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Police launched murder probe after body of Karen Swift, who vanished on Halloween night, was found

Diane A. Wade
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Police launched murder probe after body of Karen Swift, who vanished on Halloween night, was found

Police in Dyer County, Tennessee, have launched a murder investigation after the body of mother-of-four Karen Swift, who vanished after Halloween party, was found.

Karen Swift’s body was found among bushes and undergrowth near a cemetery just two miles from her home

Investigators are currently giving no details about how she was murdered and no suspects have been named.

Karen Swift, 44, was last seen outside her home on October 30 at 1:30 a.m. after returning from a Halloween party.

Twenty days before her disappearance, Karen Swift had filed for divorce from her husband David, citing irreconcilable differences, myfoxmemphis.com reports.

According to court documents, the couple seemed to agree on a custody arrangement and child support payments while they were still living together.

Karen Swift, 44, was last seen outside her home on October 30 at 1:30 a.m. after returning from a Halloween party
Karen Swift, 44, was last seen outside her home on October 30 at 1:30 a.m. after returning from a Halloween party

Karen Swift had two sons in college and two daughters aged seven and nine.

Her body was found on Saturday after the once-green vegetation that had concealed it had thinned due to the cold weather.

The body was identified on Sunday using dental records.

Karen Swift’s car was found about a mile from her home, with a flat tire.

Her father Gary Johnson, 67, last month told ABC she could have got a flat tire and decided to leave the car and walk home when something happened to her.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agent in charge John Mehr said the vehicle was searched for evidence but did not say what may have been found.

The timeline of events leaves questions, and a multi-hour window, up for investigation.

Karen Swift attended a Halloween party at the Dyersburg Country Club-The Farms the night before she disappeared, and arrived home to the house she shared with her ex-husband around midnight. She had picked up one of the couples’ daughters from a sleepover since the girl was not feeling well.

The State Gazette reports that Karen Swift and her husband David bumped into each other on the stairs when she came home; making that the last time anyone reported seeing her.

The next morning, Karen Swift was not in the house so David called her cell phone and got no answer. A neighbor then called David to tell him that her abandoned car was sitting off the side of a small nearby highway.

David Swift then reportedly made several calls trying to ascertain Karen’s whereabouts: he called one of their older sons, who was at college in Arkansas, he called some of Karen’s friends, all of whom had no clues.

It was one of Karen Swift’s friends who called the police department to report her missing at 2:37 p.m. Sunday afternoon, and not David. The police then told the friend to have David call them and he did so.

The following search included crime lab specialists, K9 teams and ground crews searching the rivers and lakes surrounding the area where Karen Swift’s car was found.

There was one initial clue that gave an inkling of hope but ended up being a tangential issue.

A week after Karen Swift disappeared, one of her neighbors was arrested for aggravated animal cruelty.

The aptly-named John Hogshooter, 39, was arrested after allegedly poisoning two local dogs, one of which belonged to the Swifts.

Given the disturbing nature of his crimes and proximity to the Swifts house, his car and home were searched for clues relating to Karen’s disappearance but was ruled out as a suspect shortly after the investigators found nothing relating him to her case.

Karen Swift’s brother Jeffrey Johnson said the young daughters were “in shock” with their mother gone.

David Swift’s lawyer Timothy Naifeh said: “It’s very emotional for Mr. Swift and the family.

“They’re asking at least for this period of time to have some privacy – it’s time for grieving and it’s time for mourning.

“It’s heartbreaking and it’s very, very sad.”

Karen Swift’s disappearance prompted a massive ground and aerial search.

Four people arrested for operating swingers’ club in Tampa Bay

Diane A. Wade
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Four people arrested for operating swingers’ club in Tampa Bay

Four people were arrested in Tampa Bay, Florida, after police discovered Steven and Cynthia Bowers, a middle-aged Florida couple, were holding a swingers’ club at their three-bedroom home.

Following a six-week investigation, Tampa Bay sheriff’s officers raided the property and found all three bedrooms lined wall-to-wall with beds, a dancing pole, spanking table and large televisions which were playing pornographic films.

Tenants Steven Bowers, 56, and Cynthia Bowers, 55, both of St Petersburg were arrested as were their friends Ricky Zabala, 55, and Pamela Zabala, 54, who are believed to have helped the Bowers operate the club.

They were charged on Saturday with operating a sexually-oriented business without a license. They were also charged with operating a bottle club without proper zoning and licensing.

Cynthia Bowers
Cynthia Bowers

The business was thought to have been in operation from Wednesday to Sunday from 6:00 p.m. until the early hours of the morning, with a line of tiki torches lighting the way up the driveway for guests

Sheriff’s office launched an investigation after several neighbours complained.

Steven Bowers
Steven Bowers

Landlord Sheriff Iguaran told the St Petersburg Times that Steven and Cynthia Bowers seemed like excellent tenants as they always paid their rent on time and kept the grass neatly trimmed.

The landlord said: “They told me they were a party family. As long as there was no criminal activity, I had no problem.”

It wasn’t until last week he learned from the county code enforcement that the couple was hosting an illegal swingers club.

He said: “I am very sad to find this on my property, you don’t know how much.”

Police believe the Bowers’ “parties” at the house boomed into an unlicensed sex club business where single guests paid to get in and couples got in for free. There was also said to be a bring-your-own-bottle policy.

Both couples were released on bond on Saturday.

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Bart Heller’s Facebook post led police to a murder scene where he killed two 19-year-olds

Diane A. Wade
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Bart Heller’s Facebook post led police to a murder scene where he killed two 19-year-olds

Bart Heller, a jilted boyfriend from Fort Wayne, Indiana, posted on Facebook a text that led police to a gruesome murder scene, where he killed two 19-year-olds before committing suicide.

Police found the bodies after a getting a tip from thousands of miles away.

Bart Heller, 43, posted at 2:26 pm Saturday: “someone call 911. three dead bodies at 3229 lima road fort wayne indiana. I’ve killed ryann, erin, and myself. people were warned not to f******* play me and ruin me. they didn’t listen. sorry about your luck.”

Nancy Lopez, who lives across the country in Washington state, spotted the Facebook posting on her status news feed and called police.

Bart Heller posted on Facebook a text that led police to a gruesome murder scene, where he killed two 19-year-olds to death before committing suicide
Bart Heller posted on Facebook a text that led police to a gruesome murder scene, where he killed two 19-year-olds to death before committing suicide

Less than 20 minutes later, police arrived at the address to find Erin Jehl, Bart Heller’s ex-girlfriend, and Ryann Tipton, both 19, shot to death. Bart Heller was also dead in the house, according to reports.

Bart Heller apparently killed Erin Jehl after she dumped him several days before. Ryann Tipton was Erin Jehl’s high school friend and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Police have not formally identified Bart Heller as the shooter, but said Erin Jehl was picking up some of her things from her ex-boyfriend when he killed her and Ryann Tipton.

Bart Heller apparently killed Erin Jehl after she dumped him several days before
Bart Heller apparently killed Erin Jehl after she dumped him several days before

Police do not believe Ryann Tipton and Erin Jehl were romantically involved.

Bart Heller’s Facebook profile, as well as his post, has since been removed by Facebook.

However, Saturday afternoon, Nancy Lopez saw the posting and panicked.

Nancy Lopez told WANE TV she had never met Bart Heller. He sent her a friend request on the social network saying he wanted to get to know people from different parts of the country.

Their interactions were brief and rare.

“They were just more like, <<Hi. How are you?>>. That kind of thing. We never talked serious,” Nancy Lopez said.

It’s unclear how long Bart Heller dates Erin Jehl or what drove the shooting. However, there was a significant age gap between the two.

Verizon apologized after sending “extreme threat to life” warning mass text message

Nancy Clayson
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Verizon apologized after sending “extreme threat to life” warning mass text message

Verizon Wireless apologized yesterday for sending out a mass text message to thousands of people warning of a “civil emergency” and an “extreme threat to life”.

Verizon text urging people to “take shelter before 1:24 p.m.” was sent out at 12:26 p.m. on Monday to cell phone users in the New Jersey counties of Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris and Ocean.

It led to scores of worried residents calling their local police departments, NJ.com reports.

Many people were panic stricken and in a state of shock and confusion.

Verizon text urging people to “take shelter before 1:24 p.m.” was sent out at 12:26 p.m. on Monday to cell phone users in the New Jersey counties of Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris and Ocean
Verizon text urging people to “take shelter before 1:24 p.m.” was sent out at 12:26 p.m. on Monday to cell phone users in the New Jersey counties of Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris and Ocean

About two hours after the mass text was sent out, Verizon issued an apology, saying that it was a “test emergency notification” that failed to say it was a test.

Company spokesman David Samberg said: “This test message was not clearly identified as a test.

“We apologize for any inconvenience or concern this message may have caused.”

Police departments and county authorities confirmed that they received a high volume of 911 calls from concerned residents asking whether there was an actual emergency.

Before Verizon came forward to issue the apology, authorities thought it may have been the work of hackers.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said: “There is no reason to panic here. It is a false text done maliciously.”

It also prompted the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security to issue a special statement on Twitter this afternoon reassuring citizens there was no actual emergency.

4 soldiers died after two OH-58 Kiowa choppers crashed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Roy Siemens
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Four US soldiers have been killed when two helicopters crashed on a training exercise at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, near Tacoma, reports quoting a military spokesman said.

Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, told the Seattle Times the circumstances of Monday night’s crash remained unclear.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the deceased,” Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield said, promising a “thorough investigation”.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a joint US army and air force facility.

The facility supports more than 100,000 military and civilian personnel, contract employees and retirees, the Seattle Times reports.

Lt. Col. Gary Dangerfield said two OH-58 Kiowa choppers had crashed in the aviation training area south-west of the base at around 20:00 local time in clear skies.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation,” he said.

“We will do everything in our power to support the families of the brave soldiers who died this evening.”

Sniffing a man’ scent could tells you if he has a STD

Kathryn R. Bown
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Russian scientists say that sniffing a potential partner’s scent could tell if Mr. Right has a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Russian researchers found that gonorrhea-infected men smelt “putrid” to women, reports MSNBC.com.

“Our research revealed that infection disease reduces odor attractiveness in humans,” wrote Mikhail Moshkin, a professor at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics in Russia, and the lead author of research published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

The off-putting scent may be subtle, more a chemical warning than a stench of body odor, but it does have some effect, according to the experiment conducted by Mikhail Moshkin and his colleagues.

The scientists had already observed that certain animals, such as mice and rats, were not as attracted to the scents of those that were infected with disease, reports MSNBC.com.

They investigated if humans would also be turned off by the scent of an infected person, particularly one with an STD.

The researchers took samples of armpit sweat and spit from 34 Russian men aged between 17 and 25.

The group included 13 young men with gonorrhea, 16 who were healthy and five who had had the disease but were successfully treated.

Then 18 female students aged 17 to 20 were asked to sniff the samples.

They obtained sweat samples by dressing the men in tight-fitting T-shirts with cotton pads sewn into the armpits.

After an hour of sweating, men bagged their shirts and the pads were placed in glass vials for the women to sniff.

The women ranked the infected men less than half as high as healthy or recovered guys on a “pleasantness score” that assessed scent.

And when they were asked to describe the scent, the women said that nearly 50% of the infected men’s sweat smelt “putrid”.

The researchers said the study indicates that humans, like other animals, might use scent to sniff out appropriate mates.

“We can conclude that unpleasant body odor of infected persons can reduce the probability of a dangerous partnership,” the scientists say in the MSNBC.com report.

Breakthrough gel treats middle-age acne (rosacea) in four weeks

Kathryn R. Bown
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Breakthrough gel treats middle-age acne (rosacea) in four weeks

Scientists have developed a new gel that could help banish the redness suffered by people with “middle-age acne” or rosacea skin condition in just four weeks.

According to researchers, the gel contains a drug widely used in eye drops to treat glaucoma, the disease that can cause blindness, which works by constricting blood vessels.

When used in the eye, the drug makes blood vessels shrink and reduces pressure that can cause vision problems.

Researchers have reformulated the drug into a gel that can make blood vessels in the surface of skin contract, reducing the red and flushed appearance that many rosacea sufferers endure.

acne-treatment
Photo Source: waterdropcosmetic.com

Generally, one in ten adults suffers from middle-age acne, with twice as many women affected as men.

The skin condition actually starts with frequent episodes of flushing, usually in fair-skinned people who are genetically susceptible to rapidly reddening skin.

It has been suggested that rosacea is triggered by a microscopic mite which usually lives harmlessly on the skin.

The mites have been found in higher numbers on people with rosacea, but there remains no proof that they actually cause it.

During flushing episodes, tiny blood vessels quickly dilate, allowing more blood to flow through.

They then relax and return to their normal diameter. But over time, they can become permanently dilated, allowing higher amounts of blood to flow near the skin’s surface. Many sufferers go on to develop spots, especially around the nose.

Eventually, flushing results in leakage of inflammatory cells out of the blood vessels and into the skin.

These inflammatory cells then migrate toward the surface of the skin, resulting in spots.

Many people find the flushing is made worse by triggers ranging from spicy food, to stress, alcohol or cold weather.

Most existing acne treatment regimens for rosacea involve antibiotic creams and gels to control infections on the skin caused by the condition.

Laser therapy can also make the blood vessels shrink and needs to be repeated after a few months.

Scientists at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, used the new gel on 122 rosacea sufferers once or twice a day for four weeks.

Within 12 hours, there was an improvement in redness, according to results published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Michael Jackson’s house items displayed at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills

Lisa.Felice
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Michael Jackson’s house items displayed at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills

Michael Jackson’s house items from the home where he spent his final days have been displayed at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, where his adoring fans turn the place into a shrine.

The display includes a Victorian baby grand piano, the wooden armoire where Michael Jackson had written a note to himself on the mirror and a kitchen chalkboard where his children inscribed the message, “I love daddy”.

About 25 members of the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California spent the weekend making and delivering glitter-covered cards, handmade Christmas ornaments, flowers and pictures to the auction rooms. They will be passed on to the Jackson family.

Michael Jackson’s house items from the home where he spent his final days have been displayed at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, where his adoring fans turn the place into a shrine
Michael Jackson’s house items from the home where he spent his final days have been displayed at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, where his adoring fans turn the place into a shrine

Julien’s Auctions announced last month that it would sell the contents of the sprawling home where Michael Jackson died in 2009.

On Sunday, Julien’s Auctions invited Michael Jackson fans to preview its exhibit of the home’s art and furnishings before it opened to the public on Monday.

“This means a lot, because we don’t have a place to go to leave things for the family,” said Christine Tucker, spokeswoman for the fan club.

“He inspires us to create. We make these beautiful things and we want his kids and his mom to see it.”

Karen Jackson, a 57-year old fan, stayed up all night working on her creation – a charm-covered chain anchored by a metal “M” that includes tiny photos of Prince, Paris and Blanket.

“I’ve been working on this for a year,” Karen Jackson said.

“I hadn’t finished it because I didn’t know how to get it to them.”

Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, said he sought permission from the Michael Jackson’s family to include fans in the auction exhibit, and the megastar’s mother requested that he deliver any handmade items from fans to her.

“They put their hearts into it because they want the kids and Mrs. Jackson to see how much love they have for Michael,” Darren Julien said.

“Michael Jackson has played such an important part in our careers and lives, and this is a fun way to give back. This is Michael’s VIP reception.”

Julien’s Auctions sold the contents of Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in April, 2009. The company also sold Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” jacket for $1.8 million over the summer and his signature spangled glove for $350,000 in 2009.

For the auction of items from Michael Jackson’s rented mansion at 100 North Carolwood Drive, Julien’s Auctions has recreated the home’s various rooms inside the Beverly Hills showroom.

There is a formal dining room anchored by a long table and 10 carved chairs, an elegant living room with damask sofas, and several bedrooms – including the one where Michael Jackson died.

The headboard of his bed was removed from the auction at his family’s request, so fans filled the space where the bed would have been with their tribute.

Among the lots available for sale, fans were most interested in photographing the armoire with Michael Jackson’s handwritten message (expected to sell for at least $6,000) and the chalkboard note from his children (expected to fetch more than $400).

Other items for sale include carved wooden tables, antique statues and various framed paintings.

Darren Julien said he wanted Michael Jackson’s fans to be part of the exhibit “not because they’re going to buy anything, but to honor his legacy”.

“Fans are welcome to add to the tribute throughout the week,” he said.

The exhibit of items is free and open to the public. The auction will be held Saturday.

Breakthrough vaccine that could tackle 70% of lethal cancers

Kathryn R. Bown
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Scientists from the University of Georgia and the Mayo Clinic in US have developed a vaccine that could deal a serious blow to seven in ten lethal cancers.

In tests, the vaccine it shrunk breast tumours by 80%, and researchers believe it could also tackle prostate, pancreatic, bowel and ovarian cancers.

Even tumours that resist treatment with the best medicines on the market, including the “wonder drug” Herceptin, may be susceptible to the vaccine.

The experiments done so far have been on mice, but researchers hope to pilot the drug on people within two years.

If all goes well, the vaccine – one of the first to combat cancer – could be on the market by 2020.

Rather than attacking cancer cells, like many drugs, the new treatment harnesses the power of the immune system to fight tumours.

The search for cancer vaccines has until now been hampered by fears that healthy tissue would be destroyed with tumours.

To get round this, researchers, who led the study, were focused on a protein called MUC1 that is made in bigger amounts in cancerous cells than in healthy ones.

Not only is there more of it, but a sugar that it is “decorated” with has a distinctive shape.

The vaccine “trains” the immune system to recognize the rogue sugar and turn its arsenal against the cancer.

Researcher Professor Sandra Gendler said: “Cancer cells have a special way of thwarting the immune system by putting sugars on the surface of tumour cells so they can travel around the body without being detected.

“To enable the immune system to recognize the sugar, it took a special vaccine that had three parts to it.

“That turned out to be a winning combination.”

The co-author, Professor Geert-Jan Boons said: “This vaccine elicits a very strong immune response.

“It activates all three components of the immune system to reduce tumour size by an average of 80 per cent.”

The misshaped MUC1 sugar is found in 90% of breast and pancreatic cancers and around 60% of prostate cancers, as well as many other tumours.

The researchers believe more than 70% of all cancers that kill may be susceptible to the vaccine.

Despite their excitement, the work is still only at an early stage.

After the “dramatic” results of the tests on mice with breast tumours, the researchers now plan to try the drug on human cancer cells in a dish.

Years of large-scale human trials would need to follow before the drug was judged safe and effective for widespread use in hospitals.

It could then be used with existing drugs to boost treatment and given to prevent tumours from coming back after surgery.

Men and women known to be at high risk of cancer because of their genes could also be vaccinated in an attempt to stop tumours from appearing.

Prof. Geert-Jan Boons, who has founded a biotech company to commercialize the vaccine, said: “We are beginning to have therapies that can teach our immune system to fight what is uniquely found in cancer cells.

“When combined with early diagnosis, the hope is that one day cancer will become a manageable disease.”

The vaccine is one of several treatments in the pipeline that work by triggering the immune system to attack and kill cancer cells.

Image of a 1952 nuclear explosion captured at one ten-millionth of a second after detonation

James J. Williams
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Image of a 1952 nuclear explosion captured at one ten-millionth of a second after detonation

One of the challenges of the U.S. government during nuclear weapons testing in the early 50’s was to design a camera capable of capturing a nuclear device mid-explosion.

The result, unearthed this week by blog Damn Interesting, was the “Rapatronic” camera – an ultra-high-speed camera that sat seven miles from the blast site and captured images at high speed – including the image of an 100-ft ball of fire, one ten-millionth of a second after detonation.

The images were taken during the Tumbler-Snapper nuclear tests in 1952.

The “Rapatronic” camera - an ultra-high-speed camera that sat seven miles from the blast site and captured images at high speed - including this image of an 100-ft ball of fire, one ten-millionth of a second after detonation
The “Rapatronic” camera - an ultra-high-speed camera that sat seven miles from the blast site and captured images at high speed - including this image of an 100-ft ball of fire, one ten-millionth of a second after detonation

Damn Interesting wrote: “These single-use cameras were able to snap a photo one ten-millionth of a second after detonation from about seven miles away, with an exposure time of as little as ten nanoseconds.”

“At that instant, a typical fireball had already reached about 100 feet in diameter, with temperatures three times hotter than the surface of the sun.”

No technology at the time was available to wind the cameras on fast enough to take a second photo – so the military typically used arrays of ten cameras aimed at the same bomb.

No shutter could move fast enough, either, so the camera specialist who designed the Rapatronic camera used an array of polarized lenses combined with an electrical element to “shut” the camera shutter in one ten-millionth of a second.

The designer, Harold Eugene Edgerton, a MIT photography specialist, is also credited with popularizing strobe lighting.

Observation of a “light Higgs” particle at a CERN seminar announced for tomorrow

James J. Williams
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Observation of a “light Higgs” particle at a CERN seminar announced for tomorrow

Sources with close contacts inside CERN in Switzerland predicted this weekend that sighting of the first strong signs of a particle vital to support Einstein’s ideas of the universe will be reported on Tuesday.

The scientists warned that there would be no announcement of a full scientific discovery – but even confirmation that something like the long-sought Higgs boson had been spotted would be a major advance. The God particle is believed to have given shape to the universe after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago.

Oliver Buchmueller, a senior member of one of the two teams seeking the particle in CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) this year, said: “I am feeling quite a level of excitement.”

Two separate LHC teams – using the ATLAS and CMS detectors – have smashed protons in 350 trillion collisions this year, hoping to see the Higgs particle in the debris.

Science bloggers with close contacts among the tight-lipped front-line research groups, known as ATLAS and – Buchmueller’s – CMS, said their understanding was that both had found signals that look very much like the Higgs particle.

“The anticipation among physics enthusiasts is almost palpable,” said theoretician Sascha Vongehr on his blog, www.science20.com. The observation of a “light Higgs” would be announced at a December 13 CERN seminar, he said.

Rolf Heuer, CERN’s director general, revealing the seminar would be given updates on the Higgs search by the heads of the ATLAS and the CMS groups who work independently and in secret from each other, said there would be no discovery announcement.

For that, there would have to be a high degree of certainty – measured at 5 sigma, in scientific terms, or a 0.00003 per cent chance of error- by both.

The observation of a “light Higgs” would be announced at a December 13 CERN seminar
The observation of a “light Higgs” would be announced at a December 13 CERN seminar

Informed bloggers are saying it is hovering at about 2.5 sigma for CMS and 3.5 for ATLAS – enough to qualify the sightings as “an observation” – both would correspond to a probability above 95 per cent that the observations are accurate.

But, said Oliver Buchmueller, without confirming that reading for his own team, if the ATLAS group had found signals similar to those seen in CMS, “then we’re moving very close to a conclusion in the first few months of next year”.

The Higgs particle is essentially a missing piece of the “Standard Model” of physics jigsaw, which explains how the universe is glued together.

So far, it’s the only elementary particle predicted by this model that scientists have not been able to create with atom smashers.

The director general of CERN, Rolf Heuer, said recently that he doesn’t think confirmation of the particle’s existence will be made until around October 2012.

But Professor John Ellis, a former head of theoretical physics at CERN, told the BBC that he expects to see the “first glimpse” of the God particle this week.

Prof. John Ellis said: “There seem to be some hints emerging there… and that’s what we’re going to learn on Tuesday.”

The veracity of the results has been ensured by two separate teams, each comprising of hundreds of researchers, searching using different experiments.

One team, using scientists from 169 universities, has been working on the ATLAS detector, which at 148 feet long and 82 feet high, is the biggest ever constructed.

The other is using the CMS – or Compact Muon Solenoid – a 13,000-ton detector that sits 330 feet underground.

There are some scientists, however, who have poured cold water on the news, with Nobel Prize winner Martinus Veltman from the Universities of Michigan and Utrecht telling the Guardian that “there is no Higgs”.

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TJ Volner, the babysitter of a 4-year-old boy slit the toddler’s throat and sent photo to his mother

Diane A. Wade
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TJ Volner, the babysitter of a 4-year-old boy slit the toddler’s throat and sent photo to his mother

Terry Joe “TJ” Volner, the babysitter of a 4-year-old boy from Wright County, Missouri, has been accused of slitting the boy’s throat and sending a photo of the mutilated body to his mother to prove that he had killed the toddler.

TJ Volner, 22, took a series of photos after allegedly killing the boy, including one showing the dead boy’s chin propped up by a stick.

Prosecutors said Terry Joe Volner took the gruesome “trophy” photos to prove to his mother Tina Miller that he had killed Dusty Guenther, the only son of Gina Guenther.

Police say that he was jealous of Gina Guenther’s new boyfriend, though it is unclear whether or not she and TJ Volner had ever dated.

TJ Volner was arrested after being found in Gina Guenther’s home with a self-inflicted stab wounds.

Love letters from TJ Volner to the boy’s mother were found in the home where the killing took place.

Terry Joe “TJ” Volner, the babysitter of 4-year-old boy Dusty Guenther, has been accused of slitting the boy’s throat
Terry Joe “TJ” Volner, the babysitter of 4-year-old boy Dusty Guenther, has been accused of slitting the boy’s throat

According to police, the mother’s boyfriend had visited the house the night before the toddler was killed. Gina Guenther is the mother of four, and at the time of the alleged murder one of her daughters was in the house but was not harmed.

At the time of the incident, Gina Guenther was at work while her two eldest daughters were at school.

According to court documents, TJ Volner used his cell phone to send pictures to his mother, though why he would want to prove that grizzly fact to her is beyond understanding.

The murderer boasted that he had killed all four of the children as well as Gina Guenther’s new boyfriend, though the three daughters were untouched and no other bodies were found.

One of the pictures of the dead boy showed part of a man’s arm with a tattoo, which helped investigators as they said TJ Volner has the same tattoo on his arm.

The toddler was found last week in an ice covered lagoon near his home.

TJ Volner, who was released from prison in March from a three year sentence for theft, had been staying with Gina Guenther on and off since his release.

Sergeant Casey Jadwin with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said that TJ Volner confessed to him that he’d killed the child by stabbing him in the neck with a folding-knife.

In addition to a murder charge, TJ Volner faces charges of armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse.

The killer is being held in jail on a $1million bond.

Jilted Louis Dowler: “Kate Winslet was so cruel during our break-up”

Lisa.Felice
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Louis Dowler, Kate Winslet’s former love, is still coming to terms with the break-up and the way he was so brutally discarded nearly three months after he was unceremoniously dumped by the actress.

Speaking publicly for the first time since he was abandoned by Kate Winslet, male model Louis Dowler, 35, says: “I don’t think Kate behaved well and it is still very raw for me.”

Famous for her own emotional performances at award ceremonies, Kate Winslet, 35, left Louis Dowler close to tears after they went on what should have been a romantic trip to Richard Branson’s Caribbean hideaway on Necker Island this summer.

Instead, it was a disaster. While Kate Winslet was hailed a hero for rescuing Sir Richard’s mother, Eve, from the fire which engulfed the luxurious retreat, Louis Dowler was devastated when the trip ended badly.

“I was in love with her and you can’t switch that off overnight,” Louis Dowler tells me.

“I’m not sure Kate treated me well.”

For his part Abel Smith, who eccentrically changed his name by deed poll some years ago to Ned RocknRoll, subsequently informed his wife, Eliza Pearson, 23, the sweet-natured daughter of multi-millionaire Viscount Cowdray, that he had fallen for the Titantic star.

While Eliza Pearson took it on the chin, Louis Dowler is still struggling with what happened.

“Kate came home with me to Cornwall and we just hung out together.

“She met my parents and family,” he says.

“I thought we were inseparable. I certainly haven’t found anyone else since.”

The Burberry model says that at first he was blissfully happy with Kate Winslet when they met after her split from film director husband Sam Mendes, spending time at her $4 million New York apartment.

Louis Dowler, who was at a party for the Omega boutique at the new Westfield shopping centre in East London, adds: “I don’t want to go into details but it wasn’t a straightforward break-up.

“I’m a laid-back guy, so I am not walking around with a long face – but I do still hold a torch for her.”

Ben Ellis, 14, found dead the day after he had a dental work

Diane A. Wade
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Ben Ellis, 14, found dead the day after he had a dental work

Ben Ellis, from Gilmer County, Georgia, a 14-year-old boy was found dead in his bed the day after having his wisdom teeth removed.

Ben Ellis had the dental surgery on Wednesday morning. Less than 24 hours later he was dead.

Law enforcement is investigating the teenager’s mysterious death and will perform an autopsy and toxicology tests, but there is said to be a history of seizures in the family, which Ben Ellis has suffered from before.

Ben Ellis’ family told the Sheriff’s Office that he seemed fine on Wednesday after the surgery, according to wsbtv.com.

“He had dental surgery at approximately 10:30 on Wednesday morning. Through the rest of the day he seemed to be doing fine. He went to bed.

“Through the day he had taken one penicillin tablet and one Oxycodone, that we’re aware of. They [his parents] checked on him around 1am, and again, he was doing fine.

“Then at 6:00 a.m., when they went to get him up, they found him deceased,” Lt Frank Coleman said.

Ben Ellis, who was a freshman at Gilmer County High School, was the youngest of four children and was active in the Future Farmers of America, winning competitions for his goats
Ben Ellis, who was a freshman at Gilmer County High School, was the youngest of four children and was active in the Future Farmers of America, winning competitions for his goats

Ben Ellis, who was a freshman at Gilmer County High School, was the youngest of four children and was active in the Future Farmers of America, winning competitions for his goats.

Teacher Ashton Allen, who has taught Ben Ellis for two years in a row, told wsbtv.com: “He loved showing his goats more than anything. You could see it on his face when he walked into the show ring.

“He was the person I would always count on. Every time I would walk into class he’d be sitting here smiling at me. He was just so full of life and full of joy.”

School principal Erick Hofsteter was moved to tears by Ben Ellis’ death and said: “It serves as a reminder of just how fragile life can be. He was our friend. We’re going to miss him.”

The GBI is performing an autopsy and toxicology tests. Test results could take as long as three months.

Life could exist on Mars, as a huge amount of water is found on polar regions, scientists say

James J. Williams
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Life could exist on Mars, as a huge amount of water is found on polar regions, scientists say

Australian scientists, who have made an overall study of temperature and pressure conditions of Mars, say that a greater percentage of the Red Planet is habitable than Earth.

Scientists from the Australian National University say that 3% of Mars could sustain life, while just one per cent of Earth’s volume contains life – from the core to upper atmosphere.

However, the researchers say that most Earth-like organisms would need to retreat underground to survive on Mars.

Astrobiologist Charley Lineweaver told AFP: “What we tried to do, simply, was take almost all of the information we could and put it together and say <<is the big picture consistent with there being life on Mars?>>” And the simple answer is yes… There are large regions of Mars that are compatible with terrestrial life.”

Life could exist on Mars, scientists say, largely because there is a huge amount of water there in the form of ice, found at the polar regions.

But the pressure on the planet is so low that water would vaporize on the surface.

Below ground, however, there is sufficient pressure for water to be kept in a liquid state, which would enable microbes to thrive.

And while the surface temperature is not ideal for life, being an extremely chilly -65C, below ground it would be much warmer thanks to heat from the planet’s core.

Charley Lineweaver added that his study, which analyzed decades of data, was “the best estimate yet published of how habitable Mars is to terrestrial microbes”.

His findings were published today in Astrobiology.

Australian scientists, who have made an overall study of temperature and pressure conditions of Mars, say that a greater percentage of the Red Planet is habitable than Earth
Australian scientists, who have made an overall study of temperature and pressure conditions of Mars, say that a greater percentage of the Red Planet is habitable than Earth

Scientists will learn a great deal more about Mars’s ability to sustain life when the rover Curiosity lands on the surface next August.

NASA’s earlier Viking rovers concluded 35 years ago that there was no sign of life, but scientists hope Curiosity’s more sophisticated equipment will reveal more.

It will be “the largest and most complex piece of equipment ever placed on the surface of another planet”, said Doug McCuistion, director of NASA’s Mars exploration programme.

Curiosity rover is expected to land on Mars on August 5, 2012, after travelling nearly 354 million miles from our planet.

One of the chief tasks of the $2.5billion mission will be to discover the source of the methane gas scientists have detected in the Martian air.

It will also fire a laser beam with the energy of a million lightbulbs at the surface of the red planet to see whether or not it could have supported life.

The international team of space explorers that launched the Mars Science Laboratory is relying on the instrument to look for biological signs on the distant world.

The ChemCam will fire a powerful laser pulse, vaporising some Mars dust and examining the spectrum of light shining through it.

The robust system is one of 10 instruments mounted on the mission’s rover vehicle.

When ChemCam fires its extremely powerful laser pulse, it will vaporize an area the size of a pinhead.

The system’s telescope will peer at the flash of glowing plasma created by the vaporized material and record the colours of light contained within it.

These spectral colours will then be interpreted by a spectrometer, enabling scientists to determine the elemental composition of the vaporized material.

Behar Merlaku, a gambler who won $58M on a slot machine has been offered a free meal and $90

Diane A. Wade
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Behar Merlaku, a gambler who won $58M on a slot machine has been offered a free meal and $90

Behar Merlaku, a gambler who thought he had won $58 million on a slot machine has been offered a free meal and $90 instead, after Austrian casino bosses said the jackpot was due to a “software error”.

Behar Merlaku, 26, a Kosovar-Albanian who moved to Switzerland at the time of the Balkans wars, played the winning machine at a casino in Bregenz, Austria.

Despite only getting four of the slot machine’s five required matches, Behar Merlaku was told he had won the massive jackpot – complete with a winning bell and flashing screen.

Behar Merlaku, 26, a Kosovar-Albanian who moved to Switzerland at the time of the Balkans wars, played the winning machine at a casino in Bregenz, Austria
Behar Merlaku, 26, a Kosovar-Albanian who moved to Switzerland at the time of the Balkans wars, played the winning machine at a casino in Bregenz, Austria

 

However, when Behar Merlaku went to claim his prize, he was instead offered $90 and a meal by casino bosses after they refused to pay out.

Now the disgruntled gambler is to launch a lawsuit in Austria next month to force the casino to honour the “win”, which his lawyers says he is entitled to because of the what machine said.

The civil action, thought to be the biggest claim of its kind anywhere in the world, is being keenly watched by gaming operators everywhere.

The incident happened in a Casinos Austria AG establishment at Bregenz, on March 26 this year.

When Behar Merlaku made his claim the operators of the casino immediately blamed a glitch in the machine.

When Behar Merlaku snubbed the paltry offer of compensation he was banned from the casino. Lawyers for the plaintiff say the company has passed the buck to the fruit machine manufacturer and refuse to take any responsibility for the error.

It also cited Austrian law which said jackpots cannot normally be higher than two million euros ($2.7 million).

A press conference is due to be held tomorrow in Innsbruck, Austria, outlining the case against Casinos Austria, which operates a casino in Glasgow, UK.

 The company also operates casinos in Cairns and Canberra, Australia, and elsewhere.

Behar Merlaku’s legal team said: “The slot machine that produced the winning display was immediately accessed by Casinos Austria.

“The regulator, the Austrian Ministry of Finance, has shown no interest in pursuing an orderly investigation as would be the case in well regulated gaming jurisdictions such as the UK, Switzerland, Singapore, the USA, Australia and Macau.”

The first hearing in the case is scheduled for January 10, 2012.

Behar Merlaku said in an Austrian television interview that the greatest moment of his life quickly turned into the worst.

He added: “The jackpot came up loud and clear. There was music and the sum I had won – nearly 43 million euros [$58 million] – was displayed on a screen.

“I was so overjoyed and in my head I began calculating what I could do with all this money.”

Behar Merlaku even used his mobile phone to film footage of the winning noise and screen.

However, this could be used against him in court because the video shows he only had four of the five symbols in a line; in Austria there must be five matches.

Behar Merlaku’s lawyers will argue that because the machine told him he had won and therefore is justified in pursuing a claim.

United Airlines jet carrying 125 passengers forced to make emergency landing in Colorado

Diane A. Wade
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United Airlines jet carrying 125 passengers forced to make emergency landing in Colorado

A United Airlines Boeing 757 carrying 125 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing in Colorado when one of its engines failed.

The aircraft was en route from Denver to Los Angeles yesterday when the engine, one of two, shut down.

The jet had to be diverted to a local airport Grand Junction Regional Airport, in western Colorado, usually used by much smaller aircraft.

Passenger Jim Schreckengast said ground crews at first had trouble finding stairs high enough to reach the door of the 757. But its extra long airport- more than two miles long- makes it suitable for larger planes to land, the Denver Post reported.

A United Airlines Boeing 757 carrying 125 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing in Colorado when one of its engines failed
A United Airlines Boeing 757 carrying 125 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing in Colorado when one of its engines failed

The aircraft landed safely at about 11:44 a.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. No injuries were reported.

United Airlines spokesman Charlie Hobart said he didn’t know what the cause of the problem was.

Amy Jordan from Grand Junction Airport, told the Denver Post that ‘the engine had problems shortly after takeoff’.

Jim Schreckengast, from Fort Collins, Colorado told The Associated Press that the pilot announced over the public address speakers that the engine had lost oil volume.

He said passengers remained calm and no one appeared to be afraid.

“There was some applause when we landed,” Jim Schreckengast said.

“I think the crew handled it very well.”

Charlie Hobart said United Airlines was sending another plane from Denver to pick up the passengers in Grand Junction and take them on to Los Angeles.

The 30th annual Christmas in Washington concert: Justin Bieber and other stars singing carols

Diane A. Wade
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The 30th annual Christmas in Washington concert: Justin Bieber and other stars singing carols

US President Barack Obama’s family got in the festive spirit by singing with musical stars Justin Bieber, Cee Lo Green, Jennifer Hudson, Victoria Justice and The Band Perry at the 30th annual Christmas In Washington concert last night.

Barack Obama, wife Michelle, daughters Malia and Sasha and mother-in-law Marian Robinson attended the concert to benefit the Children’s National Medical Center in the capital.

The 30th annual concert of Christmas carols took place at the National Building Museum and was hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien.

To honour of the “season to celebrate miracles”, President Barack Obama spoke about the story of Jesus’ birth during a short speech to the crowd.

Barack Obama said the story of Jesus Christ has changed the world by teaching basic values such as loving one another, serving the less fortunate and keeping faith.

He said: “Those are values that are shared by all faiths. Let us all rededicate ourselves to each other in that spirit.”

Obama family joined musical stars Justin Bieber, Cee Lo Green, Jennifer Hudson, Victoria Justice and The Band Perry at the 30th annual Christmas In Washington concert
Obama family joined musical stars Justin Bieber, Cee Lo Green, Jennifer Hudson, Victoria Justice and The Band Perry at the 30th annual Christmas In Washington concert

Before the concert, Obama family greeted patients of the children’s medical center dressed as elves and presented them with a basket of books.

President Obama playfully struggled to lift the basket and asked the elves to help him place it under the Christmas tree.

Justin Bieber, Cee Lo Green, Jennifer Hudson, The Band Perry and Nickelodeon star Victoria Justice took turns singing holiday classics.

Justin Bieber, 17, sang his Christmas hit “Mistletoe”.

Jennifer Hudson sang “Do You Hear What I Hear” with the help of the American Family Choir.

The singer told the crowd: “I don’t know how many times I’ve sang for the president, but every time feels like the first time.”

Joe Paterno hospitalized after breaking his pelvis in fall at his home

Clyde K. Valle
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Joe Paterno hospitalized after breaking his pelvis in fall at his home

Joe Paterno, the former Penn State coach fractured his pelvis again following a fall at his home but will not need surgery, a person close to the family told The Associated Press.

Joe Paterno, who turns 85 on December 21, was expected to make a full recovery after slipping yesterday and being admitted to the hospital today, the person added.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Joe Paterno is also undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for what his family has said is a treatable form of lung cancer.

His son, Scott Paterno, said doctors are optimistic his father would make a full recovery from the illness.

Joe Paterno initially hurt his pelvis after he was blindsided on the sideline during preseason practice in August.

It was determined he should remain in the hospital now to facilitate his regimen of cancer treatments while recovering from the pelvis injury, the AP was told.

Joe Paterno, the former Penn State coach fractured his pelvis again following a fall at his home but will not need surgery
Joe Paterno, the former Penn State coach fractured his pelvis again following a fall at his home but will not need surgery

The person declined to identify the hospital to maintain the family’s privacy. An operator at the hospital in State College, Mount Nittany Medical Center, said Sunday there was no patient listing for Joe Paterno.

Joe Paterno was Penn State’s head coach for 62 seasons before he was fired last month in the aftermath of child sex-abuse charges filed against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who maintains his innocence.

Joe Paterno is not a target of the investigation.

Jerry Sandusky is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday after being charged November 5 with the first set of child sex-abuse allegations that spanned 20 years.

Trustees at the school dismissed Joe Paterno four days later and accepted school President Graham Spanier’s resignation under pressure.

Several days after he was fired, Joe Paterno was diagnosed with cancer during a follow-up visit to the doctor for a bronchial illness, his family has said.

Joe Paterno has said he wishes he had done more about allegations against Jerry Sandusky.

Brooklyn Orthodox Jewish community shaked by child abuse scandal after 85 people arrested

Diane A. Wade
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The Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, New York, has had to face up to claims of child sex abuse after 83 men and two women were arrested.

An initiative was set up to encourage victims to come forward despite pressure from the close-knit religious society to hush up the crimes.

117 male and female victims have approached authorities in Brooklyn since 2006. There were 89 accusers under the age of 17.

New York Post reported that one suspect Andrew Goodman, 27, worked with Jewish charities involving vulnerable young people and the disabled.

Andrew Goodman was charged with sexually abusing two Orthodox boys at his home in the Flatbush neighbourhood last September.

One child was abused between the ages of 11 and 15, the other from 13 until he was 16 years old.

Andrew Goodman reportedly filmed sex acts with the boys on a webcam after plying them with alcohol in his bedroom and making them watch child porn.

Neighbours had filmed Andrew Goodman sneaking the children into the home he shared with his parents and sister between 3:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.

In the surveillance tape, Andrew Goodman was seen opening his front door for the boys, according to the New York Post.

Lubricants, empty liquor bottles, boys’ clothing and a butcher knife were discovered in the 27-year-old’s room.

Andrew Goodman’s lawyer Izzy Fried told the New York Post that the alleged victims were ‘troubled kids” and his client had provided them with a “safe haven”.

Andrew Goodman also threatened the life of one boy who reported him to authorities, it has been claimed. He has pleaded not guilty.

Andrew Goodman is being held at Rikers Island Prison until his next hearing on December 21.

After being shown the footage in court last September, Judge Patricia DiMango set the suspected paedophile’s bail at $1million.

Brooklyn District Attorney’s office had been accused of being soft on child abusers which lead to steps being put in place to make it easier for suspected victims to come forward.

The plan was called Kol Tzedek which translates from Hebrew as “voice of justice”.

DA Charles Hynes instigated the outreach programme which offers a confidential hotline and access to “culturally sensitive” social workers from the sex crimes bureau.

Assistant DA Rhonnie Jaus, head of the child sex abuse division, said 38 individuals had been prosecuted so far with 14 abusers jailed.

Sentences varied from one month to 20 years for crimes including sex abuse, attempted kidnapping and sodomy.

However 24 alleged paedophiles were not jailed. In some instances, the case against them collapsed when victims and their families backed out of giving evidence in court following pressure from the religious community, according to the assistant DA.

Authorities have another 47 cases pending.

The Orthodox Jewish organization Agudath Israel of America, which has its headquarters in Manhattan, rules that anyone who claims to have been sexually abused by another Jew must consult rabbis first.

Only then is the decision made whether to go to secular authorities.

Andrew Goodman worked for OHEL Children’s Home and Family Services which provides care for vulnerable children and disabled adults. The non-profit group aims to help victims who have suffered domestic, sexual or emotional abuse.

Weather forecaster Jenna Lee Thomas proposed on live TV

Diane A. Wade
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Weather forecaster Jenna Lee Thomas proposed on live TV

Jenna Lee Thomas, the weather forecaster of news station WJBF in Augusta, Georgia, got the surprise of a lifetime last week when her boyfriend proposed during a live broadcast.

Jenna Lee Thomas was doing the five-day forecast when her boyfriend, Eric Wright, entered the studio and popped the question.

Eric Wright got in touch with weekend anchor Jillian Benfield last month about his plans, which involved the entire WJBF production crew.

The fiancé hid in the bathroom as producers waited for the right moment for him to ambush Jenna Lee Thomas.

Jenna Lee Thomas, the weather forecaster of news station WJBF in Augusta, Georgia, got the surprise of a lifetime last week when her boyfriend proposed during a live broadcast
Jenna Lee Thomas, the weather forecaster of news station WJBF in Augusta, Georgia, got the surprise of a lifetime last week when her boyfriend proposed during a live broadcast

Shocked and full of excitement, Jenna Lee Thomas accepted, saying “I love you” and planting a long, passionate kiss on his lips.

The couple will be married in August 2012.

They met earlier this year during an event at Jenna Lee Thomas’ church in Augusta.

Eric Wright told the station that he will be moving to the area next year, where he will be an emergency room doctor at a nearby hospital.

Jenna Lee Thomas has been handling the weekend weather reports at the ABC affiliate since January.

On her Twitter account, Jenna Lee Thomas thanked her colleagues and the WJBF viewers for the outpouring of congratulatory messages.

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Arizona: 15-year-old girl student mauled by a police dog during a gun safety presentation

Diane A. Wade
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A 15-year-old girl has been bitten by a police dog during a gun safety presentation at Nogales High School in Arizona on Thursday.

The dog’s handler and two other officers were putting on the gun safety presentation when the dog got out, police Capt. Heriberto Zuniga told the Nogales International.

Students suddenly ran into the classroom to tell them the dog was on the loose.

The dog’s handler ran out and secured his German shepherd, the Associated Press reports.

The 15-year-old girl student who was injured was taken to hospital with bites and scratches but wasn’t seriously hurt.

Heriberto Zuniga believes “somebody opened the door allowing the dog out of the vehicle”, a 2011 Ford Expedition specially outfitted as a canine unit.

The SUV was parked about 15 feet away from the classroom. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

The doors on the SUV are normally locked and officers were perplexed how a door could be opened from outside the vehicle, Heriberto Zuniga said.

The Ford Expedition was sent to a company in Tucson for inspection, and technicians discovered a fuse in the spring-loaded electronically controlled door had failed. It was replaced.

“Our first concern is the girl,” Heriberto Zuniga said.

The girl had bites to the arms and scratches on the lower back, but both Heriberto Zuniga and Principal Judith Mendoza-Jimenez said the teen was “OK”.

“We were extremely lucky. The dog is trained to bite and pull,” Heriberto Zunigo said.

“That didn’t happen. It appears in this case the dog realized the girl did not pose a threat.”

Judith Mendoza-Jimenez said: “It was an isolated incident. The dog got out of the car. We don’t know how.

“The girl saw the dog coming and she started running so the dog attacked her. Once she was on the ground the dog let her go.”

So far, nobody is confessing to having opened the door, “but we’re hoping that through interviews, the sheriff’s investigators will get some leads,” Heriberto Zuniga said.

Lindsay Lohan Playboy pictures: hacker explains how he accessed the secret photos.

Lisa.Felice
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Lindsay Lohan Playboy pictures: hacker explains how he accessed the secret photos.

A digital pirate claiming he’s responsible for leaking Lindsay Lohan’s top secret Playboy layout says he didn’t actually steal the shots, he simply found them on peer-to-peer file sharing websites.

On January/February 2012 issue of Playboy magazine, which features Lindsay Lohan in her full glory, was supposed to go on sale next week, but the entire photo spread of LiLo posing nude leaked online Friday.

Earlier in the week, the Playboy cover showing Lindsay Lohan, 25, posing nude on a bunny shaped chair, also hit the net.

The man, who refused to give his name, told Foxnews.com he tracked the pictures down after they were either hacked or stolen and uploaded to a file-sharing website based in Russia.

The pirate admitted: “I just pieced it together,” once the photos spread to peer-to-peer file sharing sites.

“All I cared about is how I got them,” the digital pirate said.

The hacker says it’s not the first time he has done this to the men’s magazine, although he admits he has gotten cease-and-desist letters in the past.

“When I’ve done it before, Playboy sent a e-mail to take down the links, and I do,” the man said.

He also says he doesn’t have any clue as to the original source of the leaked pages, which could have been stolen during the digital publishing process or hacked from a server.

Lindsay Lohan reportedly received $1 million to bare all in the Marilyn Monroe-inspired layout.

A digital pirate claiming he's responsible for leaking Lindsay Lohan's top secret Playboy layout says he didn't actually steal the shots, he simply found them on peer-to-peer file sharing websites.
A digital pirate claiming he's responsible for leaking Lindsay Lohan's top secret Playboy layout says he didn't actually steal the shots, he simply found them on peer-to-peer file sharing websites.

 

Now in a move to counter any possible damage to its news stand sales, Playboy released the official cover shot on Saturday to media outlets, along with quotes from the accompanying article.

When asked about her sex life, Lindsay Lohan told Playboy: “Sex and sexuality are a part of nature, and I go along with nature. I think Marilyn Monroe once said that.

“I certainly agree with her…Knowing yourself and your body is so important because it gives you confidence, and in life, women need confidence.”

As for her merry-go-round of court appearances and jail stints, Lindsay Lohan admits she is partly to blame.

“Ultimately we are each responsible for ourselves and for our actions…Looking back, I probably would have listened to and taken more advice from the people whom I admire and would have followed through with it more.

“My stubbornness at 18 and 19 years old got in the way. During the past five years, I’ve learned that time flies faster than you think, and because you only live once you have to learn from your mistakes, live your dreams and be accountable.”

The double issue of Playboy featuring Lindsay Lohan is now available on-line at www.playboy.com/lohan.

Printed copies will hit U.S. newsstands around Friday, December 16, Playboy has said.

Tyler Brehm, the Hollywood gunman, launched the deadly rampage because he was dumped by his girlfriend

Diane A. Wade
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Tyler Brehm, the Hollywood gunman, launched the deadly rampage because he was dumped by his girlfriend

Tyler Brehm, the Hollywood gunman shot dead by police as he fired randomly at passing cars on a street had been struggling to overcome the recent break up of a four year relationship, according to friends.

Passers-by initially thought the gunman was an actor from a movie being filmed nearby – until he was shot dead by a policeman.

Tyler Brehm, 26, wounded three people – one critically – before he was killed by an off-duty officer working as a security guard on the neighbouring film, believed to be a gangster thriller starring Sean Penn.

When television crews told neighbours and friends the identity of the shooter, they said Tyler Brehm had been struggling to overcome a breakup with girlfriend Alicia Alligood.

“He wasn’t a bad guy, he just got fed up,” friend Christina Mesropian told KNBC.

“He was like <<Ah, I’m over it, I’m over it>>, but I could tell he wasn’t over it.”

Alicia Alligood, 24, told a reporter she and Tyler Brehm had “been dating for four and a half years” before breaking up on December 1. He then moved to his own apartment half a mile from the scene of the shooting.

Tyler Brehm had texted his former girlfriend minutes before the shooting rampage, and hours earlier had left her a voicemail saying he loved her, she told KTLA.

They went to school together in Pennsylvania and began “hanging out” during their college years.

Alicia Alligood described her former boyfriend as a “humanitarian”, and someone who was “extremely motivated to change the world for the better”, even managing a non-profit organization for a friend.

But, the woman also said Tyler Brehm was “really stressed out lately”.

Tyler Brehm, 26, wounded three people – one critically – before he was killed by an off-duty officer working as a security guard on the neighbouring film, believed to be a gangster thriller starring Sean Penn
Tyler Brehm, 26, wounded three people – one critically – before he was killed by an off-duty officer working as a security guard on the neighbouring film, believed to be a gangster thriller starring Sean Penn

Tyler Brehm had met a woman he thought was a pharmaceutical saleswoman who had given him some kind of pills, Alicia Alligood said. He began taking the pills, which his ex-girlfriend found alarming as he never took “hard” drugs before.

Ramon Hernandez, who lived in the apartment next door to Tyler Brehm, said the couple had recently moved out. He told KABC-TV he had heard them arguing.

“I could tell that he was an unstable person,” Ramon Hernandez said, “but I don’t know the details on what actually made him snap.”

Tyler Brehm walked down the middle of Sunset Boulevard, firing on motorists and in the air until he was shot and killed.

He was filmed from an office block standing in the middle of the road firing on pedestrians and motorists.

In the video, he can be seen pacing back and forth near the busy intersection with Vine Street, firing close to 20 rounds from what appeared to be a .40 caliber handgun.

One of his victims has been name as John Atterberry, 40, a former music industry executive who has worked with artists like Brandy, The Spice Girls and Jessica Simpson.

The man, who was driving a Mercedes-Benz, was shot in the jaw and upper torso and taken to hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

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Coca-Cola secret recipe is out of the bank vault to be placed in company museum

Clyde K. Valle
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Coca-Cola secret recipe is out of the bank vault to be placed in company museum

Coca-Cola Company takes the risk after almost 90 years and moves its ultra-secret recipe out of a bank vault to put it on display at their corporate museum.

The formula, which dates back to 1886, is enclosed inside a metal box that is itself locked inside a new high-tech vault at the company’s World of Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta.

Since 1925, Coca-Cola recipe has been kept under lock and key at SunTrust Banks Inc and the move ties in with the company’s 125th anniversary.

However, there have been suggestions in the U.S that the move follows SunTrust’s decision in 2007 to slowly begin selling its shares in Coca-Cola, although both companies have denied that.

Sun Trust, which provided underwriting services to Coca-Cola when it went public in 1919 and received some of Coca-Cola’s first publicly traded stock, at one time held more than 48 million Coca-Cola shares.

In May 2007, SunTrust sold 9% of its holdings in Coca-Cola as part of a plan to return value to its own shareholders.

In 2008, the bank sold another batch of shares and said that its remaining 30 million Coca-Cola shares were to be put into a structured transaction to be sold in seven years.

Several executives from SunTrust were on hand for the opening of the exhibit.

Bank spokesman Mike McCoy said SunTrust was honored to safeguard the formula for as long as it did. He said the relationship between Coca-Cola and SunTrust has enriched the bank’s history.

“We’re celebrating this as well,” said Mike McCoy.

Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company CEO, is placing a metal box, which the company says contains the formula, inside a five-foot high safe
Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company CEO, is placing a metal box, which the company says contains the formula, inside a five-foot high safe

Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola CEO, told the crowd at the official unveiling of the exhibit: “The time has come for our secret formula to come back home.”

The crowd at the unveiling watched a video of Muhtar Kent placing a metal box, which the company says contains the formula, inside a five-foot high safe several days ago and locking it.

Visitors were then escorted through a room full of pictures and historical information about the founding of the company and the secret formula.

That display leads into a cylindrical room, where images of glasses filling with Coca-Cola splash across the walls before lights come on and reveal a giant, metal-encased vault with a keypad and a hand-imprint scanner.

A railing keeps visitors several feet away from the vault door. The vault never opens, and Coke officials wouldn’t say if the keypad and hand scanner were there for show or were part of the security measures in place to protect the formula.

The legend of the recipe goes that Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by Atlanta pharmacist John S. Pemberton.

To keep the crucial recipe a secret he did not write it down, and it was only known to a handful of people.

However, in 1919 Coca-Cola Company needed a bank loan and its then-owner Ernest Woodruff was forced to commit the recipe to paper and put up as collateral.

The recipe was kept in a bank vault in New York until the loan was paid back in 1925, at which point Ernest Woodruff deposited it at Trust Company Bank, which later became SunTrust.

The recipe’s value is illustrated by the fact that some 1.7 billion Coca-Cola products are served every day throughout the world.

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