Open Letter To Conservative Ann Coulter

I know you said “no more Muslim immigration” after the Paris attacks and you insinuated that conservative idol Donald Trump had essentially won the 2016 presidency because of the attacks, but you’re wrong.

You said the answer to stop terrorism here in the United States is to “stop importing Muslims.” But here’s the thing Miss Coulter, Islam doesn’t equal terrorism and claiming Trump won the election because of the attack is ignorant.

It just shows how vain you truly are. After viewing your tweets it is even more evident that you are a part of the problem. Deporting everyone or building a mega wall won’t do anything. It will only alienate everyone as you attempt to create your own Utopian society.

What's the upside of letting millions of Muslims migrate to western countries?

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 14, 2015

Can we all agree now? No more Muslim immigration. How is this making life better for us? But the mass immigration machine churns on …

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 14, 2015

It is really sad that you want to place this blanket on everybody that looks different. The benefit of allowing individuals of different faiths and ethnicity to move into western countries is to increase diversity, which ultimately strengthens the nation as a whole. You have to understand that just because Islamic faith is different than your Christianity doesn’t mean it leads to terrorism, as you suggested.

Here’s the thing though, this isn’t the first time you’ve made an absolute fool of yourself, back in 2012 you called President Obama a retard and praised Romney for taking it easy on him. It’s disgusting that you thought it was funny to use an outdated and insensitive term to refer to a person.

How about last May when you said that allowing immigration will let uncles rape their nieces? I just can’t fathom that a Cornell graduate could be so stupid. I get that you claim yourself as a success story because you’ve made millions but your money comes from ignorance.

You might say I’m overreacting and reading too much into the fact that you called the president a retard or that immigration promotes rape, but I’m not. Because I haven’t even gotten to the worst of it yet, you once said:

“If we took away women’s right to vote, we’d never have to worry about another Democrat president.”

The moral of the story is that your words hold no value, because you repeatedly say ignorant things.
Your claims encourage America to go back before the civil rights movement, before the thirteenth and nineteenth amendments. And now you are equating all Islamic faith and acts to terrorism and that is what I don’t understand.

ANGER? We can't even deport 3rd world pouring in, committing murder, child rape, Ft Hood, 9/11 etc. It's not "adult" https://t.co/Rg3HVtSTAQ

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 14, 2015

This is just your ignorance coming out. If we actually want to ensure that what happened in Paris doesn’t happen again or to help America progress, the answer isn’t just to deport everyone or bomb away as you said in one of your tweets. Nor is it to not allow women to vote or stop immigration.

The logical solution here is not to act in the moment in either situation. In Paris we need to wait until the investigation finishes to get an entirely clear picture of what actually happened, then retaliate, if necessary. Saying that we should deport everyone that looks “Islamic” or “Third World” only adds to the problem. It does not solve the issue at hand. It only gets us farther away from our goal, which is Progress.

So, Miss Coulter, if you are reading this, I want you understand two things: Think before you act and what you say reflects the type of individual that you are.

Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore available under a Creative Commons License.

Woman Arrested For Trying To Buy Baby On Craigslist For Her 14-Year Old Daughter

First published on AATTP

Elaine Williams, a 47 year old Cumming, GA woman was arrested after attempting to buy a baby for her teenage daughter through craigslist. Authorities started to investigate Williams after a citizen called police about a malicious ad. Williams was looking for a mother to drop off her baby in a “baby box” on Williams’ doorstep.

Thankfully, tracking the phone number left on the ad led police back to Cumming before she was able to find any takers.According to the authorities, Williams sought a baby for her 14 year old daughter and told police that:

“her daughter wanted a baby and would get one with or without her help, so she decided to help.”

The ad, shown below, was posted in the “Baby and Kid Stuff” section on Craigslist.
As you can see, the ad wished:

“to provide a loving home for unwanted newborns [and] DISABLED CHILD MAY NOT be placed in the baby box.” 

Honestly, I’m not really sure what I should be more concerned about, the fact that somebody placed an ad on craigslist to buy a human or that it was a serious inquiry.It was reported that the family actually had a crib and other baby belongings in their house. There’s clearly multiple violations, including human rights and the 13th Amendment right, which abolished involuntarily servitude.

Luckily for us, Elaine Williams is charged with Domestic-Unlawful Advertisement/Inducement for Adoption of Children. The weird thing here is that this isn’t the first time selling a baby online has happened. Apparently a South African lady sold her baby on Gumtree to a private investigator in October before being arrested.

The moral of the story is that it’s a weird world out there.

Image courtesy of wikimedia

Fans Puzzled as 76ers Extend Coaches Contract

In a most shocking move the Philadelphia 76ers extended the job of head Brett Brown for two more years. Brown has one of the worst head coach careers in recent history compiling a 38-150 record. And in this head scratching move, there might be a reason.

So far Brown lost a rookie of the year, talented veterans, missed out on number 1 picks and now holds the longest losing streak in major professional sports.

Brown never lost his faith though. The faith that he was the man that would bring this team back to its former glory.

Apparently, management has been impressed with Brown's patience, leadership and resiliency, and now he has more time to make that happen. But this is what is puzzling to me, Brown's original four year deal is set to expire then so why not evaluate then. Most critics agree that four years is enough time for a coach to implement a new system, cut those that don't fit it, and bring in new guys.

That's what's puzzling to me here when so often the four year rule is used and now he has been extended for another two. Even with an extension there is still much to be done in his rebuilding efforts. Personally, I think it should start with a veteran on the staff and on the court.

The 76ers answered that call for help on the staff as they have reached out to former Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. In addition, they brought in Hall of Famer Jerry Colangelo as chairman of basketball operations so veteran leadership is coming soon for the 76ers. Now let's just hope you fans an endure one more bad season before prosperity.

Image courtesy of wikimedia

Hacker Group "Anonymous" Declare War on Donald Trump

The infamous hacker group known as Anonymous has declared war on Donald Trump; much to the appreciation of some, and the disdain of others.

In their most recent video, an apparent representative of the collective stated the following:

"Donald Trump, it has come to our attention that you want to ban all Muslims from entering the United States. This policy is going to have a huge impact. This is what ISIS wants. The more Muslims feel sad, the more ISIS feels they can recruit them. The more the United States appears to be targeting Muslims, not just radical Muslims, you can be sure that ISIS will be putting that on their social media campaign. Donald Trump, think twice before you speak anything. You have been warned…"

This declaration against Trump comes a few weeks after the hacker group declared war on ISIS in a similar fashion. They attempted to oust Twitter accounts associated with ISIS (which happened to be inaccurate), and they also released a list of possible attacks, which also proved to be false. 

Even if the cyber war declared on ISIS proved to be ineffective, it is still good for a group as heavily publicized as Anonymous to be speaking out against ISIS, but also defending the Muslim faith as a whole.

While their attack on ISIS has so far been ineffective, their attack on Trump may prove to be more effective, as The Donald--as he is so affectionately called--is a much easier target; they have already claimed to have taken www.trumptowerny.com down for a short time. And if they are able to dig up any dirt on Trump, it could be the end of his political career. 

Or would it just raise his polls some more?

Hot Stove Talk: Winners So Far

The winter meetings took place in Nashville this week, and that means the hot stove is at full blast for MLB teams. Every team headed into the offseason with a wish list, some short like the Royal's and others long like the Cincinnati Red's, and the bevy of moves indicates that teams are willing to do what it takes to win. At this moment, there are two clear cut winners of the offseason.

The first winner in my mind would have to be the Boston Red Sox. The move to bring in Dave Dombrowski on August 18th was the first step toward transforming the Sox into a true contender. This move signaled a shift in the mentality by the Red Sox management, shifting from the self-made contender model they previously used to a Yankee-esque model highlighted by buying and trading for a championship. 

Dombrowski's MO throughout his career as a front office executive has been to mortgage the longterm future of the team for success in the present. Through his nearly 4 months at the helm of the

Red Sox, Dombrowski has shown some restraint in dismantling the best farm system as decided by MLB Network's Jim Callis. Some of the Red Sox prospects have been sacrificed in order to pull of trades, but the quick return on investment definitely outweighs the price paid. 

The Red Sox most notable needs heading into the winter season were as follows: a clear-cut ace for the rotation, bullpen depth, outfield depth, and to dump either Hanley Ramirez or Pablo Sandoval. The Sox went right to work and orchestrated a deal with the San Diego Padres to secure one of the games best closers, Craig Kimbrel. Next came the front-line ace in David Price. Other notable additions include the trade of Wade Miley and Jonathan Aro for Roenis Elias and Carson Smith. This move somewhat clears up the starting rotation for the Red Sox while adding one of the games up-and-coming relief pitching stars in Smith. The addition of Chris Young as a 4th outfielder who can hit for power against lefty pitchers also improves the roster and offers value as a pinch hitter or backup plan incase of injuries. 

The team who comes is second in the winner's column has to be the Atlanta Braves. Though they haven't done much in the way of making themselves a contender, they have made some pretty eyebrow raising moves. After struggling for much of the 2015 season, it was evident that the team needed to make some drastic changes to get back into the thick of playoff contention.

One of the strangest moves so far this offseason would have to be the trade of Andrelton Simmons. In his still young career, Simmons has emerged as the best defensive short-stop in the game, which is a valuable commodity in today's game. In return for Simmons, the Braves got one serviceable player and two potential superstars in the making. The serviceable player is Erick Aybar, a 31 year old middle infielder who can play his role but offers little more than that. The centerpiece of the Brave's haul in the trade are the two young pitching prospects Sean Newcomb and Chris Ellis. Newcomb is a 22 year old left-handed pitcher and was the Los Angeles Angels 1st round pick (15th overall) in the 2014 MLB Draft. Ellis, a 3rd round selection by LAA in 2014, is a right-handed power pitcher. These two young arms offer a glimmer of hope for Braves fans in the future.

The move that really solidified the Braves a winner this offseason is the deal that happened just this week. The Atlanta Braves parted ways with former All-Star Shelby Miller, sending him and Gabe Speier to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Ender Inciarte, Aaron Blair, and this years first overall draft pick Dansby Swanson. The Braves got an amazing return for Shelby Miller, who is coming off a good individual season. By selling high on Miller, the Braves were able to get a suitable replacement for Simmons in Swanson, who will be game ready in a few years, and added more depth to their pool of young arms with Blair. Inciarte should be able to see a solid amount of playing time in the outfield this season. These three players could form the base for future success in the Braves organization.

There are still moves to be made by both these teams, especially in the department of moving on from struggling hitters while the market is decent (Ramirez, Sandoval, Freeman). These moves should offer some sense of hope for the future of both franchises. In my opinion, this will be the offseason that will redefine both these franchises. 

Image courtesy of pixabay.com via a Creative Commons License

How The Conviction Of An Oklahoma City Officer Sent A Message

A former Oklahoma City officer, who preyed upon women in the low-income neighborhood he patrolled, has been convicted of sexual assault.

Daniel Holtzclaw was convicted on four counts of first-degree rape and another 14 separate counts. Holtzclaw could spend the rest of his life in prison after the jury recommended 263 years of incarceration

The mother of his youngest accuser, aged 17, said that sexual misconduct is not limited to that department and is a "problem for the nation".

And while I can't speak to the validity of her claim, we can understand how angry this victim's mother was given the gross conduct of the officer and the unraveling story.

This gross conduct included Holtzclaw being charged with 36 counts for incidents occurring between December 2013 and June 2014. Holtzclaw was then convicted of 18 of those counts connected to eight women.

Holtzclaw's case was part of an associated press investigation about officer's sexual misconduct. The yearlong investigation found that nearly 1,000 officers had lost their license for sex crimes or other sexual misconduct during a six year stretch.

The number of actual cases may be higher because not every state has a process for banning officers and the ones that do don't always prosecute the officers for their conduct.

Holtzclaw case began when a woman accused him of forcing her to perform sexual acts on him during a traffic stop. After the initial incident, dozens of accounts began to surfaces about Holtzclaw sexualy assaulting women in the neighborhood he patrolled.

The case turned dark when the 17 year old he sexually assaulted testified during the trial that Holtzclaw raped her on her front porch after following her in his patrol car. This accusation held true when Holtzclaw's DNA was found in the victims pants.

It's absolutely disgusting how deep this case went and the conduct of this officer was inhumane. If we can learn anything from incidents like these, it's that police departments need to get a better control of their officers. Because the public image of officers has became so sour after the incidents in Ferguson, Missouri and the case of Freddie Gray, among others. So this is the last thing that American police forces needed, another inhumane incident when people fail to do their job.

Courtesy of Wikimedia

Washington D.C. Man To Offer Weed Smoking Class

Marijuana was legalized in Washington D.C. last year. Stoners everywhere rejoiced; but what about the straight-edged suburban dad who wanted to try legal marijuana for the first time?

That's why the D.C. School of Mary Jane was created.


















For the price of $100, a man named Ryan will come to your D.C. area residence and teach you how to smoke, eat, or vaporize weed. Ryan will use his current expertise to ensure new users will have a pleasant experience with marijuana, whether it be for medical or recreational use. In an article from Borderstan, Ryan said:

“When I started using marijuana recreationally about six or seven years ago… I didn’t know what I was putting in my body. It took years of traveling the country and abroad, years of experimentation, some of it costly, and not all of it pleasant,” he said. “I want to make a shortcut for people that I didn’t have and sidestep the mistakes that they may make, the unpleasant trips and the misinformation.”

While Ryan's main goal is to properly educate the public, I'm sure he's also happy to be taking advantage of the booming business that is legal marijuana and making money on the side.

Just how big is the legal marijuana business? Last year, Colorado generated approximately $700 million from the selling of regulated and taxed legal marijuana, and the retail market is projected to be worth around $1 billion by 2016. On top of that, crime in Denver is down. And after seeing the  impact legal marijuana has had on Colorado, Canada has been taking big steps towards legalization, and many states are sure to follow the trend.

So if Ryan can get himself just a small cut of a billion dollar industry, he's doing pretty well for himself.

Image courtesy of Aram Vartian via a Creative Commons License.

Pick Em: Week 14 NFL Matchups

Today marks the start of week 14 in the NFL, so here are our writer's picks:

Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals
Thursday 8:25 PM
Aaron: Cardinals by 6
Derek: Cardinals by 14
Tanner: Cards by 8

Game Notes: As much as I love the Vikings they are coming off a bad loss to the Seahawks and I'm not sure they think they can play in Arizona


Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles   

1PM

Aaron: Bills by 4
Derek: Eagles by 3
Tanner: Bills by 10

Game Notes: Despite the Eagles coming off a miracle win over the Patriots that saved Chip Kelly's job, the Bills will pull this one out behind Tyrod Taylor

Seattle Seahawks at Baltimore Ravens

1PM

Aaron: Seahawks by 17
Derek: Seahawks by 21
Tanner: Seahawks by 14

Game Notes: The Ravens just aren't good, they can't produce points and all of their weapons are done for the season. Unless Marc Trestmann can figure something out in the next few days, the Seahawks should win.

San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns

1PM

Aaron: 49ers by 3
Derek: 49ers by 6 in OT
Tanner: Browns by 7

Game Notes: The 49ers seem to be rallying behind their new quarterback Blaine Gabbert, and we see them pulling out another win this week

Detroit Lions at St. Louis Rams

1PM

Aaron: Lions by 4
Derek: Lions by 7
Tanner: Lions by 6

Game Notes:  Lions are hot and the Rams are not. Three weeks ago Todd Gurley was logging yards but now that the Rams get down early they won't be able to utilize the young back.

Tennessee Titans at New York Jets

1PM

Aaron: Jets by 7
Derek: Jets by 13
Tanner: NYJ by 10

Game Notes: The Jets have a punishing defense against one of the worst teams in the league. Easy win for New York here 

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cinncinati Bengals

1PM

Aaron: Steelers by 10
Derek: Steelers by 3
Tanner: Bengals by 7

Game Notes: The Bengals can knock off the hottest offense in football but the key will be to stop Antonio Brown.

Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars 

1PM

Aaron: Colts by 3
Derek: Colts by 10
Tanner: Jags by 7

Game Notes: The Colts have no identity and now Blake Bortles is playing at a high level, especially with his 5 touchdowns passes last week.

San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

1PM

Aaron: Chiefs by 14
Derek: Chiefs by 17
Tanner: Chiefs by 9

Game Notes: Chiefs should knock out the Chargers because of San Diego's awful line and inexperienced receivers.

Washington Redksins at Chicago Bears 

1PM

Aaron: Redskins by 6
Derek: Bears by 7
Tanner: Bears by 6

Game Notes: The Bears can win this if Matt Forte plays like he knows how and Cutler minimizes turnovers.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers 

4:05 PM

Aaron: Panthers by 3
Derek: Panthers by 17
Tanner: Panthers by 14 

Game Notes: The Panthers have a target on their back. If it was 8 weeks ago I would have picked the Falcons here and Dan Quinn as coach of the year. The Falcons just can't contend 

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

1:00 PM

Aaron: New Orleans by 9
Derek: Saints by 13
Tanner:  Bucs by 9

Game Notes: Bucs can win with Jameis and Lovie, and what a better way to stick it to Sean Payton. This season might get Payton canned too.

Oakland Raiders at Denver Broncos 

4:25 PM

Aaron: Broncos by 7

Derek: Raiders by 7
Tanner: Broncos by 14

Game Notes: One word "Oswelier" 

Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

4:25 PM

Aaron: Packers by 20
Derek: Packers by 10
Tanner: Packers by 10

Game Notes: The Boys don't have enough players and Dez Bryant is still clearly injured. It's bad news for the Cowboys.

New England Patriots at Houston Texans 

8:30 PM

Aaron: Patriots by 2

Derek: Texans by 3

Tanner: Patriors by 3

Games Notes: New England can beat the Texans and Vince Wilfork in a reunion but they need to get the offensive revved up. 

New York Giants at Miami Dolphins 

8:30 PM

Aaron: Giants by 6
Derek: Giants by 14
Tanner: NYG by 7

Games Notes: Eli Manning is gonna find a way to pull this one out.

Shocking Twist As Details Emerge In San Bernardino Shooting

Federal authorities are set bring charges against the friend who bought two guns used in the San Bernardino shooting last week by Syed Farook and his wife Tashfeen Mailk.

According to Fox, Enrique Marquez legally purchased the AR-15 rifles that Farook and Malik both used during the shooting to kill 14 people and injure 21 other. Marquez will most likely be indicted after he shared substantial information to authorities regarding Farook and Malik.

Furthermore, those law officials also now have reason to believe that Marquez and Farook's friendship was not a new one. Officials say that Farook and Marquez had planned a shooting in 2012 in Los Angeles, but that never manifested after four others were arrested in a nearby county for an unrelated terror incident.

It is also believed that Marquez purchasing firearms for Farook was not an isolated one-time occurrence as during the abandoned attempt in 2012, Marquez had bought or at least given Farook guns to use. Also for Marquez, it is still unclear what charges he will face but we can expect a charge involving arms dealing and abetting a crime as Marquez supplied the weapons used.

But here's where things got a little twisted. Apparently, Marquez is related to Farook via marriage after wedding the sister-in-law of the gunman's older brother. And his address on his marriage license was the same as one of his family members.

The story continues to unfold as we find out that his brother-in-law Raheel Farook was a medal winning Navy veteran, after receiving the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

If there's one thing we can be sure about it's that this story is far from over. It has been said this investigation is one of the most comprehensive in recent Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) history after conducting over 300 interviews and dispatching a European team. It would not be a surprise to me if the timelines and connections become more clear as time goes on.

Image courtesy of independent.co via Wikimedia

Strike the Pose: A look at the Heisman Hopefuls and Who Wins

With the College Football regular season and conference championship games now in the books, its time to focus on bowl and award season. The top honor for CFB is the Heisman Trophy, per the Heisman Trust Committee's mission statement, is annually awarded to the most outstanding player who's performance best exemplifies the pursuit of excellence and integrity. After all the games have been played, the committee has narrowed down all the potential Heisman winners down to just 3 athletes: Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, and Deshaun Watson. Here is a quick look at each finalist and who I think should receive the hardware.

Lets begin with Derrick Henry, running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Statistically speaking, Henry may hold the best claim to win the Heisman Trophy, posting a nation leading 1,986 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. Henry set the school record for both those categories, while also contributing 10 receptions for 97 yards on the season.

Henry's ability to shoulder the offensive load for Alabama provided them the workhorse needed to grind out a 12-1 regular season and be named the second seed in the College Football Playoffs. It is hard to find a player who contributed more to his teams success than Derrick Henry, who had his fingerprints all over Alabama's overall success. This was most evident during the matchup of the then second ranked LSU Tigers in Tuscaloosa to take on the then fourth ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. Henry's finished that game with 210 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns against the 6th ranked run defense in College Football. That game became the turning point for Henry, and pushed him to the top of the list of Heisman hopefuls.

The next finalist is Stanford sophomore Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is identified as a running back for the Cardinal football team, but he contributed in more ways than just rushing the football. The PAC-12 Player of the Year lead his team in rush yards with 1,640 and 8 rushing touchdowns, while also leading the team in receiving yards with 540 and third on the team with receiving touchdowns with 4. He was also able to threw for 2 touchdowns during the season. McCaffrey wasn't limited to just the offensive side of the football, as he was able to impact the game on special teams as well. McCaffrey became the nations best return man, returning 36 kickoffs for a total of 1, 042 yards and 1 touchdown to go along with 14 punts for 96 yards. McCaffrey's ability to impact the game in multiple ways solidifies his claim as the most outstanding player in College Football.

The defining moment for McCaffrey that potentially pushed him above his competition was the performance during the PAC-12 championship game against the USC Trojans on December 5th. During that game, McCaffrey amassed 207 rush yards on 32 carries and 1 touchdown, 105 receiving yard on 4 catches, and another touchdown while throwing an 11 yard pass for a touchdown. He also had 149 return yards to compile a total of 461 all-purpose yards to set the NCAA single season record at 3,496. This game solidified McCaffrey as one of the most impactful players in the nation, and locked him in as a finalist for the Heisman.

The last finalist is Deshaun Watson, quarterback for the undefeated Clemson Tigers. Watson had a strong Sophomore campaign, completing 287 of his attempted 413 passes for a completion percentage of 69.5% and totaling 3,512 passing yards and 30 touchdowns to go against 11 interceptions. Watson led the Tigers to an undefeated regular season and an ACC championship on their way to the number 1 overall seed for the CFB Playoffs. Watson's ability to lead his team and produce wins has put him in the final Heisman conversation.

As December 12th quickly approaches, discussion over who should receive the Heisman will increase. These three individuals have all compiled enough stats and accolades to be worthy of winning, but only one can enter into this hallowed fraternity. Of this years finalists, it is clear that the votes will fall into two groups: the Henry supporters and the McCaffrey supporters. Watson posted good numbers, and did lead his team to a spotless record, but his performances when it mattered didn't provide the wow factor the other two finalists provided.

I believe that this is a two horse race, with either McCaffrey or Henry winning in the end. If I possessed a vote, I would vote for McCaffrey without hesitation. The impact he had on his team, in two of the three facets of the game, is unequaled and may never be matched. Derrick Henry did produce a record breaking season by rushing the football, but that was all he did on a team that was designed to run the football. Henry's situation seems to be that of a player benefitting from the offensive scheme while McCaffrey was able to produce in multiple capacities. I think McCaffrey should win, but the voters will have a tall glass of SEC Kool-Aid before voting for Derrick Henry and inducting him as the 80th Heisman Trophy winner.
Image courtesy of pixabay.com via a Creative Commons License

Big Booties Are Back!

Sir Mix-A-Lot made “Baby Got Back” in 1992, and apparently the big booty trend is back.

According to Victoria Pitts-Taylor, a Wesleyan University professor,

“They’re finding new territory, new areas of the body to modify.”

The professor’s statement couldn’t be more true. In fact, butt augmentation is becoming a new plastic surgery trend. Dr.Scott Glasberg group data discovered:

“[that] from surveys of 953 doctors, found silicone implants for the rear-end nearly doubled to 1,863 nationwide between 2013 and 2014. A less invasive operation that transplants fat removed from elsewhere on the body, dubbed the Brazilian, rose 15% to more than 11,000 procedures.”

Dr. Constantino Mendieta also backed up the group’s finding by saying,

“that ten years ago butt augmentation was only 10% of his business, but now it’s 95%.”

But what’s funny about this whole big booty trend is that there seems to be no age limit according to Mendieta who added,

“I’m seeing women 17 all the way up to 70… It’s big in the nursing homes…”

While we can’t speak to the validity of that claim, we cannot help but laugh at it. So what does this mean for plastic surgeons all over the United States? It means more business and a larger pay check. However, what about the patient?

Well, a Florida woman spent $10,000 at Mendieta’s practice to get butt augmentation and then she went through a two-month recovery in which she was not allowed to sit down without a pillow and had to have four drains put in. According to the Florida woman, the risk, pain, and the money was worth it to get back a big butt. I am not sure what Sir Mix-a-Lot would say about the new big booty trend besides that he likes big butts, and he cannot lie.

Image via Hollyscoop.

Canadian Caught With 51 Turtles In His Pants Pleads Guilty In Michigan

A Canadian college student, who was caught at a border checkpoint last August with 51 turtles in his pants has plead guilty to six smuggling charges in U.S. District Court in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Kai Xu, a 27 year old college student from Ontario admitted to the attempted smuggling of more 1,600 species of turtles during approximately a four month period. Unfortunately, each of the six charges come with a 10 year prison term attached.

Xu was caught back in August when he crossed the U.S.-Canada border into Detroit. Authorities had staked out and let Xu go about his business dealings but followed his moves. Shortly after cross the border, authorities saw Xu pick up a package at a parcel center, which confirmed their suspicions.

When Xu was on his way back through the Detroit-Windsor tunnel he was picked up by Canadian Border services, who found him in a compromising position as 10 of the turtles were found hidden between his legs.

On the day of his arrest, Xu packed over 1,000 turtles in suitcase and sent them with an employee he had hired to fly them to Shanghai from Detroit.

Since then, U.S. District Judge John Corbett O'Meara has scheduled Xu for hearing on April 12 and Xu has been held in federal custody since his arrest. However, while this case is funny because he put turtles in his pants this highlights a more pressing issue of illegal animal trade.

According to wildlife.org, the illegal animal trade industry is big business that has threatened the conservation of species. In fact in 2011, 23 metric tons (yes tons) was seized of Ivory but now we at least have a small victory on our side.

Image courtesy of pixabay and available via a Creative Commons License

Muslim Jail Camps Imminent for Trump's America

With the growing threat of ISIS, Republican front-runner Donald Trump has spoken out and against the Muslim community, calling for a ban for Muslims entering the United States.

Trump's call for banishment and containment of Muslim's  is similar to interment of the Japanese during WWII, As history is bound to repeat, we need to look back to this event in order to prevent it from happening again.

On February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized Executive Order 9066, which resulted in one of the most shameful and embarrassing times in American history: the relocation and deportation of people of Japanese descent living in the United States--the majority of which were American citizens.

  

According to a document found on trumanlibrary.org, this act of fear and racism put over 100,000 people into internment camps on the West Coast of the United States. And so we can look back into our history to compare what Trump plans are if elected.

Despite this risk of a repeat of history, Trump's poll numbers are increasing with his outlandish statements, and the state of America's morality is called into question. If Americans support the banning of Muslims traveling into the United States, who's to say we wouldn't also support Muslim internment camps? If Americans are going to buy into this fear and racism-driven, Anti-Muslim rhetoric, I fear the day that a leader like Donald Trump is put into power and implements a plan like Executive Order 9066.

The current situation and growing tensions with ISIS are eerily reminiscent of World War II era America. We are discriminating against and isolating an entire group of people; not for legitimate safety concerns, but rather out of racism, discrimination, and fear. As a country, we can not blame an entire group of people for the wrongdoings of the vocal minority. As a matter of fact, buying into this fear-driven rhetoric is playing directly into the hands of ISIS. Who would want to see a divide in the American people more than the hate cult that wishes death upon the West? If we as Americans have this fear--this terror--of the Muslim community, the terrorists have accomplished their mission.

Image courtesy of Gage Skidmore via a Creative Commons License

The Five Teams Leading The Super Bowl Race

Week 13 in the NFL has come and gone, and now its time to take a long look at the scrambled playoff picture and see who's got the inside track to win it all.

According to the 2015 NFL Predictions done by FiveThirtyEight, the New England Patriots remain the best team in the NFL, despite a rough outing versus the Philadelphia Eagles. By the numbers, the Patriots narrowly edged out the Carolina Panthers.

Three weeks ago, the Patriots and Panthers teams were the favorites for the Lombardi Trophy, and according to the numbers, that still reigns true. According to FiveThirtyEight, the Carolina Panthers possess a league leading 21% chance of hoisting the trophy come February, followed by the Patriots at 19% and the Cardinals, Broncos, and Bengals round out the top 5. To give ourselves a better picture of the true contenders, we need to look at conference standings.

At first glance when examining the conference standings, it is easy to identify 5 teams as the aforementioned frontrunners to win the Super Bowl. But while the numbers give merit to these teams claims as the NFL's best, it's still too soon to invest in plane tickets to Santa Clara.

Let us start with the undefeated Carolina Panthers. They have yet to lose a single game this season, but have been a beneficiary of an easy schedule. Their strength of schedule ranks at -3.3, putting them well below the average of 0. While the statistics are distorted slightly by their less than stellar opponents, they should garner some credit for ranking within the top 5 of some crucial statistics. This relaxed regular season schedule could come back to hurt them as they will face other NFC elite come January. 

The New England Patriots find themselves in a precarious situation. After starting the season 10-0, they have dropped their last two match ups and are reeling from a growing list of injuries. Although, this past week saw the return of Danny Amendola, the receiving core continues to struggle. Through all the adversity, the Patriots offense finds a way to produce, placing them within the top 5 of all major offensive statistics despite such injuries and may be a team to watch if and when they get healthy.

Potentially the most explosive offensive team in the NFC are the Arizona Cardinals. They have the best chance at dethroning the Panthers for the NFC crown. As December football heats up, the Cardinals running game should become more prominent. But for them to make a deep run into the playoffs, rookie running back David Johnson will need to continue to make explosive, impactful plays to alleviate the pressure on Carson Palmer and his offense. 

The Denver Broncos have surged for three straight wins thanks to a suffocating defense and a Brock Osweiler led offense. The engine that drives the Bronco's playoff hopes is their defense, and if they can produce in a similar fashion to their first 8 weeks, they should be able to rival New England for the right to play in February. On the offensive side of the ball, a renewed commitment to running the football should help Osweiler find success. 

Lastly is the Cincinnati Bengals. This team continues to prove it is the real deal in terms of all around play. On both sides of the ball, they are able to play at a high enough level to put them in contention to win every time they suit up. A major factor for their success is the general health the team has had this season, and the amount of depth on the 53 man roster. Their offense has looked stale at times, specifically against the Houston Texans defense in week 10, but their ability to deliver knockout blows on offense and absorb shots on defense puts them in the thick of Super Bowl contention. 

No one team holds a substantial advantage over the others when it comes to determining who reigns supreme in the NFL. Of the 5 favorites to win it all, arguably the Panthers and the Patriots hold the best chances to meet in the championship. It is possible for any of these 5 teams, or potentially any of the other 27, to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season. Any given Sunday one of these powerhouses could be taken out, the tables turned, and a new favorite be poised to take home the hardware. For those reasons, we all should wait for January 24th, 2016 before we make plans for Santa Clara.

Image Courtesy of Matt McGee and available via a Creative Commons License

Statistics and Rankings Courtesy of: http://www.pro-football-reference.com

http://www.fbschedules.com/nfl/nfl-playoffs-schedule.php

Trump Calls To End All Muslim Immigration

At a campaign rally on Saturday, Donald Trump called for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States” until the country’s representatives can “figure out what is going on.” But it didn't end when his campaign press released a statement on Monday that upheld Trump's comments.

The statement justified his comments by asserting that the Muslim population living in the United States has a hatred towards us, but provides no basis other than:

“Without looking at the various polling data, it is obvious to anybody the hatred is beyond comprehension,” Trump said a statement. “Where this hatred comes from and why we will have to determine. Until we are able to determine and understand this problem and the dangerous threat it poses, our country cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life. If I win the election for president, we are going to make America great again.”

What's the keyword in this sentence? Without looking at polling data. Trump didn't even take the time to do his research and look at polls. He got a little windbag syndrome and went with it. It's hard to take him seriously if he refuses to do his research. Plus he ends with his let's make America great again.

I ask how would he do this. Trump wants to make America great by ostracizing and eliminating everybody that looks different or has other beliefs as his own, very authoritarian if you asked me. It gets scary though because we still have months until the actual election and Trump isn't even close to finished. Trump's callus character and insensitivity will haunt him come election time, and for good reason.

Watch: Ted Cruz's Pledge To Kill Terrorists In His New Ad

Last week Republican hopeful Ted Cruz (R-Texas) pledged to carpet bomb and destroy Isis if elected, then in an effort to capitalize in early caucuses in Iowa, he released two new campaign ads that tout his leadership ability and defeat ISIS.

In his first advertisement Cruz says:

"If I’m elected to serve as commander in chief, we won’t cower in the face of evil. America will lead," Cruz says in the first 30-second spot, which aired during the Big 10 Conference’s college football championship game Saturday. "We’ll rebuild our military. We’ll kill the terrorists. And every Islamic extremist will know, if you wage jihad against us, you’re signing your death warrant."

It doesn't stop there as Cruz comes back with Steve King (R-Iowa) to offer another extreme view.
In the second video King said:

"For over a year now, my regular prayer has been that God would raise up a leader whom he will use to restore the soul of America," says King, who last month endorsed the Texas senator. "One of them has been standing at my side time after time, and it was Senator Ted Cruz."

The funny thing isn't Cruz's pledge but his choice of radical extremist Steve King as his counterpart as King once said about gay marriage:

"For over a year now, my regular prayer has been that God would raise up a leader whom he will use to restore the soul of America," says King, who last month endorsed the Texas senator. "One of them has been standing at my side time after time, and it was Senator Ted Cruz."

What began as a pledge to kill terrorists turned into Ted Cruz's failed attempt to make himself look good because he used another fellow Conservative in Steve King. It's laughable to watch Cruz make a fool of himself in the eyes of intellectuals as he is yet another Republican thinking that if you bomb someone all the problems goes away. But we never said Cruz was logical.

11 Most EPIC Ted Cruz Campaign Slogans

Ted Cruz announced his bid for the 2016 nomination for president. The born in Canada and reinvented hard right Christian representing Texas will definitely be a first for his party. However, we all know the real reason why we are here is for the campaign slogans. Here’s my favorite Ted Cruz campaign slogans.

#TedCruzCampaignSlogans Sign up for my newsletter & receive a tin foil hat as a thank you gift.

— esd2000 (@esd2000) March 24, 2015

Why settle for oblivious when you can have dangerously unhinged? #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— James Crawford (@JCrawfordMusic) March 24, 2015

'Your Direct Line To God - #Cruz2016 #TedCruzCampaignSlogans pic.twitter.com/6606yyGflL

— The Right is Wrong (@therightswrong) March 24, 2015

"Global warming? My freezer still makes ice cubes. Riddle me that, Scientists." #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— JMA (@J_Nole22) March 23, 2015

"We're not doomed to repeat history, because I'll get rid of that in schools right after science." #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— Johnny McNulty (@JohnnyMcNulty) March 23, 2015

Immigration: Worked For me, But That's Where It Needs To End #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— Sarah Wood (@SarahWoodwriter) March 23, 2015

#TedCruzCampaignSlogans "I promise to get rid of ALL insurance for kids! That's what Jesus would do!" #UniteBlue pic.twitter.com/b1Kt70xuBY

— Jackie (@LiberalMmama) March 23, 2015

I've renounced my Cuban heritage, my Canadian citizenship and my sanity. Ted Cruz is a man of flexible values! #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— Robert Crawford (@jurassicpork59) March 23, 2015

I do not like the poor right there I do not like them anywhere #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— JustJanis (@jsavite) March 23, 2015

No Straight White Male Left Behind #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) March 23, 2015

"Vote for me, because no one should infringe on your right to infringe on someone else's rights." #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— R.J. Aguiar (@rj4gui4r) March 24, 2015

While we can’t predict what Ted Cruz’s campaign slogan will be or whether he will make it past the primaries, we do know it will be a very interesting ride. I look forward to the next year and all the Ted Cruz jokes. If I can leave with one last?Ted Cruz campaign slogan:

God First, America Last

Pick Em: Week 13 NFL Matchups

Yesterday marked the start of week 13 in the NFL and began the real playoff push for some. So in honor of week 13, here's our writing staff's prediction for this week's NFL games.

New York Jets at New York Giants  

1PM

Aaron: New York Giants by 2
Derek: New York Giants by 14
Tanner: New York Giants by 3

Game Notes: The New York Jets secondary is depleted and already had a poor matchup vs the New York Giants. Now without Darrelle Revis the Giants have an Odell Beckham Jr have an opportunity to take this game.

Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams

1PM

Aaron: Arizona Cardinals by 8
Derek: St. Louis Rams by 3
Tanner: Arizona Cardinals by 7

Game Notes: The St. Louis Rams have had quarterback problems all year and now they are back to Nick Foles. While it might be the most fearful front seven in the league look for Carson Palmer and David Johnson to take advantage.

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1PM

Aaron: Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 16
Derek: Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 6 in OT
Tanner: Atlanta Falcons by 3

Game Notes: Lovie Smith and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Falcons. With Doug Martin having a revitalizing season and the Falcons losers of 5-6, the dirty birds are going to have to wait another week.

Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings

1PM

Aaron: Minnesota Vikings by 10
Derek: Minnesota Vikings by 13
Tanner: Seattle Seahawks by 7

Game Notes: At 8-3 the Minnesota Vikings are showing flashes of the 2009 team. Once again led by leading rusher Adrian Peterson the Vikings should give the Seahawks more than they can handle.

San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears

1PM

Aaron: Chicago Bears by 4
Derek: San Francisco 49ers by 3
Tanner: Chicago Bears by 14

Game Notes: Jay Cutler has thrown 4 touchdowns and 1 interception the last three gamse and with Matt Forte back and newcomer Jeremy Langford emerging., the Bears should put the final nail in the coffin on Jim Tomsula's 49ers

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans

1PM

Aaron: Tennessee Titans by 5
Derek: Jacksonville Jaguars by 2 points
Tanner: Jacksonville Jaguars by 7

Game Notes: Blake Bortles is enjoying a nice sophomore season with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions ans the Jacksonville Jaguars young bodies of 25 or younger should lead this team to another victory.

Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins

1PM

Aaron: Miami Dolphins
Derek: Miami Dolphins
Tanner: Miami Dolphins

Game Notes: Bill Lazor is gone and now Ryan Tannehill is leading the Miami Dolphins offense. There might be some upside here to Lamar Miller as after they fired Joe Philbin, Miller went for 113 yards and 1 touchdown.

Houston Texans at Buffalo Bills

1PM

Aaron: Houston Texans by 17
Derek: Houston Texans by 9
Tanner: Houston Texans by 7

Game Notes: After the Houston Texans started off 2-5, the defense quickly rebounded and has only allowed 8.75 points per game and now the team looks to continue their success.

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns

1PM

Aaron: Cincinnati Bengals by 36
Derek: Cincinnati Bengals by 24
Tanner: Cincinnati Bengals by 14

Game Notes: The Cleveland Browns have been rebuilding since 1999, we think that says it all.

Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders 

4:05 PM

Aaron: Kansas City by 6
Derek: Oakland Raiders by 3
Tanner: Kansas City Chiefs by 7

Game Notes: After starting off 1-5, the Kansas City defense has become stifling only allowing 12.8 points per game over the last five weeks. Also with Alex Smith being ultra efficient, having not thrown an interception since week 3 the Chiefs should win this game.

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

4:05 PM

Aaron: San Diego by 3 in OT
Derek: Denver Broncos by 7
Tanner:  Denver Broncos by 7

Game Notes: With Brock behind center and a better fit for Gary Kubiak's system, the Denver Broncos should have this game in hand. Also, with the weak play of the San Diego Chargers line, Phillip Rivers should have a hard time finding any success.

Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots

4:25 PM

Aaron: New England Patriots by 23

Derek: New England Patriots by 35
Tanner: New England Patriots by 14

Game Notes: Despite missing Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots are returning to health. The bad news for the Philadelphia Eagles is their poor secondary play is easily going to cost them this game. Tom Brady has thrown 28 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and the Patriots are in good place to rebound after Denver.

Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints

4:25 PM

Aaron: Carolina Panthers by 21
Derek: New Orleans Saints by 2
Tanner: Carolina Panthers by 7

Game Notes: The Carolina Panthers are led by the best defense in the league and Cam Newton is play at high level without a number one receiver. There should be no way that the Panthers blemish their undefeated record at the hands of the 4-7 Saints.

Indianapolis Colts at Pittsburgh Steelers  

8:30 PM

Aaron: Pittsburgh Steelers by 17

Derek: Pittsburgh Steelers by 17

Tanner: Pittsburgh Steelers by 14

Games Notes: Big Ben is playing at a torrent pace, and has quietly amassed 2,343 passing yards and 11 touchdowns in 7 games this season.

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

8:30 PM

Aaron: Washington by 12
Derek: Washington by 9
Tanner:Washington by 7

Games Notes: The Cowboys aren't very good so we give our money to the Washington Redskins.

That's all for this week folks. We'll come back on Tuesday and tip our cap to the winning analyst.