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Serena Williams: Steubenville Rape Victim 'Shouldn't Have Put Herself In That Position'

2013-06-19T01:22:26Z

Fresh off her landmark triumph at the French Open, Serena Williams is garnering attention for the wrong reasons.

The 31-year-old tennis star made insensitive remarks about the victim in the widely publicized Steubenville rape case that appear in an upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. During an interview with Rolling Stone contributor Stephen Rodrick, a television news segment prompted Williams to discuss the case involving the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl by high school football players.

"Do you think it was fair, what they got? They did something stupid, but I don't know. I'm not blaming the girl, but if you're a 16-year-old and you're drunk like that, your parents should teach you: Don't take drinks from other people," Williams said to Rodrick. "She's 16, why was she that drunk where she doesn't remember? It could have been much worse. She's lucky. Obviously, I don't know, maybe she wasn't a virgin, but she shouldn't have put herself in that position, unless they slipped her something, then that's different."

'Golden Sisters': Kim Kardashian Sex Tape Was 'A Lesson In Lovemaking' (VIDEO)

2013-06-19T00:51:59Z

Sisters Mary, Josie and Teresa became famous after their video of watching Kim Kardashian's sex tape went viral. They joined HuffPost Live's Nancy Redd on Tuesday to talk about the experience and what they learned from it.

LA Bans Plastic Bags In City Council Vote, Ordinance Expected To Take Effect In 2014 (VIDEO)

2013-06-19T00:48:45Z

Los Angeles is on the verge of becoming the largest city in the United States to ban plastic grocery bags.

The City Council approved the ordinance in an 11-1 vote on Tuesday. The ordinance, once signed into law by the mayor, would ban single-use plastic bags in any store that sells groceries and mandate that retailers charge 10 cents per paper bag if customers don't bring their own reusable totes. Either outgoing Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa or Mayor-Elect Eric Garcetti, who takes office July 1, is expected to sign the ordinance.

The County of Los Angeles had already imposed a similar ban on plastic grocery bags in 2010, which affected the unincorporated parts of the county. The cities of Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Pasadena and Long Beach in Southern California also have a ban on the books. With Tuesday's vote, one in four Californians are covered by some kind of plastic bag ban, notes environmental group Heal The Bay in a press release.

Marriage Rate Still At Historic Lows, But Weddings May Increase Over Next Two Years, Research Finds

2013-06-19T00:45:40Z

It's no secret that marriage rates have been on the decline for decades -- in 2011, just 51 percent of Americans were married, compared to 72 percent in 1960. And new research predicts that marriage rates will remain at a historic low in the years ahead.

Private research company Demographic Intelligence studied the state of marriage in the U.S. and, in an analysis released Monday, predicted that the marriage rate will remain at 6.8 marriages per 1,000 people in 2013, where it's been since 2009 (compared to 7.3 in 2007).

Researchers projected that there would be 2.189 million weddings in 2014 and, depending on the economic recovery, 2.208 million in 2015 (up from 2.168 million this year). Demographic Intelligence spokesperson Steve Morales explained to HuffPost Weddings in an email that although more weddings will take place, the overall rate of marriage will remain the same because the "echo boom" generation (grandchildren of baby boomers) is so large.

San Francisco Fire Breaks Out In Tenderloin District Building

2013-06-19T00:41:25Z

San Francisco fire crews battled a blaze at the Senator Hotel, a six-story residential building in the Tenderloin District on Tuesday evening, ABC News reported.

KGO's Bret Burkhart tweeted that firefighters were trying to rescue people from the roof of the building. KGO later reported that the fire was started during a barbecue on the roof, and that no one was injured.

Bystanders posted photos of the fire, which appeared to be at the Senator Hotel, to Twitter. Local writer Yael Amyra posted a photo showing Market Street filled with smoke.

Wisconsin Bear Attack Leaves Man In Hospital

2013-06-19T00:39:26Z

SHELL LAKE, Wis. -- A man who was attacked by a black bear outside a cabin in northwestern Wisconsin is recovering at a hospital.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says the man was attacked in his yard near Shell Lake on Monday night. DNR carnivore specialist David MacFarland says the man's dog apparently initiated contact with the bear.

Gwen Moore: 'However Inarticulate, I Think Miss Utah Was On To Something'

2013-06-19T00:36:48Z

While speaking on the House of Representatives floor Tuesday during debate on the 20-week abortion ban, Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) said Miss Utah Marisa Powell may have been on to something with her fumbled answer on income inequality.

Speaking out against the Republican-backed abortion measure, Moore said that Miss Utah, by "alluding to the power dynamics between men and women in the workplace," had identified an important issue.

'The House GOP has truly pushed the limits this time by offering this unconstitutional bill," Moore said. "However inarticulate, I think Miss Utah was on to something. When you consider the subject at hand, women's right to a medically safe abortion, we once again see men taking leadership roles in invading the privacy and medical decisions of women."

Chris Van Hollen: IRS Rules To Be Challenged In Court

2013-06-19T00:30:29Z

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said Tuesday that he and two campaign finance watchdog groups would sue the IRS, challenging regulations that allow nonprofit groups to be involved in politics if they're "primarily" devoted to a social welfare purpose.

Van Hollen said he and watchdog groups Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 would sue to clarify an IRS regulation that he said was at odds with the law, which requires certain groups to "exclusively" engage in social welfare to earn nonprofit status. The IRS regulation permitting groups “primarily” engaged in social welfare allows the organizations to participate in an undefined amount of political activity, said the congressman, a leading advocate of campaign finance reform and ranking member of the House Budget Committee.

The 1959 IRS regulation has become an issue since the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision opened the door for nonprofit groups organized under section 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) of the tax code to raise and spend corporate and union money on elections without disclosing donors. The scandal involving the agency's singling out conservative groups applying for nonprofit status has increased attention to the regulation, especially among Democratic lawmakers.

Selma Blair Leaving 'Anger Management' After Fight With Charlie Sheen

2013-06-19T00:20:37Z

Selma Blair is officially leaving "Anger Management" following a fight with co-star Charlie Sheen, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Per TMZ, the drama began when Blair allegedly told "Anger Management" executives that Sheen was always late to set and had a bad work ethic. When Sheen heard about Blair's criticism, he reportedly fired the actress and issued an ultimatum -- if Blair showed up to set on Monday, Sheen would quit.

Apparently, Sheen's threats were enough to spook "Anger Management's" producers, because production company Lionsgate confirmed Blair's exit on Tuesday afternoon in a statement: "We are confirming that Selma Blair will not be returning to 'Anger Management' and we wish her the very best.”

Celebrity Engagement Rings: Our Favorite Sparkly Indie Stunners (PHOTOS)

2013-06-19T00:18:54Z

For the rich and famous, the only way to flaunt your new engagement is to rock a huge diamond ring.

But not all celeb brides-to-be go the Mariah Carey route and sport fist-sized bing. For some, a unique but tasteful ring is preferred -- think colorful stones and modest diamonds.

We found eight of the most beautiful, unique and yet tasteful celebrity engagement rings -- check them out in the slideshow below.

Heat vs. Spurs LIVE UPDATES: NBA Finals Game 6

2013-06-19T00:13:24Z

The San Antonio Spurs have a chance to finish off the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night. In order to do that, they'll need to do something neither team has yet accomplished in the back-and-forth series: win two games in a row.

Miami Heat
vs.

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James Lewis DeRosa Executed In Oklahoma After Being Convicted Of Killing Couple

2013-06-18T23:49:20Z

McALESTER, Okla. -- Oklahoma executed a 36-year-old man on Tuesday for the October 2000 stabbing deaths of a couple on whose ranch he had worked.
James Lewis DeRosa was killed by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. He was the second inmate the state executed this year.

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The Things That Dogs Teach Us (VIDEO)

2013-06-18T23:48:33Z

Owning a dog teaches responsibility -- from training, to cleaning up, to tending to another being's every need.
But anyone who's actually had a canine companion knows that the lessons go beyond the mundane tasks.
This sweet video from HooplaHa combines corgis, dalmatians, pugs, and more to remind us what dogs really teach the people they love so much.

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'Less Liberal' Is The New Conservative In State Capitol

2013-06-18T23:48:24Z

SACRAMENTO — As the Democrats who control the Capitol congratulated themselves over this week's state budget deal, another dynamic emerged: support from across the political divide for Gov. Jerry Brown's thrifty ways.
Republicans who a few years ago had enough clout to hold up spending plans and block tax increases now rely on the governor, once the epitome of liberalism, to give them a voice in budget talks. They praised Brown as "conservative" and "restrained" — even if their support lacked a certain warmth — saying he at least attempted to put the brakes on the Legislature's more generous Democratic leadership.

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Single Life: 7 Celebs Who Embrace Single Life (PHOTOS)

2013-06-18T23:45:49Z

Even celebrities have to deal with people asking them why they're still single.
To remind you that there's nothing wrong with staying single, we've compiled a slideshow of seven celebs who embraced single life after divorce. Click through to see them all, then tell us what you enjoy most about being single in the comments.

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