Houston Fitness Expert to Tackle Obesity Across 100 Churches in 2014

Samir Becic (Photo: Health Fitness Revolution)



Samir Becic, a volunteer that leads fitness classes at Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church, and an internationally known personal fitness trainer and leader of Health Fitness Revolution, a movement dedicated to helping Americans become healthy, is currently gearing up to take on 100 churches throughout the country to let Christians know that living healthier can help them stay in tune with their spiritual life.
Becic plans to begin his initiative in 2014 by educating church leaders who, in turn, can educate their members. He also hopes his program will prompt churches to facilitate organized sports, and implement educational seminars and support groups.
"My main message to churches is to live like Jesus," said Becic, to The Christian Post. "Two thousand years ago, we didn't have access to processed food so Jesus only ate organic. Jesus was active; He was kind and always helping people. All those components that Jesus had 2,000 years ago are prefect examples of how to live a healthy lifestyle in the 21st century. Spiritual balance, social interaction, kindness, happiness, physical activity and organic food -- that is my main message."
In addition to helping churches, Becic also wants to take on schools and tackle the overweight issue within American children. But his current effort is to help the evangelical community, where obesity is becoming a major health risk.
"We want to focus on the Christian community because they have the highest obesity rate of any community in the U.S., and we believe that our bodies truly are our temples. When you are healthy, you're able to be more focused on God, I believe that with my heart and soul. That's a key component to a healthy lifestyle," said Becic.
According to a 2006 Purdue University study, evangelicals are considered the heaviest of all religious groups. The study found that Baptists lead the group, with a 30 percent obesity rate, compared to Jews at one percent and Buddhists and Hindus at less than 0.7 percent.
Similarly, a 2011 Northwestern University study that tracked more than 3,000 people for 18 years, revealed that those who attend church or a bible study on a weekly basis are 50 percent more likely to be obese. On a larger scale, nearly one-half of the American population will be obese by 2030, reports a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
To prevent obesity from becoming an uncontrollable epidemic, Becic says the solution must begin with church leaders. He says not enough pastors are leading the way with healthy lifestyles. However, he commended pastor Rick Warren who recently made headlines with his new book, The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life, in which Warren encourages Christians to begin living a fulfilling yet healthy life.
"We need more pastors like that who can spread the message of having a healthy body and healthy mind," said Becic.
Becic, who came to the U.S. from Bosnia in 2000, earned his prominent reputation in the fitness industry after being involved with martial arts and training for Bally Total Fitness. He has nabbed the number one title as best fitness trainer on a slew of international, national and state level lists, and reaches over one million Texans each week through his health and fitness advice given on a KSBJ 89.3 FM, a local Houston radio program.
His work with Lakewood was another opportunity that came by way of his high recognition within the fitness industry and one that he hopes more churches across America can give him.
"As a pastor, Joel Osteen is fit and I was attracted to the idea of helping, especially since the Christian community is the most obese. I'm here to stop that," said Becic.
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Greys Anatomy Spoilers: April and Jackson Season 10 Info

''Grey's Anatomy'' stars (L-R) Katherine Heigl, Ellen Pompeo, Sara Ramirez, Chandra Wilson, Kate Walsh and Sandra Oh pose backstage after winning the award for best television series - drama at the 64th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California January 15, 2007. (Photo: Reuters/Mike Blake)



"Grey's Anatomy" left for the holiday break with a huge cliffhanger. For those who cannot wait to find out what will happen, read on for spoilers from the actor who plays Jackson on the show, Jesse Williams.
Williams recently sat down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. and nbsp;The actor discussed how his character will react to his actions during the wedding, where he objected to the marriage.
"You'll see it came as a huge surprise for Jackson, and that it wasn't premeditated. It was just a compulsion to blurt it out. Sometimes when you act impulsively, you have a 'WTF did I just do' moment, and we're going to see that. I cant say what April's response is going to be, but I can say that Jackson is going to have a, 'Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into?' moment at some stage in the very near future. Anytime you think there's solid ground, it turns out to be slippery," Williams said.
He also spoke about how April will respond to Jackson's objection at the wedding.
"There are certainly victims in that scenario. Jackson certainly hurt Stephanie, but no matter what April says, the fact she's standing there pausing and considering it and not shutting it down immediately -- how is Matthew supposed to feel about that? Can she turn back and say, 'We're going to move on and keep this marriage ceremony going?' That might not be realistic for Matthew. It's a complex and muddled ball of feelings here, and Jackson really threw a wrench in the whole thing," the actor said.
The second half of this season of "Grey's Anatomy" will return to ABC on Thursday Feb. 27.
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Nexus 7 2013 Price Slashed by $50 at Office Depot

Nexus 7 White Model Picture: Google



The Nexus 7 2013 price is now discounted by $50 at Office Depot.
The retailer is offering 16GB version of the device for just $179.99. The deal is available through retail outlets and online. However, the only option for delivery is in-store pickup. The 16GB model normally runs $229 and the 32GB version sells for $269.
Office Depot is only offering the black model for the deal. The new white version will remain a Google Play exclusive for the time being.
Google is currently offering a bundle that includes the Nexus 7 2013 model and Chromecast that comes with a free $35 Google Play credit.
The deal is available as a special Christmas promotion and requires customers to purchase both devices together in order to access the free credit. Both Chromecast and the Nexus 7 are impressive devices and the combination of the two will allow users to stream music and movies from the slate to their television.
Chromecast utilizes data from a cloud and sends it directly to a TV set through its HDMI output. Content can be accessed from those clouds by connecting the Chromecast and a device such as a smartphone or tablet directly to a Wi-Fi network. Once the user's app is connected, anything they watch or play on the device's app will also show up on their TV screen giving them a bigger screen to watch Netflix or other video apps content on.
The Nexus 7 (2013) was released shortly before the summer of this year and introduced Android 4.3 JellyBean to the market. It features impressive specs including a 7-inch 1920 x 1200 HD display, 2GB RAM, a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 16/32GB of internal storage, built-in wireless charging, and a 5-megapixel rear camera.
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The Obama Selfie in South Africa

U.S. President Barack Obama (C) shares a moment with Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt (L) as his wife, first lady Michelle Obama looks on during the memorial service for late South African President Nelson Mandela at the First National Bank stadium, also known as Soccer City, in Johannesburg on Dec. 10, 2013. (Photo: Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)



President Obama is receiving plenty of criticism for his selfie cellphone portrait and nbsp;at the funeral of South Africa's revered leader, Nelson Mandela. What the president had to say in tribute to Africa's greatest statesman was largely overshadowed by the press pictures of Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron, and Denmark's shapely blonde chief of government, Helle Thorning Schmidt. The three leaders are shown, dressed appropriately enough in mourning black. But they are seen yucking it up like teenagers while First Lady Michelle Obama sits up attentively, the perfect picture of dignity and respect - and keeping her distance from the antics.
It's not as if President Obama didn't have time to prepare himself for the passing of this man he called Madiba. That respectful name is an important one to consider in light of the disrespectful behavior of the three leaders. We have known this day was coming for many years.
One of the first and most symbolic acts of the Obama presidency was his removal of the bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office. That was a signal of many changes to come, not all of them hopeful. Mr. Obama might have learned some lessons from the life and death of Winston Churchill.
For one thing, young Churchill went to South Africa during the Boer War, more than a century ago. Heirs of those 17th century Dutch settlers whose descendants would later imprison Nelson Mandela captured Churchill. When the Boers put a 25-pound reward on Churchill's head, seeking his recapture dead or alive, young Winston learned a valuable lesson in freedom. Nelson Mandela learned the same lesson in an almost unbelievable twenty-seven year captivity, much of it on Robben Island.
Churchill hated his captivity and quickly arranged an escape, through a prison lavatory. He came out of that South African prison a world figure, in no small measure because he made himself one. He never believed in hiding his light under a bushel. Young and brash, Churchill resolved to make noise wherever he went.
Nelson Mandela's long imprisonment taught him restraint and cloaked him with the dignity and spiritual strength of a martyr.
Like the South Africans mourning today, the government of Great Britain-known as Her Majesty's Government--had years to prepare for the passing of their greatest son. They planned and rehearsed every detail of Operation Hope Not, the great state funeral that would come when Winston Churchill finally died.
That day came in January, 1965. An America historian, Hungarian-born John Lukacs, recorded the pomp and ceremony of the frigid London scene. He paid a memorable tribute to the man who had so long warned of the menace of a vengeful, rearmed Germany. This man led Britain when that island fortress against the Nazis:
"[Churchill saw the evil incarnated by Hitler instantly, immediately. Then he rose like a hero, highest in those months of 1940 when the future of human decency was at stake, and when Jewry and Christianity were on the same side and hellip;which was his side."
Yes, and decades later, a Polish survivor of Hitler's murderous concentration camps would recall: "We didn't have bread, but we had Churchill." At Churchill's funeral, America was honorably represented by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the five-star general who had led the allies to victory in that great Crusade in Europe.
Hitler's cruelty to the Jews and contempt for the Christians did not die in that Berlin F and uuml;rerbunker and nbsp;in 1945. That spirit of hatred lives on in Iran today. There, the mullahs torture Pastor Saeed Abedini in his prison. His only crime in Iran is to seek to share the Gospel with people he loves.
The Iranian mullahs have boasted that their neighbor, Israel, is just a "two-bomb country," one whose extermination they seek even more brazenly than Hitler sought the elimination of Europe's Jews.
It is this Iranian regime, ruled by these mullahs, that President Obama will now trust to keep its word on the interim, 6-month agreement. It is agreement that will allow thousands of centrifuges to continue spinning. These are an essential element of developing nuclear weapons.
President Obama and Secretary Kerry think we should focus on Iran's nuclear weapons and not on those who will wield those weapons. It is the classical liberal error. They do not know human nature.
Nelson Mandela understood human nature and may be best remembered for his great quality of forgiveness. He never lost that light heart, either, as this video of the 85-year old dancing in Ireland shows.
It's a pity our leaders didn't dance; instead, they pranced.
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Lea Michele Talks Cory Monteith on Ellen, Admits Actors Death Still Very Hard (VIDEO)

Lea Michele and Cory Monteith together before the actor's July 13 2013 passing (PHOTO) Twitter: @msleamichele



Lea Michele opened up about her grief over the death of her late boyfriend, Cory Monteith, during a recent appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
The "Glee" actress, 27, appeared relaxed but emotionally fragile as she spoke about her tragic loss. Monteith, who played Finn Hudson alongside Michele on the popular TV series, died from mixed drug toxicity on July 13 – he was 31.
"I really feel like I'm still trying to figure out all of this," a soft spoken Michele told Ellen. "It's been only a few months, but my mom has experienced a lot of loss in her life and she told me at one point, she said, there is an empowerment that comes with grief, at some point you find it."
Michele, who plays Rachel Berry on the musical TV series, began dating her co-star in early 2012 and she is still coming to terms with his untimely death.
"It's very hard but you will find it and I think at a certain point you can choose to sort of fall from this or you can choose to rise," she said.
"And that's what I'm just trying to do my best for him because I know that that's what he would have wanted," she continued. "And to just do my best and to you know, hopefully make something positive for where I go in the rest of my life."
The "Cannonball" singer expressed gratitude to actress Kate Hudson, who gave up her home for Michele and her family shortly after Monteith's passing.
"...To have that time at her home to just really be in private with this for a moment before getting back to work and before going home - I'm just so thankful to her," she said.
Michele revealed that one of her "favorite" memories of Monteith, who battled with addiction for more than a decade, was when the actor appeared on the "Ellen" show. During his interview, Monteith had revealed that he and Michele were an item.
"It's one of my favorite memories. I remember when he came home that night he kind of puffed out his chest and he was like, 'I talked about you on Ellen today,'" Michele recounted.
"I was so happy. He's such a private person and I literally lived everyday of my life feeling like the luckiest girl in the whole world," she said. "I just thought he was the greatest man and so at that moment, that memory, it means so much to me."
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Golden Globe Nominees Announced, American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave Lead

12 Years A Slave hits theaters on Oct. 16, 2013. (Photo: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight)



The Golden Globe Awards nominees of 2013 were announced Thursday morning with films "American Hustle" and "12 Years A Slave" leading.
Both films earned seven nods apiece, while other Oscars favorites this year include "Nebraska," "Gravity," and "Captain Phillips."
"Mendela: A Long Walk to Freedom" also picked up several nods, including for song and original score and best actor in a drama Idris Elba.
As for other Best Actor in a Motion Picture categories, nominations went to Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, Joaquin Phoenix and Tom Hanks, among many other popular actors.
Alternately, in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture categories, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Amy Adams, Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett each received a nomination, among many more.
Disney's "Frozen" picked up nods for both Animated Feature and original song while original score nominations went to "Gravity," "Book Thief," and "All Is Lost," among others.
In television, Best Actor nominations went to Don Cheadle, Jason Bateman, Bryan Cranston and Live Schreiber, to name a few.
Popular actresses such as Kerry Washington, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lena Dunham and Amy Poehler also picked up nominations in actress TV Series categories.
The Oscars once again named "Modern Family," "Downton Abbey" and "The Big Bang Theory" as favorites in television series this year. "Breaking Bad," The Good Wife" and "Girls" also picked up nods at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards.
For a full list of the nominees, visit here.
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Mercy Killing Thought to be Motive Behind Double Murder After Man Kills Wife, Sister

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Reza Aslans Zealot Jesus Book to Be Turned Into Movie?

and lt;em and gt;Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth and lt;/em and gt;, published by Random House in July 2013, was authored by Reza Aslan. (Photo: Random House)



Iranian author and religious scholar Reza Aslan's 2012 book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, may be hitting theaters in a couple years.
Lionsgate has recently acquired rights to transform the controversial book into a feature film.
The book, which was published by Random House and released in July, discusses Christ's life in the context of other Jewish zealots.
In an Amazon.com interview, Aslan said that while "there is no evidence that Jesus of Nazareth was himself a violent revolutionary," the pattern and mold of his doctrine and behavior were in line with zealots at the time.
"Jesus' actions and his teachings about the Kingdom of God clearly indicate that he was a follower of the zealot doctrine, which is why he, like so many zealots before and after him, was ultimately executed by Rome for the crime of sedition," he said.
The book does not rely on the Gospels for its characterizations of Christ.
"The gospels are incredible texts that provide Christians with a profound framework for living a life in imitation of Christ," said Aslan. "The problem, however, is that the gospels are not, nor were they ever meant to be, historical documentations of Jesus' life. These are not eyewitness accounts of Jesus' words and deeds. They are testimonies of faith composed by communities of faith written many years after the events they describe."
While the project does not yet have a producer, Production President Erik Feig, Gillian Bohrer and James Myers are in charge of directing it for a studio.
"Reza Aslan has written a remarkable book that manages to bring the ancient world into contemporary relief and to make a timeless story very timely," Feig said in Variety. "We are excited to create this uniquely cinematic and immersive world for moviegoers to experience."
"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Lionsgate," Aslan, who was raised as a secular Muslim though he became an evangelical Christian as a young person before subsequently converting back to Islam, said in a statement to Buzzfeed. "Their vision for Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth and nbsp;is aligned with my objective in writing the book, which was to illuminate the life of Jesus in a humanistic, as opposed to religious, context."
Aslan defended the book earlier this year as one that helped anyone curious about Jesus better understand him.
"Regardless of whether you think of Jesus as a prophet, a teacher, or God incarnate, it is important to remember that he did not live in a vacuum. Whatever else Jesus was, he was, without question, a man of his time. This is true for all of us. The key to understanding who Jesus was and what Jesus meant lies in understanding the times in which he lived. That's what this book does," he said.
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Amber Portwoods First Interview After Prison: Before Prison, I Never Thought About Leah

Teen Mom star Amber Portwood chooses jail over rehab Twitter: Amber Portwood



"Teen Mom" star Amber Portwood is speaking out about her time in prison and her hopes for the future. Portwood was released early from the Indiana Rockville Correctional Facility last month and has been busy rebuilding her life and developing a relationship with daughter Leah.
"Before prison, I never thought about Leah. I was addicted to drugs and didn't care about anything else. Prison saved my life and ndash; and gave me a second chance at being a mother," Portwood told In Touch Weekly.
The "Teen Mom" was addicted to Vicodin and Ambien and also struggled with severe anger issues. At her lowest point, Portwood chose to spend up to five years in prison to get clean and deal with her issues rather than remain on the outside and receive out-patient therapy. Prison turned out to be the best place for her, though, as she was able to completely focus on herself and finally confront her addictions.
"It felt like a nightmare," she said of her initial reaction to prison. "Feeling humiliated and vulnerable (from the strip search), you literally have nothing and walk around like a zombie. There were times I reached a breaking point. I knew the only person who could get me out of there was me."
Portwood's family did their best to support her while she was incarcerated. Her mother visited five times, and she was able to see daughter Leah three times. Since her release, Portwood has been able to spend a great deal more time with Leah, and the two had a celebratory slumber party.
"Their first night together, they spent all night talking, doing each other's hair and makeup and watching movies," Portwood's brother, Shawn, told In Touch last month. "Leah fell asleep in the middle of a sentence! Amber wanted to show her that she was there when Leah woke up."
Portwood now plans on enrolling in school to further her education and is working with a program entitled Never Too Late, which helps people dealing with addictions find help.
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Could the Budget Deal Fail?

Senate Budget Committee chairman Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) (R) and House Budget Committee chairman Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) shake hands after a news conference to introduce The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, December 10, 2013. Budget negotiators in the U.S. Congress have reached an agreement on Tuesday that, if approved by the House and Senate, could restore some order to the nation's chaotic budget process and avoid another government shutdown on Jan. 15. (Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)



On Tuesday, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R, WI-1) announced and nbsp;a two-year budget agreement that could potentially offer a respite from the fiscal fights of the past few years. But many conservative House Republicans are already balking and nbsp;at the deal because it breaks the spending caps called for under the sequester. Some conservative groups, such as Americans for Prosperity and the Club for Growth, have already come out in opposition, offering threats to GOP incumbents who vote for it.
Our bet is that the bill will pass, perhaps handily. But legislative politics is trickier in some ways than electoral politics because the number of "voters" is far smaller, and they are all highly informed and strategic in their thinking. Therefore, let's suppose the Crystal Ball and nbsp;is wrong in its prediction of passage. How would the budget compromise be defeated in Congress?
At present, there are 432 members in the U.S. House. While the special election to replace now-Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) took place on Tuesday and saw Katherine Clark (D) duly elected, she hasn't been seated yet. It's also unlikely that Rep. Mel Watt (D, NC-12) will vote considering he was just confirmed and nbsp;in the Senate as the new head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. This means that we can expect about 430 votes on the Murray-Ryan deal, as Speaker of the House John Boehner (R, OH-8) may not vote (the speaker rarely votes, although he did vote for the deal to end the shutdown). For simplicity's sake, let's just say 216 votes are needed to stop the deal.
How to get to 216 noes? There were 144 Republicans who voted against the October agreement to end the government shutdown. If all of them (or the same number of Republicans) voted against the budget compromise, one would need 72 Democrats to also vote no, and there will certainly be some liberals who will vote against it. As a past example, take a look at the vote on the Budget Control Act of 2011 and nbsp;(BCA), which set up the sequestration cuts that occurred earlier this year. In that roll call, 95 Democrats voted against the deal, mostly liberals who opposed some spending cuts. Of those 95 Democrats who voted against it, 72 remain in Congress today, the exact number needed to stonewall the Murray-Ryan agreement if 144 Republicans were to vote against it.
Now, there were some moderate-conservative Democrats who opposed the BCA because of potential military spending cuts, like Rep. Mike McIntyre (D, NC-7). And some of the other Democratic nays might be yeas on this deal. On the other hand, some of those 23 Democratic noes who are no longer in the House have been replaced by other liberal Democrats who might oppose the Murray-Ryan framework.
Of the 144 Republicans who voted against the shutdown deal, only nine were from seats that the Crystal Ball and nbsp;currently rates as competitive. Of the 72 Democrats who remain in the House who voted against the BCA in 2011, only three occupy seats we view as competitive (and one of them is McIntyre). Thus, most of the potential no-votes on this budget deal represent safe seats. For many of them, a chief political concern is the prospect of a primary challenge from their right or left, and a conservative voting for spending increases or a liberal voting for program cuts could attract one.
While our sources are relatively confident of the deal's success, recent events tell us that we should remain cautious until it's actually passed, especially because there are sufficient numbers, at least theoretically, to stop it.
This column was originally published in Sabato's Crystal Ball.
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Australia Court Delegalizes Territorys Gay Marriage Laws; Breaks Legal Union of 27 Same-Sex Couples

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Call of Duty Ghosts Wolf DLC Gives Guard Dog Wolf Skin for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One for $1.99

Call of Duty: Ghosts title screen. (PHOTO: Youtube)



A new Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC is available today for the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, that gives gamer's guard dog, a skin that makes them look like a wolf and a special killstreak.
The DLC is $1.99, and is heading to other consoles shortly, CoD publisher Activision announced, reports Polygon. The DLC enables gamers to get a "wolf skin" which makes their guard dog a vicious looking wolf.
To deploy the guard dog, the player must have five consecutive kills without dying. A dog will then start following the character and start barking when enemies are near, and even attack them.
and nbsp;CoD released a video with the following description: "Lead your pack to victory. Get The Wolf, a custom #CODGhosts Guard Dog Killstreak skin from 12/12 on Xbox for $1.99 USD | #callofduty #cod."
View the video here.
Call of Duty: Ghosts Extinction Day will be on Friday, Dec. 13 and offers gamers double XP inside info on upcoming features, and live streams from Infinity Ward Studios and Activision.
The whole point of Extinction Day is to give fans a chance to look behind the scenes for the company's creative process and letting them feel like a part of the CoD family.
According to IGN, viewers of the live stream can ask questions via Twitter, and some will be answered in real time.
Gamers can tune into the live stream on this Twitch account and nbsp;at 3:30 EST/12:30 PST.
Ghosts was released for the PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and Wii U on Nov. 5, and arrived with the PS4 on Nov. 15 and the Xbox One on Nov. 22.
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Galaxy Note 3 Lite Enters Into Production, Release Date Scheduled for 2014

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Official Image Picture: Samsung



The Galaxy Note 3 Lite has reportedly entered into production today with expected release date for the device to be sometime in 2014.
A new report by Korean media reveals that Samsung has begun the process of manufacturing this new version of the Note and expects the device to account for 30 percent of all sales of the Galaxy Note 3 lineup.
The report also states that the display size on the handset will remain at 5.68-inches as Samsung wants to keep the benefits of the S Pen unaffected with the Lite variant. The rest of the specs are unknown at this time, however, several recent rumors point to the display being changed to an LCD unit with the camera being downgraded to 8-megapixels.
The Galaxy Note 3 Lite will be announced at this year's Mobile World Congress.
The device could launch in both black and white, however, there is not much other information available on its hardware specs at this time.
Some of the recent listings indicate that Samsung is testing two different devices with one that features a 5.9-inch screen and the other with a 5.7-inch one. The camera could end up being downgraded to an 8-megapixel shooter and the screen could be LCD instead of the normal Super AMOLED found on the regular Note.
Samsung has launched the Galaxy Note 3 in 58 countries and an additional 82 markets since its initial release. The company's Mobile Chief JK Shin recently stated that there is strong interest for the phablet that seems to be on its way to eclipsing the company's high-end flagship, the Galaxy S4.
Spec on the device include improved LTE connectivity, a 2.3GHz quad-core processor, a 5.7-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, Android 4.3, JellyBean, a 13-megapixel rear camera, LED Flash, a 2-megapixel front shooter, dual camera capabilities, and a redesigned version of the S Pen.
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Air Force Kicks Baby Jesus Off Base

Todd Starnes is a regular contributor of FOX and amp; Friends and FoxNews.com. He writes a weekly column for Human Events and TownHall.com. (B H Publishing Group)



The Baby Jesus has been kicked off Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina, according to an organization who relishes any opportunity to eradicate Christianity from the U.S. military.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation praised officials at Shaw Air Force Base for removing a Nativity scene located near Memorial Lake on Friday. The traditional Nativity included plastic statues of Mary, Joseph, the Baby Jesus and an assortment of animals.
Apparently, an undisclosed number of Airmen were so emotionally troubled by the sight of a manger scene that they immediately notified the MRFF.
I can only imagine the psychological damage they must have suffered as a result of glancing at the plastic statues. I hope no one needed hospitalization, God forbid.
The MRFF's Paul Loebe wrote in a statement that since the display was not erected near a chapel, it was illegal.
"It was very sectarian in nature and a direct violation of the U.S. Constitution as well as a blatant violation of Air Force Instruction 1-1, Section 2.11," he said.
So the Newborn King is a violation of Air Force regulations? Who knew?
Loebe swiftly alerted MRFF President Mikey Weinstein who then called his BFF's at the Pentagon. That led to an immediate investigation and more than two hours later, the Nativity had been removed.
"To the Air Force's credit, it agreed with MRFF's arguments to remove the Nativity scene swiftly and apparently found this scene to be as much a violation of all the pertinent regulations and the United States Constitution as MRFF did," he stated.
He praised the Air Force for "acting so swiftly to reverse this egregious violation."
So why did the Air Force unceremoniously boot the Son of God and why are they so terrified of Mikey Weinstein?
The public affairs office at Shaw AFB did not return eight telephone calls and an email seeking comment. They must have been preoccupied hauling away the donkey and the sheep.
Public affairs officers did take down three media queries from me and ndash; including a query as to why the other queries had gone unanswered.
Hiram Sasser, the director of litigation for Liberty Institute, told me the military's actions were unconstitutional.
"This was private speech," he said. "The military can say no displays on a base but it cannot allow a display and then ban it simply because of its religious viewpoint."
Sasser said the Supreme Court has ruled in the past that viewpoint discrimination even in a non-public forum such as a military base in unconstitutional.
"It appears that Mikey Weinstein has a special hotline to call his friends in leadership at the Pentagon to alert them to engage in unnecessary and, in this case, unlawful censorship of private religious speech," he said.
Fox News commentator Sarah Palin, the author of the new book, "Good Tidings and Great Joy," said what happened at Shaw Air Force base is not surprising.
"We see stories like this every day and yet leftwing pundits still claim that the so-called 'War on Christmas' is a figment of the imagination," Palin told me. "The War on Christmas is just the top of the spear in a larger battle to marginalize expressions of faith and make true religious freedom a thing of the past."
Palin's book is a call to arms for Americans to "stand strong on America's faith-filled foundation."
"Never let these scrooges strip away the true meaning of Christmas," she told me.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation bragged that it only took the Air Force two hours and 15 minutes to remove Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Sasser doubted the military would respond with such speed to correct what he called "unconstitutional religious viewpoint discrimination."
He said he was surprised the Pentagon responded so swiftly to Weinstein's demands - "as if he were under attack in a foreign country in need of rescue from a deadly mob."
"Apparently if you are ever in trouble and need a quick response from the Pentagon, tell them a plastic Baby Jesus is at the gates."
Maybe that's what they should've done in Benghazi.
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All I Want for Christmas is My Freedom Back

Betsy McCaughy, Ph.D. (Courtesy of Betsy McCaughey)



Tell Santa to bring President Obama a stocking stuffer: a copy of the U.S. Constitution with the words "Laws be faithfully executed" underlined in red. Those words define the President's most important duty. But Obama, himself a constitutional lawyer, is ignoring the Constitution and governing like a dictator.
His latest ploy exempts unions from a fee that the Affordable Care Act imposes. Professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University, who voted for Obama and professes to agree with him on healthcare and other issues, didn't mince words when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee on December 3. Turley warned that Obama's power grabs are causing "the most serious constitutional crisis I've seen in my lifetime." Several law professors and policy experts laid out a litany of the president's constitutional transgressions. He has delayed and rewritten key provisions of his healthcare law, and weaseled a special insurance subsidy for members of Congress that the law did not provide. When Congress refused to enact his immigration and environmental policies, he imposed them by edict, granting amnesty to illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, and forcing regulations on coal plants that will likely bankrupt that industry.
Most recent is Obama's trick to spare unions from a fee that section 1341(b)(1)(A) of the Affordable Care unambiguously imposes on all large group health plans. Faithfully executing the law means applying it even-handedly. Dictators do the opposite, playing favorites.
The union give-away is buried on page 72340 of the Federal Register for December 2, a voluminous publication where government discloses its mind numbing regulations. The Affordable Care Act set up a reinsurance program to compensate insurers in the individual market hit with high costs covering people with pre-existing conditions. The money is raised with a fee imposed on all group health plans, starting in 2014 through 2016, designed to raise $25 billion in all. Insurers and self-insured employers pay in proportion to the number of people they cover, so in 2014 the fee is $63 per covered person.
For three and a half years, the Obama administration crafted regulations to impose the fee on all large group plans. But in the fall of 2013, unions pressed for an exemption. Then these words appeared on December 2:
"Our continued study of this issue leads us to believe that this provision may reasonably be interpreted in one of two ways and ndash; it may be interpreted to mean that self-insured, self administered plans must make reinsurance contributions, or it may be interpreted to mean that such plans are excluded from the obligation and hellip;"
That's a lie. The Affordable Care Act's reinsurance provision doesn't use the word "self-administered" or distinguish between plans that pay their own claims and plans that hire administrators. But Taft-Hartley union plans self-insure and self-administer and will therefore be exempted by the December 2 regulation.
Writing government double-talk is a dark art. It's straight out of George Orwell's 1984. Orwell warned that totalitarian governments impudently claim that black is white, in contradiction to the plain truth, to sap the public's ability to think critically. The Obama administration does it too.
The army of bureaucrats cranking out regulations and deceptions to justify them have no loyalty to the public or the U.S. Constitution. They are loyal to the state and its current leader, and they have terrifying power over us.
The December 2 rule will mean that insurers and other self-insured employers who are not exempted pay more in 2015 and 2016 to meet the $25 billion target. It's a zero situation. They will have grounds to sue, but the President is counting on the fact that they won't. Insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and other industries are being corrupted by the Obama administration's cronyism. They figure they'll make it up somewhere else in a side deal with the administration.
The biggest loss is freedom. Each time Obama claims power the Constitution does not allow he sets a menacing precedent for future presidents to rule by edict.
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Taylor Swift Haircut, Singer Sporting Shorter Locks

Taylor Swift shared a photo of her new haircut on Instagram. (Photo: Instagram/Taylor Swift



Taylor Swift has revealed her new hairstyle on Instagram, and also later gave fans another glimpse as she went for a walk around in Perth, Australia this week.
The "Red" singer shortened her signature blonde locks and added side-swept bangs, explaining, "I just need a haircut."
"While in the studio I came to the realization that my bangs are long enough to use as a sleep mask on long flights," Swift posted to Instagram and nbsp;along with a photo of her bangs. "Then I remembered that I don't even use sleep masks on flights. So really, I just need a haircut."
Known for her long blonde hair, Swift's new haircut surprised fans who posted mixed reviews of the singers' new 'do.
"I love Taylor Swift and her haircut," wrote Twitter user Kara, while another posted, "Taylor Swift I love you but your haircut has got to go."
Following the cut, Swift was spotted in Perth just before a concert sporting her new hairstyle parted to the side while her curls landed right below her neck.
The "I Knew You Were Trouble" singer is not the only celebrity to surprise fans with a new hairstyle this month. Just last week, Chelsea Handler debuted a new short 'do on Twitter, revealing new shoulder-length hair in a photo.
"I'm done with hair," 38-year-old Handler posted in the caption to a photo taken from the salon chair with wet, freshly cut hair.
The starlet also added a photo of the trimmings on the ground.
"My leftovers," she wrote.
Meanwhile, Swift is preparing for her 24th birthday on Dec. 13 as well as several upcoming awards show performances.
"It would appear that I'm now 24," the singer posted to Twitter on Dec. 12. "That's on Australian time though. Still 23 in the States."
The already multi-award-winning singer was nominated this week for two Grammy Awards with her "Red" album - news that excited Swift deeply.
"I love you guys we got an album of the year nomination and I'm too excited to use punctuation," she posted to Twitter in all caps on Dec. 6.
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Kris Jenner Adds Ben Flajnik to Kardashian Reality Show; Daughters Upset?

Kris Jenner poses with Ben Flajnik and Jonathan Cheban (PHOTO) Instagram: @krisjenner



Former "Bachelor" star Ben Flajnik will reportedly make his debut on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" next year and fans are speculating whether his rumored romance with Kris Jenner will play out on the show.
The unlikely pair, who are 28-years apart, spent time together at Flajnik's winery in September and E! camera crews reportedly captured every moment. Jenner, 58, recently denied reports that she is in a relationship with the Flajnik, 31, however his upcoming appearance on her family's hit reality show has only fueled romance rumors.
"It's a scene with Kris and Jonathan Cheban visiting him at his winery," a source told HollywoodLife.com and nbsp;about Flajnik's upcoming debut on the show. "She's slowly introducing his character next season."
Jenner and Flajnik have recently enjoyed concert dates together, shopping trips, dinner outings and even a vacation in Mexico. Flajnik, who was previously engaged to "Bachelor" season 16 winner Courtney Robertson, was recently spotted driving one of Jenner's luxury vehicles which raised eyebrows.
"When they went to Mexico, they were all over each other," another source revealed. "They were hooking up the entire time and not hiding it at all."
In October Jenner, who is a mother of 6, announced her separation from Bruce, her husband of 22-years. Insiders claim the Kardashian matriarch is being cautious about adding Flajnik to her family's reality show as her daughters are unhappy about the romance reports.
"Kendall and Kylie are upset about their mom's relationship with Ben so she's trying to be careful with their feelings," one insider said.
"As for the show, Kris is continuing to focus on her bread and butter, her confusing relationship with Bruce Jenner," the source said. "Ben is hoping that one day he will be [a main character] on the show because despite them hooking up, he sees dollar signs and making himself more famous."
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Gods Love Offered to the Hurting

Charles Stanley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, speaks about preaching better sermons during a webcast, Thursday, March 15, 2012. (Photo: Preaching Rocket via The Christian Post)



John 4:7-27
Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). His life clearly revealed God's loving character and compassion towards people. Let's take a closer look at one of the examples mentioned yesterday: from the Savior's interaction with the Samaritan woman, we can learn much about our heavenly Father's tender love and care for us.
and bull; Jesus initiated contact. and nbsp;Much to His disciples' dismay, Jesus deliberately went out of His way to meet the woman from Samaria. In that day, Jews did not associate with Samaritans and in fact avoided traveling through their region. But God does not adhere to man's rules or prejudices. He brings a message of hope and new life to all who listen and believe.
and bull; Jesus knew her pain and heartache. and nbsp;She must have felt worthless, abandoned, and unloved after being divorced by five husbands. We all have emotional baggage that weighs us down and causes us pain. Our Father knows when we have deep hurt or secret shame.
and bull; Jesus offered her forgiveness and love. and nbsp;He drew out the details of her situation in a nonjudgmental way so that she would be receptive to His offer of forgiveness and a relationship with God. He understood what she needed-to feel loved, valued, and accepted-and knew a relationship with Him was the answer.
God sees us today as clearly as He saw the Samaritan woman. He knows our hurts, and He wants to bring us healing and restoration. Won't you accept His love? Submit to the Holy Spirit's transforming work so that you can be brought to spiritual wholeness.
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Sonic Lost World Wii U Update Gives Players Extra Lives and Fixes Graphics Glitch

Sonic the Hedgehog Lost World screenshot. (PHOTO: Youtube Screengrab)



A new free patch for Sonic Lost World Wii U gives players an easier time collecting extra lives and playing through continues.
The changes include: "Collecting 100 rings will now grant the player an extra life. In the event of a Game Over, we have doubled the amount of lives the player will begin with when continuing. (From 5 and nbsp;to 10). The Indigo Asteroid, Crimson Eagle, Orange Rocket, and Black Bomb Color Powers can now be controlled using the analog stick and buttons. Fixed a rare graphical issue that would sometimes appear during the pinball section of the Frozen Factory casino area," the Sega Blog posted.
Additional updates include a re-play of the NIGHTMARE DLC upon scoring 100,000 points and items appearing on the world map.
Reviews for the game have said the 3DS version of the game is superior to the Wii U version, continuing the tradition of the Sega Sonic Team perhaps trying to do too much with everyone's beloved hedgehog.
The 3DS version is praised for its good graphics, solid level design, and gameplay.
The Wii U version suffers from bad camera angles and poor instruction in utilizing an arsenal of new moves Sonic knows, as well as poor level design that slows him down instead of speeds him up. However, the graphics are said to be among the best of the Wii U thus far.
The game is in both 3D and 2D, and as in the most recent additions, many enjoyed the 2DS Sonic more because of the nostalgic feel. However, reviews for Kotaku felt the game was its best when moving away from the frustrating play of the 2D.
Sonic Lost World has stages that are reminiscent of earlier games in the franchise, but adds the 3D action-platform element to it for both the Wii U and handheld version for the 3DS.
For the Wii U, the Gamepad is a major function of the game and utilizes movement as well as a two player helper on the Gamepad screen. In the 3DS version, there is exclusive levels and 'Tails Lab' where players can create radio control vehicles to be used for the Wii U. Sega outlines the differences between the two games here.
Sonic Lost World was released in the U.S. on October 29.
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Teacher of the Year gets 38 Years for Explicit Relationship with 12-Year-Old Student

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Mother of Girl Sexually Harassed by Six-Year-Old Classmate Speaks Out, Defends School

Hunter Yelton was suspended from school for allegedly 'sexually harassing' a fellow student. (Photo: Screengrab/KRDO News)



The mother of the little girl kissed by a six-year-old classmate, who received a report of sexual harassment in his file, is now speaking out about her daughter's feelings on the situation. She applauded the school for taking action against the young boy and fully supports the report of sexual harassment being put in his record.
Hunter Yelton, 6, was suspended and given a report of sexual harassment after reportedly kissing the girl on the hand. His and nbsp;mother was not pleased with the situation and spoke out, calling for the school to rescind the report of sexual harassment, stating that there was no way Hunter could have known what he was doing was wrong.
Jade Masters-Ownbey, the mother of the girl at the center of the incident, spoke out on Facebook about her daughter's side of the story and explained that this had not happened once or twice but "over and over and hellip; not with her permission but sneaking up on her and hellip; not without warning and consequences prior to suspension," she told the Daily Record.
She added that Hunter and another boy had "kept her (daughter) from playing with other kids and fought with each other. After they got in trouble, one boy stopped but the other boy apparently didn't get it. I had to put restrictions on her about who she was allowed to be around at school. I've had to coach her about what to do when you don't want someone touching you, but they won't stop."
Hunter admitted that he did something wrong, and his mother, Jennifer Saunders, admitted that they had had problems with Hunter's actions before. He was placed on in-school suspension once and then given a two-day suspension for this most recent incident.
"Our job as a school is to basically maintain a safe learning environment for all children in the school, and that's certainly what we're trying to do here," Principal Tammy DeWolfe said. "Our goal is to ultimately get that inappropriate behavior to stop."
There will be no charges filed against Hunter or his family, and the sexual harassment report will only remain on his record as long as he is in the Canon City School District. After that, it will disappear.
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Galaxy S4 Software Update Now Rolling Out for Verizon

Samsung Galaxy S4 Image courtesy of Samsung



A software update for the Samsung Galaxy S4 is now rolling out for Verizon customers.
The new build is labeled VRUEMK2 and is said to make the device work better with chargers not made by Samsung. Other changes include improved email connectivity and data connections when using proxy servers along with consistent data roaming in Canada and Mexico. Verizon users should begin receiving notifications to download the update soon. Those who do not get the automatic notifications should perform the update manually in the Settings menu.
The last major software update for the Galaxy S4 was Android 4.3, JellyBean which brought several changes to the device including a Samsung Knox security update, enhanced multi-window mode, improved camera features, bug fixes and general performance enhancements.
It also gives the handset a new lockscreen with multiple widgets, adjustable clock size, actionable notifications, and daydream mode.
Users will also be able to move apps to the SD card and will have new screen modes such as Adapt Display and Professional Photo. TRIM support will be added to improve performance along with Galaxy Gear support, Driving Mode, voice commands and Samsung KNOX compatibility.
Despite other carriers having issues with the software's rollout, T-Mobile users seemed to experience no issues with it. Many of them began rushing out the Android 4.3 update recently in order to make them compatible with the Galaxy Gear.
The update rolled out for AT and amp;T customers a bit earlier in the year and was pulled the following week due to bugs and problems users were reporting. The carrier reissued the update shortly after and seems to have corrected some of the issues. It also rolled out a minor update last week that finished working the bugs out of the system.
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Kim Kardashian Attributes 56-Pound Weight Loss to Atkins Diet, Pilates

Kim Kardashian poses for a selfie (PHOTO) Instagram: @KimKardashian



Kim Kardashian wowed fans on Wednesday when she made her post-baby weight loss reveal on the cover of Us magazine, however the reality TV star is insisting on losing more weight.
Dressed in white swimwear, Kardashian, 33, confidently posed on a Miami Beach while unveiling her 56-pound weight loss. While fans have applauded her appearance, she remains critical of herself.
"I saw one photo. It was OK. I think I still have about 10 pounds to go," Kardashian told E! News at the 2013 Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Breakfast on Wednesday.
During her pregnancy with baby North West, Kardashian, who is 5-foot-3, admittedly gained 50 pounds however six months after giving birth she has successfully lost it all. She reportedly adopted the Atkins diet and regular exercise to ensure she reached her weight loss goals healthily.
"[The Atkins diet] really trained me not to eat so many carbs. I used to eat so many carbs, and now I don't," she said.
The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate diet which consists of lean protein, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats such as nuts and avocados.
"I mean, as you get older and your body changes, you just can't eat the way you used to. So I'm training myself and I work out," she said.
"You know, I love Pilates, I love running. Now that we're on the road, just any gym in any hotel, I just go for it," she said.
While Kardashian has been applauded for her healthy approach to weight loss, the E! Star has not forgotten the harsh criticism she was subject to throughout her pregnancy.
"Pregnancy for me was a lot tougher than people saw on my show or from magazines. So to get back to feeling like myself just makes me feel good again," she told People magazine in October.
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Allen Nicklasson Executed After Gov. Denies Clemency for Murdering Good Samaritan

Allen Nicklasson's mug shot. (Photo: Twitter)



Allen Nicklasson, the man convicted of murdering a Good Samaritan in 1994, was put to death in the state of Missouri last night after a judge denied his appeal for clemency. This makes the second execution in the state in the three weeks, which is a radical change given that Missouri previously had not executed anyone for three years.
Nicklasson had a troubled upbringing that led him to rehab, where he met Dennis Skillicorn and later, Tim DeGraffenreid. The three men decided to make the trip from Kansas City to St. Louis to purchase drugs but had car trouble. While the car was being repaired the first time, the three men burglarized a home and took guns and money. Then they proceeded with their trip.
When the car broke down again, Richard Drummond stopped to offer his assistance. Nicklasson took advantage of the situation, loaded the men's stolen goods into Drummond's vehicle, put a gun to his head and ordered him to drive. Sometime later, Nicklasson pulled off the road in Layfayette County, ordered Drummond out of the vehicle and shot him twice in the head.
"I'm laughing, pacing," he told the Associated Press and nbsp;in a 2009 interview. "I started losing it. I wouldn't want this out, but I felt a euphoria. I finally got back for all the beatings I took."
The men managed to make it to Arizona in Drummond's vehicle, but it broke down and they forced their way into the home of Joseph and Charlene Babcock. Nicklasson killed Joseph after he took them to their vehicle; Charlene was killed at her home. He later took sole responsibility for killing Drummond.
An appeals court granted him a stay of execution, and the U.S. Supreme Court voted to vacate the stay; Governor Jay Nixon refused to grant Nicklasson clemency and he was put to death soon after 10:00 p.m. CST.
The Missouri Department of Public Safety spokesman Mike O'Connell told the AP that Nicklasson prayed with a chaplain before being escorted to the execution chamber. He offered no last words and showed no reaction to the drug; Nicklasson was pronounced dead at 10:52 p.m., eight minutes after the process began.
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Duchess Kate Recycles Dress For A Third Time

Kate Middleton arrives at the SportsBall annual charity gala dinner in London (PHOTO) REUTERS/Neil Hall



Kate Middleton is getting a lot of wear out of her black lace Temperley dress, first worn by the royal last year.
The long-sleeved gown features a black lace overlay, a fitted nude bodice, a velvet belt, and a full skirt. Since wearing the dress three times now, it has become an iconic look for the royal.
Middleton, also known as the Duchess of Cambridge, first wore the Alice Temperley and nbsp;number in January 2012 during the "War Horse" premiere in London, and then again just last month during a gala at St. Andrews.
On Wednesday Dec. 11, Middleton wore the dress once more to the premiere of David Attenborough's "Natural History Museum Alive" in London.
The 31-year-old appeared trim and happy during the film event, which she attended alongside her husband, Prince William, according to the Daily Mail. After chatting with the filmmakers, the couple joined the audience in watching a 3-D version of "Natural Museum Alive."
In the past, Middleton has received praise for recycling some of her favorite designers, and the royal is well known for her low-key yet smart fashion sense. The Duchess is often spotted in items that are available at Zara and even Topshop where prices are extremely affordable.
Just last week, the royal paired her Roland Mouret gown with a necklace and nbsp;from Zara that is estimated to have cost $35 during the premiere of "Mandela."
However, Middleton keeps fans guessing at what she will wear next since just one day before the "Mandela" premiere, the Duchess donned a priceless diamond and pearl tiara owned by Queen Elizabeth II.
Meanwhile, Middleton is adjusting to life as the new mom of Prince George who was born in July. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first-born son is the third in line to the British throne.
The entire royal family is preparing to spend Christmas at the Queen's estate in Sandringham.
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Sofia Vergara Engagement Off? Actress, Nick Loeb Having Problems

Actress Sofia Vergara attends the ceremony for the unveiling of actor Ed O'Neill's star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California August 30, 2011. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni



Sofia Vergara was recently spotted without her engagement ring and a new report claims the actress has called off her wedding to her fiancé Nick Loeb.
In November the "Modern Family" star, 41, was reportedly seen dining with friends in West Hollywood, California and onlookers could not help but notice she was not wearing her eight-carat engagement ring. The couple, who got engaged in 2012, has dated on-and-off for years.
"She and Nick have been having problems since this summer, and they've been spending more time away from each other," a source told InTouch magazine. "There is no wedding date, no plan, no dress."
Vergara is believed to have spent Thanksgiving with her 21-year-old son Manolo from her first marriage, however Loeb, 38, was noticeably absent.
"The fact that Nick wasn't with her family on Thanksgiving speaks volumes," the insider said.
In December 2012 the couple raised doubts about their engagement after they were involved in a nightclub brawl while celebrating New Year's Eve at Miami's Story. The party was hosted by Vergara's ex-boyfriend Chris Paciello.
"Nick seemed tense around Chris, who was hosting them in the VIP section, even though he and Sofia are just friends," a source previously told the New York Post's Page Six.
"In the early hours, Nick and Sofia were arguing before he got into a dispute with somebody at a neighboring table. Some pushing and shoving started," the source revealed. "Her strapless dress was torn or pulled down in the melee."
One report suggests money has become a growing issue for the pair, with sources claiming the fact that Vergara is the "bread winner" has caused problems.
Just last year the Colombian actress earned an estimated $30 million and she was named the highest paid actress on TV by Forbes. She reportedly has multiple endorsement deals with CoverGirl and Diet Coke among other big brands and has her own clothing line at Kmart.
Loeb spends most of his time working on his brand Onion Crunch in New York City, while Vergara films her popular TV sitcom in Los Angeles.
"Nick is upset that Sofia makes all this money and hasn't put much into his company lately," a source said.
The single Mom recently spoke to Glam Belleza magazine about being independent and being driven by money.
"I'm not ashamed to say I love making money," she told Glam. "I like business, and the truth is I save way more than I spend. I invest. ...It is fun to shock people with my business ideas. Most people just see me as [the character] Gloria."
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Growing Persecution of Egypts Copts Highlighted at Congressional Hearing

Since the Egyptian military overthrew Morsi, Coptic Christians have endured vandalism, destruction and murder with little or no police protection and assistance. (Photo: Flickr / Talk Radio News Service)



Highlighting escalation of attacks on Egypt's Copts, speakers at a congressional hearing this week expressed concerns over the Muslim Brotherhood making Christians the scapegoat for the Islamist group's political downfall.
"An unprecedented wave of violence erupted against Christians" after security forces' violent crackdown on Brotherhood protesters following the removal of President Mohammed Morsi in July, noted Bishop Angaelos of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom.
"They [Copts] alone were set as scapegoats and erroneously blamed and accused of instigating or contributing to the violent dispersal of pro-Morsi demonstrators," added Bishop Angaelos at a joint hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations and Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa on Tuesday.
The bishop noted that the frequency in attacks on Christians and other religious minority groups, their communities and places of worship is increasingly disturbing. "Carried out by radical elements in society, these attacks are not merely on individuals but on the Christian and minority presence in its entirety."
"In recent months, undercurrents of abuse and contempt for human dignity long existing in Egypt have turned into flash floods of violence," said Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, who chaired the hearing.
Smith also noted that "some in the Muslim Brotherhood scapegoated the Copts although the Copts had nothing to do with the military's violent response."
Samuel Tadros, research fellow, Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom, who also testified at the hearing, pointed out that two separate attacks on Copts were reported in the southern Egyptian governate of Menya as recently as on Nov. 28.
In October, four Copts were killed, including two sisters ages 8 and 12, when gunmen on motorcycles opened fire at a wedding party outside a church near Cairo, stated Dr M. Zuhdi Jasser, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, who was also part of the hearing.
In August, at least seven Copts were killed and more than 200 churches and other Christian religious structures, homes and businesses assaulted, Jasser added.
Apart from violent attacks, Christians have increasingly faced false accusations, Jasser pointed out.
While the government has failed to bring to justice the perpetrators of sectarian attacks, the courts have continued to convict and imprison Egyptian citizens charged with blasphemy under Article 98(f) of its penal code which prohibit "contempt" or "defamation" of religions, he said, noting that since the January 2011 revolution, USCIRF has observed a significant increase in contempt-of-religion cases.
"While most of those targeted are disfavored Muslims, Christians are disproportionately affected," Jasser added.
Jasser also highlighted discrimination against Christians.
Christian groups require government permission to build a new church or repair an existing one, and the approval process continues to be time-consuming and inflexible, he said. "No churches were approved for new construction or repair in 2012, despite applications being submitted to governors, as currently required."
Smith said the Copts suspect that the military has allowed attacks on Christians "to solidify government power as the only alternative to the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as to justify their own heavy-handed crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood."
"No matter who rules Egypt, the twin phenomenon of the growing hatred of Christians and the willingness of their neighbors to attacks them, and the failure of Egyptian governments to protect them and stop the attacks have become the hallmarks of the Copt's continued plight," remarked Tadros.
Morad Abou-Sabe, professor emeritus of Rutgers University, and Tad Stahnke, director of Policy and Programs at Human Rights First, also testified at the hearing.
Smith recommended that the United States ensure protection of Christian and other minorities, noting that American taxpayers give Egypt nearly 1.5 billion dollars in foreign aid each year. "This [Obama] Administration's short-sighted approach of not clearly linking aid to the protection of human rights in Egypt has been unequivocally ineffective," he said.
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Jenelle Evans Pregnant Again? Friend Confirms Rumors

Jenelle Evans, Nathan Griffith, and her son Jace. (Photo: Twitter)



"Teen Mom 2" star Jenelle Evans is reportedly pregnant with her second child, even though her mother still has custody of her son, Jace. Evans has remained silent about the pregnancy, but a close friend has gone public with the news of the impending arrival.
"Jenelle is pregnant. She never wanted it to get out," Jenelle's friend Jennifer told Radar Online. "MTV leaked it. Jenelle didn't even want people to know that MTV was filming her after they found out she was pregnant. She isn't confirming anything to anyone apparently. She never wanted anyone to find out until she was far enough along to not worry about miscarriages. She told me a month ago."
Evans has been through a lot in this past year. She separated from husband Courtland Rogers after he allegedly beat her and she then miscarried their child. The two are still married due to a legal situation in her state. Rogers is in jail on charges of cyber-stalking Evans' sister, Ashleigh, and has been unable to pay the $50,000 bond.
Meanwhile, she has moved on to a new relationship with Nathan Griffith, but things have not been smooth sailing for the couple. In September, Griffith was arrested for DUI, with Evans in the passenger seat. She herself spent time in jail in August after failing a surprise drug test ordered by a judge.
Evans' mother, Barbara, has had custody of her first child, Jace, for quite some time now and has no intention of relinquishing that custody until Jenelle cleans up her act for good and a court agrees with that assessment. Evans is currently filming the fifth season of "Teen Mom 2," which is scheduled to air in 2014.
Even though Evans has remained silent about these latest assertions that she is pregnant, her Twitter feed may have just confirmed that something is up with the reality star.
"Before today begins, please everyone don't jump down my throat. People can change, people do change. I have changed," she posted, leading many to wonder if that is her own way of confirming the pregnancy.
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Kanye West Upset With Grammy Nominations

Kim Kardashian poses for a selfie alongside Kanye West (PHOTO) Instagram: @KimKardashian



Kanye West is not happy with his Grammy nominations.
West, the 36-year-old rap mogul, was nominated for Best Rap Album for his album Yeezus and Best Rap Song for his song "New Slaves." However, the rap mogul insisted that he deserved more than the two nominations.
While embarking on his Yeezus tour in Phoenix, the outspoken rapper sounded off on his nominations. West insisted that his race had something to do with his nominations.
"I'm 36-years-old and I have 21 Grammys. That's the most Grammys of any 36-year-old," West told his audience. "Out of all those 21 Grammys, I've never won a Grammy against a white artist. Now let's bring it back to the Michael Jackson days when he couldn't get his video to be played because he was 'urban.'"
West was not nominated for album of the year and questioned what message the Grammys were trying to convey.
"And Yeezus is the top one or two album on every single list," he said at Phoenix's US Airways Center. "But only gets two nominations from the Grammys. What are they trying to say?"
The rapper went on to insinuate that his influence could affect the credibility of the Grammys.
"Did they think that I wouldn't notice," West questioned. "Do they think that, someway, I don't have the power to completely diminish all of their credibility at this moment?"
West has not shied away from speaking about his genius and impact in the past and admitted that people do not approve of it.
"People get mad at me saying that I am a creative genius, but it's just obvious. It's, like, factual," West told Philadelphia radio station Hot 107.9. "I would write creative genius when I go through the airport ... I would put that on customs [forms], where you put what your title is, except for two reasons: it takes too long to write and sometimes I spell the word genius wrong."
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Tamar Braxton Addresses Former Bullys Son On Twitter

Tamar Braxton reveals baby Logan on Instagram. (Photogram:Instagram/Tamar Braxton)



Tamar Braxton may be a successful singer-songwriter, but now she is addressing the son of one of her high school bullies.
Braxton, the 36-year-old Grammy nominated singer was approached on Twitter by the son of one of her former bullies.
"Whole time my mova beat the (expletive) out of @TamarBraxtonHer in HighSchool and hellip;I got this (expletive) saying her whole HighSchool story and (expletive) now and hellip;," he tweeted. "..How you gonna be older then me and get in ya feelings that's crazy and hellip;"
Braxton did not hesitate to respond while retweeting the message.
"The moment u see a person who used 2 bully u SON follows u ????#iwon," Braxton tweeted.
The "Love and amp; War" singer previously spoke about how being different while growing up made her the target for naysayers.
"I walked different, I had a different attitude, and I was picked on because I wasn't like everybody else," Braxton revealed to Flaunt magazine earlier this year. "You have to accept that about yourself. I think especially for women it's important because it's so hard for us."
The singer has had her share of struggles accepting herself and even fell victim to an abusive relationship at one point.
"I almost had to tell my story to each individual and then I decided that's not what I'm going to do. I can't make anybody believe, I can't change anybody's mind about anything," Braxton told EBONY magazine. "(The abuse,) it happened. I'm not all the way comfortable with sharing a lot of what happened to me (yet), but what I said was true."
Although Braxton admitted that she's not ready to speak in detail about her abusive relationship, she did admit that God helped her overcome it.
"When I'm ready to talk about my abusive past I will, I'm sorry that I'm not," she told EBONY. "But if it wasn't for (God), I wouldn't be here."
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Evelyn Lozada Reveals Thoughts On If Basketball Wives Will Return

Evelyn Lozada cradles her baby bump (PHOTO) Instagram: @evelynlozada



Evelyn Lozada is speaking about the future of the "Basketball Wives" franchise that made her famous.
Lozada, the 38-year-old fitness spokesperson and entrepreneur, admitted that she had no idea whether the show would return for a sixth season after the fourth season sparked outrage due to its violent nature and the fifth season dropped in ratings.
"I don't even know if there's gonna be another season," Lozada told omg! Insider recently. "You know, I know that I signed on to do five season and I did five seasons."
Still, the reality television star said the show brought positive aspects to her life like providing her daughter with an education.
"Reality TV, although there's a lot of negativity, it's been more positive for me," Lozada told omg! Insider recently. "I was able to do a lot of things because of the show and hellip; I was able to put my daughter through college because of it."
Lozada may not be interested in returning to the hit VH1 reality television show, but she may instead involve herself with a spin-off from the popular show.
Lozada has said, "I signed on to do five seasons and this is our fifth. I don't really see me doing a sixth season. I know I can carry my own show, pretty much carried this one," according to The Huffington Post.
Still, it seems she would be willing to star in a spin off series.
"I would do my own show because I know I would have creative control. I'm in a different space," she said. "I'm open to doing a spin-off, but just not with a cast of women."
The reality television star has previously revealed some of the ventures that she would like to pursue after her stint on the show.
"I really don't [see myself doing this forever]. I see myself working behind the scenes - whether it's working on my books or doing stuff on TV shows," Lozada revealed to Latina magazine recently. "I really want to have a family. And if that presented itself to me, I would probably just enjoy the moment because I feel like, with my daughter, it went by so fast!"
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Justin Bieber Talks Being Bullied By Media

Justin Bieber (PHOTO) Twitter: @chattieabby



Justin Bieber feels he is being bullied by the media.
Bieber, the 19-year-old singer-songwriter, has been the subject of media headlines for questionable behavior this year. However, he appeared on Ryan Seacrest's radio show to speak about the scrutiny that he has been under.
"I'm becoming a man, but I'm still 19, I'm still finding myself and when I have the media attacking me every day it's no [different] than bullying that happens in school, these people calling me names and saying things, and they don't know what's true or not," Bieber told Seacrest. "...people forget I'm a human being."
Bieber has made media headlines for his alleged trysts with strippers, marijuana use, social media rants, parties, aggression and performing his recent shows later than scheduled. Although Bieber has also defended his recent actions in the media, he also recently said he does not care about what people think concerning him.
"When people see a negative thing about me on a magazine, they're gonna buy it. Every time some site writes something bad, all my followers go on there, and it brings them more traffic," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "Now they have all the Beliebers on their site, which gives them money from advertisers. They're just worried about money. They don't care about ruining someone's name."
Scooter Braun, Bieber's manager, sat down with Billboard magazine earlier this year to reveal that Bieber was going through a time where he did not trust anyone.
"That's one of the things he told me, a month, a month and a half ago," Braun revealed to Billboard last October. "He looked at me and he goes, 'I don't know if I can trust anyone.'"
However, Braun said that Bieber's mentality may be a hard one to live with.
"..That's a tough place to be, especially as a 19-year-old. He hasn't had the easiest run, and at times he knows that he hasn't made it easy on himself," Braun told Billboard. "But I think that music has always been his therapy, and this film, which we just screened and watched with the whole crew, means a lot to him, because of how he gets to finally express himself and tell people what it's like."
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Mark Driscoll Remains Silent as Circle of Plagiarism Accusations Now Includes Questions on Ghostwriting; John Piper Chimes In on Twitter

(Photo: Mars Hill Church) (Photo: Mars Hill Church)



A wider circle of accusations surrounding author and Seattle-based megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll that originally included plagiarism allegations by a radio talk show host, now includes claims from others tracking the saga about how ghostwriters or researchers were used and not given proper attribution. At the same time, the Mars Hill Church pastor's silence on the matter has raised intrigue and the question: How powerful is the "evangelical celebrity machine?"
"What started in late November with Janet Mefferd's accusations of plagiarism against Mark Driscoll has morphed into broader concerns over authorship and use of research materials," writes Warren Throckmorton and nbsp;on the Patheos blog. "This finding raises interesting questions about ghostwriting and the use of research in writing for publication. I am not aware of how wide spread this practice is but perhaps this story allows us a view behind a door not often opened."
Throckmorton, who has been reporting daily on developments in the Driscoll alleged-plagiarism story that began three weeks ago, says that it appears that Docent Research Group consultant Justin Holcomb "quoted the material from the New Bible Commentary and then Driscoll changed a few words and included it under his authorship. There are multiple instances of this practice throughout the memo."
Well-known theologian and pastor John Piper and nbsp;also chimed in on the online chatter about the Driscoll matter via Twitter and Throckmorton writes and nbsp;that the series of tweets was "apparently in response to an op-ed by Andy Crouch at Christianity Today on the Mark Driscoll plagiarism (now ghostwriting) controversy. Crouch's op-ed builds to this crescendo: The real danger here is not plagiarism and ndash; and nbsp;it is idolatry."
One of Piper's tweets included a link to a podcast that includes his answer to his feeling on ghostwriters. "Just in case you want to hear my emotion about this ghost writing thing, here's groaning last July. http://dsr.gd/1iTfgur," he tweeted.
The fallout and nbsp;from accusations made by Mefferd that Driscoll plagiarized in at least two of his books includes her pulling the allegations from her website, an apology to the outspoken Christian leader, the resignation of a dismayed part-time producer from her show, and now, the wider circle of accusations from more members of the Christian community.
It was part-time, topics producer Ingrid Schlueter of Mefferd's show that said "there is an evangelical celebrity machine that is more powerful than anyone realizes. You may not go up against the machine. That is all." Schlueter also says that "those who could have underscored the seriousness of [the charges of plagiarism] and demanded accountability did not. That is the reality of the evangelical industrial complex."
Media publication Slate took advantage of Schluter's take on the matter and published a piece with the headline, "The Evangelical Celebrity Machine." Reporter Ruth Graham wrote that Mefferd's apology and her removal of the original content that included the accusations "shouldn't be mistaken for a recanting."
"I stand by my allegations of insufficient sourcing, absolutely and unequivocally," she said by email to Graham. "His plagiarism is a very serious ethical and moral breach. Academics and journalists alike have lost their jobs over less than what Mark Driscoll has done." Graham reported that Mefferd told her that "no attorneys were involved in this situation" and that no one from the Driscoll camp suggested she remove the materials.
Several commentators have made the observation that Driscoll's "brand is now damaged," again, putting into play the question of the dynamics of "the evangelical celebrity machine" and the "evangelical industrial complex."
Attempts by The Christian Post to obtain a statement from Driscoll or Mars Hill Church have been unsuccessful. A source from the church asking to remain anonymous confirmed that no statement was planned as of Wednesday.
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Does God Love Online Poker? Texas Congressman Has Shocking Answer

Congressman Joe Barton (R-Texas) at the Congressional hearing regarding the Internet Poker Freedom Act (Photo: Screenshot via YouTube/CSPAN)



During a Congressional hearing earlier this week concerning the new Internet Poker Freedom Act, Texas Rep. Joe Barton, a staunch supporter of online poker, argued that God enabled him to travel to the congressional hearing in Washington D.C., and therefore the Almighty must be in support of online poker and the passing of the online gaming bill. and nbsp;
Barton, speaking during the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing Tuesday in D.C., said that "God must be for this bill because I got up this morning at four o'clock in Texas, outside Dallas, and braved icy roads and 20 degree temperatures to get to DFW airport where my good friends at American Airlines left exactly on time. God put a 200 mile tail wind behind our plane, and I got here an hour early. So that tells me that God is for this bill," Barton, a Republican, said jokingly, garnering laughter from those attending the subcommittee hearing.
The Internet Poker Freedom Act, also known as House Bill 2666, would allow more people to play internet poker by setting certain regulations to the online game, including establishing a program for states and federally recognized Indian tribes to license the game. The legality of online poker in the U.S. folded in 2011 after the Department of Justice ended many online gaming operations, and earlier in 2006 Congress passed a law banning the use of credit cards for illegal internet gaming.
Barton, who is backing the Internet Poker Freedom Act , went on to argue at Tuesday's congressional hearing that he believes fans of poker should be able to play online, saying the game is superior to other games such as slots or roulette, because it requires skill and not just luck. "Now we have the Internet and iPhones and iPads and apps and all these things," he said. "Just about the only thing you can't do [online] anymore is play poker. And that is changing."
"I think the time has come to recognize that, in the Internet age, we need to regulate and set a level playing field for those of us who would like to play poker online."
Later in the Congressional hearing, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) poked fun at Barton's previous comments regarding God's interest in online poker, jokingly saying: "Mr. Barton, who we all dearly love, got off on a little bit of a tangent during his opening statement this morning when he said he thinks God is in favor of his online poker bill because his flight got in early [ and hellip;] but he only need to look at the number of his bill, 2666, to remember that the devil is in the details."
Barton later clarified that he does not actually believe God has any interest in his online poker bill, but he does know that God believes in free will, which in reality is what the Internet Poker Freedom Act is all about. "I was being somewhat flippant when I talked about God being for this bill. Obviously God doesn't care a fig one way or the other about our bill, but I will say, as a practicing Christian, God does give men and women free will, and I think we ought to have a law that reflects free will on this issue."
Barton introduced the bill to Congress shortly after New Jersey, Delaware, and Nevada passed individual laws to legalize online gaming in their states. The bill was also introduced around the same time one company, Ultimate Gaming, offered the first legal and secure online poker opportunity with its UltimatePoker product after it was approved by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
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Home Intruder Flees After Single Mom Preaches Bible Verses, Tells Him God Loves You as He Attacked Her

A woman recently attacked by an intruder at her home in Dearborn Heights, Michigan reportedly preached to her intruder, who stopped attacking her when she told him and quot;God loves you. and quot; (Photo: Screenshot via WXYV-TV)



A single mom living near Detroit, Michigan reportedly deterred an intruder from attacking her further when she began preaching to him, telling him that God loved him and that he didn't really want to proceed with the attack.
The victim, a single mother with a special needs daughter who has not been named by local media, was reportedly sleeping in her bedroom in Dearborn Heights early Monday morning when an intruder entered through the basement window of her home and began assaulting her.
Julie Wilding, a neighbor and friend of the 38-year-old victim, told local WXYZ-TV and nbsp;that the victim started telling the intruder "God loves you, you don't want to do this," while also preaching bible verses to him. Her words seemed to have a direct affect on the intruder as he reportedly got up and left the home without attacking the woman further and without touching the daughter.
"I told her God was watching out for her," Wilding told the local media outlet. "Someone was watching out for her. To be able to walk away from something like this [ and hellip;] by witnessing to somebody and changing the course of what they planned on doing [ and hellip;] to just walking away."
The victim reportedly sustained mild injuries, and has been described by her neighbors as a deeply religious person. and nbsp;
In another recent story, a daycare director in Iowa attributed the saving of seven children from a burning van to the work of God. Tara Dekkers, 36, had been driving the daycare van on Dec. 6 with seven children passengers when an odd smell began permeating the vehicle's interior. Shortly after, the van reportedly made loud popping sounds and flames began to engulf the inside. Miraculously, Dekkers was able to get all seven children out of the van safely just in time before it fully burst into flames.
"I give all the credit to God," Dekkers said. "He was the one who was with me. He was the one who made it all possible for me to get them all out."
In yet another miraculous story of God's will, a 31-year-old Texas man working as a rodeo clown praised God back in October after he survived a double lightning strike. The man, Casey Wagner, said he was struck twice by lightning while attending the Rednecks with Paychecks off-roading event in Saint Jo on October 25. Wagner said his survival was a "miracle" and it opened his eyes to the importance of attending church more often.
"I give everything to God," Wagner said. "I owe everything to Him, He's the one that kept me alive. I can tell you one thing, I'm going to start going to church more."
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James Dobson and Family Talk Sue Over Abortion Pill Mandate

Dr. James Dobson (right) hands a baton to son, Ryan, June 2012. (Photo: Building a Family Legacy)



"Family Talk," a Christian radio ministry, and its president James Dobson are suing the federal government for subjecting them to the Affordable Care Act's, or "Obamacare's," "abortion mandate," despite the nonprofit's religious and moral objections to the mandate.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado by Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys, claims the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' birth control mandate violates the First Amendment as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The suit says forcing Family Talk to offer coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, such as Plan B or Ella, or devices that could result in the destruction of an embryo would also force the nonprofit and its president to violate their religious convictions.
"The government shouldn't be able to punish Americans for exercising their fundamental freedoms," said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Matt Bowman in a press release. "Any government willing to force a family-run Christian ministry to participate in immoral acts under the threat of crippling fines is a government everyone should fear."
The mandate exempts churches from offering abortion pill coverage, the lawsuit states, but other faith-based nonprofit organizations who also object to the mandate on religious grounds are not afforded the same exemptions.
Family Talk not only takes a pro-life stance, but for the last three years has spent an entire week in January discussing pro-life issues on the organization's daily radio program.
"Our ministry believes in living out the religious convictions we hold to and talk about on the air," Dobson said in a press release. "As Americans, we should all be free to live according to our faith and to honor God in our work. The Constitution protects that freedom so that the government cannot force anyone to act against his or her sincerely held religious beliefs. But the mandate ignores that and leaves us with a choice no American should have to make: comply and abandon your religious freedom, or resist and be fined for your faith."
If Family Talk refused to offer coverage on abortion-inducing contraceptives, the lawsuit states, it could be penalized with "enormous fines that will cripple their operations." The organization could be penalized up to $100 per employee per day of noncompliance.
Approximately 23 Family Talk employees are currently enrolled in the organization's health insurance plans, the suit states, and approximately 37 dependents of employees are also covered.
Dobson founded Family Talk, an organization based in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 2010. Prior to that he ministered for 33 years with Focus on the Family, which he founded in 1977.
ADF is representing and nbsp;a number of other nonprofits, businesses and Christian universities in lawsuits against the contraception mandate, including Biola University, Tyndale House Publishers and the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.
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