GET BEAT UP THIS HALLOWEEN: Casey Anthony Halloween Mask On Sale

Casey Anthony Halloween Mask On Sale

MIAMI -- Halloween is only a few months away and if you're looking for something other than Freddy Krueger, this may be the answer.

A Casey Anthony latex rubber mask is now for sale on ebay.

The mask was one of nine used for a parody video and is reportedly in excellent condition.

The auction currently has more than 83 bids, the highest is $24,000.

Bidding ends Wednesday afternoon.

Anthony, 25, was acquitted of all felony charges in her 2-year-old daughter Caylee's death. She was found guilty of 4 misdemeanor charges of lying to law enforcement.

She was released from prison on July 17.

Do Musicians Have A "27 Curse"?

What's up with this Musicians "27 Curse"?

Here's what Dr. Stephanie Sarkis Says...

Why have famous musicians died at 27?

The news of Amy Winehouse's death is tragic not only due to the fact that she had so much talent, but also because she was young, and her death was most likely brought on by her addictions.

Amy Winehouse was 27 years old when she died. There are a number of other famous musicians who died at 27. Those musicians include:

• Amy Winehouse
• Kurt Cobain
• Janis Joplin
• Jimi Hendrix
• Jim Morrison
• Brian Jones
• Robert Johnson

Joplin, Hendrix, Morrison, and Jones all died within two years of each other.

Why does it seem that young musicians have died at 27? There is a "Forever 27 Club" listing on Wikipedia, and people have created websites about a "27 Curse."

Are these musician deaths at the age of 27 just a coincidence? Or is there really a "27 Curse"?

There is a social psychology phenomenon known as causal attribution. This is when a person (or society) attributes outcomes to particular causes. When there is a tragic death, such as that of a famous young person, we tend to look for a reason why it happened. We try to make sense of it. And when we can't make sense of it, we find a way for it to make sense. And when a number of famous musicians have died young, we try to find a common thread, in order to make sense of it all. So the "27 Curse" began.

Finding a reason or cause for an event after the event has happened, such as with the "27 Curse," can be a form of self-protection. If you have to get through your work day with the knowledge that a tragic event has occurred, it makes sense that attributing a reason or cause to that event would help keep your mood level enough that you could get through the day. Sometimes we just aren't ready to challenge those attributions -- maybe not now, maybe not ever.

Attributing causality helps give us order and predictability to our lives. Without it, the unpredictability of life would bring many of us to our knees. Attributing causality is neither good nor bad, it just is. It's part of being human.

So when you are wondering if the "27 Curse" exists, consider:

• A majority of famous musicians, many of whom who have admitted to past drug use, have lived well past 27 years old.
• Musicians tend to be most famous in their early years. The chances that a famous musician will die young may just naturally be increased because famous musicians tend to be, well, young.
• All of the musicians listed above had a history of drug use, with Joplin, Morrison, and Hendrix (and possibly Winehouse) either directly or indirectly dying as a result of drug use. Drug use is just more likely to cause health issues, like death, whether you are a musician or not.
• It is possible that in a person's late 20s, drug use starts catching up with the body. People who have been using since their late teens and early 20s have really built up a tolerance for the drugs they are using. More drugs needed to produce the same high equals more chance of an overdose.
• Famous musicians tend to do things that the general population does not. For example, famous musicians tend fly in small aircraft more than the general population, and several famous musicians, of varying ages, have died in small aircraft crashes.
• There are a number of famous musicians who died at 21, but there is no "21 Curse." One could argue that they weren't as famous as the musicians listed above. Deaths of very famous people (especially unexpected ones) tend to be more memorable to us overall. Therefore, we try even harder to find a reason why they happened.

Causal attribution helps us feel better by giving predictability to an unpredictable world, but our attributions are not always completely accurate.

Whilly Bermudez Media Launches a Medical Marketing Division

Whilly Bermudez Media Launches a Medical Marketing Division

One of the country’s most seasoned Social Media Marketers is tapping into the Medical Industry by announcing tailor made marketing solutions for Healthcare Professionals.

The team at WB has been entering into marketing agreements with Physicians from all areas and specializations in order to handle all of their social media and advertising. With 22 Healthcare practices already aboard and many more ready to sign up, “It’s been a busy couple of weeks at our company” says Whilly Bermudez – founder and chief marketing officer.

Medical Social Marketing (www.MedicalSocialMarketing.com) is the newest division of Whilly Bermudez Media, with offices in Miami and Chicago. WB Media has been providing marketing and creative solutions to the business world since 1997. In recent years, the firm has been gaining popularity for their Social Media Marketing services and proprietary process. One of their long time clients and Travel Agency operator, Mr. Herlan Ruiz of Luxury Travel By Ruiz says “Social Media Marketing is very important to a business. Some business owners already know this but most are slowly finding out that the impact on your business can be significant”.

Dr. Max Roman, a Coral Gables dentist and another of the clients agrees. “Social Media, Internet Marketing, and the Web is the future which is already here. This is how people are learning and communicating. The traditional ways of ‘getting the word out’ are fading away.” 

The power of the internet which combines social media can separate one physician from the next, one business from the next. The average U.S. Internet user spends more time on Facebook than on Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Microsoft, Wikipedia and Amazon combined

. People enjoy having the ability to look up the Facebook pages of people, places, products, and even Physicians. Arriving at a Facebook page that shows a large number of “Likes” (supporters) coupled with quality content may be a deciding factor for a potential patient.

The services provided by WB Media focus on Facebook, Twitter, and even Review site monitoring. Quality Medical Web Development services are also available. The modernization of Medical Marketing and Social Media has arrived. To learn about the services, plans, and articles please contact the firm directly. Healthcare professionals that require the WB Media services can visit www.MedicalSocialMarketing.com or by calling 1.800.823.1240

Information about their parent company- Whilly Bermudez Media can be found on MarketingByWB.com 

Evolutionary Science Materials Win Approval

Evolutionary Science Materials In Texas Get Preliminary Approval, Creationism Debate Fizzles

AUSTIN, Texas -- An expected fight over teaching evolution in Texas classrooms fizzled Thursday when the state's Board of Education gave preliminary approval to supplemental science materials for the coming school year and beyond with only minor changes.

The Republican-dominated board drew national attention in 2009 when it adopted science standards encouraging schools to scrutinize "all sides" of scientific theory, a move some creationists hailed as a victory.

But Thursday's unanimous vote diffused the expected renewal of that debate. A final vote is scheduled Friday and even though the board still can make changes before then, member David Bradley, R-Beaumont, predicted few fireworks would erupt.

"Somebody might want to refund their tickets," Bradley said after the vote. "There wasn't a fight."

The public hearing was dominated by witnesses encouraging the board to adopt the materials that had been recommended by state Education Commissioner Robert Scott.

One that didn't make the recommended list was an electronic textbook that includes lessons on intelligent design, the theory that life on Earth is so complex it was guided with the help of an intelligent higher power.

"There's no bad science going into classrooms" in the approved materials, said Dan Quinn, spokesman for the Texas Freedom Network, a group that sides with mainstream scientists on teaching evolution.

The new online teaching materials are necessary because the state could not afford to buy new textbooks this year, leaving students to use some that are several years old. Supplemental materials that are approved have the advantage of being on the state's recommended list, but school districts can still buy other materials they chose.

The board instructed two publishers to make changes to some biology materials that used drawings of embryonic similarities between species. The board said more accurate photographs should be used instead.

Another publisher was instructed to make changes to a section that compared human and chimpanzee skulls. The publisher's written response disputed that its material was wrong, and it has the choice of changing the section or withdrawing its material altogether.

Board Chairwoman Barbara Cargill, R-The Woodlands, a former biology teacher who disputes evolution, and Bradley said there was little debate among board members because the materials met the standards set in 2009.

"The supplements are good," Cargill said.

One conservative group, Texans for a Better Science Education, had put out a call to pack Thursday's public hearing with testimony urging board members to adopt materials that question evolution. But they were outnumbered by witnesses urging the board to adopt the materials with few changes.

"I don't want my children's public school teachers to teach faith and God in a science classroom," said the Rev. Kelly Allen of University Presbyterian Church in San Antonio. "True religion can handle truth in all its forms. Evolution is solid science."

The public testimony got off to a heated start. One of the first speakers, Tom Davis of Austin, urged the board to ignore any materials that deal with creationism or intelligent design.

"Intelligent design is creationism, wrapped in thin veneer of pseudoscience," Davis said. "Creation isn't really science at all. It's philosophy."

Sensing that repeated attacks on religion were to come, board member Ken Mercer, R-San Antonio, offered anyone in the audience $500 if they could find any reference in the state science standards to "Jesus or God."

"It's just not there," Mercer said.

The tone of the debate quickly settled down from there.

David Shormann of Magnolia, who runs a Christian-based math and science education software company, said evolution has too many "untestable" components and can't provide a real look at ancient life without a "time machine or a crystal ball."

But Lorenzo Sadun, a math professor at the University of Texas, said those opposing evolution overstate gaps in the fossil record and other areas when trying to discredit the theory.

"The theory of evolution is based on almost as much evidence as the theory of gravity," Sadun said.

This Is Quite Possibly The Greatest Rip-Off of All Time

China's Fake Apple Stores Mimic Real Thing--Down To Product Displays

The following is perhaps the greatest Chinese knock-off of all time.

A blogger living the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, in Yunnan province has discovered bit-for-bit rip-offs of the iconic and well-branded Apple retail stores.

The BirdAbroad blog describes a store housing display cases filled with what appear to be Apple products, that unmistakable Apple Store design, "classic Apple store winding staircase" and even Apple "employees" wearing blue t-shirts ready to assist customers with all of their Apple troubleshooting needs.

But, of course, there's more to this store than meets the eye. Bird writes, "this was a total Apple store ripoff. A beautiful ripoff – a brilliant one – the best ripoff store we had ever seen (and we see them every day).

There are a few hints at the store's inauthenticity, though. The chipping paint job, the rickety spiral staircase and the fact that the official Apple directory lists only four Apple stores in China, two in Beijing and two in Shanghai.

But what most makes this feel like this could be an episode of "The Twilight Zone" is the following notation by Bird: 
"[T]hese salespeople [...], hand to God, all genuinely think they work for Apple."

According to the blog post, when Bird and her boyfriend attempted to take photos they were "quickly accosted by two salespeople" who said that photography was not allowed. The couple were welcomed with slightly more open arms when they "may or may not" have said they were American Apple employees on vacation visiting the Chinese store locations.

And as if the blogger thought she could escape the impostor retail outlets, "a 10-minute walk around the corner revealed not one, but TWO more rip-off Apple stores."

An Apple representative was not immediately available for comment.

Here are a few more photos, compliments of the BirdAbroad blog, where you can read a full account of the imposter Apple Stores.

Elevator Etiquette: Is Chivalry Dead?

Elevator Etiquette: Is Chivalry Dead?
By Kelly Connor

I work in a large office building equipped with 12 elevators. I make use of the elevators at least eight times a day. Working in the building for the past six years, I've had ample opportunity to observe an interesting phenomenon and that is elevator protocol.

There are standard rules when it comes to elevator etiquette; current riders should be allowed to exit before new riders enter, one should allow for personal space and so on. But when it comes to the proper elevator etiquette for men versus women there seems to be conflicting opinions.

Emily Post, a name that is synonymous with proper etiquette and manners, says that when exiting an elevator the person nearest the door should leave first, regardless of gender.

A diverging view on ElevatorRules.com says that men should allow women to exit the elevator first, unless the male is blocking the door.

So which is correct? It's difficult to be sure and perhaps there is no right answer; only a matter of personal opinion. But here is where I witness the phenomenon. It seems that men over the age of 30 (give or take) tend to allow women to enter and exit the elevator first. On the other hand, younger men tend to exit and enter based on order and personal desire to get on or off first.

Personally I don't mind either way. I don't find it necessary to be allowed off first; in fact it can sometimes get a little awkward. And I'm not particularly offended when the opposite occurs. I'm more concerned with the thought that chivalry is dead, or at least dying.

No matter how society changes, it's still nice to be treated with a little chivalry. It's a reminder that good, old-fashioned values are still regarded. Call me a traditionalist but I still appreciate the small, gentlemanly gestures men make towards women; a door held open or a seat pulled out at a restaurant.

Popular television shows like Mad Men come to mind when discussing the topic of antiquated values. Though men seemed more chivalrous in the '50s and '60s, woman also enjoyed fewer freedoms.

Men stood when a lady entered the room decades ago, but women weren't allowed to have an opinion on the state of their country. Women were expected to have dinner on the table at the end of the work day but men took their hats off before sitting down.

So the question emerges; have we traded chivalry for freedom? How are young boys being raised today? Are they being equipped with these retro ideals or is chivalry a fading behaviour?

Storm Trooper Walks Across Australia for Charity

Storm Trooper Jacob French Walks Across Australia For Starlight Foundation Charity

Generally, the oncoming march of a storm trooper does not portend well for children or those in need of a helping hand. In Australia, though, where toilets flush counter clockwise and the sun is up when much of the rest of the world is sleeping, the march of this evil Empire foot soldier is an absolute blessing.

Jacob French, member of the Terror Australis Garrison of Vader's First, the 501st Legion of Storm Troopers -- a worldwide group of enthusiasts who dress as the "Star Wars" characters for good causes -- is marching 3,106 miles across the continent country, from Perth to Sydney, in order to raise money for the Starlight Foundation, a charity for children with life-threatening diseases.

French, aka TK-6283, explained the idea on his project's website:

In October 2010 I participated in the RunMelb Half marathon (21kms) in my stormtrooper suit. The suit was restrictive and got quite hot while I was running, but the seed was planted for the troopertrek idea. Since the marathon I have started to train regularly for this event and have acquired a much lighter and flexible set of armour that will be trimmed for better movement. I am hoping that by choosing to wear stormtrooper armour I will be able to gather more attention for the cause I am running for and have a bit of a laugh along the way.

You can track French's efforts on his Facebook page, as well as make a donation on his site.