Jump to content

GemMan

Members
  • Content Count

    250
  • Donations

    $0.00 
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

Everything posted by GemMan

  1. Most-wanted fugitive caught in South Texas Tuesday, July 16, 2013 EL PASO, TX -- State authorities say a man who was among the 10 most-wanted criminals in Texas has been captured in South Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety announced Monday that 54-year-old Robert Allen Kotlar was arrested at a home in El Campo, about 70 miles southwest of Houston. He was added to the most-wanted list on Thursday and captured the next day. Kotlar was wanted on an array of charges that include assault, burglary, vehicle theft, forgery and resisting an officer. He most recently was sought for a parole violation. His arrest was the result of a tip and authorities say a $7,500 reward will be paid. The department says so far this year 22 people named to the most-wanted list have been caught.
  2. By Associated Press, Published: July 17 IDYLLWILD, Calif. — Firefighters braced Wednesday for an intense day battling a wildfire in the mountains southwest of Palm Springs that already has burned seven homes and led to the evacuation of dozens more as well as a camp serving children with cancer. Temperatures were expected to soar as high as 105 in the area and humidity was critically low, possibly dipping as low as 1 percent by the afternoon, said Tina Rose, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “I was here at sun-up and the fire was burning like it was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. That is extreme fire behavior,” Rose said, adding that the area had not burned in many years. “The slightest little spark is going to make a run and torch trees. It’s just so bone dry.” The blaze destroyed three houses, damaged another and destroyed three mobile homes, a cabin, a garage and about a half-dozen vehicles, the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement Tuesday. Eleven outbuildings, five commercial buildings and several smaller structures also have been lost. The wildfire started Monday between Palm Springs and Hemet, near the rural Riverside County community of Mountain Center and grew to more than 22 square miles by Wednesday morning. It was burning in thick brush and trees at an elevation of 5,000 to 7,500 feet. More than 2,200 firefighters and 25 aircraft had the blaze about 10 percent contained. It was mostly moving east toward the desert and away from small communities of homes, summer cabins and ranches in the San Jacinto Mountains. Most of the damage occurred late Monday and early Tuesday as the fire more than doubled in size, but it was not assessed until later in the day. About 50 homes were evacuated along with Camp Ronald McDonald, which hosts programs for children with cancer and their families. The fire also led authorities to close a pair of state highways and the Pacific Crest Trail. One of the highways reopened Wednesday.
  3. Sanaa Lathan: Denzel Washington’s Reported Mistress Resurfaces In New Rumors Sanaa Lathan and Denzel Washington have a complicated history, and the reported mistress of the 58-year-old actor has now resurfaced in new infidelity rumors. Rumors have circulated this week that Denzel cheated on his wife of 30 years, Pauletta, kissing a woman he met at a house party. The strain on the relationship comes just after Denzel and Pauletta appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine together, but now has grown so bad that they reportedly spent their 30th anniversary apart. The rumors have recalled another reported instance of infidelity. Sanaa Lathan and Denzel Washington appeared together in the movie Out of Time, and reports said they two grew to be more than friends. Despite the alleged affair, Denzel was able to squirm his way out of trouble. “[His wife] confronted him, and once again he denied he did anything wrong,” a source told Star. Sanaa Lathan stuck to the same story, saying she and Denzel were co-stars and nothing more. “(The rumor) got started because the movie had a love scene with Denzel, and people took that and translated it to real life,” Sanaa said in 2006. “They said I was pregnant with Denzel’s child, and people were calling my mother, saying I’m having his baby. It’s frustrating. People are going to talk no matter what.” For Denzel, the Sanaa Lathan situation could provide a blueprint for the current struggles. Pauletta has been firm in her support of Denzel in the past, saying she accepts the good times along with the bad. “I live with this man. I see the down part. I see the sad part. I see every part,” she told Ebony. Pauletta adds: “He has and knows he has stability in me as his wife. That’s what gives him strength, regardless if he misuses it. I can’t dwell on that. But I do know that gives him a great platform to go and fly.” With rumors of the Sanaa Lathan affair fresh in mind, Denzel again denies that he cheated on his wife.
  4. 140 Pound Testicles Man Now Has 1 Inch Penis After Operation Wesley Warren Jnr is furious after an operation to remove his 140 testicles reduced the size of his penis to just one inch. Wesley decided to go through the 13-hour procedure because he was forced to wear a hoodie to support his testicles, was unable to have sex, and was in horrible pain from carrying such a heavy load. However, Wesley has now revealed that he fears he will be unable to ever have a relationship with a woman, because he is so embarrassed by the size of his penis. He told The Sun, “I know the majority of people are probably expecting me to express extreme happiness and glee that my life has been transformed since the sac has been removed – but it’s not as simple as that.” Warren then added, “I do feel a great sense of comfort that the weight is no longer between my legs. It got to the point that it was a danger to my health. But when I look down at what’s here now it’s not the same as what it was. It’s totally different.” He also went on to state, “My natural look prior to the growth is not what came out of surgery. What came out of surgery is a nub an inch long and it doesn’t get any larger. I’m grateful to have been pulled out of the fire, I was getting burned, but now I’m dealing with the first degree burns. I’m still disfigured.” Warren admitted, “I can’t even think about getting into a relationship. It would take someone very patient or very insane to want to have me in their life.” Warren Wesley began to suffer from the embarrassing illness in June 2008, after he squashed his genitals whilst in his sleep. After being prescribed antibiotics to reduce the injury, his testicles wouldn’t stop growing.
  5. Edward B. Myers, Pennsylvania Man, Arrested For Videotaping Son Light 7-Year-Old Boy On Fire Posted: 07/12/2013 1:47 pm EDT [media]http://www.kplctv.com/story/22838472/man-accused-of-torturing-ex-girlfriends-7-year-old-son-setting-him-on-fire?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9091896[media] A Pennsylvania man was arrested this week after police accused him of videotaping his teenage son lighting his now ex-girlfriend's young son on fire. Edward B. Myers, 35, allegedly used a cell phone to record the incident, which occurred on May 25 at the Saxonburg, Penn., home of his then-girlfriend and her son, according to CBS Pittsburgh affiliate KDKA. The 7-year-old victim had third-degree burns on his face and chest after Myers allegedly doused the boy's shirt in flammable liquid and watched as his 15-year-old son lit the garment on fire, reports KDKA. Myers' two sons allegedly shot the victim multiple times with pellet-type guns, according to KDKA. When the victim's mother came home, she took him to Butler Memorial Hospital, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was later transferred to a different hospital's special burn unit due to the severity of the injuries, which covered about ten percent of his body. According to the Post-Gazette, the victim told police his alleged tormenters also threw something painful into his eyes. When he went to the bathroom to rinse them, Meyers allegedly poured nail polish remover on him. “I’ve seen a lot of horrible crimes against children during my career, but this one ranks among the worst of them,” Saxonburg Police Chief Joe Beachem told the Butler Eagle. According to the Eagle, law enforcement is still investigating a motive for the brutal attack, but one of the alleged young perpetrators reportedly called the incident a "prank." Myers is being charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia, according to the Post-Gazette. Unable to pay his $250,000 cash bond, Myers is currently being held in the Butler County jail, reports The Associated Press. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 16. Myers' 15-year-old son is facing charges in juvenile court.
  6. Here`s a Question-- __________________
  7. Urban Herd: Ball Bearing Taxidermy by Courtney Timmermans Courtney Timmermans uses thousands of air rifle BBs to create impressive taxidermy heads of wild animals. The body of work titled Urban Herd will be on view here in Chicago starting July 12 at Jean Albano Gallery and will run through August 24th.
  8. 3D Print Your Mini-Me Figurine Twinkind is a studio based in Hamburg, Germany that allow can 3D print a figurine of yourself. People willing to purchase a scale model of themselves (starting at 225 euros) that are each photorealistic sculptures that vary from 6 to 14 inches in height. Participants can pose in any way they choose and it only takes a few seconds. Once the quick scan is complete, the digital data is then translated and transformed into a tiny model made of polymer plastic powder. For any one in Hamburg that’s interested, there is currently a pop-up studio that’s accepting customers through appointments. According to the company’s website, the figurines are said to take approximately 2-5 weeks to complete due to “high demand and an uncompromised technical process.”
  9. Fabulous Faceless Photo Portraits by Chris Ozer Photographer Chris Ozer has an eye for great shots. He has a big following on Instagram which is quite surprising considering he only recently become a full-time photographer. Chris told the Everest Journal, “There’s this old barn in North Carolina near my mom’s house that I took a few photos of at golden hour and posted to Instagram back in September 2011. I think that was the point where things clicked. The barn has a ton of character and so I started to understand what having a strong subject, and good lighting and composition can do for a photo. I’ve been on the lookout for characters like that ever since.” Whe Chris was asked: “What sort of legacy do you hope to leave with your work?” He replied: “I want to get to the level of someone like Vivian Maier or Henri Cartier-Bresson. It’s not that I want to be as good as them or as recognized, but to be able to capture the people and places around me in a way that’s wholly organic as they did, and so that someone 50 years from now can look back on my images and instantly feel the mood and emotion of the scene I captured. To me this goes beyond the mechanics of photography we all go through: lighting, composition, subject, depth of field, focus point, f-stops, shutter speed. All of that stuff is just a means to an end.”
  10. Impala escapes cheetahs by leaping into tourists' car Watch impala escape from cheetah STORY HIGHLIGHTS Quick-witted impala in South Africa evades cheetahs by leaping into an SUV full of tourists Event captured on video by safari tourist Tourist: "We saw the impala jump out of the bushes then someone started screaming, 'It is in the car!" (CNN) -- A sharp-witted impala in South Africa's Kruger National Park evaded almost certain death when it came up with a novel escape plan. In the midst of being hotly pursued by a pair of cheetahs, the impala leaped though the open window of an SUV filled with safari tourists. The thrilling chase and bold escape were captured on video by a South African tourist in a companion vehicle. "We started freaking out, going crazy; we couldn't believe it, we were absolutely dumbstruck," said 20-year-old Samantha Pittendrigh, who shot the video on July 5. "All of a sudden we saw the impala jump out of the bushes and then someone started screaming, 'It is in the car! It is in the car!' "People in other cars screamed 'Open the door! Open the door!'" One of the passengers in the vehicle did just that. The impala calmly exited the opposite side of the car within seconds of jumping into it. The mystified cheetahs, meanwhile, abandoned the hunt as soon as their prey had bounded into the vehicle. They watched passively from the bushes as the crafty impala bolted to safety in the brush. "My family are so jealous," said Pittendrigh. "In all the years my parents have been going to Kruger Park they have never seen anything like it and we do go regularly. "It really is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and we managed to be in the right place at the right time."
  11. Floating Forest on a 100 year old Abandoned Ship Image by Neerav Bhatt Image by Steve Dorman Image by Rodney Campbell Image by Louise Evangelique Image by Louise Evangelique The SS Ayrfield also known as the “floating forest” is one of many decommissioned ships in the Homebush Bay, just west of Sydney, Australia. Launched in 1911, the massive 1,140-tonne steel behemoth was built in the UK and registered in Sydney in 1912 as a steam collier which was later used to transport supplies to American troops stationed in the Pacific region during World War II. Eventually, in 1972, the SS Ayrfield was retired and sent to Homebush Bay which served as a ship-breaking yard. While many ships were taken apart, about four metallic bodies of vessels that are over 75 years old currently float in the bay, though none are enveloped by nature quite like the Ayrfield. The ship attracts all sorts of visitors (human and wildlife) that come to spend time in with mangrove trees and to enjoy its beauty.
  12. Multi-millionaire computer scientist found dead in waters off Bermuda A multi-millionaire computer scientist who became the largest single donor in the 900-year history of Oxford University has been found dead in the water off his home on a private island. Dr James Martin became the largest single donor in the 900-year history of Oxford University Photo: Rex Features The body of Dr James Martin – who gave $150 million to Oxford more than a decade ago – was found by a kayaker floating in the water near his home on Agar’s Island close to Two Rock Passage in Hamilton Harbour. Bermuda Police said an investigation into Dr Martin's death was ongoing. But a spokesman added: "There does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances." British-born Dr Martin, who was 80, became the author of more than 100 books and a globally-renowned speaker on the computer revolution after starting his career with computer giants IBM in the 1950s. He made his million-dollar fortune through a business that taught other businesses how to benefit from computers. One of his books – 1978’s The Wired Society which predicted the internet revolution – was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He was also ranked fourth of the 25 most influential people in computer science by Computerworld. Dr Martin, who had lived in Bermuda for many years, bought Agar’s Island in 1997 with US-born third wife Lillian and turned it into his private sanctuary. The island home features a 300-year-old temple.
  13. It's Down My Pants: Pregnant Wearside Drug Dealer's Confession To CopsBy Kevin Donald Location: Sunderland A heavily pregnant mum-to-be had 14 wraps of heroin in her knickers when police caught her carrying out a drug deal. Robyn Nelson confessed “it’s down my pants”, when officers swooped as she carried out a sale at a pub car park. The 19-year-old, of Patterdale Street, Hetton-le-Hole, who has never been in trouble before, was sentenced to two years jail, suspended for two years, with supervision and curfew requirements, when she appeared at Newcastle Crown Court. Anthony Burdess, of Wetherburn Avenue, Murton, Seaham, was jailed for four years. The 42-year-old, who has served a previous prison sentence for drug dealing, had driven Nelson to the illegal liaison, and police found 44 wraps of heroin at his home during a search. Prosecutor Graeme O’Sullivan told the court the pair had been spotted in a Volkswagen Golf which pulled into a car park at the Mill Inn pub at Houghton last November. Undercover officers saw an exchange taking place between Nelson, who was in the passenger seat, and a woman who had approached her window. Mr O’Sullivan told the court the police stepped in when it appeared cash had exchanged hands. He said: “Nelson began to cry, she was asked if she had anything on her she shouldn’t have and she nodded and said ‘it’s down my pants’. “She produced 14 wraps of heroin, totalling 2g, from her underwear.” Nelson pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply. Martin Scarborough, defending, said Nelson, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was working “under someone’s direction”, who she refused to name. Burdess admitted being concerned in the supply and possession with intent in relation to the drugs found in his home, which he said he would have shared with his partner. Bob Spragg, defending Burdess, said: “He was delivering drugs and he was being paid in drugs for doing that. “He was a heroin addict at the time.” Judge David Wood told Nelson and Burdess: “Both of you were well aware of the scale of the operation and both had an operational function to perform.” The judge told Nelson: “You knew what the operation was and allowed yourself to get involved in it which, given that you were pregnant at the time, was very irresponsible.”
  14. Wearside Conman Caught Playing Rugby After Making £900k Injury Claim JailedBy Andy Hughes Location: Washington VIDEO: Footage of David Ribchester playing rugby A man has been jailed for eight months after he was caught playing rugby while making a £923,000 claim for wrist injuries. The Old Bailey heard David Ribchester, 31, was secretly filmed at his local rugby club where he was "seen to grab the ball with both hands and go into a hard tackle" despite claiming he was unable to carry out the most basic of tasks and even tie his shoelaces. Ribchester, who exaggerated the injuries he received to his hands and wrists in a workplace accident in February 2006, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation at the court last month. Sentencing him, Judge Nicholas Cooke told him: "David Ribchester, it is greed that has brought you to this and unfortunately there is a lot of greed out there. "Genuinely injured people putting forward wholly honest claims are viewed sceptically because of the publicity in relation to this sort of matter. "Anyone who is tempted to behave in a dishonest way to the extent that you did by attempting to exploit a system which exists to compensate the genuinely injured will end up going to prison." The court heard Ribchester told doctors he needed help with his personal care including getting in and out of the bath and that he could not open jars, carry out housework, play the drums or drive his car. He also conned psychiatrists into thinking he was emotionally scarred by the accident and was diagnosed with moderate post-traumatic stress disorder and with showing features of a major depressive disorder. He even told them he felt like he was not a proper father as he could not pick his young daughter up. But insurers began to suspect him after his injuries seemed to be getting worse over time, and referred him to their in-house counter fraud team who carried out surveillance. Between February 2008 and October 2009, he was filmed on a number of occasions driving his car, carrying his daughter, constructing garden furniture, pushing a trolley, and loading and unloading heavy shopping bags. Prosecutor James Byrne told the court that on October 10, 2009 Ribchester was filmed watching rugby at the club, before being seen taking part in non-contact training the next day. Then on October 24, he was filmed joining in training once again where he was seen to tackle another player. The judge added: "It costs a lot of money to set up surveillance operations, to have contacted the fraud department in the insurance company. Such things probably didn't exist decades ago, such is the extent that dishonesty may have become endemic in this world." The court heard Ribchester had genuinely injured soft tissue damage to both wrists after he fell around 5ft to the ground when a ladder came away from a refrigerated HGV lorry owned by Schmitz Cargobull in Durham. The court heard that on March 6, 2006, the company received a letter alleging negligence on their part for their failure to ensure the ladder was properly fixed to the trailer. The letter was written by his sister, Andrea Ribchester, a qualified personal insurance solicitor, although the court heard there was no suggestion she had committed any wrongdoing. An investigation was carried out concluding an admission of liability for the accident by Schmitz Cargobull. But the court heard that nothing was then heard by the insurers from the defendant or his sister for more than eight months, and then in September 2007 they received a letter which for the first time described Ribchester as having suffered from "significant physical injuries". The letter, from Paul D'Ambrogio Solicitors, who Mrs Ribchester was by this time working for, also claimed the defendant had been "adversely psychologically affected by the injuries upon his life and the ongoing pain from which he is suffering." Mr Byrne said that the insurance company began to become suspicious at the defendant's seemingly worsening symptoms and also by the fact that his sister appeared to be running the claim on his behalf and secret surveillance was carried out. The insurers, RSA Group Insurance Company, also instructed their own solicitors who arranged for a doctor to assess Ribchester. The court heard his report said: "I have never come across a case of complex regional pain syndrome which has allegedly developed in this way. If it is due to an accident, it occurs within a few weeks following trauma, it does not simply occur many months later." Mr Byrne said Ribchester's claims were then laid out, which included £24,175 for childcare and £19,382 for future childcare, while he expected £321,901 for future nursing costs for himself along with £89,253 future expenses. The court heard the defendant later settled for just £50,000 but was then arrested on April 3 this year. He gave police a prepared statement in which he claimed that the extent of his pain varied from day to day and when he had spoken to doctors he was giving an indication of how they were at their worst. In mitigation Flavia Kenyon, defending Ribchester, said he was a hard-working family man of previous good character who had never offended before. Ribchester, of the John F Kennedy estate, Washington, Tyne and Wear, showed no emotion as the sentence was passed
  15. Charity Workers Sacked After Being Caught In Sex Act On Disabled BusBy Hugh Macknight Location: Sunderland They pleaded guilty to outraging public decency Two charity workers have been sacked after they were caught in a sex act on a bus carrying disabled students. A shocked passer-by called police after seeing Lesley Armour, 47, and 64-year-old Terence Webb, who were working for Educational Services for People with Autism (Espa) College in Sunderland at the time, enjoying a steamy session on a college minibus in broad daylight. The man was so incensed by their display on Hendon Promenade that he banged on the window of the bus. They drove off and later told bosses that the man had reacted angrily to the students, who are autistic. But the sordid secret of the two learning skills assistants was revealed after police were called in. They pleaded guilty to outraging public decency during separate hearings at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court. Paul Anderson, prosecuting, said it was about noon on May 10 when the witness spotted the defendants in such a “passionate embrace” that he decided to confront them, as he was worried about the two students. Mr Anderson said: “He got out of his car and knocked on the window of the minibus. "Mr Webb looked shocked. He was sitting in the middle seat of three and his trousers were open. Mrs Armour was naked from the waist down. Her underwear and trousers were in the foot well of the passenger side of the bus.” Armour, from Boldon Colliery, who had worked at the college for 11 years, told police that they had left an event at Raich Carter sports centre in Hendon early, as one of the students became upset. They decided to drive to the beach before lunch, as the sea helped calm the student down. She admitted they began kissing and Webb had touched her underneath her clothes, but she denied taking off her trousers. Mr Anderson added: “She said she had been involved with Terry for three to four years, though they are both married to other people.” Jaxon Taylor, defending Armour, of Topping Street, said there were discrepancies between the prosecution case and what she told police. “The fact is she engaged in some form of sexual activity with Mr Webb, although there were two adults with learning difficulties in the back of the bus. “Albeit they did not see the sexual activity, there was one person who could have witnessed the incident that was being undertaken.” Webb, of Compton Court, in Oxclose, Washington, denied having his trousers open during the tryst, which he claimed was a one-off. Andy Travis, defending, said: “It should never have happened, but it was not pre-planned. He is a man of good character.” Both cases were adjourned for three weeks so pre-sentence reports could be prepared. Speaking after the case, Lesley Lane, chief executive of Espa – which its website said provides “a positive educational experience that prepares both day and residential students for their future life, well-being and work” – stressed that the students were not aware of what was going on. She said: “There was an incident involving two members of staff. They were immediately suspended and have been subsequently dismissed. “There was never a point where any one we support was put at risk and we fully complied with the police investigation.”
  16. Pelka Case: Mum 'Gave Salt To Thirsty Boy' A court hears four-year-old Daniel Pelka, who was allegedly starved for months, made his mother angry by asking for food. 6:36pm UK, Monday 08 July 2013 Daniel was physically punished for stealing food, jurors were told By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent A man accused of murdering his stepson has told a court there was no deliberate campaign to starve the child as punishment. Daniel Pelka was allegedly beaten to death and deprived of food for months before he died at home in Coventry last March. His mother Magdelena Luczak and her partner Mariusz Krezolek deny murdering the four-year-old and causing or allowing his death. Krezolek told Birmingham Crown Court that Daniel was fed the same amount of food as his sibling. He said: "Magda would call and say he had his cereal and five pieces of toast and 10 minutes later on the way to school he would cry for food again." Krezolek said it made Luczak angry. "She would take a belt and hit him," he said, on Daniel's back, bottom and arms. He admitted hitting Daniel on his bottom too, but said he did not "beat him up the way Magda would". Speaking though a Polish interpreter, he told jurors Luczak had asked him to secure Daniel's bedroom so he could not get out at night and steal food. He said her view was that "Daniel should feel a man's hand. It's the man that should be punishing". Krezolek said that as punishment for Daniel's bad behaviour, and when he stole food from school, he made Daniel kneel for up to 20 minutes, run round the living room, and do 10 minutes of squats. "I did it because I was stupid and listened to Magda," he said. Krezolek also said that when Daniel cried for a drink, Luczak gave him salt so "he would feel even more thirsty". "I had never seen a mother giving salt to a child out of spite yet Magda thought he'd be alright," he said. He admitted giving Daniel around a "teaspoonful" of salt on two occasions. But after the second time, when Daniel was sick, he said he never did it again. Krezolek said he noticed Daniel getting thinner in the February, before his death the following month, but "when I saw him in the morgue he looked somehow smaller, he had a big head". Earlier, Krezolek, who described Daniel as a "cheeky boy" but "completely normal", said his relationship with Luczak had been "wonderful" at first, and he got on well with Daniel and his sibling. But he said Luczak became "sick" with jealousy and smashed up four or five computers to stop him contacting female friends in Poland. He said he did not like her smoking marijuana and drinking heavily, and denied that he had ever been violent towards her. He told the court that Luczak once chased him around a room with two knives. The trial continues.
  17. Indonesia: Prisoners Escape Amid Jail Riot Security forces take control of a maximum security jail after inmates set it ablaze in a protest over conditions. 9:55am UK, Friday 12 July 2013 Video: Prisoners Recaptured After Prison Break Security forces have retaken control of a crowded prison in western Indonesia where inmates started a massive riot that left five people dead and hundreds of prisoners, including convicted terrorists, on the loose. About 500 policemen and 300 soldiers have been deployed around Tanjung Gusta prison in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, where the riot broke out on Thursday night. Fire brigades have also been battling fires started by prisoners which had engulfed the jail. Prison directorate spokesman Akbar Hadi said the situation is now under control after soldiers entered the prison without resistance. Prisoners stand inside the Tanjung Gusta prison amid the riotHundreds of policemen have blocked roads linking Medan to the provinces of Aceh, Jambi and West Sumatra while searching for inmates who escaped during the riot, which began after a protest over a lack of water and electricity turned violent. Indonesian authorities said security forces had recaptured 64 out of 240 prisoners who fled the facility in the nation's third-largest city. Inmates had been in control of the jail until early on Friday morning, casually chatting outside their cells while heavily armed security forces formed a cordon round the building. Five people, three prisoners and two prison staff, were killed in the riots. Ten civilian guards had briefly been held hostage but were later released. The jail was set ablaze by inmatesPrisoners still on the loose included five of the 14 terror convicts that were being held at the institution. The terrorists are believed to have links to Toni Togar, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a separate prison for a series of church bombings in Sumatra in 2000, according to the Jakarta Post. A spokesman for the justice and human rights ministry, Goncang Raharjo, said that, like many jails in Indonesia, Tanjung Gusta was overcrowded - holding more than double its official capacity. "The prison capacity is only 1,054 but it now holds about 2,600 convicts and suspects on trials. "Most prisons across the country have this problem," he said.
  18. Earlier: Jammie Thomas' file-sharing caseThe Minnesota woman who took on the recording industry over a $222,000 verdict for sharing copyrighted songs has to pay up. Jammie Thomas-Rasset (Credit: Jammie Thomas-Rasset) A Minnesota woman's fight with the recording industry over her illegally sharing copyrighted songs is finally over. The Supreme court has denied the petition of Jammie Thomas-Rasset to hear her case, leaving Thomas-Rasset to pay $222,000 to an industry group. The five-year-long case started in 2007 when the Recording Industry Association of America accused Thomas-Rasset of sharing 1,700 copyrighted songs. After the case's initial filing, the RIAA reduced the number of songs to 24 and the jury rendered a $222,000 verdict in the case. After multiple appearances and decisions in court -- which included the original decision being thrown out for a technical error and then a retrial that led to a verdict of $1.92 million instead of the $222,000 award -- the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reinstated the original $222,000 in September. Faced with the decision, Thomas-Rasset decided to petition the Supreme Court, but the court declining to hear the case means she has run out of choices.
  19. Convicted Music Pirate Refuses to Work For The RIAA Jammie Thomas, a 36-year woman from Minnesota, owes the RIAA $222,000 for sharing 24 songs online. The case was one of the first file-sharing related lawsuits ever and has cost the major music labels millions of dollars in legal fees. Still, the RIAA is now offering Thomas a discount if she will agree to do some anti-piracy work for them in return. However, Thomas is not biting and has resolutely refused the gesture.During the last decade the RIAA targeted about 35,000 people in their file-sharing lawsuits and Jammie Thomas is one of their most famous defendants. The case is best known for being the first major file-sharing case in the US concerning the P2P activity of a regular user and the vast swings in damages awarded over multiple court hearings. Even the Obama administration got involved earlier this year, arguing that the Supreme Court should not reduce the $222,000 fine as that would be an encouragement to other music pirates. The Supreme Court listened and eventually refused to review the case. The end result is that Thomas now owes the RIAA more money than she can pay, and she’s even considering filing for bankruptcy to avoid paying anything. However, the RIAA sees another opportunity. Wired reports that the anti-piracy group has offered to reduce Thomas’s fine if she agrees to “work” for them campaigning against piracy. While the RIAA probably has the best intentions, for someone who fought legal battles against the music group for nearly a decade, the gesture probably feels like a slap in the face. And indeed, Thomas has resolutely refused the offer. “I’m not doing it,” she said. According to Thomas’s lawyer the RIAA hasn’t yet put a number on the discount, but it was made clear that she wouldn’t have to pay the full amount. This wasn’t the first offer either, previously Thomas was given the opportunity to settle the case in exchange for a donation to a music charity. Commenting on the issue, the RIAA maintains that its intention is to resolve the manner in a “reasonable way,” minimizing harm for all involved. “We have communicated to Ms. Thomas that we would consider a variety of non-monetary settlement options, which is up to her to offer. We think this is a gesture of a good will and we’re doing what we can to resolve this case in a manner that works for everyone,” an RIAA spokesman says. Willingly or not, if Thomas ends up paying even a small amount she will indirectly contribute to the RIAA’s anti-piracy efforts. The RIAA previously stated that piracy damages do not flow to the artists, but are reinvested in anti-piracy efforts. The only way for Thomas to escape paying is by her going bankrupt, although that would mean that everyone involved in the case ends up losing. Except the lawyers.
  20. Amar G. Bose, Acoustic Engineer and Inventor, Dies at 83 Amar G. Bose, the visionary engineer, inventor and billionaire entrepreneur whose namesake company, the Bose Corporation, became synonymous with high-quality audio systems and speakers for home users, auditoriums and automobiles, died on Friday at his home in Wayland, Mass. He was 83. Michael QuanAmar G. Bose, chairman of Bose, with a Wave radio in 1993. His death was confirmed by his son, Dr. Vanu G. Bose. As founder and chairman of the privately held company, Dr. Bose focused relentlessly on acoustic engineering innovation. His speakers, though expensive, earned a reputation for bringing concert-hall-quality audio into the home. And by refusing to offer stock to the public, Dr. Bose was able to pursue risky long-term research, such as noise-canceling headphones and an innovative suspension system for cars, without the pressures of quarterly earnings announcements. In a 2004 interview in Popular Science magazine, he said: “I would have been fired a hundred times at a company run by M.B.A.’s. But I never went into business to make money. I went into business so that I could do interesting things that hadn’t been done before.” A perfectionist and a devotee of classical music, Dr. Bose was disappointed by the inferior sound of a high-priced stereo system he purchased when he was an M.I.T. engineering student in the 1950s. His interest in acoustic engineering piqued, he realized that 80 percent of the sound experienced in a concert hall was indirect, meaning that it bounced off walls and ceilings before reaching the audience. This realization, using basic concepts of physics, formed the basis of his research. In the early 1960s, Dr. Bose invented a new type of stereo speaker based on psychoacoustics, the study of sound perception. His design incorporated multiple small speakers aimed at the surrounding walls, rather than directly at the listener, to reflect the sound and, in essence, recreate the larger sound heard in concert halls. In 1964, at the urging of his mentor and adviser at M.I.T., Dr. Y. W. Lee, he founded his company to pursue long-term research in acoustics. The Bose Corporation initially pursued military contracts, but Dr. Bose’s vision was to produce a new generation of stereo speakers. Though his first speakers fell short of expectations, Dr. Bose kept at it. In 1968, he introduced the Bose 901 Direct/Reflecting speaker system, which became a best seller for more than 25 years and firmly entrenched Bose, based in Framingham, Mass., as a leader in a highly competitive audio components marketplace. Unlike conventional loudspeakers, which radiated sound only forward, the 901s used a blend of direct and reflected sound. Later inventions included the popular Bose Wave radio and the Bose noise-canceling headphones, which were so effective they were adopted by the military and commercial pilots. A Bose software program enabled acoustic engineers to simulate the sound from any seat in a large hall, even before the site was built. The system was used to create sound systems for such diverse spaces as Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Sistine Chapel and the Masjid al-Haram, the grand mosque in Mecca. In 1982, some of the world’s top automakers, including Mercedes and Porsche, began to install Bose audio systems in their vehicles, and the brand remains a favorite in that market segment. Dr. Bose’s devotion to research was matched by his passion for teaching. Having earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the 1950s, Dr. Bose returned from a Fulbright scholarship at the National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi and joined the M.I.T. faculty in 1956. He taught there for more than 45 years, and in 2011, donated a majority of his company’s shares to the school. The gift provides M.I.T. with annual cash dividends. M.I.T. cannot sell the shares and does not participate in the company’s management. Dr. Bose made a lasting impression in the classroom as well as in his company. His popular course on acoustics was as much about life as about electronics, said Alan V. Oppenheim, an M.I.T. engineering professor and a longtime colleague. “He talked not only about acoustics but about philosophy, personal behavior, what is important in life. He was somebody with extraordinary standards,” Professor Oppenheim said. Dr. William R. Brody, head of the Salk Institute in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, was a student in Dr. Bose’s class in 1962. He told Popular Science: “His class gave me the courage to tackle high-risk problems and equipped me with the problem-solving skills I needed to be successful in several careers. Amar Bose taught me how to think.” Amar Gopal Bose was born on Nov. 2, 1929, in Philadelphia. His father, Noni Gopal Bose, was a Bengali freedom fighter who was studying physics at Calcutta University when he was arrested and imprisoned for his opposition to British rule in India. He escaped and fled to the United States in 1920, where he married an American schoolteacher. At age 13, Dr. Bose began repairing radio sets for pocket money for repair shops in Philadelphia. During World War II, when his father’s import business struggled, Dr. Bose’s electronics repairs helped support the family. After graduating from high school, Dr. Bose was admitted to M.I.T. in 1947, where he studied under the mathematician Norbert Weiner, along with Dr. Lee. An avid badminton player and swimmer, Dr. Bose spent several weeks each year at his vacation home in Hawaii. Dr. Bose and his ex-wife, Prema, had two children, Vanu, now the head of his own company, Vanu Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., and Maya Bose, who survive him, as does his second wife, Ursula, and one grandchild.
  21. These people should not own guns 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
  22. GemMan

    Nailed it

    2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
  23. This guy probably thought he'd receive some positive feedback upon changing his status to "In a Relationship," but what he got was a slew of pun-filled jokes that are almost too funny to handle.
  24. Grandparents On Facebook
×