Guarding Arlington from the Westboro Baptists on Memorial Day was carried out by the KKK

A somber Memorial Day 2011 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia was disrupted by an unlikely group of protestors against one another, reports CNN. Hours before the president began his yearly address from the Tomb of the Unknowns, members of the Ku Klux Klan and Westboro Baptist Church challenged each other. Fortunately, the day was not sullied by assault and arrests, only hateful comments.

Ku Klux Klan object to Westboro anti-gay protests

The angry demonstrations against homosexuality and the U.S. Military from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., have gotten lots of attention. Church members end up protesting outside military funerals with anti-gay signs saying the soldiers will go to hell with the help of Pastor Fred Phelps and his daughter Abigail.

A group of 10 individuals at Arlington in representation of the Knights of the Southern Cross, or Soldiers of the Ku Klux Klan, don't like the Baptists though. A group of Ku Klux Klan members gathered near the Westboro Baptists and tried to drown them out with American flags and a banner that read "POW-MIA" for all who could see it.

According to Imperial Wizard Dennis LaBonte, who was present at the demonstration, the KKK was assembled to protest Fred Phelps’ anti-troop message.

“It’s the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech,” said LaBonte.

Scriptures not about white power

CNN spoke with Abigail Phelps who said that since there is no reference to white power in the Bible, the Westboro Baptists recognize no authority in the Ku Klux Klan. Individuals like LaBonte maintain they are neither racist nor hate-mongers, but caretakers of the Caucasian race. In the meantime, the Westboro Baptists cling to their war against homosexuality and the U.S. military complex (illustrated by hateful slogans like "God hates fags" and "Thank God for dead soldiers").

What freedom costs

There was a United States Supreme Court ruling that allowed the Westboro Baptists to protest at military funerals with First Amendment protections. They do have to stay a distance away though. The Ku Klux Klan has the same rules to follow. So long as assault or direct violations of the law are not involved, such groups can protest as often as they like.

Citations

Arlington National Cemetery

arlingtoncemetery.mil/

CNN

cnn.com/2011/US/05/30/arlington.cemetery.protesters/index.html

New York Daily News

nydn.us/mK3Aku

DC Comics plans to re-launch its heroes

In Sept DC Comics plans to restart all of its superhero titles. Each one of them will begin once again from issue No. one. DC created Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and many other instantly familiar comic book characters.

Start of a new team

In a bold and risky move, DC’s new innovative team, Geoff Johns and Jim Lee, are leaving behind 70 years of storylines and starting over with a clean slate. The plotlines will be more modern, there will be new origins and the costumes will be changes. Lee explained it a little better. He said it will “make characters more identifiable and accessible to comic fans new and old.”

Fight between heroes

There have been DC and Marvel Comics for years. DC has always come in second place. Walt Disney Company is owned by Marvel who has about 40 percent of the industry for comic books. About 27 percent goes to Time Warner’s DC. Johns and Lee are hoping to narrow that gap.

Starting by working with the Justice League

August 31 will be the starting of the new DC saga. The Justice League will begin. The Justice League, which debuted in “The Brave and the Bold” magazine in Feb. 1960, is team of superheroes including Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Flash and Aquaman.

In all, 52 titles are slated to reboot, with 13 new titles being released each week through September. At DC, 52 is an enchanting and well known quantity. This is because in the company’s “multiverse,” there are 52 alternate Earths that “exist.”

Working digitally

A new marketing strategy will be put in place with the beginning of the “Justice League” reboot. DC plans a same-day digital release for all of the rebooted titles via an app and through the company site. DC’s blog claims that “making DC Comics the first of the two major American publishers to release all of its superhero comic book titles digitally the same day as in print.” The move is following what Archie Comics did. The strategy was initially thought up by the company.

Citations

National Post

arts.nationalpost.com/2011/05/31/dc-reboots-entire-line-of-comic-books/

MSNBC

today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43232629

Titans Tower

titanstower.com/monitor/?p=3118

Real life robberies prompted by Affleck film

Two armed bandits in nun costumes robbed a financial institution Sunday, jumping a teller counter and making off with an undisclosed amount of cash. The thievery was shockingly reminiscent of last year’s critically acclaimed Ben Affleck film, “The Town.”

Shots not terminated during escape

”The Town” style robbery was most recently at the TCF financial institution. This financial institution is in Palos Heights, Ill. The two thieves, one male and one female, wore rubber masks and traditional nuns’ habits. Both were armed with handguns. They carried a duffel bag, which they stuffed with cash before exiting the bank. There was a Chevrolet with tinted windows that they left in. They never shot any person with their guns. Nobody was hurt in the robberies.

Very close to Ben Affleck’s film

In Affleck’s “The Town,” a male comes from a neighborhood in Boston where lots of armed robbers come from. Affleck plays the male that seems conflicted about it although he does what he is supposed to. Nun masks and habits just like in Illinois are used in the burglary in the movie. Although no confirmation exists, it is apparent that the burglars may have been influenced by the film.

'The Town’ influenced robberies before

The Affleck film was imitated before. 28 year old Kay Faughin, Eddie Solomon, 27, and 29 year old Lee Lubin all worked together on January 4 to rob Bank of America. They were wearing Halloween masks to the Delray Beach, Fla., branch. As burglars stole $67,000 in cash, the financial institution consumers had to lie on their backs. Police and news helicopters followed them as they left in a Cadillac. The lunchtime chase was heavily covered by local television news teams. All three men were apprehended within a few hours.

Lubin even said that watching “The Town” gave the men the idea for the robbery.

Citations

Pop Eater

popeater.com/2011/06/02/ben-affleck-the-town-chicago-bank-robbery/

Mail OnlineM

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344758/Three-men-dress-Halloween-masks-rob-bank-Florida-inspired-Ben-Affleck-film-The-Town.html

WPBF

wpbf.com/news/26381238/detail.html

‘The Town’ trailer

youtube.com/watch?v=QQ7wcayQQLQ

Phil Ivey not at World Series of Poker tournament

Big time pro poker gambler Phil Ivey is definitely avoiding the WSOP this year, claims Big Lead Sports. This is definitely because of the actions of supporter Full Tilt Poker, which has regularly neglected to refund customer account monies after the U.S. Justice Department cracked down on online poker online websites. The case claims that over $150 million in consumer funds is still in Full Tilt parent business Tiltware, LLC’s possession.

Full Tilt makes Ivey ‘deeply disappointed’

Full Tilt’s actions are more than just embarrassing, Phil Ivey said on his Facebook page. He said it makes it extremely hard for skilled poker players to get a better reputation without going to buy-in tournaments.

“I am not playing in the world Series of Poker, as I do not believe it is fair that I compete when others cannot,” writes Ivey. “I am doing everything I can to seek a solution to the problem as quickly as possible.”

Phil Ivey’s reputation needs fixing

By being closely associated with Full Tilt throughout his career, Ivey feels that the company’s lack of action in recent months has damaged his reputation. After a great deal of thought, he decided to bring suit against Tiltware, LLC, who are the founders of Full Tilt Poker. This group may become Ivey’s previous group soon. On Facebook he said:

“I sincerely hope this statement will ignite those capable of resolving the problems into instant action… I will dedicate the entirety of my time and efforts to finding a solution for those who have been wronged by the painfully slow process of repayment.”

Full Tilt allegedly had no financial institution reserve account

One thing Levy accuses Tiltware of isn’t having a bank reserve account for Full Tilt Poker. This made it so gamblers could definitely not very easily be refunded. Just like banks invest money deposited into them, online poker websites invest the money deposited into them. Full Tilt does this as well, states International Business Times.

This is definitely something federal regulators know and have laws about. Individual banks and online gambling online websites have to follow these reserve laws. Full Tilt won’t refund the consumer all of their money at once. Putting your money into one of these online websites may be a dangerous thing to do. This is as the gambling web sites don’t generally have the FDIC insurance banks do and would never get a tax bailout. Tax money would have to be used if the government were going to help. The government might not be able to get players their money back in the end.

Information from

Big Lead Sports

thebiglead.com/index.php/2011/06/01/phil-ivey-is-boycotting-the-world-series-of-poker/

Casino Scam Report

bit.ly/loVhfI

International Business Times

bit.ly/mR3mMV

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704628404576265060852516194.html

Rare vehicles auctioned for hundreds of thousands

RM Auctions carried out its first auction this last weekend in Cernobbio, Italy. The auction happened at the Villa d’Este concourse. The event boasted a catalog to make antique auto lovers drool. There were a cadre of rare and historically essential vehicles on sale. Multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars were paid for several of the automobiles.

A highly anticipated event

Several were excited for the auction to come around. Collectors were especially excited. Automobile correspondent Paul Lienert, said before the event, “The first-ever Villa d’Este sale will feature the crème de la crème of classic European hardware.”

Rare Ford roadster revered

The highlight of the sale was the rare 1965 Ford GT40 Works prototype roadster which collectors were looking forward to on May 21. The coveted vehicle was a works entrant in the 1965 Targa Florio. It was co-piloted by Sir John Whitmore and Bob Bondurant. Although it was among the top sellers, by the time the dust settled it had not topped the sales at the much-anticipated event.

Some cars cost hundreds of thousands to purchase

The top sellers went for multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars. Among them were the 1955 Ferrari 375 MM, which sold for $4.8 million. Selling at $4 million was the 1938 art-deco Talbot-Lago T150-C SS. Almost $4 million was paid for the four-cylinder Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa. About $3.6 million was paid for the 1959 Ferrari 250 California. Just less than $3 million was paid for the 1965 Ford GT40 roadster prototype also as the 1947 Bugatti Type 57sc Atlante.

The 1953 250 MM Ferrari was built specifically for Mexican collector Efrain Ruiz Echeverria and sold for $3 million. He drove it in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.

Also going for more than $1 million

About $2.1 million was paid for the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal and $1 million for the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero.

Some go for under a million

About $900,000 and $370,000 were paid for two automobiles. These were two Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeos from the 1960s. Lots of money was made on the auction. It was $32 million total.

Citations

Autoblog

autoblog.com/2011/05/24/rare-classics-sell-for-millions-at-villa-deste-auction/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29

Top Gear

topgear.com/uk/photos/rm-auctions-villa-d-este-2011-05-17

Edmunds Inside Line

insideline.com/ford/gt/ford-gt40-prototype-headlines-villa-d-este-auction.html

Payday loans boost in Great Britain

The amount of installment loans has grown considerably over the last month in Great Britain. The boost continues to sharply escalate following the Financial institution Holiday at the beginning of the month. The demand has seen about a 58 percent increase since the same period in April.

Costs surge still

Several think that Great Britain’s economy can be forecasted depending on the increase in payday loans. There was a rise in 54 pounds, about $87, is the average amount a family in Great Britain spends every week to live. Moneysupermarket.com explains this change occurred in just the last six months.

No change in wages

There has been a huge struggle for working individuals since wages have been stagnant. At the same time, costs have been increasing quite a bit. About 8.5 million households would have a lot of problems without their primary source of income according to a Scottish Widows report. Financial stability is something only 25 percent of people would be confident with if this income were lost. At least there is that.

The Customer Protection Report from Scottish Widows also reported that almost half of the country’s families with children are reliant upon two salaries.

See how the economy is doing by watching payday loans

The head of loans and debt for the Moneysupermarket.com site is Tim Moss. He said, “These goods act as a barometer, giving a unique insight to the state of the nation’s finances.” Moss continues, “It’s no surprise to see the demand for cash advances rise so sharply in the current climate.”

Choosing between a cash advance and overdraft

Getting an overdraft fee penalty is typically worse than these loans. This is what Moss explains despite their critics.

Make the best choice

When getting a payday loan, make sure you are very careful and think about the decision. Payday loans can be costly if they are not paid back on time, and payday loan terms generally only last a few weeks.

Articles cited

My Finances

myfinances.co.uk/loans-and-credit/2011/05/17/payday-loans-rise-in-popularity-after-bank-holiday-spending

Payday Bank

paydaybank.co.uk/news/

Yorkshire Post

yorkshirepost.co.uk/business/business-news/demand_for_payday_loans_on_the_rise_1_3403086

After years of baseball games, 74 year old Killebrew finally perished

The Minnesota Twins have revealed that Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew has succumbed to esophageal cancer. The imposing slugger from Payette, Idaho, was 74 years old. The ambassador for the game of baseball ended his days peacefully while asleep in his Scottsdale, Ariz., home. He was accompanied in his last moments by wife Nita and their children.

After Mayo Clinic, Killebrew went to Mayo Clinic

Monday, a statement was released by Killebrew. It said the esophageal cancer is in advanced stages so the Mayo Clinic can no longer help. Killebrew stated that he would spend his final days in Hospice care. The cancer was only declared six months before.

Fans loved ‘The Killer’

Most pitchers were nervous about pitching to Killebrew on the right of the plate. He weighed 220 pounds and was 5-foot-11. Harmon “The Killer” Killebrew had huge arms and hands. The power in his swings was something everybody wanted to see. On the all-time list, he comes in number 11 for his 573 home runs between 1954 and 1975, or during his 22 year career. He led the RBI in home runs three times and the American League six times, five as a Minnesota Twin and one as a Washington Senator. Killebrew’s powerful upper-cut swing is believed to be the batter silhouette that seems in the official Major League Baseball logo.

“He hit line drives that put the opposition in jeopardy,” former Washington Senators scout Ossie Bluege once said. “And I don’t mean the infielders. I mean the outfielders.”

Most followers liked the soft-spoken nature that Killebrew showed.

“No individual has ever meant more to the Minnesota Twins organization and millions of fans across Twins territory than Harmon Killebrew,” Twins president Dave St. Peter said. “Killebrew’s legacy will be the class, dignity and humility he demonstrated each and every day as a Hall of Fame-quality husband, father, friend, teammate and man.”

Jeff Idelson is the Baseball Hall of Fame President. He even said, “It’s ironic that his nickname was ‘Killer,’ as he was one of the nicest, most nice individuals to ever walk the earth.”

Articles cited

Associated Press

nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/43062969/ns/sports-baseball/

Baseball Reference

baseball-reference.com/players/k/killeha01.shtml

Boston Globe

bo.st/iLkYND

Minneapolis Star-Tribune

startribune.com/sports/twins/122004519.html

‘We’re here to love and help one other,’ said Killebrew

youtube.com/watch?v=GV9oEeKhI6s