The Choking Game

A grief-stricken father is determined to put an end to an Internet fad that is killing teenagers looking for a rush.

Some 1,200 students attend Issaquah High School. And by the Center for Disease Control's estimations, that means more than 200 of them have passed out while playing the choking game.

Statistics provided by the DB Foundation, a nonprofit educational group, show 75 percent of surveyed children between ages 9 and 16 have heard of or have played the game. Almost all teens are convinced it's safe, but the game killed Issaquah High student Kevin Tork.

By all accounts, Tork was an All-American kid. He's described as a funny and helpful teen who loved drama, poetry and his kid sister.

On March 30, Tork's sister found him dead, slumped over with a bathrobe belt tied around his neck.

"She'll never have that picture out of her mind," said his father, Ken Tork.

Ken Tork is convinced he died while playing the choking game. The game involves cutting off the circulation to the brain until one passes out. The hope is that one wakes up with a huge rush.

Several Web sites tout the game as a safe and legal way to obtain a brief sense of euphoria and an altered state of consciousness. But Ken Tork is convinced the game, especially when played alone, is deadly 90 percent of the time.

"I would have staked my life on the fact that my son would never do this," he said. "In fact I did, and I lost."

And to spread word about the dangers of the game, Ken Tork has joined the DB Foundation. The group's research says self-choking often takes place among well-adjusted, high-achieving students between the ages of 9 and 16. The game is said to have predominantly male participants.

Ken Tork said he warned his son months about the game, which could cause seizures, brain damage, retinal hemorrhaging and even a stroke.

Now he's warning parents to check Internet history on home computers and to keep an eye on their teenagers, even the well-behaving ones.

"These kids are playing it underground where they don't talk to their parents because they know. They know they're not supposed to do this," he said.

Ken Tork says his own son was a good kid who played a game where there are no winners.

"We've been convicted to a life sentence of pain and loss. We've experienced the worst pain life can throw at you," he said

The game goes by several names, including "pass out game," "fainting game" and "black out." There are dozens of other slang names, including "natural high," "five minutes of heaven" and "purple dragon."

Warning signs include frequent or severe headaches, bruising or red linear marks around the neck, bloodshot eyes, change in attitude, disorientation or grogginess after time alone, locked or blocked doors and unusual demands for privacy.

Who thinks of these stupid games? Or is it that our children are just that stupid?
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Mothers Day Gift Ideas

Cut flowers make a lovely Mother's Day gift, but why not give a plant that will last for years. Orchids can be less expensive than cut flowers.And many orchids have exotic forms not seen at the florist or grocery.

I have received orchids from Andy's Orchids in the past and they have the best customer service. They didn't just send a plant care guide, they actually called to explain how to take care of the plant. And they have hundreds of different orchids, many are actually mounted on sticks or cork so that you aren't just giving another orchid in a pot.




Paphiopedilum appletonianum, $30

Dracula pysche, $28
A ton more pictures and links to the plants below.




Dendrobium rhodostictum, $35
Bulbopyllum pyschoon,$20
Bulbophyllum ecornutum, $24

Brachtia andina, $20

Is Halle Berry Pregnant

I guess that Halle Berry's appearance at the X-men premiere will do little to quiet the "Is she pregnant again rumors?"

Mel Gibson With His Russian Replacement

Mel Gibson paraded his Russian girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva to the X-Men premiere. It looks like she went to a discount store and bought a dress, which is to bad because she really is pretty. Mel buy your midlife crisis a better dress next time.

More pictures below.

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Jon Gosselin Caught Out With Another Woman

The new issue of Us Weekly has shocking, exclusive pictures of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 dad leaving a club at 2 a.m. -- with a mystery woman and without his wedding band.

Jon Gosselin arrived at the club at 11:20 p.m. and by 2 a.m. "could barely walk" as he exited the less-public back entrance of Legends Lounge -- near the family's $1.3-million home in Wernersville, Pennsylvania -- on April 18, a fellow partier tells Us Weekly.

The dad of 8 -- kids are twins Madelyn and Cara, 8, and 5-year-old sextuplets, Aaden, Joel, Collin, Hannah, Leah and Alexis -- was overheard yelling, "Hey, babe! Babe! Give me my jacket!" before climbing into his Nissan Nismo. (She complied.) As cameras began snapping, he panicked, urging his female friend to "get in the car!" before speeding off hastily -- without even turning on the headlights.


Where was his wife Kate -- known for her insults and who famously once berated him for breathing on the show?

Nearly 2,000 miles away, promoting her book Eight Little Faces in Bellevue, Washington.

While TLC had no comment on the story or the couple's marital status, Jon sent an emailed statement to Us.

"I went to Legends to speak to the owner. A friend of mine wanted to check out my car, so I let her drive it to her car," he says. "Yes, I have female friends -- but that is all she is. I'm not going to end my friendships just because I'm on TV."

In February, the 32-year-old was spotted flirting with -- and even attempting to kiss -- coeds at Juniata College, multiple students confirm to Us Weekly. (He denied any wrongdoing.) He told one coed "he was getting divorced." In the May Ladies Home Journal, he says, "I always thought I would be, like, 54 years old and marry a 19-year-old or something."

Jon's response to Extra was, “Like most people I have male and female friends and I’m not going to end my friendships just because I’m on TV. However, being out with them late at night, showed poor judgement on my part. What makes me sick, is that my careless behavior has put my family in this uncomfortable position. My family is the most important thing in my life and it kills me that these allegations have hurt them.”

For someone with eight kids Jon spends a lot of time out in nightclubs with young girls. If Kate was out of town promoting her book and Jon was out at nightclub, who was home watching their kids. You know their kids...they are the ones who earn the paychecks. Maybe it is time for this farce to end.

Caylee Anthony Update 30 April

The meter reader who discovered the body of Caylee Marie Anthony will get another $2,500 in legal support from taxpayers, Orange County Commissioners decided today.

Roy Kronk, who works for the county's utility department, was already provided with county funding to deal with media and privacy issues related to the discovery.

The additional funds are aimed at dealing with any legal issues that arise with the upcoming criminal proceedings against the girl's mother, Casey Anthony.

Casey Anthony, 23, is charged with first-degree murder in her daughter's death.

Earlier this month, Kronk's attorney, David Evans, wrote in a recent court filing that a request from Anthony's defense team for all of Kronk's cell-phone records was too broad and was not "reasonably calculated" to lead to information related to the case.

The defense's request "constitutes harassment of Mr. Kronk and a substantial invasion of his privacy," Evans wrote.

In December, the toddler's remains were found by Kronk in woods less than a mile from the Anthony home.

Commissioners today approved the additional $2,500 in a consent agenda item, and no commissioner pulled it for discussion, so it passed with a number of other, typically non-controversial county business items.

It sound like they tried to sneak it in so that the public wouldn't notice. This man is profiting from his participation in the case.

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Haleigh Cummings Update 30 April

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office fielded rumors Tuesday about a possible arrest in the Haleigh Cummings case.

The agency received calls from Florida media outlets asking about reports there had been a break in the case of the missing girl, last seen at her Satsuma home in February.

Capt. Dick Schauland said investigators continue to work on leads and reports of an arrest in the case were false. He didn’t know how the rumors started.

The sheriff’s office did verify another report that the child’s mother Crystal Sheffield had a seizure, which her attorney has The woman was taken to the Putnam Community Medical Center Monday after she fell, reportedly after a seizure, and hit her head on a crate.

The incident occurred at Haleigh Bug Headquarters off of U.S. 17 that serves as a command post for some waiting for news about Haleigh.

Last month Sheffield was involved in a minor vehicle accident that apparently also involved a seizure.

The seizures reportedly are linked to stress, according to comments from relatives and others who know Sheffield.

There have been no reports from the sheriff’s office of any progress in locating the child who vanished more than two months ago. Officers have called the case a possible abduction but have not named any suspects.

People just want Haleigh returned one of the pair of freaks that are her parents, or they want whoever took her punished. That is probably how the rumor started. The sad thing is that Haleigh will probably never make it home, and it looks like someone will be getting away with a terrible crime.

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Blind Item

BlindGossip - This top celebrity makes a big deal out of talking about motherhood and how much time she spends being a good mom. She would lead you to believe that she dotes on her children and takes an active role in their lives. Not so. When the kid/s were little, she only changed about one out of every hundred diapers. The kid/s are being raised by a small army of nannies. Our star has limited contact with them except during photo opportunities, which are always staged with her carrying the child/ren, even if they are big enough to walk on their own. Why? Because she thinks that carrying a child makes her look motherly and “likable”.

My guess is half of Hollywood. How many times do you see a celebrity all done up holding a toddler, while in the background you see a frumpy woman in mom jeans toting the diaper bag and pushing the stroller. Does it really take a mother and a nanny to take a baby who can't yet walk to the park.

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PETA Asks Nadya Suleman Not To Get Pet

Too bad there wasn't someone to beg her not to have more children.

Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman is thinking about buying a pet, but PETA doesn't think a new member of the family is such a good idea for the mother of 14 children.

"In today's uncertain economy -- and with all the demands that come with raising 14 children -- we urge you to reconsider adding two more dependents to your family," PETA's Michelle Cho wrote in a letter to Suleman. (They seem to realize that Radar won't be paying Nadya for exclusives forever, even if Nadya doesn't)

The unemployed mother of 14 -- who relies on public assistance to pay for her eight nannies (My tax dollars at work.)-- said last week that she was considering adding a pet to the mix.

"For a couple of years, the kids have been asking for a dog," Suleman said. "I've actually been looking into a pig, like a little one."

(Suleman's attorney, Jeff Czech, told Usmagazine.com that the pet would be "probably a dog -- probably a Shih Tzu.")

PETA, the world's largest animal rights organization with more than 2 million members, hopes Suleman will reconsider.

"Like children, pigs and dogs are intelligent, social beings with complex needs," Cho wrote in the letter, given exclusively to Us "They require a lot of attention, space, and exercise as well as a huge financial commitment."

Suleman said that if she were to buy a pig, it would wear a diaper and live outside the family's $564,000 La Habra, Calif. home because of its smell.

"Keeping a pig outside and making him or her a playmate for your children -- who do not understand a pig's many needs and will only pay attention to him or her when it suits them -- is not an acceptable way to treat an intelligent animal such as this," Cho wrote.

Instead of new pets, PETA encourages the mom to help her children make friends.

"We hope that your recent move to your new home will allow your children to form fast friendships with kids in your neighborhood with whom they share similar interests," Cho wrote.

PETA's warning will probably fall on deaf ears. We all know that Nadya doesn't think things all the ways through.

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Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick Having Twins

It'll be a girl – and a girl! – for Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.

The Hollywood couple, who already have son James Wilkie, 6, announced Tuesday they're "happily anticipating the birth of their twin daughters later this summer with the generous help of a surrogate. The entire family is overjoyed."

Guess they aren't on the verge of breaking up, or maybe the babies are the last ditch effort to save their marriage. They rarely look happy together unless they are on the red carpet.

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Inspiring Me

You can practically imagine the fairies dancing around this chandelier.

How To Steal A Dog by Barbara O'Conner

I picked up the school book fair flyer, and found this hilarious book description:

Ever since Georgina's father left, her family has been living in their car. Desperate to improve their situation, she devises a plan to steal a dog and claim the reward. What happens next is the last thing Georgina expected.

Has the bad economy really come to this, a book that encourages homeless children to steal.

How to Steal A Dog, $6.99

Sandra Cantu Update 29 April

A judge who last week sealed the reports from 8-year-old Sandra Cantu’s autopsy today sealed a moot prosecution motion opposing the girl’s exhumation, saying the Cantu family’s privacy rights outweigh the public’s need for the information.

San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus said she also wants to ensure a fair trial for prosecutors and Sandra’s accused killer, Melissa Huckaby. Lofthus filed the motion on her own without a hearing before attorneys.

“The detailed information contained within the pleading and its attachments are inextricably intertwined with prejudicial information,” Lofthus wrote
Huckaby, 28, is charged with murder, kidnap and rape in Sandra’s March 27 death. Sandra’s body was found in a suitcase abandoned in a Tracy-area irrigation pond 10 days after she vanished.

Shortly after Huckaby’s arrest, San Joaquin County Public Defender Sam Behar sought to exhume Sandra’s body so his pathologist could conduct an autopsy in an attempt to refute the sexual allegations.

Behar later withdrew the motion, but San Joaquin County Deputy District Attorney Thomas Testa had already filed a motion opposing the exhumation. Lofthus’ order now keeps Testa’s response secret.

Lofthus has also imposed a gag order, preventing attorneys, law enforcement and relatives of Sandra or Huckaby from talking publicly about the case. Huckaby is expected back in court May 22nd.

At least this won't become the circus that the Anthony Case has.

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Map of Swine Flu Cases

There is a map of real time cases of the swine flu. It shows suspected cases, confirmed cases, and deaths. Most of the country doesn't have much to worry about yet. So don't panic and keep washing those hands.
Click the link to see the map.
map of swine flu cases

update:
The Governor of California has declared a of emergency in the state. That way we can get federal dollars to help prevent the spread.

And here is an explanation of the World Health Organization's (WHO) pandemic level system.

In nature, influenza viruses circulate continuously among animals, especially birds. Even though such viruses might theoretically develop into pandemic viruses, in Phase 1 no viruses circulating among animals have been reported to cause infections in humans.

In Phase 2 an animal influenza virus circulating among domesticated or wild animals is known to have caused infection in humans, and is therefore considered a potential pandemic threat.

In Phase 3, an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus has caused sporadic cases or small clusters of disease in people, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks. Limited human-to-human transmission may occur under some circumstances, for example, when there is close contact between an infected person and an unprotected caregiver. However, limited transmission under such restricted circumstances does not indicate that the virus has gained the level of transmissibility among humans necessary to cause a pandemic.

Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal influenza reassortant virus able to cause “community-level outbreaks.” The ability to cause sustained disease outbreaks in a community marks a significant upwards shift in the risk for a pandemic. Any country that suspects or has verified such an event should urgently consult with WHO so that the situation can be jointly assessed and a decision made by the affected country if implementation of a rapid pandemic containment operation is warranted. Phase 4 indicates a significant increase in risk of a pandemic but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion.

Phase 5 is characterized by human-to-human spread of the virus into at least two countries in one WHO region. While most countries will not be affected at this stage, the declaration of Phase 5 is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

Phase 6, the pandemic phase, is characterized by community level outbreaks in at least one other country in a different WHO region in addition to the criteria defined in Phase 5. Designation of this phase will indicate that a global pandemic is under way.

During the post-peak period, pandemic disease levels in most countries with adequate surveillance will have dropped below peak observed levels. The post-peak period signifies that pandemic activity appears to be decreasing; however, it is uncertain if additional waves will occur and countries will need to be prepared for a second wave.

Previous pandemics have been characterized by waves of activity spread over months. Once the level of disease activity drops, a critical communications task will be to balance this information with the possibility of another wave. Pandemic waves can be separated by months and an immediate “at-ease” signal may be premature.

In the post-pandemic period, influenza disease activity will have returned to levels normally seen for seasonal influenza. It is expected that the pandemic virus will behave as a seasonal influenza A virus. At this stage, it is important to maintain surveillance and update pandemic preparedness and response plans accordingly. An intensive phase of recovery and evaluation may be required.

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Salma Hayek and Valentina Pinault

Here is Salma Hayek with her daughter, Valentina Pinault leaving the hotel in Venice where she stayed for her weekend wedding.

More pictures below.

Suri Cruise With Her Minions

Suri Cruise took her father, Tom and big brother, Connor (aka Mini Black Tom Cruise) for a walk.

More pictures below.

Caylee Anthony Update 28 April

Tax payers in Orange County, Florida may be asked to pay $2500 in addition to the $12000 they have already paid in legal fees for meter reader, Roy Kronk. Kronk discovered Caylee Anthony's body near the family's home.

"When you get ensnared in a legal problem while on you the job I think we have a moral obligation to pay his [bills]," said Orange County Commissioner Bill Segal.

That is true. There is no way that Kronk could afford to pay his $225 an hour legal fees on the $11 an hour that he earns. But the county has legal counsel that could help Kronk and not charge him anything. Their called states attorneys.

Legal analyst Bill Sheaffer says it's highly unusual for the county to pay an attorney's legal fees especially since Kronk is only a witness."When you're subpoenaed for a deposition, the State Attorney is present and would interpose any objections if appropriate, so it would be superfluous to have an attorney there," said Sheaffer.

Especially when the witness got a $5000 reward and gets paid a licensing fee when he appears on television. Roy Kronk is profiting from his discovery and asking the county to foot the bill. It should either one or the other.

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David Henrie's Mother's Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

David Henrie and his mother, Linda appeared together in an article featuring Disney stars and their mothers' favorite recipes. Linda gave her recipe for Eggplant Parmesan.

More pictures below.
David and Linda Henrie - Eggplant Parmesan

Serves 6-8

2 Eggplants
3 tsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove (crushed)
1 (29 oz.) can of tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
4 eggs (beaten)
8 oz. package of breadcrumbs
½ cup of grated skim or reduced fat parmesan cheese
2 packets of 2% skim mozzarella cheese (sliced)

Slice the eggplants into 1/4′” slices and lightly salt each side. Set on paper towel and allow at least a few hours for the water to drain out, and then pat dry. In a heated pan, sauté the crushed garlic clove slightly in the olive oil. Pour in the can of tomato sauce and add the salt, pepper, sugar, basil, garlic powder and the Italian Seasoning. Cover the pan for 20 minutes on low simmer. Finally, turn off the heat and add a big handful of fresh basil and top with 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Close cover for another 10 minutes, then remove pan from the stove and set aside–you will use this later as the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and set aside. In a shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and the grated parmesan cheese.
Thinly line a skillet with a layer of olive oil over medium heat. Dip one slice of eggplant at a time, into the beaten eggs then the breadcrumbs. Cook until golden brown on both sides on the heated skillet. Place aside for layering.

In a 10×15 glass baking dish, layer the following ingredients in order as listed: sauce, fried sliced eggplants, sprinkle parmesan cheese and lastly, the mozzarella slices. Keep continuing this layering process until you are at the top of the baking dish. Bake this for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.



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Sandra Cantu Update 28 April

As rumors of FBI checks into old Northwest child abuse claims roam the Internet as part of the Sandra Cantu murder investigation, a relative of Pastor Lane Lawless says that he and his wife, Connie, remain strong in their faith in God.

Rev. DeWayne Harris of Salinas said Monday that his sister Connie and his brother-in-law — grandparents of murder suspect Melissa Huckaby — are in Southern California trying to relax while the media frenzy surrounding their Tracy church continues. During the initial police investigation, before Huckaby was arrested in the killing of the 8-year-old, their Clover Road Baptist Church and nearby mobile home were searched multiple times.

"If our faith is not going to get us through this, it isn't worth it. If your faith doesn't take you through the worst of times, it is not worth having," said Harris, pastor of Alisal Baptist Church.

Recent news reports claim the FBI is checking allegations made in the '80s when Lawless was pastor of a church near the Idaho/Washington border — accusations Harris vigorously denies.

Harris says Lawless was never a pastor in the Northwest, but did serve in Redding and Gardenia in the 1970s before becoming a field missionary in Eureka. He then was pastor of a Mountain View church before coming to Tracy.
Harris said he has a brotherly relationship with Lawless and that they met while growing up in Brewster, Wash. Harris, a fifth-generation pastor, described Lawless as loving, giving, humble, honest and trustworthy.

"They are turning over every rock to find something on Lane and they aren't going to find anything. All you have to do is talk to someone who knows him," said Harris. "He is what you would think a gentleman would be and he is very unassuming. "

One Clover Road parishioner reached out to another Baptist pastor in Tracy requesting prayers to help the small church survive this ordeal. Harris confirmed Monday that the Tracy church will not close its doors.

"You don't shut a church down because there is bad press or speculation. All through the centuries, the Lord's' church has suffered because of false accusations," he said..

Pastor Willie Gonzalez of Valley Community Baptist Church in Tracy said local faith community leaders are concerned about Pastor Lawless' well being and his ministry and will reach out to them in addition to helping the Cantu family.

"The Christian community is one. The fact that they hurt, we hurt," Gonzalez said.

The national media spotlight has taken its toll on the Lawless family and their reputation, Harris said, adding that he thinks his niece is innocent.

"That is why we have the court system," he said. "I have been praying for the investigators, lawyers and judges that they will have divine leadership in this."

They believe she is innocent!! Even after there are new claims of abuse. Even after Sandra was found in her suitcase. Am I the only person who was told that if I embarrassed the family by going to jail that I would be staying there.

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Prince Lionheart Silicone Bottles

Prince Lionheart's newest baby bottles are made of pure medical grade silicone. The bottles and nipples provide a safe, hypoallergenic way to feed because silicone is a natural material that has no open pores to harbor bacteria.The bottles are also BPA, Phthalate, PVC latex and lead free. The bottles can be used in the microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe.

Prince Lionheart‘s silicone bottle collapses as air is released giving baby a bubble-free bottle feeding, reducing the likelihood of colic reflux and spit-up.

The bottles come in 4oz and 8oz sizes, and as singles ($12.99) or in a pack of 3 ($27.99).

Britains Got Talent Hollie Steel

Looks like Susan Boyle , who is starting to annoy me, may have some competition on Britains Got Talent. Ten year old Hollie Steel is much more marketable, and isn't that what matters most on these competitions.

Salma Hayek's Balenciaga Wedding Dress

Salma Hayek and Francois-Henri Pinault renewed their wedding vows in Venice over the weekend. The bride wore a dress by French fashion house Balenciaga.

Sandra Cantu Update 27 April

As each fact surfaces from Melissa Huckaby's past, so does a new question.

Police accuse her of raping and murdering Sandra Cantu, 8, last month in a crime that in itself that defies logic. Statistically, women don't do that. Men do.

Add to that court files that tell of shoplifting, out of control hospital bills and a restraining order she took out against a man. Old friends from Southern California reportedly accuse her of starting fires, threatening suicide and cutting herself.

Could she have swallowed razor blades?

The story of this suspect, whose next court hearing is scheduled for May 22, may rewrite psychology textbooks.

Until the experts are done sifting through her life, almost everybody has a theory.

Oakland attorney Daniel Horowitz says it's Munchausen syndrome, the name of a disorder for people who hurt themselves to gain attention.

"You can translate it into, 'I need lots of attention. I need to be treated like a baby,' " he said.

To support this theory, Horowitz points to the $10,000 hospital bills that caused Sutter Tracy Community Hospital to sue her. She was reportedly in the hospital complaining of stomach pains shortly before her arrest, Horowitz said.

Forensic psychologist Paul S.D. Berg, who has watched reports of Huckaby's case, concluded that Huckaby suffers from borderline personality disorder.

This is characterized by people who often have tumultuous personal relationships. Unlike most people's response to stress, borderline personalty types hurt themselves or others. They turn inward and mutilate themselves or lash out to hurt others.

"They break down and can't handle it and act out in extraordinary ways," Berg said. "Instead of killing Cantu, she could have cut herself up."

The movies "Fatal Attraction" and "Play Misty for Me" are pop-culture examples often cited for having characters suffering from borderline personality syndrome.

The picture of a cold child abuser and killer doesn't fit with that of the sweet Sunday school teacher and mother Huckaby's friends and family have painted in recent weeks. Her grandmother, Connie Lawless, said Huckaby would never hurt a child.

Gregg McCrary, a retired FBI profiler based in Virginia, said the case reminds him of Dennis Rader, the Kansas serial killer known as the BTK killer.

Rader is now serving 10 consecutive life terms for his murders.

For decades he raised a family and was a church deacon before he became a suspect in the series of murders.

McCrary said some killers are able to compartmentalize their gruesome crimes while attempting to carry on seemingly normal lives.

"They have in many ways justified their behavior," he said. "So they're dealing with it; they're living with it. It's just who they are."

Maybe some people are just evil. No amount of being raised right can change that fact.

Other Sandra Cantu Updates
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Caylee Anthony Update 27 April

Attorneys representing the woman suing Casey Anthony for defamation want a judge to force her parents to answer more questions, according to paperwork filed in court.

They want Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy Anthony, to answer questions about whether her daughter used credit cards without permission. She initially refused to answer during questions under oath on April 9. (Are they claiming that Casey paid the babysitter with her parents' credit cards? Because if they aren't it really isn't any of their business. What does Casey's being a thief have to do with her saying that Zenaida Gonzalez kidnapped Caylee?)

"It's not relevant in this case," Cindy Anthony said during the deposition at Morgan & Morgan law firm.

Zenaida Gonzalez, a Kissimmee mother of six, is suing Casey Anthony, who told investigators that a baby sitter named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez abducted 2-year-old Caylee Marie in June. The toddler's skeletal remains were found Dec. 11 in woods less than a mile from the Anthony home in east Orange County.


Casey Anthony, 23, is charged with first-degree murder.

Gonzalez's attorneys also want Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, to answer questions he initially refused.

These inquiries deal with whether Casey Anthony ever stole money from the family and whether any harm could have come to Caylee in their family pool.

Another question dealt with what private investigator Dominic Casey did while working for the family and who was paying his bills.

The next court date set for the civil case is May 19.

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UPPAbaby Vista Rumble Seat

The Bugaboo clone, UPPAbaby will be offering a rumble seat to convert the Vista stroller into a twin stroller in the next few weeks. The rumble seat mounts onto the frame of the 2009 Vista. (If you have an earlier Vista you can send it into UPPAbaby and for $60 they will modify the frame, and for $250 you can purchase a 2009 frame.)

The rumble seat can be used in conjunction with a car seat. And the main seat can be used in the forward or backward position, and can even be fully reclined. And unlike the Phil & Teds Vibe the seat face toward the parent and is higher on the frame so there is less danger of little fingers being stuck in the wheels.

The rumble seat will hold a child up to 35 pounds in addition to the 50 pound weight limit of the main stroller seat.

The Vista stroller costs $669 and the rumble seat costs $129.95. And for an additional $90 you can buy what UPPAbaby is calling the Piggyback (a toddler board) for a third child.

It is starting to look like the clones are making all the innovations these days, Bugaboo is really going to need to come out with a twin stroller sooner or later. More pictures below.

Are Selena Gomez and Taylor Lautner A Couple

Selena Gomez and Taylor Lautner were seen out on another date in Vancouver. Maybe this will put an end to all those rumors that Selena is dating co-star David Henrie.

Brad Pitt with Maddox and Pax

Brad Pitt was seen over the weekend with oldest sons, Maddox and Pax Jolie-Pitt. You don't really see the boys out and about as often as you see their younger sisters. More pictures below.

Kimora Lee

These photos of Kimora Lee are a few days old, but I thought I would post them anyway. She looks so happy. And you never would have seen her out at the grocery store when she was with Russell.
More pictures below.

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Kevin Federline

Will Big Daddy, Kevin Federline (the former Mr. Britney Spears) be the next spokesman for Nutrisystem? Well, that is what InTouch is reporting.

Octuplet Rushed Back To Hospital

Around 2:30 p.m. PST, Nadya Suleman became concerned after Makai continued to cry and she noticed a bump on the right side of his lower abdomen. She worried that he had a hernia.

Nadya took the baby to Bellflower medical center where he was born. Doctors examined Makai and told her the baby was fine.

At least she didn't call the police for an escort to the hospital.

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Casey Aldridge In Crash

Louisiana State Troopers told TMZ three of the five people riding in Casey Aldridge's truck (they previously told us only four were in the truck) were ejected during the crash -- and Casey was one of them.

Cops tell us while Casey was heading north on the 606 in Louisiana early this morning, he swerved off the right side of the road and into a ditch, then over-corrected his turn back onto the pavement, causing the car to flip. During the flip, 3 people -- including Casey -- were ejected from the car.

The two others who were ejected refused medical treatment at the scene -- and as we previously reported, Casey was taken to the Riverside Medical Center in Ferriday, La. due to what cops called "moderate injuries."

As for whether alcohol was a factor, cops tell us they didn't speak to Casey for nearly four hours after the crash -- due to his hospitalization -- and when they did, they found no reason to suspect he had been drinking. (I wonder if the hospital took a blood sample.)

Just to put this in perspective, cops told us it's 4x more likely for people to die when they're ejected from a car during a crash -- and all 3 who were ejected survived.

Casey was charged with careless operation of a motor vehicle -- a misdemeanor -- and is currently recovering from his injuries at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss.

Of course Jamie Lynn Spears rushed to be at her baby's daddy's bedside. Wonder if the passengers will be going after her money when they sue.
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March of Dimes Walk

This weekend hundreds of March of Dimes Walks will be taking place. The March of Dimes raises money to help women have healthy, full-term babies. And a 77 cents of every dollar they raise goes toward that goal (a fortune in the fundraising world). Click here to see when the walk in your area is.

How To Prevent Swine Flu

A lot of parents are worried about the recent cases of Swine Flu, but the flu can usually be prevented with a few easy steps. I follow them religiously and have not had the flu since the 1980s (and I never get the vaccination), and my children, 16 and 10 have never had the flu. I simply follow the Center for Disease Control's recommendations (they also work to prevent other bugs).

How to Stop the Spread of Germs

In a nutshell: take care to

* Cover your mouth and nose
* Clean your hands often
* Remind your children to practice healthy habits, too

Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

The "Happy Birthday" song helps keep your hands clean?

Not exactly. Yet we recommend that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. That's about the same time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice!

Alcohol-Based Hand Wipes and Gel Sanitizers Work Too

When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.*

That is all I have ever done to prevent the flu, and I swear that it works.

And here is the link to the CDC's information page on the Swine Flu.

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Melissa Huckaby Arraignment 24 April

A judge said Friday that details about the autopsy and toxicology of slain Tracy resident Sandra Cantu will not be made public, while an arraignment of her suspected killer has been continued.

Homicide suspect Melissa Huckaby, 28, is expected to return to court on May 22. She has yet to enter a plea. The slaying of 8-year-old Cantu, who was kidnapped on March 27, has drawn national attention.

Huckaby is charged with murder with the special circumstances of rape with a foreign object, lewd or lascivious conduct with a child under 14 and murder in the course of a kidnapping.

Judge Linda Lofthus said autopsy and toxicology results will not be released because of possible public outrage. (I live close to Tracy, and let me tell you something...the public is already outraged. This probably could have been prevented if the Tracy Police would have investigated the January case better.)

Also on Friday, Huckaby's defense formally withdrew a motion for a second autopsy of Cantu.

The prosecution said it will release 500 pages of discovery information as well as recordings regarding the case, but more time was needed to turn over more information.

Huckaby was present in the courtroom for Friday's hearing. She wore a red jumpsuit and shackles. She did not look at members of her family who were present, but she did speak to her attorney.

Members of Huckaby's family, Cantu's family, several reporters and many members of the public were in the courtroom.

Huckaby, a Sunday school teacher at Clover Road Baptist Church, was arrested late April 10, four days after Cantu's body was found stuffed in a suitcase in an irrigation pond north of Tracy.

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Caylee Anthony Update 24 April

The Anthonys continue to try to rehabilitate Casey's image in the press. They are so proud of her. Why? Even if she didn't murder her daughter, she was a liar who stole not only from her friends but from them. She spent her nights partying, and her days to doing God only knows what.

The family's support seems like it is for the camera. I hate to say this, but I think that this is a family that will fall apart once the trial is all over.

Other Caylee Anthony Posts

Another JCrew Prom Dress

JCrew Silk Dupioni Rosette Dress, the flowers are so very flirty and the navy so very preppy. $495