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15-year-old Living Doll is YouTube's Controversial New Star

At 15, Venus Palermo has grown into her doll obsession rather than out of it. Under the screen name Venus Angelic, the London based teenager posts beauty tutorials on YouTube for fans who want to look like her. But that's not why she's the latest viral video star. It's because she looks like a living doll.

According to Palermo, you too could be a ball-jointed doll (or BJD as she calls it) with the right over-sized pupil contacts, plastic-sheen-effect powder and pure white eye shadow. Based on her 5 million viewers and the legions of lookalike fans on her Facebook page, people are taking her advice.

The modern ball-jointed doll is widely popular in Japan, a country both she and her mother are obsessed with. "Mommy cooks Japanese, thinks Japanese, goes to Japan with me," writes Palermo on her blog. "Because we like it. Liking something, is soooooo GREAT!" Palermo is actually Austrian, Swiss and Hungarian but she's been studying Japanese along with several other languages. Her multilingual background is how she explains her accent, which sounds close to the Midwestern Harajuku-obsessed college kids satirized on Saturday Night Live.

Palermo's obsession, however, isn't taken as lightly. Her videos have been labeled "bizarre" and "disturbing" in the media. Her uncanny appearance is sounding off alarm bells for concerned critics. Modern Asian ball joint dolls have become increasingly more life-like, with a line of human-sized, physically mature dolls recently released for the kind of consumer you don't want anywhere near your teenager.

The perverse comments on the 15-year-old's videos is proof she's attracting some unsavory fans. So is the occasional grown man dappling the list of Palermo's Facebook fans. But the teenager's mom doesn't appear to be intervening in her daughter's risky hobby. Mom serves as host of Q&A chats between teenager and fans. In one video posted last year, she sat by while the teenager had an uncomfortable conversation with a 24-year-old male caller who professed his love and then proceeded to belittle her.

In text under that video, posted to VenusAngelic's channel, Palermo refers to her fans as "lovers." The title of the video is "Insane Guy in Love."

"The case of Venus Angelic is uncomfortably exploitative, as there is clearly a sexual undertone to what she is doing," says Hilary Levey Friedman, PhD, a Harvard sociologist who has written extensively about child exploitation in media.

"In general, young girls on YouTube is a disturbing, growing trend," she says noting the recent trend of pre-teen girls asking viewers if they're pretty.

In many cases, parents are unaware of their child's webcam usage, until their uploads go viral. But in other instances, the parents are facilitators.

"Remember, Justin Bieber got his start on YouTube with the help of his mother," says Levey Friedman.

Levey Friedman wonders whether Palermo's mom has similar aspirations for her daughter. The YouTube stage parent is relatively new concept. Most kids have risen to viral fame for just being kids, and if a parent profits off of that they're immediately criticized. The rare performing prodigy, like Bieber, is an exception. But Palermo doesn't fall into either category. She may be bringing a Japanese trend to Western teenagers, but she's also attracting a largely unwanted fan-base.

Don't release the hounds Raft of unusual state laws to take effect 2013

If you want to stay out of trouble in California, don’t let your dog chase a bear. And don’t get caught releasing feral hogs in Kentucky. New laws prohibiting both of those activities are among the dozens of regulations and changes taking effect in 2013. The new laws cover everything from prohibiting law enforcement officers from having sex with inmates on their way to prison to revising the term “motor vehicle” to exclude swamp buggies.

More than 200 new laws will be on the books Jan. 1 and while some may seem silly or outdated others like the approval of same-sex marriage in Maryland have garnered national attention over the past year.

Here’s a glance at some of the new state laws taking effect in 2013:

--- New York: Starting next week, selling electronic cigarettes to minors in New York will be illegal. State law already prohibits selling cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco to those under 18 and retailers can be slapped with a $1,000 fine if they are caught. Sen. Owen Johnson, R-Babylon, sponsored the measure and says E-cigarettes “have not been proven to be safe for use at any age.” The battery-powered devices are used to inhale vaporized liquid nicotine instead of tobacco smoke. They were initially marketed as a safe alternative to cigarettes but some say their candy flavors appeal to minors.

--- Illinois: Lawmakers in Illinois stayed busy this year. For one, they passed a law that gives motorcyclists the go-ahead to run red lights. Motorcycles and bicycles aren’t usually heavy enough to trigger ground sensors that switch traffic lights from red to green so many two-wheeled motorists stay stuck at intersections and have to wait for a larger vehicle to come. Under the new measure, when a motorcycle comes up to a red light or a left-turn arrow and waits for two minutes or more for the light to change, they will be able to legally proceed if the coast is clear.

Lawmakers in Illinois also sent a message to snoopy bosses this year after passing a measure that makes it illegal for employers to ask job applicants for passwords to their online profiles on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. The law was pushed through after civil liberties groups criticized the practice as an invasion of privacy.

Former Texas Rangers owner Brad Corbett dies once had 4 managers in 8 days

Items like this can be found on our Rangers blog.

Brad Corbett’s tumultuous six-year run as Rangers owner can be defined by one game.

On July 4, 1977, the Rangers lost, 1-0, to Kansas City at Arlington Stadium. After the game, a tearful Corbett stormed into the Rangers’ clubhouse and loudly proclaimed, “I’m selling this team because it’s killing me. They’re dogs on the field, and they’re dogs off the field.”

Corbett kept the team for nearly three more years. The mercurial owner never changed.

The impulsive Corbett constantly made moves, trading away young talent such as left-hander Dave Righetti and third baseman Bill Madlock for fading veterans. Corbett spent wildly on free-agent busts such as shortstop Bert Campaneris and outfielder Richie Zisk.

The approach never brought Corbett a champion. The Rangers had their first brush with legitimacy during the Corbett era (1974-80) by finishing second three times in the American League West but never reached the postseason.

Corbett, 75, died in his sleep Monday, his daughter Pamela Corbett Murrin told The Associated Press.

Corbett moved from Long Island, N.Y., to Fort Worth in 1968. He quickly parlayed a $300,000 loan from the Small Business Administration into a fortune in the plastic-piping and chemical-tubing businesses.

Corbett realized his dream of owning a major league team by putting together a collection of local investors that purchased the Rangers from Bob Short two days before the 1974 season. The group paid $9.6 million and assumed $1 million in debt.

The brash Corbett took the spotlight. Others held the title, but Corbett served as his own general manager. He reveled in making trades on a whim.

Corbett once famously pulled off a trade during a men’s room conversation with Cleveland executive Gabe Paul. The Rangers in 1978 sent outfielder Bobby Bonds and young right-hander Len Barker to the Indians for infielder Larvell “Sugar Bear” Blanks and right-hander Jim Kern.

The club took on the air of a circus. In 1977, the Rangers employed four managers in a span of eight games. In 1978, Sports Illustrated revealed Corbett consulted his son, Brad Jr., on trades

Ashton Kutcher Spotted With Mila Kunis In Iowa

Ashton Kutcher was spotted with Mila Kunis in Iowa just days after he officially filed for divorce from his estranged wife, actress Demi Moore.

Kutcher’s lawyers filed the divorce papers on Friday, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the termination of their marriage, reports Sky News.

Meanwhile, the two former That 70s Show actors were spotted in Kutcher’s hometown of Cedar Rapids shopping and eating frozen yogurt.

An inside source close to Kutcher revealed:

“Ashton was really excited about bringing Mila home to hang out with his family. He couldn’t wait to get back to Iowa because people don’t bother him there and said he was looking forward to chilling out.”

Mila Kunis is reportedly already close to Kutcher’s family. They have known each other for 14 years since the pair met on the set of the comedy series. Kutcher and Kunis were spotted together picking up some last minute gifts for friends and family at Bed, Bath & Beyond. A member of the store’s staff stated:

“They were picking out gifts for his family. They bought robes, slippers and candles. It’s really cold in Iowa right now, so I’m sure it will come in handy.”

Yahoo! News adds that the pair were also spotted at Fruitzen Frozen Yogurt in Cedar Rapids on Saturday night and they appeared to be enjoying themselves. A source revealed that Ashton ordered peach yogurt, while Mila had orange sorbet.

Kutcher and Kunis have been dating for around nine months, though they only officially announced they were dating this fall. It is not clear how long Kutcher’s divorce with Demi Moore will take.

New tax increases in California stir debate about adding to exodus

A vote last month that makes Californians among the highest-taxed residents in the country is sparking debate about whether the Democrat-back initiative will backfire, by forcing high-earners to join a long exodus from the cash-strapped state.

Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown successfully pushed the tax increase by suggesting that high-earners must shoulder the largest burden in bailing out the state, particularly its debt-ridden public school system.

However, high unemployment and government debt have already sent residents fleeing in large numbers – an estimated 225,000 annually for the past 10 years.

And the recently passed tax increase for families making more than $250,000 each year could further shrink the tax base for California, whose 2012 budget deficit is projected to hit $28 billion.

Much of the debate has raged among California advocacy groups and in the editorial pages of the state’s biggest and most influential newspapers.

“More is never enough for these people,” Kris Vosburgh, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assoc., said about the Democrat-backed increase. “It’s hard to believe people will not leave.”

Vosburgh said his group is not an advocate for the wealthy and argued the tax increase atop other bad economic factors – including high gas and sales taxes – also have small and large businesses packing.

“With high taxes and heavy regulations, it’s just difficult to produce those widgets at a lower price than somebody in, say, Texas,” he told FoxNews.com on Tuesday.

Syndicated columnist Walter E. Williams wrote in The Orange County Register: “California politicians can fleece people in 2012, but there’s no guarantee they can do the same in 2013 and later years. People can leave.”

'Jack Reacher' Screening Postponed After Newtown Shooting

A special screening of Tom Cruise's new film "Jack Reacher" has been postponed in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting that left 20 children dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"Out of respect for the families who lost loved ones in Newtown, CT, we are postponing tonight's fundraising event with Tom Cruise to benefit the 50th anniversary fund, which supports K-12 education and new artist programs," Rose Kuo, executive director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, said in a statement. "We extend our love and condolences to our neighbors. Our community grieves with yours."

The event was going to be held at the Rose Theater in New York's Lincoln Center. Cruise was expected to attend.

Of all the movies coming out before the end of the year, "Jack Reacher" is the one that has been affected most by the massacre in Newtown. On Saturday, the film had its U.S. premiere in Pittsburgh canceled out of respect for the victims and their families.

Based on the novel series by author Lee Child, "Jack Reacher" focuses on an ex-military police officier who tries to solve the murder of five people at the hands of a sniper.

The Bribery Aisle How Wal-Mart Used Payoffs to Get Its Way in Mexico

Wal-Mart longed to build in Elda Pineda’s alfalfa field. It was an ideal location, just off this town’s bustling main entrance and barely a mile from its ancient pyramids, which draw tourists from around the world. With its usual precision, Wal-Mart calculated it would attract 250 customers an hour if only it could put a store in Mrs. Pineda’s field.

After years of study, the town’s elected leaders had just approved a new zoning map. The leaders wanted to limit growth near the pyramids, and they considered the town’s main entrance too congested already. As a result, the 2003 zoning map prohibited commercial development on Mrs. Pineda’s field, seemingly dooming Wal-Mart’s hopes.

But 30 miles away in Mexico City, at the headquarters of Wal-Mart de Mexico, executives were not about to be thwarted by an unfavorable zoning decision. Instead, records and interviews show, they decided to undo the damage with one well-placed $52,000 bribe.

The plan was simple. The zoning map would not become law until it was published in a government newspaper. So Wal-Mart de Mexico arranged to bribe an official to change the map before it was sent to the newspaper, records and interviews show. Sure enough, when the map was published, the zoning for Mrs. Pineda’s field was redrawn to allow Wal-Mart’s store.

Wal-Mart de Mexico broke ground months later, provoking fierce opposition. Protesters decried the very idea of a Wal-Mart so close to a cultural treasure. They contended the town’s traditional public markets would be decimated, its traffic mess made worse. Months of hunger strikes and sit-ins consumed Mexico’s news media. Yet for all the scrutiny, the story of the altered map remained a secret. The store opened for Christmas 2004, affirming Wal-Mart’s emerging dominance in Mexico.

The secret held even after a former Wal-Mart de Mexico lawyer contacted Wal-Mart executives in Bentonville, Ark., and told them how Wal-Mart de Mexico routinely resorted to bribery, citing the altered map as but one example. His detailed account — he had been in charge of getting building permits throughout Mexico — raised alarms at the highest levels of Wal-Mart and prompted an internal investigation.

But as The New York Times revealed in April, Wal-Mart’s leaders shut down the investigation in 2006. They did so even though their investigators had found a wealth of evidence supporting the lawyer’s allegations. The decision meant authorities were not notified. It also meant basic questions about the nature, extent and impact of Wal-Mart de Mexico’s conduct were never asked, much less answered.

The Times has now picked up where Wal-Mart’s internal investigation was cut off, traveling to dozens of towns and cities in Mexico, gathering tens of thousands of documents related to Wal-Mart de Mexico permits, and interviewing scores of government officials and Wal-Mart employees, including 15 hours of interviews with the former lawyer, Sergio Cicero Zapata.

Hollywood Hacker Christopher Chaney Honed His Skills For Years

Long before Christopher Chaney made headlines by hacking into the email accounts of such stars as Scarlett Johansson and Christina Aguilera, two other women say he harassed and stalked them online.

The women, who both knew Chaney, say their lives have been irreparably damaged by his actions. One has anxiety and panic attacks; the other is depressed and paranoid. Both say Chaney was calculated, cruel and creepy: he sent nude photos they had taken of themselves to their family members.

Their accounts as cybervictims serve as a cautionary tale for those, even major celebrities, who snap personal, and sometimes revealing photos.

Chaney, 35, of Jacksonville, Fla., is set to be sentenced Monday and could face up to 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to nine felony counts, including wiretapping and unauthorized access to a computer, for hacking into email accounts of Aguilera, Johansson and Mila Kunis.

Aguilera said in a statement that although she knows that she's often in the limelight, Chaney took from her some of the private moments she shares with friends.

"That feeling of security can never be given back and there is no compensation that can restore the feeling one has from such a large invasion of privacy," Aguilera said.

Prosecutors said Chaney illegally accessed the email accounts of more than 50 people in the entertainment industry between November 2010 and October 2011. Aguilera, Kunis and Johansson agreed to have their identities made public with the hopes that the exposure about the case would provide awareness about online intrusion.

The biggest spectacle in the case was the revelation that nude photos taken by Johansson herself and meant for her then-husband Ryan Reynolds were taken by Chaney and put on the Internet. The "Avengers" actress is not expected to attend the hearing, but she has videotaped a statement that may be shown in court.

Some of Aguilera's photos appeared online after Chaney sent an email from the account of her stylist, Simone Harouche, to Aguilera asking the singer for scantily clad photographs, prosecutors said.

Chaney forwarded many of the photographs to two gossip websites and another hacker, but there wasn't evidence he profited from his scheme, authorities said.

For the two women, who were only identified in court papers by their initials, their encounters with Chaney went from friendly to frightening.

Obama Meets With Families Of Newtown Victims

Prior to speaking at a vigil for victims of Friday's massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, President Obama met with the families of those killed in the mass shooting.

Among those family members were the daughter and granddaughter of Dawn Hochsprung, Sandy Hook's principal who was killed in the shooting. Hochsprung's daughter, Cristina Hassinger, captured a touching moment between Obama and her daughter.

Friends and family of Emilie Parker, a 6-year-old victim of the shooting, were also photographed with the president.

Authorities ID gunman who killed 27 in elementary school massacre

A day after the Newtown massacre, gunman Adam Lanza’s motive – and any personal demons – remained a mystery.

Lanza, 20, was identified by authorities as the black-clad killer who fatally shot his mother, gunned down 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and then committed suicide on Friday.

His older brother told authorities Lanza had a history of mental problems, but the nature of them was not clear. Former classmates remembered him as a brainy and quiet teen who sometimes wore a pocket protector.

Tim Arnone told Reuters that he first met Lanza at Sandy Hook and attended Newtown High School with him, where the two were members of a technology club. He said Lanza was "driven hard" to succeed academically by his parents, particularly his mother.
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Nancy Lanza and her husband, Peter Lanza, divorced in 2008, according to public records. Peter Lanza could not immediately be reached for comment but has spoken to police.

Joshua Milas, who graduated from Newtown High School in 2009, told The Associated Press that Adam Lanza was generally a happy person but that he hadn't seen him in a few years.

"We would hang out, and he was a good kid. He was smart," Joshua Milas said. "He was probably one of the smartest kids I know."

Catherine Urso, of Newtown, told the Associated Press her college-age son knew Lanza. "He just said he was very thin, very remote and was one of the Goths," she said.

Law enforcement officials initially told NBC News that the gunman was Lanza's brother, Ryan, and they had sent out a bulletin to local and federal law enforcement agencies to that effect.

But when authorities went to Ryan's home in Hoboken, N.J., to search it, they unexpectedly found him there.

Ryan told police he was not involved and that his brother has a history of mental health issues and might have had his ID even though they had not seen each other in two years, officials said.

A senior official later said that Ryan was nowhere near the shooting, was not believed to be involved, and was cooperating with the investigation.

Oregon Mall Shooting At Least 1 Dead

At least one person is dead and several people are wounded this evening after a masked shooter opened fire at Clackamas Town Center, a mall in suburban Portland, Ore.

Police said the shooter had been "neutralized," but would not say whether the person was alive or dead.

"This is no longer an active shooter," Clackamas County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. James Rhodes said. "I believe the shooter has been neutralized and we are securing the mall, securing the scene and treating the wounded."

There was not an exact count of those killed or wounded, he said.

"We believe there's at least one deceased and maybe more," he said. "We know there are multiple wounded. Lifeline has landed to treat at least one of those wounded and we're set up to treat them as we find them as we search the mall."

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the busy mall full of holiday shoppers after the shooting began at around 3:30 p.m. PT.

Witnesses described seeing a gunman who looked like a teenager with a white hockey mask, wearing what was believed to be a black, bulletproof vest and carrying an assault rifle.

The person entered the mall through a Macy's store, ran through the upper level of Macy's and opened fire near the mall food court, firing multiple shots, one right after another, with what is believed to be a black, semiautomatic rifle, according to witness reports.

Witnesses described the shooter as being on a mission and determined, looking straight ahead.

Those interviewed said that Macy's shoppers and store employees huddled in a dressing room to avoid being found.

Evan Walters told ABC News Radio that he was locked in a store for his safety and he saw two people shot and heard multiple gunshots.

UK police unable to identify man who fell from sky

Police believe he was from Africa, probably from Angola, but they don't know his identity.

The mystery began in September when residents of a suburban street in the Mortlake neighborhood of West London woke up on a quiet Sunday morning to find the crumpled body of a black man on the sidewalk of Portman Avenue, near a convenience store, an upscale lingerie shop and a storefront offering Chinese medical cures.

Detectives believed at first the man was a murder victim and cordoned off the area. Within a day, however, police concluded the man — probably already dead — had fallen to the ground when a jet passing overhead lowered its landing gear as it neared the runway at nearby Heathrow Airport.

The apparent stowaway had no identification papers — just some currency from Angola, leading police to surmise that he was from that African nation, especially as inquiries showed that a plane from Angola was beginning its descent into Heathrow at about that time.

The macabre explanation made perfect sense to residents, who are familiar not only with the roar of the jets descending, but are also able to see the planes lower their landing gears as they pass overhead, said Catherine Lambert, who lives a few doors down from the spot where the man landed.

"You could see him, his body was contorted," she said. "It was a beautiful blue day, really sunny, but we had to keep the children inside. I didn't want the children to see, and to have to explain to them and put fear into them every time a plane goes over."

A post mortem conducted two days after the body landed listed the cause of death as "multiple injuries."

In the days afterward, some neighbors put flowers on the spot where the stowaway was found, and a small group of Angolans who live in the London area came to place more flowers and to pray. Lambert, 41, said there is lingering sadness, since the man has not been identified and there has been no way to tell his family he is gone.

"I felt, what was he running away from? What made him think he could he could? And how will his family ever know? He's a lost soul now; his father and mother are probably waiting for him to make contact," she said.

A London police spokesman, who wasn't authorized to speak on the record because of force policy, said Sunday that police are appealing to the public for help identifying the man based on a composite image of his face and a photo of a tattoo on his left arm. The tattoo showed the letters "Z'' and "G'' inked on his upper arm, with a horizontal line through the "Z''.

Police also said attempts to identify the man with the help of Angolan authorities had been unsuccessful. They stressed there is only "circumstantial" evidence linking the stowaway to that country.

Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera dies at 43 in plane crash

Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera died in a plane crash Saturday night, her father and brother confirmed on Telemundo.

"She never gave up and she was good to everyone," said her father, Pedro, about his daughter’s legacy outside of his home in Lakewood, Calif.

The wreckage of the plane was found Sunday in northern Mexico with no apparent survivors, authorities said.

The wreckage was found in the Ejido La Colorada, Municipality of Nuevo Leon. Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, secretary of communications and transport, said that the plane was not recognizable, but the evidence suggested it was the aircraft carrying the singer, Telemundo reported.

Officials said Rivera's Learjet went off the radar about 62 miles from Monterrey after taking off at 3:15 a.m. local time.

Singer Jenni Rivera, seen here during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, in January, was aboard a plane that went missing shortly after leaving the northern Mexican city of Monterrey early Sunday.

Rivera was heading for the city of Toluca in central Mexico after a concert in Monterrey on Saturday night. The singer, two pilots and four other passengers were aboard, Mexican officials said.

Jorge Domene, spokesman for Nuevo Leon's government told Milenio television that civilian agency helicopters flew over the state searching for the plane. The missing included her publicist, lawyer, makeup artist and the flight crew, the ministry of transportation and communication said in a statement.

In a photo posted on her Twitter account on Friday, Jenni Rivera can be seen referencing her concert in Monterrey. In the photo she is seen holding up a sign with the words, "Nos Vemos este 7 en Colima, 8-en Monterrey. I love you!" Translation: "See you this 7th in Colima, 8 in Monterrey."

Obama & PSY President Will Attend Performance, Despite Outrage Over Anti-American Song

South Korean rapper and Internet sensation PSY is apologizing to Americans for participating in anti-U.S. protests several years ago.

Park Jae-sang, who performs as PSY, issued a statement Friday after reports surfaced that he had participated in concerts protesting the U.S. military presence in South Korea during the early stages of the Iraq war.

At a 2004 concert, the "Gangnam Style" rapper performs a song with lyrics about killing "Yankees" who have been torturing Iraqi captives and their families "slowly and painfully." During a 2002 concert, he smashed a model of a U.S. tank on stage.

"While I'm grateful for the freedom to express one's self, I've learned there are limits to what language is appropriate and I'm deeply sorry for how these lyrics could be interpreted," he wrote in the statement. "I will forever be sorry for any pain I have caused by those words."

The 34-year-old rapper says the protests were part of a "deeply emotional" reaction to the war and the death of two Korean school girls, who were killed when a U.S. military vehicle hit them as they walked alongside the road. He noted anti-war sentiment was high around the world at the time.

PSY attended college in the U.S. and says he understands the sacrifices U.S. military members have made to protect South Korea and other nations. He has recently performed in front of servicemen and women.

"And I hope they and all Americans can accept my apology," he wrote. "While it's important that we express our opinions, I deeply regret the inflammatory and inappropriate language I used to do so. In my music, I try to give people a release, a reason to smile. I have learned that thru music, our universal language we can all come together as a culture of humanity and I hope that you will accept my apology."

His participation in the protests was no secret in South Korea, where the U.S. has had a large military presence since the Korean War, but was not generally known in America until recent news reports.

PSY did not write "Dear American," a song by the Korean band N.EX.T, but he does perform it. The song exhorts the listener to kill the Yankees who are torturing Iraqi captives, their superiors who ordered the torture and their families. At one point he raps: "Kill their daughters, mothers, daughters-in-law, and fathers/Kill them all slowly and painfully."

One Million Moms 'moving on' from Ellen Christmas commercial protest

The group that complained about Ellen DeGeneres' appearance in a Christmas commercial for JC Penney is not going to pursue further protests of the ad, a group spokeswoman said Thursday.

"We're not taking action, we're moving on," One Million Moms director Monica Cole told The Christian Post. "We've already contacted the company."

On Tuesday, the group posted about the ad on its website, saying "JCP has made their choice to offend a huge majority of their customers again. Christians must now vote with their wallets."

The commercial in question is a 30-minute spot featuring DeGeneres in a diner accidentally making short jokes while chatting with three of Santa's elves.

Cole told The Christian Post that the group's web post was not "an attack on any one person or company," but was targeted at "the agenda behind it." She described DeGeneres to the Post as "a strong gay activist" and said that her appearance, not the ad's content, was at issue.

She also told the Post that the group's web alert was posted due to requests by members of the organization.

The group first drew attention to JC Penney's use of DeGeneres as a spokeswoman back in February. The store did not drop DeGeneres.

"They wanted to get me fired and I am proud and happy to say JC Penney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson," DeGeneres told her studio audience in March, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The group's protest of the elf ad drew plenty of puzzled reaction online.

Mom Cacia Griggs Loses 112 Pounds: Inspired By Daughter

Cacia Griggs knew she had to do something about her obesity when she broke her daughter's bed while tucking her in one evening.

Since that horrible night one year ago, Griggs, 26, has lost 112 pounds and married her fiancé in a beautiful wedding dress with the help of a local weight center in Peterborough, England.

Her daughter, Isabelle, now four, noticed Griggs's incredible transformation. "She commented about how I didn't have a big belly anymore and she loved doing exercise with me," Griggs told Yahoo! Shine. "She was also great at reprimanding me when I tried to take something from her plate. She would say, 'mummy you're not allowed these, you'll get a big belly again!'

In fact, the major motivating factor for Griggs was concern for her daughter's future weight. After reading an article in the newspaper about how children of obese parents are more likely to be obese themselves, Griggs strengthened her resolve to lose weight. "It might as well have been written about me and my daughter," she said in an interview with the Daily Mail. "She was already starting to copy my bad eating habits, asking for the fizzy drinks and junk food that I was eating. The thought of subjecting my beautiful little girl to a lifetime of weight-battling misery and ill health was too much for me to bear."

[Cacia on her wedding day.] Cacia on her wedding day.The Journal of Pediatrics conducted the study Griggs read about, which determined that there are five factors in whether a child will become obese. The main risk factor is parental weight. "Nearly 80 percent of obese 10- to 14-year-olds with an obese parent will be obese as adults," the Yale Medical Group summarized.

Griggs's commitment required major lifestyle changes, such as cutting out high calorie foods and introducing regular exercise into her schedule. She began her diet on a meal replacement plan, only drinking shakes and eating protein bars. She then slowly reintroduced healthier foods, mostly vegetables and protein. "Now I love seafood and vegetables. I noticed how colorful my plate was becoming," Griggs told Yahoo! Shine. "The increase of water made a massive difference not only to weight loss but to my skin and energy levels."

Court upholds $319M verdict in 'Millionaire' case

A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a $319 million verdict over profits from the game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" and rejected Walt Disney Co.'s request for a new trial.

A jury decided in 2010 that Disney hid the show's profits from its creators, London-based Celador International. The ruling Monday by a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found no issues with the verdict or with a judge's rulings in the case.

"I am pleased that justice has been done," Celador Chairman Paul Smith said in a statement.

Disney did not immediately comment on the decision.

The ruling comes more than two years after the jury ruled in Celador's favor after a lengthy trial that featured testimony from several top Disney executives. The company sued in 2004, claiming Disney was using creative accounting to hide profits from the show, which first ran in the United States from August 1999 to May 2002 and was a huge hit for ABC.

The jury found that Celador was owed $269.2 million, and a judge later added $50 million in interest to the judgment.

The appeals court determined the verdict was not "grossly excessive or monstrous" and that it was not based on speculation or guesswork.

David Letterman and wife Regina Lasko step out for Kennedy Honors

Late-night talk show host David Letterman was honored at the 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors on Saturday night in New York. There to help him celebrate was his wife, Regina Lasko.

Lasko, a former staff member on Letterman’s show, began dating Dave in 1986. Their son was born in 2003. Normally, the attendance of a spouse at a prestigious ceremony wouldn't be particularly noteworthy. However, Lasko's appearance marked what may have been the couple's first public outing together since the Letterman blackmail scandal of 2009.

Back then, Letterman admitted to having had an affair with an assistant and told authorities that a staff member was attempting to blackmail him with the information. Rather than pay up, Letterman went public on his show, apologizing to Lasko, who he married just a few months before, in front of his late-night audience.

"My wife, Regina, she has been horribly hurt by my behavior. And when something happens like that, if you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it. At that point there is only two things that can happen: Either you are going to make some progress and get it fixed, or you're gonna fall short and perhaps not get it fixed. So let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me."

Of course, none of this was alluded to at the Kennedy Honors. Letterman was introduced by Stephen Colbert, who praised Letterman for his "stupid" comedy. "Dave was stupid. Dave was ours. Dave was like us," Cobert said. "We wanted to throw things off of buildings... We would love to stick our heads out the window of 30 Rock and yell at passers-by, 'I'm not wearing any pants!'"

President Obama also poked fun at Letterman: "It's different when you're not the one with the mic, isn't it, Dave? You're looking a little stressed, aren't you? I'd also point out it's a lot warmer here [at the White House] than it is on Dave's set."

The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast on CBS on December 26. Also honored this year: musician Buddy Guy, actor Dustin Hoffman, rock band Led Zeppelin, and dancer Natalia Makarova.

McCain To Kerry ‘Thank You Very Much, Mr. Secretary’

Sen. John Kerry, the next secretary of state?

Republican Sen. John McCain had some fun Monday at the expense of his friend and Democratic colleague. Responding to a Kerry introduction at a news conference on a disabilities treaty, McCain said, “thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.”

It was a clear reference to the recent talk that Kerry is a top candidate to replace Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. It was also a nod to McCain’s opposition to the current front-runner, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.

Kerry gave it back with his own quip, one that pained McCain.

“Thank you very much Mr. President,” Kerry said when he returned to the microphone. McCain unsuccessfully sought the presidency in 2000 and 2008.

Metro Last Light Shows No Mercy to Former Russian Supermodel in New Trailer

When all hell breaks loose above ground and the entire population is forced into the underground transit network to survive, who you used to be doesn't matter anymore. Your goal is to be a survivor. That's why the disheveled young lady in this live action trailer for Metro: Last Light is so terrified and, well, disheveled. Things have gone from great to awful for her if you want to take the time and get into her whole backstory.

However, I fully recommend watching the trailer and listening to the hot blonde with the Russian accent tell you how much she likes bullets. That's not what you expect from your typical super model. The bullets part, I mean. Russian accents are totally a part of super modeling. In any case, somebody find out who this actress is and let us know on Facebook so we can book a photoshoot with her.

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