Maria Shriver Caught Talking on Cell while Driving

Maria Shriver, the celebrity wife of California celebrity Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was captured on film by paparazzi while she was allegedly violating the law by allegedly talking on her cell phone while driving.

In fact, it happened not once, but twice.

In the photo above published by TMZ.com we see Maria happily chatting away while tooling down some LA roadway last Sunday, October 11, 2009.



If that were not bad enough, they caught her again in July, which is plain enough in the second photo. It would seem that Maria has chosen to carelessly violate the no cell phone use while driving law habitually, even though her husband Arnold supported the law and signed it into law just last year.

Arnold appears to be none too pleased about the matter because he tweeted the following message to TMZ's Harvey Levin, "Thanks for bringing her violations to my attention, @harveylevintmz. There's going to be swift action."

What do you want to bet Maria gets grounded?

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Wow! Just Released Tsunami Footage Shows Large Wave Swamping FBI Office - Video

A Newly released video by the FBI shows a giant tsunami wave approaching the FBI office in Pago Pago, which is in American Samoa in the South Pacific. The wave generates a path of destruction in its wake, tossing vehicles about as if they were toy cars.

A young man on foot at first heads directly toward the wave, but he soon corrects his path, turning about completely. Hopefully, he made it to safety in time. It is difficult to know that he did, however, unless he had a vehicle to escape in. A man on foot would not stand much of a chance against a wave moving as quickly as this one.

Watch:



The death toll has risen to at least 184 including Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga. From 6-8 people are still missing according to different reports. The video footage is taken from a security tape in the FBI office on the 2nd floor. The video camera takes periodic intermittent photos which is why the video movement appears jerky.

The FBI office is reportedly about 100 yards from the ocean.

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Raw Samoan Tsunami Footage: Photos and Video

The Samoan tsunami death toll reaches 150 and climbing. The below photos are raw footage of the destruction wreaked upon Samoa and American Samoa, islands in the South Pacific Ocean about 2,300 miles South of Hawaii where the tsunami hit hard. Click on any photo to enlarge it.










Above left: A damaged shop front is seen after a tsunami hit the village of Si'umu in Western Samoa September 30, 2009 in this photo taken by a resident of Western Samoa and forwarded to Reuters. Above right: A car is seen inside a building after a tsunami struck the village of Si'umu in Western Samoa.











Above left: A boat is stranded among wreckage in the village of Si'umu. Above right: Residents walk past wreckage in the village of Si'umu.












Above left: The roof of a destroyed house sits on a road in Leone, in American Samoa, on Tuesday morning. Above right: Damaged vehicles in Si'umu.

Above left: A destroyed structure is seen among debris near a church in the village of Leone, American Samoa. Above right: The roof of a destroyed house sits on a road in Leone.












Above left: A damaged vehicle is stranded among wreckage after a tsunami hit the village of Si'umu. Above right: Wreckage at the site of a village meeting house in Leone.











Above left: The downtown area of Fagatogo, a town of 3,000 on the shore of Pago Pago Harbor in American Samoa, is submerged by seawater early on Tuesday. Above right: A damaged truck in Leone.














Above left: An earthquake event location map generated and released by the United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center shows the location of an earthquake that the center measured as having a preliminary magnitude of 8.3 occurring in the Samoa Islands Region of the Pacific Ocean on September 29, 2009. New Zealand can be seen at center and Australia at left. Above right: An earthquake location map generated and released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows the location of an earthquake that the USGS measured as having a magnitude of 8.0 occurring in the Samoa Islands Region of the Pacific Ocean on September 29, 2009.















Above left: A tsunami travel time map and table generated by the United States National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Weather Service West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center shows projected travel times.

The following video is raw footage of the tsunami in the Samoan islands provided by the Associated Press:



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The following Video is raw footage of the destruction in Si'umu, Samoa, and is provided by Reuters:



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Sarah Palin Condemns the Associated Press

Sarah Palin posted the following note on her Facebook page (1) on Sunday, 9/6/2009 at 11:25 PM

Shame on the Associated Press for Ignoring the Wishes of a Grieving Family

Many of us join Secretary Gates in condemning the Associated Press for its heartless and selfish decision to turn its back on the wishes of a grieving family in order to exploit the tragic death of a true American hero.

Lance Corporal Joshua 'Bernie' Bernard was a selfless young American who sacrificed everything for our freedom.

Shame on the AP for purposely adding to the grieving family's pain. Ignoring the family's wishes by publishing a sacred image of their loved one proved a despicable and heartless act by the AP. The family said they didn't want the photo published. AP, you did it anyway, and you know it was an evil thing to do.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bernard family. Words can not adequately express our sorrow and appreciation for your sacrifice. We will never forget your Marine or his fallen comrades.

May God bless the Bernard family.

-Sarah Palin

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Less than 24 hours after posting this Sarah had received nearly 2,800 comments and had also received over 13,000 Facebook members who indicated they agreed with her.

The photo in question is part of a photo gallery on the AP site about the fire fight that resulted in Corporal Bernard's death and can be found here (2). The AP also released an article (3) explaining why they distributed the photo and how anguished they were in deciding whether to use it.

There has been considerable discussion, both pro and con,(4) of AP's decision to use the photo. In all fairness to the AP, in most other wars such photos were commonly used by the media.

In fairness to Sarah Palin and her viewpoint, both Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the parents of the Marine requested that the AP not use the photo.

Palin calls the AP's action "despicable and heartless" and "evil." If one reads the AP's explanation of why they distributed the photo, it is difficult to reach Sarah's conclusion, especially since use of such photos is common throughout much of the world.

But it is also quite likely that Palin is trying to make political hay from her condemnation of the Associated Press. Sounds like she is running for something.

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Citations:

(1) Shame on the Associated Press for Ignoring the Wishes of a Grieving Family, http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=129417598434#/note.php?note_id=129417598434&id=24718773587&ref=mf, Facebook - Sarah Palin, Retrieved 9/7/2009

(2) Death of a Marine: A Photographer's Journal, http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_international/afghan_marine/, Associated Press, Retrieved 9/7/2009

(3) AP and the Death of a Marine, http://www.ap.org/fallen_marine/, Associated Press, Retrieved 9/7/2009

(4) AP picture of wounded Marine sparks debate, http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AFGHAN_DEATH_AP_PHOTO?SITE=TNMEM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT, Associated Press, Retrieved 9/7/2009

America's Best Public Restrooms

The 2009 winner of the award for the best public restrooms in America is presented in the photos below. These incredible public potties can be found at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre in Branson, MO. Cintas Corporation, which provides restroom hygiene products and services, is the sponsor of the best public restroom award and has been presenting these awards annually for the last eight years.


The above photo is a shot of the men's washroom at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, and one would certainly be hard pressed to find a more elegant men's room than this. Click for an ultra high resolution copy of the same photo. Once you arrive at the high res page, click once on the photo to view an enlarged version in which you can view things in far greater detail.

The faucets here are gold plated, the same type found in bathrooms in high end homes. Notice both the fireplace at the far end of the room and the blue pedestals under the wash basins, which add even more color to an already colorful room.

Scan upward to the metal ceiling, which is a throwback to ceilings found in both public buildings and private homes in the late 1890's and the early 1900's.


The second photo finds us in the ladies' washroom at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre. Click for an ultra high resolution photo of this room. Again click once to enlarge the high res photo. Notice the fireplace again at the far end of the room and the pedestal sinks with more gold plated faucets.

This ladies room features what appear to be dark black fixtures, which must be an absolute devil to keep clean. Like in the men's washroom plenty of flowers adorn the wall above the wash basins.


Our third photo is also from the men's room at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, where male guests may relax with a round of pocket billiards. This room provides a double row of visitor seating on either side of the table so guests can watch the pool table action. Once again click to view an ultra high resolution copy of the same photo.

Pay attention to the photos of the presidents at the far end of the room. The portraits deliberately cut off the top of the heads of the presidents, which presents a puzzle. Perhaps there was a time in US history when that was the norm for such a photo. If any of you know more about that, please inform us in the comment area below.

The quality of the rest rooms at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre in Branson truly impresses. Obviously, not every company can afford to make its restrooms so luxurious, but it is fun to know that at least one company is willing to go to such lengths for the comfort of its guests.

View and read here about other top restrooms that made Cintas' list of tops in the US.

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Sarah Palin Announces New Twitter Site, Less PC Tweets

Sarah Palin announced on her State of Alaska Twitter site on late Thursday that she intends to continue to update her fans on a new personal Twitter site that will be launched on July 26th. Plus she promises that her tweets (comments) will be less politically correct.

The natural question one wants to ask is why would she continue to update her fans if she is through with public life? Someone who intends to run for President in 2012, on the other hand, would certainly want to keep her fans informed by continuing to tweet them updates of her activities.

The exact message the governor tweeted was, "I'll stay in touch w/whomever wants via personal twtr site;launch July 26;in meantime it's pleasure to update interested folks on State biz!"

Governor Palin sent her tweet to her fans about 10:30 PM PDT Thursday night.

Palin also said in another tweet at around the same time, "elected is replaceable;Ak WILL progress! + side benefit=10 dys til less politically correct twitters fly frm my fingertps outside State site."

That tweet indicates that she may be more frank when leveling her opinions and comments in the future.

Stay tuned to see what Sarah does next.

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Human Life at its Earliest Level - Photos

This remarkable photography is the work of photographer Michael Clancy who admitted that taking these photos changed his life.

The photos were taken during in utero surgery to correct a problem brought on by spina bifida. The fetus was named Samuel and was 21 weeks along at the time of surgery.

According to Clancy, "Samuel thrusts his tiny hand out of the surgical opening of his mother's uterus. As the doctor lifts his hand, Samuel reacts to the touch and squeezes the doctor's finger. As if testing for strength, the doctor shakes the tiny fist. Samuel held firm."

The following is a slide show of the surgery photos:





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Phil Spector Mug Shot

Music producer Phil Spector was convicted of second degree murder on Monday, April 13th. Spector shot actress Lana Clarkson to death in his home in February, 2003.

The Los Angeles sheriff's department provided the media with their mug shot of the 69-year-old Spector, and believe it or not the mug shot is pretty much just as scary as Spector himself.

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First Photo of Darcey Freeman - 4-year-old Tossed from Australia Bridge

This is the first photo released of Darcey Iris Freeman, the four-year-old girl that Arthur Freeman, her father, allegedly tossed from the West Gate Bridge in Melbourne, Australia last week.

The family stated that Darcey was a beautiful, carefree, spirited youngster who "loved to sing and dance." Young Darcey was murdered on what was supposed to be her first day of school, and her father had promised her to get her there on time. For whatever reason, he did not keep his promise.

Tim Barnes, one of Darcey's uncles, told of Darcey's strong will and determination and spoke of the "extreme sense of loss and emptiness" which has gripped all who knew her, including family, friends and many well wishers around the world.

"She knew her own mind and was prepared to always stand up for what she believed in. One memory that stands out in my mind was her choice of clothes," he reportedly told the Melbourne Herald Sun.

"She would wear what she wanted to wear, end of story - even if it meant wearing pink Wellington boots to tennis."

Joe Barnes, another of Darcey's uncles, said, "She's given us a lot of fun. She was into everything. She will never be forgotten. She had an effect on everybody."

Both uncles said that the emotional outpouring from people from around the world in the wake of the death has been overwhelming. Both of the Barnes uncles said they hoped the death of Darcy would remind all parents everywhere that their children are precious and irreplaceable.

Darcey's maternal relatives have traveled from Western Australia to Victoria to be with Darcey's mother and to help with funeral arrangements.

Arthur Freeman, the father, has not spoken to anyone. He is detained at the Melbourne Assessment Prison's acute psychiatric ward, where doctors said he is suicidal and they are keeping a 24-hour watch on his prison cell.

See original story and video: Australian Father Drops Daughter Off Bridge - Video

Movie Star Zac Efron Attacked in London

Teen heartthrob and movie star Zac Efron was attacked in London on Wednesday night by what some described as a "deranged fan."

Zac, the star of Disney's High School Musical (HSM) series was exiting the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End theater district with his long time girl friend and HSM co-star, Vanessa Hudgens. They had just watched Rain Man starring Josh Hartnett.

Suddenly an unlikely fan, a spectacled middle-aged man, began shouting loudly and pointing his finger at Zac. The man, who was quite close to Zac at the time, then lunged for Zac and tried to grab either Zac or his hair.

Fortunately for Zac, a security guard was near enough to step in the way of the attacking man. The guard placed himself between the man and Zac so the hot heartthrob was able to avoid any injury.

Had the security guard not been so close, there is no telling what might have happened. The attacker carried a laptop computer under his left arm and reached for Zac with his right.

Zac is used to throngs of teen-age girls swooning and screaming at him whenever he is seen in public, so the thought of a middle-aged man lunging at him is not something Zac is used to or probably cares to get used to.

It was definitely a taste of the dark side for Zac because one never knows what one lone man is capable of when he is near a celebrity. Thoughts of the death of John Lennon drift in when something like this happens.

According to one witness to the incident, "Some guy was just stood (sic) near the door where Zac and Vanessa emerged.

"He just reached over and grabbed the side of Zac's head. There was no provocation. It all turned into a bit of a mess.

"He was shouting all kinds of things at Zac. Their security team eventually dealt with it. They had to bundle Zac into a car, but at one point it looked as though the man was going to be pushed into it with him."

Zac was unhurt during the incident, and the man was initially held by the security staff but was then released. No one reported the attack to the police, which means that the security staff apparently believed that the man was not really so "deranged" after all.

It appears that the incident did not ruffle the young film star who portrays Troy Bolton in High School Musical 3, which is to be released in US theaters on October 24th.

Zac, Vanessa, Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu are all in the cast of High School Musical 3, and they were all in London for the film's London premiere, which occurred Tuesday night.

Zac, Vanessa and entourage were spotted eating together at the Floridita restaurant in Soho later that evening.

One of the restaurant's patrons said Zac "was quite relaxed and looked like he was enjoying himself."

"Some of them were dancing to salsa music, so they must have put the scuffle out of their minds."

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The release of High School Musical 3: Senior Year in theaters is not far off. The date to remember is October 24th in case you live on some other planet than good ol' planet Earth and were not aware of the upcoming release.

With the movie's release so near, we decided to do a release of our own of some recently discovered photos of the cast and provide a little info to boot. Most of the photos are newer, but there are a few that we simply have not published before now.

Of course, you already know that the main cast from the two previous releases will be starring in HSM3, and Disney is including 10 new songs in the film.

Zac Efron will again play Troy Bolton, Vanessa Hudgens will star as Gabriella Montez, Ashley Tisdale appears as Sharpay Evans and Lucas Grabeel plays Ryan Evans, Sharpay's brother.

All of the cast have been quoted in interviews that this release of HSM3 will be much bigger and offer many more whistles and bells than the other two productions, which were released on the Disney channel rather than in theaters, as you undoubtedly know.

To get started we have added the trailer from HSM3 just in case you have somehow missed seeing it:



And we have found many newly released photos of the cast. Below is a composite of Zac Efron when he was caught romping on the beach.

Next is Zac Efron as he will appear on the cover of Teen Vogue magazine in the October 2008 issue along with a couple of the runner up cover photos.





Then we have a couple of Vanessa:



Here are Zac and Vanessa in a few racy shots taken at the beach:





Vanessa looks especially good in that gray bikini.

Finally there are several shots from Ashley Tisdale's 23rd birthday party. Ashley was born on July 2, 1985:






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