy even while they are turned off. But for all the information out there, many questions remain. I got hundreds of reader questions after writing the post What's wasting energy in your home right now. Below are answers to the five most common inquiries:
Which electronic devices waste the most energy when they are turned off but still plugged in?
Set-top cable boxes and digital video recorders are some of the biggest energy hogs. Unfortunately, there's little consumers can do since television shows can't be taped if boxes are unplugged. It also typically takes a long time to reboot boxes.
However, some of the other major consumers of standby power are more easily dealt with: computers, multifunction printers, flat-screen TVs, DVDs, VCRs, CD players, power tools, and hand-held vacuums. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) measured standby power for a long list of products.
While it's true each individual product draws relatively little standby power, the LBNL says that when added together, standby power can amount to 10% of residential energy use.
Why do electronic devices use energy when they are switched off?
Electronics consume standby power for one of two reasons, says Chris Kielich of the Department of Energy. They either have an adapter that will continue to draw electricity, or they have devices (such as clocks and touchpads) that draw power. Anything with a remote control will also draw standby power, she says, since the device needs to be able to detect the remote when it's pushed.
Does everything suck energy when it's plugged in and turned off?
No. If your coffeemaker or toaster doesn't have a clock, then it's probably not using standby power, says Kielich. Chances are your hair dryer and lamps (although they may have a power adapter for the dimmer) are not drawing standby power either, she says. Devices with a switch that physically breaks the circuit don't consume standby power.
Will switching things on and off shorten their life?
Probably not, says Kielich. You'd have to turn devices on and off thousands of times to shorten their lives. The real downside, she says, to unplugging electronics is that clocks and remotes will not work, and you do have to reset everything.
Can you ruin batteries by unplugging battery chargers and causing batteries to completely discharge?
It could be a possibility, says Kielich. Her advice: Don't let batteries get completely drained. But you don't need to have things like hand-held power vacuums and drills plugged into the charger when it's 100% charged, or even 50% charged.
Power Strip FAQs
Plugging electronics into a power strip and turning it off when you're not using it is a widely prescribed solution for curbing vampire power. Here are answers to common questions:
Power strips draw energy when they are turned on, but not when they are switched off.
Any decent power strip should have surge protection, according to Kielich. Flicking your power strip on and off will not create a power surge capable of damaging electronic devices. In fact, it will protect devices from other surges.
Several readers were worried about the possibility of fires caused by plugging too many things in at once. If you plug in the allowed number of devices, then power strips are safe, says Kielich. Just don't plug your power strip into another power strip, or you run the risk of creating an overload.
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Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:16 pm
Dollar store deals and duds
By Melinda Fulmer
Deals: Household cleaners
Household cleaners are the "gateway" product for dollar stores, responsible for bringing most shoppers in, Family Dollar spokesman Josh Braverman says. For good reason, too, as most of the basic ingredients in branded and unbranded cleaners are about the same.
Super Window glass cleaner in a 32-ounce bottle was 99 cents (of course) at a 99¢ Only store in Los Angeles. Windex in the same-size bottle was $4.29 at a Vons supermarket down the street.
Awesome Carpet Spot & Stain Remover was 99 cents for a 32-ounce bottle at the dollar store. A 22-ounce bottle of Resolve was $3.54 at a Los Angeles Target store.
Duds: Vitamins and drugs
"We have concerns about vitamins and some medications sold at dollar stores," says Anthony Giorgianni, the associate editor of Consumer Reports' Money Adviser.
Vitamins are considered dietary supplements by the Food and Drug Administration, so they receive less oversight than drugs do. Several years ago, Consumer Reports found that half of the dollar-store brands it studied contained less of the vitamins than the labels indicated and didn't dissolve properly when ingested. Similar problems weren't found for brand names.
Deals: Shampoos
The good news about shampoos and conditioners is that there is no difference in quality between the cheap ones and pricier versions, says "cosmetics cop" Paula Begoun, the author of "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me." There are no ingredients to avoid or worry about, she says. Just don't believe all the claims on the bottles.
Some of the best buys can be found on discontinued product lines. A bottle of Marc Anthony Aroma Organics shampoo that was 99 cents at a Los Angeles dollar store was marked down from $7.45 to $3.74 at a nearby Vons supermarket.
An 11.25-ounce bottle of juicy melon Softsoap was 99 cents at the dollar store. A 7.5-ounce bottle of the same stuff was $2.09 at a Target store in Los Angeles.
Dud: Toothpaste
In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers that many brands of toothpaste found at dollar stores carried diethylene glycol, a poisonous chemical found in antifreeze. Although recalls were issued, some of these products could still be on shelves, including toothpaste made to look like your favorite brands. So, it's probably best to steer clear.
Deals: Spices
Food can be hit or miss at dollar stores. Though many stores are stocking more bargains on fresh produce and frozen items, not everything is of high quality -- such as cheese made with vegetable oil, says blogger Billy Vasquez, aka "the 99 Cent Chef," who buys recipe ingredients from dollar stores. And much of the freezer selection -- such as giant boxes of frozen corn dogs -- isn't healthful.
Spices, however, are a slam-dunk because they are widely available and at much lower prices than at supermarkets.
A jar of McCormick's paprika cost $4.45 at a Vons supermarket in Los Angeles, but at a nearby dollar store you could get the same amount of paprika for only 99 cents under the Santa Paula label.
Likewise, McCormick's ground thyme cost $7.09 at Vons, but you could buy Santa Paula thyme for 99 cents down the street.
Duds: Batteries
Many dollar-store batteries are the carbon-zinc variety, which drain more quickly and are more sensitive to heat and cold than are traditional alkaline batteries. You'll go through more of them, wiping out any savings, experts say.
Deals: Kitchen utensils
Dollar stores are a great place to stock your kitchen with inexpensive utensils, says Anthony Giorgianni, the associate editor of Consumer Reports' Money Adviser. He recently returned a pizza cutter he'd bought for $3 at Target when he found a similar one for a buck at a dollar store. Funnels, whisks, peelers, spatulas and other kitchen tools are also great buys, he says, compared with supermarkets and even discount stores such as Wal-Mart.
Blogger Billy Vasquez, aka "the 99 Cent Chef," even buys his kitchen knives at a dollar store. They may not last as long as Henckels, but he says they cut just fine. However, he's had less luck with dollar-store can openers. "They don't seem to work too well," Vasquez says. "I haven't found a good can opener from a dollar store."
Latex kitchen gloves were just 99 cents at a Los Angeles 99¢ Only store. Down the street, Playtex gloves had a $2.29 sale price at a Vons supermarket.
A stainless-steel potato peeler was just 99 cents at the dollar store versus $4.19 for an Epicura peeler -- the lowest-priced model -- at a Los Angeles Target store.
Duds: Electrical products
"We think it's best not to buy anything that you plug in from a dollar store," says Anthony Giorgianni, the associate editor of Consumer Reports' Money Adviser.
Products may not be wired to handle the current they receive. Some also have shoddy insulation around the wiring, which can pose a risk for overheating.
Deals: Party goods and gift wrap/bags
There's going to be little difference in quality between a paper gift bag you buy at a dollar store and one you pick up at your local drugstore. It's just a question of taste. If you can find something that you like at a dollar store, you're going to save a bundle, says Anthony Giorgianni, the associate editor of Consumer Reports' Money Adviser.
Party plates and napkins, as well as birthday signs and party favors, are also great finds. Just don't expect your daughter's favorite licensed character to be printed on them.
A 20-foot roll of Disney Princess wrapping paper cost $3.64 at a Target store in Los Angeles; a 25-foot roll of pink gift wrap with hearts and flowers cost 99 cents at 99¢ Only.
Gift bags of all sizes were 99 cents at the dollar store, compared with 99 cents to $3.99 at Target, depending on size and decoration.
Duds: Jewelry and vinyl lunchboxes
Jewelry and vinyl lunchboxes and have been recalled from dollar stores as dangerous sources of lead. New consumer-products legislation was supposed impose testing and remove this threat from stores, but experts say it's wise not to take chances.
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Posted: Sun May 03, 2009 12:27 am
celebs in the week of 4/27/09-5/1/09
Beyonce brings her A-game to a concert in the Czech Republic. She even brought out Aretha Franklin's Inauguration hat bow ... and stuck it on her butt. R-E-S-P-E-C-T that, Aretha!
Brad Pitt starred in a Spike Jonze-directed Japanese cell phone commercial. He finally can check "lifting a 400 pound man" off of his bucket list. He's already checked off "become an A-list actor," "score the sexiest woman alive," and "chill with Obama," so he's doing pretty good so far.
On "Good Morning America," Hugh Jackman explains to the audience why he was cast as Wolverine: His perfect hands. He didn't want to bring out his real metal claws though. The world isn't ready.
Tom Hanks was honored at Lincoln Center's 36th annual Gala in New York City. Rita Wilson celebrated the occasion with formal sequins and ostrich feathers.
Kim Kardashian and Kelly Osbourne go for a roller-skating date. Didn't know they were friends, but we're sure reality show producers everywhere are salivating over this union.
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 10:52 pm
celebrity quotes 5/1-5/4
"It feels the same as everyone else's. Everyone's got a butt - why do you care about mine? All these people talking about my butt is ridiculous." -- Kim Kardashian, on her famous derriere
"We're definitely wearing the face masks everywhere we go. We're not playing. I'm not trying to get pig flu! We're in isolation. We're in, like, full hiding." -- Spencer Pratt, talking to Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show about honeymooning in Mexico with new wife Heidi Montag
"Had I known that certain other people were going to base their latest thing about circus things, I probably would have went into another direction." -- Pink, on the comparisons being made between her "Funhouse" tour and Britney Spears' "The Circus" tour
"It is a little creepy ... That's what my wife says. She was like, 'Hugh, this is kind of ridiculous. I'm not sure who you are right now. Now, get into bed.'" -- Hugh Jackman, on his body, which he bulked up and toned for his new movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"
"Pam Anderson doesn't even have a credit card. And she lives in Paradise Cove -- which is in Malibu, but it's a trailer park in Malibu." -- Courtney Love, talking to Page Six about former BFF Pamela Anderson
"It's good to get out of your comfort zone and test yourself. I'm just going to see how it goes for a bit. I haven't set a time limit or anything." -- Lily Allen, on being celibate to improve her songwriting
"I wasn't even making an action movie or anything. If you do it when you're making an action movie, you feel cool. When you do it when you're just running on a beautiful day in front of a lot of people, you don't feel so cool. You think you're anonymous and suddenly everyone's like 'Jen Garner just fell down! Jennifer, do you need help?!'" -- Jennifer Garner, explaining a bruise on her knee to David Letterman
"I understand people are interested, I get that they want to hear about it, but to me I look at it as old-school movie magic and with magic you do not reveal your secrets ... You really make people work to find those secrets and generally you just reveal it to people who are going to join your ****ing magic circle and then you know about it." -- Christian Bale, opening up about his expletive-filled on-set rant which was leaked online earlier this year
"Blimey, no wonder the whole thing works so perfectly." -- Guy Ritchie, joking about Madonna's relationship with Brazilian model Jesus Luz, who reportedly speaks little English
"It kind of came out faster than I wanted it to. My husband kind of surprised me and everybody at one of his concerts. He was just on tour so he kind of told everybody ... He's allowed to obviously. We're very excited." -- Heidi Klum, responding to husband Seal's spontaneous announcement of Klum's pregnancy at a recent concert
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:06 pm
Mother's Day special
Let's hear it for the ladies!
Saturday 8th March is International Women’s Day. While we do not normally have separate records for each gender, some records can only be attempted by the female sex. Here are some of our women-only records:
Largest annual gathering of women
In February or March each year, over one million women gather at the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, for the `Pongala' offering. The women, from all religions and communities in Kerala, gather with their cooking pots to perform a ritual for the health and prosperity of their families. The highest attendance recorded was 1.5 million women in attendance at the festival on 23 February 1997. The ceremonial, which involves cooking rice as an offering to the deity, lasts six hours.
Most prolific mother ever
The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev (b. 1707–c.1782), a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.
Most people breast feeding
The most women breast feeding simultaneously was 3,541 at an event organised by Children for Breastfeeding Inc., and the City of Manila in partnership with Nurturers of the Earth Inc., UNICEF and the Department of Health of the Republic of the Philippines at the San Andres Sports Complex and Cultural Center, Malate, Manila, Philippines on 4 May 2006.
Most bikini waves – 4 hours
Lareesa Guttery (Australia) gave 262 clients a bikini wax in 4 hours at the Every Woman's Expo 2004, Burswood Dome, Perth, Western Australia, Australia, on 12 June 2004.
Oldest person to give birth
The oldest mother is Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara (Spain, b. 5 January 1940), who gave birth by caesarean section to twin boys, Christian and Pau, aged 66 years 358 days at the Sant Pau hospital, Barcelona, Spain on 29 December 2006.
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Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:27 pm
Moms who are famous for being moms
There are famous moms, and there are moms of famous people, but we've found a lineup of moms who are just moms, and that's why we know them. In honor of Mother's Day, we searched for some favorites.
Barbara Billingsley: She was the quintessential 1950s mom on "Leave It to Beaver." With perfect hair and pearls, she dispensed bons mots of motherly wisdom. Her most famous? "Ward, I'm worried about the Beaver."
Candy Lightner: She founded MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) in 1980 after her daughter was killed by a drunk driver.
Michelle Duggar: With 18 children — eight girls and 10 boys — she's been the subject of a reality show and plenty of publicity. Eighteen is impressive, sure, but what woman holds the record for most children ever?
answer: Mrs. Vassilyev
'Octomom': Also known as Nadya Suleman, she's the single mom who had octuplets in January, in addition to her other six children, all via in-vitro fertilization. Now she has plans to star in a reality show with her brood, but one lawyer thinks Suleman is exploiting them.
Anna McNeill Whistler: Better known as Whistler's Mother, she was the subject of perhaps the most famous painting of a mom ever. It's the work American James McNeill Whistler, but the painting hangs in Paris.
Mother Teresa: She wasn't a biological mom, but the famous nun who cared for thousands of India's poor, orphaned or sick kids for decades gets our "honorary mom" status. She received the Nobel Peace Prize for her work. So, why did several high-profile people criticize her?
answer: One of the few people to publicly attack Mother Teresa is Christopher Hitchens, a British journalist. Hitchens accuses Mother Teresa of accepting money from unclean sources.
Bonus: Mother's Day is not just a Hallmark holiday. It started with Anna Reeves Jarvis in 1858, but it took the work of another woman and later Jarvis' daughter to make it stick. When did it become an official national holiday?
answer: 1911
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