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Iesha Pompey

UCF student planned to "give them hell"

Authorities believe James Oliver Seevakumaran committed suicide after his plan for a school shooting fell through.

A potential school shooter shot and killed himself after authorities ruined his plan of getting a little liquid courage to then commit murder. Authorities say the University of Central Florida could have been next on the list of school shootings.

In the dormitory apartment of 30-year-old James Oliver Seevakumaran, authorities discovered plans to go to a bar near campus, pull the fire alarm, and “give them hell”. But a 911 call from James Seevakumaran’s roommate led authorities to interfere with the students plan. The roommate told authorities that James Seevakumaran had a gun and had held it while staring him down after leaving the apartment to pull the fire alarm, according to nbcnews.com.

Authorities also found several explosive devices that belonged to the gunman. They believe James Seevakumaran had intended to fire at students as they attempted to exit the dormitory. Instead, he turned the gun on himself and committed suicide before campus police arrived.

His roommate, Arabo “BK” Babkhani, described  him as an anti-social loner who didn’t seem violent. He said James Seevakumaran had never really looked him in the eye until the day of the shooting.

During the incident, James Seevakumaran’s had received two “22-round” magazines,  a rifle sling, and a firearms training DVD in his campus mailbox, according to chron.com.

James Seevakumaran was a business major at the University of Central Florida. He is reported to have been dealing with financial issues, including not paying off his tuition and housing bill for the spring semester, according to nbcnews.com.

At a news conference, Police Chief Richard Berry confirmed that the student had homemade explosives, two guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his possession and had planned a much wide attack. The chief said they have yet to find a motive.

Teen killer smiles at life sentence

TJ Lane showed no remorse during his sentencing.

What’s a few life terms in prison to Ohio teen shooter T J Lane? A joke, apparently. The teen who is responsible for three deaths at Chardon High School in 2012 received a triple life sentence without parole today. As family members of the victims rose to the podium to read their grievances, the 18-year-old smirked and laughed as they tearfully carried on in their hopes for him and the memories of their loved one.

TJ Lane sat in court surrounded by dozens of officers wearing a white t-shirt that read “killer”. He wore the shirt under a blue button-up which he removed after entering the courtroom. The parents and siblings of victims Demetrius Hewlin, 16, Daniel Parmertor, 16, and Russell King Jr., 17, read their statements in court. The sister of Russell King Jr. mentioned that her brother felt sorry for TJ Lane and had told his friends that he wanted to hang out with him again.

TJ Lane didn’t seem phased by the gestures of sympathy nor agony. He laughed as the mother of Daniel Parmertor spoke:

“I will never be the same because of him…My children look at me and do not see the same mom they used to know,” she said.

The victims families interrupted themselves many times as they reacted to TJ Lane’s lack of remorse, calling him a “monster” and an “animal” that deserves to be locked in a cage and kept away from society.

In his statement TJ Lane gave the middle finger after saying:

“This hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the memory. F— all of you.”

Judge David Fuhry said TJ Lane was of his sane mind when the shooting occurred. The judge added that though TJ Lane attended an alternative school for troubled students, he was set to graduate early.

One of the three student who survived the February 27 shooting was also in court. The paralyzed victim’s mother asked TJ Lane why he did it. The teen killer continued to smile.

Michelle Shocked supports Prop 8

The once openly gay artist opposes gay marriage at her San Francisco concert.

Michelle Shocked, a well known controversial artist, gave her fans an earful of homophobia during her concert at Yoshi’s, in San Francisco on Sunday. The born-again christian, former left-wing lesbian, stated her stance on gay marriage and predicted the return of Jesus saying:

“When they stop Prop 8 and force priests at gunpoint to marry gays, it will be the downfall of civilization, and Jesus will come back.”
As some fans were offended and started to leave, Michelle Shocked let them know that she knew they’d take their arguments to social media saying:

“You are going to leave here and tell people, ‘Michelle Shocked said God hates faggots.”

She was right. Not only did the owner of Yoshi’s, an openly gay man, stop the show mid-set and ask Michelle Shocked to leave the stage, the audience also verbally retaliated and later took to Twitter. Many of the tweets posted were in favor of gay marriage and accusing Michelle Shocked of being a hypocrite.

The once openly gay artist, now “born-again christian”, is said to be dealing with an inner struggle of acceptance. Many gay advocates are reaching out to the promoters of her future shows and having them cancelled. The promoters of SPACE, a venue in Evanston, Il, reached out to their followers on Facebook saying:

“Many of you have reached out already following an ugly rant given by Michelle Shocked at her show in San Francisco last night. After speaking with the promoter of that show about the nature of the remarks, it’s clear that this is no longer a show we’re willing to put our name on. The May 5th performance at SPACE has been cancelled and refunds will be issued at point of purchase.”

Fans who attended the San Francisco show say they are still fans of Michelle Shocked, but her hate speech was unacceptable and unfair to the audience who paid to see her perform her 80s and 90s hits, not to support prop 8, California’s legal definition of marriage being between a man and a woman.

Over $917 million in unclaimed 2009 tax refunds

Almost 100,000 failed to file their taxes in 2009. The unclaimed refunds may be added to US Treasure.

The Internal Revenue Service says it has $917 million in tax refunds from 2009. The time to claim those funds expires in just a few weeks on April 15. Those who did not file in 2009 are encouraged to do so immediately. The IRS says there is no penalty for tax payers who file a late return that qualifies for a refund.

The nearly 1 million who failed to file their taxes in 2009 will be giving a three-year window to claim refunds. If they fail to do so, the remainder of the $917 million will be added to the US Treasury. If they didn’t file in 2010 or 2011 either, there may be a delay on their refund.

Child support, student loans, and unpaid state and federal taxes will be a factor in how much of a refund late filers will receive. If any of those accounts are in the negative, the refund will be put toward those amounts.

According to Yahoo News, most refunds exceed $500 and are owed to residents in every state and the District of Columbia. The amounts range from $1,397 belonging to 1,700 individuals in Vermont to $92,590 for 100,700 individuals in California.

Many low and middle-income tax payers did not file their taxes because their annual income did not meet the requirements to file.

The Internal Revenue Service is concerned that tax payers are missing out on the benefits of the 2009 Earned Income Tax Credit which awarded some families, who filed jointly with three or more children, over $48,000. Those without children earned about $13,440.

2009 tax forms can be found on the Internal Revenue Service website, at irs.gov. They may also be found and filed with a tax-preparation firm. H&R Block, however, may not be the best tax-preparation giant to consult as they are now under fire for a system glitch that has about 600,000 tax payers waiting an additional six weeks for refunds.

Assault Weapons Ban passed senate committee

The Assault Weapons Ban has been passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Assault Weapons Ban has passed the senate committee. The ban has some house senates at odds on grounds of defending constructional rights versus preventing another Sandy Hook-like shooting. Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif, is taking the heat from republicans who highly oppose the bad she sponsored.

The Assault Weapons Ban, which passed on a party-line vote of 10-8, bans weapons that carry more than 10 rounds and semi-automatic weapons that have at least one military feature. About 157 weapons meet the criteria and may be prohibited if the bill is passed on the senate floor.

According to Yahoo News, President Obama praised the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing the ban and helping to reduce gun violence.

“These weapons of war, when combined with high-capacity magazines, have one purpose: to inflict maximum damage as quickly as possible. They are designed for the battlefield, and they have no place on our streets, in our schools, or threatening our law enforcement officers,” said President Obama.

The Assault Weapons Ban was rejected by the full congress in 2004. If not for the recent shootings, such as the one in Newton, Connecticut three months ago today, it would be expected to be rejected again. But lawmakers are consistently passing bills that are in conjunction with the Assault Weapons Ban.

On Tuesday, the committee voted in favor of a bill that requires extensive background check on gun buyers and another bill that will renew grant programs for school security. Both bills are set to face the senate floor as early as next month.

Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized the Assault Weapons Ban and asked Senator Dianne Feinstein if she would apply regulations to the first and fourth amendments along with her ban. Senator Dianne Feinstein retorted “I am not a sixth grader…” and continued to explain her political history and credentials for proposing the Assault Weapons Ban. She later apologized to Senator Ted Cruz for letting him get her “dander up”.

Republican Rob Portman is now pro-gay marriage

Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, is now pro gay marriage, after his son told him he’s gay in 2011.

Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, recently had a change of heart on gay marriage. His son Will, a 21-year-old Yale student, told his dad that he is gay in 2011. The senator once opposed gay marriage but now says he sees gay marriage in a different perspective.

Senator Rob Portman, 57, said he now sees gay marriage from the perspective of a father who loves his son and wants him to have the same opportunities as his sister and brother and be able to experience the same love he and his wife have shared for 26 years.

The senator wrote an op-ed piece in the Columbia Dispatch, in which he stated that the government shouldn’t deny gays the opportunity to marry. He didn’t forget to mention his previous stance:

“That isn’t how I’ve always felt. As a congressman, and more recently as a senator, I opposed marriage for same-sex couples. Then something happened that led me to think through my position in a much deeper way.”

Senator Rob Portman voted for the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Arguments challenging the Defense of Marriage Act are due to be heard later this month. According to the Pew Research Center, at least 48 percent of Americans supported same-sex marriage in 2012.

The Defense of marriage act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman, excludes federal recognition of same-sex marriage. This denies gay couples of many rights, such as filing joint taxes.

Senator Rob Portman was considered for the Vice President candidate for Mitt Romney. The senator told Romney that he has a gay son and says it wasn’t an issue for Romney. Rob Portman also reached out to former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has an openly gay daughter, according to Yahoo News. The former Vice President told Rob Portman to follow his heart.

Will Portman congratulated his father on Twitter. “Especially proud of my dad today,” he said.
 

Motorcycle proposal ends in four arrest

Four of the bikers who released pink fog for love were arrested after their viral video helped CHP to identify them.

Hundreds of bikers blocked the freeway for what was supposed to be a romantic motorcycle proposal. But the groom-to-be and three others were hauled off and arrested after causing a bit of a traffic jam on the 10 highway in West Covina more than a month after the incident.

But before the chaos and havoc, Hector Martinez, 24, did manage to propose to his girlfriend, who his pillion passenger, and get her to say yes in the midst of a pink fog bomb that was released when the 200 plus bikers came to a halt and encircled the two. His friends cheered on with a few fist pumps as the groom and bride-to-be embraced and enjoyed their moment of love in front of some very pissed off and confused commuters who just wanted to get where they were going.

The lovebirds then went on to celebrate their motorcycle proposal and join the other bikers at their “motorcycle event”, respectively held at Hooters.

The motorcycle proposal was video recorded and posted onto Youtube, where it later went viral with over 1.7 million viewers. It also became lawful evidence in the arrest of the four bikers who have been released but set to face a judge soon. The couple was interviewed and identified through several media outlets which inadvertently handed the motorcycle proposal couple over to California Highway Patrol on a silver platter; CHP soon began investigating and looking for the bikers in charge in the freeway scheme.

The quarto was booked last Thursday on suspicion of misdemeanor public nuisance and participation in unlawful assembly. Hector Martinez specifically, is being charged with exhibition of speed. Hector Martinez was recorded doing a burn-out for several seconds before riding off.

California Highway representative said he’d never seen anything like it but a similar stunt took place on a Los Angeles highway, according to laist.com, where a band was arrested for a major traffic jam. The band members were charged with conspiracy, public nuisance and resisting, obstructing or delaying law enforcement officers and they were sentenced to probation and community labor.
 

Amanda Bynes' joines the Barbies

The Nickelodeon star makes over her look and makes headlines.

Amanda Bynes is no exception when it comes to childhood stars stating their claim to adulthood. The 26-year-old actress has resurfaced with a new photo on Twitter that has the media in a bit of a frenzie and comparing her to the likes of Nicki Minaj.

Nothing says I’m an adult like heavy eye make up, a Kim Kardashian weave and a little body modification. Amanda Bynes has a cheek piercing in her new photo, face cheek that is. The mirror she’s holding, covering half of her face, makes it hard to tell if the Nickelodeon heiress has one on each side. But most sources says there are two bedazzled studs in either cheek.

Spicing things up in the wardrobe and makeup department seems to be the method to getting the media riled up and rumor ready. Amanda Bynes is being called “edgy” and “unrecognizable” for her false lashes and stiletto fingernails. She posted the photo on her Twitter account on Sunday wearing an orange cap, big hair, torn jeans and heavy makeup while standing in what looks like an elevator.

Amanda Bynes tweeted “forgetting past memories” and “I don’t care who kissed you first as long as I kissed you last” shortly after posting the photos. Her new look is being tied to her love life by the media who now sees Amanda Bynes as another good girl gone bad.

Amanda Bynes has been involved in some legal issues concerning two hit-and-run incidents. She was charged with a DUI last June and decided to take matters into her own hands by tweeting President Barrack Obama saying “I don’t drink. Please fire the cop who arrested me.” Unfortunately for Amanda Bynes, that didn’t happen.

The “Easy A” actress also tweeted a photo of herself from the waist down wearing a leopard leotard, over a month ago, which didn’t seem to make headlines. But the heavy make-up, weave, and blinged out cheeks are certainly helping the media declare her as unstable and heartbroken- some going as far as mentioning family concern and a possible rehab.

Amanda Bynes is also well known for her roles on “All That” and “What I like About You”.

Monday Night Raw pays tribute to Paul Bearer

WWE mourns it’s resident mortician. The Undertaker pays tribute with gold urn.

The wrestling world is still mourning its resident mortician, “Paul Bearer”. He died last Tuesday evening in a Mobile, Alabama hospital. It is unclear what caused his death but many sources point to his long history of health issues relating to morbid obesity and matters of the gallbladder.

William “Bill” Moody, 58, joined the WWE in 1990 introducing famous wrestlers and working alongside the likes of The Undertaker, Mankind, and Kane (the undertaker’s brother). His scary “Paul Bearer” routine was based off of his actual career as a mortician. His hysterical facial expressions and high voice yelling is highly impersonated among WWE fans who found Paul Bearer’s intimidation technique to be highly entertaining.

The WWE’s resident mortician entered the scene as The Undertaker’s manager, wearing a black suit, white makeup and thick black hair, eyebrows and mustache while carrying an gold urn. He later turned against his protégé, threatening to reveal the Undertakers “secret” and using his brother Kane against him in the ring.

“Paul Bearer” soon got his own talk show segment, hosted by WWE and rightfully titled “The Funeral Parlor”. The show took place in a dark foggy room with the mortician interviewing wrestlers while standing in front of a closed casket.

In the opening segment of Mondays Night Raw, The Undertaker paid tribute to his friend, Bill, by walking toward the ring and holding the infamous gold urn, previously owned by Paul Bearer.

The WWE released a statement:

“Moody made his WWE debut in 1991 as the manager of The Undertaker and went on to become a memorable part of WWE over the course of the next 20 years. Our deepest condolences go out to Moody’s family, friends and fans.”

Hulk Hogan tweeted:

“Very sad about Paul Bearer, he was a great person and one of the original boys, he was what made wrestling great much love much respect HH.”

Another mayor in the slammer

Kwame Kilpatrick, former Detroit mayor, was convicted of 24 of 30 charges on Monday.

Kwame Kilpatrick, former mayor of Detroit, was convicted of 24 of the 30 counts including: bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and filing false tax returns. He is likely to face years in prison after yesterdays verdict that took twelve minutes to read.

The former mayor had already been in jail for a year on perjury charges. The trail lasted for about five months followed by a two week deliberation among 12 jurors who ultimately reached a unanimous decision on 45 of the 50 total charges.

Kwame Kilpatrick is suspected to have spent about $840,000 more than he earned during his tenure. He and his lawyer deny that allegation.

Bobby Ferguson, a friend of Kwame Kilpatrick, was also charged with nine out of 11 counts. Bernard Kilpatrick, Kwame’s 71-year-old father, was charged on one count of tax account. Bobby Ferguson and Kwame Kilpatrick were both remanded to jail without bond on Monday.

Several businesspeople took the stand and told jurors that they were forced to hire Bobby Ferguson as their subcontractor on many occasions. He was referred by the former mayor who suggested they hire Bobby Ferguson if they wanted to win city deals. The convicted contractor is said to have made an estimated $84 million in contracts. One of the businessmen testified to Kwame Kilpatrick racking up $389,000 in travel on his private plane. His father, Bernard Kilpatrick, is accused of taking bribes for city contracts.

The Kilpatrick Civil Fund, Kwame Kilpatricks’s foundation, is in question after accusation of the former mayor taking advantage of non profit benefits and using money for personal amusement including: golf games, yoga classes, and vacations according to The Huffington Post.

Kwame Kilpatrick was involved in a text message sex scandal in 2009 that later led to him pleading guilty on two counts of obstruction of justice.