Melanie Jones

Three Louisiana troop leaders have resigned after hearing that seven-year-old Montoya had been allowed to join the Colorado Girl Scouts. Calling it extremely confusing and an almost dangerous situation, former troop leader Susan Bryant-Snure is supported by Focus on the Family, despite the fact that Montoya hasn't even joined the local troop yet.

Queen Elizabeth II's husband Prince Phillip has been taken to Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, UK after chest pains caused him to call short the royal family's Christmas festivities at Sandringham Estate. The 90-year-old royal consort is getting precautionary tests, but old 2007 rumors of a hidden heart condition are already resurfacing.

It's almost Christmas 2011, but for many holiday shoppers, there are still a lot of last-minute gifts to buy. Before you grab a bunch of gift cards from Walmart, take a breath and check out our list of last-minute, affordable gifts for friends, family, kids and co-workers. From presents for dad to a cool gift for your 16-year-old cousin, these last-minute presents are easy to find and afford.

Bachmann expected to clash with Occupy Iowa City protesters at Hamburg Inn No. 2 in Iowa City. What the GOP presidential hopeful did not expect, however, was a gay robot named RoboProf to appear, accusing her of being both a homophobe and a robophobe (watch video here). Who is RoboProf, and where has he been seen before?

Melanie Amaro has wonThe X Factor, but not much is known about the singer who was eliminated by mentor Simon Cowell before being brought back for the win. What will she do with the $5 million prize? What's her plan for her debut album? How do finalists Josh Krajick and Chris Rene feel about the results? Find out this and more here.

Two women, Marissa Gaeta and Citlalic Snell, made history yesterday as the first gay couple to get the first kiss, a Navy homecoming tradition where a sailor is chosen to be the first to greet his or her loved one. Their kiss is an LGBT victory after the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and Navy officials say it's the first time a gay couple has ever participated in the tradition.

If you're one of those people who sympathizes more with the Grinch than with Santa Claus, have we got films for you. From anti-Christmas movies like Bad Santa and Black Christmas to films like Die Hard and Batman Returns, here are 13 movies to help you survive the schmaltzy, corny holiday season one eggnog at a time.

Jay Gray, an NBC News reporter on the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, was arrested for driving and driving (DUI) last week after partying with Sandusky's lawyer Joe Amendola.

The House representative made headlines for all the wrong reasons yesterday when he appeared on C-SPAN sporting a wardrobe malfunction that made viewers wonder how cold it was in Congress (watch here). But Frank, who had good reason to go casual, isn't the first representative to violate dress codes on the House and Senate floor.

The winter solstice begins (for most) Dec. 22, 2011. Many in the Northern Hemisphere regard it as the start of winter and shorter days, but what time does it begin, what does it mean for the different hemispheres, and how did the tradition get started? Find out everything you need to know about Winter Solstice 2011 and how to prepare for it here.

If the teaser trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an indication, the newest addition to Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies will be both a commercial success and a fantasy nerd's dream. From more Tolkien songs and new characters to our first glimpses of Bilbo, Smaug and Thorin Oakenshield, here's what we learned from the new trailer.

Now that the latest trailer for The Dark Knight Returns has finally been (legally) released, Batman fans and movie junkies are desperately trying to decode everything they can from the two-minute preview, and some of the DKR trailer's teasers prompt worry as well as excitement. Here, watch the trailer and find out what you need to know.

Singer Lady Gaga has been the victim of a Facebook and Twitter hacking, with fake messages offering free iPad 2 tablets to her followers in what was likely a massive phishing scam. Gaga has since regained control of her accounts, but some disappointed fans were still wondering if Mama Monster simply rescinded the gift.

A family of five including two small children were killed late last night when the pilot's single-engine plane crashed on its way from Atlanta, Ga. to Waco, Texas. Though officials have no word on what caused the fatal accident, the third reported U.S. plane crash in 24 hours, stormy weather and heavy snows may have been responsible.

When Jon Bon Jovi became the latest victim of a celebrity death hoax, the news exploded on Twitter and has thrived there ever since, even when Bon Jovi, to show he wasn't dead, posted a Facebook picture 19 hours ago to prove it. From devastated memorials to hilarious posts in the hours after the hoax, here are the top Twitter reactions.

Vanessa Bryant is expected to get millions in her divorce from Lakers player Kobe Bryant, all because the basketball players failed to sign a prenup ten and a half years ago. Instead, California law is on Vanessa's side, with the basketball wife expected to get more than enough for many lifetimes. What will she take from Kobe Bryant?

Comedian Jackie Mason blasted Obama yesterday for celebrating Hanukkah 12 days too early, calling the event a cheap publicity stunt cooked up by Jews in his cabinet. Rush Limbaugh has also slammed Obama for the celebration, joking that the president must have confused Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. Here, listen to Limbaugh and Mason's attacks.

Star Wars: The Old Republic launched today, and the role-playing game is heating up fast. But before you dig into a galaxy far, far away, here are seven things to keep in mind, from what to expect on Levels 10, 14 and 25 to how to ditch an annoying companion and what character's story arch to pick. Follow these seven tips for the best Star Wars experience.

Arsenault, 36, has fathered 14 children and has four more on the way. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is ordering him to stop using his web site to give free sperm donations to couples, citing legal violations and health risks, but Arsenault considers the exchange a sexually intimate relationship... and won't stop.

Since news broke of Kim JOng Il's death, footage and photos of North Koreans weeping and lamenting his death has gone viral. But as they convulse with pain and despair over the loss of a man many considered an autocratic dictator, many wonder whether brainwashing or even outright threats have brought this mourning on.

Korin Vanhouten, 47, and Eldon Alexander, 36, not only failed to steal $25 worth of goods from a WinCo grocery store in Ogden, Utah. They also became victims of a attempted carjacking during their interrogation by police, with the thief making off with about $60 worth of stolen items. Though their mug shots are amazing, the bumbling crooks' story is even better.

About 91.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday season. Whether you're flying or driving, here are twelve tips to help you get through holiday travels, from why you shouldn't wrap your presents early if you're flying to how to prep a car safety kit and save money on tolls if you want to drive.

Politician Jules Manson, a former city council candidate and rabid Ron Paul supporter, posted an extremely racist tirade against President Obama following the signing of the NDAA, calling him a monkey and urging the n***r's assassination. Manson's tirade prompts a look at Paul's past associations with white supremacy groups, but those who call Paul racist go too far.

As Apple's new ad shows Santa using Siri on his iPhone 4S, Google is using the Christmas elf to bring back Send A Call to Santa, where kids can get voice messages from Santa Claus, and to shower Google users Christmas easter eggs like Let It Snow. Here, watch a boy get a note from Santa via Google Voice, see Santa use Siri, and learn the Christmas easter eggs.

According to tech insider DigiTimes and analyst Richard Shim, Apple will not only launch an iPad 3 to compete with Amazon's tablet computer in 2012 but a 7-inch mini iPad as well. As Kindle Fire sales threaten Apple's iPad 2, analysts are already debating the mini iPad's pricing and specs, and after Steve Jobs' death, a 7-inch tablet is looking more and more likely.

Kim Jong Il, like Muammar Gaddafi , has died at age 69 after decades of tyrannical rule. But as North Korea scrambles to determine the country's future, many more dictators remain in power. From Arab Spring autocrats in Syria and Sudan to the leaders of Ethiopia and Uganda, here are the eight worst dictators still in power today.

As President Obama, wife Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha send out their annual holiday portrait and release the 2011 White House Christmas card, tsee photos of the First Family celebrating the holiday season, from lighting the National Christmas Tree to greeting Santa's elves in D.C., and look back at Christmas with the Obamas in years past.

As fans of the Brick Squad Monopoly rapper and Waka Flocka Flame affiliate mourn the loss of Slim Dunkin, real name Mario Hamilton, police have new details about the murder of the up-and-coming musician. As friends insist the shooting of Slim Dunkin was not the result of a street beef, watch his last performance and relive a life cut short by violence.

Spears may want to marry Trawick, but unless father Jamie approves, the marriage will never take place. Under Spears' conservatorship, a controversial ruling giving him full control of his daughter's financial and legal decisions, the singer can't get married, get a divorce or even elope without her dad's permission, which he has yet to give.