Thursday, January 7, 2010

Father Denies 'Balloon Boy' Spectacle Was Hoax

A man who pleaded guilty to perpetrating a hoax by falsely reporting that his son was drifting over eastern Colorado in a balloon maintains in an interview with CNN's "Larry King Live" that the incident was not part of a plan for fame.

Richard Heene pleaded guilty in November to a felony count of attempting to influence a public servant and was sentenced last month to 90 days in custody, to begin Jan. 11. He also must serve four years on probation and complete 100 hours of community service each year.

But Heene, in an interview airing Friday, told CNN's Larry King he pleaded guilty to save his wife, Mayumi, from being deported to Japan.


"I had to do it to save my family and my wife," he said, according to interview excerpts released Wednesday. "We had applied years ago for some paperwork. Things got fouled up. We had to reapply so she should have been an American citizen by now, but anyway. I can't -- I can't break up my family."

Mayumi Heene pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of false reporting to authorities in the incident involving the couple's 6-year-old son, Falcon. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail, but her term will begin after her husband's sentence ends, so their children will have a parent able to care for them.

Told about Heene's statements, Larimer County, Colo., Sheriff Jim Alderden told King, "Quite honestly, I'm shocked that he would make such statements.

"The evidence against Mr. Heene and Mayumi at this point is really overwhelming. There is no doubt in my mind that this thing was a hoax, and I really doubt that there's very few people in America who don't understand at this point that this was an elaborate hoax perpetrated by Richard and Mayumi."

At the Heenes' sentencing, prosecutors outlined what they said was planning for the balloon flight, which they said was aimed at generating publicity for the couple, who sought a reality television show.

The incident occurred Oct. 15, when a large silver balloon came loose from its moorings in the Heenes' yard and drifted over eastern Colorado. Mayumi Heene called 911 and said Falcon was inside the craft.

Millions of people across the country watched the saga on television for nearly two hours as military aircraft tracked the balloon in the air and rescuers chased it below.

But in the interview airing Friday, Heene grew emotional as he recounted searching the house "high and low" for his son.

"You know, after I saw him in and out of this craft, and Bradford [Falcon's brother] told me that he went inside, at first I didn't believe Bradford," Heene told King. "And I told him that perhaps he's around. I just -- I just saw him."

"Sum and substance, you believed your son was in the craft?" King asked.

"I knew he was in the craft when I ..." Heene began.

"Well, you didn't know it, of course," King said.

"No, no, no. In my mind," Heene said. "In my mind. There was no other place, 'cause I visualized him. I yelled at him to -- to not go in."

The night of the incident, during an interview with "Larry King Live," the boy gave authorities what Alderden called an "Aha! moment."

"You guys said we did this for the show," Falcon said in the interview, when his father asked him why he had not come out from hiding when his parents were looking for him. At the time, the Heenes said their son was simply confused. Authorities said Mayumi Heene later admitted the whole thing was a hoax and that Falcon was safe in their home the whole time.

Asked about his son's remark in the interview, conducted last week, Heene said, "Well, first off, let's take into consideration he's only been speaking English and just learned 3½ years prior to that. He's 6 years old during this interview, number one. Number two, I had gotten back into the house after the initial -- talking to the press out in front of my house. I had opened the garage door to get my family back inside away from these guys. And I looked over, and there was 30 to 40 camera guys. I asked Falcon after that, I asked him -- I said, 'Why did you say that? What are you talking about?' And he said a Japanese cameraman from some -- old man, Johnny Camera, asked him to show him how he got into the attic for his TV show. That's why Falcon answered that."

But, he said, his son was not implying the family staged the incident for a reality show.

The full interview will air at 9 p.m. ET Frid

Lindsay Lohan Accused of Copying Designs for Her 6126 Line


London Entertainment/Splash News Online; Courtesy 6126

Looks like Lindsay Lohan’s hope for adrama-free 2010 is already over. Merely a week after plans to expandher leggings line 6126 into a full fashion line hit the internet — complete with sketches — Lindsay has been accused of copying designs by two separate designers, reports WWD. First, James Lillis, designer of Black Milk Clothing, took to his blog,toomanytights.typepad.com, to point out the similarities between Lindsay’s “Diamond” leggings and his own “Sheer Spartan” leggings — both of which boast a signature triangle cutout at mid-thigh. Next,Fashionista.comlabeled Lindsay’s geometric dress as a dead ringer for a Jen Kao dress the star wore only last month — to which designer Jen Kao responded to WWD, saying, “While we are all well aware that being ‘mimicked’ or ‘copied’ has always existed in this industry, I think the evolution of it all has grown to an alarming level. It’s a shame to support the concept of taking advantage of designers who are still trying to develop a name and solidify the image of their design aesthetic.” While Lindsay has yet to respond to the accusations against her, Kristi Kaylor, president of 6126, defended Lindsay and the integrity of her designs to WWD, saying, “The alleged ‘copying’ claims made by these companies are false and have absolutely no merit or validity whatsoever. Any alleged similarities are purely coincidental. The 6126 illustrations for the upcoming fall 2010 collections do not even describe the fabric content, fit or actual construction details of the garments. This is merely an accusation based upon a pencil sketch with no concrete viable evidence to back up the allegations.”

Jersey Shore’s Ronnie & Sammi: Still Together!


After falling for each other on the hit MTV reality series Jersey Shore, Ronnie Magro andSammi “Sweetheart” Giancola tell PEOPLE that they’re still together — and it’s serious!

“I care about her deeply and I see it going for a long time,” Magro says. “I don’t really want to jinx anything [but] I love being with her. I have a best friend that’s my girlfriend, which is really hard to find.”

Seconds Giancola: “I’m very happy and content with my life right now. Things are just amazing and I’m just gonna go with it.”

Neither of them expected to leave the beach house in Seaside Heights, N.J., in a relationship — but to hear Magro tell it, the attraction was something they couldn’t deny.

“Her legs definitely caught my eye and then it just went from there,” he says with a laugh, adding that it didn’t bother him that he wasn’t able to hook up with local girls the way his single roommates did. “I have the best-looking girl and I’d rather [be with Sammi] than bring home a lot of disasters like Mike and Pauly!”

Giancola says that she doesn’t miss single life either. “Ronnie does a lot of romantic things for me all the time.” she says. “He’s brought me flowers to my house before, he takes me out to really, really nice restaurants, buys me dinner all the time. He’s just a great guy.”

And while four of their five costars have stayed single since the show wrapped, Jenni “J-WOWW” Farley, has reconciled with her boyfriend Tom, and he moved in four months ago.

“It’s great,” she tells PEOPLE of domestic life. “He became my best friend, so we do everything together. The house is messier, but in every other aspect, he makes everything easier.”

As for the night she and costar Pauly D hooked up on camera, Farley says it’s water under the bridge and that her boyfriend and Pauly D shook hands like gentlemen.

“[They're] cool out of respect,” she says. “[Any trouble] was, I guess, over with.”

Will Giancola and Magro follow suit and move in together? Says Giancola: “We’re just taking things one day at a time.” –Lesley Messer

Tell us: Would you like to see another season of Jersey Shore? Would you watch a spin-off featuring one or two of the cast? Who would you like to see?

Bloggers Consider Deliberate-Dud Theory

Among the many "what-ifs" being batted around online in the wake of the Christmas plane bombing attempt is one that got its start on Andrew Sullivan's blog. What if, a reader asked, the so-called "underwear bomber" wasn't out to actually bring down Northwest Flight 253? What if the goal was simply to terrorize America?

The Daily Dish reader's question stems from the fact that authorities sayUmar Farouk Abdulmutallab spent a long time in the plane's bathroom preparing the explosive device, but didn't detonate it there. Instead, he returned to his seat, where other passengers could see what he was doing and stop him. The reader suggested that terrorists who hatched the plot knew it would be too difficult to get a working bomb aboard the jet, but understood that even a failed attack would trigger shock waves of fear.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Jay Bookman called it an "intriguing question" and acknowledged that terrorists always aim for "maximum theater value" in their attacks.

But not all those who commented on Sullivan's blog bought the deliberate-dud theory. Several pointed to reports that Abdulmutallab specifically chose seat 19A, which is located right above a wing and near fuel tanks. At least one noted that the device wasn't set off until the airliner was close to Detroit – a possible indication that the plan was to cause maximum damage on the ground in addition to killing everyone on the jet.

Writing on the Liberal Values blog, Ron Chusid said that unless the suspect was misled by his handlers, it's hard to believe someone would agree "to ignite such a device near their testiclesknowing they were going to both live and be apprehended."

Whether the bomb fizzled by design or by accident, there's no doubt that what happened on Flight 253 was frightening. In the aftermath, travelers have been subjected to new security rules and there's been a rash of air scares.

• A flight from Detroit was diverted because of a "suspicious item" that turned out to be a Christmas ornament.

• Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, Calif., was evacuated when bottles of honey in a passenger's luggage were mistaken for explosives.

• A terminal at New Jersey's Newark Airport was thrown into chaos for hours after an unscreened man walked through a checkpoint exit.

• TSA officers handcuffed war correspondent Michael Yon because he wouldn't answer some of their questions when he arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from Hong Kong.

• Comedienne Joan Rivers complained she was "held hostage" by airport security in Costa Rica because of questions about her passport.

British blogger Ian Leslie thinks such incidents show the alleged underpants bomber accomplished his mission. Leslie criticized the "frenzied over-reaction" – calling it "as self-defeating as it is dismaying."

"They don't care if they kill us. They just want us to live in terror," The Impolitic's Libby Spencer said about terrorists. And she charged the GOP with "playing right into their hands."

Mitchell Bard also lashed out at Republicans on The Huffington Post, accusing them of politicizing the bombing attempt and "making us less safe" by fostering an atmosphere of panic.

But President Obama's response hasn't exactly eased fears, either. He bluntly told his security team Tuesday the attack was "a screw-up that could have been disastrous." Conflicting statements from some of his top advisers contributed to a general sense of confusion. And The Daily Beast's Lee Siegel said Obama is as guilty as everyone else of reacting to every terrorist incident as if there had never been any before.

As a result, fear is in the air. Our normal way of life is disrupted. Americans are fighting with each other instead of focusing on the common enemy. Nobody was killed this time, but those whose goal is to terrorize can consider the failed bombing of Flight 253 a success.

Aussie KFC Ad Slammed as Racist in U.S.


KFC
has found itself in an awkward situation after an Australian ad campaign made its way to YouTube sparking accusations of racism from its American audience, Australian media outletAdelaide Now reported.

The Aussie "Cricket Survival Guide" commercial shows a white man in a crowd of cheering black cricket fans. The Australian fan, named Mick, asks "Need a tip when you're stuck in an awkward situation?" and then hands a bucket ofKFC fried chicken to the black fans.

The YouTube video had more than 250,000 views Wednesday afternoon and viewers left more than 3,300 comments. In the video's description on YouTube, the poster "ThunderCurls" writes: "How do you survive a crowd of "awkward" black people? According to KFCs latest advertisement a bucket of fried chicken will do the trick. Is this racist? You be the judge..."

Watch the video after the jump.


KFC Australia told Adelaide Now that while the ad could be perceived as racist, it was misunderstood by the American audience.

"It is a light-hearted reference to the West Indian cricket team," the company said in a statement. "The ad was reproduced online in the U.S. without KFC's permission, where we are told a culturally-based stereotype exists, leading to the incorrect assertion of racism.

"We unequivocally condemn discrimination of any type and have a proud history as one of the world's leading employers for diversity."

KFC Australia announced to Slashfood Wednesday afternoon it is "removing the television advertisement that was being run in conjunction with the Australian cricket season. We apologize for any misinterpretation of the ad as it was not meant to offend anyone."

2 Years Of Education, A Lifetime Of Success

Many people believe four-year colleges offer greater career opportunities – but this isn't necessarily true. Many two-year schools offer programs in which graduates can make at least as much money, and have job security.

According to the Department of Labor Employment projections, 19 out of the 30 fastest growing occupations between 2006-2016 will not require university degrees. The department states, "the most significant source of postsecondary education or training is an associate or higher degree." The ones requiring only an associate degree range from computer specialists to dental hygienists.

The mean salary for a computer specialist, according to the latest Department of Labor study, conducted in May, 2008, is over $100,000, while dental hygienists with associate degrees have a mean of approximately $67,000. These wages are expected to increase in future time periods.


Hourly Versus Salaried Positions

Especially when you're just out of school, and new to the professional workforce, your boss could ask you to work oodles of overtime. You probably wouldn't get paid for the extra time if you are a salaried worker, while an hourly employee would.

A few potential hourly positions that are available through two-year programs include dental hygienists, automotive technicians, nurses, paralegals and computer technicians. Depending on the employer, these careers could be salaried, as well. Look specifically for hourly positions if you want to guarantee you will get paid extra when working overtime.


Less Debt

Lifetime earnings are impacted by the amount of student loan debt you accumulate. For example, let's say three friends take three different educational routes. One takes on $60,000 in student loans and attends a university for a four-year bachelor's degree as well as a two-year master's degree. The second goes to a community college for a two-year associate's degree and borrows $4,000. The third person attends a private career school and borrows $15,000 in private and federal loans combined.

Private career schools train you for many of the same fields as a community college, but generally cut the amount of time in school by avoiding extra classes that aren't necessary suited for that specific field.

Suppose the following payments, payoff time and interest rates:


Four-year college, plus a master's degree

Two-years of community college

One-year private career college

Amount

$60,000

$4,000

$15,000

Payoff time in years

30

10

15

Interest rate average

4.5%

4.5%

5%

Payment

$303.75

$40.13

$117.87



Benefits of a Two-Year Education

1. Diversity of Fields

There are a variety of fields from which to choose, after just two years of education. Website designers, broadcast videographers, computer technicians, nuclear technician and fashion designer are all viable careers.


2. Career-Specific Training

While some college majors are abstract, in order to allow for a well-rounded education, two-year degree candidates are trained, often hands-on, for one career choice. Thus, two-year degree candidates are highly employable. For instance, when you train to be an automotive technician, you have the skills to work in the field the day you graduate.


3. Medical Professions

Healthcare professionals are always in demand. Two-year degrees are available for many career types, including dental hygienists and nurses.


Drawbacks of a Two-Year Education

The main drawback of a two-year education is that you become highly-skilled in one specific field. While this is greatly beneficial for initial employability, the narrowness of your education could leave you with fewer options in the case of a layoff situation.

The best defense from layoffs is twofold. If you attend a two-year college, rather than a one-year career college, you will more likely take core classes. General education classes generally taken in the first two years of a four-year degree can transfer to a four-year college, if you want to continue your education at a later time. Second, try to gather as many different experiences in the field as you can. For instance, if you are a videographer, you can videotape for broadcast television and shoot commercials or weddings once in a while.


Conclusion

Four-year degrees are great for a lot of people, but don't spend four years in college if there's a career that you can get trained for in half the time, and for less than 10% of the cost.