Category Archives: Amy Taintor

Rockefeller tree is a WOW

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By AMY TAINTOR

A swarm of positive stories passed through the news this week as the Rockefeller Christmas tree made its way to the Big Apple. This year, the tree is 94 feet tall and will be lit on Nov. 30.

This holiday tradition marks the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year in New York City. The tree lighting will begin at 7 p.m. with performances until 9 p.m. It has not yet been announced which entertainers will be singing at the tree lighting this year, but the news media have hinted at Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus and Michael Bublé. Of course you can also expect to see the Rockettes and their mile-long legs dancing to “Jingle Bell Rock.”

The coverage of this story in the news hasn’t been as prevalent as last year, perhaps because nobody is ready to accept that Christmastime is near and Thanksgiving will be past before we know it.

The tree lighting will be broadcast on NBC starting at 6:30 p.m. Join as millions watch the live televised event, or show up early to watch it up close.

If you want to skate at Rockefeller Plaza and see the most festive tree in America, you have until Jan. 7, 2017. That will be a sad day for all of us Christmas lovers.

Obama welcomes … the Cavaliers

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By AMY TAINTOR

As Donald Trump made his way to the White House this afternoon, so did the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 2016 NBA Champions met with President Obama and the first family in Washington, D.C., today.

The Cavaliers brought back the first professional sports championship to Ohio City since 1964, which is definitely something to celebrate.

President Obama was especially excited to meet Lebron James.

“When you see LeBron James, it is not just his power and his speed and his vertical, it is his unselfishness it is his work ethic, it is his insistence on always making the right play,” said Obama.

In the midst of political history that was made on Tuesday when Trump was elected president, Richard Jefferson, former Cleveland Cavalier, said that no NBA champion team will want to make the trip to the White House while Trump is in office.

That sparks the question of whether or not this will be the last visit to the White House for any sports team for at least the next four years.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Meet baseball’s bounce back boys

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By AMY TAINTOR

The Cubs seemed destined to lose the World Series going into game five. They were trailing three games to one to the Cleveland Indians. However, they pulled off a miracle.

You may be wondering why you should care about any baseball team other than the Red Sox or Yankees, so let me answer that for you.

It has been a considerable amount of years since the Cubs have won a World Series, 108 to be exact, and, to show you how long ago that was, here are a few things that weren’t around when they last won a World Series. Radio or television, super glue, hula-hoops, bar codes, the state of Alaska, credit cards and diet soda, to name a few.

The Cubs came back in this series winning game five, six, and eventually, seven.

History was made last night as the Cubs and Indians were in a tie game going into the 9th inning. The game was still tied 6-6 as the 9th inning ended, requiring extra innings. However, it wasn’t too long after that the Cubs claimed Victory. The Cubs scored two runs in the top of the 10th and left the Indians just one run short.

The final score of the game was 8-7.

History was made, tears were shed, and Chicago fans everywhere were happy. Unfortunately, the Indians have another year to wait before making history, again.

Tebow prays to help ill fan

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By AMY TAINTOR

Tim Tebow, former quarterback for the Denver Broncos, prayed over a seizing fan during an autograph session, as they awaited paramedics.

However, the autograph session wasn’t after a football game, it was after a minor league baseball game.

That’s right, Tebow has changed his career path in hopes to play Major League Baseball.

Now, that’s not the point. You may be asking why I care that Tim Tebow was praying over a fan. Lots of athletes are religious and believe in something of a higher power. But Tebow is different.

He has devoted his whole life to the Christian faith. His parents are both Baptists and have spent their life doing missionary work. In fact, Tebow was born in the Philippines while his parents were doing missionary work.

He was home schooled up until college because his parents were worried that the public school system would corrupt his faith.

And now, he’s not only made a name for himself as a star quarterback/ hopeful Major League Baseball player, but also as a devout Christian.

His athletic career has been focused on playing for God and that was no different while he prayed over the fan, while he was having a seizure.

Kardashian robbed at gunpoint

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By AMY TAINTOR

Kim Kardashian, reality star and fashion guru, was robbed at gunpoint in Paris over the weekend.

Police reports stated that five armed men dressed as police officers forced their way through the hotel where she was staying, and forced the concierge to show them where she was. The concierge was tied up, and left underneath a hotel stairwell.

The armed men broke into Kardashian’s apartment and stole $11 million worth of jewelry, and tied her up in the bathroom before they made their escape.

Kim’s publicist has said that she is “badly shaken but physically unharmed.”

Kardashian’s husband, Kanye West, was in the middle of a show when he heard of the news and immediately left the stage to help his wife.

She was alone in the apartment as her body guard accompanied sisters Kourtney and Kendall on a night out.

Kim is now back in the United State, she took a private jet first thing Monday morning. The family has over doubled their security since the event.

The tragic death of a rising star

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By AMY TAINTOR

Rising star Jose Fernandez, pitcher for Miami Marlins, died suddenly in a boating accident early Sunday morning.

The 32-foot fishing boat was found around 3 a.m. flipped onto a jetty off the coast near Miami Beach. The boat was going at a high speed at the time of the accident.

It has not been determined if drugs or alcohol were involved in the incident, but there has been no evidence found on the boat. A toxicology exam will be performed.

Reportedly, Fernandez went to blow off steam after having an argument with his pregnant girlfriend. He had asked multiple teammates to join him on the water, but many declined. The two friends that went with him, however, died as well. They have been identified as Eddy Rivero and Emilio Macias.

Fernandez came from Cuba when he was 15-years-old and arrived with his mother. He had many challenges in his life, but he’s the perfect example of living the “American Dream.” He was a first-round pick in 2012, signing a $2 million contract with the Marlins. He was undoubtedly one of the best pitchers in MLB, on his way to great things.

Many fans have mourned the loss of Fernandez and have created a memorial in his name outside of Marlins Park. The team also memorialized him beautifully Monday night in a game against the New York Mets. The whole team wore number 16 jerseys with “Fernandez” written on the back, and huddled around the mound before the game.

This is a huge loss for the Marlins, the city of Miami and all of Major League Baseball. Jose Fernandez will be missed.

Why Brangelina’s split isn’t shocking

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By AMY TAINTOR

Brangelina has been the hottest couple in Hollywood for more than a decade. But as of Sept. 15, nobody can say that anymore.

Angelina Jolie, 41, has filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, 52, after just two years of marriage. The couple had been together since 2004 and has six children together, three of which are adopted.

Many people were shocked following the news of this power couple’s split, however, I am not one of them, and here’s why.

The couple met on the set of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” in 2004, while Brad was married to Jennifer Aniston. Not even a year after the couple had met, Pitt divorced Aniston and started a public relationship with Jolie.

No relationship can be built upon the failing of another relationship. However, they seemed to bust that myth from 2004, but then they came crashing down.

The couple was dating for a little more than nine years when Pitt finally proposed and one must wonder, why the wait? They have the money for a wedding, they already have kids together and live together full time, they combine their finances and celebrate holidays with family.

After a certain point in a relationship, you realize if it’s going to work, or if it’s not. Well, it’s clear now that it isn’t going to work. They should have saved themselves (and the rest of the world) the heartbreak.

Jolie cited irreconcilable differences and has asked for full custody of the kids, asking Pitt to be given visitation rights.

According to thedailymail.com, they have both asked for their privacy during this difficult time, and want to make sure they handle this the best for their children.

Why you should take sugar seriously

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By AMY TAINTOR

With pumpkin spice lattes, candy corn and caramel apples around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look at sugar in a way that most of us haven’t before.

We frequently hear that sugar can cause cancer, liver disease and diabetes. So why don’t we just stop consuming it?

The answer: it’s addictive.

According to an article on foodandnutrition.org, written by Monica Reinagel, sugar has a virtually similar affect on the brain as cocaine.

When consuming sugar, it stimulates the same part of the brain that cocaine does and causes a flood of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that activates our “feel good” neurons, which creates a “high.”

At Princeton University, two Ph.D. students performed an experiment using rats and their reaction to sugar. Almost all rats preferred the sugar water instead of regular water. Once the rats with sweet water were given plain water, they experienced withdrawals. Withdrawal is a common symptom of a chemical addiction.

In American culture, sugar is everywhere. The recommended daily dose of sugar is 6 teaspoons for women, and 9 teaspoons for men. However, according to sugarscience.org, the average U.S citizen’s sugar intake is 19.5 teaspoons per day. That’s equivalent to 66 pounds of added sugar every year for those individuals.

The more we consume, the more we need. So, when you’re standing in line at Starbucks next time, ask yourself if you really need that pumpkin spice latte, which has 50 grams of sugar in itself.

Yeah, I think I’ll pass on that.

Brock Turner’s ‘welcome home’

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By AMY TAINTOR

Brock Turner, former Stanford University swimmer and convicted rapist, has been released from county jail after serving just three months of his six month sentence.

Many people have expressed outrage and hate toward the 21–year-old who was given an easy sentence (you can thank Judge Aaron Persky for that). However, his small Ohio hometown isn’t letting him forget about the horrific crime he committed.

As Turner returned home to Green County, Ohio, his street had been lined with angry protesters who held signs that said things like, “If I rape Brock Turner will I only get three months?” and “Protect survivors, not rapists.”

According to CNN, County Sheriff Laurie Smith isn’t happy about the rapist’s short sentence.

“He should be in prison right now, but he’s not in our custody,” Smith told reporters outside the county jail.

Turner’s easy sentence was just the start of a tough life he will live, the life he deserves. He was required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

He is not permitted to live within 1,000 feet of a school or playground and a letter to notify neighbors within 1,250 feet of his home will be sent out.

As a huge portion of the United States focuses on the awful assault this college boy committed, an equally large portion continues to reach out and send strength to his victim, who remains unnamed.

His victim has shown strength since Turner’s trial, and issued a very powerfully written letter to her rapist, the jury and most importantly the rest of the world.

You can read the letter on CNN’s website. You might need a box of tissues, though. http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/02/us/brock-turner-release-jail/