Conan

Amanda Seyfried was on Conan the other night and they talked about her taxidermy collection.  She said that she has a horse, a owl named Beatrix, a chick named Linda and some butterflies so far.  I knew celebrities  have some quirks but really a taxidermy collection.  Well in Conan fashion, he gave her one more thing to add to her collection.

I understand the art of taxidermy, but for me personally, it would freak me out to have it in my home.

KHOU

Apparently, pet napping is becoming a new trend across the U.S.  People are stealing animals in order to sell them on the internet, roadsides, through ads or even hold for ransom.  However, this one pet napping story is a bit different.  A man was out walking his dog when a knife-wielding man pulled a knife on him demanding his money.  When the man had no money to give the mugger took his shih-zu puppy.

It has to be heartbreaking to know that your family pet may be gone forever, because it was stolen.
Has the world today gotten so bad that we now have to worry about people stealing our family pets?

YouTube

Not long after that segment Taylor and Zac kind of got back at Ellen changing the lyrics to Foster the People’s Pumped Up Kicks.

Truthfully those two would make a cute Hollywood couple.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Facing huge budget shortfalls, the United States Postal Service has proposed solutions including closing hundreds of post offices and eliminating Saturday deliveries. Now it may be considering jacking up the price of stamps, too.

The popularity of internet services like online bill pay have led in part to a 1.7 percent decline in mail volume, causing the USPS to anticipate losing $14.1 billion in 2012 — with bigger losses expected in the years to come.

In response, postal officials sent a letter to Congress last Thursday in which they recommended several changes, including the possibility of increasing the price of a stamp from its current 45 cents up to 50 cents. While stamp prices have gone up four times since 2006, chief financial officer Joe Corbett said, “Clearly, we’re [still] underpriced [and] would like the ability to move that price up.”

The USPS says the extra nickel, which would likely be added in one or two-cent increments until 2015, would raise revenues by $1 billion annually. Although taxpayers don’t foot the bill to keep the postal service running, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe told Congress that failing to help the organization limit its losses would result in a “long-term burden to the American taxpayer.”

[Time]

20th Century Fox, Lucasfilm/20th Century Fox/Columbia Pictures/United Artists/United Artists

For every role that can be considered “Oscar bait,” there are the roles that are completely out of the norm for the Academy Awards.  The actors on our list all gave performances that have transcended Oscars and are more well-known for their contributions to pop culture.

While the Academy tends to ignore genre movies in favor of stuffy period pieces and weepy dramas, occasionally they honor an offbeat character beloved by moviegoers. Whether it’s a tough-as-nails alien fighter, a telekinetic kid or a Jedi master, these are 10 iconic characters from movie history that were surprisingly nominated for an Oscar.

Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi, ‘The Karate Kid’

Columbia Pictures

‘The Karate Kid’ is an ’80s staple that launched three sequels (plus a Jackie Chan reboot) and a bonafide kids classic. Much of the film’s success was due to Pat Morita’s portrayal of wise sensei Mr. Miyagi. Morita, who gained notoriety on ‘Happy Days,’ received his first and only Oscar nomination for the role, losing to Haing S. Ngor for ‘The Killing Fields.’  (It’s also not the only surprising Oscar nomination to come from the ‘Karate Kid’ cast– William Zabka (aka “Sweep the leg Johnny” ) was nominated for Best Short Film, Live Action in 2004.)

Anne Ramsey as Mrs. Lift, ‘Throw Momma From the Train’

Orion Pictures

Anne Ramsey had a long career dating back to 1971 before she became famous for her role as the nasty Mrs. Fratelli in ‘The Goonies.’  It was that role that led Danny De Vito to cast Ramsey as another nasty mama in ‘Throw Momma From the Train.’  While the film otherwise didn’t make much of an impact with critics or audiences, Ramsey was singled out for her performance and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.  Though she may have looked much older, Ramsey died just a few months later, at the age of just 59.

Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil, ‘The Exorcist’

Warner Bros.

‘The Exorcist’ is remembered for a lot of things: pea soup showers, spinning heads, spider walks. But many people forget that Linda Blair, the 13-year-old actress who played possessed schoolgirl Regan MacNeil, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The film received a total of 10 total Oscar nominations (including two for stars Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller) but it was Blair’s that was the most surprising. She was, at the time, one of the youngest actors nominated for an Oscar. Coincidentally, Blair lost that year to 10-year-old Tatum O’Neal (‘Paper Moon’) who still holds the record for the youngest Academy Award winner.

Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, ‘Aliens’

20th Century Fox

Few action heroes are nominated for Oscars. Very few action heroes in sequels are nominated for Oscars.  Very, very few female action heroes in sequels are nominated for Oscars. That’s why Sigourney Weaver’s nomination in James Cameron’s ‘Aliens’ was so remarkable. As remarkable as it was, though, few people remember it happened, likely because the next year, Weaver was nominated for two Oscars in the same year (for ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ and ‘Working Girl’).

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, ‘Rocky’

United Artists

‘Rocky’ launched the super-stardom of Sylvester Stallone who went on to become one of the biggest stars in the world. He eventually drove ‘Rocky’ into the ground (see: 1990′s ‘Rocky V’) and the franchise devolved into self-parody, but in the beginning, the underdog boxing film was a hit at the Oscars. Stallone was nominated for Best Actor and, perhaps most surprising, for Best Original Screenplay. Sly has yet to be nominated for an Oscar since, though he does hold the record for the most amount of Razzie nominations. (He can thank ‘Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot’ for that.)

Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi, ‘Star Wars’

20th Century Fox/Lucasfilm

Though Sir Alec Guinness was a widely respected actor prior to ‘Star Wars’ (he won an Oscar previously for ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’), his Oscar-nominated turn as Obi-Wan Kenobi was no doubt his most memorable. With all the ‘Star Wars’ lore, it’s easily forgotten and perhaps Guinness would’ve wanted it that way.  Though the role made him very rich, he hated the fame that came along with the success and, moreso, disliked the films themselves. Guinness told a reporter in 1999 that he suggested to George Lucas that Obi-Wan should die because he “just couldn’t go on speaking those bloody awful, banal lines.”

Sissy Spacek as Carrie White, ‘Carrie’

United Artists

Sissy Spacek’s nomination as Best Actress for ‘Carrie’ is easily forgotten because a) it’s a horror film and b) Spacek went on rack up an impressive six Oscar nominations over her career (winning in 1981 for ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’).  Like comedy and sci-fi, horror films are rarely honored by the Oscars. ‘Carrie’ was rewarded with nominations for both Spacek and her on-screen mother Piper Laurie.

Madeline Kahn as Lili von Shtupp, ‘Blazing Saddles’

Warner Bros.

Despite the Academy doing the right thing and nominating Melissa McCarthy for ‘Bridesmaids,’ comedic performances (particularly ones given by women) rarely get Oscar love. But stage-trained actress Madeline Kahn had already been nominated (1973′s ‘Paper Moon’) before her first collaboration with writer/director Mel Brooks. Her performance in ‘Blazing Saddles’ stood out amongst a cast of comedy heavyweights and may still hold the record for the funniest character name ever nominated for an Oscar.

Gary Busey as Buddy Holly, ‘The Buddy Holly Story’

Columbia Pictures

When you watch ‘The Buddy Holly Story,’ it’s not surprising to think that Gary Busey’s performance would be nominated for an Oscar. But when you watch Gary Busey in everything since then, it’s very surprising to think that the actor — currently best known for ‘Celebrity Rehab’ and otherwise just being a little crazy — was ever nominated for anything. But there was a time when Busey was a talented actor and parlayed his former career as a musician into a powerful performance.

Al Pacino as Alphonse “Big Boy” Caprice, ‘Dick Tracy’

Touchstone Pictures

Over his legendary career, Al Pacino has scored eight Oscar nominations, delivering iconic performances in movies like ‘The Godfather’, ‘Dog Day Afternoon’, ‘Serpico’ and ‘Scent of a Woman’. So it’s a little surprising to see, among those nominations, his performance as mob boss Alphonse “Big Boy” Caprice in the cartoonish ‘Dick Tracy.’ Pacino wore heavy makeup and chewed the scenery (as he is wont to do) as the foil to Warren Beatty’s square-jawed detective. It probably won’t go down as one of his best performances, but for one year, the Academy saw fit to recognize Pacino’s work underneath a rubber nose.

Source: TheFW.com

Paul Morigi, Getty Images

State lawmakers in Indiana were recently presented with a resolution to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts organization and honor the positive influence the group has had on American women. Representative Bob Morris, a Republican from Fort Wayne, was the only representative to refuse to sign, citing a belief that the Girl Scouts is a “radicalized organization.”

The Indiana lawmaker sent a letter to his colleagues saying he plans to pull his daughters from their Girl Scout troop after he found information online claiming that the group “sexualizes” girls and promotes homosexuality. One source he cited was a conservative “news” website called World Net Daily.

In his letter, he claimed to have found allegations that the Girl Scouts are actually a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood that encourages the girls to have sex. He continued to say that the people who the Girl Scouts consider to be role models are all “feminists, lesbians, or Communists.”

He also mentioned an allegation that the organization allows transgender females to join. This misstatement of the facts was most likely based on a situation that arose last fall when a transgender male child was refused membership in a Colorado troop, but then allowed to join by the national organization, which encourages inclusiveness.

The scouts have received criticism for this inclusiveness and many groups and websites have been working very hard to “expose” them. Diane Tipton, president of the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital said in response, “Misinformation is passing as fact. The Girl Scout organization does not take a position on abortion or birth control, and these topics are not part of the Girl Scout program or our materials. We believe these matters are best discussed by girls with their families.”

At this time, the Girl Scouts are not planning any changes in policy, but they have released a statement explaining where they stand on sensitive issues.

[via Huffington Post]

kams_world, Flickr

Theft charges serious enough to warrant a jury trial typically involve stolen goods that are pretty expensive (just ask Lindsay Lohan about that).

But you don’t have to steal high-dollar stuff to get in that kind of trouble — in fact, a New Mexico college student is about to go on trial for allegedly forgetting to pay for a $2 pumpkin.

Lauren Medina, 23, will have her day in court on Tuesday. She’s accused of stealing the small gourd from a local pumpkin patch in October.

But her sister, Annette Atencio, says the whole thing was a big misunderstanding that’s been completely overblown. On that fateful day last year, the two siblings had enjoyed a day at the pumpkin patch, spending $75 on funnel cakes and other food. When they left, Medina simply forgot to pay for the pumpkin, Atencio says.

When police approached them, Atencio maintains her sister apologized and immediately offered to pony up the cash, but the cops refused and “she was handcuffed immediately — end of story, no ifs or buts.”

After Medina was given an order to appear in court, she thought the charges would be dropped. Instead, prosecutors gave her the option of pleading guilty and doing probation — and when she refused, the case was remanded to trial.

Atencio is infuriated by the debacle, especially because her sister has never been in trouble with the law before. “I’m in disbelief,” she said. “The more I talk about it, the angrier I get.”

[via KOAT]

Source: TheFW.com

Thinkstock

A new Nielsen poll finds smartphones are becoming less of a luxury and more of a so-called necessity — at least for younger people.

Nielsen gathered data to learn more about the age, income and demographics of the typical US smartphone user. Specifically, the firm wanted to know if lower prices are making the devices more popular among those who earn less money.

Turns out more than half of people between 18 and 24 who make less than $15,000 per year are smartphone owners, compared to 43 percent of those aged 25 to 34 and just 31 percent of folks between 35 and 44 years old.

While researchers don’t know if the people surveyed, especially those in the younger group, have outside financial help (parents, spouses, etc.), it’s clear that even the respondents on limited budgets are making room for smartphone ownership.

But what researchers found most interesting is that although the younger set deems the devices a necessity, older people consider them more of a luxury — which is valuable information for developers, publishers and advertisers.

[TechCrunch]

FOX

Regionals are here, but this week, ‘Glee”s not about hogging the spotlight. The show takes on a very important issue this week, and PopCrush is here to recap everything.

Rachel, while pouring over bridal magazines with a less-than-enthused Kurt, is approached by the Warbler that everyone loves to hate, Sebastian. It seems like, after nearly blinding Blaine, he’s at it again, blackmailing Rachel into not performing at Regionals. He’s photoshopped some naughty pics of Finn, and threatens to put them online unless Rachel drops out of regionals, giving the Warblers a shot at winning. Finn is mad, but Rachel won’t back down, proclaiming “I love you and we’re gonna get through this together.”

Sue drops a bomb on Quinn. She’s pregnant, but she’s not telling who the father is. Quinn tells Sue that she wants to rejoin the Cheerios, and Sue shoots her down in classic Sue fashion.

Blaine has been working on a new song for Regionals, and as he sings ‘Cough Syrup’ by Young the Giant, we see David Karofsky at a new school and on a new football team, coming into the locker room to find anti-gay graffiti on his locker. As Blaine sings the emotional song, Karofsky goes home to find bullying on Facebook, and finding it too much to take, he decides to take his own life.

Karofsky is alive after his attempted hanging, but the attempt has hit home at McKinley High. Principal Figgins claims that it wasn’t the educators job to know what was going on in David’s life, but as Emma says, “then whose job was it?”

Kurt, after rejecting David at the end of the ‘Heart’ episode, feels especially responsible for his attempted suicide, claiming that he should have been there for Karofsky, even after what he put him through.

Finn and Rachel have also felt the effect of the tragedy, and feeling that life is too precious to spend waiting, have decided to get married this week, right after they compete at Regionals. Finn has decided that he wants Rachel to perform, but Sebastian’s threats have proved to be moot, as it appears the Warbler has had a change of heart. Sebastian apologizes to Blaine for the Slushee incident, tells Rachel that the blackmail pics are gone, and says he is going to dedicate The Warblers’ performance at regionals to David Karofsky.

Will opens up to the Glee Club, giving them a speech about the importance of valuing your own life. He tells of his own suicide attempt in his junior year at McKinley. “Look at all the things I would have missed out on,” he says, and he tells everybody to think of something they’re looking forward to. They all share, and Rory says what everyone’s thinking: “I’m looking forward to winning at regionals.”

At Regionals, Sebastian leads The Warblers in a heartfelt performance of ‘Stand’ by Lenny Kravitz and ‘Glad You Came‘ by the Wanted. Both songs are obviously nods to David Karofsky, and to the courage to stay alive.

Finn announces backstage that he and Rachel are getting married after the performance, and while not everyone is thrilled, nobody lets it ruin their momentum. The New Directions start with an epic mashup of ‘Fly’ by Nicki Minaj and ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ by R. Kelly, showcasing Rachel, Artie, Santana and Blaine. Following this, Brittany, Santana and Mercedes do a powerful rendition of Kelly Clarkson‘s hit single ‘Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).’ Everyone is into it, including Sebastian and (gasp!) Sue. Rachel, backed by the New Directions, then sings ‘Here’s to Us’ by Halestorm, and looks at Finn the whole time. The crowd is on their feet, feeling the love.

The New Directions take home a much-deserved regionals trophy, and even though the Warblers are disappointed with second place, it appears that Sebastian has made his peace with the New Directions.

Sue tells Quinn she’s an inspiration, and gives her old Cheerios uniform back to her. Quinn is thankful, and decides to tell Rachel that she wants to come to the wedding. Rachel makes her a bridesmaid.

Kurt visits David in hospital, and apologizes for not returning his calls. David understands, considering all that he put Kurt through, and rasps “why would you?” Kurt tells him that the road to acceptance is not going to be easy, but offers him a vision of hope: In 10 years, he’ll have left all of this behind, will have met the man of his dreams and forgotten all the heartache. David asks Kurt to be friends, and Kurt accepts.

Sue congratulates Will on the Glee club’s win. She tells him she’s pregnant, and he’s happy for her. She also tells him that she wants to help the club out in preparing for nationals. She’s so genuinely, sincerely nice about it, we can’t help but wonder what she has planned.

At the wedding, the parents are frantically trying to devise a plan to deter the bride and groom while Rachel frets over Quinn’s absence. She said she’d be there, but is running late. Rachel sends Quinn text after text, asking where she is. Quinn is in the car, running late, and as she is texting Rachel “on my way,” a truck comes out of nowhere, hitting the car. Cut to black. To be continued…

Source: PopCrush.com

Ian Gavan, Getty Images

After what seems like countless rounds on the rumor mill — and just as many denials — the worst-kept secret in pop music has finally been officially confirmed: Adam Lambert will perform with Queen this year.

“As many suspected, I can finally confirm: I have been invited by Queen to sing one very special concert!” tweeted Lambert. And he wasn’t kidding about that “special concert” part, either — he went on to reveal the location and date: “Sonisphere at Knebworth July 7th!”

“Sorry to be coy about the details the past few weeks, but I made a promise to keep it under wraps as best I could,” Lambert added. “Gonna be a surreal night!”

“Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy,” said Queen guitarist Brian May in a press release. “It’s a worthy challenge for us, and I’m sure Adam would meet with Freddie’s approval! And what better place to revisit, and walk those emotional paths than Knebworth? It will be a rush.”

“I’m completely in awe of the Queen phenomenon. The thought of sharing the stage for a full set is so beautifully surreal,” added Lambert. “I’m honored to be able to pay my respects to Freddie’s memory. He’s a personal hero of mine and I am deeply grateful for the chance to sing such powerful music for fans of this legendary band. I know the evening will be a huge milestone for me, and with the support of Brian, Roger and the rest of the band I know magic will be on display.”

Source: PopCrush.com

Steve Powell, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1819 – By the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain sells Florida to the United States for $5 million (More info)

1879 – In Utica, New York, Frank Woolworth opens the first of many of five-and-dime Woolworth stores (More info)

1924 – President Calvin Coolidge becomes the first commander-in-chief to deliver a radio broadcast from the White House (More info)

1980 – In what would come to be called the Miracle on Ice, the US men’s hockey team beats the heavily-favored Soviet Union team 4-3 at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York (More info)

2006 – At least six men stage Britain’s largest robbery in history, stealing $92.5 million from a Securitas depot in Kent (More info)

Dave Hogan (2), Getty Images

Adele‘s awards show dominance shows no signs of letting up. The British superstar won twice at today’s 2012 BRIT Awards in London, while Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and One Direction also nabbed trophies.

Adele took home Best British Female Artist and Album of the Year for ’21.’ After winning the latter award, presented by George Michael, Adele said, “I’m so proud to be flying our flag,” before being cut off by producers trying to keep the show on schedule, according to The Guardian.

The only nomination Adele lost was British Single of the Year. That award, which is decided by sales and airplay throughout the year, went to One Direction’s ‘What Makes You Beautiful.’ Newcomer Ed Sheeran won both British Male Artist and British Breakthrough Act, while Coldplay took Best British Group.

As for the international awards, Rihanna won for Female Artist, Bruno Mars captured Male Artist, the Foo Fighters took Best Group, and Lana Del Rey won International Breakthrough Act.

Complete list of 2012 BRIT Awards Winners:

British Male Solo Artist
Ed Sheeran — WINNER
James Blake
James Morrison
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
Professor Green

British Female Solo Artist
Adele — WINNER
Florence + the Machine
Jessie J
Kate Bush
Laura Marling

British Breakthrough Act
Anna Calvi
Ed Sheeran — WINNER
Emeli Sandé
Jessie J
The Vaccines

British Group
Arctic Monkeys
Chase & Status
Coldplay — WINNER
Elbow
Kasabian

British Single
Adele – ‘Someone Like You’
Ed Sheeran – ‘The A Team’
Example – ‘Changed The Way You Kissed Me’
Jessie J feat. B.o.B – ‘Price Tag’
JLS feat. Dev – ‘She Makes Me Wanna’
Military Wives & Gareth Malone – ‘Wherever You Are’
Olly Murs feat. Rizzle Kicks – ‘Heart Skips A Beat’
One Direction – ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ — WINNER
Pixie Lott – ‘All About Tonight’
The Wanted – ‘Glad You Came’

Mastercard British Album of the Year
Adele – ’21′ — WINNER
Coldplay – ‘Mylo Xyloto’
Ed Sheeran – ‘+’
Florence & The Machine – ‘Ceremonials’
PJ Harvey – ‘Let England Shake’

International Male Solo Artist
Aloe Blacc
Bon Iver
Bruno Mars — WINNER
David Guetta
Ryan Adams

International Female Solo Artist
Beyoncé
Bjork
Feist
Lady Gaga
Rihanna — WINNER

International Group
Fleet Foxes
Foo Fighters — WINNER
Jay-Z & Kanye West
Lady Antebellum
Maroon 5

International Breakthrough Act
Aloe Blacc
Bon Iver
Foster The People
Lana Del Rey — WINNER
Nicki Minaj

British Producer
Paul Epworth
Flood
Ethan Johns — WINNER

Critics’ Choice
1st: Emeli Sande — WINNER
2nd: Maverick Sabre
3rd: Michael Kiwanuka

Outstanding Contribution to Music Award
Winner: Blur

Source: PopCrush.com

Frazer Harrison / David Livingston, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Jeri Ryan
Age: 44
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Playing the liberated (“de-assimilated”) Borg, Seven of Nine, on ‘Star Trek: Voyager,’ roles on other shows like ‘Leverage,’ ‘Boston Public,’ ‘Dark Skies’ and ‘Shark,’ and her current role as Dr. Kate Murphy on the ABC drama ‘Body of Proof’

Drew Barrymore
Age: 37
Occupation: Actress, Producer and Director
Known For: Her star-making childhood role in ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,’ two stays in rehab by the time she was 14, rebounding nicely with adult roles in ‘Boys on the Side,’ ‘The Wedding Singer,’ ’50 First Dates’ and the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ film franchise, co-founding the prolific Flower Films production company, her recent engagement to art consultant Will Kopelman, and just being all-around adorable

Kyle MacLachlan
Age: 53
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His roles in the cult films ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Showgirls,’ ‘Dune’ and ‘The Doors,’ work on the TV shows ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Desperate Housewives,’ and a lengthy relationship in the 1990s with supermodel Linda Evangelista

Rachel Dratch
Age: 46
Occupation: Actress and Comedienne
Known For: Being a cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live’ from 1999 to 2006, appearing in movies including ‘Down with Love,’ ‘Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star’ and ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,’ and her enviably close friendship with Tina Fey

James Blunt
Age: 38
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Singles including ‘You’re Beautiful’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover,’ being nominated for five Grammys, selling 18 million albums, and having a long string of model girlfriends

YouTube

The world is filled with terrible news, so it’s nice for us to find a story with a happy ending once in awhile.  Here is an amazing story about a Swedish man who was stranded in a snow drift for 61 days.

Snowmobilers came across the car thinking it was wreckage. They peeked inside to find someone wrapped in a sleeping bag in the back seat.  Rescuers dug the 45-year-old man out of the car, and he was so weak he could hardly speak–yet alone explain what happened.  He said he’s been in the car since December 19th. Probably hiding out so he didn’t have to buy his family Christmas gifts. The man survived by eating snow and icicles.

Humans can last up to four weeks without food, so its plausible that the man was stranded for as long as he said he was.  His body temperature was around 31 degrees Celsius when he was brought into the hospital.  With his body temperature so low, he wasn’t using much energy.  This also helped him to survive. Like bears, humans can also go into a dormant-like state (especially during football season).

[Via Yahoo]

Source: 1

facebook

Jan, was facing eviction from her apartment because she had not taken the trash out since 2006.  Her house was covered in cat feces, and the worst part of the whole episode was the fact she continued to use her bathroom without running water and created a mound of poo in her toilet.

I am not telling you about this episode to judge.  I am telling you about this episode of Hoarders because it is happening in our own backyard.

I watch Hoarders on a weekly basis, I have seen the rat episode, the bunny episode, the chicken episode, the multiple adult diaper episodes and yes even the 13-dead cat episode, however none of them struck me like last nights episode because these people were elsewhere in the world.

Well last night Jan was 15 minutes away from where I am sitting right now.  She is a member of our community.  Her family is a member of our community and it dawned on me, that this not only happens in bigger cities, this happens in our city.

Hoarding isn’t just something that someone does because they like to collect stuff, it is something that happens after a incident that occurs in their life, collecting stuff and hoarding is a safe haven.

In fact at the beginning of each show, the definition of hoarding appears on the screen.

Compulsive Hoarding is a mental condition marked by an obsessive need or acquire and keep things, even if the items are worthless, hazardous or unsanitary.

More than 3 million people are compulsive hoarders.

According to an article on the ProNews 7 website there are over 300 people in Amarillo that are hoarders.

Jan is a brave woman, and her family is just as brave because it takes guts to turn your life around and it takes guts to make your trials public for the whole world to see your hidden life.  It takes guts to do this knowing that you will be judged for your actions by other people.

After watching the episode and thinking about it; knowing this family lives here with us and among us, I will no longer look at the episodes of Hoarders in disgust.  I realize that these people have issues bigger than they can handle.

Yes, this woman had a mound of poo in her bathroom and every inch of her house was covered in cat feces, but Jan has issues that caused it and she couldn’t fix them on her own.

So kudos to Jan for getting help.

Click Here to watch the episode.

Universal Pictures

The Denzel Washington/Ryan Reynolds thriller ‘Safe House’ kept movie-goers on the edge of their seats this holiday weekend, earning $28.4 million to land at the top of the charts in its second week of release.

‘The Vow’ took in $26.6 million for the runner-up spot, barely squeaking past ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,’ which sold $26.4 million in tickets for third.

Rounding out the top five? Nicolas Cage’s ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance’ and the Reese Witherspoon rom-com ‘This Means War,’ which netted $25.7 million and $20.4 million, respectively.

Here’s a list of the top 10 movies at the box office Friday through Monday with estimated grosses, along with how much each movie has made since its release:

1. ‘Safe House’ – $28.4 million, $82.6 million total
2. ‘The Vow’ – $26.6 million, $88.5 million total
3. ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ – $26.4 million, $59.5 million total
4. ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance’ – $25.7 million, new release
5. ‘This Means War’ – $20.4 million, $22 million total
6. ‘Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace’ – $10.1 million, $36 million total
7. ‘Chronicle’ – $9.2 million, $52.6 million total
8. ‘The Secret World Of Arrietty’ – $8.1 million, new release
9. ‘The Woman in Black’ – $7.9 million, $46.5 million total
10. ‘The Grey’ – $3.7 million, $48.6 million total

[Box Office Mojo]

Express Newspapers, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1848 – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels publish ‘The Communist Manifesto’ (More info)

1878 – The first telephone book is issued in New Haven, CT (More info)

1948 – The National Association for Stock Car Racing, aka NASCAR, is officially incorporated (More info)

1965 – Malcolm X is assassinated by members of the Nation of Islam at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City (More info)

1972 – President Richard Nixon arrives in China, becoming the first US president to visit to the world’s most populous nation (More info)

Kevin Winter / Frazer Harrison, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Kelsey Grammer
Age: 57
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the hit sitcoms ‘Cheers’ and ‘Frasier,’ providing the voice for characters like Sideshow Bob on ‘The Simpsons,’ currently starring in the Starz series ‘Boss,’ and a tabloid-friendly personal life that’s included four marriages

Jennifer Love Hewitt
Age: 33
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Starring in the ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ film franchise and on the TV shows ‘Party of Five’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer,’ popularizing the weird vajazzling trend, and previous relationships with celebrities including singer John Mayer, who reportedly wrote his hit song ‘Your Body is a Wonderland’ about her

Tyne Daly
Age: 66
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Winning a 1989 Tony for her work in ‘Gypsy,’ earning six Emmys for her roles in ‘Cagney & Lacey,’ ‘Judging Amy’ and ‘Christy,’ and being the older sister of actor Tim Daly

Mary Chapin Carpenter
Age: 54
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Country hits like ‘I Feel Lucky,’ ‘He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,’ ‘I Take My Chances’ and ‘Shut Up and Kiss Me,’ being the only woman to have won four consecutive Grammy Awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and writing or co-writing songs for other artists like Joan Baez, Cyndi Lauper and Wynonna Judd

Ellen Page
Age: 25
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Her Academy Award-nominated work as the quirky title character in ‘Juno,’ roles in other films including ‘Inception,’ ‘Whip It’ and ‘X-Men: The Last Stand,’ and being the spokesperson for Cisco Systems in a series of ads

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Over the last few months, there has been some data that suggests the sluggish economy could be improving. Mainly, the unemployment rate, which has dropped to 8.3 percent after reaching a 26-year high of 10 percent in late 2009. However, according to a new survey from Poll Postion, the public is split on whether America is entering into a period of economic recovery.

Thirty-eight percent of the 1,242 registered voters polled said the economy is improving while another 38 percent said it was still deteriorating. Twenty-two percent believe the economy is staying the same.

What political party the respondent belongs to seemed to have a big influence on their economic views. Sixty-eight percent of democrats believe the economy is getting better, whereas 53 percent of republicans think it continues to get worse. Political independents surveyed tended to agree with the republicans.

[Poll Position]

Mickelson hit his tee shot on the 15th hole wide and to the left when the ball careened into the gallery and bounced up the shorts of the onlooker.

The victim of this amazing accident didn’t get hurt. In fact, he got some free stuff out of it. He received a signed golf glove from Mickelson, a story to tell for the rest of his life, and now he’s a YouTube star among the ranks of Rebecca Black. Who could ask for anything more?

Source: TheFW.com