It took five hours and four minutes, but a suspected drug trafficker finally surrendered the spoils: 85 condoms of cocaine he allegedly swallowed and intended to smuggle from Houston to France.
Housrou Kedji is scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Friday after being caught as he tried to board an Air France flight leaving Bush Intercontinental Airport. He is charged with two counts of drug-trafficking.
The 42-year-old citizen of the African nation of Togo gave up 2.2 pounds of his illicit cargo while sitting on a special no-flow toilet under the eyes of federal agents and doctors at a local hospital.
Kedji's undoing apparently began when tried to board the Flight 639 four weeks ago.
He was so nervous he drew the attention of Customs and Border Protection inspectors questioning travelers, according to an affidavit filed in federal court.
The night of his arrest, Kedji's hands were shaking, his heart was racing, and he gave conflicting stories of what he'd been up to while visiting Houston, the affidavit says.
He supposedly confessed that he had traveled to Houston from Togo, and was headed to Switzerland. His pay for the job was to be 5,000 Euros, or nearly $6,500.
The cocaine was parceled into packets of a few grams apiece and wrapped in the condoms. Suspicions were confirmed by a hospital X-ray machine
Friday, July 30, 2010
Police find 8 severed heads in northern Mexico
MEXICO CITY — The severed heads of eight men were found left in pairs along highways in the northern Mexico state of Durango, state prosecutors said Tuesday.
The bodies had not yet been located, but the victims appeared to have been between 25 and 30 years old, officials said.
Durango has been the scene of brutal turf battles between drug gangs. Prosecutors said over the weekend that officials at a Durango prison let drug cartel gunmen to leave penitentiary and lent them guns and vehicles to carry out executions.
The bodies had not yet been located, but the victims appeared to have been between 25 and 30 years old, officials said.
Durango has been the scene of brutal turf battles between drug gangs. Prosecutors said over the weekend that officials at a Durango prison let drug cartel gunmen to leave penitentiary and lent them guns and vehicles to carry out executions.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Underwear packaging reportedly recalledafter Cullman pastor’s complaint
CULLMAN — A local pastor’s complaint about a brand of underwear being sold with “pornographic” pictures on the packaging at the Cullman Walmart reportedly led to a recall of the product.
Frank Boren, pastor of New Hope Christian Center Church of God in the Springhill community, said he noticed the questionable underwear package while shopping at the store in May.
“I was in there shopping for some underwear one day, and looked at the men’s pictures on the packaging,” he said. “On a few of the packages they were very pornographic in the way they were dressed, in skimpy underwear, so I went to the manager and asked her if she thought it was inappropriate to be displayed.”
After filing a few more complaints in the following weeks, Boren said the questionable packaging eventually disappeared from the store’s shelves.
Cullman Walmart store manager Nancy Valentine said Boren’s concerns were forwarded to the corporate office, and an eventual recall of that packaging was likely the result of similar complaints.
“He was concerned about the packaging on some of the men’s underwear being too revealing, in his opinion, to the point that he thought it was pornographic,” he said. “This gentleman voiced his concerns about that.”
Frank Boren, pastor of New Hope Christian Center Church of God in the Springhill community, said he noticed the questionable underwear package while shopping at the store in May.
“I was in there shopping for some underwear one day, and looked at the men’s pictures on the packaging,” he said. “On a few of the packages they were very pornographic in the way they were dressed, in skimpy underwear, so I went to the manager and asked her if she thought it was inappropriate to be displayed.”
After filing a few more complaints in the following weeks, Boren said the questionable packaging eventually disappeared from the store’s shelves.
Cullman Walmart store manager Nancy Valentine said Boren’s concerns were forwarded to the corporate office, and an eventual recall of that packaging was likely the result of similar complaints.
“He was concerned about the packaging on some of the men’s underwear being too revealing, in his opinion, to the point that he thought it was pornographic,” he said. “This gentleman voiced his concerns about that.”
CAT'S HEAVEN: FIVE-STAR PAMPERING ON OFFER AT A HOTEL FOR FELINES
WITH four-poster beds, state-of-the-art sound systems and a pampering package on offer, this luxurious hotel seems a remarkable bargain at as little as £15 a night.
The catch is that to be a guest you have to be a cat.
Scrumptious delights from the hotel’s organic a la cat menu include poached salmon and tiger prawns – served on silver platters or bone china.
The six individually themed, heated chalets offer guest cats jazz and classical music. Porcelain fountains deliver oxygenated water. And each has a play area.
Abi and Matt Purser, owners of the recently opened Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, even send absent owners postcards giving updates on their pets.
“There are pretty good catteries out there, but no one has gone quite to the lengths we have,” said Abi, who plans to add to the luxury with a machine blowing catnip-flavoured bubbles.
The catch is that to be a guest you have to be a cat.
Scrumptious delights from the hotel’s organic a la cat menu include poached salmon and tiger prawns – served on silver platters or bone china.
The six individually themed, heated chalets offer guest cats jazz and classical music. Porcelain fountains deliver oxygenated water. And each has a play area.
Abi and Matt Purser, owners of the recently opened Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, even send absent owners postcards giving updates on their pets.
“There are pretty good catteries out there, but no one has gone quite to the lengths we have,” said Abi, who plans to add to the luxury with a machine blowing catnip-flavoured bubbles.
THIS IS A STICK-UP. GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY... PRETTY PLEASE
AN ARMED robber queued patiently behind other bank customers for 10 minutes before pulling his gun on a clerk and demanding cash.
When he finally got to the front of the queue in the bank in Vienna, Austria, the blagger politely asked the cashier to hand over the £10,000 she had in the till before fleeing.
One customer told the Austrian Times: "He didn't run in waving a gun like in the movies. There was a large queue and we were all stuck in it.
"The robber just took his place like everyone else and shuffled to the front. So at least he didn't push in."
When he finally got to the front of the queue in the bank in Vienna, Austria, the blagger politely asked the cashier to hand over the £10,000 she had in the till before fleeing.
One customer told the Austrian Times: "He didn't run in waving a gun like in the movies. There was a large queue and we were all stuck in it.
"The robber just took his place like everyone else and shuffled to the front. So at least he didn't push in."
Package for 'grandma' contains 6 lbs. of drugs
TALLADEGA, Ala. – A package addressed from "Grandpa Henderson" in San Diego to "Grandma Henderson" in Talladega, Ala., wasn't ordinary mail, and it wasn't picked up by any grandmother.
The package aroused suspicions among Talladega postal inspectors, who contacted the Talladega County drug task force. Task force commander Jason Murray said a trained drug-detection dog singled out the package, and law enforcement officers waited for someone to pick it up.
Three men did that Saturday. They were stopped after they left the post office, and officers found more than 6 pounds of marijuana in the package.
Murray said the three have been charged with trafficking in marijuana.
___
Information from: The Daily Home - Talladega, http://www.dailyhome.com
The package aroused suspicions among Talladega postal inspectors, who contacted the Talladega County drug task force. Task force commander Jason Murray said a trained drug-detection dog singled out the package, and law enforcement officers waited for someone to pick it up.
Three men did that Saturday. They were stopped after they left the post office, and officers found more than 6 pounds of marijuana in the package.
Murray said the three have been charged with trafficking in marijuana.
___
Information from: The Daily Home - Talladega, http://www.dailyhome.com
Japan robots chat, play -- and help find lost specs
Reuters © Enlarge photo
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TOKYO (Reuters Life!) - Robots that can chat, find misplaced glasses, draw aeroplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society.
Robots, such as the sound-sensitive Chapit, answer simple questions and even joke with people to help the solitary fight loneliness and stay alert in old age.
"Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to," said Kazuya Kitamura, a representative of the expo organiser. "Communication robots accompany people and don't mind listening to the same stories over and over again."
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TOKYO (Reuters Life!) - Robots that can chat, find misplaced glasses, draw aeroplanes and play with your children are attracting thousands of visitors during an expo in Tokyo as Japan adapts to changes in society.
Robots, such as the sound-sensitive Chapit, answer simple questions and even joke with people to help the solitary fight loneliness and stay alert in old age.
"Many older people in Japan live alone and have no one to talk to," said Kazuya Kitamura, a representative of the expo organiser. "Communication robots accompany people and don't mind listening to the same stories over and over again."
Teenager survives fall from 16th story
A 15-year-old New Zealand boy has survived with minor injuries after falling 16-storeys from the balcony of his family's apartment onto a concrete floor, New Zealand media reported Monday.
The New Zealand Herald said the teen-ager fell about 50 meters off the balcony, dropping through a carpark roof that may have broken his fall before he hit the concrete. Another tenant raised the alarm after seeing the boy fall past his window.
The newspaper said medical experts were amazed that the boy survived as few people managed to live if they plunged from more than five storeys.
The teen-ager was described as in a stable condition in an Auckland hospital with a broken wrist, broken rib, gashed leg and internal injuries, the New Zealand Herald reported.
The New Zealand Herald said the teen-ager fell about 50 meters off the balcony, dropping through a carpark roof that may have broken his fall before he hit the concrete. Another tenant raised the alarm after seeing the boy fall past his window.
The newspaper said medical experts were amazed that the boy survived as few people managed to live if they plunged from more than five storeys.
The teen-ager was described as in a stable condition in an Auckland hospital with a broken wrist, broken rib, gashed leg and internal injuries, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
DA won't explain plea deal in DWI case
NORTH TONAWANDA -- The Niagara County district attorney and one of his deputies will not explain why they allowed the daughter of a city councilwoman to plead guilty to vastly reduced charges after being charged with driving while intoxicated earlier this month.
City Judge William R. Lewis told The Buffalo News he agreed to the plea bargain because he was told an alcohol-related conviction would cost the young woman her job as a certified public accountant.
Henry F. Wojtaszek, the former Niagara County Republican Party chairman who represented Sara E. Donovan, denied using any political influence to get the district attorney's office to allow his client to plead guilty to speeding and a parking ticket.
Donovan, 23, of Westbrook Drive, the daughter of GOP Alderwoman at Large Nancy A. Donovan, was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and failure to use the designated lane after her 2006 Saturn struck two parked cars on Payne Avenue at 1:54 a.m. July 11.
Police measured Donovan's blood-alcohol content at 0.13 percent; the legal limit for intoxication is 0.08 percent. She told police that she had two drinks and had been on her way home from a bar on Webster Street.
Under the state Vehicle and Traffic Law, a driver charged with an alcohol-related offense is not generally allowed to plead guilty to a non-alcohol-related charge.
First-time DWI cases often end with a plea of driving while ability impaired by alcohol, but there is a loophole in the law allowing the district attorney to recommend a different plea if the reason is put on the record.
The section says the district attorney must determine that "the charge of a violation of this [DWI] section is not warranted."
District Attorney Michael J. Violante, a Republican who was endorsed for his office by then-party chairman Wojtaszek in 2007, declined to talk about the case this week. "What happened is what happened," he said.
Deputy District Attorney Theodore A. Brenner, a DWI specialist who prosecuted the case, also declined to be interviewed.
Judge Lewis, a registered Republican, said although he knows who Wojtaszek is, he denied that the councilwoman's daughter was given any special treatment in his court.
"She was never treated any worse or better than anyone else," the judge told The Buffalo News. "The justification was that that the young woman was a CPA, and she might lose her license to be an accountant if she was convicted.
"The punishment would have been far worse than the crime in this case, and I accepted the plea deal."
Wojtaszek said he talked to Brenner at a court conference, "and then I wrote a letter to Mike Violante."
In a handwritten note in court files, Brenner wrote that the plea to speeding and a parking violation was offered because Donovan had no prior arrests, she presented insurance coverage for damages to the vehicles, and the blood-alcohol level was 0.13 percent.
Thursday, Donovan was allowed to plead the DWI down to speeding for going 44 mph in a 30 mph zone. The lane violation charge was reduced to a city parking violation.
Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman Nicholas Catiello said a person who pleads to impaired driving as a first offense receives an automatic 90-day license suspension, but that can be reduced if the person enrolls in driving school. Upon enrollment, a conditional license can be issued allowing the person to drive to and from work.
Donovan was fined $280 and ordered to attend a victim impact panel session, in which victims of drunken drivers -- or their survivors -- talk to such drivers about the consequences of their crimes on the innocent.
"I think it was a legitimate resolution," Wojtaszek said.
He denied using any political influence on Violante to obtain an outcome that a typical citizen couldn't obtain.
Wojtaszek's wife, Caroline A. Wojtaszek, was an assistant district attorney for 14 years before resigning earlier this year to become confidential law clerk to County Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza.
Lewis said there was no special treatment for Donovan.
"Although the deal is rare," he said, "it has happened before in my court. I can guarantee that."
City Judge William R. Lewis told The Buffalo News he agreed to the plea bargain because he was told an alcohol-related conviction would cost the young woman her job as a certified public accountant.
Henry F. Wojtaszek, the former Niagara County Republican Party chairman who represented Sara E. Donovan, denied using any political influence to get the district attorney's office to allow his client to plead guilty to speeding and a parking ticket.
Donovan, 23, of Westbrook Drive, the daughter of GOP Alderwoman at Large Nancy A. Donovan, was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and failure to use the designated lane after her 2006 Saturn struck two parked cars on Payne Avenue at 1:54 a.m. July 11.
Police measured Donovan's blood-alcohol content at 0.13 percent; the legal limit for intoxication is 0.08 percent. She told police that she had two drinks and had been on her way home from a bar on Webster Street.
Under the state Vehicle and Traffic Law, a driver charged with an alcohol-related offense is not generally allowed to plead guilty to a non-alcohol-related charge.
First-time DWI cases often end with a plea of driving while ability impaired by alcohol, but there is a loophole in the law allowing the district attorney to recommend a different plea if the reason is put on the record.
The section says the district attorney must determine that "the charge of a violation of this [DWI] section is not warranted."
District Attorney Michael J. Violante, a Republican who was endorsed for his office by then-party chairman Wojtaszek in 2007, declined to talk about the case this week. "What happened is what happened," he said.
Deputy District Attorney Theodore A. Brenner, a DWI specialist who prosecuted the case, also declined to be interviewed.
Judge Lewis, a registered Republican, said although he knows who Wojtaszek is, he denied that the councilwoman's daughter was given any special treatment in his court.
"She was never treated any worse or better than anyone else," the judge told The Buffalo News. "The justification was that that the young woman was a CPA, and she might lose her license to be an accountant if she was convicted.
"The punishment would have been far worse than the crime in this case, and I accepted the plea deal."
Wojtaszek said he talked to Brenner at a court conference, "and then I wrote a letter to Mike Violante."
In a handwritten note in court files, Brenner wrote that the plea to speeding and a parking violation was offered because Donovan had no prior arrests, she presented insurance coverage for damages to the vehicles, and the blood-alcohol level was 0.13 percent.
Thursday, Donovan was allowed to plead the DWI down to speeding for going 44 mph in a 30 mph zone. The lane violation charge was reduced to a city parking violation.
Department of Motor Vehicles spokesman Nicholas Catiello said a person who pleads to impaired driving as a first offense receives an automatic 90-day license suspension, but that can be reduced if the person enrolls in driving school. Upon enrollment, a conditional license can be issued allowing the person to drive to and from work.
Donovan was fined $280 and ordered to attend a victim impact panel session, in which victims of drunken drivers -- or their survivors -- talk to such drivers about the consequences of their crimes on the innocent.
"I think it was a legitimate resolution," Wojtaszek said.
He denied using any political influence on Violante to obtain an outcome that a typical citizen couldn't obtain.
Wojtaszek's wife, Caroline A. Wojtaszek, was an assistant district attorney for 14 years before resigning earlier this year to become confidential law clerk to County Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza.
Lewis said there was no special treatment for Donovan.
"Although the deal is rare," he said, "it has happened before in my court. I can guarantee that."
Prostitution sting snares toddler-toting dad
MIDDLETOWN – A father toting his 18-month-old daughter asked an undercover cop to have sex for money on Tuesday, according to Middletown police.
Michael Ratliff, 38, of Trenton, was booked into the Butler County jail on charges of child endangering and solicitation and released after posting a $500 bail by 8:30 p.m. jail officials said.
Ratliff approached the undercover officer as police conducted a prostitution sting in the downtown area about 2:30 p.m., police said.
Officers took the child and stayed with her until the toddler’s mother arrived to take her home.
In the last few weeks, 29 other people have been arrested in connection with prostitution in
Michael Ratliff, 38, of Trenton, was booked into the Butler County jail on charges of child endangering and solicitation and released after posting a $500 bail by 8:30 p.m. jail officials said.
Ratliff approached the undercover officer as police conducted a prostitution sting in the downtown area about 2:30 p.m., police said.
Officers took the child and stayed with her until the toddler’s mother arrived to take her home.
In the last few weeks, 29 other people have been arrested in connection with prostitution in
Pontiac cops leery of Silverdome pot convention
Mike Martindale / The Detroit News
Pontiac -- Event promoters are high on the recently reopened Pontiac Silverdome again -- maybe a little too much so, the city's top cop says.
A three-day "pot party" planned at the Silverdome over Halloween has caught the police chief and others by surprise.
A postcard-sized announcement for "The First International Cannabis Convention" -- featuring a giant marijuana plant bursting through the Silverdome roof -- began showing up in local businesses this past week. The ad also includes a smiling jack-o-lantern smoking what appears to be a reefer.
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"We just learned of this two days ago," said Pontiac Police Chief Val Gross. "Does it cause some concerns? You bet it does.
"You would think we would have at least been consulted first."
City approval of events at the formerly city-owned Silverdome is not required, said Gross, who also noted the City Council recently passed a moratorium on medical marijuana initiatives or businesses operating within the city.
"It (the convention) raises a wide variety of questions about what is not only inappropriate but illegal," Gross said. "One thing is certain -- marijuana is not legal in Pontiac. Any marijuana-smoking paraphernalia is not legal in Pontiac. And I believe, considering the new cigarette smoking laws in Michigan, smoking anything even in a privately owned building like the Silverdome is also illegal.
"The question is: ... how are you going to enforce this?"
Seminars and exhibits
The convention is planned for Oct. 29-31 and will feature entertainers, exhibits, vendors, guest speakers, "friendly vaporization tents" and edibles for qualifying patients with current medical marijuana cards. It will include seminars and symposiums on subjects ranging from cultivation to legal issues to business opportunities, according to the announcement.
Michigan's medical marijuana law was approved in November 2008. The full law went into effect in April 2009, and patients began applying to the state department of health for ID cards to allow them to use marijuana legally under a doctor's care.
The legislation has spawned numerous marijuana-related businesses across Michigan.
Silverdome spokesman John Mozena said the event is essentially a "medical marijuana trade show."
"We aren't sponsoring or endorsing the show," he said. "This is just a straight rental deal like any other. It will be the responsibility of everyone here to make sure that the laws of the city and the state are abided by -- just like at any other event at the Silverdome or somewhere else."
The long-shuttered Silverdome has begun hosting events again after it was bought by a Canadian company in 2009.
'Proper ID' required
One sponsor of the cannabis convention, Edmund Kresty, CEO of Holistic Health and Educational Center in Saline, said, "This isn't a bunch of pot-smoking hippies getting together, but there might be some, along with people from all walks of life.
"Earlier this year, one of these in San Francisco drew more than 25,000 people, and there wasn't one incident, injury or arrest," said Kresty. "We aren't selling, distributing or trading marijuana.
"This is an opportunity for people to learn the law, discuss issues and see the latest in equipment. Some equipment can be used by people who bring their own medicine, but these will be carefully guarded areas, and people will have to show the proper ID cards to use them."
Organizers plant to sit down with city officials and police in the near future to discuss all concerns, he said.
Attendees must be at least 18 years old, unless accompanied by their parents, he said.
"We hope to draw 50,000 people over the three days," he said. "We think it will also be big revenue generator for area hotels, restaurants and other businesses."
From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100728/METRO02/7280344/Pontiac-cops-leery-of-Silverdome-pot-convention#ixzz0v0A05dlf
Pontiac -- Event promoters are high on the recently reopened Pontiac Silverdome again -- maybe a little too much so, the city's top cop says.
A three-day "pot party" planned at the Silverdome over Halloween has caught the police chief and others by surprise.
A postcard-sized announcement for "The First International Cannabis Convention" -- featuring a giant marijuana plant bursting through the Silverdome roof -- began showing up in local businesses this past week. The ad also includes a smiling jack-o-lantern smoking what appears to be a reefer.
Advertisement
"We just learned of this two days ago," said Pontiac Police Chief Val Gross. "Does it cause some concerns? You bet it does.
"You would think we would have at least been consulted first."
City approval of events at the formerly city-owned Silverdome is not required, said Gross, who also noted the City Council recently passed a moratorium on medical marijuana initiatives or businesses operating within the city.
"It (the convention) raises a wide variety of questions about what is not only inappropriate but illegal," Gross said. "One thing is certain -- marijuana is not legal in Pontiac. Any marijuana-smoking paraphernalia is not legal in Pontiac. And I believe, considering the new cigarette smoking laws in Michigan, smoking anything even in a privately owned building like the Silverdome is also illegal.
"The question is: ... how are you going to enforce this?"
Seminars and exhibits
The convention is planned for Oct. 29-31 and will feature entertainers, exhibits, vendors, guest speakers, "friendly vaporization tents" and edibles for qualifying patients with current medical marijuana cards. It will include seminars and symposiums on subjects ranging from cultivation to legal issues to business opportunities, according to the announcement.
Michigan's medical marijuana law was approved in November 2008. The full law went into effect in April 2009, and patients began applying to the state department of health for ID cards to allow them to use marijuana legally under a doctor's care.
The legislation has spawned numerous marijuana-related businesses across Michigan.
Silverdome spokesman John Mozena said the event is essentially a "medical marijuana trade show."
"We aren't sponsoring or endorsing the show," he said. "This is just a straight rental deal like any other. It will be the responsibility of everyone here to make sure that the laws of the city and the state are abided by -- just like at any other event at the Silverdome or somewhere else."
The long-shuttered Silverdome has begun hosting events again after it was bought by a Canadian company in 2009.
'Proper ID' required
One sponsor of the cannabis convention, Edmund Kresty, CEO of Holistic Health and Educational Center in Saline, said, "This isn't a bunch of pot-smoking hippies getting together, but there might be some, along with people from all walks of life.
"Earlier this year, one of these in San Francisco drew more than 25,000 people, and there wasn't one incident, injury or arrest," said Kresty. "We aren't selling, distributing or trading marijuana.
"This is an opportunity for people to learn the law, discuss issues and see the latest in equipment. Some equipment can be used by people who bring their own medicine, but these will be carefully guarded areas, and people will have to show the proper ID cards to use them."
Organizers plant to sit down with city officials and police in the near future to discuss all concerns, he said.
Attendees must be at least 18 years old, unless accompanied by their parents, he said.
"We hope to draw 50,000 people over the three days," he said. "We think it will also be big revenue generator for area hotels, restaurants and other businesses."
From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100728/METRO02/7280344/Pontiac-cops-leery-of-Silverdome-pot-convention#ixzz0v0A05dlf
Irish boy, 5, accused of stealing crisps wins pay-out
DUBLIN (AFP) - A five-year-old Irish boy who was wrongly accused of stealing a bag of crisps has won a 7,500-euro (9,700-dollar) pay-out from a supermarket chain, his lawyer said Wednesday.
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Tadhg Mooney, of Balbriggan, north of Dublin, had just finished shopping with his mother Rachel at their local Lidl store in June last year when a cashier came after him, taking him by the hand and accusing him of stealing.
Finding him crying inside the store, his mother presented a receipt showing she had paid for the bag, their lawyer Dermot McNamara told AFP.
But the shop manager failed to take her concerns seriously, causing her to take legal proceedings against the firm for slander, for false imprisonment, assault and negligence.
"We managed to settle it over negotiations lasting for a month or two and they eventually gave an offer of 7,500 euros," McNamara said.
The settlement was approved at Ireland's Circuit Civil Court on Tuesday and the money will be set aside for the little boy, now aged six, to use when he is older.
Lidl Ireland declined to comment on the case when contacted by AFP.
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Tadhg Mooney, of Balbriggan, north of Dublin, had just finished shopping with his mother Rachel at their local Lidl store in June last year when a cashier came after him, taking him by the hand and accusing him of stealing.
Finding him crying inside the store, his mother presented a receipt showing she had paid for the bag, their lawyer Dermot McNamara told AFP.
But the shop manager failed to take her concerns seriously, causing her to take legal proceedings against the firm for slander, for false imprisonment, assault and negligence.
"We managed to settle it over negotiations lasting for a month or two and they eventually gave an offer of 7,500 euros," McNamara said.
The settlement was approved at Ireland's Circuit Civil Court on Tuesday and the money will be set aside for the little boy, now aged six, to use when he is older.
Lidl Ireland declined to comment on the case when contacted by AFP.
Bear turns Goldilocks tale on its head in US home
By The Associated Press
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LACONIA, N.H. - A black bear walked into a house through an open door, ate two pears and a bunch of grapes, took a drink from the family fishbowl and grabbed a stuffed bear on its way out the door.
Mary Beth Parkinson says the bear apparently took advantage of the open outside door to get into her kitchen Tuesday in Laconia, about 20 miles (30 kilometres) north of Concord. She thinks the garage door going up scared the bear enough that it fled the house.
She says she arrived in time to save the fish.
Parkinson said her 6- and 9-year-old boys made sure the doors were locked before they went to bed.
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LACONIA, N.H. - A black bear walked into a house through an open door, ate two pears and a bunch of grapes, took a drink from the family fishbowl and grabbed a stuffed bear on its way out the door.
Mary Beth Parkinson says the bear apparently took advantage of the open outside door to get into her kitchen Tuesday in Laconia, about 20 miles (30 kilometres) north of Concord. She thinks the garage door going up scared the bear enough that it fled the house.
She says she arrived in time to save the fish.
Parkinson said her 6- and 9-year-old boys made sure the doors were locked before they went to bed.
Photos bought for £30 now valued at £128m
An American who bought a set of photographic plates for £30 from a garage sale over a decade ago has been told they could be worth £128m.
Rick Norsigian had snapped up the 65 glass negatives at a sale in California and had even bartered the seller down from the initial asking price.
But soon after the purchase he began to suspect they could have been taken by rated US nature photographer Ansel Adams and tried to get then authenticated.
So began a verification process involving hand-writing analysis, meteorology for evidence of weather at the time Adams took his famed landscapes, and consultations with equipment specialists.
Now the images have been confirmed as genuine Ansel Adams works and valued at £128m Norsigian is one very happy shopper -- we just hope whoever sold them to him doesn't read this.
Rick Norsigian had snapped up the 65 glass negatives at a sale in California and had even bartered the seller down from the initial asking price.
But soon after the purchase he began to suspect they could have been taken by rated US nature photographer Ansel Adams and tried to get then authenticated.
So began a verification process involving hand-writing analysis, meteorology for evidence of weather at the time Adams took his famed landscapes, and consultations with equipment specialists.
Now the images have been confirmed as genuine Ansel Adams works and valued at £128m Norsigian is one very happy shopper -- we just hope whoever sold them to him doesn't read this.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Idaho police dog back to work after suspension
A police dog in the central Idaho resort town of Sun Valley is back on duty after serving a "suspension" for an unprovoked attack on a small schnauzer.
Sun Valley Police Chief Cameron Daggett says the 5-year-old German shepherd named Dax took a few weeks off the job after the incident. The dog will receive more training to prevent a reoccurrence of what Daggett says was an unfortunate situation.
Dax is a four-year veteran of the force. He is trained to find illegal drugs, missing people, and evidence at crime scenes.
On June 26, authorities say Dax attacked a schnauzer named Max. Max's owner says the city is paying the $600 veterinarian bill.
___
Information from: Idaho Mountain Express, www.mtexpress.com
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/07/24/national/a093538D06.DTL#ixzz0uumUPqJ9
Sun Valley Police Chief Cameron Daggett says the 5-year-old German shepherd named Dax took a few weeks off the job after the incident. The dog will receive more training to prevent a reoccurrence of what Daggett says was an unfortunate situation.
Dax is a four-year veteran of the force. He is trained to find illegal drugs, missing people, and evidence at crime scenes.
On June 26, authorities say Dax attacked a schnauzer named Max. Max's owner says the city is paying the $600 veterinarian bill.
___
Information from: Idaho Mountain Express, www.mtexpress.com
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/07/24/national/a093538D06.DTL#ixzz0uumUPqJ9
Monday, July 26, 2010
Two arrests at Liverpool airport after attempt to smuggle corpse onto flight
Monday, 26 April 2010
Anke Anusic, age 44, and her mother Gitta, age 66, were arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport last Saturday for attempting to smuggle the body of their deceased 91-year-old relative, "Willi" Curt Jaran, on a flight to Berlin, Germany.
The women tried to take the body on to the plane in a wheelchair wearing sunglasses, and they claimed that the person was asleep. They had previously used a taxi to bring the corpse from their home in Oldham.
The deception was discovered by check-in staff; both airport staff and the taxi driver are said to be upset by the events. Though they have not explained their actions, the costs of transporting a body can be several thousand pounds. They have been arrested on suspicion of failing to report a death. Both women are German nationals.
The two women, however, claim that Mr Jaran was alive until check in.
Information from: Wikinews, http://www.wikinews.org
Anke Anusic, age 44, and her mother Gitta, age 66, were arrested at Liverpool John Lennon Airport last Saturday for attempting to smuggle the body of their deceased 91-year-old relative, "Willi" Curt Jaran, on a flight to Berlin, Germany.
The women tried to take the body on to the plane in a wheelchair wearing sunglasses, and they claimed that the person was asleep. They had previously used a taxi to bring the corpse from their home in Oldham.
The deception was discovered by check-in staff; both airport staff and the taxi driver are said to be upset by the events. Though they have not explained their actions, the costs of transporting a body can be several thousand pounds. They have been arrested on suspicion of failing to report a death. Both women are German nationals.
The two women, however, claim that Mr Jaran was alive until check in.
Information from: Wikinews, http://www.wikinews.org
Man tries to trade drugs for cheeseburgers at McDonald's
by: Barbara Hijek July 25, 2010 06:50 AM
Alexander M. Lemke, of Palm Harbor, must have had a wild case of midnight munchies.
Lemke, 20, broke into a neighbor's home and stole their 2005 Toyota Solara at about 1:25 a.m. Friday, then headed to a McDonald's drive-through window, reports theSt. Petersburg Times.
Deputies were summoned.
That's because Lemke tried to trade marijuana and prescription drugs for burgers, deputies said.
Lemke was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, driving with a license that is suspended or revoked, and eight drug-related charges including possession of clonazepam, oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam.
Alexander M. Lemke, of Palm Harbor, must have had a wild case of midnight munchies.
Lemke, 20, broke into a neighbor's home and stole their 2005 Toyota Solara at about 1:25 a.m. Friday, then headed to a McDonald's drive-through window, reports theSt. Petersburg Times.
Deputies were summoned.
That's because Lemke tried to trade marijuana and prescription drugs for burgers, deputies said.
Lemke was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, driving with a license that is suspended or revoked, and eight drug-related charges including possession of clonazepam, oxycodone, hydrocodone and alprazolam.
City to shell out money for a wheelchair lift — to a lifeguard station
by: Barbara Hijek July 26, 2010 07:54 AM
Lifeguards take pride in staying in great shape.
And you don't usually find lifeguards confined to wheelchairs doing the job.
However, government regulations require that lifeguards' headquarters on the beach be made handicapped-accessible, even though the only people who ever use the two-story buildings are the lifeguards, reports the St. Petersburg Times.
That means the little yellow building near Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach has to be brought into compliance with the state building code and the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
"It's odd. Obviously no one here is handicapped. No one in a wheelchair has ever asked to come up here," head lifeguard Donovan Burns told the Times.
The cCity of Clearwater ruled out installing an elevator. Instead they opted for a wheelchair lift. It's not clear yet how much the lift will cost.
Dunbar told the St. Petersburg Times that Clearwater was ordered to install a wheelchair lift for the home dugout where the Philadelphia Phillies have their spring training. That one cost $18,000.
"It has sat unused for seven years," Dunbar told the Times.
Lifeguards take pride in staying in great shape.
And you don't usually find lifeguards confined to wheelchairs doing the job.
However, government regulations require that lifeguards' headquarters on the beach be made handicapped-accessible, even though the only people who ever use the two-story buildings are the lifeguards, reports the St. Petersburg Times.
That means the little yellow building near Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach has to be brought into compliance with the state building code and the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
"It's odd. Obviously no one here is handicapped. No one in a wheelchair has ever asked to come up here," head lifeguard Donovan Burns told the Times.
The cCity of Clearwater ruled out installing an elevator. Instead they opted for a wheelchair lift. It's not clear yet how much the lift will cost.
Dunbar told the St. Petersburg Times that Clearwater was ordered to install a wheelchair lift for the home dugout where the Philadelphia Phillies have their spring training. That one cost $18,000.
"It has sat unused for seven years," Dunbar told the Times.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Woman, 23, charged in Facebook-feud fatal crash
Torrie Emery was arraigned Friday in Pontiac's 50th District Court on multiple felonies, as friends of the dead woman were holding a car wash to pay for her funeral.
"It's unbelievable," said Pontiac police Chief Valard S. Gross told The Associated Press as he described the escalating dispute that ended with Wednesday's deadly crash. "It's just crazy."
According to Gross, Emery, 23, and Danielle Booth, 20, had been feuding for some time, leading to an earlier police complaint. According to Emery's family, the dispute was over a 23-year-old man now serving time in a Michigan prison.
On Wednesday, Emery was driving when she saw Booth in the passenger seat of a car driven by Alesha Abernathy and started chasing her, Gross said. Emery had her 3-year-old daughter in the car with her.
Police Det. Paul McDougal, who was in an unmarked squad car, saw both vehicles rush by at speeds approaching 100 mph, Gross said. Before McDougal could reach them — and while a panicked Booth was on the phone with a police dispatcher — Abernathy ran a red light and plowed into a dump truck, knocking it onto its side but not injuring the truck's driver.
The crash killed Abernathy and critically injured Booth, who was in the intensive care unit Friday at POH Regional Medical Center in Pontiac. Emery and her daughter weren't hurt.
"How can you get that angry or that jealous, really, that you jeopardize the life of your 3-year-old?" Gross asked. "One person's stupidity, and look at the repercussions. It's just a ripple effect."
Emery appeared on video at her arraignment Friday on charges of second-degree murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm and child abuse. She indicated she would look for a lawyer.
Judge Preston Thomas ordered her jailed without bond and set her preliminary examination for next Thursday.
"We apologize to the family about what happened," Emery's aunt, Tamika White, said after the hearing. "This Facebook stuff is just a mess. They're going on Facebook about a guy that neither one have — that's in the penitentiary."
"My sister didn't mean to kill anybody," said Traynea Emery, 19.
Across town in the parking lot of Pete's Coney Island restaurant, a group of Abernathy's friends were holding a car wash to raise money for the funeral they said Abernathy's family couldn't afford.
"She was the center of attention," said Brittany Carriti, 22, of Pontiac, a former classmate from Manley Alternative High School in Waterford. She and her friends had raised several hundred dollars by midday.
Abernathy was "always the one for whom the party started," said another ex-classmate, Chandra Tiernan, 23, of Waterford.
While Abernathy knew about the dispute between Booth and Emery, she wasn't involved in it, Tiernan said.
"She died over someone else's problem," Tiernan said.
(This version CORRECTS 5th paragraph to reflect that Emery, not Gross, had her child in the car with her.)
Police: Thief disguised with underwear
CITY, Okla., July 23 (UPI) -- Police in Oklahoma said they are trying to identify a woman who used underwear on her head as a disguise when she grabbed money from a McDonald's drive-through.
Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said a cashier at the 24-hour McDonald's noticed money missing from the drive-through register at about 3 a.m. Tuesday and a manager inspecting the security tape saw a woman wearing underwear on her head reach in through the window and take the cash, The Oklahoman reported Friday.
Police said the woman also wore gloves and the underwear was held in place by a blond wig and yellow paperclips.
Clabes said the video shows the woman approach the window but back off when a car pulls up nearby. The woman returned to the window a moment later and used a key to open the cash register.
Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said a cashier at the 24-hour McDonald's noticed money missing from the drive-through register at about 3 a.m. Tuesday and a manager inspecting the security tape saw a woman wearing underwear on her head reach in through the window and take the cash, The Oklahoman reported Friday.
Police said the woman also wore gloves and the underwear was held in place by a blond wig and yellow paperclips.
Clabes said the video shows the woman approach the window but back off when a car pulls up nearby. The woman returned to the window a moment later and used a key to open the cash register.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Catt County Sheriff Arrests Teen After Buggy Chase LEON-A 17 year old Amish teen from the Town of Leon is in trouble after he led police on a chase through his town.
The teen was observed running a stop sign in his horse and buggy. Sheriff's deputies tried to stop him, but he refused to stop and a chase ensued for almost a mile. After making an unsafe turn, the teen crashed the horse and buggy and took off on foot.
He was later found, arrested and charged with underage possession of alcohol, overdriving and animal, reckless endangerment, failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to yield to a emergency vehicle
The teen was observed running a stop sign in his horse and buggy. Sheriff's deputies tried to stop him, but he refused to stop and a chase ensued for almost a mile. After making an unsafe turn, the teen crashed the horse and buggy and took off on foot.
He was later found, arrested and charged with underage possession of alcohol, overdriving and animal, reckless endangerment, failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to yield to a emergency vehicle
Friday, July 16, 2010
CLEVELAND, July 15 (UPI) -- A Cleveland woman bought a LeBron James jersey pendant for $5 at a yard sale and later discovered the diamonds were real and the item is worth nearly $10,000.
Vaneisha Robinson, 20, said she bought the pendant, which she believed to be costume jewelry in the shape of James' number 23 jersey, for $5 at a yard sale five years ago and only recently discovered the diamonds studding the item were real and the piece is worth nearly $10,000, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported Thursday.
"I used to go to high school with it around my neck, not knowing the value of it," Robinson said.
Robinson said she expects to get top dollar for the item on eBay, despite James' recent decision to leave the Cavaliers.
Vaneisha Robinson, 20, said she bought the pendant, which she believed to be costume jewelry in the shape of James' number 23 jersey, for $5 at a yard sale five years ago and only recently discovered the diamonds studding the item were real and the piece is worth nearly $10,000, WEWS-TV, Cleveland, reported Thursday.
"I used to go to high school with it around my neck, not knowing the value of it," Robinson said.
Robinson said she expects to get top dollar for the item on eBay, despite James' recent decision to leave the Cavaliers.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
56 Comments
By Steven Avalos Posted Jul 12th 2010 04:30PM
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As you may have heard by now, Mel Gibson's in some serious hot water. Actually, "hot water" is pretty much the understatement of the century. It's more like a steaming vat of nuclear waste, if a vat of nuclear waste could also spew out endlessly vitriolic rants that manage to offend and horrify virtually anyone unlucky enough to be in earshot. After years of making headlines for his homophobic, sexist and anti-Semitic episodes (read our full roundup of Mel Gibson WTF-ery here), a much-buzzed-about audio tape leaked last week, containing sound bite after cringeworthy sound bite of Gibson's verbal assault against ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva (whom he has a child with). And naturally, like any Gibson project, there's a sequel. And like any good sequel, it's about a thousand times more explosive than the first. Our analysis of the newest release, or as we call it, stop two on the Mel Gibson farewell tour, after the jump.
First off, let's talk about that tape! The newly-leaked audio (which you can listen to over at RadarOnline -- WARNING EXTREMELY GRAPHIC, OFFENSIVE, DISGUSTING, ETC.) is hands-down the most disturbing thing we've ever had the displeasure of listening to. A manic, breathless Gibson shouts for eight long minutes, repeatedly threatening to kill Grigorieva via baseball bat and most damningly (as if we could narrow it down to just one moment) admits to hitting her and knocking out two of her teeth in a drunken episode as she clutched onto their young daughter. "You have no f***ing soul!" Mel screams. And strangely enough, he's not referring to himself.Let's be honest, folks -- there is no bouncing back from this. At this point, the only thing that could make us think any less of PEOPLE magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive' for 1985 would be if he, well, actually there is nothing (until the threequel, of course). That's how destructive these tapes are. Can anyone legitimately picture him headlining a film ever again? Some light romantic comedy with Meg Ryan perhaps? Voicing an animated fairy tale prince? More like retreating to a far-off island (which he presumably owns) and living a life of isolation and hopefully some serious remorse. That's only if he doesn't end up in jail first. Yes, our forecast is grim for old Mel and we're definitely curious to see how this unravels (or explodes as the case may be).
Monday, July 12, 2010
Wholesale Ribbons Class Up String of Local Murders
September 22, 2008 Posted by Julia Shire in Crime
Orange County, CA — A new development broke last night in a string of grizzly killings that has haunted the Southland for these past three summer months. The Department of Homeland Forensics has just released the shocking detail that the recent murders are all linked to one Wholesale Ribbon distributor.
The victims, ten women, all Caucasian, all blonde, all ranging in age from 18 to 25, were each found with a ribbon tied to their left pinky toe. Police are calling it a “sick calling card” left by the killer. The killings were thought to be unrelated until the ribbons were analyzed and traced back to the same wholesale ribbon distributor in Tustin, CA. The similar physical descriptions of the women were called “mere coincidence” by local officials until this discovery. When some reporters suggested that the victims might be targeted because of their gender and that this perhaps was a hate crime by a misogynist psychopath, Chief of Police, Bill Cummings replied, “I don’t follow.”
The officers seem to be most interested in how the ribbons have “really classed up these completely brutal tragedies.” Senior Lieutenant Doug Chipper told press on Tuesday, “This guy is a real class-act. And a total psychopath. But really classy.” The ribbons, made from expensive aubergine silk, are a quarter of an inch thick and double faced satin. Each piece left was exactly 4 inches long and tied in a windsor knot at the base of the victim’s left pinky toe.
At a press conference yesterday, Chief Cummings released details about the ribbon to throngs of reporters who were visibly upset to not have more details directly relating to the victims, the nature of the killings or the murder suspect. Some reporters pressed the Chief with questions such as, “Why do you think the murderer is attacking?” “Are his killings a sign of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?” and “What can local women do to protect themselves?” To these questions, the Chief became angered, yelling at reporters that “Anyone who’d seen this guy’s taste in ribbon would know what a real class act we’re dealing with.” In fact, police seemed almost reluctant to cast the killer in any sort of negative light.
Official descriptions of the suspect are being broadcast and young women are being advised to keep their eyes open for a 6 foot tall, Caucasian male, well-educated, in his late 30s, perhaps wearing spectacles, maybe a professor or political analyst, probably with a six-figure income, nice car, a dog and “dashing good looks.”
The fact that all the ribbon has come from the same wholesaler has also sparked interest, causing many an amateur sleuth to wonder if perhaps the killer is employed by the wholesaler. When contacted last, no move had been made by police to investigate this hunch.
Citizens seeking more information can visit the police website for a more detailed description of the suspect, high resolution photos of the ribbon, and an address for fan letters.
September 22, 2008 Posted by Julia Shire in Crime
Orange County, CA — A new development broke last night in a string of grizzly killings that has haunted the Southland for these past three summer months. The Department of Homeland Forensics has just released the shocking detail that the recent murders are all linked to one Wholesale Ribbon distributor.
The victims, ten women, all Caucasian, all blonde, all ranging in age from 18 to 25, were each found with a ribbon tied to their left pinky toe. Police are calling it a “sick calling card” left by the killer. The killings were thought to be unrelated until the ribbons were analyzed and traced back to the same wholesale ribbon distributor in Tustin, CA. The similar physical descriptions of the women were called “mere coincidence” by local officials until this discovery. When some reporters suggested that the victims might be targeted because of their gender and that this perhaps was a hate crime by a misogynist psychopath, Chief of Police, Bill Cummings replied, “I don’t follow.”
The officers seem to be most interested in how the ribbons have “really classed up these completely brutal tragedies.” Senior Lieutenant Doug Chipper told press on Tuesday, “This guy is a real class-act. And a total psychopath. But really classy.” The ribbons, made from expensive aubergine silk, are a quarter of an inch thick and double faced satin. Each piece left was exactly 4 inches long and tied in a windsor knot at the base of the victim’s left pinky toe.
At a press conference yesterday, Chief Cummings released details about the ribbon to throngs of reporters who were visibly upset to not have more details directly relating to the victims, the nature of the killings or the murder suspect. Some reporters pressed the Chief with questions such as, “Why do you think the murderer is attacking?” “Are his killings a sign of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?” and “What can local women do to protect themselves?” To these questions, the Chief became angered, yelling at reporters that “Anyone who’d seen this guy’s taste in ribbon would know what a real class act we’re dealing with.” In fact, police seemed almost reluctant to cast the killer in any sort of negative light.
Official descriptions of the suspect are being broadcast and young women are being advised to keep their eyes open for a 6 foot tall, Caucasian male, well-educated, in his late 30s, perhaps wearing spectacles, maybe a professor or political analyst, probably with a six-figure income, nice car, a dog and “dashing good looks.”
The fact that all the ribbon has come from the same wholesaler has also sparked interest, causing many an amateur sleuth to wonder if perhaps the killer is employed by the wholesaler. When contacted last, no move had been made by police to investigate this hunch.
Citizens seeking more information can visit the police website for a more detailed description of the suspect, high resolution photos of the ribbon, and an address for fan letters.
Red Bull Linked to Birth Defects – Really Does Give Wings
July 19, 2009 Posted by Conrad Crane in Science
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday put a hold and general recall on Red Bull energy drink amid evidence that Red Bull has been linked to several birth defects – principally resulting in the emergence of wing-like growths on the backs of newborn children.
The unusual side effects, which occur in as many as 2% of women who drink Red Bull while pregnant, were first reported by researchers at the University of California San Francisco, who used a study group of over 800 women over a course of 3 years. The researcher’s results were published last fall, but the FDA and Red Bull executives had until yesterday been resistant to acknowledge the group’s findings. Now with the FDA seeming to validate the researcher’s claims that “Red Bull directly contributes to leathery, bat-like appendages which grow out from the child’s shoulder blades”, Red Bull is scrambling to prepare for huge losses and numerous lawsuits.
“Red Bull is disappointed with the FDA’s action, and does not think that such action was necessary,” said Red Bull spokesman Tyler Cowell in a prepared statement. “Our company has acted responsibly and will continue to act responsibly.”
Public outcry over the Red Bull energy drink’s side effects has been understandably high. Red Bull, which has cornered half of the energy drink market in the United States (and is large outside of the country as well), “has a clientele that is both numerous, and heavily caffeinated,” said Yale Law Professor Laura Bernard. “This is a pretty good recipe for a lawsuit storm.”
“The fact that the FDA approved this product in the first place will likely also have repercussions,” continued Bernard. “This is going to be blow up huge, and take a lot of people down with it.”
Gavin Tyson, an FDA lawyer, disagrees.
“There is no basis for a lawsuit, because there are no damages,” explained Tyson. “So far the only allegations are that this product gives children wings. Have you ever met a child who did NOT want wings?”
Bernard, however, is not convinced that Tyson’s argument will hold up in court. “Children as a rule want to fly – flying is the whole point, not the wings,” said Bernard. “As of yet, none of the children who have been born with these wings have succeeded in achieving flight. Until they do, I think the Red Bull is going to get sued, and I think that the FDA is going to get sued for approving the product. And they are both going to lose.”
There are signs that Red Bull executives privately agree with Bernard, and may believe that they are indeed vulnerable from a legal standpoint. According to several inside sources, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, Red Bull has this last week alone spent fifteen million dollars in research and tests.
“The purpose of these experiments is principally concerned with creating stronger wings that will allow a child to become airborne” said one source. “We’re hoping to achieve a flying child long before this thing reaches the courts.”
July 19, 2009 Posted by Conrad Crane in Science
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday put a hold and general recall on Red Bull energy drink amid evidence that Red Bull has been linked to several birth defects – principally resulting in the emergence of wing-like growths on the backs of newborn children.
The unusual side effects, which occur in as many as 2% of women who drink Red Bull while pregnant, were first reported by researchers at the University of California San Francisco, who used a study group of over 800 women over a course of 3 years. The researcher’s results were published last fall, but the FDA and Red Bull executives had until yesterday been resistant to acknowledge the group’s findings. Now with the FDA seeming to validate the researcher’s claims that “Red Bull directly contributes to leathery, bat-like appendages which grow out from the child’s shoulder blades”, Red Bull is scrambling to prepare for huge losses and numerous lawsuits.
“Red Bull is disappointed with the FDA’s action, and does not think that such action was necessary,” said Red Bull spokesman Tyler Cowell in a prepared statement. “Our company has acted responsibly and will continue to act responsibly.”
Public outcry over the Red Bull energy drink’s side effects has been understandably high. Red Bull, which has cornered half of the energy drink market in the United States (and is large outside of the country as well), “has a clientele that is both numerous, and heavily caffeinated,” said Yale Law Professor Laura Bernard. “This is a pretty good recipe for a lawsuit storm.”
“The fact that the FDA approved this product in the first place will likely also have repercussions,” continued Bernard. “This is going to be blow up huge, and take a lot of people down with it.”
Gavin Tyson, an FDA lawyer, disagrees.
“There is no basis for a lawsuit, because there are no damages,” explained Tyson. “So far the only allegations are that this product gives children wings. Have you ever met a child who did NOT want wings?”
Bernard, however, is not convinced that Tyson’s argument will hold up in court. “Children as a rule want to fly – flying is the whole point, not the wings,” said Bernard. “As of yet, none of the children who have been born with these wings have succeeded in achieving flight. Until they do, I think the Red Bull is going to get sued, and I think that the FDA is going to get sued for approving the product. And they are both going to lose.”
There are signs that Red Bull executives privately agree with Bernard, and may believe that they are indeed vulnerable from a legal standpoint. According to several inside sources, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, Red Bull has this last week alone spent fifteen million dollars in research and tests.
“The purpose of these experiments is principally concerned with creating stronger wings that will allow a child to become airborne” said one source. “We’re hoping to achieve a flying child long before this thing reaches the courts.”
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Roxxxy the sofisticated sex robot
January 11th, 2010
Douglas Hines, founder of True Companion, presented his life-size rubber doll named Roxxxy during the Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, Jan. 9, 2010.
In what is billed as a world first, a life-size robotic girlfriend complete with artificial intelligence and flesh-like synthetic skin was introduced to adoring fans at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo.
Owners will also be able to select different personalities for Roxxxy, from “Wild Wendy” to “Frigid Farrah,” Hines said. He’s charging somewhere from $7,000 to $9,000 for the robot, including the laptop, and expects to start shipping in a few months.
Inspiration for the sex robot sprang from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and an empty field in Pennsylvania.
“I had a friend who passed away in 9/11,” Hines said. “I promised myself I would create a program to store his personality, and that became the foundation for Roxxxy True Companion.”
Hines first tried to move into the market of creating a companion for the elderly, “But there was tremendous regulatory and bureaucratic paperwork to get through. We were stuck,” Hines said. “So I looked at other markets.” and that is how he ended up in the adult genre.
Roxxxy comes with five personalities.1. Wild Wendy is outgoing and adventurous2. Frigid Farrah is reserved and shy3. Young naive personality along with a4. Mature Martha that Hines described as having a “matriarchal kind of caring.” , and5. S & M Susan is geared for more adventurous types.
January 11th, 2010
Douglas Hines, founder of True Companion, presented his life-size rubber doll named Roxxxy during the Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, Jan. 9, 2010.
In what is billed as a world first, a life-size robotic girlfriend complete with artificial intelligence and flesh-like synthetic skin was introduced to adoring fans at the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo.
Owners will also be able to select different personalities for Roxxxy, from “Wild Wendy” to “Frigid Farrah,” Hines said. He’s charging somewhere from $7,000 to $9,000 for the robot, including the laptop, and expects to start shipping in a few months.
Inspiration for the sex robot sprang from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, when planes crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon and an empty field in Pennsylvania.
“I had a friend who passed away in 9/11,” Hines said. “I promised myself I would create a program to store his personality, and that became the foundation for Roxxxy True Companion.”
Hines first tried to move into the market of creating a companion for the elderly, “But there was tremendous regulatory and bureaucratic paperwork to get through. We were stuck,” Hines said. “So I looked at other markets.” and that is how he ended up in the adult genre.
Roxxxy comes with five personalities.1. Wild Wendy is outgoing and adventurous2. Frigid Farrah is reserved and shy3. Young naive personality along with a4. Mature Martha that Hines described as having a “matriarchal kind of caring.” , and5. S & M Susan is geared for more adventurous types.
Police in Georgia say a 23-year-old man grabbed a baseball bat inside of a Walmart store on Wednesday and smashed 29 flat-screen televisions. I am guessing anger management courses will be part of his sentence.
- A strip club in Ohio has raised $1,000 for Haitian earthquake relief during what was billed as “Lap dances for Haiti. Ummm, is that legal?
- Police say a man who stuffed 75 bottles of body lotion in his pants couldn’t slip away from authorities, hampered by slacks that were nearly bursting at the seams. Dry skin I guess?
- A strip club in Ohio has raised $1,000 for Haitian earthquake relief during what was billed as “Lap dances for Haiti. Ummm, is that legal?
- Police say a man who stuffed 75 bottles of body lotion in his pants couldn’t slip away from authorities, hampered by slacks that were nearly bursting at the seams. Dry skin I guess?
Sporting a mullet pays off at Pittsburgh Zoo
Tue Jul 6, 6:58 am ET
PITTSBURGH – Mullet conservation efforts are under way in Pittsburgh — the hairstyle, not the fish.
The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium gave reduced admission Monday to those sporting the business-in-front, party-in-back look.
The tongue-in-cheek promotion kicked off a week of discount gimmicks at the zoo.
Stuck in the '60s? A tie-dye shirt will get you in the gates for $5 on Thursday. On Friday, the zoo's Facebook friends can get the lower price.
On Monday, the person with the best mullet won a behind-the-scenes zoo tour.
And the prize for the runners-up? A chance for a free haircut.
___
Online:
The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium: http://www.pittsburghzoo
Tue Jul 6, 6:58 am ET
PITTSBURGH – Mullet conservation efforts are under way in Pittsburgh — the hairstyle, not the fish.
The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium gave reduced admission Monday to those sporting the business-in-front, party-in-back look.
The tongue-in-cheek promotion kicked off a week of discount gimmicks at the zoo.
Stuck in the '60s? A tie-dye shirt will get you in the gates for $5 on Thursday. On Friday, the zoo's Facebook friends can get the lower price.
On Monday, the person with the best mullet won a behind-the-scenes zoo tour.
And the prize for the runners-up? A chance for a free haircut.
___
Online:
The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium: http://www.pittsburghzoo
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