Murder Suspect Goes Free After DA Forgets to Indict Him

Lauri Apple · 11/21/11 05:55AM

One morning not long ago, Fort Bend (Texas) District Attorney John Healey was sitting at his kitchen table and updating his to-do list: "Make pozole for office party? Check. Pay mortgage? Check. Buy dog food? Check. Indict that dude Richard for murder?... Aw, crap."

The Week in Celebrity Snapshots

Matt Cherette · 11/21/11 12:22AM

Every day, celebrities across the world are followed and photographed by the omnipresent paparazzi, often to entertaining results. Here are some of our favorite shots from the past week.

Pakistan Bans 1,700 Texting Words, Including 'Satan,' 'Glazed Donut,' and 'Monkey Crotch'

Seth Abramovitch · 11/21/11 12:06AM

The Pakistan's Telecommunications Authority has issued a list of 1,700 words it considers "offensive and obscene," and has demanded that mobile providers begin filtering them from text messages as of Monday. The list, which contains hundreds of familiar swear words as well as some truly puzzling choices, is meant to curb SMS spamming, according the PTA, which it defines as "the transmission of harmful, fraudulent, misleading, illegal or unsolicited messages in bulk to any person without express permission of the recipient."

Black Friday Plugged with Rebecca Black's 'Friday'

Seth Abramovitch · 11/20/11 11:17PM

Who's excited for the most trample-riffic day of the shopping year? Not me. But if ever there was a match made in marketing heaven, it's Black Friday and Rebecca Black's brain-corroding earworm of a viral hit, "Friday." It's the meme that won't die, on the day that won't end (for America's retail employees, that is). Hit it, Kohl's! [via Adrants]

Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall DVD Commentary Is the Best Ever

Matt Cherette · 11/20/11 11:15PM

This is me writing the lede to a post that features a video of Arnold Schwarzenegger's DVD commentary for Total Recall. This is me telling you that Schwarzenegger's commentary is literal to the point of hilarity. This is me highlighting the great moment of the sweat running down, which gives it away. Here it is. [via Reddit]

Mark Madoff's Widow Opens Up About Her Aversion to Dog Leashes

Seth Abramovitch · 11/20/11 10:32PM

Stephanie Madoff Mack, widow of Bernie Madoff's son Mark, has written a book — The End of Normal: A Wife's Anguish, A Widow's New Life — about losing a husband to suicide after he played a central and implicit role in the biggest financial fraud in history. (First sentence: "Every night before going to sleep, I put a fresh towel down on my side of the bed, knowing it will be drenched with perspiration by the time I bolt awake, precisely and without fail, at 3:51 in the morning." Imagine the audiobook, voiced by the author, lulling you to sleep!)

Michigan Congressman Denies Molesting Cousin 50 Years Ago

Seth Abramovitch · 11/20/11 09:36PM

Michigan Democratic Rep. Dale Kildee, 82, has issued a strongly worded denial of accusations made by the mother of a male cousin, who says her son was sexually abused by the longtime congressman 50 years ago.

Latest Terror Suspect Is a Loner Who Lives With His Mom

Lauri Apple · 11/20/11 08:28PM

Say hello to Jose Pimentel! Jose, 27, pictured at right, lives in New York City with his mom, enjoys the Internet, and—according to "his friends" (the mainstream media)—is a "loner." Oh, and he was just arrested for allegedly making pipe bombs for terroristic purposes.

Police Barricades Protect NYC Mayor From '24-Hour' Drum Circle

Lauri Apple · 11/20/11 07:40PM

The Occupy Wall Street protesters who had planned to throw a 24-hour drum circle party (a violation of several United Nations human rights treaties) outside NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg's Manhattan manse didn't quite make it thanks to NYPD officers and barricades. Undaunted, they held their percussive party down the street. A sax player and a cowbell armada showed up to provide ... well, not rhythms. How about sounds? Yes, sounds.

Petty Hot Dog Thief to Spend 80 Years in Prison

Lauri Apple · 11/20/11 06:32PM

Back in 2009, Charles Cleveland Nowden was busted at a Fort Worth movie theater for trying to purchase a lethal junk-food combo meal—two hot dogs, two cokes, and popcorn—with a counterfeit $20. This week, he received an 80-year prison sentence. Fort Worth's snack community is safe again!

Delightful NASCAR Fans Boo Michelle Obama

Max Read · 11/20/11 04:28PM

First Lady Michelle Obama was a NASCAR Grand Marshal at today's Ford 400 (so was her sidekick, Second Lady Jill Biden), so she naturally received a warm welcome from patriotic NASCAR fans. Kidding! She got booed.

School Uses Russell Brand's Smutty Phone Calls to Teach Kids

Lauri Apple · 11/20/11 04:24PM

Upon realizing the pedogogical potential of Russell Brand's dirty prank calls, the headmaster of a hoity-toity north London school incorporated them into an English exam that was then administered to 14-year-old students. Now he doesn't understand why are some of the kids' parents are so upset about this.

America's Great Wall Is a Mound of Tires in South Carolina

Max Read · 11/20/11 02:12PM

The Great Wall of China has long been said to be the only man-made structure visible from space. Well, guess what, commies? America's got its own space-visible man-made structure: a mound of discarded tires in Calhoun County, South Carolina.

As Promised, Mila Kunis Hits Up Marine Ball

Max Read · 11/20/11 12:12PM

Mila Kunis finally gets her Marine Ball. Prince Harry is still partying in Las Vegas (and going to Cirque Du Soleil). Tareq Salahi is suing Michaele Salahi and Neal Schon for inscrutable reasons. Sunday gossip looks like an alien.