News

viral stories

The only thing better than picking out the perfect pumpkin: picking up your daughter who hasn't seen you in months. 
Levi Kaplan, a soldier who had been serving in Afghanistan for 10 months, gave his daughter the surprise of a lifetime last week. 
Luckily, Kaplan's wife, Meg Kaplan, got it all on camera. 
A <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZUeCYT0YYE">YouTube video</a> shows Kaplan's daughter posing for a photo by a large pumpkin when her father appears behind her. 
"Cheese —&nbsp;pumpkin day," she says while smiling at the camera. "I mean — uh —&nbsp;trick or treat day!" 
"Pumpkin day!" Kaplan responds, posing behind her. 
With a shocked expression, the young girl quickly turns around and jumps into his arms. 
When asked why she was crying, she responds: "I missed daddy." 
It's pretty obvious the feeling was mutual. 
"Our daughter had no clue he came home while she was in school!" Kaplan's wife explained in the caption of the YouTube video. 
Kaplan, who is&nbsp;stationed in Fort Bragg, N.C., was dropped off at the pumpkin patch before his daughter arrived. 
As of Tuesday afternoon, the nearly two-minute video was viewed more than 180,000 times, and that number continues to climb. 
"Amazing. Hard not to tear up while watching this. Wishing the best for you and your family?," one user commented. 
"I had to watch this again and smiled with huge tears filling my eyes," another said. "Hope your Halloween is awesome and get many many hugs while Dad is home." 
Forget candy, this trick and treat was already sweet enough.

Nation/World

PumpkinSurprise

Soldier dad returns from Afghanistan, surprises daughter in pumpkin patch

Soldier surprises kid in pumpkin patch

PumpkinSurprise -- CROPPED

Talk about a story to make your skin crawl. 
Australian Dylan Thomas, 21, was on vacation in beautiful Bali, Indonesia, when his body was invaded -- by a spider that had burrowed under his skin. 
He awoke one morning to find a mysterious red trail stretching up his abdomen, which continued to creep higher throughout the day. 
“It was as if someone had scratched me with the tip of a knife,” he told Darwin, Australia-based <a href="http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/bunbury-local-discovered-a-spider-had-burrowed-under-his-skin-on-bali-holiday/story-fnk0b1zt-1227092337210">NT News</a>. 
Concerned, Thomas visited a hospital, where he was told it could be a small insect bite. 
“So according to the doctors over here I've come down with some mystery condition,” he said in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1717364081823081&amp;set=a.1474772246082267.1073741829.100006485184022&amp;type=1">Facebook post</a> on Oct. 12 that included a photo of the scar. “Tad scary.” 
Later that day, Thomas posted another photo that showed the scar beginning to ooze. 
“It was a searing burn,” he said. 
Turns out, it was a match-head-sized tropical spider that had burrowed into Thomas’ skin through his scar from when his appendix was removed recently. 
“Well after running tests and putting things inside my stomach they finally found out it was a tropical spider that's been living inside of me for the last 3 days, managed to get it out luckily,” Thomas wrote in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1718024768423679&amp;set=a.1474772246082267.1073741829.100006485184022&amp;type=1">follow-up Facebook post</a>, showing off his freshly bandaged scar. “Haven't felt so violated in my life before! Just glad it's all over.” 
While the experience literally got under his skin, Thomas has remained in good spirits throughout the ordeal, if his Facebook posts are any indication. 
“Still hoping I'm going to develop superpowers by the time I'm home,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1718576411701848&amp;set=a.1474772246082267.1073741829.100006485184022&amp;type=1&amp;theater">he wrote</a>, joking about his fitting new nickname, Spider-Man. “I'll be highly disappointed if I haven't . . . Until the next time catch you later Bali.” 
See photos of Thomas' skin-crawling ordeal below.

World

balispider

Man discovers spider living under his skin during Bali vacation

balispider  10.16.14 crop/liisa

A picture of the so-called "Ebola dog" gives meaning to the phrase "puppy dog eyes," but the dog isn't flashing a look for the reason people think. 
That's because the photo of a&nbsp;King Charles spaniel that circulated on social media Wednesday is not the real "Ebola dog." 
The <a href="http://nypost.com/2014/10/15/dog-of-texas-nurse-with-ebola-enjoying-time-in-quarantine/">New York Post</a> and <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2793251/pictured-ebola-patient-nina-pham-s-beloved-dog-named-bentley-removed-contaminated-house-quarantine.html">Daily Mail</a> tabloids —&nbsp;along with others&nbsp;—&nbsp;used the photo with stories about Dallas Ebola patient Nina Pham's 1-year-old dog Bentley. 
“Bentley, the puppy of an Ebola patient in Dallas, is being closely monitored in quarantine,” the Post tweeted Wednesday afternoon, along with a photo of a spaniel puppy. 
More than 300 people shared the tweet within an hour. 
"Call CDC, I think my heart's melting," a Twitter user responded. 
"He looks so sad," another commented. 
But it wasn't long until the Internet pointed out that the puppy was a fake. 
"This photo can't be real. Right?" one user asked in response to the Post's tweet. 
Right.&nbsp; 
The dog is not Pham's&nbsp;King Charles spaniel. 
The fake Ebola dog appears to be a popular pup on Instagram named Penny. 
Instagram user @pennytigerlilly originally posted the photo of the sad dog in the sink on June 20, 2013. 
And the photo has been circulating the Internet ever since. 
In fact, the image was posted on <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/aww/comments/2ijkjk/puppy_eyes/">Reddit</a> last week with the caption "Puppy eyes." 
Both the New York Post and Daily Mail removed the photo from their online stories later Wednesday afternoon. 
The real Bentley is being monitored at a decommissioned naval air base in Dallas. 
And it's safe to assume he isn't as sad as the dog in the photo. 
Officials say the dog has been given comfortable bedding, toys and other items to entertain him, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday. 
Word to the wise: Don't believe everything you see.

EbolaDog

King Charles spaniel, 'Ebola puppy,' is not the real Bentley 

KingCav -- CROPPED

First lady of the United States by day – social media star by night? 
Michelle Obama shocked the Internet with her response to a popular Vine personality Tuesday night. 
Iman Crosson, known as “Alphacat” on Vine, participated in the first lady’s Vine Q&amp;A for the Let’s Move initiative by asking a simple, yet difficult question. 
“A question for Michelle Obama: How many calories do you burn every time you 'turn up'?! #AskTheFirstLady #LetsMove,” Crosson shared a video with his nearly 3 million followers. 
Crosson, who gained popularity on Vine by impersonating President Barack Obama, didn’t expect to get an answer. 
But the first lady was happy to oblige. 
“Hey,&nbsp;Alphacat. The First Lady wants to know…#TurnipForWhat? #AskTheFirstLady #TD4W,” The White House posted a video of Obama in response. 
Obama held up a turnip while dancing to DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s hit song “Turn Down for What."&nbsp; 
As of Wednesday morning, the Vine was shared more than 30,000 times and received nearly 45,000 likes. 
It wasn’t long until Obama’s hashtag #TurnipForWhat became a trending topic on Twitter. 
“Mrs. Obama responded to my Vine lol,” Crosson&nbsp;posted on Twitter shortly after Obama posted the 6-second clip. 
We're as shocked as you are, Internet. 
(Mobile users: Watch the video by clicking on the link above). 
Alphacat's question: 
<iframe class="vine-embed" frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://vine.co/v/OqO6ppzVDJ9/embed/simple" width="600"></iframe> 
The first lady's response: 
<iframe class="vine-embed" frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://vine.co/v/OqJKZVQami9/embed/simple" width="600"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

turnipforwhat

Michelle Obama responds to Obama impersonator with epic 'Turnip for What' Vine

turnipforwhat -- CROPPED

Sears found itself in hot water this week when online shoppers were outraged by a swastika ring being sold on its Marketplace website. 
The ring, which was posted to Sears.com by a third-party seller, drew a slew of social media criticism and prompted apologies from the major retailer. 
“The ring has not been purchasable since this morning and we are in the process of completely removing the items from our site,” Sears wrote in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StandWithUs/photos/a.350931762688.151625.19459912688/10152438985382689/?type=1">Facebook comment</a> posted Monday morning. 
“We're disappointed this happened and these third party Marketplace items have been removed for violating our guidelines,” the retailer <a href="https://twitter.com/Sears/status/522020035121152000">tweeted</a> in one of many responses to angry Twitter users. 
The thick silver ring emblazoned with a bold, black swastika was being sold in the “men’s punk rock style” jewelry section. 
Accompanying the ring was a product description that read: “This gothic jewelry item in particular features a swastika ring thats [sic] made of .925 Thai silver. Not for Neo Nazi or any Nazi implication. These jewelry items are going to make you look beautiful at your next dinner date.” 
The item, which was also available on Amazon.com, has since been pulled from both retailers’ websites. 
See some of the social media posts expressing outrage over the ring, and Sears’ response below.

Business

searsswas

Sears pulls swastika rings from Marketplace site after social media outrage

Sears under fire over online swastika rings

sears - cropped/lt

Time for a ’90s spook-fest. 
Every episode of the original Nickelodeon horror series “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” is now available on YouTube. 
A Reddit user <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/2iomy1/halloween_is_fast_approaching_and_heres_something/">shared this discovery</a> Wednesday, much to the delight of many a ’90s kid. 
The beloved, nightmare-inducing TV series aired between 1992 and 1996 in the United States on Nickelodeon. At the time, it struck just the right amount of fear in the hearts of its adolescent viewers. Each episode unfolded around a campfire as a meeting of the Midnight Society, in which kids met to share their scariest ghost stories. 
Of course, being a kids’ show, just about every episode ended on a happy note. But let’s be honest, that ghoulish leprechaun doll in the show’s stormy opening sequence was truly terrifying. 
As Halloween approaches, it's a great time to revisit these chilling tales from our youth or perhaps introduce the series to a new audience.

Entertainment

afraiddark

Every episode of 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' now on YouTube

A little magic just turned a homeless Army veteran’s life around. 
Alan McKracken was living on the streets of Las Vegas when he caught the attention of magician Rob Anderson, who decided to make the homeless veteran the star of his latest <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6TV7-eYTHY">viral video</a>. 
In the video, Anderson approaches McKracken, who smiles despite standing on a street corner, holding a sign that reads, “Homeless. Trying to get by. Anything helps. God bless.” 
“Anything helps?” Anderson asks as he takes McKracken’s sign out of his hands and begins to write on it. When the cap of the pen falls onto the sidewalk, McKracken bends down to retrieve it as Anderson defaces the sign with dollar signs and begins to tear it up. 
All the while, McKracken remains gracious and calm, reflecting the reputation he’s built on the streets as someone who just wants to make people smile, even if they don’t give him any money. At one point, he even asks gently whether he can keep Anderson’s magic marker to make another sign. 
Finally, McKracken asks, “Are you one of those street ‘musicians’? You’re going to turn that into a wad of money?” 
“Really? Seriously?” Anderson answers as he magically unfurls the sign, intact, as dollar bills fall to the sidewalk. 
The video, posted Oct. 1, has attracted more than 3 million views and inspired Anderson to launch a <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/fd33hs">fundraising campaign</a> to get McKracken off the streets. To date, the campaign has raised more than $28,000. 
Based on the fundraiser’s written description, Anderson plans to make the cash donations a surprise. Meanwhile, McKracken has found shelter in a group home for veterans through the VA, Anderson wrote. 
“When I spoke with him, he had his usual positive attitude about his situation, and is optimistic about his search for a job now that he has temporary housing provided for him,” the magician wrote. 
“If there's anyone who would be deserving of assistance to get back on their feet, it is Alan McCracken.”

nicemagic

Magician Rob Anderson rips up homeless veteran’s sign — for a good cause

Social networks just aren’t fun anymore. So how do you build one that is? 
That’s the founding principle of <a href="https://ello.co/beta-public-profiles">Ello</a>, a new, completely ad-free social network that’s seen rapid growth in recent weeks. 
“Making Ello ad-free was one of the early motivations,” Paul Budnitz, a Vermont-based designer and a founder of Ello, told Newsday by phone. “Facebook seemed to think I was a middle-aged woman, showing me ads for stockings and high-heeled shoes. We felt not just that the ads were ugly, they often insulted our intelligence.” 
While Budnitz and six other friends — all designers or programmers — built Ello a year and a half ago, for much of the network’s life it was completely private. In its early form, Ello served just 100 users. Nine months ago, it opened to the public in a beta, invite-only form, very gradually building up momentum. 
Then networks like Facebook started making headlines for <a href="http://nwsdy.li/TKgttb">playing with its users’ emotions</a> and <a href="http://nwsdy.li/1tKPVTp">threatening to force users to use their real names</a> (then backtracking) — coincidentally sparking rapid growth on Ello over the past six weeks. 
“We’re seeing 45,000 new users per hour,” Budnitz said, although he declined to share the total number of users to date on Ello. 
At the moment, Ello remains invite-only — curious users can <a href="https://ello.co/request-an-invitation">request an invite</a> at ello.co, or they can put out a call for an invite on other social networks. That would explain much of the Ello chatter on Facebook and Twitter that may have popped up on your feeds in recent weeks. 
The site itself is designed around a minimalist, black-and-white color scheme. It is very bare-bones — something like a very blank cross between Twitter and Tumblr. Users receive two feeds, one called “Friends” (presumably, for your Ello contacts whom you consider actual friends), and another called “Noise” (for those more distant Ello contacts, including brands and retailers). 
Still in beta testing, the site is buggy. For days, the search function worked poorly. There’s still no way to block abusive users. There’s no mobile app. Sometimes, you click, and nothing happens. Even tech-savvy users find themselves stumbling around the site. 
“We’re still in beta, and we’re still developing it,” Budnitz said by way of explanation. “We’re being very open about that.” 
While many users report their feeds so far mostly consist of people wondering aloud what Ello is, others have embraced its lack of constraints — no character limit for posts, large display for photos, and so on. 
Among Budnitz’s favorite users is <a href="https://ello.co/duaneking">@duaneking</a>, who posts gorgeous images of spacemen at work. 
“When you take ads out, all these other great things happen,” Budnitz explained. “There’s no reason to collect data on your users when you don’t have ads. Facebook makes more money if they know exactly who you are and what you like.” 
As Facebook once did, Ello currently displays users’ posts in completely chronological order. (Facebook, on the other hand, now relies on a mysterious algorithm, based on whether a user has paid to promote their post or whether it naturally attracts likes, comments or shares.) 
“We’ll never put anything in there that you don’t want,” Budnitz promised. 
So how do they plan on making money? 
“Ello is a business,” he said. Recently, the network took a minority amount of funding from a Vermont-based venture capital firm called <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/usm-studio/freshtracks/documents/the_freshtracks_flurry_march_2014.pdf">FreshTracks Capital.</a> 
Budnitz explained that Ello’s plan is to create features that users can buy — similar to how iPhone users can buy apps to customize their phones. 
The most-requested feature, Budnitz said, is to be able to manage two Ello feeds — one for personal, and one for business — from a single login. The plan is to charge a dollar or two for that, and other features, such as changing how posts are sorted. So far, users have submitted suggestions via Ello’s support email address or by simply posting their thoughts on Ello itself. 
In its current form, Ello is not going to be a “Facebook killer” — even though some media seem to think it will be. For all anyone knows, it could be a simple flash in the social media pan. 
Simply put, it is not for everyone — and it doesn’t want to be. (Visitors to ello.co who read the founders’ <a href="https://ello.co/wtf/post/manifesto">“manifesto”</a> can click “I agree” or “I disagree” — the latter will redirect them to Facebook.) 
The site still has a long way to go, with no concrete date set yet for a fully public launch. But at the very least, it’s cool knowing that for users who are fed up — with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or any other existing network — there’s an alternative. And it’s growing fast.

Technology

ello

As Ello targets Facebook, here's what you need to know

Sorry to break it to you, energy drink consumers: Red Bull doesn’t really “give you wings.” 
Red Bull recently agreed to a $13 million settlement in two proposed class-action lawsuits that accuse the company of false advertising. 
The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20141009152848/http://energydrinksettlement.com/court">lawsuit</a> argued that the energy drink giant misled consumers about the "functionality and safety" of its products. 
Plaintiff Benjamin Careathers filed a claim to address Red Bull's improper and deceptive marketing practices, which include the popular slogan "Red Bull gives you wings.'" 
Red Bull "preys upon consumers by promising that, among other things, 'Red Bull gives you wings,' " the lawsuit states. 
But Red Bull is basically coffee, the lawsuit suggests. 
The energy drink "provides nothing superior for the consumer's physiological and mental performance that cannot be had from a simple cup of coffee or caffeine pill." 
As a part of the settlement, customers who bought a Red Bull between Jan. 1, 2002 and Oct. 3, 2014 can choose to get $10 in cash back or $15 worth of Red Bull products, with free shipping.&nbsp; 
There are four ways Red Bull customers can claim their settlement – money or Red Bull products: 
- Fill out a&nbsp;claim form <a href="http://energydrinksettlement.com/claim">online</a> 
- Email the claim to energydrinksettlement@gcginc.com 
- Fax the claim to 844-533-1373 
- Mail to Class Action Settlement Administrator at Energy Drink Settlement, c/o GCG, P.O. Box 35123, Seattle, WA 98124-5123 
Forms must be submitted no later than March 2, 2015. No proof of purchase is required. 
However, if you want to make a claim you may have to wait in a long line.&nbsp; 
According to Red Bull's website,&nbsp;around 40 billion cans of Red Bull have been consumed to date. That means a lot of people have probably bought the energy drink over the past decade. 
In fact, the settlement website had so much traffic it crashed Wednesday night and was down the majority of Thursday afternoon. 
The U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York will hold a hearing on May 1, 2015, to approve the settlement.&nbsp;Consumers will receive payments 150 days after the final approval. 
Red Bull did not immediately return requests for comment by Newsday on Thursday. 
An overview of the proposed settlement states that "Red Bull denies any and all wrongdoing or liability and maintains that its marketing and labeling have always been entirely truthful and accurate." 
As for a comment on the energy drink's capabilities, Red Bull appears to be standing firm that it still "vitalizes body and mind."

RedBullW

Red Bull may not 'give you wings,' but it will give you $10

RedBull -- CROPPED

Brittany Maynard plans to die Nov. 1. 
The 29-year-old terminally ill brain cancer patient was told in April she had just six months to live, and she decided that “death with dignity" -- a physician-assisted suicide -- was her best option. 
“I want to die on my own terms," she said in an <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/opinion/maynard-assisted-suicide-cancer-dignity/">essay published by CNN.com.</a> 
Maynard, whose name was the No. 4 most popular Google search on Tuesday, propelled her story from the realm of personal decision to one of politicized debate by launching <a href="http://www.thebrittanyfund.org/">an online campaign</a> to expand death with dignity laws in the United States. 
A <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPfe3rCcUeQ">video posted to YouTube</a> by Compassion &amp; Choices, an advocacy group for terminally ill patients, has been viewed more than 2.7 million times, as of Wednesday afternoon, and an attempt to raise $5,000 to send Maynard and her husband on vacation has been posted to the online crowdfunding website <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-vacation-for-brittany-maynard">Indiegogo</a>. 
Maynard – who moved with her family to Oregon earlier this year because it is one of five states that allows physician-assisted suicide under its Death with Dignity Act – said in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/07/opinion/maynard-assisted-suicide-cancer-dignity/">her essay</a> that there is no treatment for the large, malignant brain tumor that could lead her to a prolonged and pain-filled death. Maynard told People that the symptoms of her tumor are worsening. 
“Because the rest of my body is young and healthy, I am likely to physically hang on for a long time even though cancer is eating my mind,” wrote Maynard, who married her husband just over two years ago, in her CNN piece. “I probably would have suffered in hospice care for weeks or even months. And my family would have had to watch that." 
She said she did not want that “nightmare scenario” for her family. 
On Nov. 1, she plans to die in her Portland home using a prescription medication, <a href="http://www.people.com/article/Brittany-Maynard-death-with-dignity-compassion-choices">People magazine reported</a>. That is two days after her husband Dan Diaz’s birthday, which Maynard said she “really wanted to celebrate.” 
Diaz and Maynard’s mother, stepfather and best friend will be with her when she dies, according to People. 
“I'm dying, but I'm choosing to suffer less," Maynard told People, “to put myself through less physical and emotional pain and my family as well." 
Between 1997 and 2013, 752 people in Oregon used prescriptions written for lethal medications to end their lives, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/10/08/terminally-ill-brittany-maynard-29-has-scheduled-her-death-for-nov-1/">according to The Washington Post</a>, which also picked up Maynard's story. 
Maynard hopes she can use her final days to help others in similar situations. 
“The amount of sacrifice and change my family had to go through in order to get me to legal access to death with dignity – changing our residency, establishing a team of doctors, having a place to live – was profound,” she told People. “There’s tons of Americans who don’t have time or the ability or finances, and I don’t think that’s right or fair.”

Health

Health-Brittany Maynard

Brittany Maynard, brain cancer patient, chooses 'death with dignity'

Brittany Maynard -- cropped

Best song ever? Try best proposal ever. 
One Direction member Harry Styles helped a fan propose to his girlfriend at Wednesday night’s concert in Atlanta. 
And it was —&nbsp;of course —&nbsp;caught on tape. 
In the video footage, Styles was seen stopping the show to seek out Bradley Chisenhall, a fan who asked for his help just a day earlier. 
"I&nbsp;have a friend&nbsp;in the audience tonight," Styles said. "He's called Bradley. Here he is. Bradley, would you like to bring your girlfriend up on stage?" 
Well, Chisenhall didn't make it to the stage, but he did manage to "put a ring on it." 
The fan got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend Christine Kozlowski. 
Kozlowski quickly said "yes" and jumped into his arms. 
"She said 'yes,'" Styles screamed into the microphone. 
The proposal comes after fans helped Chisenhall get the hashtag #1DProposal trending on Twitter. 
“Help me get #1DProposal trending,” Chisenhall tweeted. “I'm proposing to my gf at the concert tomorrow night and I want the guys to help me out. Thank y'all!” 
Chisenhall’s request was granted with nearly 2,000 retweets. 
Then Chisenhall reached out directly to the group.&nbsp; 
“Help me propose to my girlfriend tomorrow night at the show. @Harry_Styles @Real_Liam_Payne @NiallOfficial @zaynecomecu @louis_tomlinson.” 
Styles didn't disappoint. 
"Thank u @Harry_Styles for making this all happen for me&amp; @Christinekozlo &amp;also making my sisters @Shelbymmorgann nite," Chisenhall tweeted on Wednesday along with a picture of Styles. 
Kozlowsi also thanked all those who helped and showed off her new engagement ring on Twitter. 
"He liked it and he put a ring on it. #1DProposal @ChisenhallAL you are &amp; always will be my handsome Prince Charming," she tweeted. 
As of Thursday, more than 750,000 people have tweeted about the #1DProposal, according to Topsy, a social media analytics firm. 
Apparently fans can't get enough of One Direction —&nbsp;story of their lives.

Celebrities

1Dproposal

One Direction star Harry Styles helps fan propose to girlfriend at concert

1Dproposal -- CROPPED

Seeing is believing for police officers in one city in New Mexico. 
On a routine night at the police station in Espanola, New Mexico, <a href="http://youtu.be/1dn0ipZSWh8">surveillance cameras</a> picked up images of what some officers believe to be a ghost. 
In the black-and-white surveillance footage, a whitish blur appears to walk in a distinctly humanlike way across a secured area and through a locked gate. 
<a href="https://imgflip.com/gif/cht98"><img src="https://i.imgflip.com/cht98.gif" title="made at imgflip.com"></a> 
“At first I thought it was a podilla, a fly or moth, then I saw the legs, and it was a human. But not a real human. No, a ghost,” Espanola police officer Karl Romero told the <a href="http://www.koat.com/news/ghost-caught-on-camera-at-espanola-police-station-officer-says/28236272">local TV station KOAT Albuquerque</a>. 
Detectives told KOAT that there is no way in or out of the secured area filmed in the surveillance video without opening a gate that would sound an alarm. They added that there is no logical explanation for the spooky image captured on video — no lighting issue or technical glitch. 
But Detective Solomon Romero told KOAT that he may have an explanation. 
“A lot of officers have seen certain things,” he said. “Some officers have felt someone breathing down their necks as they're working in the briefing room.” 
Could there in fact be a ghost — or several — in the Espanola police station? Or are officers just imagining things? 
For Detective Romero, the answer is clear. 
“I do believe in ghosts,” he said. “It's hard to say but I do believe it was a ghost.” 
Watch KOAT's full story on the possible ghost sighting <a href="http://www.koat.com/news/ghost-caught-on-camera-at-espanola-police-station-officer-says/28236272">here</a>.

policeghost

Ghost-like figure caught on camera at New Mexico police station

President Barack Obama got a drubbing on the Internet when an Instagram video posted Tuesday afternoon showed him salute two Marines with a paper coffee cup in his hand. 
Now being dubbed the latte salute, the <a href="http://instagram.com/p/tS2r-hwina/?modal=true">video</a>, posted by the White House’s official Instagram account, shows Obama disembarking from Marine One, the presidential helicopter, in New York. At the base of the aircraft’s stairs, he salutes two Marines while holding the coffee cup. 
Within 24 hours, the video received about 7,500 likes and nearly 2,500 comments on Instagram. 
“Latte salute is this not disrespectful,” commented one user called ester182. 
“Just disgraceful! I have zero and I do mean zero respect for this man, and feel he's totally undeserving of holding such a high honor. What do you mean the President cannot put down a cup of coffee to salute the men and women who die daily to protect him!?” wrote tourguide_barbie. 
However, some Instagrammers pointed out that there is no regulation that requires presidents to salute service members. 
“He technically doesn't have to salute at all,” wrote tharealsethnix, “NOTHING DISRESPECTFUL about that and I was in the military.” 
According to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sorry-the-presidential-salute-isnt-a-real-thing-2014-9?utm_content=buffer8ee25&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">Business Insider</a>, for the first 192 years of America’s history, no president saluted the troops. 
Citing Rachel Maddow’s book “Drift,” the website noted the following: 
“Soldiers were supposed to salute their president; the president was not supposed to salute the soldiers. No modern president, not even old General Eisenhower, had saluted military personnel. It might even be, well, sort of, improper.” 
According to the book, Reagan was the first president to salute the troops, and every president since has followed. 
Obama is not the only president to have saluted in an unorthodox way.&nbsp;George W. Bush also gave multiple salutes while carrying his Scottish terrier Barney, as depicted below in 2001. 
Obama flew to New York in Marine One to attend the&nbsp; United Nations General Assembly, where he addressed topics ranging from the <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/obama-at-un-vows-coalition-will-dismantle-this-network-of-death-1.9394232">Islamic State to the Ebola virus outbreak</a>.

obamalatte

Obama draws flak for ‘latte salute’ to Marines

The iPhone 6 Plus has a case of the bends. 
Just days after Apple’s latest device went on sale, users began reporting that the aluminum-backed smartphone bent to a noticeable degree after being carried in their pockets. 
As word traveled on social media, the issue was dubbed #bendgate, with the hashtag used about 16,000 times at last count. Turns out there is a downside to having the “thinnest iPhone ever,” to use Apple’s own wording. 
The gadget review website <a href="http://youtu.be/znK652H6yQM">Unbox Therapy</a> decided to put the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus to the test in a video. 
Sure enough, as Unbox Therapy’s Lewis Hilsenteger grasped the phone from both ends, using his fingertips to push against the middle, the device bent visibly. 
“Now we have actual evidence, on camera, not just a picture of a bent phone after the fact, yes, it bends under the force of my hand pressure just pushing on it,” he said in the video, which has been viewed more than 3.8 million times since it was posted Tuesday. 
“It’s an aluminum phone. It is going to bend,” Hilsenteger said. 
Previous reports of iPhone 6 Plus bending had been supplemented only by photos. On the website MacRumors, a user called <a href="http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1785905">hanzoh</a> had posted on Sept. 21 that his iPhone 6 Plus had “slightly bent” after two days of use. Another user called <a href="http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=19826437&amp;postcount=41">DevinPitcher</a> reported the same. 
It’s worth noting that iPhone 5S users also reported that <a href="http://www.cultofmac.com/248603/iphone-5ses-are-bending-in-peoples-pockets/">their phones bent</a> after being stored in pockets last year. 
And for what it’s worth, Hilsenteger followed up his iPhone 6 Plus bend test with one on the <a href="http://youtu.be/FwM4ypi3at0">Samsung Galaxy Note 3</a>. In the end, he saw that the plastic Galaxy Note 3 was “a tiny bit warped” but that it “survives the exact same bend test that the iPhone 6 Plus failed.” 
“Materials like plastic in many ways offer, I don’t know, the best solution for durability in some cases,” he added. 
Watch the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 bend test below. 
<iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="273" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/FwM4ypi3at0?rel=0" width="485"></iframe> 
Check out some of our favorite #bendgate tweets below:

iphonebend

#Bendgate: iPhone 6 Plus has a bending problem

bend iphone

The story doesn't end with Metta World Peace's name change. 
The NBA star, formerly known as Ron Artest, now has the sneakers to match. 
World Peace, who wants to be called "The Panda's Friend," told fans he will wear "Panda Friendly" shoes while playing for&nbsp;the Sichuan Blue Whales Basketball Club of the China Basketball Association. 
"These are fun and comfortable," World Peace tweeted on Monday. "Phase one of Metta in China #thenewThePandasFriendsneakers." 
The shoes, which come in black and white colors, have a stuffed bear attached to them. 
"The bear is not detachable. The Teddy bear is a permanent and is the pandas friend!" World Peace clarified for his Twitter followers. "The ears on the side are also not detachable. Enjoy." 
The shoes were available Tuesday on World Peace's website. 
Wait, the story still doesn't stop there. 
World Peace said he has two more sneakers that he will be wearing while he plays for the&nbsp;Sichuan Blue Whales this season. 
The one-year deal to play with Sichuan is worth $1.43 million, making World Peace the highest paid import player, according to Sports Illustrated. 
What will World Peace do next? Only Twitter will tell.

Sports

Basketball

PandaShoes

Metta World Peace, 'The Panda's Friend,' shows off new panda shoes

pandashoes -- CROPPED

A couple refused to let death break them apart, proving love is eternal. 
Two skeletons discovered at a “lost” chapel last week in Leicestershire, England, have been holding hands for 700 years, researchers reported. 
Archaeologists from the University of Leicester Archaeological Services unearthed the pair&nbsp;during a four-year excavation at the Chapel of St. Morrell, according to a <a href="http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2014/september/2018lost-chapel2019-skeletons-found-holding-hands-after-700-years">news statement</a>. 
A picture of the ancient man and woman, who still “appear to be maintaining their toothy grins,” has gone viral. 
In the past week, nearly 10,000 people have tweeted about the hand-holding couple, according to Topsy, a social media analytics firm. 
It seems to have even served as inspiration for hopeless romantics. 
“Wouldn't it be amazing to find somebody I can hold hands with for centuries?!?” one Twitter user asked. 
“Now that's true love. ... Dying together ...” another tweeted. 
But archaeologists are wondering if there’s more to the story. 
“'We have seen similar skeletons before from Leicester where a couple has been buried together in a single grave,” Vicki Score, ULAS project manager, said in a news statement. “The main question we find ourselves asking is why were they buried up there?”&nbsp; 
Score said researchers are wondering if the chapel could have served as some sort of special place of burial at the time. 
It’s also possible that the church refused the bodies because they were criminals, foreigners or sick.&nbsp; 
Regardless, hundreds of people are visiting the site to see the skeletons. 
A total of 11 skeletons — radiocarbon dated to the 14th century — have been excavated at the chapel so far, but none appear to be as in love as these two.

skelove

An undying love: Skeleton couple has been holding hands for 700 years, researchers say

skelove -- CROPPEd

Why are you a Mets fan? 
That’s the question the New York Mets’ official Twitter handle posed to the online public Monday afternoon, asking fans to reply by hashtagging #ImAMetsFanBecause. 
“We are #Mets fans but how we became a fan differs. Share who made you a fan w/#ImAMetsFanBecause &amp; you could win tix,” the @Mets Twitter account tweeted. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 We are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mets?src=hash">#Mets</a> fans but how we became a fan differs. Share who made you a fan w/<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> &amp; you could win tix. <a href="http://t.co/eX8nOOuTGP">pic.twitter.com/eX8nOOuTGP</a> — New York Mets (@Mets) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets/status/514127029642338304">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
Sure, it wasn’t the most elegant turn of phrase, but the hashtag campaign seemed like a feel-good way to celebrate one of New York’s most embattled sports franchises -- especially with the lure of free tickets. 
Some fans embraced the hashtag, pointing to the Mets’ 1986 World Series win: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> 1986! — Dani (@dbBBfan14) <a href="https://twitter.com/dbBBfan14/status/514127739629359105">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Or adorable family ties: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> of my grandfather who worked for the <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> from 1969-1986 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/firsttolast?src=hash">#firsttolast</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PatMcmahon?src=hash">#PatMcmahon</a> <a href="http://t.co/oaqLbk5053">pic.twitter.com/oaqLbk5053</a> — Paul Edward (@PaurkChop) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaurkChop/status/514128089878888449">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> I watched day games with my grandmother when she took care of me when I was a kid. <a href="http://t.co/u9vW3QwhOM">pic.twitter.com/u9vW3QwhOM</a> — Karendipitee (@Karendipitee) <a href="https://twitter.com/Karendipitee/status/514128165355401216">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> of my older brother who taught me the magic of the 69/73 Mets. I've passed it on to my sons and hope it cycles on — Robert Nolan (@factor71_rjn) <a href="https://twitter.com/factor71_rjn/status/514129801050091521">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
But then Twitter’s snarky user base and the Mets’ tortured, surly fan base began to intersect. The result was a quickly hijacked hashtag that highlighted the shortcomings of the poor, poor Mets. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> I'm mentally unstable! — Kevin (@KVP_10) <a href="https://twitter.com/KVP_10/status/514167545210081280">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> Who among us wouldn't root for a bad team halfheartedly funded by a morally and financially bankrupt ownership? — Greg Orlando (@OrthelandoftheG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OrthelandoftheG/status/514358404215996416">September 23, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> I hate myself &amp; expect a better team every year &amp; every year I'm wrong. :') — Will Landman (@WillTheLandMan) <a href="https://twitter.com/WillTheLandMan/status/514275763395497984">September 23, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> My shrink recommended it. He said “you think YOU have problems?” — David Daniels (@dvdaniels) <a href="https://twitter.com/dvdaniels/status/514207933685858305">September 23, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> There's always next year. — Brendan Carey (@brendanjcarey) <a href="https://twitter.com/brendanjcarey/status/514180531635122176">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/imametsfanbecause?src=hash">#imametsfanbecause</a> My parents decided it was better for me to know how to cope with heartbreak early on. — Catherine Tacopina (@CatherineTac) <a href="https://twitter.com/CatherineTac/status/514143877977350144">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> I wasn't loved enough as a child. — Helen S. (@HESilf) <a href="https://twitter.com/HESilf/status/514132666422427650">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 .<a href="https://twitter.com/Mets">@Mets</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ImAMetsFanBecause?src=hash">#ImAMetsFanBecause</a> without the hurt, the heart is hollow. — Robert Shields (@rshields37) <a href="https://twitter.com/rshields37/status/514131750176698368">September 22, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Perhaps it's because Mets fans haven't gotten over collapsing and giving away the 2007 National League East title to the Philadelphia Phillies. Or because they lost the division again -- and this time watched their rivals to the south win the World Series. 
It could be that they're not over losing the 2000 World Series to their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees. The Yankees, by the way, have won five World Series titles since that last glorious 1986 title for the Mets. 
Whatever the reason, Mets fans showed that laughing at yourself really can be the best medicine.

Baseball

Mets

whymets

Mets start #ImAMetsFanBecause hashtag, Twitter hijacks it

Alessandro Florenzi takes risks both on the field and off. 
The Roma midfielder shocked soccer fans Sunday when he hopped a fence and ran into the stands to celebrate a goal with his 82-year-old grandmother. 
The team shared a picture of the heartwarming moment during the game against Cagliari shortly after. 
"@AleFlorenzi gives his grandmother Aurora a hug after making it 2-0 #RomaCagliari," the team tweeted along with the picture, which was then retweeted more than 1,000 times. 
The 23-year-old headed for the bleachers immediately after scoring his first goal of the season to fulfill a promise he made to his grandma. 
"She told me: 'I'm only coming to see you but only if you come over and say: 'Hi,'" Florenzi told freelance sports reporter James Horncastle. 
His grandma was seen on camera wiping away tears as he headed back to the field. 
"Florenzi scored and he celebrated by running into the crowd and giving his Nonna a hug [??] he's a good kid!" one fan tweeted. 
"The video of Alessandro Florenzi running to hug his grandmother after his goal is the cutest soccer celebration ever," another tweeted. 
No matter how "cute" the celebration was, it didn't prevent referees from giving him a yellow card. 
Florenzi will pay a fine, but he's happy to do so, the team stated on Twitter. 
"Ale's hug with his grandmother was a lovely moment," the team said. 
At least this story has a happy ending:&nbsp;Roma ended up beating Cagliari 2-0. 
<iframe class="vine-embed" frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://vine.co/v/O7ZEYUgMxr9/embed/simple" width="600"></iframe><script async src="//platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Soccer

AleFlorenzi

Alessandro Florenzi, Roma midfielder, gets yellow card after hugging grandma

AleFlor -- CROPPED

You can’t believe everything you read on Yelp. 
That’s especially the case for one California restaurant, which is actively campaigning to be the worst-rated restaurant on the consumer review website. 
“HATE US ON YELP!” says <a href="http://www.bottobistro.com/REWARDS.html">Botto Bistro on its website</a>. “Hate us and we'll love you!” 
The restaurant, located in Richmond, in the Bay Area, explains that they will reward one-star reviews with a 25 percent discount off pizzas, with the snarkiest review winning a free cooking class. 
“Why? We want to prove that low score [sic] and bad reviews don't impact us and any other successful restaurants,” they explain. 
The discount campaign is Botto Bistro’s response to Yelp’s alleged practices of threatening businesses and forcing them to advertise on the site. 
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/botto-italian-bistro-richmond-3">The restaurant, as of Sept. 20, is down to a 1.5-star rating on Yelp.</a> 
“The hostess was like, NO YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR CATS [sic] BIRTHDAY HERE. And I was like, HE'S MORE HUMAN THEN [sic] YOU'LL EVER BE!” reads one humorous review submitted by a user named Liza A. 
“No room for yoga mats,” reads another by Michael J. 
“Because of how bad this restaurant is, I am going to have to cancel my plans to visit the Bay Area,” wrote Laura F. 
To Botto Bistro’s credit, it appears even active campaigning for poor reviews can’t stop diners who are enthusiastic about its food. 
“I WILL BE back for a second visit,” writes Mikel Z., who complimented the restaurant with his five-star review punctuated by “yum” and “bravo.”

worstyelp

Bay Area restaurant campaigns to be worst-rated on Yelp

Restaurant campaigns to be worst-rated on Yelp

worstyelp/mk

Oh my god, Danny DeVito! We love your work. 
While the actor, director and producer may be better known for his appearances in “Batman Returns” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” he’s also been hard at work on another “art project” — on Twitter. 
For years, DeVito has regularly tweeted photos of his plump right foot next to a variety of props, hashtagging them #Trollfoot. 
There’s the #Trollfoot covered in strings of Easy Cheese. There are several #Trollfoot shots with cats. Then there’s #Trollfoot on a plane — with a curly-haired victim bound to his seat and gagged with duct tape. 
Now, finally, we have an explanation. 
“It’s like a little art project for me,” he told the <a href="http://pagesix.com/2014/09/19/danny-devito-says-his-trollfoot-twitter-feed-is-an-art-project/?_ga=1.184658409.1305995545.1409395147">New York Post</a> at a film screening on Wednesday. “If I’m at something where I can just take my shoe off and shoot a picture of the foot with the good background, I love doing it.” 
Whatever works you for, Mr. DeVito. Now, how about a sequel to “Matilda”?

trollfoot

Danny DeVito: My #Trollfoot tweets are like an ‘art project’

Danny DeVito

Prince Harry gave a sad little girl a big lift over the weekend. 
The redheaded royal was attending the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games on Sunday night when he noticed Isabelle Nixon, 5, who was upset that she couldn’t see the stage. 
He came to the rescue, swooping the her onto his shoulders so that she could see the stage. Later, as the Foo Fighters played, Prince Harry continued to dance with Isabelle. 
The little girl reportedly had no idea who her partner was until her mother, Taryn, said, “You’re dancing with Prince Harry!” the Daily Mail reported. 
“I was completely over the moon,” Isabelle said. 
The Invictus Games is an international paralympic competition for wounded soldiers that is held in London. Isabelle’s father, David, is the captain of Team GB’s wheelchair basketball team. Prince Harry serves on the event’s organizing committee. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/InvictusLondon">@InvictusLondon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/H4H_SR">@H4H_SR</a> Thank you!! What an amazing end to an amazing week.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/invictusgames?src=hash">#invictusgames</a> <a href="http://t.co/YEuHe46n0E">pic.twitter.com/YEuHe46n0E</a> — taryn nixon (@tarynnixon1) <a href="https://twitter.com/tarynnixon1/status/511467261916622848">September 15, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Taryn posted a photo of Isabelle perched on Prince Harry’s shoulders on Twitter, writing, “Thank you!! What an amazing end to an amazing week. #invictusgames”. 
Kensington Palace later released a statement, saying that “Prince Harry was keen to enjoy the closing concert and celebrate the Games with the competitors. … The little girl’s father was the captain of the wheelchair basketball team, who Prince Harry met on several occasions throughout the course of the Games.”

harrygirl

Prince Harry spots sad little girl, puts her on his shoulders

harrygirl/lt

Could Central Perk be any more crowded? 
If you plan to visit Manhattan’s new Central Perk coffee shop, you’ll have to get in line – a very long, long line. 
Some die-hard "Friends" fans claimed to have waited in line for hours to check out the pop-up replica, which opened Wednesday. 
The "line is wrapped around the entire block to get into Central Perk," one Twitter user wrote. 
Warner Bros.&nbsp;and Eight O’Clock Coffee recreated the iconic setting with a&nbsp;pop-up replica&nbsp;to mark 20 years since the debut. 
Fans flocked to the shop, located at 199 Lafayette Street, to see the famous orange couch, Central Perk chalkboard and to sip on a free limited-edition Central Perk Roast.&nbsp; 
Oh, and to spot&nbsp;James Michael Tyler, better known as Gunther. 
Tyler apparently made a special appearance at the shop Wednesday. 
"Gunther just appeared at Central Perk. Waiting in the two hour long line right now. #Friends20th," one person announced on Twitter. 
Those who have the willpower to wait in line for hours may even catch a "Smelly Cat" performance. 
Central Perk will be open until Oct. 18. 
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="710" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/tDdmRowzkN/embed/" width="612"></iframe> 
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="710" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/tDpPJwx__6/embed/" width="612"></iframe>

New York

CentralPerkNY

Central Perk causes commotion on opening day in New York City

CentralPerkNY -- CROPPED / mg

Pets are a part of the family — even goldfish.&nbsp; 
A woman in Australia paying $200 for her pet goldfish's surgery proves pet owners will do just about anything to save those they consider members of the family. 
Per the owner’s request, doctors performed a lifesaving procedure to remove a tumor from the head of a sick 10-year-old goldfish named George.&nbsp; 
Dr. Tristan Rich, head of the exotic and wildlife veterinary team at Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, operated on the fish last week. 
The clinic explained the procedure in a lengthy Facebook post on Sept. 12. 
The veterinary staff set up three buckets for the fish&nbsp;— one with a full level of&nbsp;anesthetic, one with a maintenance level and one with clean water, which was used as the recovery unit. 
Once George was anesthetized, Rich ran a tube from the maintenance bucket, which was being oxygenated, into George’s mouth, "so that the water with the maintenance dose of anesthetic washed over his gills,” the clinic explained on Facebook. 
Rich was able to remove the large tumor within 45 minutes. 
Once the tumor was removed, Rich put in four sutures, sealed the rest of the wound with tissue glue and gave the fish&nbsp;injections with long acting pain relief. 
George was soon able to breathe on his own and began to swim around. 
"The surgery went swimmingly and George has now returned home with his loving owner," the clinic posted on Facebook on Sept. 11. 
Some people praised the hospital for "treating fish with the respect they deserve," while others criticized the surgery, calling it a "waste of money and resources." 
According to the clinic, the only thing that matters is that “George is still alive and happily back in his home pond." 
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<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/lortsmithhospital/photos/a.380382566758.165165.370441256758/10152296300626759/?type=1" data-width="466"> 
 <div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lortsmithhospital/photos/a.380382566758.165165.370441256758/10152296300626759/?type=1">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lortsmithhospital">Lort Smith</a>.
 </div> 
</div>

Things to Do

Goldsurge

George the goldfish lives to swim another day with $200 surgery

goldsurge -- CROPPED

Nobody tells Kanye West what to do, but he can certainly tell fans. 
The rapper caused a commotion Friday night after stopping his concert in Sydney, Australia, because some fans wouldn’t stand up at the show. 
The reason why they wouldn’t stand is because they couldn't -- one had a prosthetic limb, another was in a wheelchair. 
The rapper refused to continue singing until everyone in the audience was standing, a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De_1VKqNoLg">YouTube video</a> shows. 
“I decided I can’t do this song – I can’t do the rest of this show – until everybody stand up,” West told the crowd. “I’m going to see you if you ain’t standing up, believe me.” 
West continued to survey the crowd to spot people sitting, even asking audience members to find people sitting down. 
“This is the longest I’ve had to wait to do a song,” he complained while he waited. “It’s unbelievable.” 
Unfortunately, some fans getting booed by the crowd for not standing weren’t physically able to. 
“Y’all want to stand up or y’all want to get removed?” West continued. 
Shortly after, West realized one fan he was demanding to stand had a prosthetic&nbsp;limb and another was in a wheelchair. 
One of the singled out fans even waved a&nbsp;prosthetic limb in the air, the Daily Beast reported. 
West sent bodyguard Pascal Duvier into the stands to check that the fan in the wheelchair was in fact disabled. 
“Now if he’s in a wheelchair, then it’s fine,” West said. 
When the bodyguard confirmed it, West started singing again. 
A four-minute clip of the incident uploaded onto YouTube on Saturday has already received more than 20,000 views and hundreds of comments. 
“Yeezus! He made a mistake, give him a break,” one user commented on the video. 
“Even if they hadn't been disabled, it's arrogant to demand everyone stands up at your concert,” another responded. 
Don’t worry about Yeezus, though. He probably still thinks he’s “the greatest.”

kanyewheel

Kanye West refuses to sing, orders disabled fans to stand up at concert in Australia

Kanye West to fan in wheelchair: 'Stand up'

west-CROPPED 9/28/12

Schenectady High School student Draven Rodriguez says he has successfully lobbied to get his epic cat-and-laser-enhanced portrait into his senior yearbook. 
After drawing more than 6,000 signatures online in support of his picture through the website <a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/get-my-photo-into-the-yearbook">ipetitions.com</a>, the high school senior wrote, “The school and I have worked out a compromise we’re all happy with.” 
The photo will be printed in the yearbook, just not in the senior section, Rodriguez added. 
The professional portrait, which was taken by Vincent Giordano from Trinacria Photography, features Rodriguez wearing a suit and holding his fluffy, striped cat against his face. In the background are 1980s-style laser beams and a larger-than-life translucent image of the cat’s face. 
While Rodriguez had initially hoped to garner 500 signatures on his petition, the Internet’s enthusiastic response far exceeded his expectations. “I don't want to even discuss the number of signs this has gotten. It's nuts ...” he wrote. 
And just in case you were wondering, the cat’s name is Mr. Bigglesworth, according to the <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Schenectady-senior-s-petition-for-yearbook-photo-5749243.php">Albany Times Union</a>.

lasercat

Schenectady High School student says laser cat picture to be in yearbook

When it comes to raising a baby, not all states are created equal. 
According to a new study by <a href="http://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-to-have-a-baby/6513/">WalletHub</a>, a personal finance social network, New York is one of the worst states in America to have a baby in. 
The Empire State is ranked the seventh worst state to have a baby, out of a list of 51 states, which includes the District of Columbia. 
The study was meant to "enlighten parents on the costs and conditions they can anticipate with respect to where they live," according to WalletHub's website. 
In order to give couples an idea of what they're getting into when it comes to parethood, WalletHub identified 22 metrics relevant to the budget, health care and baby-friendliness of a state. 
One of New York's biggest downfalls: child care. 
The state joined Indiana, North Dakota, West Virginia and Utah on a list of states with the lowest number of child centers per capita. 
It should come as no shock that New York was also listed as one of the most expensive states to raise a child in.&nbsp;The costs to take care of a baby in New York are four times higher than Mississippi. 
Regardless, raising a child is going to be&nbsp;expensive. 
It will cost a middle-class family around&nbsp;$245,340 to raise a child born&nbsp;in 2013, a&nbsp;recent&nbsp;<a href="http://long-island.newsday.com/kids/long-island-parent-talk-1.3679226/245-340-the-cost-of-raising-a-child-born-in-2013-1.9095371">report</a> by the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted. 
"In today's economy, it's important to be prepared with as much information as possible when planning for the future," USDA food, nutrition and consumer services under secretary Kevin Concannon said in a news release.&nbsp; 
On the other hand, perhaps for some parents —&nbsp;ignorance is bliss. 
Below are the 10 best and worst states to have a baby, according to WalletHub. 
The 10 best states to have a baby: 
1. Vermont 2. Maine 3. Oregon 4. Connecticut 5. New Hampshire 6. Wyoming 7. Iowa 8. Massachusetts 9. Alaska 10. Utah 
The 10 worst states to have a baby: 
1. Alabama 2. Louisiana 3. Mississippi 4. South Carolina 5. Pennsylvania 6. Nevada 7. New York 8. Georgia 9. West Virginia 10. North Carolina 
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Family

NYRank

New York ranked one of the worst states to have a baby

Map -- CROPPED

A faulty livestream during Apple's iPhone 6 product launch event drew the ire of technology enthusiasts Tuesday.&nbsp; 
Bloggers, tech journalists and Apple fans took to social media to express their frustration over Apple.com's unreliable livestream, dubbing the mishap #livestreamgate.&nbsp; 
A common thread among social media users was a joke about an Apple employee sporting a purple infinity scarf as he demonstrated the new iPhone. 
Other complaints dealt with the Mandarin and Japanese interpretation causing overlapping audio, how Apple required watchers to use their Safari browser and how the livestream crashed Apple TV devices. 
Check out their reactions below. 
<script src="http://embed.scribblelive.com/js/LiveArticleEmbed.aspx?Id=772972&amp;ThreadId=820184" type="text/javascript"></script>

applefail

Apple iPhone 6 launch plagued by faulty livestream

iphone

Hearing his parents’ voices for the first time led to an amazing moment for a 7-week-old baby. 
As he’s fitted with hearing aids for the first time, baby Lachlan’s face says it all. Captured in a YouTube video, Lachlan squeals from the initial discomfort and shock — but then he hears his parents’ voices. His eyes widen, and a smile begins to grow across his tiny face. 
“His reaction when they were turned on was truly amazing,” his dad, Toby Lever, wrote on YouTube. “We cried from happiness.” 
Lachlan was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss early in life, Lever wrote. Now 2 years old, he’s doing remarkably well, according to dad. 
The video, uploaded on Aug. 31, has since racked up over 1.6 million views.

Watch: Baby hears parents' voices for first time

Baby gets first hearing aids, hears parents' voices for first time

lachlan/lt

The handler of an Oklahoma City police dog killed in the line of duty was able to give a "final goodbye" to his partner at a funeral service with full police honors. 
Oklahoma City police officer Sgt. Ryan Stark leaned over Kye's casket to pet his snout for the last time on Aug. 28, 2014. 
The 3-year-old German shepherd was stabbed while attempting to take down a violent felon, who was then shot and killed by Stark, the Associated Press reported. 
The police department confirmed the dog’s death <a href="https://www.facebook.com/okcpd/photos/a.219150134168.128895.65444419168/10152662295904169/?type=1&amp;theater">on Facebook</a> on Aug. 25, a day after the stabbing. 
“We are deeply saddened to report that the K9 that was stabbed last night while attempting to take a violent felon into custody, passed away this afternoon as a result of his injuries,” the department posted. 
More than 33,000 users post had shared the post and thousands had offered their condolences as of Tuesday evening. 
"Please know, your department and his Sgt. have our respect, heartfelt condolences, and gratitude for what Officer Kye did for his department," one user commented. 
“Had tears in my eyes. He certainly deserves a funeral w honors &amp; his name on a memorial for officers killed in the line of duty," another commented. 
The police department did just that. 
The dog was laid to rest in a flag-draped coffin at a funeral service attended by more than 1,000 people and dozens of service dogs. 
A nearly five-minute&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152673289934169&amp;set=vb.65444419168&amp;type=2&amp;theater">tribute video</a>&nbsp;that played at the dog's funeral showed the strong bond between Stark and his canine partner. (Mobile users can see the video at the link above.) 
The officer met the dog during his training process and the pair officially hit the streets together on Oct. 20, 2012. 
“I got him when he was about 16 months old – and I’ve been assigned with him ever since,” Stark said in the video. 
The police department ended the video with one final message: “God’s speed, Kye. We’ll take it from here.” 
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 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/okcpd/photos/a.219150134168.128895.65444419168/10152672786014169/?type=1">Post</a> by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/okcpd">Oklahoma City Police Department</a>.
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</div>

KyeK9

Oklahoma police dog killed in line of duty gets funeral with full police honors

K9Kye -- CROPPED

You can call this baby the “Fonzie fetus.”&nbsp; 
A baby was caught flashing a thumbs-up in an ultrasound taken last week, and since then that little gesture has gone viral in a big way.&nbsp; 
Uploaded by the father, Brandon Hopkins, to Facebook after the ultrasound, the image then made its way to <a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/meancloth">Reddit</a>, thanks to his brother, HLN-TV reported.&nbsp; 
“Recent ultrasound result looks good,” the soon-to-be uncle posted under the ID meancloth. 
Hopkins, from Meadville, Pennsylvania, and his wife are expecting twins come January, according to ABC News. They are expected to find out the sex of the babies soon. Hopkins found out the ultrasound had gone viral when his brother called, saying, “Your babies are famous!” 
As the picture spread on social media, the baby was nicknamed the “Fonzie fetus” after Henry Winkler’s cool-guy character on the TV show “Happy Days.”

Fetus flashes thumbs-up in ultrasound

babythumbs

President Barack Obama spoke at the White House Thursday afternoon to address military conflicts in Syria, Iraq and Ukraine. 
But most people, at least on Twitter, didn’t focus on what the president said. They were concerned with one minor detail: His suit.&nbsp; 
The president’s rarely worn tan suit stole the show, generating thousands of mentions on Twitter. 
“Obama's getting one more summer suit in before Labor Day,” @nowthisnews tweeted. 
Within the past 24 hours, there have been 13,863 tweets about Obama’s suit, according to Topsy, a social media analytics firm. 
In fact, multiple spoof accounts have already been created, including @BarackTanSuit, @ObamaTanSuit and @Obamas_Tan_Suit. 
“The Audacity of Taupe,” Director of programming&nbsp;at Mic Jared Keller tweeted.&nbsp; 
At least the president got one stamp of approval from a U.S. congressman. 
“I see no problem with the suit,” John Dingell&nbsp;(D-Mich.) tweeted, along with a photo of himself in a similar tan suit. 
Despite the congressman’s approval, Obama may find the distraction unwelcome and never wear tan again.

ObamaTanSuit

Barack Obama's tan suit distracts Twitter

454301696 - cropped / mg

Intercepted! 
A goliath grouper surprised a group of fishermen earlier this month when it snatched a shark off their line in one giant bite. 
<a href="http://youtu.be/O37HI_AX9nY?t=27s">A YouTube video</a> of the catch shows the fishermen reeling in a 4-foot black-tip shark off the coast of Bonita Springs, Florida -- only to have the huge fish rush in and eat it in one fell swoop. 
In the end, the fishermen have the perfect reaction: to simply sit back and laugh about the hilarious and amazing way that nature runs its course. 
Uploaded Aug. 19, the video has already racked up more than 13.5 million clicks at last count. 
<iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/O37HI_AX9nY?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>

FishShark

Goliath grouper swallows shark in one bite off Bonita Springs, Florida

A news anchor is getting backlash for suggesting that police use “water cannons” on protestors in Ferguson, Missouri.&nbsp; 
CNN International news anchor Rosemary Church wondered Tuesday why the police are using a strategy that involves the use of tear gas and stun grenades. 
“Why not, perhaps, use water cannons?” she asked during a broadcast of CNN International. “At least it’s not going to have the same sort of effect."&nbsp; 
Church then continued to tweet about the incident in Ferguson to her 31,000 followers. 
“Tear gas &amp; stun grenades were earlier fired by police in response to molotov cocktails,” she tweeted. 
But there is something Church didn’t address on Twitter – her water cannon comment. 
“Are you just never going to say sorry?” one Twitter user asked. 
Within the past 24 hours, nearly 5,000 people mentioned Church’s name and Twitter handle (@RosemaryCNN), according to Topsy, a social media analytics firm. A YouTube video of the water cannon comment, which was published Tuesday, has been viewed more than 20,000 times. 
Some people called Church’s suggestion disrespectful and offensive, referencing&nbsp;the use of water cannons on protestors during the civil rights movement. 
“Obviously Rosemary Church doesn’t know her Civil Rights history to suggest water cannons in Ferguson!” one user tweeted.&nbsp; 
“Will be very disappointed if @CNN lets Rosemary Church slide with that water cannon comment. Ignorant and offensive. Unacceptable,” another tweeted. 
While some users defended Church, saying she may not know U.S. history, everyone seemed to agree on one thing: she should apologize.

CNNblast

CNN anchor Rosemary Church under fire for suggesting 'water cannons' in Ferguson

Remember the good old days of clacking away on a typewriter? Tom Hanks does. 
With a new app that mimics the look, feel and sound of a typewriter, he’s bringing that experience to the iPad generation — and they’re eating it up. 
The iPad app, called <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hanx-writer/id868326899?mt=8">Hanxwriter</a>, has claimed the No. 1 spot in the App Store in less than a week since its launch. 
With sound effects like clunking keys and dings when hitting return, Hanxwriter gives users a dose of nostalgia for a time when typing was a more deliberate pursuit. There’s even a setting to switch off deleting, so that typos leave behind a permanent mark. 
“I wanted to have the sensation of an old manual typewriter — I wanted the sound of typing if nothing else . . . cause I find it's like music that spurs along the creative urge. Bang bang clack-clack-clack puckapuckapuckapucka ...” Hanks tweeted the day the app launched in a live Twitter chat. 
As for how Hanks envisions people will use his app, he tweeted that he doesn’t expect term papers or legal briefs to be written via Hanxwriter. But it’s ideal for “the notes and passages and journal entries that you want to have stick around for a bit…,” he added, waxing poetic. “For the love letter that has to look, you know, special. For the nine paragraphs that leap out of your mind ... so strongly that you need to see them ASAP&nbsp; — and print them out immediately ... and pin to your bulletin board or refrigerator door so your household can behold your genius.” 
So what does one do with their Hanxwriter masterpieces when they’re done? Turns out you can print, email or share the vintage-looking documents when they’re complete. 
The app, which Hanks developed with the firm Hitcents, is a hit so far, with more than 1,600 reviews averaging out to a 4.5-star rating on the App Store. 
See Hanks' Twitter chat with the @AppStore below. Mobile users can see the chat at the link above.

hanxwriter

Tom Hanks' Hanxwriter typewriter app tops App Store charts

Republican candidate for governor Rob Astorino is asking his opponents to step up to the challenge – the “Ice Bucket Challenge”, that is. 
The challenge involves a person getting drenched with ice water on video, posting the video to social media, then nominating others to do the same to raise awareness and money for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 
Astorino completed the challenge to “#StrikeOutALS” on Monday, challenging Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Republican&nbsp;State Senate co-leader Dean Skelos, Democratic State Senate co-leader Jeffrey Klein and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to do the same. 
“Do you accept? You have 24 hours,” Astorino said in a video posted to his Facebook page before getting doused with a bucket of ice water. 
If the politicians refuse, they are expected to donate $100 to the <a href="http://www.alsa.org/">ALS Association</a>. Despite completing the challenge, Astorino said he would also donate $100. 
The video has been liked by more than 1,100 people and shared 327 times. 
While the ice water may have froze Astornio, it certainly heated up his campaign, at least on social media.&nbsp; 
“Love the call out list. You’ve had my vote all along,” one Facebook user commented. 
&nbsp;“The fact that you took this challenge proves to me you're an alright guy you have my vote,” another commented. 
Barbara Newhouse, President and CEO of The ALS Association has thanked people like Astorino for getting involved in the social media campaign, which uses the hashtag #IceBucketChallenge. 
“This is a creative way to spread ALS awareness via social media and in communities nationwide,” she said in a news release.&nbsp; 
The four politicians participate have yet to respond to Astorino’s challenge, but if they do Astorino has two words for them: “Good luck.”

Region/State

astorino ice bucket

Rob Astorino takes ice bucket challenge, calls out rivals

Rob2 -- CROPPED jcm

A restaurant in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, landed in hot water recently when its 15 percent discount for parties praying in public made the national news. 
Now, according to reports from <a href="http://www.news-record.com/news/article_6369bc22-1e28-11e4-9ea6-001a4bcf6878.html">several </a><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-28712827">media</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/08/diner-prayer-discount_n_5662840.html">outlets</a>, the discount is no more. 
“We are no longer issuing the 15% praying in public discount. It is illegal and we are being threatened by a lawsuit,” read a handwritten sign posted at Mary’s Gourmet Diner. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 Sign posted at Mary's Gourmet Diner. Just spoke to co-owner who says her heart is broken <a href="https://twitter.com/WFMY">@WFMY</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WinstonSalem?src=hash">#WinstonSalem</a> <a href="http://t.co/W2e20wMk5g">pic.twitter.com/W2e20wMk5g</a> — Morgan Hightower (@mchightower) <a href="https://twitter.com/mchightower/statuses/497112160158625793">August 6, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
News of the discount went viral when Z88.3, a Christian radio station in Orlando, Florida, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Z883FM/photos/a.10153327884375230.1073741845.55102060229/10154450064210230/?type=1">posted a photo of a Mary’s receipt on Facebook on July 30.</a> 
“A friend of ours just shared her receipt from lunch where she got a discount for praying in public!!! How cool is that?” radio station staff wrote underneath a photo of the receipt, which clearly showed a line reading “-15% Praying in Public.” 
The photo, which got 5,330 shares at last count, drew comments ranging from the overwhelmingly positive to the downright offensive. 
“Paying people to pray. What next dragging people at gun point into churches?” read one critical comment posting under the name Deborah Rubano. 
The reaction to the discount prompted the restaurant to post <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MarysGourmetDiner/posts/315620328615768">a message on its Facebook page</a> on Aug. 1. 
“There’s a lot of craziness going on in regard to the 15% discount. ... I will say that it is not a ‘policy’, it’s a gift we give at random to customers who take a moment before their meal,” the message read. “Who you talk to or meditate on etc. is your business.” 
The discontinued discount at Mary’s appeared to be prompted by a letter from the Madison, Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation, which sent <a href="http://ffrf.org/uploads/legal/marys_diner_letter.pdf">a letter to the restaurant earlier this week that urged them to stop.</a> 
“Offering this discount violates the federal Civil Rights Act,” read the letter, signed by the foundation’s staff attorney, Elizabeth Cavell. “Your restaurant’s restrictive promotional practice favors religious customers, and denies customers who do not pray.” 
In <a href="http://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/21117-diner-drops-discriminatory-prayer-discount">a press release dated Aug. 7</a>, the foundation noted that “Co-owner Mary Haglund emailed Cavell yesterday (Aug. 6): ‘I am notifying you &amp; the FFRF that as of today we are no longer offering the 15% discount for Praying in Public.’ ” 
Haglund <a href="http://myfox8.com/2014/08/06/winston-salem-diner-owner-ends-praying-in-public-discount-over-scrutiny-pressure/">told one media outlet</a> earlier this week that her intent had always been positive and that she never meant to offend anyone.

dinerprayer

Restaurant drops prayer discount, citing threat of lawsuit

maryprayer

Next time you're on the subway, make sure you pay attention: Your fellow riders could be the cast of "The Lion King." 
The show's Broadway cast gave a car of New York City subway riders a big surprise on June 28 with a performance of the show's anthem "The Circle of Life." Cast member Jamal Lee Harris posted the video to YouTube on Tuesday, and it has tallied nearly 1.7 million views since. 
The video shows the train roll into the 59th Street station, then the cast in the train car engaging in normal subway activity&nbsp;— reading and fiddling with smartphones and headphones. 
That is, until Nteliseng Nkhela, who plays Rafiki in the show, turns heads when she wails out the telltale opening notes of "The Circle of Life." The rest of the cast joins in, and other riders slowly realize they're among stars on the subway. 
The performance ends with whoops, applause and high-fives&nbsp;— showing once again that "The Circle of Life" really does move us all. 
Watch the performance below (mobile users, click the link above): 
<iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/W9QMM_nTuC4?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>

nyclionking

'The Lion King' Broadway cast surprises NYC subway riders with 'The Circle of Life'

New Yorkers on Tinder are falling in puppy love, literally. 
Last week, dogs started to pop up on the popular dating app in the New York City area, and residents are swiping right. 
<a href="http://socialteesnyc.org/">Social Tees Animal Rescue</a>, a no-kill shelter in the East Village, teamed up with The Barn at BBH, an internship program for advertising talents, to launch a campaign to find shelter animals homes on the popular dating app.&nbsp; 
Alexis Mood, a BBH intern and organizer of the project, said Social Tees decided to use <a href="http://www.gotinder.com/">Tinder</a> because it has something to offer users. 
“Since people are already on Tinder looking for love and companionship, it was only right to try and pair them with dogs that could give them just that,” she said. 
The partnership applies the app's dating features to the human-canine relationship, allowing users to arrange a “quick hookup” by becoming a volunteer, a “short-term relationship” by becoming a foster parent or a “long-term commitment” with adoption. 
For the dogs to “sign up” on the dating app, Social Tees had to set up 10 separate Facebook accounts for the dogs. Once the organizers created the dogs’ profiles, the hunt for potential matches began. 
It didn’t take long for the dogs to make connections.&nbsp; 
The dogs have already received approximately 5,000 matches on Tinder since the July 31 launch, and an adoption application has been submitted for at least one featured pup. 
Some dogs are more popular than others. Salt and Pepper, for example, a Chihuahua mix and a Terrier that are being offered together, racked up 500 matches within the first 12 hours of the project, Mood said. 
Although the goal is for all the dogs to find permanent homes, the shelter is happy to make the issue of abandoned dogs part of the “cultural conversation.”

TinderDog

New Yorkers fall in love with puppies on Tinder

Tees -- CROPPED

Metta World Peace is at it again. 
The NBA star, formerly known as Ron Artest, is planning on changing his name to “Panda Friend.” 
World Peace made the announcement hours after he told Twitter followers he was joining the Sichuan Blue Whales Basketball Club of the China Basketball Association. 
“New Chinese name coming soon. You guys are going to love it!!!!” he tweeted on Monday. 
According to China Daily, World Peace is changing is name in honor of his move to China. 
“New high-profile import playing for&nbsp;Chinese basketball&nbsp;Association club Sichuan Blue Whales is known as Ron Artest but intends to change his name to 'Panda&nbsp;Friend' in honor of his move to China,” the newspaper reported. 
However, World Peace clarified on Twitter on Thursday that his name will not be “Panda Friend” – it will be “The Pandas Friend.” 
“I have more creativity coming in china. Im only there for 4months, so I will make sure its fun and successful before I head back to America,” he tweeted. 
The one-year deal to play with Sichuan is worth $1.43 million, making World Peace the highest paid import player, according to Sports Illustrated. 
As if the name change wasn't big enough news, Peace told fans to "stay tuned" for more.

PandaFriend

Metta World Peace to change name to 'Panda Friend' 

metta cropped

The Union Street Guest House, a small boutique hotel in Hudson, NY, is threatening to charge guests for posting negative reviews online is facing a backlash. 
<a href="http://www.unionstreetguesthouse.com/events_weddings.shtml" style="line-height: 1.6em;">The Union Street Guest House’s website</a> said it would charge couples who booked its facilities for weddings $500 for every negative review it found on the Internet but removed this language after a public outrcy.&nbsp; 
According to the New York Post, the website stated “If you have booked the inn for a wedding or other type of event .?.?. and given us a deposit of any kind .?.?. there will be a $500 fine that will be deducted from your deposit for every negative review .?.?. placed on any internet site by anyone in your party.” 
The website was updated Monday to say:&nbsp;“Please know that despite the fact that wedding couples love Hudson and our Inn, your friends and families may not,” the website says. “Your guests may not understand what we offer - therefore we expect you to explain that to them.”&nbsp; 
Yelp has more than 650 reviews of the hotel -- many of which were added Monday -- with an average one-star rating:&nbsp; 
“The management of this hotel had the gall to email us twice to threaten us financially about the negative review! Here is an excerpt from their first email: ‘please note that your recent on-line review of our Inn will cost the wedding party that left us a deposit $500. This money [will] be charged via the deposit they have left us unless/until it is removed. Any other or future reviews will also be charged to the wedding party (bride &amp; groom) from the guarantee they have provided us.‘" 
“Whatever you do, don't cancel. Don't try to call or email them to change your schedule because no one will answer. Regardless of the date or the season, you will not be able to change your reservation. And they will not reimburse you. So yah, eek.” 
A post by the hotel calling the policy “tongue-in-cheek” was also removed from its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Union-Street-Guest-House/117548518271464">Facebook page</a>&nbsp;Monday afternoon, which has been flooded with negative comments. 
"I hear you guys don't like bad reviews... Maybe improve the service?" one Facebook user posted.&nbsp; 
"You guys should probably close down," another commented. 
However, in an email to CNBC, the Union Street Guest House said the policy was just a joke. 
"The policy regarding wedding fines was put on our site as a tongue-in-cheek&nbsp;response to a wedding many years ago. It was meant to be taken down long ago and certainly was never enforced," the&nbsp;hotel said in the email.

NYHotelRev

New York hotel faces backlash after charging clients for bad reviews

Union Street Guest House

Walmart has made the “unmeltable” — an ice cream sandwich that doesn’t melt. 
News of Walmart’s “magical” Great Value ice cream went viral after a woman in Cincinnati told local news station WCPO on July 15 that her son’s ice cream sandwich was left outside in 80-degree weather for 12 hours and didn’t melt. 
Christie Watson was surprised to see the ice cream was still there.&nbsp; 
"I thought that's quite weird," Watson told WCPO. "So I looked at the box, and it doesn't say artificial ice cream. It says ice cream." 
In fact, she was so surprised she decided to run another test, and ended up with the same result. 
Since the Cincinnati mom made the recent discovery, dozens of people and news stations across the country have experimented with different brands of ice cream. 
Dan Collins, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was one of these people.&nbsp; 
A radio DJ for KIKN 100.5, Collins proved on camera on July 29 that Walmart’s ice cream sandwiches really don’t melt in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SozZHZAWS64">YouTube video</a> titled “Walmart Ice Cream Sandwich Won’t Melt! We Prove it.” 
Collins left a Great Value ice cream sandwich outside on a plate in sunny, 80-degree weather alongside a scoop of Blue Bunny vanilla ice cream. 
Within 30 minutes, the Blue Bunny ice cream was in a puddle. One hour and fifteen minutes later, Walmart’s ice cream still wasn’t melting. 
“It’s apparent that it’s really not going to melt the whole way,” Collins said. 
The YouTube video has already been viewed more than 1.6 million times since it was posted on Tuesday. 
“Is it really a ‘Great Value’?” Collins asked at the end of the video. “Well, maybe if it was real ice cream it would be.” 
It is “real ice cream”; it just has more cream, Walmart spokesman Danit Marquardt explained to Newsday. 
"Ice cream melts based on the ingredients including cream,” Marquardt said. “Ice cream with more cream will generally melt at a slower rate, which is the case with our Great Value ice cream sandwiches.” 
Walmart’s ice cream sandwiches contain the <a href="http://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Vanilla-Flavored-Ice-Cream-Sandwiches-42-Oz/11047625">ingredients</a> corn syrup, guar gum, carob bean gum and cellulose gum, which act as stabilizers to help the ice cream keep its shape, according to a <a href="https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/24707/OARDC%20poster.pdf">study</a> by the Department of Food Science and Technology at Ohio State University. 
“If it melts, it’s a problem and people complain. If it doesn't melt, it’s also a problem and people complain. You can't win with some people,” one YouTube user commented on Collins’ video. 
No matter what people think, Marquardt said Walmart is focused on customers and making sure they’re getting the treats they like. 
“In the frozen aisles, Great Value ice cream sandwiches are one of the top sellers, and we are glad to be able to offer a great treat that families love."&nbsp;&nbsp;

WalCream

Walmart's ice cream sandwiches won't melt in heat, video shows

WalCream -- CROPPED

Paramount Pictures Australia made what some Twitter users called a major “PR fail” on Tuesday. 
In an attempt to promote the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movie, Paramount Australia’s verified Twitter account (@ParamountAU) tweeted a photo of the movie poster with a scene that is eerily similar to the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the Twin Towers in Manhattan. 
The poster shows the four turtles jumping from an exploding skyscraper. And, to make it worse, the movie has a Sept. 11 release date in Australia. 
"Check out the official poster for #TMNT in cinemas September 11," @ParamountAU tweeted. 
Some Twitter users think people are being oversensitive about the incident. 
“@paramountau there are some really twisted people that keep associating any exploding building with the 9/11 incident, the TMNT poster is ok,” @DjArthurC&nbsp;tweeted. 
But others disagree. 
“Going to hope @ParamountAU realizes their insensitivity regarding the TMNT release date and poster,” @rnboskye&nbsp;tweeted. 
Paramount has since deleted the tweet. 
According to TMZ, a rep for Paramount Australia said, "We are deeply sorry to have used that artwork for the marketing materials promoting the September 11 opening in Australia.” 
The movie is expected to hit theaters on Aug. 8 in the United States but it won’t be released until Sept. 11 in Australia. 
“Combining that image and date was a mistake,” a rep for Paramount Australia said, according to TMZ. “We intended no offense and have taken immediate action to discontinue its use." 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

'Ninja Turtles' poster resembles 9/11 attack

Paramount slammed for tweeting 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' 9/11 poster

TMNT -- CROPPED

Starbucks has officially served up its most expensive drink ever, a $71.35 mocha chip frappuccino measuring in at more than five gallons. 
The best part? It was completely free due to Starbucks’ free birthday beverage promotion. 
Jarrod Johnson, 30, ordered the drink on his birthday, July 2, in Barboursville, West Virginia. He is now the latest winner of a nationwide Internet challenge to order the coffee chain’s most expensive drink. 
While the challenge -- not endorsed by Starbucks corporate -- has been around for years, it has grown in prominence this summer with new broken records. 
“It started out as a joke at first,” Johnson, an employee at a clothing store, told Newsday. But after chatting with baristas at his local Starbucks, Johnson decided to attempt the feat. 
“I knew I had a willing store on my side and encouragement from friends and coworkers at Express. Game on!” 
After spending a few days searching for a large enough container, he rolled up on his birthday with a clean 10-gallon cooler. 
“We settled with the mocha chip frap since it was the most expensive, with soy, protein powder, all the drizzles,” he said, adding 77 shots of espresso to create a swirly, brown, dangerously caffeinated beverage. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 THIS! <a href="https://twitter.com/Starbucks">@Starbucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TIME">@Time</a> most expensive drink! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/expensive?src=hash">#expensive</a> <a href="http://t.co/JInoQ14o0B">pic.twitter.com/JInoQ14o0B</a> — J (@jbj692) <a href="https://twitter.com/jbj692/statuses/485169753351155712">July 4, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 Coworker just ordered the most expensive drink from <a href="https://twitter.com/Starbucks">@starbucks</a> $77 and 77 shots of espresso. Free birthday drink! <a href="http://t.co/QRJTDemwVT">pic.twitter.com/QRJTDemwVT</a> — JALLEY (@thejohnalley) <a href="https://twitter.com/thejohnalley/statuses/485118800183164929">July 4, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
“I admit it looks gross,” Johnson said. “It was delicious.” He still has some in his freezer now. 
According to the website <a href="http://www.caffeineinformer.com/what-is-the-most-expensive-starbucks-drink">Caffeine Informer</a>, the second-most expensive Starbucks drink is a $59.75 beverage with 80 shots of espresso ordered in Terre Haute, Indiana. In third place is Sameera Raziuddin, who ordered a 192-ounce caramel ribbon crunch frappuccino. 
Meanwhile, Starbucks reportedly warned its baristas earlier this month to stop making these giant, record-breaking drinks, telling <a href="http://consumerist.com/2014/07/14/58-sexagintuple-frap-2-0-breaks-starbucks-free-drink-record/">Consumerist</a> that “beverages larger than Trenta size (31 oz.) cannot be made or served.” 
Check out Raziuddin’s drink and other record-breakers pulled from social media: 
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="499" scrolling="no" src="//instagram.com/p/qYICRSS-LO/embed/" width="430"></iframe> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/Starbucks">@Starbucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/starbucksgold">@starbucksgold</a> Most expensive Starbucks drink ever. $54.75. it has 60 shots, 128oz glass. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NewRecord?src=hash">#NewRecord</a> <a href="http://t.co/GBMpg01eyi">pic.twitter.com/GBMpg01eyi</a> — Andrew Chifari (@ACIFH) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACIFH/statuses/470365369127821312">May 25, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2Dux4_t2z_4" width="560"></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/s0puNRBLH7s" width="560"></iframe>

starbucksexpensive

Jarrod Johnson orders most expensive Starbucks drink ever

starbucksexp

David Chesney’s backyard project is taking him to new heights. Literally, about 12 feet. 
The 19-year-old from Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, recently finished the 92-foot-long, do-it-yourself roller coaster that he calls The Minotaur in his own backyard north of Toronto. 
“I’ve always been interested in riding roller coasters and knowing how they worked,” he said in a phone interview. 
Chesney, who said&nbsp; he had never worked with power tools before, built the structure over four years, only needing help with electrical work, which he got from a teacher. 
A&nbsp;<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzZFrcxY208" target="new">YouTube video</a>, which now has nearly 22,000 views, shows his progress, along with a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MinotaurCoaster" target="new">Facebook page</a> dedicated to the ride. 
Comments on the video have been positive and even encouraging. 
“I think u should make it higher, but good job looks good so far and btw, love the on track footage, really cool,” one viewer commented. 
Another wrote, “Looks like a cool backyard project.” 
Chesney said he’s thrilled with the response to the video. 
“That was a video showing where it was at the time,” Chesney said of the filming done during construction in 2012. “It doesn’t look like that anymore.”&nbsp; 
The completed roller coaster, which is fully functional, is 12 feet tall with 92 feet of track and more than 1,100 feet of electrical cable. It can reach speeds as fast as 13 miles per hour. 
The Minotaur, which runs on a track with steel railing set on wood, is fully powered by electricity, and seats one person. 
Chesney is the only one who can ride it, but said it’s not for selfish reasons. 
“I’m working on the legalities because I need insurance,” he said. “I’m trying everything I can to get others on so they can enjoy the ride, too.”

rollercoasterboy

David Chesney, Canadian teen, builds DIY roller coaster in backyard

rollercoaster /

People will take selfies just about anywhere nowadays – even at concentration camps. 
A woman named Breanna Mitchell is getting backlash on Twitter for a photo she posted of herself last month at the Auschwitz concentration camp. 
Mitchell tweeted “Selfie in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp” with a picture of herself smiling at the largest Nazi concentration camp during World War II. 
The photo was posted on June 20, but it gained national attention on Sunday when it became a trending topic on Twitter. 
Within the past 24 hours, there have been 2,175 tweets mentioning the photo, according to Topsy, a social media analytics firm. Overall, Mitchell's original&nbsp;tweet has drawn more than 2,500 retweets and 1,400 favorites.&nbsp; 
Originally, Mitchell said she wished people would stop tweeting about the photo. 
“Omg I wish people would quit tweeting to, quoting, retweeting, and favoriting my picture of my smiling in Auschwitz Concentration Camp,” Mitchell tweeted. “Like apparently is such a big deal that I smiled. Good Lord.” 
But shortly after, she seemed to be enjoying the Internet fame. She has retweeted more than 150 people who supported her decision to take the selfie.&nbsp; 
The picture wasn’t supposed to get this much attention, Mitchell explained to her Twitter followers on Sunday. 
However, she doesn’t seem to mind. 
“I’m famous yall,” Mitchell tweeted, referencing&nbsp;an article on Business Insider about the viral tweet. 
According to the <a href="http://en.auschwitz.org/m/">Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum’s website</a>, visitors are allowed to take pictures on the grounds – with the exception of a hall that contains the hair of victims, the basements of Block 11 and the gas chamber. 
Mitchell claims she took the photo after studying the Holocaust for years with her dad, who died a year ago. 
“That trip actually meant something to me and I was happy about it,” she tweeted, explaining the reasoning behind the smiling selfie.

ausselfie

Teen criticized on Twitter for Auschwitz concentration camp selfie

selfieaus -- CROPPED

An insulin pump isn’t usually part of a pageant queen’s wardrobe. But Sierra Sandison, the newly crowned Miss Idaho, became a social media sensation by strutting the stage with her insulin pump clipped to her swimsuit waistband. 
Since Sandison posted the photo Monday, it has received more than 4,500 likes, 2,700 shares and inspired dozens of parents to post photos of their own daughters proudly wearing their own insulin pumps. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 TWEETED TOO SOON! It has now been shared 1,730 times and has over 3,000 likes! Im dying guys!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showmeyourpump?src=hash">#showmeyourpump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/doc?src=hash">#doc</a> <a href="http://t.co/o0ZT9Pjyr9">pic.twitter.com/o0ZT9Pjyr9</a> — Sierra Anne Sandison (@sierra_anne93) <a href="https://twitter.com/sierra_anne93/statuses/489273374737039360">July 16, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
"Honestly, it is terrifying walking out on stage in a swimsuit, let alone attached to a medical device," she said in the post accompanying the photo. "My message to everyone, diabetic or not, is that we all have something that doesn't 'measure up' to the beauty standards set by the media--and that is okay! It does not make you any less beautiful." 
"Thank you for proudly showing your insulin pump! My daughter 11.5 dxd at tender age of 14 months does the same!" one mom named Bonnie Pfeiler&nbsp;wrote in a comment under Sandison's photo. Pfeiler included a photo of her smiling daughter in a bathing suit with her insulin pump clipped to the waistband.&nbsp; 
Sandison, 20, who won the Miss Idaho crown on Saturday,&nbsp;said she struggled with her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis in 2012. 
Her proud display of the medical device has now&nbsp;sparked a Twitter campaign, asking people to post photos of themselves with their insulin pumps on social media with the hashtag #showmeyourpump. 
Here are some responses to Miss Idaho's Twitter campaign: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 no shame in the pumpin' game ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showmeyourpump?src=hash">#showmeyourpump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pumpitup?src=hash">#pumpitup</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/diabeetus?src=hash">#diabeetus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sierra_anne93">@sierra_anne93</a> <a href="http://t.co/RjXwG8lZGn">pic.twitter.com/RjXwG8lZGn</a> — Danielle Adams (@DanielleAdams5) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielleAdams5/statuses/490165112888512512">July 18, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 I have diabetes;diabetes doesn't have me. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showmeyourpump?src=hash">#showmeyourpump</a> <a href="http://t.co/7uzUcnKWZd">pic.twitter.com/7uzUcnKWZd</a> — katie elizabeth (@kmcphar) <a href="https://twitter.com/kmcphar/statuses/490190891101863936">July 18, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/type1diabetes?src=hash">#type1diabetes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showmeyourpump?src=hash">#showmeyourpump</a> <a href="http://t.co/8fw2OmltWq">pic.twitter.com/8fw2OmltWq</a> — Airica Cooper (@airicaregan) <a href="https://twitter.com/airicaregan/statuses/490121739007827968">July 18, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 Working out all hooked up <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showmeyourpump?src=hash">#showmeyourpump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stretchmarks?src=hash">#stretchmarks</a> <a href="http://t.co/OjXGX14oYR">pic.twitter.com/OjXGX14oYR</a> — type one (@imtype1) <a href="https://twitter.com/imtype1/statuses/490115891778973697">July 18, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/showmeyourpump?src=hash">#showmeyourpump</a> <a href="http://t.co/NrN8X1pTA5">pic.twitter.com/NrN8X1pTA5</a> — Big Tone (@Tonypapola) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tonypapola/statuses/489236352735903744">July 16, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

missidahoinsulinpump

Miss Idaho, Sierra Sandison, wears insulin pump on pageant stage, photo goes viral

idahoinsulin

Here’s another one for the “don’t believe everything you read on the Internet” files. 
<a href="http://imgur.com/P8RgUK0">A missing poster for a pregnant pet tarantula on the loose in Brooklyn</a> set social media abuzz Friday after it was posted to Reddit Thursday night. 
“MISSING,” read the flier posted to a utility pole in South Slope, “Have you seen Penelope? She’s a Mexican Red Rump Tarantula.” Showing a photo of a large, furry spider with a hairy red posterior -- which turns out to be the first Google Images result for this species of spider -- the flier turned out to be a joke. 
But not everyone was in on it. 
Residents and local media alike zeroed in on the poster’s most sensational lines. “She shouldn’t bite, but sometimes jumps when frightened,” it read. “She’s pregnant, so I’m hoping to find her before she has her babies.” 
After dialing the contact number on the poster, though, the New York Times confirmed it was a hoax. 
“I always see those signs for missing dogs and cats taped up on posts; I thought, ‘What’s the most absurd poster I could come up with?’ ” said the man who answered the Times’ call, refusing to identify himself. “I thought it was so beyond ridiculous that no one would take it seriously. I was wrong.” 
While Penelope the pregnant tarantula has been confirmed as fictional, that hasn’t stopped “her” from creating her own Twitter feed. Using the handle @BKTarantula, a Twitter user has begun tweeting from her point of view. “What does Peter Parker know about a ‘Spidey sense tingling?’ Want tingling? Try hundred of babies writhing in your belly,” read one tweet. 
See more of our favorites from @BKTarantula below: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 What does Peter Parker know about a "Spidey sense tingling?" Want tingling? Try hundred of babies writhing in your belly — Penelope (@BKTarantula) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKTarantula/statuses/487662255203696641">July 11, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlayin?src=hash">#ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlayin</a> <a href="http://t.co/GQZY2Jr5nz">pic.twitter.com/GQZY2Jr5nz</a> — Penelope (@BKTarantula) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKTarantula/statuses/487670333819060224">July 11, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 Hey tweeps, where can I buy some 8-legged harem pants in Brooklyn? — Penelope (@BKTarantula) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKTarantula/statuses/487662484007165952">July 11, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 Got a couple hundred kids hungry for your Pre-K spot — Penelope (@BKTarantula) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKTarantula/statuses/487665153891381248">July 11, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> 
 Me on my way to steal your man <a href="http://t.co/7uy4qwYtvR">pic.twitter.com/7uy4qwYtvR</a> — Penelope (@BKTarantula) <a href="https://twitter.com/BKTarantula/statuses/487666044509904897">July 11, 2014</a>
</blockquote> 
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

nyctaran

Pregnant tarantula hoax causes NYC social media frenzy

Colombian soccer player James Rodriguez is the World Cup’s top scorer, but he’s getting even more social media attention thanks to a giant insect that landed on his arm mid-match. 
After scoring a penalty against Brazil in Friday’s match -- his sixth goal in the entire tournament -- Rodriguez celebrated with a fist pump, apparently unaware that a huge green insect had landed on his arm. 
The insect, which appears to be a humongous grasshopper, garnered a flurry of social media activity. More than 15,000 tweets were sent Friday including the words “James Rodriguez insect” according to Twitter trends site Topsy.com. Fans also created Vine videos and Photoshop parodies. 
Here are some of our favorites below:

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