Woman dies while riding Six Flags roller coaster

(CNN) -- A woman died Friday while riding the Texas Giant roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, according to a statement released by the theme park.  The park did not detail release any details about how the woman died on the Texas Giant, touted as the tallest steel-hybrid roller coaster in the world.  "Since the safety of our guests and employees in our number one priority, the ride has been closed pending further investigation," the statement said.  The Arlington Police Department did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.  The Texas Giant was originally designed in 1990 as an all wooden roller coaster. It was redesigned with a steel track and reopened in April 2011 to mark the theme park's 50th anniversary.  At its highest point, the roller coaster is 153 feet and has a drop of 147 feet, according to the theme park.  Thousands of kids hurt yearly on amusement rides(Read More)

‘This Is the Real Boston Bomber’: Police Photographer Fires Back at Rolling Stone Cover With New Photos of Bloody Tsarnaev

 Boston Magazine has responded to Rolling Stone’s controversial new cover giving accused marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev the glam rock star treatment with incredible new photos of his capture.

This Tsarnaev — bloody and in the fixed beam of a sniper rifle — is “the real face of terror,” the magazine said: “In response to the controversial Rolling Stone cover, new photos of Tsarnaev’s capture emerge.”

The photos come from Sgt. Sean Murphy, a tactical photographer with the Massachusetts State Police who wanted to counter the message from the Rolling Stone cover, the magazine said.

“I believe that the image that was portrayed by Rolling Stone magazine was an insult to any person who has every worn a uniform of any color or any police organization or military branch, and the family members who have ever lost a loved one serving in the line of duty,"(Read More..)

Jim Carrey makes bizarre cameo on prep baseball team’s bus in rural Iowa

 Of all the things the Pella (Ia.) High baseball team expected to find after their final loss of the 2013 season, Jim Carrey on their bus wasn’t one of them.

Incredibly, that’s precisely what they got after the famous actor bumped into the team at a local Burger King and hopped on board the team bus to take a candid photo and help cheer up Pella players following a dispiriting loss.

It’s uncertain precisely what Carrey was doing in rural Iowa, though the Des Moines Register surmised that he was probably there to study transcendental meditation at the Maharishi University of Management. The program has previously been attended by the likes of Oprah and Moby, so there’s every reason to believe that might have been Carrey’s motivation.

No matter what the actor learned about remaining centered at Mahirishi, that went out the window when he got a chance to clown around with a big captive group of teenagers. In a photo posted to Twitter, Carey quickly held up seven fingers next to a lone digit from a Pella player, commemorating Pella’s 7-1 loss to Fairfield (Ia.) High earlier in the day.

While everyone was surprised to see Carrey pop up on their doorsteps, no one was more stunned than Pella coach Jesse Jablonski, who had admonished his players from bothering Carrey when a few had noticed him in the back of the quick serve restaurant where the team was getting post game ice cream.(Read More..)

18 Foods that Boost Your Metabolism

How much protein do you need? New research suggests that many of us may need more protein than we realize. The current RDA is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, but several studies have found that 1 to 1.2 g may be more protective against age-related muscle loss.

 Use this formula from Caroline Apovian, MD, to determine the minimum amount of protein you should eat daily to offset muscle loss--and protect your metabolism--while you lose weight.

STEP 1 Estimate your ideal weight. "If you're a woman, start with 100 pounds for the first 5 feet in height, and add 5 pounds for every extra inch," says Dr. Apovian. "For men, it's 106 pounds for 5 feet in height, plus 6 pounds for every additional inch. However, if your ideal weight is less than 120 pounds, don't eat less than 82 g of protein daily."

STEP 2 Ideal Weight (in lb) ÷ 2.2 = Ideal Weight (in kg)

STEP 3 Ideal Weight (in kg) × 1.5 = Daily Protein Goal (in g)

Now that you know how much you need, check out these metabolism-boosting protein-packed foods!

PLUS: For ultimate results, pair these foods with the Workout That Revs Your Metabolism.

Avocado
Protein content: 2 g per half avocado
The protein in this fruit contains all 9 essential amino acids, plus heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Cheese and milk
Protein content: 6-7 g per oz; 9-10 g per 1 cup
Go for low-fat options-they generally contain more protein than fattier alternatives.

Tempeh
Protein content: 15 g per 1/2 cup
Its nougatlike texture makes tempeh a smart stand-in for meat. Sauté, or crumble cooked tempeh over salads.

Asparagus
Protein content: 4 g per 1 cup (chopped)
This tasty veggie is a nutrient powerhouse. Enjoy it steamed or grilled, or toss chopped spears into salads.

RELATED: Check out these 25 Best Diet Tips of All Time for painless ideas that really work.

Legumes
Protein content: 7-9 g per 1/2 cup (cooked)
Pair dried beans (think black beans, chickpeas, and lentils) with rice or quinoa for a complete-protein meal.

Greek-style yogurt
Protein content: 18 g per 6 oz
This thick and creamy treat packs nearly twice as much protein as other dairy sources; it's great with fruit.

Tree Nuts
Protein content: 4-6 g per 2 Tbsp
A small handful of walnuts or almonds is great as a snack, mixed into yogurt or oatmeal, or on a salad.

Edamame
Protein content: 8.5 g per 1/2 cup (shelled)
A single serving packs nearly every trace mineral your body needs, including iron, magnesium, and zinc.(Read More...)

PBS KIDS: Educational Games, Videos And Activities For Kids

ARLINGTON, VA, December 1, 2008 – PBS and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) have announced that PBS KIDS Island, a new literacy Web site for preschoolers, has been awarded the “Editor’s Choice Award” by Children’s Technology Review , one of the industry’s leading authorities on technology products for children from birth to age 15. Each month Children’s Technology Review’s editors assess a wide variety of new interactive technology products designed for children. Reviews are based on five criteria: ease of use, education, entertainment, design features and value. The Editor’s Choice Awards are given to an exclusive group of “no fail” products, worthy of their cost, and able to keep children engaged for days at a time. 
According to the notification letter, “The Children's Technology Review Editor's Choice Awards are awarded to only the highest quality children's products in the interactive media category.” In the November 2008 review, CTR Editor Warren Buckleitner, Ph.D. writes: “PBS KIDS Island packs a lot of educational value into an easy-to-use, fun and (gasp) advertising free service. If you teach early readers, or live with one, this site is certainly worth your bookmark.”
PBS KIDS Island, the centerpiece of the new PBS KIDS Raising Readers Web site (www.readytolearnreading.org ), provides free reading games and activities for children, parents, caregivers and teachers to use at home or in the classroom.  The program was developed through a cooperative agreement of the U.S. Department of Education, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Ready To Learn Partnership, and funded by a Ready To Learn grant.
“Through this grant, PBS KIDS Island gives us the opportunity to reach as many children as possible, to help them develop critical reading skills,” said Dr. Jayne James, executive director of the Ready To Learn grant for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.  
“As a new resource for parents, caregivers and teachers, we are excited PBS KIDS Island has been recognized by a leading authority on healthy and educational media for children,” said Lesli Rotenberg, senior vice president, Children’s Media, PBS.  “There are millions of children across the United States who don’t have basic literacy skills, so we are proud to offer online learning tools that help all children as they discover the world of letters and words.”   
PBS KIDS Island takes children on an adventure, as they build their own online island by playing reading games with PBS KIDS® characters from SUPER WHY!, WordWorld, Between The Lions and Sesame Street.   Providing a safe environment for emerging readers to explore, the research-based program guides children through seven different literacy-building levels, including rhyming, letter identification, alliteration, phonics, letter sequencing, phonemic awareness and reading/vocabulary.  
“PBS KIDS Island is built on a literacy framework, scaffolded to preschool reading curriculum,” said Rob Lippincott, senior vice president of Education at PBS.  ”The site tracks a child’s progress and helps  parents, caregivers and teachers identify areas where the child may need additional support.” 
PBS KIDS Island is currently serving the needs of children ages 2-to-5, with plans to offer content for children ages 6-to-8 in 2009. 
About PBS KIDS
 Raising Readers and the Ready To Learn Grant PBS KIDS Raising Readers utilizes reading-focused PBS KIDS multi-media content, including television programming, Web content and games for parents and teachers, professional development for caregivers and teachers, and curriculum for preschool and Kindergarten settings. This national initiative incorporates research-based methodologies focused on how children learn from media and employs a 360-degree approach, surrounding children and families with learning opportunities where they live and are most likely to interact. PBS KIDS Raising Readers is funded by the US Department of Education’s Ready To Learn grant and is a cooperative agreement of the U. S. Department of Education, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), PBS and The Ready To Learn Partnership to help children ages 2-8 build reading skills.  The program serves a broad spectrum of children, but is most focused on low-income families. 
About CPB CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1100 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related on-line services.

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Zimmerman trial turns spotlight on another Florida self-defense case

ACKSONVILLE, Florida (Reuters) - Three days after a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, the Rev. Jesse Jackson visited Jacksonville to call attention to another self-defense case that he called a "travesty" of justice.
Jackson spent an hour in a jailhouse visit with Marissa Alexander, 32, an African American who was sentenced to a mandatory 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot into the wall of her home in 2010 to end a violent argument with her abusive husband.
"In one case Mr. Zimmerman kills a young man and walks away, free to kill again," Jackson said. "And Marissa shot no one, hurt no one, and she's in jail for 20 years."
Jackson said the contrast in the Zimmerman and Alexander cases exposed injustices in the justice system.
"We see radical racial polarization in the judicial system," Jackson told the Florida Times-Union. "That's a cause of great concern."
After meeting with Alexander, Jackson spoke with Angela Corey, the state prosecutor who handled both the Martin and the Alexander cases. Corey told him that Alexander's case is in the appeal phase and out of her jurisdiction, but Jackson said he asked her to use her power to see that Alexander is released.
"Ours was a moral appeal," he said. "This mother has three children. They need their mother," he said, noting that Alexander had already served the three years originally offered to her by the state in a plea deal.
Michael Dowd, a New York domestic violence attorney handling Alexander's appeal, contends she should not have been charged with felonies, but rather a misdemeanor, such as unlawful discharge of a gun.
Local leaders from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Action Network are calling for Florida Governor Rick Scott to pardon Alexander. (Read More)

The 40-Year-Old Photo That Gives Us A Reason To Smile

In late July 1973, was wandering the streets of Mount Clemens, Mich.,, a suburb of Detroit, with his camera. As a staff photographer for the Macomb Daily, he was expected to keep an eye out for good feature images — "those little slices of life that can stand on their own."
The slice of life he caught that day was a picture of five young friends in a rain-washed alley in downtown Mount Clemens. And what distinguishes it are its subjects: three black children, two white ones, giggling in each others' arms.
"It was just one of those evenings," Crachiola remembers. "I saw these kids — they were just playing around. And I started shooting some pictures of them. At some point, they saw me and they all turned and looked at me and struck that pose that you see in the picture. It was totally spontaneous. I had nothing to do with the way they arranged themselves."
This week, Crachiola, who now lives in New Orleans, posted the vintage photo on his Facebook page.
"For me, it still stands as one of my most meaningful pictures," he wrote in his post. "It makes me wonder... At what point do we begin to mistrust one another? When do we begin to judge one another based on gender or race? I have always wondered what happened to these children. I wonder if they are still friends."
After several days when the world seemed to be reduced to one big argument about race, the elegantly simple photo hit a nerve — in a good way.
After his Sunday post, Crachiola's Facebook page blew up — as many as 100,000 page views. Six thousand "likes" and thousands of shares. The Macomb Daily reprinted the photo on its Web page and sent someone to the archives to help identify the children, who are now middle-aged.
It's hard not to smile while looking at this picture. Crachiola liked it so much himself that he printed a large copy and has it hanging in his dining room. Former Michigan Rep. Don Riegle reportedly also liked it so much, he got a framed copy and hung it in his office.
Crachiola says that learning of the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial reminded him of the photo and made him think to post it.(Read More..)