LIFESTYLE

If you follow me on Twitter, it’s no secret that I LOVE Mayor Cory Booker. I have been singing this man’s praise for the full year I have been following him. So when I heard the news last week, I wasn’t shocked.
And the news was big. Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder of Facebook, pledged a $100 million grant to the public schools of Newark, New Jersey. Newark mayor Cory Booker, New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Mark Zuckerberg all came on The Oprah Show this past Friday to make the big announcement. And when Zuckerberg was asked his reasoning behind the donation, why Newark, why education, he had one answer… “It’s because of these two guys.” He said that by placing his faith and money in these men, he is hoping to set the example for education for all of America. Here it the announcement…

Perhaps you’ve followed this story.

Bethany Storro, 28, from Vancouver, claimed a young woman walked up to her daughter and said, “Hey pretty girl, do you want to drink this?” and then tossed a cup of acid in her face.

She later admitted it was a hoax. She tossed a cup of acid IN HER OWN FACE.

Yesterday she revealed her motive: To get a free facelift.

Prosecutors say the 28 year old will be arrested once she leaves the hospital, and will be facing felony charges. If convicted, she can spend up to five years in prison.

She’s coming off a recent divorce.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO ANISSA?”

This was posted about twenty messages into a thread of emails back on November 17, 2009.

Earlier in that thread I had let everyone know that I would be leaving shortly, that international calls were outrageously priced, and who to contact in case of emergency. I was out shopping for a media cruise I was taking with other bloggers, preparing to leave the very next day.

But then during our round, we started hearing from other people about the attacks. That these plane crashes were no accident. I remember the hair standing up on my arms and tears flowing from my eyes. Four crashes– 2 into the World Trade Towers, one into the Pentagon, and one into the middle of a field, thanks to many brave people on board that flight including Todd Beamer (do you remember his story- “Let’s roll!”?)

Her name is Ashley Anne Kirilow.

She was was dying of cancer.

Volunteers raised $20,000 for her “charity” called CHANGE FOR CURE.

She started a Facebook Page… had over 4,000 members.

She convinced a cancer awareness organization Skate4Cancer to fly her to Disney World to fulfill what she said was a dying wish.

BUT…

She wasn’t dying.

Not even close.

She shaved her head. And her eyebrows. Plucked her eyelashes. Starved herself. All to make herself look like a Chemotherapy patient.

The whole thing was a sham.

Her comment: “I was trying to be noticed. I was trying to get my family back together. I didn’t want to feel like I’m nothing anymore. It went wrong, it spread like crazy, and then it seemed like the whole world knew. I dug myself a big hole that I couldn’t get out of and there’s nobody to blame but me.” Ashley said.

She says she wants to find a way to give all the money back.

Two years ago today, July 25, 2008, at the age of 47, a man that captivated the hearts of millions of people around the world (and mine), lost his battle to pancreatic cancer. Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon professor and alumnus, husband, and father to three beautiful children. What is an academic tradition, to give students a “last lecture,” the notion that: if you knew you were going to die, what would you tell your students… actually became his own last lecture. He called it “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” and he delivered this inspirational speech at Carnegie Mellon University on September 18, 2007 to an immensely captive audience, including Randy’s family, friends, students, and colleagues. When he gave the lecture, he had just been given 3-6 months to live.