Facebook / TimesUnion.com

Let’s say you’re at your local lumber yard, buying wood for some sort of home improvement project. You’re feeling like quite a man, because you’re about to do some work with your hands. In walks a woman, completely nude. Bonus, right? Maybe not so much.

When that exact scenario played out in Curtis Lumber in Ballston, NY on Tuesday, thanks to 49-year old exhibitionist Barbara Lafleur, it was just a really awkward among the two-by-fours.

“No one wanted to say much to her,” Curtis Lumber manager Bob Eakin explained. “It’s not a situation you want to be involved in.”

So, having laid the seeds for many jokes involving the word “wood,” but perhaps not getting the desired reaction from Curtis Lumber’s employees and patrons, Lafleur moved on to a nearby ice cream shop. Again her nudity was not embraced, and she was quickly given the boot by the store’s manager.

That’s about when she was arrested and charged with misdemeanor public lewdness, a crime that could net her up to 90 days in jail. According to LaFleuer, she was just exercising her right to “self-expression.”

We’re going to have to take Ballston community and police force to task for their treatment of LaFleuer. Yes, 49-year old boobies aren’t our favorite kind, but with the harsh treatment of this Lady Godiva wannabe, they have diminished the chances we will ever randomly encounter good nudity during a trip to the lumber yard.

Which makes less likely we will ever build that deck we like to talk about.

[button href="http://guyspeed.com/fist-pump-record/" title="NEXT: Guy Sets World Fist-Pumping Record" align="center"]

Source: GuySpeed.com

philliecasablanca, flickr

Pop quiz: if one man orders a soy burger and another orders a steak, which guy do you think is more masculine?

If you said the steak-eater, you aren’t alone. A new study indicates people tend to think meat is far more macho than vegetarian choices.

Researchers conducted several experiments to study the metaphors people use about foods meat and vegetables, and found the participants not only used more masculine words when talking about meat, they perceived meat-eaters as more manly.

“To the strong, traditional, macho, bicep-flexing, All-American male, red meat is a strong, traditional, macho, bicep-flexing, all-American food,” the researchers wrote. “Soy is not. To eat it, they would have to give up a food they saw as strong and powerful like themselves for a food they saw as weak and wimpy.”

This means health experts who advocate eating less meat may have a tough sell with guys. The study authors say that addressing the metaphors that shape consumer attitudes would help, but something as simple as reshaping soy burgers to make them look more like traditional hamburgers or even putting grill marks on them may make reluctant men more likely to give them a try.

[LiveScience]

Mani, flickr

In 2011, there were more racial or ethnic minorities born in the United States than white babies. This marks the first time in history that minorities make up the majority of births in the US.

Of the 4.1 million babies born last year, 50.4% were minorities, while 49.6% were white. A total of 1.99 million were white, while another 1.05 million are classified as Hispanic. The remaining are black, mixed race, Asian, Native American or Pacific Islander.

According to the latest census data, there are now 114.1 million minorities in the US, which comprises 36.6% of the country’s total population.

This landmark in minority births is coming at time in which Hispanic and Asian immigration is leveling off — if not going into a decline. Yet because the Hispanic population, in particular, trends young they are still having babies at higher rate than the older white population.

Demographers estimate that the entire US population will become ‘majority minority’ sometime between 2040 and 2050.

[Associated Press]

BossierCity.org

Nobody loves our Kiss Country like we do, so we thought it would be a great idea to salute a great Kiss Country town each week and we’ll kick things off with Bossier City. The official Bossier Parish historian, Clifton D. Cardin, speaks of Bossier City’s roots.

The area of Bossier City dates back to the 1830′s when it was the Elysian Groves Plantation of James and Mary Cane. Steamboat loads of cotton, corn, and sweet potatoes were shipped to markets in the south and east, from the plantation port known to many as “Cane’s Landing.”  During the Civil War, several companies of local confederate soldiers left Cane’s Landing aboard steamboats for the distant battlefields. During the war, the riverfront was protected from Union invasion by the artillery embankments of Battery’s Price, Walker and Ewell. The confederate Fort Smith stood near what is now Bossier High School and protected the area from an eastern invasion.

According to Bossier City’s Facebook page, in 2010 the city had a total population of 61,315.  Of the population, Bossier City can boast it’s fare share of notables.  

Jared Leto was born in Bossier City on December 26, 1971. He is an actor (featured in various movies such as Requiem for a Dream, Lord of War, Fight Club, Mr. Nobody and American Psycho, among others) and is also the frontman and rhythm guitarist of the popular hard rock band 30 Seconds to Mars.

Flickr.com

Buddy Roemer, former United States Representative from Louisiana’s 4th Congressional

District (1980-87) and Governor of Louisiana(1988-92) and who is currently seeking office of President of the United States.

Flickr.com

The city also boasts as hometown of former Major League Baseball players B.J. Ryan

Flickr.com

and Todd Walker.

Flickr.com

Bossier City is also home to PGA Great David Toms who’s talents on the golf green are only overshadowed by his generosity and philanthropies.

Flickr.com

One of Bossier City’s largest employers, Barksdale Air Force Base, dedicated in February 1933, was once home to comedian George Carlin.

Flickr.com

The nationally renowned fishery, the Red River, which separates Bossier City from Shreveport has hosted scores of Drag Boat Races, water sports and has twice hosted the B.A.S.S. Masters Classic.  The “Red” is also home to a number of other large Bossier City employers in the gaming industry including Horseshoe, Diamond Jacks and Boomtown Casino where tourists from all over the world come to gamble and enjoy the ever present entertainment and Louisiana food.  Another facet on the diamond we call Bossier City has been polished over the last 10 years and provided millions of movie goers and television audiences with some of the finest shows and movies outside of Hollywood and New York.  Bossier City has been featured in episodes of “Billy the Exterminator” and in the movies “Blonde Ambition”, “The Guardian” and “Mr. Brooks” just to name a few. Bossier City –  A Kiss Country Town We Love!

http://www.4-h.org/

Tomorrow from 10:00am – 6:00pm The Caddo Parish 4-H club along with Tractor Supply, Mansfield Rd. will host a 4-H project day. There is no fee and the public is invited to attend.

Staff members will be on hand to answer any questions about cooking clubs, shooting sports, photography club, livestock club and many more projects. They’re spreading the word that 4-H is open to students age 9 to 18, but there is an organization called Clover Buds available for students age 5 to 8.  We hope to inform not only kids but adults about all the fun things 4-H has to offer.  If anyone needs to find out more information about 4-H, they can contact the Extension office at (318) 226-6805

http://holyangelsresidentialfacility.org

Run With The Angels! :

Support Holy Angels tomorrow when you Run With The Angels,

Holy Angels is a residential and training campus for individuals with intellectual & developmental disabilities. Personalized life-skills & vocational education are provided in a home-like environment, melding many disciplines into a complete “life” experience, and resulting in “peace-of-mind” for those we serve. Love and compassion within the Holy Angels’ family is the heart of our existence. –http://holyangelsresidentialfacility.org

Red River Moms

New Movies in Theaters This Weekend:

“The Dictator” (Wide) (R)
The heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly opposed. Stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Jason Mantzoukas, Ben Kingsley and Anna Faris.

“Battleship” (Wide) (PG-13)
An epic action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Stars Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Rihanna and Brooklyn Decker.

Chimpanzee Discovery Days happening tomorrow at Chimp Haven!

Free and open to the public, visitors will be able to view the chimpanzees in their naturalistic environment as they forage for fruit, vegetables and leaves, and talk to staff about the chimpanzees’ personalities and natural behavior. 9 am – Noon. Chimp Haven, 13600 Chimpanzee Place, Keithville. 318-925-5630 chimphaven.org

 

http://www.thehighlandexperience.org/

Check Out The Highland Experience This Weekend!

April showers will bring May flowers and the return of the unique Highland Experience! Seven area homeowners will fling open the gates to their quaint, and not-so-quaint gardens. Come spend a Spring afternoon among Highland’s majestic trees and lush landscape, while Highland-area musicians serenade you. Then, take home a bit of the garden. Free pass-a-long plants will be provided while supplies last.

But, this event is more than cool gardens, it is a showcase of all the best parts of Highland-historic architecture, art, food, music, and fun. Area restaurants will be on site to serve you free samples of their food. Meanwhile artist’s sell their unique art work…TAX FREE!

This year’s Highland Experience is Scheduled for May 19, 2012. Join us from 11AM – 3PM.

Rick Diamond/Ethan Miller, Getty Images

With all the outpouring of love and mourning over the death of Donna Summer, no country artist has expressed the true loss of such an iconic artist as eloquently as Dolly Parton. The ‘I Will Always Love You’ singer issued an official statement about the death of her fellow singer and songwriter on Thursday.

“I can’t believe we’ve lost another wonderful singer. Donna, like Whitney, had one of the greatest voices ever. I loved her records,” says Parton (quota via MSO PR). As expected, Parton is as distraught by Donna Summer’s death as she was by Whitney Houston’s passing in February.

Of Summer, Parton adds, “She was the disco queen, and will remain so. I knew her and found her to be one of the most likable and fun people ever. She will be missed and remembered.”

Known best for her disco hits ‘Last Dance,’ ‘McArthur Park’ and ‘Hot Stuff,’ Summer also had a little known connection to country music — at least as a songwriter. She penned ‘Starting Over Again’ with her surviving husband, and the song later became a No. 1 for both Parton in 1980 and Reba McEntire in 1995.

Summer died Thursday morning (May 17) at the age of 63 after a battle with lung and breast cancer. She is survived by her husband Bruce Sudano, their daughters Brooklyn and Amanda, as well as her daughter Mimi from her previous marriage. “Words truly can’t express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time,” writes her family in an official statement.

[button href="http://tasteofcountry.com/tommy-crain-death-2011/" title="Country Artists We Lost in 2011" align="center"]

Source: TasteofCountry.com

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer who was grandfathered in with an unlimited data plan after the company eliminated the option for new customers, enjoy it while it lasts — the company will be moving you to a tiered plan soon.

Speaking at the JP Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference on Wednesday, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said customers with unlimited 3G data access will be required to switch to a data-share plan after transitioning to the company’s 4G LTE service.

“LTE is our anchor point for data share. So, as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go on to the data share plan,” Shammo said. “Everyone will be on [it]. A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited… [and] when they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share.”

So when will that happen and how much will it cost? The data share plan is scheduled to launch in mid-summer, but pricing details have yet to be announced.

[Fierce Wireless]

courtesy wiki commons

Residents in East Texas and South Shreveport were startled early Thursday morning (May 17, 2012) by a mysterious shaking.  Yes, it was an earthquake. The epicenter was determined to be near Timpson, TX.  Many residents in East Texas commented they had never felt anything like it before.The early morning quake, felt around 3:12am Thursday morning (May 17) has been measured at 4.3 on the Richter Scale.  Technically this is considered a Texas quake, but Louisiana actually has a long history of earthquakes.

Earthquakes have been documented to be felt in Louisiana since the early 1800s.  Quakes that originated in places as far as Missouri and South Carolina have been felt in Louisiana.

The largest Louisiana earthquake happened in 1930 in Napoleonville in Assumption Parish.  Measuring at 4.2 on the Richter Scale, the quake damaged chimneys and broke windows at Napoleonville and cracked plaster at White Castle, northwest of Napoleonville.  Many people in the area rushed into the streets.

Real Time Earthquake Map

Some residents in the area commented on facebook about their experience with Thursday’s earthquake…

“I was up and awake when it started. Was in Shreveport. The ceiling light started to sway back and forth. I could see the water in my water bottle vibrating..I remember feeling real dizzy before I noticed the shaking.” – Belinda Justice, Shreveport

“Felt at Willis Knighton Pierremont. The mini blinds in our room were swaying on the 7th floor. Then calls from WK North and South were coming into the nurses station asking if we felt it too.” – Lorie Emmons, Spring Ridge

Facebook

Dallas Naljahih maybe smiling in this Facebook photo of his, but he won’t be after news of his alleged burglary escapade does the rounds on the internet. The 18-year-old from Orem, UT, was arrested on suspicion of burglary after police say he left his homework at the crime scene.

Officials at Orem Police Department revealed they found a USB drive belonging to Naljahih at the burglarized home. The portable computer hard drive contained Naljahih’s homework and was in a backpack abandoned in the backyard of the home belonging to a 75-year-old man and his wife. The elderly couple reported their home had been burglarized when the man was woken up by a light in his office, and found a youth looking through a desk. The suspect punched the man and fled on foot.

With all the evidence in hand, police tracked Naljahih at his house, where he was sleeping at the time (as they usually do when the cops come by). When confronted with the evidence, Naljahih couldn’t use the excuse the dog ate his homework, this being the digital age and all. Naljahih has been arrested on suspicion of burglarizing a home — and added to our list of dumb criminals.

[Via Huffington Post]

Source: TheFW.com

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Love can get messy sometimes. Divorces can get even messier. But, what often gets the messiest is the stuff left behind after the divorce that the remaining spouse must get rid of to move on. This Superior, WI woman seems to have found the best way, and a local radio station got all the photos.

Rather than posting adds for well-priced used items on Craigslist, the woman decided to have a “sale” in front of her home. The good news for interested shoppers was that everything was free. The bad news was that everything seemed to be somewhat destroyed, including a green GMC Yukon covered in vulgar graffiti indicating the former owner of the SUV to be a “cheater.” There was also a pile of charred remains of stuff, clearly the result of a small fire.

The “X-Husband Sale” stopped traffic on the woman’s street as passers-by paused to examine the items and photograph the result of the divorcee’s wrath. The traffic back-up prompted a visit from police, who spoke to someone in the home, but did nothing further with the mess on the front lawn.

Later, the SUV was gone, but the “sale” remained open. When asked, Superior Police Sergeant William Lear explained there is no law against spray painting a vehicle in your own yard. If there’s questionable language on the vehicle, he said, “Depends on the language, there’s a fine line there. If it’s creating a disturbance, if there’s threats, if it’s blocking traffic, we can tow it.”

According to court documents, the couple filed for divorce in July of 2011. A neighbor confirmed that the divorce became final on Tuesday and that set off the preparations for the “sale.” You can see more NSFW photos below. Is this a fitting revenge?

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Tony Hart/Mix 108

Source: TheFW.com

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Disco legend Donna Summer has died after a battle with cancer, TMZ is reporting. She was 63 years old.

Insiders say she wanted to keep the disease quiet, and a friend said that as recently as two weeks ago, Summer seemed okay and was even finishing up work on a new album.

The five-time Grammy winner shot to fame in the 1970s with songs like ‘Love to Love You Baby,’ ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Bad Girls,’ and continued her reign on radio airwaves into the ’80s with hits including ‘She Works Hard for the Money’ and ‘This Time I Know It’s for Real.’

Summer was also the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the US Billboard chart.

[TMZ]

uggboy ugggirl, flickr

Buying airfare shouldn’t be as complex as trying to handicap a race horse, but the truth is sometimes it’s trickier.

Most people at least have a fighting chance with a little beginner’s luck when making their first bet on the ponies, yet those of us who have been flying for years can’t seem to get a grip on this airfare game.

Americans typically get a little jumpy when they feel like they’re being ripped off, but losing money on a bet is just part of the fun.

However, there is nothing fun about paying too much for airfare. According to Jetsetter, there are some specific tips you can follow in order to get the best possible deal.

• Book airfare six weeks in advance during normal time (not during the holidays)
• Book airfare three months in advance to a popular location in high season
• Book airfare for Thanksgiving the day after Labor Day
• Book airfare as soon as possible during the summer months because rates get higher as summer progresses
• Book airfare two-to-four weeks in advance during the fall months because you can wait longer for last minute deals in the off-season
• Book airfare for winter vacations as early as September
• Book airfare for spring break three months in advance

So plan all of your trips well in advance to ensure the best possible bet on your next airfare purchase. And remember, it’s a gamble.

[LearnVest]

Tony Hart

A women in Superior, WI not only offered to sell off her ex-husband and his junk, but she also tagged a GMC Yukon with lots of bright graffiti and bad words. There’s also a flat tire on the vehicle. Warning: the photos are NSFW. But they sure are funny, as she calls him out for being a “cheater,” “a douche” and a “f—er.” We almost feel sorry for the car.

Not since Linda Barrett got revenge on Mike Damone and his (what-looked-like-a-Gremlin) car in ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ for impregnating her BFF Stacy by spraypainting “prick” on the door have we had such a hearty laugh at a scorned woman expressing her rage and wrath on a vehicle. You’ve never…go watch it right now. We’ll wait.

Local radio station MIX108 and its quick snapping photog captured the images, including ones of the cops arriving on the scene around 4PM to inspect the debris. There was also a pile of ash on site, which would indicate that the angry woman set her ex’s things on fire and that which she didn’t burn, she left strewn in a heap.

The truck was removed about an hour later, but his stuff remained on the lawn. Everyone has to air their dirty laundry once in a while and express their rage, but this mess makes the property values plummet!

Nope, we can’t stop humming that Carrie Underwood song either.

Tony Hart

Tony Hart

Tony Hart

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Source: GuySpeed.com

stringy, Flickr

We all know that sugar can make you fat. But we eat it anyway because it’s really good.

So what if we were to tell you sugar can also make you dumb? Would you put down your Big Gulp and step away from your Snickers?

Researchers at UCLA trained lab rats to navigate a complicated maze. Then they fed half of the rodents a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup for six weeks. When that was over the rodents who got the sugar high couldn’t remember how to complete the maze, whereas the rats who ate a more normal diet were still able to.

After running brain scans on the rodents, the researchers concluded that too much sugar changes their insulin levels, which in turn affects the brain’s ability to function efficiently.

“Because insulin can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the hormone may signal neurons to trigger reactions that disrupt learning and cause memory loss,” one of the researchers explained.

Or, in layman’s terms “Sugar make stupid.”

Source: TheFW.com

Fried Chicken, BrokenSphere

Everyone knows Cane’s sauce is the best! This is probably as close as you can get to the real thing if you wanna whip up a batch at the house. The tip is to let the sauce sit in the refrigerator for two days in a tightly sealed container–this let’s the flavors fully develop.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or “Rooster” sauce as we call it in our house)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

If you really like black pepper, go ahead and put 1 teaspoon instead of 1/2.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

A Safeway employee in Northern California was rewarded for heroically coming to the rescue of a pregnant women being assaulted by her boyfriend inside the grocery store in a shocking way.

He was suspended by his bosses.

Ryan Young, who works as a meat clerk at the Del Rey Oaks Safeway, witnessed Quyen Van Tran pushing and kicking his girlfriend, who is six months pregnant. Young intervened, saying, “I told him to calm down and he was just irate.” Tran refused to stop, so Young decided to act the part of Good Samaritan by jumping in, as opposed to remaining a bystander.

In this case, the supermarket wasn’t so safe for the shopper or the employee.

Young said, “I saw no one was intervening in the situation and I just became afraid for her safety and also other customers’ safety. The guy was out of control and pretty much lost it in there.”

The local police chief said that Young’s intervention prevented the situation from escalating and that it could have been much worse for the victim. He also praised Young for doing the right thing.

Not so fast, though, according to his employer, who suspended him without pay since he violated company policy, which is to alert management or security when witnessing customer behavior such as this.

Young is not sure if and when he will be allowed to return to work. Ironically, his wife is five months pregnant and they have no income at this point.

Where’s the justice in that?

“It’s a tremendous amount of stress on me, my wife as well,” Young said. “And I don’t think anyone
should have to second-guess themselves or feel bad doing something that was right.”

[CBS 5]

Richter Scale, Wiki Commons

People all across the Ark-La-Tex woke to their homes shaking this morning. Calls have been coming in to our newsroom from Timpson, Texas to Grand Cane, Louisiana. All saying that they were woken up to their homes shaking. According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport and the USGS website at preliminary 4.3 magnitude earthquake rocked the area at 3:12am centered around Timpson, Texas. –KTBS

MudbugMadness.com

It’s almost time for one of the biggest parties in the Ark-La-Tex!  Mudbug Madness runs next week, May 24-27 at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport!  In fact, Turner and McCoy (that’s us) will MC the “Opening Ceremonies” Thursday the 24th at 7pm and we’d love to see you there!  Wayne Toups and ZyDeCajun will play that night from 8:15pm to 11pm!  Also rockin’ the stages over the weekend are Waylon Thibodeaux, Sammy Naquin & the Zydeco Whips, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, and another of our favorites Rockin’ Dopsie & the Zydeco Twisters just to name a few.

MudbugMadness.com

Crawfish eating contests for Men, Women and Kids and the Crawfish Calling Contest.  Get the full schedule and all the info on the FREE SHUTTLE at MudbugMadness.com

A&E, Billy The Exterminator

Billy the Exterminator Season 5 is soon filming in the Shreveport/Bossier City area and  they’re looking for pest control jobs as well as big personalities in the area to take part in the show! Examples of pest control jobs they are seeking: alligators, squirrels, skunks, bees, hornets, roaches, foxes, beavers, spiders and all types of creepy crawlers. If you think you have a job or if you have a big personality that is reality show worthy, email your contact information as well as a brief summary of what you have going on as far as pest needs.

ExterminatorsCasting@gmail.com

Photos of your pest problem are helpful but not required!

If selected, they will contact you and come out to your home or place of business and investigate. If your job makes it through all screening processes, your pest control needs will be taken care of by Vexcon for free!