Mompreneur jumps into the ‘Shark Tank’

It all started with a 4 a.m. email nearly a year ago: “Do you think a baby bib could change the world? I do...”

Then Susie Taylor included a link to her website, bibbitec.com, and off it went to Shark Tank, the popular ABC television show where entrepreneurs pitch their companies to investors on the show — and by extension, 7 million viewers.

Four months later, as the “mompreneur” was leaving her Biscayne Park home to pick up her kids from school, she got a call from the show asking her to pitch on the spot. Driving with her phone on her shoulder, she told the Bibbitec story.

Shark Tank bit. After a few more back and forths, her segment was filmed last summer.

Friday night, Taylor is scheduled to be on the show pitching Bibbitec’s main product, “The Ultimate Bib,” a patented generously sized, stain-resistant and fast-drying child’s bib made in the USA — Hialeah, to be exact. Bibbitec’s $30 bib can be a burp cloth, changing pad, breast feeding shield, full body bib, place mat, art smock and more, Taylor says.

We won’t be getting any details on what happens Friday night when she and her husband, Stephen Taylor, get into the tank with Daymond John, Mark Cuban and the other celebrity sharks; Taylor has been contractually sworn to secrecy. But whatever the outcome, she believes it will be worth it for the marketing pop.

Taylor was inspired to create her bib after a long and very messy plane ride with her two young sons and started Bibbitec in 2008. She and her team — her husband is CFO, her sister, Heather McCabe, handles sales and marketing, her uncle, Richard Page, is in charge of production, and her aunt, Marcia Kreitman, advises on design — have expanded the line to include The Ultimate Smock for older children and the Ultimate Mini for babies. Coming soon: a smock for adults.

Taylor already got a taste of what a national TV show appearance can do for sales. In September, Bibbitec’s sales jumped 40 percent after she was on an ABC World News "Made in America" segment. “Within 30 seconds, we started getting sales from all over the country and they didn’t even mention our name on the air,” Taylor says. She said that confirmed her belief that a Shark Tank appearance would be worth it.

Plus, Taylor has been hooked on Shark Tank since the first time she watched it in 2008 as she was developing her product. Trained in theater, she admits she didn’t know much about business and learned from the show. She would practice how she would answer the questions.

“I’m all about empowering women who are sitting on the couch watching, because that’s what I was four years ago,” says Taylor. “All I wanted to do was to be on Shark Tank because I believed if I got on Shark Tank the world will see what I am trying to do and that’s all I need. I know it’s a great product.”

Will that theater training come in handy Friday night? Stay tuned. Shark Tank airs at 9 p.m. on ABC and Taylor hopes viewers will join in on Twitter using the hashtag #sharkbib.

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Mom arrested after toddler found wandering Miami Gardens streets alone

A Miami Gardens woman is being held in jail after police found her toddler son wandering alone outside.

Mathieu Anice, 28, was arrested Tuesday night after she told police she was not aware her 2-year-old was found on the streets, according to Miami Herald news partner CBS4. Police were tipped off after getting several calls from people who noticed the toddler.

“After a while they asked questions in the neighborhood and they came to a house where they pointed where the child lives,” said Miami Gardens Police Capt. Ralph Suarez told CBS4.

“The units brought the kid to the house and it was at that point she realized the child was missing.”

Officers located Anice in the 3400 block of 177th Terrace. According to the station, Anice was arrested in March 2012 on felony child neglect charges.

Anice is being held on $5,000 bond. Her son and other children in the home have been removed by the state.

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California police probe stunts that shut down freeways

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The California Highway Patrol is investigating two apparently unrelated stunts that jammed freeways over the weekend, including one involving hundreds of motorcyclists celebrating a marriage proposal that inconvenienced motorists east of Los Angeles.

Both events created a flurry of viral Internet videos, fueling concerns about a repeat performance by copycats.

On Interstate 10 east of Los Angeles on Sunday, up to 300 bikers stopped traffic so that one of them could propose to his girlfriend, said Officer Vince Ramirez, a Los Angeles-area spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.

Video that surfaced online of the stunt showed some bikers creating a wall of smoke by spinning their tires against the concrete. In the middle of the gathering, pink smoke could be seen wafting into the air.

As they exited the freeway, several bikers were later ticketed for reckless riding unrelated to their possible role in the freeway shutdown, Ramirez said.

He said officers were working with the Los Angeles County District Attorney‘s office to prepare additional charges against some of the bikers.

The stunt did not cause any injuries or collisions, he said.

In Oakland on Saturday, traffic ground to a halt on Interstate 880 near the city’s sports coliseum, as several sports cars did doughnuts, spinning around and filling the air with tire smoke, officials said. Stunned motorists exited their cars and watched.

Several motorists caught in the sudden traffic jam were frightened or angry, according to recordings of calls to authorities released on Tuesday.

“I can’t believe this – I have three kids in the car,” one caller told an Oakland-area dispatcher. “It scares the hell out of me.”

Authorities have not found or identified any of the drivers, said California Highway Patrol Sergeant Diana McDermott.

California Highway Patrol officers said they feared the weekend events’ popularity on social media websites could start a dangerous trend. So far, such stunts have been rare, they said.

“That’s why the investigation is expanding,” Ramirez said.

“If there are any criminal charges that can be filed as a result of this incident, they will be filed,” he said.

(Editing by Alex Dobuzinskis, Tom Brown and Eric Walsh)

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Highest Earning American Idol Alums

Who's No. 1?

By JACKIE WILLIS

January 30, 2013

American Idol is in the business of making music stars, and in turn, has made lots of money for some of their contestants. Forbesreleased their list of the top-earning Idol alums of 2012 a few names on this list are sure to surprise you.

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Cop killed self because female boss made him trade sex for good schedule, wife claims in suit

A Queens cop killed himself last year because his female boss made him trade sex for a favorable work schedule, his wife claims in a bombshell lawsuit.

Gina Schindler claims her late husband, Officer Matthew Schindler, was forced to have sex with his supervisor, Sgt. Christine Hertzel, to determine his workload and schedule.

Schindler, 39, "was made to understand that he would suffer tangible detriment in his job, job assignments, work conditions and future prospects if he did not submit to the sexual advances and demands of Hertzel," according to the lawsuit filed in Queens Supreme Court.

Byron Smith

The 115th Precinct was the precinct where Matthew Schindler worked before killing himself.

The widow claims in the lawsuit that her husband and Hertzel had "sexual relations" during his time at the 115th precinct in Jackson Heights — from March 2011 until his death on Feb 13, 2012.

Schindler "realized and/or believed he could not escape the continuing sexual advances and demands of Hertzel," the lawsuit said.

On Feb. 13, the 15-year veteran told Hertzel he would kill himself over the "guilt" and asked for the affair to stop, the suit says.

She allegedly refused.

Hertzel told her captain about their relationship and Schindler's suicide threat, the suit says.

The captain allegedly tried to call Schindler to "rectify his hostile work environment and persuade him against suicide," the lawsuit said.

But the father of three killed himself with his NYPD service pistol that same day.

Schindler's wife is suing the city, the NYPD and Hertzel for violating her husband's civil rights.

A spokeswoman for the City Law Department declined to comment. Schindler's attorney didn't immediately comment.

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Tablets take their screen tests

Screen quality is critical to a great tablet, and in 2012 we saw the quality of tablet screens advance in leaps and bounds, especially in terms of clarity. Here are our favorites.

Barnes & Noble Nook HD

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)

The good: A light, comfortable design with a sharp screen and a well-implemented user profiles feature. Books, videos and magazines look great and the microSD slot takes some of the sting out of the lack of internal storage.

The bad: App, movie, TV show and game options are thin and there’s no native music service. It’s missing some typical tablet features and 8GB is low for the price. Fingerprints easily sully the screen.

The cost: $199

The bottom line: The Barnes & Noble Nook HD can’t match competing tablets in media library breadth, but as long as you’re not looking for bells and whistles, its sharp screen and comfortable body make it an ideal tablet choice for books and magazines.

Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: High-resolution screen rivals the new iPad’s display in sharpness and clarity. Also, apps launch quickly, GPS works well and its rear camera is the best we’ve seen on any Android tablet. The tablet’s body has the same great thin and light design as the Prime.

The bad: So far, not enough Android apps take advantage of the TF700’s higher pixel count. Also, its battery life isn’t as good as the Prime’s.

The cost: $479.88 to $590.37

The bottom line: The Asus Transformer Pad Infinity TF700 is one of the fastest Android tablets out there, combining an already proven design with a better camera, a faster processor, and a beautiful screen.

Google Nexus 10

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 (Excellent)

The good: A beautifully sharp screen is light, durable and has the fastest processor of any Android tablet. Photo Sphere is an incredibly cool concept. Google’s content ecosystem is only getting better.

The bad: The included charger isn’t fast enough to power the battery while playing a game; even while idle, it charges painfully slowly. There’s no storage expansion option, and apps that take full advantage of the screen are currently few and far between. Navigation isn’t quite as smooth as on the Nexus 7.

The cost: $399

The bottom line: The Nexus 10’s superior design and swift performance make it one of the best Android tablets to date. We expect post-launch updates from Google to make it even better.

Apple iPad (fourth generation)

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 (Outstanding)

The good: A6X processor adds extra system speed and graphics power. Improved worldwide cellular compatibility makes the LTE model a more appealing proposition. And the iOS App Store remains best in class, with the widest selection.

The bad: The fourth-gen iPad is otherwise identical to its recent predecessor — same size, weight and Retina Display screen. It’s heavy to hold in one hand, and most older accessories won’t work without investing in a pricey Lightning adapter.

The cost: $499 to $539.99

The bottom line: The latest iPad adds several tweaks and improvements to secure its position at the top of the tablet heap. It’s better all around, but third-gen owners don’t need to upgrade.

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Study: Medicaid expansion may save state money

Florida would save money over the next decade — not lose billions as Gov. Rick Scott has argued — by accepting Medicaid expansion under federal healthcare reforms, according to a detailed economic study.

Miami-Dade legislators and healthcare industry leaders, getting together on Monday, heard about the report by Georgetown University — the most positive yet on a highly debated provision of what is often called Obamacare.

Jack Hoadley, a senior researcher with the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, said the study was the first to calculate spin-off savings in other state programs if Florida accepted the expansion, which over the next 10 years could bring $26 billion in federal funds to provide insurance to an estimated 815,000 to 1.3 million Florida residents who are now uninsured.

In Miami-Dade, expansion would cover an additional 150,000 to 225,000, according to the Georgetown projections. That reduction in the uninsured would bring huge relief to the county’s hospitals, which by federal law must treat anyone who comes to the emergency room, regardless of ability to pay.

The top-level meeting, at the United Way of Miami-Dade headquarters, was convened by United Way, Health Council of South Florida and Health Foundation of South Florida.

At the very least, the Georgetown findings and other recent analyses have some critics reconsidering opposition to the 2010 Affordable Health Care Act.

State Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Hialeah, who previously was an “absolute no” vote against Medicaid expansion, said after the meeting that he was now “open to the thought” that expansion makes sense.

State Rep. Eddy Gonzalez, R-Hialeah, said he was still concerned about the debt-ridden feds’ ability to fund Medicaid over the long term, but “we are looking at all the options.”

Estimates about the real costs of expansion have varied wildly based on the law, which requires the federal government to pay all costs of the expansion for the first three years. Starting in 2017, the state will start paying a small share, which will reach 10 percent of the expansion costs for 2020 and beyond.

Gov. Scott, who has long been critical of Obamacare, contended in December that expansion would cost Florida taxpayers more than $26 billion over 10 years. Opponents and healthcare experts criticized that estimate as way too high, and earlier this month the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration gave a much lower estimate of $3 billion for the decade.

That was lower even than a report by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, a Washington research group, which in November estimated that expansion would cover an additional 1.2 million residents at a cost to the state of $5.4 billion over 10 years.

Georgetown’s Hoadley said Monday that the Kaiser study used only rough data for all 50 states, while the Georgetown study, funded by two Florida nonprofit foundations, looked in detail at how Medicaid expansion would save money in other areas. The Georgetown study found that the state would have to spend less for safety-net hospitals such as Jackson Health System, mental-health and substance-abuse programs and the medically needy program.

Hoadley said the savings calculations were “a very cautious estimate.”

The Georgetown report projected that the state would save $300 million in 2014, the first year of Medicaid expansion, and $100 million in 2020, when the state would be paying for 10 percent of the expansion costs.

The Georgetown study found that expansion was especially important in Florida, where almost one in three — 30 percent — of nonelderly adults are uninsured, compared to 18 percent nationwide.

In South Florida, the figures are even higher for uninsured non-elderly adults: 57 percent in Hialeah, 50 percent in the city of Miami, 48.5 percent in Deerfield Beach and 31.2 percent in Kendall.

Hospitals strongly support the expansion. On Monday, Phillis Oeters, an executive with Baptist Health South Florida, told legislators that hospitals have already seen their Medicare and Medicaid payments reduced greatly in other areas.

“Enough is enough,” she said. “Hospitals can’t take it anymore.”

A study done for the Florida Hospital Association estimated that the infusion of federal funds from Obamacare would add 56,000 jobs to the state.

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China may consider ending its decade-long ban on video game consoles

Shares of Sony (SNE) and Nintendo (NTDOY) surged on Monday following a report from China’s official newspaper that claimed the country is considering the lift of a decade-long ban on video game consoles. An unnamed source told the China Daily newspaper that the Ministry of Culture is “reviewing the policy,” and has conducted surveys and held discussions with other ministries on the possibility of lifting the ban. An official at the ministry’s cultural market department denied the report in a statement to Reuters, however, claiming it “is not considering lifting the ban.”

[More from BGR: BlackBerry 10 debuts on Wednesday – strap in for a wild ride]

China banned the sale of video game consoles in 2000 to safeguard children’s mental and physical development. In order for the ban to be lifted, the seven different ministries who issued the ruling must all agree to reverse it.

[More from BGR: Apple releases iOS 6.1 to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users]

Shares of Sony’s stock were up more than 8% in Tokyo on Monday, while Nintendo gained 3.5% on a weaker Nikkei index.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

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Exclusive Suburgatory Clip

We first met Yoni, Dallas' Latin lover, in 2012, and in Wednesday's all-new Suburgatory, Yoni (and actor Wilmer Valderrama) are back!

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Suburgatory Celebrates Valentine's Day

But unlike last time, it is Yoni's talents in the doggy department that Dallas requires as Yakult has fallen into a deep depression. However, George is skeptical of Yoni's true intentions as you can see in ETonline's exclusive clip!

You can catch Yakult Leader, the next all-new episode of Suburgatory, on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. on ABC.

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Greenwich Village 'Bomb Dad' pleads not guilty, just a 'pathetic junkie': defense lawyer

He's no arch enemy, lawyers for a notorious, weapons-loving trust fund junkie said today after he pleaded not guilty to possessing explosives powder, two shotguns and knives in his Greenwich Village apartment.

"There were no plans ever to blow up the Washington Square Arch," defense lawyer Isabelle Kirshner said after this morning's arraignment of Aaron Greene, 31.

Two weeks ago, NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced at a press conference that Greene told pals he planned to blow up the iconic marble structure, and would walk around Washington Square Park sprinkling explosives powder on the sidewalk and setting it off by hitting the powder with a rock.

Handout

Aaron Greene

Today, defense lawyers insisted the two are just heroin addicts, not terrorists.

"They are truly pathetic junkies, from nice families," Kirshner said of Greene, son of a prominent architectural restorer, and Morgan Gliedman, his Dalton-grad co-defendant and live-in baby mama.

"They are an illustration of the scourge of addiction," the lawyer said.

So-called "Bomb Mom" Gliedman, 27, is the daughter of Dr. Paul Gliedman, head of radiation oncology at Beth Israel Booklyn, and did not appear at her baby-daddy's side before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon today. She is being held in a locked rehab ward in the city as a condition of her bail.

She gave birth to her daughter by Greene -- "Melody Sunshine," described by sources as not drug addicted despite her mother's drug issues -- a day after being arrested with Greene on Dec. 29 in their posh West Ninth Street apartment.

There cops seized two shot guns, 60 shotgun shells, knives, and seven grams of a highly explosive white powder called HMTD. According to police statements released this morning, Greene insisted to cops that "he made the HMTD found in his apartment."

"He indicated he was aware of the weapons in the apartment and they belonged to him, in particular a shotgun," according to the police statements. "He stated he had possessed more guns but had given them away to a friend in law enforcement."

A week later, cops, following that lead, raided the Rockland County home of Greene's corrections officer pal, Daniel Whittaker, 33, where they recovered 21 guns, including an Uzi 9mm submachine gun. They also found two stun guns, brass knuckles and a switch blade.

The ownership of those guns remains under investigation. For now, Greene and the Park Avenue-raised Gliedman have been indicted on first degree weapons possession for the powder, and additional lesser weapons charges for the shotguns and knives.

Gliedman's police statements were also released this morning.

"My name is Morgan Gliedman," the statements record her telling cops during the 6 a.m. arrest at 8 West 9th St.

"I live here with my boyfriend Aaron Greene. He's home. Come in. I know about the case," she told cops, referring to unrelated grand larceny charges concerning her alleged theft of electronics and a wallet from an acquaintance she'd met at a bar and gone home with overnight in February.

"I was told the situation was taken care of," she told cops of the alleged larceny, according to her statements.

Three hours later, at the Midtown South precinct, "Defendant stated she had not realized the extent of defendant Greene's collection of weapon and ammunition," the statements say.

"After the Newtown shooting, defendant Greene told her they ought to go buy more guns before the law is changed," she told cops.

As for the alleged larceny, "Defendant Greene made her go into the bar, and go home with 'that guy.' She took the laptop to pay the drug dealers in Washington Heights."

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