Social Media

TopFinds: Sex on the subway, Howard Stern’s return to NBC

David Silverberg

Published

December 16, 2011

As we do every week on Friday, we’ve collected the top stories (as voted by you) and compiled them on one page. Digital Journalists surveyed the world and published fascinating stories on controversies and crises; they were also covering breaking entertainment news, and this TopFinds also applauds some excellent Special Reports this week.

We also highlight some of major topics Digital Journalists have been covering recently. Note you can see the trending topics at the top of any page on DigitalJournal.com, in the black bar. They are changing constantly to reflect what people are reading on the site.

Hot topics on Digital Journal

• Christmas news
• NBA news news
• Facebook news

Top Digital Journal Reports

Challenges parents face in the era of social networking3 (Includes first-hand account) by Leigh Goessl

Over time parents have always had to teach their kids the necessary life skills to help them deal with issues such as ‘stranger danger’, predators, playground bullies and other safety factors to ensure their well-being is not compromised.

Mother Seeks Help to Stop Her Son’s Execution by Beheading (Includes interview) by Romeo Marquez

The clock ticks fast for this Filipino overseas worker facing death by beheading in Saudi Arabia unless he coughs up three million riyal (35 million pesos or $800,000) in blood money for the family of his victim.

Occupy Toronto St James park gets new grass from volunteers (Includes interview and first-hand account) by Daniel Boyington

Over 150 volunteers from Landscape Ontario descended on St. James Park in downtown Toronto to re-sod the park occupied by protesters and turn it back into a city park with over 1800 rolls of new sod.

Used with permission, Landscape Ontario with over 2000 members. Robert Ellidge, Landscape Ontario. The man (in yellow), laying the sod is Alan White, Owner of Turf Systems Inc.

Landscape Ontario – Robert Ellidge

Exploring the Roman Trail through the village of Ancaster (Includes first-hand account) by Kev Hedges

It was in the first century AD, when the Romans built a settlement in Ancaster, a small village in Lincolnshire, England. The Romans settled here and built a nine-acre camp where coins, brooches and other artefacts are regularly found today.

UFC: Jon ‘Bones’ Jones relaxed and confident ahead of UFC 140 (Includes interview and first-hand account) by Aman Dhanoa

Walk like a champion. Talk like a champion.

Jon “Bones” Jones stepped out onto the stage for his weigh-in on Friday and looked completely relaxed and unfazed as fans gave him a mixed reception of boos and cheers.

Top Images

A woman selling frozen chicken among other items to customers in Lagos

Samuel Okocha

A closer look at Passion facade reveals the details of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

Romeo Marquez

Some of the gravestones in the cemetery were over two hundred years old.

Kev Hedges

Greece, Stoupa

Katerina Nikolas

In the Media

Hints of ‘God Particle’ found by CERN scientists & researchers by Nancy Houser

Originally meant to be built in Waxahachie, Texas, under the nickname of Desertron, Switzerland-France’s CERN states it has seen “tantalizing hints” of the elusive Higgs boson, also called the “God particle,” in two of their experiments.

Islamic cleric bans women from touching bananas and cucumbers by JohnThomas Didymus

A European Islamic cleric has allegedly warned women to steer clear of bananas, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini and other phallic-shaped vegetables because it will make them have “sexual thoughts.”

China executes South African drug mule despite pleas for clemency by Christopher Szabo

A South African woman convicted of smuggling three kilogrammes of methamphetamines into China has been executed, despite strong representations from the South African government to commute her sentence.

Howard Stern

America’s Got Talent signs Howard Stern as new judge by Daniel Boyington

It’s official, Sirus/XM satellite radio host Howard Stern will replace judge Piers Morgan on this summer’s America’s Got Talent. For the sake of Stern, the show will be moved from Los Angeles to New York.
Couple busted having sex on Toronto subway platform by KJ Mullins

A couple has been arrested for having sex on both a subway car and subway platform in Toronto. At least one other passenger captured the XXX show on their cellphone.

Video: Alleged fare-dodger thrown off train, says he is innocent by JohnThomas Didymus

Going viral online is a video clip of a teenager who boarded a ScotRail service train between Edinburgh and Perth without a valid ticket and was thrown off the train by a passenger who got fed-up with his foul-mouthed challenge of the conductor.

Chinese girl laughs and jokes during final hours on death row by JohnThomas Didymus

Photos of a Chinese girl He Xiuling, uploaded on Internet recently, showed her laughing and joking in her final hours on death row. The disturbing images of the girl have brought the death penalty in China to international attention once again.

New license plate for Texas: ‘One State Under God’ by Lynn Herrmann

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles has approved a new license plate for the state’s drivers with the slogan, “One State Under God” which has renewed controversy over specialty plates, but supporters say the new plate will fund youth ministry.

Black Friday pepper-sprayer claims self-defense, may sue Walmart by Leigh Goessl

The woman who made headlines after using pepper spray in a California Walmart during this year’s Black Friday madness will not face felony charges, however could still be slapped with a misdemeanor, pending examination by Los Angeles city prosecutors.

New details emerge about Hollywood shooter by Kevin Fitzgerald

New details are being released about the gunman who opened fire on the streets of Hollywood, CA on Friday. He has now been identified along with a possible motive.

Woman arrested for making meth in Walmart by Leigh Goessl

A 45-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly mixing meth inside a Tulsa, Oklahoma store. Purportedly the woman spent an inordinate time in Walmart engaging in activity that could have been dangerous to other people in the store.

Barbara Walters reveals her most fascinating people for 2011 by Joan Firstenberg

It’s the list many have been waiting for. Barbara Walter’s 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011 has just aired on TV. A few surprisingly fascinating figures were not on the list including Prince William and wife Kate, Casey Anthony, and Hillary Clinton.

Barcelona defeats Real Madrid to top La Liga table by Samuel Okocha

Barcelona shot to the top of Spain’s La Liga table after it came from an early goal deficit to beat Real Madrid 3-1 at the Bernabeu on Saturday. Madrid will now seek to overcome its rival’s superior goal differentials when it meets Sevilla next weekend.

Video: Jimmy Kimmel pranks kids with terrible Christmas presents by Kim I. Hartman

Jimmy Kimmel is at it again. This time Kimmel sent parents on a mission to prank their kids with ‘terrible Christmas presents.’ The hilarious compilation that resulted aired on the “Kimmel Live” show and were posted on YouTube taking a viral surge upward.