CNN iReport - Vetted

Peters bends it like Beckham

stevecooper1 — Sat, 18 May 2013 15:43:07 GMT

Last Sunday, London-based Norstar FC played their final game of the season. After five years together, the club is merging with another side and so this was a historic match of epic proportions.

Having set up the club several years ago, Phil Peters has continued to manage and occasionally play for the team and it seemed appropriate therefore that he would come on as a substitute to score the equalising goal that fittingly became the final goal of the current Norstar era.

Peters is better known for his work off the pitch than on it but this one drew the plaudits with renowned sports journalist Danny Caro commenting that "it was an effort that Beckham or even Aviel Schwarz would've been proud of. Peters stepped up to nonchalantly curl a stunning 35-yard free-kick past the wall and into the top corner against Raiders. David Simnock could only stand and admire it."

And how appropriate that it was scored in the same week as another very famous free kick taker retired...

Clip available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLmNZSUPbrE and uploaded here.

Oia - Santorini, Greece

Mischievous1 — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:49:55 GMT

Windmills in Oia

Egyptian Superwomen (Part 2)

HasanAmin86 — Sat, 18 May 2013 01:00:25 GMT

As I’ve said in the first part of this report, nobody can make a list of those great women, and I don’t want to forget unforgettable characters like:

Inas Mekkawy :

The co-founder of “Baheya Ya Masr” , they identify themselves with : “We are a movement of public pressure to establish citizenship rights for Egyptian men and women” organized a lot of marches, stands and sit-ins supporting their vision. I can only mention some of the brilliant hard workers in this movement like: Hanan El Badawy , Reham & Shaymaa Salem.

Bothaina Kamel:

She’s the first and only woman who ran for presidential election in the history of Egypt, in 2012 elections she may not collected a lot of votes, but she was a role model of being solid and tough woman and gives what it takes to defend their principles and believes. She’s TV presenter and she was fired by old regime media minister and came back to work in the national TV after the revolution, and she’s keeping criticizing the current system as she used to do with the fallen one.in that field we can find similar examples like Passant Hassan,Dina Abdel Rahman and Gamila Ismail who is also an ex-TV presenter who ran for senators’ elections in 2011 with a history of supporting her ex-husband the former oppositionist who recently showed that he didn’t even deserve that priceless support by allying with the current fascist authority.

Independent art and culture figures:

Basma El Husseiny :

The mother Teresa of Independent culture scene in Egypt and Arab world, she’s the managing director of Al-Mawred Al-Thaqafy foundation (Cultural Resource)

She’s been so devoting to help who really deserves support from Arab authentic and real artists.

She also has developed her small army of promising upcoming cultural managers not only in Egypt (her associates: Marwa Helmy, Wesam Ragab, Dina El Deeb and Sarah Nour) but also all over the Arab world (Rana Yazaji (Syria), Hanan Hajj Ali (Lebanon), Fatin Farahat (Palestine) etc..)

When we mention the independent culture in Egypt, we can’t forget the heroes behind El Fan Midan (The Art Square) the most effective independent event, which is being held in 16 provenances in Egypt on regular monthly basis, giving a space and a real chance for creative and artists from so many aspects to express themselves clearly and all for free to encourage the audience who never been to an Opera House or attend a concert or to taste art, and interact.

Safaa Youssef Fekri, Rania Ibrahim, Lama Badawy and Horeya El Sayed are some of the devoted champions behind this great work.

Fayrouz Karawya:

She’s hard to be defined or classified; she studied medicine, music, and theatrical directing! She even has a master degree in anthropology! She sings, she writes opinion columns, she’s planning to act. Beside her other involvements in the cultural scene.

She participates in the scene fully with all what she got, delivering her message not from close studio or above the stage in a fancy venue, she goes to the streets marching and chanting for freedom, among the real people, to touch and feel the authentic experiment, smashing the concept of the body-guarded artist.

Warrior princess like her and Youssra El Hawary,Dina El Wedidi, Nagham & Maryam Saleh in singing and music field, Cherine Thabet and Isis Khalil in Online Blogging, Ayten Amin, Mona Iraqi and Marwa Zein in Filmmaking .. And hundreds of brilliant and genius initiators with all their success stories are great survivors and represent inspiring role models for those who really eager to emerge and achieve in such hostile environment.

Egypt is a very good example of how Arab men think, dominate and control women, despite all the false and hypocrite fuss of freedom of expression, equality, women rights, modernity..etc.

Still the Streetman stare at any female passing stab her flesh with his rude looks, neglecting-with maximum amount of duality- any ethics and morals, he keeps blah-blahing all the time with.

Women in Egypt can’t think freely, can’t act freely, can’t choose for themselves, can’t even wear what they want and walk in the streets in peace. Not with the same severity, but all in its degree, in some regions women never see the street! Not to mention to learn to read and write! The famous quote there is “from her father’s house to her husband’ house to the grave”!

FGM and harassments (verbal and physical) are things also supposed to extinct in 2013 not to be done on daily basis!

These disease are things Egyptians used to, but the worse news is that the Islamists fascism ruling with their close-minded ex-felons and murderers who became overnight politicians and writing the nation constitution!

I can’t even imagine how those going to limit the women role; and affect their space which is already narrow; they only see women for two things!

They already started, they went after Doaa El Adl, the Cartoonist, accusing her with defamation of religions, Doaa is a very talented artist, and she gave those hard times by her brave critic cartoons politically not religiously of course.

After this long report, I still didn’t mention the angels who work with street children or who work in poor and far areas, who silently work in the street to raise the people awareness, and a lot of bright sides of Egyptian “She”.

Ordinary women in Egypt are actually extraordinary, Heba Khairey, communication engineer and my wife, said to me “why, people, when you mention Egyptian women, you just talk about public figures or the poor and homeless?! While the majority of women in Egypt are workers equally to men (usually harder) doctors, engineers, accountants ...etc. and have challenges more serious than the rest of other world’s women”

Chapeau for them all, and best luck in their daily struggle.

Hasan Amin

Cairo,Egypt

18-5-2013

Acid-washed jeans

Bshey — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:26:48 GMT

Age 11 or 12 maybe? With a bad home perm, opening a pair of acid-washed jeans, a birthday present.

Chaos day in World Cup's host city Recife

WbBrazil — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:13:05 GMT

After a severe rain since yesterday, the city streets were inundated, causing several damage and upset the people who lives in Recife, one of the host cities for the World Cup. Most of people say: Recife is not ready yet to receive such a big event as just as many cities in Brazil.

Syrian refugee children

RovellaM — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:42:21 GMT

Syrian refugee camps are full of children. Despite poor living conditions, families continue to give birth both in tent villages and container camps. Children are often smiling towards the camera, almost always showing their fingers shaped like a "V", meaning of victory of course but also of martyr - adults says. In any case they always smile, also who, less fortunate, have lost his eye. Bashar (this's his name) was struck by a splinter coming from a tank shot and after the initial embarrassment he also wants to be photographed. At the question "what do you want to be when you grow up?" he answers it doesn't matter, he just wants to have his eye back. Sad stories, but children have this incredible way to tell their stories, with a wonderful smile, like if they wanted to say that nothing and no-one can take away their happines.

BEAUTIFUL TORREY PINES STATE RESERVE

gailpowell — Fri, 17 May 2013 01:14:13 GMT

The beautiful and scenic Torrey Pines State Reserve, located at 12600 N. Torrey Pines Rd. in La Jola, CA. is a walk down a beach unlike any other.

My son needed to do some extra credit for a geology class so off we went this morning, after checking for a low tide. Despite the early hour, parking was already getting sparse and there were plenty of people aready walking, jogging and surfing along the northern La Jolla shoreline.

The geologic features were amazing: brown Torrey Sandstone and greenish shale Del Mar Formations. Soaring sea cliffs that had a hawk nest at the top and a very agitated mother hawk chasing off inquisitive crows.

The wide, well-developed beach is perfect and jets from the nearby Miramar Marine base soar overhead. Several dozen pelicans fly by in a V- formation and small lizards darted between holes in the rocks.

Still, it pays to be careful as signs posted along the Torrey Pines cliffs warn people "Danger Unstable Cliffs." I sat down to rest on a big rock but kept a wary eye out for any kind of movement on the bluffs behind me.

In plenty of places along the beach, there are piles of rocks where it becomes apparent that a rock slide occurred and inundated the sand with some chunky boulders.

What I loved : Bathtub Rock, also known as Flatrock, which is a slab of rock that sticks out into the ocean. I managed to climb onto Bathrub Rock and examine the bathtub--which was partially sand-filed. Legend has it that long ago Bathrub Rock was dug out in the hopes of finding coal deposits.

The best part of enjoying this beach? Absolutely NO DOGS allowed and there are State Officers on hand to make sure that law is followed.

Here at Torrey Pines State Reserve, amid the native chaparral plants and the rare and elegant Torrey Pine trees, miles of unspoiled beaches, and a lagoon that is vital to migrating seabirds, it is easy to imagine what California must have looked like to the early settlers and native peoples. The dramatic soaring sandstone cliffs meet the majestic Pacific Ocean here at the Reserve and nature has never looked lovelier.

The invasion has begun....

EMonette — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:24:55 GMT

Spring has sprung and everyone is coming out of their shells...

Star Trek Into Darkness Review CNN Special Edition!

Rajiim — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:54:36 GMT

Star Trek: Into Darkness Movie Review

by, Rajiim Gross of The Rag Review

5/15/2013

Star Trek Into Darkness is the second installment of the J.J. Abrams

reboot of Star Trek which stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Peter Weller. This film takes Kirk and his crew on yet another adventure across the Galaxy to bring a terrorist to justice. The film is full of lot's of action and suspense. The visual effects are stunning and with this film in 3-D you actually feel like you are right there with the crew on screen! This film is full of twists and turns and plots you don't expect!

You don't have to be a trekkie to enjoy this film, However If your a true trekkie and know your history, This film will hold more for you than the average movie goer. Into Darkness Parallels an original Star Trek Film. It revives an old Villain and plays with some role reversals in this new timeline.

This new Star Trek Universe breathes new life into some old characters.

Kirk is Whitty and full of one liners, Spock is as Logical as ever, Scotty and Bones are the bag of laughs as usual except this isn't William Shatner's Star Trek…… It's Chris Pine's. Not that I'm taking anything away from The Original Crew, it's just that this new crew is a fresh take on a good series. J.J. Abrams has succesfully complimented the work of Gene Roddenberry. Think of this as Star Trek 2.0…… an Upgrade!

I do wish to acknowledge Director J.J. Abrams and thank him for re-imaging Star Trek and bringing it back to the big screen!! I have been a fan of Star Trek since I was a kid! I've become a huge fan of Director J.J. Abrams also! Some of my favorite TV Shows had his touch such as Fringe, Lost, Alcatraz, Alias, and now Revolution. Thank you for being such a visionary and bringing us great TV Shows and Movies!!

Running Time: 2 hours 12 Minutes

Film Grade A

Can Chinedu Anadi Bend It Like Beckham?

RealAnadi — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:47:26 GMT

This is a free kick I took playing for my local soccer team. The camera man actually called me "D.Becks" before I kicked the ball!

Worldwide Lyme Disease Awareness Protest

lisahilton — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:48:49 GMT

I'm not sure what it takes to make the news. It seems Swine Flu and new vaccinations get on pretty easily, while those who suffer with Lyme Disease keep being ignored. But being that it is Spring and it would be a good time to bring about Lyme Awareness as ticks will be out in full force, I thought this would be a great opportunity for you to do a story on Lyme Disease to prevent some folks from getting ill.

This last weekend of May 10 & 11th. About 30 countries and several states all protested on the same day. Lyme patients from around the world all united to bring awareness to this much overlooked disease. If that is not news, I don't know what is!

People are so afraid to say the "L" word. It is so surrounded in controversy. In the meanwhile, many people are suffering, their lives being whisked away and dying. Whole families are being turned upside down. Please hear our pleas and be the hero that does something about it. Please.

I am not a fancy writer, I am not a doctor, I am not someone who can shoot off stats at the blink of an eye. Well, to be honest there is hardly any stats on Lyme Disease or any of the co infections that ticks spread because noone cares enough to do any research since the CDC and IDSA act like it is just cured with a couple weeks of antibiotics.

In the meantime everyone is ignoring all the research that is pointing to it being possibly transmitted by other bugs, congenitally, through blood banks and possibly even sexually transmitted as it's found in semen. Please take a look at these research links. Just a couple I have found throughout the years that really need to get in doctors hands but for some reason, are not. http://whatislyme.com/research-links/

If you are interested in how many people are sick with Lyme, please take a look at these two blogs. These are the faces of Lyme. These are people from around the world who all protested on May 10 and May 11th to bring justice to those of us suffering. This protest was completely grassroots, and put on by those who are very very sick. It was not easy.

US Worldwide Lyme Protest Blog http://worldwidelymediseaseprotestus.blogspot.com/

Worldiwde Lyme Protest Blog http://worldwidelymediseaseprotest.blogspot.com/

I was the US coordinator. I am sick too for over 20 years. I'm just plain sick and tired of being sick and tired and ignored. This has to end. I won't shut up until it does.

Next Lyme Awareness Rally - Mayday 2013

www.themaydayproject.org

SATURDAY, MAY 25th, 2013
FREEDOM PLAZA
10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
WASHINGTON, DC

With best regards,

Lisa Hilton

Cycle Chaos?

alleebeth — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:30:43 GMT

On May 27th, New York City will unveil a new bicycle share program. There will be bike stations located in hundreds of locations in Manhattan & Brooklyn.

There is controversy though with this new, not yet inaugurated bicycle program.

There are many who say the streets are too crowded & these stations will be an inconvenience & dangerous for already crowded city streets.

Other residents feel these bike stations are unattractive, believing that these particular streets will become a blight to their neighborhood; resulting in lower property values & vandalism. Others worry, the bike docks will become dog urinals (think fire pumps), garbage catch-alls, nests for mouse & rat populations.

There are many though who are excited to see the bike program finally coming to fruition. Finally NYC will become more bike friendly bringing more tourist dollars into various neighborhoods. Perhaps this suggests a huge move to a greener New York City; less cars, more bicycles.

Many are blaming or commending (depending on their viewpoint) this on Mayor Michael Bloomberg. But that is a whole other ireport!!!

Either way you see it, it's coming!

The 2013 Cicada Invasion Begins

FarmHeart — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:29:04 GMT

I woke-up to more than a dozen cicadas in the goat pen this morning in Northern Virginia. Here is a shot of a shell of one on the fence with my mini goats in the background.
The swarm begins - gross!

Lightening Streaks Across the Sky Ahead of Storms

Niibaa13 — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:01 GMT

Central Texas experienced violent thunderstorms with tornados in some areas. Photographs of the lightening the preceded the storm

"They're Heeeeere!"

Candice88 — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:27:44 GMT

Billions of cicadas are wiggling from their subterranean lairs as ground temperatures warm along the East Coast. Cicada nymphs emerging to cast off their crunchy shells after 17 years are being sighted everywhere.These clumsy flyers will be out and about with us to enjoy the warm weather and fill our trees with noise. The emergence of these insects is a spectacle of nature, enjoy this unique and uncommon phenomenon!

Egyptian Superwomen (Part 1)

HasanAmin86 — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:53:17 GMT

I received a message from Yasmine El Baramawy, days before I won the CNN iReport 3^rd Annual Award, telling me that she’s voting for my nominated report every day, but she has an admonition for me, “you mentioned all Muslim Brotherhood/authority crimes but you forget to mention the rape and sexual assault”

Yasmine was right; Yasmine was raped in Tahrir Sq.

This kind of crimes is unforgivable and unforgettable; I apologized to her, I just wrote the report before her accident.

After this, lots of investigative reports revealed that there are organized mercenaries got paid by MB members to sexually attack the female protesters.

It’s not only the paid mercenaries who commit this horrible crimes, it’s in the blood of the current male dominating society of Egypt. The society generally is hostile and aggressive to women; it’s enough reason that you are a female to be targeted.

No matter what you are wearing, no matters how old you are.

Since forever and I want to write this report, about “Egyptian-She-Revolutionist”

As an Inevitable acknowledgement for her great effort in her daily fight in an unfair war, her fight to proof that she deserves to live, dream and achieve.

She’s been assaulted, kidnapped, arrested, raped, tortured, ripped from her beloved ones and even murdered.

Just because she’s a SHE!

I’m talking about the Egyptian Superwomen.

Who kept suffering for ages and kept fighting for their minimum rights. And still fighting because the road is lonesome and gloomy full of bastards who are enjoying being racists and anti-humanists.

I’ll try to mention here only some of super heroes that I honored to know, I can’t and nobody can limit a list of those great women,

Icons:

Mrs.Laila Marzouk (Khaled Said’s Mother)

Her son Khaled, was killed in 2010 due to old regime police brutality, his death (7 months before the revolution) was the spark that set the Egyptian street on fire in spontaneous preparation of the regime fall count down, her persistence and strength that she gave and support all the martyrs’ mothers is simply indescribable.

Khadiga El Hinnawy (Mama Khadiga)

No one been to Tahrir Sq, walk in march or participated in a sit-in can miss the presence of this woman, she’s the one who hid the protesters in her own house while Army soldiers and police elements were hunting them down, taking all the risk bravely.

She was beaten till her bone cracked by a commando officer during the protest at Prime Minister building, in December 2011, she just kept showing on the next march with her arm in gypsum splint or even when things got worse, on a wheel chair, with her shining smile on her kind old face, she is a symbol of hope to all of protesters.

Marry Danial (Mina Danial’s sister)

She’s the older sister of Mina Danial the Coptic martyr who killed protesting against SCAF (Supreme Council of Forced Army) she’s never been in social or political scene before her younger brother got killed, but she took the flag of his 19-years-old dead arm, and she’ll never take it down till her bother blood revenge from those who killed him (among other 28 Coptic protester in 10^th of October 2011)

Samira Ibrahim

Is the ONLY one who stood against the SCAF crime of the famous scandal of virginity test, round 12 girls got arrested two weeks after the 18 days of the revolution, while they were in a Sit-In in Tahrir sq. 9^th of March 2011, stripped and got insulted by officers doctors and forced to run virginity test in front of bunch of soldiers. She’s the only one who spoke out loudly, whiles the rest of the victim girls kept silent after SCAF threatening them. She ran a lawsuit, she lost the case in a country without law and the blind justice is even absent, but she’s still fighting.

Mona Seif

“In the morning I run after the butterflies, and at night I chase away the army”

This is how she describe her life, 27 years old and still she’s the mother of the prisoners in military cells, she’s co-founder of “No to Military Trials for Civilians”

She and her colleges in the movement choose to advocate the tyrannized prisoners.; even her own brother went behind the bars in similar situation refusing to stand in-front of military judge.

Despite how tough and critical those situations for a woman, but you’ll also find, beside Mona, other wonderful examples like the indefatigable Ragia Omran from Prosecution to courts to military prisons, she decided her destinations.

Her effort and devotion are totally indescribable.

Yasmine El Baramawy

The only girl who spoke out loudly about the horrible crimes that MB thugs did to her and to lots of female protesters, hundreds of those bastards stripped her cloth, dragging her on Tahrir Sq. asphalt to side streets doing the most horrible and terrifying crime any girl can have in worst nightmares, leaving their filthy marks on her all-bruised body, but they never managed to break her soul not even weaken her unbreakable determination to reveal their ugliness, she went out for the world and talked bravely about her horrible experience, she took the lead and inspired a huge uprising feminine movement in the Arab world, and she’s also keep going through courts and investigations to make sure that those criminals after her accident got the punishment they deserve.

Nesreen Youssef

Is less famous, she’s a coordinator of 8April officers movement (the officers who disobeyed military orders and went to Tahrir Sq. in 8^th of April 2011 to protest, then some of them got killed the others got in unfair military trials and put in jail for years till the moment )

She’s always in frontline healing the injured protesters with first aids kit, she got injured herself, and she was so close to lose her left eye.

She got arrested TWICE during the protest but still keeps going on her way.

Mervat Mousa

One of the unknown brave soldiers of the revolution, never been a media lover, despite she never missed a stand, protest, march or Sit-In, but unfortunately someday she forced to be on the screens, she got on tape while she was beaten to the ground and slapped on the face by a huge MB guerilla, while she was peacefully protesting in front of MB HQ.

Activists

Salma Said

She’s co-founders of “mosireen..People alternative media co-op” (along with other remarkable Filmmakers e.g Nazly Hussein and Aida El kashef ), she’s also member of The Egyptian initiative for human rights, and she’s done great job of “Anti-Sexual Harassment Operation” (along with Salma El Tarzy and Sally Zohney and bunch of astonishing activists) in fighting this mean phenomena that threatens the female protesting existence, which inspired lots of young ladies to do similar e.g Eman Nedal and Aya El Nemr founders of “Ultras V feminization” and so many others,
Salma used every talent and skill she learned in mass communication and media making all over her 27 years life and dedicate it to enlighten the society, to make the world better place, she got shot on the face by a police officer because she was capturing him on her camera while he was hunting down the protesters in Feb 2012, she still has like 60 fragment and rubber bullet in her body, doctors can’t totally remove.

Despite she was nearly killed that day, but she even didn’t wait for a full recovery to cover the following revolution act in the street, this rare and outstanding type of patriotism is something you’ll stop wonder about when you realize it’s run on her blood because it’s something common and runs in the family, she inherited this from her from her mother Dr.Mona Mina, doctor and activist who occupies the position of general coordinator of the “doctors without rights” movement and a member of the General Council of Egypt Doctors Syndicate.

Salma is an excellent example of self-consistency, she’s very determined (mosireen is an Arabic word means the determined people)

To be continued..

Hasan Amin

Cairo,Egypt

16-5-2013

Asi es don Popocatepetl

sugeily — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:15:43 GMT

Asi de hermoso es Popocatepetl cuando esta tranquilo

French Quarter

JGlo77 — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:22:31 GMT

New Orleans French Quarter Music

April 2013. My first time to New Orleans. The sights and sounds of the numerous French Quarter musicians.

Arrested Development Stand in New York City

jccarp — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:05:25 GMT

As the countdown to the resurrected season of "Arrested Development" streams on Netflix later this month, Manhattanites are on a wild — banana? — chase.

A promotional banana stand is touring the city, checking off wildly popular stops in London and now at New York's own Radio City Music Hall and Columbus Circle. The line of fans wrapped around the block twice, but more than a few considered it a small price for the chance to try an "authentic" Bluth frozen banana.

For Trekkie Fans Only

MarieSager — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:51:55 GMT

Star Trek Into Darkness Los Angeles premiere last night at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood was truly a big event. The movie opens Thursday, May 16th.

1. Leonard Nimoy who has a cameo appearance as Spock Prime, in "Star Trek Into Darkness" arrives with his wife Susan Bay.

2. Once again, citizen journalism or in my case photojournalism, truly has great benefits. As I was considering sitting in a tree to get a good picture, I found a comfortable spot (which is highly unusual at these events), next to Angelo Huige and Floor (yes, that is not a typo, Floor is her name, meaning Floral or Flower) Polak, vacationing from Holland. Angelo hosts Film Festivals in Holland, is a Programer and produces film as well. Floor works in Education, one of the most important occupation in the world. What a delight to spend time with this lovely couple. They were looking forward to seeing some of the old cast of Star Trek, like Leonard Nimoy and they did.

3. Zoe Saldana (Uhura) being interviewed.

4. Crowd waiting for autographs from the cast of "Star Trek Into Darkness".

5. Trekkie fans flood the many bleachers set up for the arrivial of the Fleet from Star Trek.

6. Setting up one sheets/posters for the Premiere.

7. Dolby Theatre, the scene for the Premiere.

8. Hollywood Boulevard closes down for the Star Trek Premiere.

9. Star Trek Cast arriving.

10. Billboard on the Corner of Hollywood and Highland.

All photos by Marie Sager 5-14-2013

Scenes from Savar

hspsmith — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:53:38 GMT

I am an American NGO worker here in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Here are images from my trip to the Savar Rana Plaza building collapse.

Love is the Law

G3Photo — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:51:48 GMT

Tuesday, May 14, 2013, Minnesota became only the 12th state to legalize marriage between all couples. After Governor Mark Dayton signed the bill into law on the south steps of the Capitol Building in St. Paul, a celebration followed in the city center on EcoLab Plaza. POS, and Zoo Animal were among the performers at the fest entitled "Love is the Law," based on a popular song by the headlining act, the Suburbs.

Some estimates put the festival attendance at between three and four thousand people. Since it was announced only the previous day, it took many people by surprise, including an overwhelmed but joyous staff at the Amsterdam Bar across the street from the action.

Demolition Begins on Seaside Heights Roller Coaster

crumpf77 — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:27:08 GMT

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ - May 14, 2013: The Jet Star Roller Coaster, which became one of the defining images of Hurricane Sandy started being dismantled today. A crane began removing the ride piece by piece. The work began Tuesday afternoon after Britain’s Prince Harry finished touring the Jersey shore. The job is expected to take approximately two to three days to complete. Captured by Susan and Clifford Rumpf / ImagineThisDesign.com.

Venezuelan Demonstrations in Madrid

fcarrizo — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:24:31 GMT

Since Nicolas Maduro won the presidential elections in Venezuela last April 14, Venezuelans living in many parts of the world have risen their voices in protest over a corrupt system which seems to be manipulated by the interests of those in power.

Nicolas Maduro's administration is plagued with discomfort and discontent among Venezuelans who live abroad and inside the country as well.

Today, these protesters are voicing out the ineptitudes of the current president mocking his obvious low level of education and misuse of the Spanish language.

As one of those Venezuelans living abroad, I have to confess that I am also appalled by the apparent fraud perpetrated by Maduro's government.

I recorded this by chance today while I was on my way to meet with a friend in Puerta del Sol.

Happy Heart

ykcul — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:23:56 GMT

Thank you Angelina, you have done a marvelous thing for the world! Breast cancer strikes one in eight women, I've had it twice, my first diagnosis was at age 38. I had a mastectomy in February for my second breast cancer. My heart feels so light today knowing I am in good company. Thank you, again!

Prince Harry and NJ Governor Christie Visit Seaside Boardwalk

crumpf77 — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:16:45 GMT

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, N.J. - May 14, 2013: Britain's Prince Harry and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie visit Seaside Heights, NJ to view the rebuild since Hurricane Sandy. Captured by Susan and Clifford Rumpf / ImagineThisDesign.com.

Photo captions:

Photo 01: Crowd builds on Seaside Boardwalk in anticipation of Prince Harry and Governor Christie's arrival.

Photo 02: Special guests and media await.

Photo 03: Prince Harry arrives.

Photo 04: Prince Harry shakes hands with first responders.

Photo 05-07: Prince Harry and Governor Christie shake hands with Hero Line.

Photo 08: Prince Harry, Governor Christie and First Lady Pat Christie shake hands with Hero Line.

Dallas Police honor detective that was handcuffed to Oswald

historylover — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:09:31 GMT

Detective Jim Leavelle was honored today in a ceremony at the Dallas Police Station. Leavelle is known as the man in the cowboy hat that was handcuffed to Lee Harvey Oswald.

Jim recieved a commendation. And he had a standing room only crowd in the media room of the police station. The DPD named the Detective of the Year Award after him.

Bob Jackson, of The Dallas Times Herald, won a pulitzer prize for his photo of Leavelle and Oswald.

November 22 marks the 50th anniversary of JFK's death. The city of Dallas is honoring the memory of JFK with different events for all of 2013.

Images are as follows

#1-My orginal Dallas Times Herald from 1963. Signed by Jim Leavelle & Marie Tippit. Widow of slain police officer, JD Tippit.

#2-Jim Leavelle speaks before a packed house

#3-My orginial Dallas Times Herald from 1963. Being signed by Jim Leavelle

#4-Mrs. JD Tippit signs the same paper

#5-My signed items from the ceremony

#6-In this video, you will see sitting on the front row, is Mrs. JD Tippit & Mrs. Jim Leavelle. Also a very packed media room. Then Jim being honored

‘Sandy Hook Advisory Commission’ makes school safety recommendations

marcusharun — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:23:56 GMT

Connecticut schools may get security upgrades as a result of the recommendations from Gov. Dannel Malloy’s Sandy Hook Advisory Commission.
The commission, which was formed to find ways to prevent mass shootings, released their interim report on Monday.
“It is our intention to provide a roadmap to making our schools and public facilities safer,” said commission chairman, Mayor Scott Jackson of Hamden. “That is all we’re doing.”
The commission suggests increasing cell phone and wireless internet signals at schools for cameras to provide emergency officials with information.
The report recommends that schools create emergency response plans to decide best practices in an emergency.
“I very much like the idea of an assessment for each school on safety and the safety components within each school,” said Frances Rabinowitz, superintendent of Hamden Public Schools.
Hamden schools already have some of the recommendations in place. The exterior doors are locked at all times and visitors need to be let in by a staff member.
The other main section of the report focuses on gun violence. The commission suggests a more in depth look at the gun issue.
“There is actually, for lack of a better word, a federal ban on research into gun violence and utilizing any of those statistics, the same way we utilize statistics in car crashes to make cars safer,” Jackson said.
Partnering with universities to create a Connecticut-based institute to study gun violence is the commission’s top recommendation, Jackson said.
Although state legislators may begin acting on the report’s recommendations as soon as next month, Jackson said the commission’s job is only about 25 percent complete.
The commission will begin to look at the topic of mental health issues beginning Friday.

We won!

erikolsen — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:23:56 GMT

Filmmaker Erik Olsen accepts the 2013 Community Choice Award for his story, The Shoe Cobbler. Thanks everyone who voted for the CNN iReport "The Shoe Cobbler"

BRCA 2

madison88 — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:28:26 GMT

I just underwent a double mastecomy in Jan of 2013. I have BRCA 2 and did this as a preventative. I have 3 kids and decided they needed a mom more than I needed my boobs! I have 5 siblings and currently 4 are positive, 1 negative and the other has not been tested. My dad is the carrier of the gene. His father had a large family and over the last 10 years we have discovered that most of them have the gene. They have had a crazy amount of cancer in their family and a large portion of the women have done both the double mastectomy and removal of their ovaries. This has hit our family hard and our parents have a huge amount of guilt (my dad really is struggling). I believe we are fortunate to have the information available to us and am so happy that an individual like Angelina Jolie can put this in the headlines to educate people on this topic. I am hoping that once my children are tested, the medical field will have advanced even further so they won't have to go thru this. I haven't looked back once and would strongly encourage others to do the same. I totally support educating the public on this.