Author: Angel - NYC

Huffington Post

“One of the reasons I started my website is that I wanted a place for women to come together and dream. We women need to know that we don’t have to hang on to an old dream that has stopped nurturing us—that there is always time to start a new dream. This week’s story is about about Troy Ball, a mother with two special needs sons who found a way to support her family – by starting a business that brought an uncommon product to market.”—Marlo, MarloThomas.com

It was as if young Frankenstein met Old MacDonald—with a touch of Austin Powers thrown in for good measure.
Tucked away in a small barn in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, Troy Ball and her friend John McEntire were like a pair of mad scientists—mixing, boiling, adding ingredients, then taking them out again— trying to achieve just the right formula for their precious concoction. “It was all undercover,” says Troy. “But it was also really exciting. I mean, we’d hear somebody pulling up the gravel road, and we’d close the barn doors.”   Continue reading “Mom Of Special Needs Sons Supports Her Family By Bringing This Rare Product To Market”

Huffington Post – by Kimberly Yam

These lucky pups just escaped a sad fate.

Twenty-three canines from a dog meat farm outside of Seoul, South Korea, who spent most of their lives in cages, bred to be consumed, were rescued by the Humane Society International (HSI) earlier this month, and are now destined for new lives in the U.S. The pups arrived at D.C.-area shelters this week, Buzzfeed reported, to begin a recovery process that will eventually lead to forever homes for them.   Continue reading “Canines Bred To Be Eaten Are Rescued From Dog Meat Farm, Given New Lives in US”

Fox News

A “large aggressive” camel trampled to death two people at a farm in Texas, according to law enforcement authorities.

Deputies from the Wichita Falls Sheriff’s Office arrived at the Camel Kisses Camel Farm Saturday afternoon and found a very aggressive camel with blood on his chest and on his mouth.

They found the bodies of 53-year-old Mark Mere and 72-year-old Peggy McNair, the owner of the farm, near where the camel was standing. Game wardens killed the animal.   Continue reading “Two people trampled to death by camel at Texas farm”

AOL – by Kevin Freking

WASHINGTON (AP) — California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, a tenacious liberal whose election to the Senate in 1992 heralded a new era for women at the upper reaches of political power, announced Thursday she will not seek re-election to a new term next year.

Boxer’s retirement sets off a free-for-all among a new generation of California Democrats, who have been ascendant in the state for decades with few offices to aspire to while Boxer and Sen. Dianne Feinstein have held a lock on the state’s U.S. Senate seats.   Continue reading “Democratic US Sen. from California Barbara Boxer to retire”

Herald Online

MEMPHIS, TENN. — Elvis Presley fans have gathered at Graceland in sub-freezing temperatures to celebrate what would have been the late singer’s 80th birthday.

Priscilla Presley, who was married to the rock and roll icon, and their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, joined fans from around the world for a cake cutting ceremony Thursday outside Graceland, Elvis’ longtime Memphis home. They also sang “Happy Birthday” in 15-degree weather.   Continue reading “Cold Elvis Presley fans celebrate his birthday in Memphis”

Acton Patch – by Jason Claffey

Petco on Monday said it has pulled all Chinese-made dog and cat treats from its shelves after fears they sickened and killed thousands of pets.

The company said all of its treats are now made in the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, or South America.

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports Chinese-made jerky treats sold at Petco and other stores have sickened more than 5,600 dogs, 24 cats, and three people. About 1,000 of the dogs died. The investigation is still ongoing and the agency has not yet determined if all of the cases are connected to the tainted treats.   Continue reading “Petco Drops Treats That May Have Sickened, Killed Thousands Of Pets”

Yahoo News – by Christopher Weber

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bess Myerson, the first Jewish Miss America and a New York political force until a series of scandals dubbed the “Bess Mess” forced her into obscurity, has died. She was 90.

Myerson died Dec. 14 at her home in Santa Monica, California, according to the Los Angeles coroner’s office and Department of Public Health Vital Records Office. Her death was first reported by The New York Times.   Continue reading “Bess Myerson, the 1st Jewish Miss America, dies at 90”

Gee, they are so worried about guns…

New York Daily News – by Alfred Ng

Police are investigating a 63-year-old woman’s death after she was found dead in her Wakefield apartment Saturday night.

The woman’s roommate found her lying on the floor in their apartment hallway with a phone cord wrapped around her neck, police sources said.   Continue reading “Bronx woman found dead with phone cord wrapped around neck”

AOL

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Little Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer-songwriter known for his sense of humor and as the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died. He was 94.

Dickens died Friday at a Nashville-area hospital of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day, Opry spokeswoman Jessie Schmidt said.   Continue reading “Little Jimmy Dickens, oldest Opry member, dies at 94”

AOL – by Frazier Moore

NEW YORK (AP) – Donna Douglas, who played the buxom tomboy Elly May Clampett on the hit 1960s sitcom “The Beverly Hillbillies,” has died.

Her niece says Douglas died Thursday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, near her hometown of Zachary. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer, Charlene Smith said. Douglas was 81.

She was best known for her role in “The Beverly Hillbillies,” the CBS comedy about a backwoods Ozark family who moved to Beverly Hills after striking it rich from oil discovered on their land.   Continue reading “Donna Douglas, ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ star, is dead”

The Telegraph – by Sarah Knapton, Science Editor

Continue reading “Most cancers are caused by bad luck not genes or lifestyle, say scientists”

Dearborn Patch – by Beth Dalbey

Saving the Queen’s English from further bastardization, a Michigan university has once again offered its list of words and phrases we just shouldn’t say.

Ever.

One of the top submissions on Lake Superior State University’s 40th Annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness is the word “bae,” text shorthand for “before anyone else” that has wormed its way into spoken conversation – annoyingly so, it seems.   Continue reading “10 Words and Phrases That Should Be Banished In 2015”

NBC – by Colleen Long

Revelers eager to claim spots to ring in 2015 in Times Square arrived hours early on Wednesday, enduring freezing temperatures and a scarcity of restrooms before the glittering ball drop at midnight at the Crossroads of the World.

“Well, this is a bucket list item you have to do once in your life,” said Caitlin Deavy, a tourist from Ottawa. “Come to Times Square and freeze for a couple of hours.”   Continue reading “Crowds Flock to Times Square for New Year’s Eve”

ABC News – by MEGHAN KENEALLY

Protests against police brutality are planned across the country on New Year’s eve with police in Los Angeles, St. Louis and New York preparing for demonstrations.

Activist groups in New York City are planning to march at 9 p.m. ET from Union Square up to the city’s formal New Year’s celebration in Times Square and hope to get as close as possible before reaching police barricades.   Continue reading “Protests Prompt Increased Security Ahead of New Year’s Eve Parties”

AOL

SHANGHAI (AP) – Thirty-five people have been killed in a stampede during New Year’s celebrations in downtown Shanghai, China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.

The report early Thursday cites the Shanghai government in saying that another 42 people were injured amid the chaos about a half-hour before midnight.

The deaths and injuries occurred at Shanghai’s popular riverfront Bund area, which can be jammed with spectators for major events.    Continue reading “Report: 35 killed, 42 injured in Shanghai stampede”