By Brian Chase on September 25, 2020 -

At least 41 people are sick in 10 different states after a salmonella outbreak that has been linked to dried wood ear mushrooms. According to a CNN news report, the cases started between Jan. 21 and Aug. 26. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said of the 41 infected, four people were hospitalized. The infected people range in age from 2 to 74 years old. The mushrooms, distributed by Wismettac Asian Foods Inc. in Santa Fe Springs, California, were sold only to restaurants and not directly to consumers. …Read the rest »
By Brian Chase on February 7, 2017 -

Pop Star Britney Spears’ niece – her sister, Jamie Lynn Spear’s daughter – 8-year-old Maddie, is in critical condition after an ATV accident on February 5, 2017. According to a report on TMZ, the girl was underwater for several minutes after an ATV she was riding overturned. The report states the girl was riding a Polaris ATV in Kentwood, La. during a hunting expedition. TMZ also obtained an instruction manual for the ATV model the 8-year-old was riding, which confirms that no child under the age of 10 should be allowed in those ATVs
Jamie Lynn Spears was apparently not with her daughter at the time of the accident. Maddie was airlifted to a nearby hospital. Her grandfather, Jamie Spears, told E! News that the public should keep the girl in their prayers. Late last year, Britney Spears posts a few images of Maddie on social media during family outings and shared her pride over the girl’s accomplishments in school.
Our heart goes out to the Spears family during this difficult time. We wish Maddie the very best for a speedy and complete recovery. …Read the rest »
By Brian Chase on January 26, 2017 -

Brittny Gastineau, socialite and daughter of New York Jets football legend, Mark Gastineau, has said that she was “heartbroken” when she learned about the father’s Alzheimer’s and dementia diagnosis and says she blames the NFL for allowing rough play all these years despite knowing the effects of concussions on players. According to a news report in The Daily Mail, the 60-year-old former defensive end revealed in an interview last week that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, both of which result in gradual mental decline. …Read the rest »
By Brian Chase on April 13, 2015 -

With the release of Fast and Furious 7 this past weekend, and considering the ridiculous vehicle stunts seen therein, (no spoilers necessary – just go watch the trailer) we’ve started thinking about vehicle stunts from famous movies of the past and wondering how plausible they are. One of my favorite stunt scenes is from Live Free or Die Hard (2007), when traffic is re-directed from both ends of a tunnel in an attempt to ruin John McClane and Matt Farrell’s days. The scene culminates in McClane somehow driving his car up an improvised ramp (it’s actually a tollbooth but hey – everyone gets that one wrong at some point) and jumping it into a helicopter while throwing himself free at the last second.
…Read the rest »