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Atlanta Falcons Week 3 Indepth NFL Review

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Atlanta Falcons Week 3 Indepth nfl vs cowboys 2015Atlanta Falcons Week 3 Indepth nfl vs cowboys 2015Comprehensive Weekly Atlanta Falcons Recap

Atlanta Falcons 39   Dallas Cowboys 28

I had to make sure Troy Aikman was in the booth and not wearing #3 for Dallas. Brandon Weeden came out like a champ as he filled in for the injured Tony Romo. He completed his first nine passes with his Aikman impression, putting Atlanta on the ropes early. It certainly helped the backup that his running game was gashing the Falcons for big chunks on each and every play.

Dallas opened up the game with a long drive that took just over a minute behind the rushing of Joseph Randle. 7-0 before fans got seated good

The Boys added another score to make it 14 nothing early in this one.

It was setting up to be a long ass day for me and the Falcons. They were fortunate to get on the board in the first quarter after Matt Ryan kept tossing bad balls in the direction of Cowboy defenders. Atlanta eventually found the end zone and kept it close at 14-7.

I had a feeling they would need to score on each and every possession if they were going to keep pace with the Cowboys who were running at will on the supposedly improved Atlanta defense. The ATL had not had to deal with an O-line like the one Dallas brought to the table however.

Weeden kept putting the ball in the hands of his backs and Dallas once again scored to make it 21-7 with a McFadden TD.

Willie Moe gave the Birds some hope with a pick of Weeden in Dallas territory to set up Ryan and co. Finally on third and goal, Devonta Freeman stuck it it for six. Freeman had the best first half of his young career as he was the lone workhorse left in the backfield with Coleman hurt last week.

Without William Moore’s pick, this game may have been over at the half. Instead it was 21-14 after Freeman’s score.

Dallas continued imposing their will with their massive offensive line and short passes by Weeden. They added another TD before halftime to go up 28-14 with Randle taking it in for another six points.

Atlanta needed just 40 seconds to drive downfield and get a FG right before the half. Freeman’s run after a short pass set up Bryant to make it 28-17 Cowboys at the break.

Dallas fans should have really soaked in the glory of that first half. Maybe Dan Quinn ran a highlight reel of Zig Ziglar during halftime, or told his team how their kids would be going to public school if they kept playing like garbage. Whatever the Falcons’ coach told his guys, it worked.

Atlanta would shutout the Dallas offense the entire second half. Not even a field goal!

Julio Jones got stronger as the game went on, scoring on a 45 yard catch to close in at 28-25 with the two point conversion.

The Falcons defense held Dallas on the next series despite the home team getting a first down on a penalty. Once the Falcons had the ball back they marched down the field with the o-line opening up huge holes for Freeman, ending the drive with a go ahead TD. Birds up 32-28.

In years past we Falcons fans would have fully expected the ATL to let Dallas comeback, journeyman QB and all, to rip our hearts right out. This 2015 version looks to be a different animal though under the leadership of Dan Quinn.

Atlanta marched down the field with a six minute drive that finished off the Boys with Julio Jones providing the final coffin nail with a short TD catch. 39-28, Falcons win, thanks for coming.

Game Highlights:



3 Things:

  • Devonta Freeman proved he belongs in the NFL. Maybe this is an aberration, but he powered his way to a career day. He was seeking contact as the game wore on, making Dallas defenders cry uncle eventually. He still does not seem quick enough on cuts, but he got the job done today with the opportunity to carry the load at running back.
  • Forcing the ball to Julio Jones is fine by me. He had a slow start, but the Falcons kept targeting him (20 times). He finished the game with 12 catches for 164 big yards and two key scores.
  • This Falcons defense has that stinging feeling in the back of their necks. Yep it’s pride. Most defenses would have folded after getting bullied for the entire first half. This crew came out in the second half to shut down the Cowboys offense completely.

Lowlight of Game: Atlanta’s defense giving up 20 first downs on Dallas’ first 30 plays.

Pleasant surprise: Duh, Devonta Freeman. 3 TDs and 141 yards.

Tweets of the Game:

Happy birthday Mr. Blank:

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but….

That’s how you finish a game off

Keep lying to yourself Jerry. Weeden only connected to one wide receiver in this game despite his shiny numbers.

I saw a tip on getting Freeman as a value fantasy pick…along with 20 other guys. What to do?

A Closer Look At Pope Francis: For the Record

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a closer look at pope francis 2015 imagesWith all the excitement about Pope Francis’ recent visit to the United States, it has left people feeling all kinds of ways. There are those who adore him and made it a point to follow the media’s coverage of his visit closely. There are those who absolutely love him and even drove 13, 000 miles to see him speak here in America. Then there are those like me who have a limited knowledge of Catholicism and who, if I’m being honest, thought the highlight of last week was seeing Michelle Obama in her Vera Wang dress at the state dinner.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any ill will or negativity toward people who were overwhelmed (in a good way) by his visit or words, I was just raised differently, which in no way translates into being raised better. I am, nonetheless, fascinated with Pope Francis celebrity and how he is able to unite people who don’t even believe as he does, or in God for that matter, on common grounds on usually very touchy issues. I mean hell, I actually woke up one morning last week and had a notification on Facebook about a picture that someone I have never heard of nor am I friends with posted of the Pope and President Obama laughing and have no idea how or why I was notified about it. I was not tagged in the picture or anything and so I concluded that because it was of the Pope, I and probably many others, got these notifications.

This and a host of other things made me wonder about the appeal of the Pope. I marvel at his ability to affect people, change minds and touch even those that seem untouchable. I mean John Boehner resigned from Congress and I don’t care what anyone says. Damn it it’s because of the Pope.

Wanting to understand more about Pope Francis I figured that it has to be his stand on certain issues that garners his appeal. All the things that I’ve ever heard about him led me to believe that his is extremely progressive even on the racy issues and that he is a far cry from Popes in the past. I remember hearing about him and thinking to myself, “huh, a man of God… a Pope that is okay with gay marriage… who would have thunk it.”

It was brought to my attention, nonetheless, that he is not “for gay marriage” and actually believes, according to a 2013 speech, that the preservation of the institution of marriage between a man and woman is the right way or the important way not for political purposes but because of “human ecology” among other things.

This comment and others about pressing issues including the hot topics of abortion and climate change is clear cut and not so progressive so why in the world, I thought to myself, did I think he felt differently? The major reason for my personal disconnect in what the Pope believes and what I perceived to be the case is because I am not Catholic, but also, it’s in the way he communicates his beliefs. He does it in such a way that you understand how and why he sees things the way in which he does. Which, amazingly, even makes people who don’t believe in God or believe in his way of thinking still laud, support and revere him.

Pope Francis has become a symbol of great unity in the global community and it amazes me. Perhaps all Popes have done exactly what he has, but remember, the only Catholic experience I’ve ever had is going to a Christmas mass in Los Angeles in 2006 and stepping out of line during communion because everyone was drinking from the same challis.

The real appeal of the Pope for non believers and non Catholics is more than likely the regard and compassion he shows for others in his dissention on the burning topics of homosexuality, gay marriage, abortion and so forth. It is the fact that yes, he does believe in capitalism, but in it’s pure form. You know where the economic system in not a means to prioritize money over people in order to get ahead and that Reaganism was truly a messed up theory.

That kind of thinking doesn’t make him popular with the likes of republicans and conservatives, who may regret pushing so hard for him to speak to the Congress since he touched so unfavorably on party issues. But that is okay, because we need leaders who are not afraid to stand for what they believe in and also show compassion for those with opposing views.

Pope Francis is a rock star who really does have the power to change the world whether you agree with all of his beliefs or not.

MAZE RUNNER: THE SCORCH TRIALS Holds Up Okay Review

maze runner scorch trials review images 2015People have a lot to say about the second installment of the Maze Runner movie franchise. Some of it has been good and some not so good. With all things considered and the direction it seems the series is heading, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is not a bad movie.

It starts off with intense scenes and a lot of action. We see the lead character Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brian, continuing his leadership role with the group of immunes who join a whole bunch of others just like them. They are taken to a compound in a dramatic escape from what we see to be… zombies. Yep. Zombies. But these zombies are different from what we have seen on say The Walking Dead or similar shows. They are running, incredibly scary fast zombies.

Once inside the compound it gets really interesting. The actual unfolding of the story brings a good amount of understanding to what happened in the first film and why these kids are so sought after. The writer also does a great job at making it seem like they have found a safe haven for all the messed up stuff they went through in the maze. Janson, played by Game of Thrones’ Aidan Gillen, who is head of security greets the kids and claims to be the person that rescued them AND the person who will help them, but what we find out is way more sinister than he lets on.

The movie does a great job at keeping your attention and it makes you think. From the beginning, you get an idea that the journey the characters are about to embark on will leave some of them dead, which does happen, but I won’t spoil it for you.

Perhaps the most exciting and frightening scene is the one where the group escapes, which yes that is a spoiler but a small one because come on, you know they escape. They happen upon an abandoned mall or some kind of large facility and what they find are signs of life. Minho (Ki Hong Lee) flips a switch and all hell breaks loose. We see the zombies again and get a closer look. This part of the movie is particularly creepy because these things, as mentioned above, are very fast. But they also have this over grown, bedbug looking monster in their mouths. The crew is chased every which a way in the complex and then finally find a hiding place. Daybreak comes and the monsters obviously can’t be out in the sun, or that’s what I gathered from the fact that they were not out in the morning but could be heard moaning.

Now a lot of people may be disappointed in the plot or the unfolding of the story but I was entertained for the most part. I was more intrigued by the cinematography of the movie. The set up of the shots, the grandeur of the background are all very appealing and adds perfectly to the thematic element of suspense. I mean, running in sand is hard enough so running up a mountain of sand with a backpack full of stuff in the desert is unimaginable to me.

Aside from the main characters, there are some new ones that have memorable moments. Gianacarlo Esposito (Gus from Breaking Bad among other things) steals the show. He always steals his scenes in every movie. He is entertaining to watch because he’s just so damn good at what he does.

With that, I have not read the books and in fact, I hadn’t heard of the books before watching the movies. Coming from that perspective, it is a satisfying, thriller. It does, however, have a totally different vibe from the first movie. And perhaps the thing that may be causing the negative feedback is that at one point in time, it did feel like a zombie movie, and the first one did not. In this movie they did not go through a maze and that was a central premise of the first one. Therein lies my only “gripe.” Maze Runner and Maze Runner Scorch Trails feel like two totally different movies.

If you are looking to be entertained and like all the twists, and questions that come along with a movie, then this is one you will more than likely really enjoy. If you are looking for more parallels between the two movies, there is a chance you will not feel this one so much.

I give it a B

Film Review: ‘Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials’

Reviewed at 20th Century Fox Studios, Los Angeles, Sept. 4, 2015. MPAA rating: PG-13. Running time:131 MIN.

PRODUCTION: A 20th Century Fox release of a Gotham Group/Temple Hill Entertainment production. Produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Lee Stollman, Joe Hartwick Jr.

CREW: Directed by Wes Ball. Screenplay, T.S. Nowlin, based on the novel “The Scorch Trials” by James Dashner. Camera (color), Gyula Pados; editor, Don Zimmerman; music, John Paesano; production designer, Daniel T. Dorrance; costume designer, Sanja Milkovic Hays; art director, Andrew Max Cahn; sound, Paul Ledford; re-recording mixers, Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill; visual effects, Richard E. Hollander; assistant director, Justin Muller; casting, Denise Chamian.

WITH: Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Aidan Gillen, Barry Pepper, Rosa Salazar, Lili Taylor, Patricia Clarkson, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Alexander Flores, Jacob Lofland.

Zayn Malik Strips It Down For Fans & Kim Zolciak Strokes On

kim zolciak dancing with stars mini stroke 2015 gossipLast Wednesday, former Real Housewives of Atlanta star suffered a mini stroke after flying back from performing on Dancing with the Stars. After several procedures in the hospital, the 37-year-old finally announced today that she has returned home.

It was revealed that Kim had suffered a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack), which is referred to as a mini stroke and often lasts several minutes. It happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted. While TIAs are not necessarily life threatening, one third of those who suffer a TIA are likely to suffer a full-on stroke later in life.

Zolciak explained the attack saying she felt numb on one side of her body and was unable to speak. Therefore, she was quickly rushed to the hospital.

Today, in a statement to E! News Kim said, “I want to thank everyone for their love and support over the past few days. I am now home with my family, resting and taking care of my health.”

Kim went on to say that she is still hopeful for her return to Dancing with the Stars, explaining, “I can’t express enough how much I love dancing and this whole experience, and I hope this will not be the end of dancing.

Dancing with the Stars’ network ABC has yet to comment on whether or not Kim will be returning to the show.

zayn malik strips it down for fans 2015 gossipZayn Malik has once again made One “Directioners” go crazy.

Late on Saturday, the former One Direction singer posted a shirtless picture of himself, cuddling up to a mysterious blonde woman. This picture comes just over a month after he announced his split with his fiancée, Perrie Edwards of Little Mix.

Zayn Malik, Instagram post:

https://instagram.com/p/8HLOzaJqdT/

Since the picture is not captioned, nor does it contain any tags, fans were doing their best to guess who the mystery blonde was. Initially, fans were speculating that she is Gage Golightly, of the MTV series Teen Wolf. However, this speculation was quickly shot down when Gage took to Instagram to post a photo that read, “Hi everyone, just want to clarify that I am not the girl in the photo with Zayn Malik. But what a lucky girl! Love ya’ll – Gage”

Gage Golightly, Instagram post:

A post shared by Gage Golightly (@gagegolightly) on

Since Zayn and Perrie’s breakup, both stars have remained relatively private about the situation. Although Zayn did tweet a post saying, “You can’t do enough for some people, I guess,” which many assumed was aimed at his ex.

Zayn Malik, Twitter post:

A source tells E! News that Perrie is doing well since the split, explaining, “[Perrie’s] friends are rallying around her. She’s doing fine. Her close friends have told her she’s better off without [Zayn]. He hasn’t treated her right for a long time.”

Fetty Wap Recovering & Kaley Cuoco Ready For Next Big Bang

Rapper Fetty Wap is reportedly at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, as he recovers from injuries resulting from a motorcycle accident.

Yesterday, the 25-year-old rapper was celebrating the release of his self-titled debut album. However, his celebratory weekend took a turn when earlier today he collided with a car while riding his motorcycle.

While his injuries are not considered life-threatening, he is in trouble with law enforcers, as he was unable to produce a proper license, registration and insurance for his motorcycle. He was ticketed before being sent to the hospital.

TMZ released a picture of the musician showing him wearing a cast on his left arm and leg, as he received medical attention from doctors.

Shortly after the story broke, fans took to social media to send their best wishes and even had the hash tag #PrayersforFetty trending.

Since the accident, Fetty’s close friend DJ Louie Styles tweeted an update on the situation and the rappers condition, saying, “God bless, he’s ok.” Adding, “wap is Gucci everybody thank you for your prayers #Amen”

DJ Louie Styles, Twitter post:

kaley cuoco splits with ryan sweeting 2015 gossip

News broke yesterday that The Big Bang Theory star Kaley Cuoco and her tennis player husband Ryan Sweeting are getting a divorce. The two have been married for less than two years, after dating for just three months.

Kaley’s rep explained:

“Kaley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting have mutually decided to end their marriage. They ask for privacy at this time. No further statement will be issued regarding this matter.”

This surprised many as just a few months earlier the 29-year-old actress took to Instagram to slam “rocky relationship” rumors between her and Ryan. Kaley explained, “So all of you who take it upon yourselves to trash our marriage, daily workings of our relationship and everything in between, go ahead and keep doing it, cause it only makes us stronger – if you were smart, you would take a look at your own marriage, relationship, job, etc, instead of focusing on someone else’s. You might be surprised at what you find. “You know my name, not my story.”

Kaley has since deleted the Instagram post defending her and Ryan’s relationship from April.

However, she was spotted in a new Instagram picture today, showing her with a friend and horse, but more importantly a ring-free hand. Just a day after the divorce announcement, and it seems that the young actress is ready to move on to the next chapter of her life.

Normancook, Instagram picture:

https://instagram.com/p/8GS9ETOWQI/

Sources were coming out of the woodwork before this the split was announced mentioning how when the two were out, the ‘tension was noticieable’. “You could tell the honeymoon phase had ended.

“It seemed they were trying to work out their marriage by going on dates, but they both seemed miserable.”

“Kaley and Ryan seem to have totally different personalities,” the source says. “Kaley is extremely focused and high-energy. She seems to always be working. On her off time, she also keeps very busy.

But “over the summer, Ryan spent a lot of time at home,” the source says. “He has been struggling with injuries and barely practiced tennis. He has acted very down.”

This definitely won’t be helping his mood out any.

Aaron Hernadez Lawyers Search For Juror

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aaaron hernandez lawyers looking for juror 2015 nflOf course, there’s been another strange twist to the Aaron Hernandez case as an anonymous person who is claiming to have served on the jury for the former New England Patriots tight end, that other jurors improperly discussed the case. This was done in an online survey, Hernandez’s lawyers have stated in a recent court filing.

Attorneys for Aaron Hernandez are seeking a judge’s permission to track down a potential juror in the case, who wrote in a questionnaire that panelists violated legal protocol by discussing the former NFL star prior to the opening of final deliberations.

“Even though we weren’t supposed to talk about things with others, I find it humorous now that nobody knows we did talk amongst ourselves and you still believed we didn’t,” the Boston Herald reports the person wrote.

“What you don’t know doesn’t hurt you after we convicted him (: too trustworthy you people are,” the potential juror added, according to court records. “I hope you pick us again so we can do it again to anither (sic) thug.”‘

The person also wrote that the witnesses who testified were “very boring I’m glad we convicted him.”

The 25-year-old Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2013 execution-style slaying of former associate Odin Lloyd and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He is currently being held at the Souza-Baranowski maximum security prison.

The latest development marks the second time since the former New England Patriots tight end was convicted that members of his high-powered legal team have challenged the integrity of the jury that found him guilty.

Previously, representatives for Hernandez requested that Judge E. Susan Garsh order an investigation into a phone call attorney James Sultan received from a woman last spring. The caller alleged that jurors had been less than truthful throughout the jury selection process.

As for the latest episode, defense attorney Charles Rankin has requested that the court grant him the power to subpoena records that would identify the subscriber of the IP address from which the survey was submitted. This would allow Rankin to determine if that person actually served among the jurors that convicted his client.

Hernandez’s legal team has also expressed interest in further probing other survey responses in order to determine if they might have additional legal grounds to challenge the conviction of the former NFL star.

Hernandez also faces an upcoming double murder trial stemming from the 2012 drive-by killings of Safiro Furtado and Daniel de Abreu outside a downtown Boston nightclub in 2012.

KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS 1015 Mother Kim

keeping up with the kardashians 1015 mother kim cropThis week was episode 15 season 10 “It Feels Good to be Home” of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The episode continues with showing Kim and Khloe’s trip to Armenia, including Kanye giving a surprise performance (which made international headlines at the time). As well as continuing to show certain family members struggling with Caitlyn’s transition.

The episode begun with showing Khloe, Kim, Kanye and North touring some historical landmarks in Armenia. Before they head off to Jerusalem to get North baptized, Kanye decides to perform a free concert in one of Armenia’s town squares. The concert brings out thousands of Armenian fans and eventually gets shut down as the crowds get out of hand. Unfortunately, the next morning Khloe finds out about the huge event and is frustrated that Kim didn’t invite her to see Kanye perform.

In Jerusalem, Kim, Kanye and Khloe take North to get baptized at the Armenian church. In an intimate ceremony, North gets baptized, while Kim expresses how grateful she is for being able to do this while being pregnant with another child.

Meanwhile, back in Los Angeles, Kris goes over to Kourtney’s house and tries to convince her to let her take her piano. Kris wants the piano, as she has decided to take up piano lessons in order to focus on something positive and get her mind off of the overwhelming emotions she has been feeling since Caitlyn decided to transition.

The gang gets back for Armenia. Shortly after, Khloe heads over to Kendall’s condo and talks to her about the upcoming premiere of the About Bruce special which was coming up. Khloe explains that the whole family is anxious about the special as all of their emotions were “very raw” in it. Kendall claims she is “alright” and has been focusing on her career, however she has yet to meet Caitlyn. Kendall explains she has been hesitant to meeting her because this would signify that Bruce is really gone.

Later in the episode, Kim invites Khloe and Kris to join her at one of Kanye’s concerts. Kim wants Kris to be able to “be in the moment” and have fun, since she has been in a rut for the past while. Unfortunately, Kris isn’t in the mood and is clearly not having a fun time like Khloe and Kim. She reveals she would much rather be “in [her] pajamas and be in bed by [herself].”

The episode also showcases the day of the Billboard Music Awards (which is on the same day as the premiere of the About Bruce special). Unfortunately, Kendall is on the red carpet representing Balmain for H&M, leaving Kylie to fend for herself. The pressure gets to Kylie and she finds herself unable to give any interviews since she is alone and none of her sisters are there to relieve the pressure.

Following the Billboard Awards, Kylie tells Kim that she is disappointed that Kendall wasn’t able to be there for her on the red carpet. Kim agrees, stating, “You were literally by yourself.”

Towards the end of the episode, we see all of the sisters (Khloe, Kim, Kourtney, Kendall and Kylie) and Kris Jenner at their cover shoot for Cosmopolitan magazine. The clan is being featured for the 50th anniversary cover of the magazine. However, Kris gets some of the contractual obligations Kendall already has messed up and therefore has to compromise with the crew at Cosmopolitan to try and sort out a way to allow Kendall to be part of the shoot (they end up limiting the distribution of the shots with Kendall in them). Khloe notes that it is “not like [Kris]” to mess up when it comes to bookings like this., implying that the Caitlyn situation continues to really impact her.

After the shoot, Kylie finally has a chance to sit down with Kendall and address the whole Billboard Awards situation. Kylie tells her how she felt let down and Kendall quickly agrees and says she needs to realize that although Kylie is independent she is still her younger sister.

The episode ends with Kim going over to Caitlyn’s house to get some of Bruce’s old clothes that she was throwing out. Kim thinks it will help bring closure to everyone to have some of Bruce’s things to hold onto. As Kim shows Kris the clothing she picked up, Kris breaks down as she reminisces on all the memories that the different articles of clothing bring back.

You can check out next week’s episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians on Sunday, October 4 at 8e/5p on E!

Sneak Peek:

Next week’s episode features the family’s initial reaction to Caitlyn’s Vanity Fair article, Kim confronting Caitlyn and Khloe potentially running into her ex-husband Lamar Odom.

LAW & ORDER SVU 1701 Devil’s Dissections Recap

law order svu devils dissections recap 2015 imagesOn this week’s season premiere of “Law & Order: SVU,” a body was pulled out of the water and the team discussed that it was the tenth person that could have been killed by one criminal. The autopsy determined the skull was fractured and the woman was cut into by someone with surgical training. Yates, the man they suspected of the murder, was brought in for questioning and told Rollins someone was framing him.

Benson and Sonny went to the home of the supposed murder victim and saw that she was alive and well. The woman then said that her twin sister Rachel must have been the murder victim they were thinking of. Her sister said she couldn’t talk to Rachael because the sister’s husband didn’t want her to. The sister went to the morgue and identified Rachel’s body for the medical examiner.

Finn and Sonny saw security tapes of the woman Rachel was last seen with. Rollins said Yates wanted to talk to her again. Benson sent Finn with Rollins to talk to him. Information that they got from Yates sent them to Harlem for further investigation. They determined Yates might be lying to Rollins. At a house in Harlem they found a picture of one of Yates’s suspected victims. They also found a suitcase in the home’s fireplace. Inside the suitcase was a mummy.

The medical examiner inspected the body they found in the suitcase and determined she was a white female in her mid-20s. He said she was probably mummified for more than a decade. The DA pointed out that since Yates knew where the body was he must have killed the woman. Benson, Sonny and Rollins went to talk to Yates’s fiancée after she left following a conjugal visit. She identified a girl named Lena that she and Yates were friends with. She accused a city deputy of committing the murder of the mummified body found.

Yates’s fiancé said that Lena told her that if something ever happened to Lena her boyfriend Carl would have been the one to kill her. They realized that the mummified body was probably Lena and that Yates’s aunt had lived in the house where they found the mummified body. They determined the mummified body that the male medical examiner dealt with. The male ME, Dr. Rudnik, had been Lena’s boyfriend Carl.

Benson called Dr. Rudnik in for questioning. She showed him Lena’s autopsy pictures. Dr. Rudnik admitted he went to medical school with Yates. He said Yates killed Lena just to hurt him. Once Dr. Rudnik realized he was a suspect in her death he insisted on calling his lawyer. Dr. Rudnick’s lawyer told Benson he wouldn’t talk to the police or the DA anymore. Benson then arrested him for Rachel and Lena’s murders.

PARANORMAL WITNESS 405: Poppy’s Revenge Recap

paranormal witness poppys revenge recap 2015Angry grandfathers are the subject of this episode of Paranormal Witness, “Poppy’s Revenge,”  which tells the story of Deborah and her sister Leora moving in with their grandfather after they lost their mom and were forced to live in a trailer. When their grandfather passed away Deborah continued to live in his house. Deborah, who her grandfather called Debbie, came home to see a note made out to her directing her towards the shed on her grandfather’s property.

Debbie flashed back to turning 16 and getting her own car that her grandfather bought for her. She said that in exchange her grandfather made her get good grades, remain proper and avoid dating. Leora said that their grandfather was very loving but very strict. If a boy came to the door to see Debbie he would not be allowed in the house and she would not be allowed to leave it.

At the age of 18, Debbie graduated from high school and got a job on radio. Since the radio station was so far from where she lived with her grandfather, Debbie wanted to move. He tried to tell her she couldn’t move out, but she insisted. Her grandfather didn’t talk to her for two months after she moved out.

When Leora called her to tell her their grandfather was being taken to the hospital Debbie made the drive there. Her grandfather told her she never came home and those were his last words to her.

After their grandfather passed away Debbie moved back into his house.  As she was cleaning the house she turned pictures of her grandfather around so they were facing away from her. One night she heard the back door of the house opening and thought it was Leora coming home. She went into the kitchen and found the door open but no on there, so she left the porch light on overnight.

The next morning she was out in the yard and went to go back in the house. An older man was standing inside out it and he ran out of the house and chased her. While Debbie was being chased she fell and the man grabbed her. Then she woke up and realized she had a nightmare.

Leora came over the house one morning for breakfast. She turned on the radio in the living room and then they went into the kitchen to eat. Suddenly the radio station they had on was playing nothing but static. Then the static went away and their grandfather’s favorite radio station came on. The pictures of their grandfather were now turned back around so they could be seen.

Leora introduced Debbie to a find of hers named Dave, hoping it would help Debbie cope. A week later Davie and Debbie were at home in her grandfather’s house, sitting on the couch watching TV. The lights in the living room began to flicker, making Debbie uncomfortable. Then the phone rang and Debbie answered it. There was no one on the other hand and all she heard was static, so she hung up. Then the phone rang again and she answered to hear static again. Dave said he thought Debbie was getting calls from another guy. The third time she answered the phone she heard heavy breathing and whispering coming over the line. She was convinced her grandfather was haunting her because he didn’t want her bringing men in the house or dating anyone. Dave left and Debbie went to bed. She had the nightmare of being chased again and the man in her nightmare was wearing what was her grandfather’s work uniform. Debbie woke up and heard music playing. She went into the living room and approached the recliner that had been her grandfather’s. The radio was tuned to his favorite radio station. Debbie told Leora about the nightmare she had. Leora told Debbie she had the same one.

Debbie and Leora’s sister Penny came to the house to keep Debbie company for a few days. With Penny there, Debbie fell asleep on the couch, watching TV. When she woke up in the middle of the night she smelled smoke and saw a fire. The fire was coming from upstairs where Penny was sleeping. In her room there were flames surrounding her bed. Debbie shook Penny to wake her up but Penny wasn’t moving. She got Penny out of the room and took her downstairs. When they got downstairs the back door slammed shut. The door was locked even though Debbie didn’t lock it. Then she saw a man outside the door and a cool breeze went through Deborah. She heard a man’s whispers. The man had Penny and Debbie asked him to let her go. Then the door popped open and Debbie and Penny ran out of the house.

In the hospital Debbie got a visit from Penny and Dave. Debbie told Dave what had been going on in the house. After that Debbie said she and Dave were inseperable and they got married one year later. They went on to have a daughter together.

Dave and Debbie were living in a trailer with their daughter. One night the lights went out in the trailer for no reason. Dave went to check the breaker panel but felt like he wasn’t alone while doing it. He felt like Debbie’s grandfather was in the trailer waiting for them. Dave hit the switch and the lights came back on. Then Debbie got up and startled Dave. Their daughter ran to Debbie and Dave and told them there was a man in her closet. Dave ran in to investigate. Debbie called in a priest from her church to talk to him about what was happening in their trailer. He re-baptized Debbie and blessed a Crucifix which he gave her. He said she was the only one that could stop the madness in her trailer. Debbie splashed holy water around the trailer and said a prayer. She had to tell her grandfather he had to leave.

EMPIRE 201 Caged Cookie, Lesbian Orgies & Devils Are Here Recap

empire 201 caged cookie recap 2015If nothing else, Empire surely kept to his spectacular plot lines and fantastical twists in the season two opener.

Lucious and the crew are definitely back and Lee Daniels left nothing to chance. I mean, there are lesbian orgies, sex deals, queens and hostile takeovers.

It opens up with a “Free Lucious” rally and special guests like Swizz Beatz encourage the crowd to make their voices known. Even Al Sharpton and Don Lemon join in the fun and play their real life roles to the max.

I feel what Daniels is trying to do here. Bringing awareness to what is going on with black men incarcerated epidemic. I just can’t get with some of the outrageousness. Like Cookie being lowered from a scaffold in a Gorilla suit. The purpose was evident but it just seemed… weird.

Marisa Tomei plays a rich businesswoman who has her eyes on more than just getting in bed with Empire. She plays Mimi, a lesbian billionaire that knows how to get what she wants and she plays the hell out of the role.

We see Lucious in prison where he is still a boss. He watches the rally on TV and of all the things he sees, Cookie getting cozy with Mimi is what peeks his interest.

Frank Gathers, played by Chris Rock, is the newest big man on the prison block and it is clear that he and Lucious have a history. “It seems like yesterday you were moving biscuits for me at 50 a pop.” Whatever beef they may have or that they are insinuated to have seems to be put aside, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have plans up their sleeves.

A central vibe we get from this episode too is that no one likes the fact that Jamaal is who Lucious chose to run Empire. He visits his dad in prison as he updates him on what’s going on with the others and the business. Lucious doesn’t hide the fact that he can’t stand Cookie and especially asks about Mimi. “Who was that lesbian bitch cuddle up with your momma at the concert?”

Andre and Rhonda are still together but it seems for only business purposes. He struggles with the fact that they killed Vernon. They are still trying to get Empire as their own too and obviously have something planned outside of what Cookie and Hakeem are planning with Mimi.

In prison, Frank confronts Jamel, played by Dee Rey, a friend of Cookie and Lucious, because he knows that he killed one of his men back when.  Jamel denies it but Frank is not having it. “I know you did it.”

At Hakeem’s house, they throw a party for Mimi full of the finest women. Boo Boo Kitty also shows up unbeknownst to Cookie. She understand that her job is to do what she needs to with Mimi to make the deal go through. And Kitty pops that thing back, down and around. Mimi is no fool though, she knows what’s going on and asks Cookie why she’s wants to get rid of Lucious so badly to which she replies, “Lucious has lost his way.”

Jamel makes phone calls to Cookie to let her know she’s in danger but cant get a hold of her. Her sister Carol, played by Tasha Smith, also tries to get a message to her to no avail.

Lucious gets a visit from the federal prosecutor who tries to get him to confess, telling her that Vernon believes that his killing Bunkie was about more than extortion. He tells her to kiss his ass.

Miss Lawrence also makes his singing debut and is the biggest queen out there. He is fierce; he is bold and has a pretty good voice. He sings to Jamaal in his office to give him a taste of what he will be doing at a GLADD event. They also mention Donnie McClurkin saying that he was going to be at the event, which is major shade to the gospel singer. For what, I don’t know but I’m just going to leave it there.

Hakeem, Andre, Cookie and Anika put their plan into action. They interrupt Jamaal’s meeting to let them know that Mimi is backing them take a controlling interest in Empire. Well little do they know before they pranced in is that she met with Lucious earlier that morning and, “made a better deal.” According to Mimi, Empire is Lucious and they can’t separate that. They also get a video call from Lucious who let’s them know, it’s “Game over bitches,”

Back in prison, Jamel gets his ass kicked by Frank who wants to know why he killed his man. Jamel spills the beans that it was Cookie, which surprises the hell out of Frank.

At Empire, Cookie tries to reason with Jamaal and now see what they did as a betrayal. He doesn’t want to hear what she has to say so she leaves.  When she gets home, Carol and her kids are there (playing with her wigs).  Carol tells her sister that she’s in danger and that the rose she received was from Frank, who is a an OG for real as he sends her Jamel’s head in a perfectly wrapped box.

All of this prompts Cookie to pay a visit to Lucious. She tells him that Frank is messing with them causing Lucious to go into poppa bear mode. “I need you to fix it.”

And fix it he does. Lucious finds Frankie and seeks to work out whatever issues they may have. He apologizes if he overstepped any boundaries and even offers his daughter a home at Empire since he heard her rap when she visited her daddy earlier. But that’s not what Frankie wants as his issue is with Cookie not Lucious.. She’s a snitch he has to handle it. They shake giving Frankie the impression that Lucious understands but daddy Lyon quickly turns the tables on him. Lucious tells him that he loves Cookie so if he has war with Cookie he has warn with him. Frank says fine and tells his people to kill Lucious but what ends up happening is that Lucious bought his people and they end up killing him instead. Frankie may have ruled the streets but Lucious “rules the world.”

The rest of the family gathers at Lucious’ house as a safe haven and they finally hear word that things are cool. Jamaal then kicks everyone out of his “father’s house.” Cookie tells him to wait, he doesn’t listen, she slaps him twice and he tells his momma, “you done now, lady.

Whoo that’s a lot. Now patiently (not so much) waiting for next week.

Clockwork Muslim

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clockwork muslim ahmed mohamed 2015 techIt was like clockwork. 14-year old Muslim student Ahmed Mohamed’s homemade clock’s alarm goes off during class. His teacher looks at it. Puts two and two together, calls the police and poor kid ends up in handcuffs. We all know what happened next. Lots of kids get detention but not because they did their homework and not off-campus. No kid should suffer the indignity of being taken from school in handcuffs, at least nowadays without shooting anyone.

But it’s a very different world we’re living in right now. It’s an extremely paranoid world where little things induce fear. It’s a world where little kids blow themselves up in crowded marketplaces. A world where kids play first-person shooters for real in full tactical gear. It’s a world where kids get shot down in the street for playing with guns with orange caps. Now, a kid who made a digital clock project gets accused of bringing a homemade bomb to school and gets arrested. Was he accused because of the suspicious device alone or was it because he’s a Muslim as well. When will Americans realize that a Muslim with an electronic device doesn’t guarantee that they’re a terrorist?

Admit it or not, the West is at war with every Muslim faction that doesn’t approve of Israel and whatever activities the US does in the Middle East. Admit it or not, Muslims are eyed with suspicion everywhere. It’s difficult not to equate Islam or Muslims with terrorism because of the terrible things their ‘brothers’ are doing right now. Should we sum things up? Boko Haram is still making waves in Africa sowing terror in Nigeria and neighboring countries using girls and young women as suicide bombers. Perhaps part of the 200 school girls they kidnapped some time ago. Syria and Iraq are literally going through hell because of ISIS. The group has shown the world unspeakable acts in the name of Islam and for some strange reason still manages to recruit unassuming young individuals to their cause, even from other religions. Admit it or not, Ahmed’s religion had as much to do with his arrest as his suspicious doomsday ticker. These days, a cursory look at a digital clock in a case such as what Ahmed used evokes explosive thoughts. What happened to Ahmed, the suspicion eyed towards American Muslims brings back memories of what Japanese-Americans went through during World War 2. Fortunately, the Federal government isn’t cooking up something that extreme or maybe they’re just waiting for some last straw from Islamic groups.

But we’re supposed to be better than that. Innocent before proven guilty and that kind of stuff. Freedom for all. A harmony of race and religion. The American way. One look at Ahmed in handcuffs and you’d feel sorry for the skinny kid. He’s like ten years old. In handcuffs. In exchange, he now enjoys celebrity status and has gotten offers from major tech firms like Microsoft, Facebook, Google and Apple plus a pat on the back from President Obama in the White House. All that hopefully will wipe out the trauma of being taken to detention for his project. Yours truly would assume it’s difficult for kids like Ahmed to wash away such a memory when this author himself at Ahmed’s age was accused of shoplifting and underwent body search because his less than cautious friend pocketed his ID inside the store. It’s not the US so suing the store was out of the question. That experience was in itself, terrifying.

It’s been days from his arrest and hopefully all of the wonderful stuff Ahmed’s gone through could wipe his mind clean of the unpleasant experience. For a tech-oriented kid, a tour of the Apple or Google campus would be like a trip to Disneyland ten times over. Some people argue that the kid is being too royally treated because of a case-modded over-the-counter clock when many younger students are actually building better things. But the real point is that an apologetic nation is trying to make amends to a traumatized young boy. That the nation is trying very hard not to make his religion an issue because in a perfect America, in a perfect world, it’s not supposed to be an issue in the first place.

Ahmed Mohamed’s experience does prove one thing. Whatever terrorists are doing, they’re doing it right. They’re winning because everyone is afraid. It’s unfortunate that fear has clawed its way into the school system that brilliant young minds can’t make electronic projects without being closely monitored.

Champions League Soccer Contenders This Season 2015

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champions league contenders this soccer season 2015 cristiano ronaldo 2015Atletico Madrid

Diego Simeone’s men reached the final of the Champions League in the 2013/14 season, but came up short against city rivals Real Madrid. They also won the league title after 18 years that same season. However, they failed to replicate their form last term and finished well behind Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Spanish league standings and lost in the quarter-final of the Champions League. In the summer, they did extensive business and strengthened across all areas of the pitch that has made them a formidable side this season. It will be foolish to count them out of the Champions League race especially with Simeone at the helm.

Bayern Munich

The Bavarian giants have made the semi-final of the elite European competition for the last two successive seasons, but that’s how far they have gone before suffering crushing defeats at the hands of Spanish opposition – Real Madrid hammered them 5-0 in the 2013/14 season and Barcelona defeated them 5-3 across the two legs last term. However, they look to addressed some of the issues that plagued them last term. Most significantly, they have added Douglas Costa – presumably, as a back-up for injury prone Franck Ribery – and the Brazilian has taken the Bundesliga by storm, securing his place in the first team. They have also strengthened the midfield with the addition of Arturo Vidal who will be covering for oft injured Thiago Alcantara, if needed.

Barcelona

The reigning European champions have started their 2015/16 league campaign on a strong note and have gone on to win their first four league games. Significantly, they have navigated successfully through difficult away trips to the Vicente Calderon and the San Mames of Athletic Bilbao to give a glimpse of their title credentials. Add to it the fact that the Catalan giants will be able to field Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal after January – once the FIFA-imposed registration ban is lifted – and their squad looks even more imposing. Barcelona may well be the first team to win back-to-back Champions League trophies.

Paris Saint-Germain

The Parisians have been making steady inroads in the Champions League in their attempt to become the first French team since Marseille in the early 1990s to win the prestigious trophy. They proved to be the nemesis of Chelsea at the round of 16 last term in an epic two-legged encounter, but couldn’t get past Barcelona at the quarter-final stage. They have the quality of Angel di Maria this season, and look stronger as a consequence.

Real Madrid

The Madrid giants have added a shrewd tactician at the helm in the form of Rafael Benitez and he has done some smart business in the summer by bringing in the likes of Diego Vazquez, Casemiro and Kiko Casilla amongst others at the Santiago Bernabeu as he attempts to deliver the 11th European Cup to the club. And with the significant additions to their ranks they have definitely strengthened. They are surely up there amongst the contenders for the Champions League this season.