An otter killed and ate an alligator at the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Geoff Walsh witnessed and photographed the unusual attack in 2011. However, the photos were recently made available to the public.

Last weekend, a similarly unusual attack was captured on film at Queensland Lake in Lake Moondarra, Australia. As reported by Huffington Post, a 10-foot python battled a 3-foot crocodile for nearly five hours. Although both reptiles were exhausted, the python eventually killed and swallowed the crocodile whole.

Tiffany Corlis witnessed the event and took several photos. She describes the epic battle:

“We saw the snake fighting with the crocodile — it would roll the crocodile around to get a better grip, and coil its body around the crocodile’s legs to hold it tight… After the crocodile had died, the snake uncoiled itself, came around to the front, and started to eat the crocodile, face-first.”

After examining the photos, the snake was identified as an olive python and its opponent was identified as a Johnson’s crocodile. Although witnesses were stunned by the display and the photos are incredible, biologists said the attack was not unique.

Bryan Fry, with the University of Queensland’s School of Biological Science, said “crocs are more dangerous to catch but easier to sneak up on.” Fry explained that it will be at least a month before the python begins looking for its next meal.

Although pythons and crocodiles are both fierce predators, it is difficult to imagine an otter could kill an alligator. However, North American River Otters are predators as well.

The Northeast Florida Group reports that river otters are small but cunning creatures. They can reach lengths of four-foot-long and usually weigh between 10 and 20 pounds. Hunting at night, river otters usually feed on small animals, including fish, crayfish, frogs, and mollusks.

For river otters, stalking, capturing, and consuming prey, is like a game:

“When it hunts, a river otter is rather playful with live prey. The otter is known to wrestle, chase, and instigate a game of catch and release… “

Although they look harmless, river otters are apex predators in their freshwater habitats, as humans are their only predator.

In the attack witnessed at the wildlife refuge, the otter apparently snuck up on the young alligator and grabbed it from behind. The witness said the otter eventually subdued the alligator before dragging it to the shore. Although it is clear that the otter killed the alligator, Walsh did not witness the otter eating the alligator. He said “crunching noises” from the shore indicated the alligator’s fate.

[Images via Facebook, courtesy of Geoff Walsh]

Otter Kills And Eats Alligator [Photos] is a post from: The Inquisitr News

A no hoodie sign hanging at the entrance of an Indian mall has sparked controversy and claims of racism by some shoppers and local citizens. The Anderson retail complex new hoodie policy says, “For the safety & well-being of everyone, please lower your hoodie.”

The Mounds Mall no hoodie policy is being applauded by some, and chastised by others. The Indiana shopping mall story has garnered national headlines due to the heated debate the “lower your hoodie” signs initiated. Anderson shopper Vivian Hardacre told local media that she thinks the no hoodie policy is a “wonderful policy. I’m all for it.” Hardacre walks inside the mall daily and said the recently posted sign makes her feel safer. “it’s for everyone, they are not targeting. I’ve seen grown men in here in their 50s and 60s with their hood up.”

But fellow customer Lauren Dawson disagrees, “I don’t think it’s right to tell people what to wear in a public place. It doesn’t make any sense.” Debonaire Brown said, “I think it’s very discriminating. It makes me want to shop elsewhere and not come here at all. If they want me to spend money in here, it shouldn’t matter what I wear or what I put on.”

Weapons and backpacks are already banned Mounds Mall. The lower your hoodie policy has reportedly been a part of Mounds Mall rules since 2004, but management only posted the sign recently in order to remind customers of the rule. If Indiana shopping mall customers refused to abide by the lower your hoodie policy, they will be asked to leave the premises. Other customers told the local media that the sign is all about making customers feel safe while shopping. Brittany Hagerman acknowledge that while she understands what the mall is attempting to accomplish with the hoodie policy, noting that teenagers can come in the facility and steal, she thinks that security staffers can handle such issues without the rule.

University of North Florida sociology professor Dr. JeffriAnne Wilder had this to say about the shopping mall hoodie policy:

“Let’s be honest here – this policy is not about safety and security; it’s about inciting more unnecessary fear and negative stereotypes about black male youth. If a similar policy were developed to prohibit turbans or hijabs in airports for instance, it would be immediately labeled insensitive, irrational, and discriminatory. While officials may have been well meaning in their intent, their actions were nevertheless counterproductive and only work to intensify an already tense racial climate in our society.”

Simon Property Group did not share any details specific to the lower your hoodie policy when asked by reporters, but did state that a code of conduct is posted in several places in their malls to remind customers about behavior requirements while on the premises. General manager Braun Roosa stated that the lower your hoodie signs were requested by local law enforcement officers for identification and security purposes. Hoodies do not have to be removed in order to shop at Mounds Mall in Indiana, just lowered.

[Image Via: Shutterstock.com]

Hoodie Policy At Indiana Mall Sparks Controversy And Racism Claims is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Missing nursing student Jasmine Joseph has not been seen by her parents or friends since February 24th, 2014. The New York Institute of Technology nursing student was last heard from by her mother who talked to Jasmine, 22, on the phone. But Jasmine Joseph was hiding a secret that was not revealed until after her disappearance.

The missing nursing student was actually no longer actively taking classes at NYIT. In fact, Jasmine Joseph last attended a class at the school in May of 2013. All along, her parents believed that Jasmine was going to school, on her way to becoming a nurse like her mother. Lovely Jospeh is a cardiac nurse who was under the impression that her daughter was on track to follow in her footsteps.

ICYMI: Missing nursing student Holly Bobo found, suspect charged with murder.

The family of the missing nursing student moved to the United States in 1997. The Indian family have lived in Syosset, Long Island since then. Jasmine Joseph attended high school there and enrolled at NYIT. Her parents say that Jasmine was a straight A student before she stopped attending classes. How did they not know the missing nursing student was no longer going to school? She charged their American Express card $6,072 for the Fall semester. But investigators discovered she never attended one class last Fall.

Jasmine Joseph Still MIssing http://t.co/wk5XLVFLVs pic.twitter.com/iQw79NgB0P

— SyossetJerichoNews (@SyossetJericho) March 6, 2014

When Jasmine’s father, Sony Joseph, asked to see her report card for the Fall semester, she told him the she was having trouble pulling it up on the computer. Sony and Lovely left to go back to India for a trip, leaving Jasmine at home. The missing nursing student was given a credit card to pay for her Spring semester. She never charged the card. The school issued a statement after Jasmine went missing.

The NYIT community has recently learned of the disappearance of one of our former students, Jasmine Joseph, who until May 2013 was a student in the nursing program. We have been in contact and are cooperating with Jasmine’s family, who are actively seeking her whereabouts. Many students and staff members are helping to spread the word and share photos, in hopes that the public will recognize this young woman and contact her family or the authorities. Our thoughts are with her loved ones.

So far there have been no leads, although police do not believe criminal activity is involved. As far as they are concerned she is an adult, not under the supervision of her parents. The missing nursing student did not have a boyfriend according to her parents. But her sudden disappearance and unknown activities over the last 10 months have parents and friends concerned. They gathered together to hand out fliers to find Jasmine.

Jasmine Joseph of Syosset has been missing for over a week. Her family and friends are asking for help. #longisland pic.twitter.com/V4cX7WIjI3

— Jodi Goldberg (@JodiGNews) March 4, 2014

There is also a Facebook page for anyone interested in helping with trying to find missing nursing student, Jasmine Joseph.

[Image via Facebook]

Missing Nursing Student Jasmine Joseph Was Hiding A Secret From Parents is a post from: The Inquisitr News

The Winklevoss twins have purchased a space trip with Virgin Galactic for 375 Bitcoins, which are worth approximately $275,000. The twins said the tickets were purchased in support of emerging technology, which is expected to “build a better world.”

The former Olympians and Harvard alumni made headlines when they filed a $140 million lawsuit against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss argued that Zuckerberg created his popular social networking site using their concept.

The brothers developed ConnectU while attending Harvard University. The website was launched as a social networking tool for college students. Like Facebook, ConnectU allowed users to display a public profile, connect with other students, and make status updates.

Although the case was eventually settled out of court, the twins received a reported $20 million cash and $45 million worth of Facebook stock.

In 2013, the twins took an interest in Bitcoin, which is a form of online currency. They reportedly contributed $1.5 million in seed funding to Bitcoin payment processor BitInstant. However, as BitInstant CEO Charlie Shrem was later indicted for money laundering, the brothers denied active involvement.

As reported by CNN, the Winklevoss twins eventually developed a price tracker for Bitcoin, which is called Winkdex. The brothers have claimed that they currently own nearly 1% of all existing Bitcoin.

In a blog post, Tyler Winklevoss explained that he and his brother’s most recent purchase is an investment in the future:

“Since their inceptions, Bitcoin and Virgin Galactic have been writing the next chapter in our history books. While one is ushering in a new era of post-currency, entirely ledger-based decentralized financial systems, the other is ringing in a new era of post-aircraft, sub-orbital spacecraft-based travel systems.”

Throughout his statement, Tyler discusses history, progress, and the future of technology. The Winklevoss twins believe all humans are born with a natural “desire to build beyond what we have inherited and push beyond out own preconceived barriers.”

Tyler credits these “fundamental human trait[s]” with the continual progress and advancement. He specifically applauds Bitcoin and Virgin Galactic, pointing out that he and his brother are “supporting a new technology that may forever change the way we travel, purchased with a new technology that may forever change the way we transact.”

In November 2013, Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson announced that Bitcoin will be accepted as payment for their future space flights. Although a date has not been announced, the flights are expected to begin by the end of the year.

The Winklevoss twins reportedly purchased tickets 700 and 701.

[Image via Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com]

Winklevoss Twins Purchase Space Trip With Bitcoin is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Attention Chipotle fans: There is no imminent climate-change-induced guacamole shortage.

The Chipotle restaurant chain now says there is little or no chance that it will actually need to drop staples guacamole and salsa from its menu because of global climate change.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. created “heartburn” across the internet yesterday by suggesting that environmental issues such as drought or other kinds of weather instability could affect the availability of ingredients such as avacados for its popular, signature dishes.

In an annual report filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Chipotle put investors on notice that “Increasing weather volatility or other long-term changes in global weather patterns, including any changes associated with global climate change, could have a significant impact on the price or availability of some of our ingredients. Any increase in the prices of the ingredients most critical to our menu, such as chicken, beef, cheese, avocados, beans, rice, tomatoes and pork, would adversely affect our operating results. Alternatively, in the event of cost increases with respect to one or more of our raw ingredients, we may choose to temporarily suspend serving menu items, such as guacamole or one or more of our salsas, rather than paying the increased cost for the ingredients. Any such changes to our available menu may negatively impact our restaurant traffic and comparable restaurant sales, and could also have an adverse impact on our brand.”

A Chipotle representative insisted, however, the whole scare was stirred up by the liberal Think Progress blog which ran with the climate change theme as did many other media outlets, and that the SEC submission was “nothing more than a routine and required ‘risk factor’ disclosure.”

He added that “the sky is not falling” and that the SEC report language was “much ado about nothing.”

The Chipotle spokesman, Chris Arnold, also explained that “As a public company… we are required to disclose any potential issues that could have potential impact on our business, and we do that very thoroughly.” He reassured Chipotle fans that “We have guac in all of our restaurants.”

In separate media-reported comments, Arnold stressed that “We have seen similar conditions with regard to avocados before, and incurred higher prices because of that, but have never stopped serving guacamole. And we don’t anticipate that happening now. The disclosure is required of us and made out of an abidance of caution.”

According to the Washington Post, foodies should relax: “Does Chipotle’s warning imply there’ll be no more creamy, tangy, delicious guacamole to complement your burrito and chips? Not really. Chipotle is simply saying that if prices continue to rise, it would rather wait until they fall instead of passing the costs on to customers.”

@1013_themix Rest easy, the news out there are over-speculating on our normal quarterly risk assessments. No changes are planned. -Rusty

— Chipotle (@ChipotleTweets) March 5, 2014

Unrelated to the Chipotle guacamole supply, Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore recently testified on Capitol Hill that in his opinion man-made climate change is a scam.

[image credit: tacvbo]

Chipotle Downplays Guacamole Shortage Warning is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Darren Sharper, the retired NFL superstar now accused of raping eight women in five different states, confessed to two of those rapes in private conversations, a New Orleans police report says. Sharper is currently jailed in Los Angeles where he faces two other rape charges. Last week, police in Louisiana issued an arrest warrant for Sharper based on two rapes he is accused of committing there.

According to the allegations leveled at Darren Sharper in all of the cases, the former All Pro defender who played 14 seasons in the National Football League drugged his victims by giving them drinks spiked with a substance believed to be the sleeping medication Ambien. When the victims passed out, Sharper would then sexually assault them.

That was the case in both of the New Orleans rapes of which Sharper is accused. Both women, identified only as Victims #1 and #2, passed out suddenly after taking drinks offered them by Sharper, then woke up to find Darren Sharper nude, on top of them, having sexual intercourse with them.

Whatever was in those drinks incapacitated the women to the point that “both do not recall the entirety of the sexual intercourse,” according to the sworn report by New Orleans Detective Derrick Williams.

An acquaintance of 38-year-old Darren Sharper, Erick Nunez, 27, has also been charged in connection with the New Orleans rape accusations.

In the detective’s sworn statement, he said that Darren Sharper confessed to other people, not named by police, that he had had sex with the two unconscious women “without their knowledge or permission.”

Darren Sharper pled not guilty on February 20 to the two rape charges in Los Angeles and his lawyers say that all of the rapes he allegedly committed were, in fact, consensual sexual encounters.

The alleged victims were simply, “women who wanted to be in his company, who voluntarily ingested alcohol and drugs in many cases,” Darren Sharper’s laywer Leonard Levine said in an L.A. court at a February hearing.

When he was hit with the New Orleans warrants, Darren Sharper who has a reported net worth of $8 million offered to pay for his own flight back to Louisiana where he would turn himself in. But New Orleans police turned him down, fearing that he might flee instead.

“This police department was not willing to negotiate with Sharper’s attorneys considering the dire seriousness of these allegations,” said New Orleans Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas.

If he is formally extradited, Darren Sharper would be flown at state expense back to New Orleans in handcuffs, accompanied by officers. Sharper faces an extradition hearing Friday in Los Angeles.

Darren Sharper Rape Case: NFL Great Confessed To Sex Assaults, Police Report Says is a post from: The Inquisitr News

The USS Truxtun and the USS Taylor will be the only two ships in the US Navy close to the Russian Black Sea fleet, but why is the ship being positioned so close to Ukraine in the first place?

In a related report by The Inquisitr, a former Ukrainian president is warning that World War 3 might be around the corner if Russia does not back down from flaunting its nuclear missile arsenal. The situation in the Crimea has also become very tense on the high seas ever since the Russian Black Sea fleet used megaphones to issue an ultimatum for Ukraine’s military forces in the area.

Fortunately, the ultimatum did not lead to open fighting, but the Russian Black Sea fleet did sink a ship… just not one of its enemies. The Russian anti-submarine warship Ochakov was scuttled on purpose in order to prevent Ukrainian navy ships from going out to sea from a nearby base. The sunken ship lies at the mouth of the bay, which is also guarded by 10 Russian warships.

But tensions are still rising due to the recent actions by the the Russian Black Sea fleet leader, Admiral Alexander Vitko, who is claimed to have committed crimes by Ukraine’s government. He met with the Ukrainian forces and asked them to defect to Russia so they could “help protect Ukraine from extremist gangs.” The Admiral was enraged when the Ukrainian base commander told him off, saying, ”Comrade admiral, we didn’t see any extremist gangs here until you came with your men.”

Considering that Putin and Obama have been publicly exchanging adversarial words, you would think the USS Truxtun and the USS Taylor might be heading to the Black Sea because of the situation with the Russian Black Sea fleet. But according to Navy Lt. Shawn Eklund, the repositioning of the USS Truxtun has nothing to do with recent events:

“USS Truxtun’s operations in the Black Sea were scheduled well in advance of her departure from the U.S.”

As it turns out, the USS Taylor is still moored in Turkey after accidentally running aground last month. The USS Truxtun is scheduled to conduct joint exercises with Romanian and Bulgarian forces. The ship is part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, which entered the Mediterrenean recently and its various ships are training with various regional navies.

[Image via United States Navy]

USS Truxtun Goes Near Ukraine As The Russian Black Sea Fleet Sinks A Ship is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Bindi Irwin is being attacked by PETA because of her support of Sea World in a new business relationship she just announced to the world. But is PETA correct that the documentary Blackfish is a good enough reason to attack Steve Irwin’s daughter?

In a related report by The Inquisitr, the Blackfish documentary supposedly unmasks Sea World as using and abusing animals for money. While Sea World has fought back against these allegations, and Dawn Brancheau’s family has criticized Blackfish as well, various celebrities have cancelled shows at Sea World and Disney even changed the ending of Finding Dory due to the film.

Recent photos of Bindi Irwin have shown just how grown up she has begun. Like her famous father, Bindi has been trying advocate causes for animals and wildlife in general:

“I’m so excited to be carrying on in dad’s footsteps and making sure that everything he worked so hard for continues for the generations to come. That’s why I’m thrilled to be empowering kids, because as kids we are the next generation, we’re the next voters, we’re the next decision-makers, and the next generation to really be changing the world.”

Bindi is often is featured with her mother, Terri, and her younger brother Robert on various shows. So when she discussed her Sea World deal with Good Morning America, corporate reps lined up to promote the education of the next generation:

“We are proud to partner with Bindi Irwin in a program that couples the world’s most incredible young conservationist with the passionate wildlife experts at SeaWorld. SeaWorld has been a global leader in education, conservation and animal care for 50 years. We are excited to join forces with Bindi as we continue to educate and encourage kids to take part in helping to save wildlife.”

PETA has a completely take on Bindi Irwin’s Sea World business relationship. They accuse her of being a sellout and exploiting animals… just like Steve Irwin:

“The Irwin family has been exploiting animals for years, so it comes as no surprise that Bindi has agreed to become SeaWorld’s latest shill. But plastering her face on SeaWorld’s website won’t cover up the fact that orcas, dolphins, and other animals are suffering in SeaWorld’s tiny tanks after being ripped from their families…. What millions have realized—through PETA’s massive campaign and the hit documentary Blackfish—is that SeaWorld is no place for anyone who truly cares about animals…. Bindi’s talk-show appearances are just a flimsy last-ditch effort by anabusement park hoping to make a buck.”

Do you agree with PETA that Blackfish is a good reason for why Bindi Irwin should not associate herself with Sea World?

How much do you think #SeaWorld had to pay Bindi Irwin to try to fix their image? #Notworking

— Amanda Holliday (@modernation) March 6, 2014

“Being a game-changer for nature” includes stealing mammals from the ocean for human entertainment? http://t.co/IqS04lslv8#SeaWorld

— Melissa (@ms73) March 6, 2014

[Images Via dailyrecord.co.uk and australiazoo.com.au]

Bindi Irwin A Sea World Sellout? PETA Claims ‘Blackfish’ Proves Her Deal Is Bad is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Rachel Canning is suing her estranged parents to force them to pay her college tuition, and the man funding her lawsuit is a high-powered millionaire lawyer with close ties to New Jersey’s embattled governor Chris Christie.

According to a news report published Wednesday, that lawyer and his family not only introduced the underage Rachel Canning to alcohol, she once downed so much booze at their house, she vomited all over the sidewalk and into a trash can outside their home.

John Ingelsino happens to be the father of Rachel Canning’s best friend, Jamie Ingelsino. Rachel spent plenty of time at the Ingelsino home throughout her high school years and when she left her own home in November of last year — kicked out by her parents, she claims, while her parents say she left of her own accord — she went to stay with the Ingensinos.

John Ingelsino, who has so far footed a $12,000 bill for legal services in the Rachel Canning tuition lawsuit, also happens to be a friend and former advisor to Chris Christie who made substantial financial contributions to Christie’s 2009 gubernatorial campaign.

In January, the local council president in the town of Parsippany, New Jersey tried to boot Ingelsino out as the municipality’s lawyer, saying the powerhouse attorney had too many conflicts of interest with several other members of the town council.

Ingelsino also been accused of acting as a sort of hatchet man for Chris Christie, recruiting the governor’s political opponents into cushy jobs on the public payroll as long as they agreed to stay out of elections where they may oppose Christie’s hand-picked candidates.

No criminal charges have ever been filed against Ingelsino in connection with those accusations.

On Wednesday, The Mail Online newspaper reported that at Jamie Ingelsino’s 15th birthday party, Amy Ingelsino — John Ingelsino’s wife — freely handed out wine coolers to Rachel Canning as well as to her own daughter.

Also when Rachel Canning was 15, she downed so much vodka while at the Ingelsino home that when her own father, Sean Canning, came to pick her up she got sick all over the sidewalk, according to the Mail report.

Rachel’s mother, Elizabeth Canning, describes her daughter in court documents as now “obsessed” with getting plastered every weekend, though Mrs. Canning says this behavior began when Rachel began dating her current boyfriend, Lucas Kitzmiller, a high school football player.

Kitzmiller’s father dismissed that allegation saying that with Rachel Canning, “the trend is with every boyfriend she’s had it’s always the boyfriend who’s the bad influence. We’ve been dragged into this.”

Rachel Canning Got Drunk And Puked At Home Of Chris Christie Ally, Report Says is a post from: The Inquisitr News

The Oscars selfie by Ellen DeGeneres has turned out to not be a candid moment shared by the stars at the Academy Awards. Instead, Samsung was simply promoting its Galaxy Note line of smartphones.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, Ellen DeGeneres Oscars selfie has apparently become one of the most famous selfies ever (personally, I prefer the selfie of the astronaut hovering in his spacesuit over Earth). Regardless of its origins, ever since Ellen tweeted the Oscars selfie Twitter users have loved it, re-tweeting millions of time over this past week.

From the start, the Oscars was a set up by Samsung. Ellen was featured toying around with Samsung smartphones during much of the live broadcast. Even during the red carpet even various people were handed Galaxy smartphones in order to ensure they got some airtime on ABC. So when Ellen handed handed a Galaxy Note 3 to actor Bradley Cooper so he and Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Lawrence could have an Oscars selfie it was all part of the plan.

But the Oscars selfie was still spontaneous to a point. The actors and actresses probably didn’t know it, but Ellen had planned on making selfies ahead of time and she was told to use Samsung devices since they were the sponsor. Samsung executives even trained her on how to use the device effectively in order to ensure the resulting quality of the photos.

Allen Adamson, managing director at Landor Associates, says Ellen DeGeneres’s Oscars selfie was a brilliant marketing ploy:

“It was a great plug for the Samsung brand. Ellen’s selfie is going to be more impactful than their commercials. You can’t buy that magic of going viral.”

Speaking of which, Samsung supposedly spent around $20 million airing ads during the 2014 Oscars, but most people remember the selfie and not the other marketing.

Are you surprised Ellen DeGeneres’s Oscars selfie is just a marketing stunt?

Ellen DeGeneres’ Oscars Selfie Was A Samsung Galaxy Marketing Stunt is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Donald Trump has delivered many speeches over the years, and content aside, has made the occasional verbal gaffe. While speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) recently, Trump mentioned Jimmy Carter, incorrectly referencing the former president in the past tense.

The Donald’s remarks at the CPAC were of the typical variety, touching on a number of conservative talking points. However, Trump prematurely snuffed out Carter when he explained, “I think by next month, we will have surpassed the late, great Jimmy Carter.”

Trump was comparing the Obama presidency and its current state to the Carter administration, and not in a particularly flattering way. The Donald frequently uses his special brand of sarcasm to belabor a point, but in this instance Trump mistakenly disregarded one of the few living presidents who remain with us.

Trump’s comment did not go unnoticed, as James Carter, the grandson of the former president, became aware of the remarks and responded via Twitter.

I pretty sure I would have heard about that. RT @eliasisquith: Trump seems to think Jimmy Carter is dead: “The late, great Jimmy Carter”

— James Carter (@JECarter4) March 6, 2014

While the Donald did not commit any other blatantly obvious verbal offenses during his lengthy ramblings at the CPAC, there were the usual Trump talking points, as the conservative real estate tycoon blasted President Obama while covered topics ranging from China to immigration.

Here is the Donald on China and the national debt:

“China, which I’ve been talking about for the last five years, yesterday – right in our face – they just devalued our currency. What they’re really saying is, ‘We’re really ripping you big league. Nobody’s ever done it better than us, but now we’re going to really do it again.”

The Donald also deemed it prudent to mention the popularity of the Trump brand in China and abroad. In fact, the speech was littered with self-serving references and his signature hubris. Trump has even intimated at possible runs for both governor of New York and president in 2016.

Trump then moved on to immigration policy:

“We’re either a country or we’re not. We either have borders or we don’t. If we don’t have a border, what are we — just a nothing?”

The Donald also addressed the current situation in the Ukraine, suggesting Putin has established the upper hand on Obama.

Trump was an equal opportunity offender, criticizing some fellow Republicans as well, including Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio, claiming they are on the wrong side of certain issues.

The Donald was his usual entertaining self at the CPAC, even defiantly refusing the use of the teleprompter. Trump should perhaps reconsider next time, if only to avoid pronouncing someone dead by mistake.

Donald Trump Forgets Jimmy Carter Is Alive During CPAC Speech [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr News

An Amber Alert went out Thursday morning for 11-year-old Caitlyn Marie Virts of Dundalk, Maryland who vanished from her home — the same house on the 3100 block of Ardee Way where police Thursday found the girl’s mother dead.

When police received a report of someone in cardiac arrest at the address at around 9:15 am Thursday, they showed up to find 36-year-old Bobbie Jo Cortez dead. The woman was the mother of Amber Alert subject Caitlyn Virts.

The death of Bobby Jo Cortez is being investigated as a murder, though no cause of death has yet been made public. But when homicide detectives were conducting their initial investigation, they figured out that there was one person missing from the house, which had six occupants. Cortez lived their with her three children, Caitlyn and a twin sister, as well as a boy, Cortez’s son.

The home also had two other adults living there, but police have not said what the relationship between the other two adults and the dead woman may be. However, when they found that Caitlyn Virts was missing, they put out the Amber Alert.

Another reason for the Amber Alert is that Caitlyn, who weighs about 80 pounds and stands five feet tall, is believed to have been snatched by her father, 38-year-old Timothy Virts.

According to police in West Virginia, which is also covered by this Amber Alert, Caitlyn was last seen at about 7 am on Thursday in the company of her father. At the time, the elder Virts — who is 6’3″ and 180 pounds — was driving a 1999 black Dodge Durango with a MD tag of 5AJ4458.

The Dodge Durango that is the subject of the Amber Alert is registered 38-year-old Daniel William Cortez, who is the husband of the deceased woman.

Daniel Cortez is currently facing sex offense charges and is being held in Baltimore County Detention Center. How this all fits in with the Amber Alert apparent abduction of Cortez’s stepdaughter is something police are still trying to sort out.

West Virginia police said that Timothy Virts is a suspect in the slaying of Bobbie Jo Cortez. He was reportedly staying in the house where she died, but is not supposed to be in the sole care of his daughter. Virts also has a history of drug and assault charges.

Because police fear for the safety of Caitlyn Virts as long as she is with her father, they issued the Amber Alert.

Image: Baltimore County Police

Amber Alert For Missing Maryland Girl After Mom Found Dead In Home is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Belle Knox, the Duke University freshman who recently revealed that she pays her tuition by performing sex acts on camera in professionally produced porn films, was forced into her admission by a fellow student, frat boy Thomas Bagley.

Now Bagley himself is learning what it feels like to have rather sensitive information about yourself made public. Mike Kulich, a San Fernando Valley-based porn impresario who runs a company called Monarchy Distribution, wrote an open letter to Bagley revealing that — at least according to Kulich — the Duke frat brother is a subscriber to the hardcore porn site FacialAbuse.

Belle Knox — which of course is not the real name of the Duke University porn star — says that Bagley learned her secret on his own, recognizing her face when he was watching porn. Bagley himself says that Belle Knox revealed her own secret to him then begged him not to tell anyone.

But once Bagley got around his frat brothers later that evening, he was all too quick to share her secret with them.

Whichever way it happened, the secret of Belle Knox got out and Bagley is the culprit.

The revelation wasn’t just an inconvenince for Belle Knox. She says she was almost immediately subjected to “brutal” online bullying, including having private information about her real name and where she lived freely distributed.

Now, Mike Kulich is not simply a civic-minded guy coming to the rescue of a woman in distress. He was the porn producer who offered Amanda Knox (no relation to Belle Knox, especially because “Knox” is not Belle’s real name) $20,000 if she would appear in a porn film.

As Belle Knox noted in an essay for the XOJane site, it seems like a double standard that she has been told to kill herself and been threatened with rape by online bullies because she acts in porn. But Bagley, who consumed porn, has faced no such consequences.

Kulich set out to remedy that situation. Not only did he out Thomas Bagley as a subscriber to FacialAbuse, he offered the Duke frat boy $10,000 to perform in a “Facial Abuse” scene with any actress who works for the site.

Kulich also offered Bagley $1,000 for every inch that his penis extends, beyond four. No word on whether the frat boy who outed Belle Knox plans to take Kulich up on his offer.

Belle Knox: Duke Porn Star Outed By Student Now Named As Porn Site Subscriber is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Safeway was sold to the parent company of top competitor Albertson’s on Thursday in a merger of two supermarket giants reportedly valued at $9.2 billion. Safeway is the second-largest supermarket chain in the United States, trailing only Kroger Co., which owns supermarkets throughout the south, as well as the popular Southern California chain Ralph’s and numerous other regional chain stores.

Cerberus Capital Management last year bought out Albertson’s as well as Shaw’s supermarkets, Star Market, Acme and Jewel Osco. Now the company has added the grocery store giant Safeway to its portfolio.

The price at which Safeway was sold has been reported at high as $9.4 billion. By merging Albertson’s and Safeway, Cerberus now commands a supermarket empire of more than 2,400 stores that employ a quarter-million people.

That still puts the new supermarket behemoth well behind the nation’s largest private employer, Wal-Mart, with its 2.2 million employees. The combined company still ranks behind Kroger with its 2,600 stores as well.

In fact, it is competition from “big box” stores such as Wal-Mart, as well as discount warehouse outlets like Costco — and upscale supermarkets such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s — that has put the squeeze on traditional supermarket chains and played a role Safeway ultimately being sold.

“There is a clear and compelling rationale for this merger,” said Safeway CEO Robert Edwards, who will be CEO of the merged company after Safeway is sold. “This merger will improve our competitive position.”

Edwards said that consumers can look forward to lower prices, thanks to the increased efficiency expected now that Safeway is sold to Albertson’s. But he also said that the merged company does not expect to close any of its current store locations.

Alberston’s CEO Bob Miller becomes executive chairman of the new company to be formed as soon as Safeway is really sold.

The way these giant deals work, the truth is Safeway is not sold yet. The company has 21 days to listen to other offers. But if Safeway is sold to another company, that buyer would have to fork over $250 million to Cerberus for its pains.

Kroger has expressed interesting buying some Safeway stores, so though the company would nor comment Thursday, the possibility remains of Safeway being sold, at least in part, to the only supermarket company bigger than itself.

Safeway Sold To Albertson’s In $9.2 Billion Supermarket Mega-Merger is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Three former Dewey & LeBoeuf law firm executives and one former manager have all been charged with fraud according to various news outlets. Dewey & LeBoeuf’s epic collapse was the largest of its kind for a U.S. based law firm. The fallout from the Dewey & LeBoeuf epic collapse cost not only the jobs of thousands of employees, but also hundreds of millions of dollars in estimated losses for banks, lenders and investors.

According to CNN.com, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance announced charges against “ex-chairman Steven Davis, former executive director Stephen DiCarmine and ex-chief finance officer Joel Sanders with grand larceny, scheming to defraud and falsifying business records, as well as conspiracy. Vance also charged former client relations manager Zachary Warren with scheming to defraud, falsifying business records and conspiracy.” The charges include grand larceny, securities fraud and falsifying business records.

The law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf was created following the merger between the Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf Lamb law firms back in 2007. Based globally, the firm had approximately 3,000 employees on the books, including 1,300 lawyers in their New York office. When the firm ran into financial issues however, the executives that have now been charged allegedly lied about their books.

According to a report found on Reuters.com it was an email that eventually did these executives in:

“Less than a month after writing that he did not want to ‘cook the books anymore,’ but facing a deadline to show lenders that Dewey & LeBoeuf had enough cash, the law firm’s top finance executive emailed a colleague that he ‘came up with a big one,’ according to investigators.

‘You always do in the last hours,’ the law firm’s executive director Stephen DiCarmine replied to the December 29, 2008 email from chief financial officer Joel Sanders, according to investigators. ‘That’s why we get the extra 10 or 20% bonus.’

This type of scandal that Dewey & Leboeuf have created remind many of a similar case over a decade ago, referring to the infamous Enron scandal that occurred in the late nineties. According to NY Times:

“The indictment paints a portrait of a law firm being run like a criminal enterprise. Mr. Vance said his office had already secured guilty pleas from seven other people who once worked for Dewey. A person briefed on the investigation said several were cooperating with the two-year-old investigation.”

But whether or not the epic Dewey & Leboeuf collapse is on the Enron level, the D.A. simply told reporters, “I can’t say.”

All four men charged in the Dewey & LeBoeuf epic collapse pleaded not guilty in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday March 6th.

Dewey & LeBoeuf Epic Collapse: 4 Executives Charged With Fraud is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Disney layoffs will eliminate nearly 26 percent of the company’s Interactive unit. The unit includes video game and internet division employees. The massive layoffs were rumored for months. However, the affected employees received notice on Thursday.

The division will close numerous offices worldwide, including locations in Chicago, Colorado, New Jersey, Hyderabad, India, and South Korea.

Although a large portion of Interactive’s global staff was cut, the layoffs will not impact Disney Infinity or Avalanche Software employees. A representative said the company will continue to invest and build those specific divisions.

The cuts are part of a company-wide reorganization effort. In an official statement, a Disney representative explains that the company has “consolidated several lines of business as part of an effort to focus… on a streamlined suite of high quality digital products.”

The representative acknowledges the Disney layoffs were a difficult decision. However, the cuts were necessary to remain competitive and focus on “sustainable profitability and innovation.”

As reported by Los Angeles Times, Disney Interactive lost nearly $800 million between 2008 and 2012. Although increased revenue was reported in the first quarter of 2014, the division is still “in a period of transition.

The division’s increased revenue was boosted by sales of Disney Infinity, which debuted in August 2013. Although the popular video game contributed to $403 million in revenue, company officials proceeded with the layoffs.

The Disney Interactive layoffs are the third round of job cuts and closures since 2011. In January 2011, the company closed their Propaganda Games division, which resulted in the loss of 200 jobs. In January 2013, the company closed Junction Point Studios, eliminating 50 positions.

The New York Times reports that the latest round of cuts were sparked by consolidation of Disney’s mobile and social gaming divisions. As mobile games have gained popularity, and social games have fallen out of favor, the company will scale back on game development in general.

In 2013, Disney Interactive released around 24 games, including Disney Infinity. However, they are planning to cut their game output by 50 percent per year. Disney Interactive President James A. Pitaro said the division plans to “pursue licensing partnerships,” which will replace a portion of their in-house development.

Although several divisions have experienced a loss in revenue, the company as a whole continues to thrive. In the most recent quarter, Disney reported “$1.84 billion in profit and $12.31 billion in revenue.” Pitaro expects the new focus on mobile gaming and “a core set of priorities” will guarantee the company’s continued success.

The Disney layoffs were officially announced and employees were notified on Thursday.

[Image via Flickr]

Disney Layoffs: Interactive Unit Cuts 700 Jobs is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Samantha Taylor is Oscar Pistorius’ ex-girlfriend and she claims he was cheating on her with Reeva Steenkamp, never mind all the other allegations about guns.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial was called the South African trial of the century. Reeva Steenkamp’s sued Oscar but the case was settled outside of court.

Struggling to compose her emotions, Samantha Taylor described how she met her former boyfriend at a rugby match when she was 17 years old. Eventually, the relationship soured and she says, “He cheated on me with Reeva Steenkamp.” So in November of 2012 Taylor broke up with Pistorius because of the alleged affair with Reeva.

But while that part of her testimony had Pistorius noticeably clenching his jaw in anger, it’s the other allegations by Taylor that may stand out in the long run. She claims he always slept on one side of the bed and kept his gun on a nearby night table. Oscar says the gun was under the bed and that he was sleeping on a different side of the bed due to a sports injury. But she also described incidents where Pistorius was notably jumpy about intruders in the household:

“There was one occasion when something hit the bathroom window and Oscar woke me up and asked me if I heard it. He got up with his gun…. There was probably one or two occasions when he woke me up to ask me if I heard something.”

Oscar Pistorius’ gun habits were also fairly intense according to Taylor. The gun was always on him when the two were dating and she claims he once fired a bullet out a car’s sunroof after arguing with a police officer. When the cop pulled them over for speeding Oscar was furious when the officer touched his gun without permission so he later took out his anger by firing at a traffic light. Worse, Oscar supposedly once accidentally discharged his gun in a restaurant while sitting next to a child at the table. Pistorius supposedly asked his friend, Darren Fresco, to take the blame.

In response to all this, the defense for Oscar Pistorius claims they will reveal emails from Samantha Taylor that will supposedly prove the cheating allegations are untrue. The defense still maintains Reeva Steenkamp was accidentally shot because she was mistaken as a burglar.

Samantha Taylor Says Oscar Pistorius Cheated On Her With Reeva Steenkamp [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr News

An Oklahoma doctor has allegedly injected patients with a so-called Jesus shot which purports to be a miracle cure-all for pain.

He apparently charges $200 to $300 for one injection of the mysterious “Jesus juice” formula that supposedly eliminates pain for life.

To make things more interesting, the doctor — identified in multiple media reports as John Michael Lonergan — reportedly is a convicted felon for tax evasion, mail fraud, and healthcare fraud. “Although his medical license was revoked in Ohio, Oklahoma granted the doctor a state-supervised license to practice medicine in 2012. Lonergan’s supervision agreement was terminated in March 2013, but he has been allowed to practice medicine in the state without supervision for the next 12 months.”

On the Stolen Valor Facebook page last month, an Oklahoma resident posted a message about “Dr. Mike” which said in part, “Okay guys, there is a guy in my town of Woodward, OK going by the name Dr. Mike. Nobody knows anything about this guy, but he claims that he is a Former Special Forces Dr and him and another Special Forces Dr developed a serum for the military called Jesus Juice and it has been used in the military for years and it cures any ailment. Okay, whatever, cool. Has anyone heard of this? This ‘Dr. Mike’ is traveling around my town charging people $200 for this Miracle shot that he developed for the military… There is a ton of talk going around town about it, and nobody has ever heard of it, so I was wondering if anyone here has heard of this ‘Jesus Juice’ shot.”

Although most of the responses seemed skeptical, some Facebook posters claimed that they had a good results with the Jesus shot. There was some speculation that the concoction could be a steroid.

Oklahoma City’s News 9 visited the clinic where Lonergan works.The clinical director (see embed below) explained that Dr. Mike was a part-time employee and that she was unaware that he was administering a Jesus shot. Apparently Dr. Mike has not been responding to calls from to the news media or the clinic.

[image credit: Shutterstock]

Watch the news report about Dr. Mike and the Jesus shot:

Doctor Allegedly Injected Patients With ‘Jesus Shot’ is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Colin is a soon-to-be 11-year-old boy with few friends who endures bullying in school, but on Friday he got the birthday surprise of a lifetime.

The boy and his family flew out to New York, where he was surprised on the set of Good Morning America with a birthday party in front of the entire country.

The story started a few months ago, when the boy’s mother asked if he wanted to have a party for his 11th birthday. Colin told his mother that he didn’t have any friends, so there would be no one to invite.

So to show him that there were plenty of people who cared about his birthday, Colin’s mom set up a Facebook page called Happy Birthday Colin, with the intention that family members and maybe a few others could leave him wishes on his 11th birthday.

From there the page blew up. His mother Jennifer found a massive outpouring of support for Colin, who has a sensory processing disorder similar to autism that makes it difficult for him to communicate with other kids. More than two million people have left messages online, and more than 40,000 people mailed cards, letters, and packages to a post office box she set up for him.

The birthday celebration at Good Morning America was kept secret from Colin, who found out about all of it Friday morning on the set of the show. Colin was told he was on the show to test out some new video games, and as the preparations were made for his party Colin was shown playing on a large screen in Times Square.

It was only when he was brought out later that the true nature of the visit was revealed. The show’s hosts told Colin of his mother’s wish and the Happy Birthday Colin page, revealing that it had more than 2 million likes.

The Good Morning America hosts even had a present for Colin — a trip to Walt Disney World.

Those who want to wish Colin a Happy Birthday can still check out the Facebook page.

Happy Birthday Colin: Bullied Boy Gets Giant Surprise Birthday Party On ‘Good Morning America’ is a post from: The Inquisitr News

Nissan Motor Company announced today that they will be launching two new sedans in the Philippines; the Nissan Altima and the Nissan Sylphy.

The new Altima was inspired by the Nissan Teana, and offers a new level of design and comfort. Each Altima has either a QR25 or VQ35DE engine, along with a Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) transmission. The new design makes maneuvering the vehicle easier, and easier on gas. The Altima was designed to compete with the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord, and was first introduced in the Philippines in the 1990s.

The Sylphy, Nissan’s alternate name for the Sentra, will provide excellent fuel economy, and will come complete with either the MRA8DE or GR16DE engine. The Xtronic transmission will also be featured on the Sylphy, which is currently sold in the United States, Japan, China, Thailand, and now the Philippines.

By launching the Altima and Sylphy, Nissan is hoping to build a recognizable name in the Philippines. “The introduction of Altima and Sylphy represents Nissan’s renewed presence in the Philippines with true global resources and a strong commitment to the market,” said Nissan Motor Corporation’s executive vice president Takao Katagiri. “Today marks the start of a new chapter for Nissan in the Philippines and one that I am very proud to be part of.”

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., along with partners Universal Motors Corporation and Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc., developed the NPI to strengthen the brands in the Philippines, and to develop marketing and sales strategies. Nissan Philippines Inc. began their operations as the new national sales company on March 1. They have set an ambitious goal of selling 8,900 units during the 2014 fiscal year. The NPI is capitalized at $9.8 million. NML holds a 51 percent stake in the company, while UMC and NMPI each own 24.5 percent.

“The establishment of Nissan Philippines brings Nissan in the Philippines together into one, stronger entity – ‘One Nissan, One Direction’,” said Kenji Naito, the president of NPI. “I am confident that NPI will pave the way to a bolder and more proactive Nissan in this fast-growing market, with a strengthened brand and enhanced sales power.”

The Nissan Almera NISMO Aero Package was also showcased during the launch. It was launched in January 2013, and has accounted for 20% of the total sales for the Nissan brand. Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., is Japan’s second-largest automotive company, and is located in Yokohama, Japan. It is also part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

[Image via Carscoop.com]

Nissan Altima Launched In Philippines is a post from: The Inquisitr News