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iPhone 5 will be released in 2012 and will have a 4 in screen

Nancy Clayson
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iPhone 5 will be released in 2012 and will have a 4 in screen

While iPhone 4S is basically a remodel of 2010 iPhone 4, it is claimed that next year’s iPhone 5 will be radically redrawn and will have a bigger screen (4 in), against Steve Jobs wishes.

According to website iLounge, sources within Apple who say that the late CEO’s Steve Jobs refusal to upgrade to a bigger screen is going to be the first thing to go – the new iPhone 5 will have a four-inch screen, putting it on a par with many Android rivals.

“Our most reliable source has spoken: expect body changes for the next iPhone,” said iLounge.

“Our source says that the next-generation iPhone will not look like the teardrop-shaped version that was widely rumored for release in 2011.

“We’ve been told that the device will have a 4-inch display and will be 8mm longer than before, with a metal casing (probably aluminum).

“It is on track to be introduced in summer of 2012, and is still in the engineering phase, not early production. We suspect that poor battery life doomed the prior prototype version.”

iLounge says thet the new version is being built to cope with the increased battery drain of an LTE aerial – ie 4G.

Sources within Apple who say that the Steve Jobs refusal to upgrade to a bigger screen is going to be the first thing to go - the new iPhone 5 will have a four-inch screen, putting it on a par with many Android rivals
Sources within Apple who say that the Steve Jobs refusal to upgrade to a bigger screen is going to be the first thing to go - the new iPhone 5 will have a four-inch screen, putting it on a par with many Android rivals

According to an industry source, speaking to businessinsider.com, the iPhone 5 was real and was only scrapped months before the iPhone 4S was announced.

Apple engineers known to the source believed just three months before the iPhone 4S was released that a new fully re-designed iPhone would be Apple’s next big announcement.

It is also believed that Steve Jobs – who was known for having a temper – was unhappy with the phone’s bigger screen because it “fragmented” iPhones.

There were also problems with its battery life – possibly due to the high drain of the 4G LTE aerial.

The source claims to have spent about two weeks with one prototype version of the new phone, which was much flatter than the current version.

Prototype’ screen was four inches diagonal, making it bigger than the current iPhone.

It is also believed that it was supposed to have a 10 megapixel lens and, like the iPad2, the new phones were supposed to have aluminum backs.

The source claims that the iPhone 5 was going to have a nicer screen with better colours and told the magazine that the home button of the prototype was not a physical press button.

“You could touch it and hold it and physically reboot the device,” the source said.

And the new phone did have a personal assistant, but unlike being called Siri – as it is on the iPhone 4S – it was simply called “Assistant”.

Despite the disappointment felt by some fans, they may not have long to wait for the iPhone 5, because it is widely believed that it will be released in 2012.

D.B. Cooper author of 1983 rare book “HA-HA-HA”?

James J. Williams
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D.B. Cooper author of 1983 rare book “HA-HA-HA”?

D.B. Cooper is claimed to be the author of a 1983 rare book, entitled “HA-HA-HA”, featuring a drawing of a man in a suit holding a briefcase while parachuting from a commercial jet on its cover.

FBI has checked hundreds of leads since the man dubbed D.B. Cooper parachuted from a flight with $200,000 dollars in ransom in 1971.

If the author of a newly-unearthed memoir is to be believed, D.B. Cooper has come forward to reveal himself as the man who has gone down in American folklore for pulling off the nation’s only unsolved hijacking.

D.B. Cooper was parachuted from a flight with $200,000 dollars in ransom in 1971
D.B. Cooper was parachuted from a flight with $200,000 dollars in ransom in 1971

As The Sideshow reports, Pacific Northwest author Matt Love recently purchased the 1983 book from a Jefferson, Oregon publisher called Signum Books Ltd. Originally sold for $3.95, a recent search by the outlet found only three copies for sale to date – each for around $30.

The back cover features a graphic of a certificate announcing a contest called “Your Big Score”.

The certificate’s first sentence reads: “It’s true. In this book are seven clues. By reading it carefully and discovering the clues, one could receive as much as $200,000 in twenty dollar bills.”

Within its 330 pages, the author recounts his life prior to the hijacking, as a failed real-estate developer, heavy drinker and petty thief.

The author explains how he pulled off the heist on November 24, 1971 – in part by having rented a house and a gassed car nearby where he landed near Pyramid Lake – and says he invested his ransom money in Boeing and silver, becoming very wealthy as a result.

As Matt Love notes, the mystery author also offers a series of clues that offer the location of D. B. Cooper’s ransom to the lucky reader clever enough to piece the puzzle together.

D.B. Cooper is claimed to be the author of a 1983 rare book, entitled "HA-HA-HA", featuring a drawing of a man in a suit holding a briefcase while parachuting from a commercial jet on its cover
D.B. Cooper is claimed to be the author of a 1983 rare book, entitled "HA-HA-HA", featuring a drawing of a man in a suit holding a briefcase while parachuting from a commercial jet on its cover

After nearly 40 years of chasing exhausted leads, investigators still now very litter about the man who boarded a Boeing 727 at Portland International Airport under the name Dan Cooper.

The gentleman, believed to be his mid-forties and wearing dark sunglasses, took seat 18F, ordered a bourbon and water.

Then he handed a flight attendant a note: “Miss, I’ve got a bomb, come sit next to me — you’re being hijacked.”

D. B. Cooper opened a briefcase that appeared to contain explosives and demanded $200,000 and parachutes.

Officials met his demands when the plane landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, where passengers and two flight attendants were released.

The man in 18F then ordered the flight crew to take the plane back into the air, insisting that it fly at an altitude of no more than 10,000 feet on its way to Mexico through Reno, Nevada.

About 40 minutes after take-off, a signal light in the cockpit showed that the plane’s rear stairway had been extended. When the jet landed in Reno, the stairs were down and two parachutes, the money and D. B. Cooper were gone.

A few years ago, the FBI renewed its push to solve the case, releasing photos and new case details in the hopes of jogging memories or prompting someone to come forward.

Experts estimated D. B. Cooper would have landed near Ariel, Washington. Residents there have a party every fall to commemorate the unsolved hijacking.There have been more than 1,000 suspects over the past four decades.

And, over the years, agents have unceasingly voiced suspicions that the hijacker, who was later dubbed D.B. Cooper, may have died following the 10,000 leap.

Conditions that night were poor and the mountainous terrain near the Oregon border is notoriously rough.

5,800 dollars worth of decomposed $20 bills, identified as part of the ransom money, which were recovered in 1980 by a child digging on the banks of the Columbia River, also point to an untimely death.

But no body has ever been found and few other signs of D.B. Cooper fate have been discovered.

 

More victims complain fake doctor Oneal Ron Morris injected toxic substances in their buttocks

Diane A. Wade
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More victims complain fake doctor Oneal Ron Morris injected toxic substances in their buttocks

Police reports say that more victims have come forward claiming fake doctor Oneal Ron Morris from Florida injected toxic substances into their buttocks.

Oneal Ron Morris, a 30-year-old woman transgender, was arrested for practicing medicine without a licence with serious bodily injury after a patient complained he pumped cement and “Fix-a-Flat” tire sealant into her backside.

The treatment left the victim with life threatening injuries and she needed several surgeries and round-the-clock care.

Police say Oneal Ron Morris is a man but appears to be a woman and her arrest photographs show an apparently enhanced rear. Detectives say she performed the potentially lethal treatment on herself.

Jennifer Hirst, deputy press secretary of the Florida Department of Health told NBC in Miami that other possible victims have come forward as a result of the media attention.

Oneal Ron Morris, a 30-year-old woman transgender, was arrested for practicing medicine without a licence with serious bodily injury after a patient complained he pumped cement and "Fix-a-Flat" tire sealant into her backside
Oneal Ron Morris, a 30-year-old woman transgender, was arrested for practicing medicine without a licence with serious bodily injury after a patient complained he pumped cement and "Fix-a-Flat" tire sealant into her backside

The victims are claiming Oneal Ron Morris performed similar procedures on them and that they suffered severe complications.

Jennifer Hirst said additional arrests in the case are possible. She didn’t offer any more details about the new victims.

Oneal Ron Morris is now free on bond but he probe by the Miami Gardens Police and health officials is continuing.

According to the arrest report, the patient went to Oneal Ron Morris’s home and paid $700 for six injections “in each buttock to improve its shape and cosmetic” appearance. She allegedly used superglue to seal the incisions.

Within hours, the victim began to feel sick and eventually required treatment at several hospitals.

Experts have said undergoing unlicensed medical procedures is “like playing Russian roulette.”

 

Thanksgiving 2011: weather and travel forecasts

Diane A. Wade
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Thanksgiving 2011: weather and travel forecasts

42.5 million US people are expected to hit the road to visit family and friends for Thanksgiving – the highest number of holiday travellers since the start of the recession.

Thanksgiving travellers are at the mercy of the weather, because forecasters warned of rain and scattered thunderstorms in much of the north east, with a mixture of snow and freezing rain expected in upstate New York and northern New England. Mountainous areas could see 4 to 8 inches of snow.

Two forecasted storms are expected to make air travel rough across parts of the country, causing delays and cancellations at airports.

The first storm, which has already caused flash flooding across Arkansas, is forecast to move into the Southeast, bringing severe weather on Wednesday.

It will also bring rain showers and snow showers to the North east, with two inches of rain expected in Boston and New York and more than a foot of snow through New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

The worst of the severe weather was forecast to develop across parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, even into North and South Carolinas.

Thanksgiving travellers are at the mercy of the weather, because forecasters warned of rain and scattered thunderstorms in much of the north east
Thanksgiving travellers are at the mercy of the weather, because forecasters warned of rain and scattered thunderstorms in much of the north east

The second storm moved into the North west Tuesday evening and continuing through Thanksgiving day, bringing with it up to five inches of rain and a foot of snow to higher elevations. Flooding and strong winds are expected to be a major concern.

According to travel tracker AAA, 4% more Americans than last year will journey at least 50 miles from home, with about 90% of them driving. Another 8% plan to fly, but AAA notes that higher airfares and less available seats have forced many would-be fliers to drive instead. The remaining travelers plan to take buses, trains or other forms of transport.

This is the third consecutive Thanksgiving that US people have taken to the road in higher numbers than in the past year, according to Associated Press.

The increase in holiday travel is welcome news for an industry that has been struggling to get Americans back on the road.

Memorial Day saw no increase in vacations and travel was down for both July 4th and Labor Day breaks.

AAA says that Americans are willing to spend now because they want to spend time with their family.

Bill Sutherland, vice president, AAA Travel Services, said in a statement:

“As consumers weigh the fear of economic uncertainty and the desire to create lasting family memories this holiday, more Americans are expected to choose family and friends over frugality.”

Those driving should expect to pay more at the pump. The average price of a gallon of gas so far this November is $3.42, up nearly 20% from last year’s $2.86, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil Price Information Service. That means for every 100 miles a family drives this holiday they should expect to spend about $2.50 more on gas.

Rates for mid-range hotels are expected to increase 6% from last year ago with travelers spending an average of $145 a night. Lower-priced motels are seeing a 7% increase to $103.

Weekend daily car rental rates will average $37, an 11% drop from last year.

According to AAA, Thanksgiving airfares are 20% higher than last year with an average lowest round-trip rate of $212 for the top 40 U.S. air routes.

That estimate is much higher than a 4% increase predicted by both Orbitz and Priceline.

Those companies said the average airfare was closer to $400. Airlines report quarterly airfares but don’t break out prices for specific holidays.

The findings are based on a survey of 1,357 people in the U.S., 543 who said they plan to travel.

On this the fourth Thanksgiving since the economy sank, prices for everything from airline flights to groceries are going up, and some Americans are scaling back.

Yet in many households, the occasion is too important to skimp on. Said one mother: “I don’t have much to give, but I’ll be cooking, and the door will be open.”

Bill Sutherland, vice president of AAA Travel Services, said: “This is the first significant increase in any holiday travel this year.”

Families who had foregone travel over the last three years are likely to reverse their decisions this year, the group said, leading to the uptick in the forecast.

The forecast, based on a monthly survey of 50,000 homes, said some 3.4 million – up 1.8% year-on-year – would fly over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Thanksgiving travel took a big hit in 2008 following the financial crisis and the economic uncertainty it caused.

 

ESA picked up a signal from Phobos-Grunt, Russia’s troubled Mars mission

James J. Williams
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ESA picked up a signal from Phobos-Grunt, Russia’s troubled Mars mission

The European Space Agency (ESA) says it has finally contacted Phobos-Grunt, Russia’s troubled Mars mission.

ESA reports that its tracking station in Perth, Australia, picked up a signal from the Phobos-Grunt probe.

The agency is now working with Russian engineers to see how best to maintain communications with the craft.

Phobos-Grunt has been stuck in Earth orbit since its launch on 9 November, unable to fire the engine that would take it on to Mars.

It raises the hope that Russian controllers can establish what is wrong with the spacecraft and fix it.

The European Space Agency (ESA) says it has finally contacted Phobos-Grunt, Russia's troubled Mars mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) says it has finally contacted Phobos-Grunt, Russia's troubled Mars mission

 

Phobos-Grunt still has a short window in which to start its journey to Mars before the growing distance from Earth gets too big.

The probe was built to land on the Martian moon, Phobos, and scoop up rock to bring back to Earth.

Such a venture should yield fascinating new insights into the origin of the 27 km-wide moon and the planet it circles.

The mission is also notable because China’s first Mars satellite, Yinghuo-1, has been launched piggy-back on the main Russian spacecraft.

How Angelina Jolie survives with 600 calories a day

Lisa.Felice
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How Angelina Jolie survives with 600 calories a day

Grazia magazine revealed that Angelina Jolie survives on as little as 600 calories a day, which is the equivalent of two bowls of cereal with milk.

Angelina Jolie‘s weight is said to hover around the 97 lb mark – underweight for her 5ft 8in height – and she looks painfully thin.

According to sources, Angelina Jolie rarely eats a full meal and frequently forgets to eat.

“Angelina has been known to start her day with little more than a spoonful of coconut oil and a handful of cereal,” a source told Grazia magazine last week.

“The worrying thing is that she is so busy, she often forgets to eat.”

Grazia magazine revealed that Angelina Jolie survives on as little as 600 calories a day, which is the equivalent of two bowls of cereal with milk
Grazia magazine revealed that Angelina Jolie survives on as little as 600 calories a day, which is the equivalent of two bowls of cereal with milk

Sometimes Angelina Jolie skips lunch altogether or will just grab a few almonds and some gummy bears while she’s on the go, or will have a protein-based shake rather than anything more substantial.

“Then dinner could be something like a lean steak and a glass of red wine.”

Angelina Jolie’s fluctuating weight has been well documented, with her slender frame becoming painfully thin during difficult emotional times in her life.

The actress was forced to defend her waif-like frame in 2007, when her weight plummeted following the death of her mother Marcheline.

At the time, Angelina Jolie said: “I have always been lean, and this year I lost my mum and I’ve gone through a lot.

“Instead of people saying I look like a person dealing with something emotionally, they assume it’s because I want to fit into skinny jeans.”

While in 2007 the weight loss was put down to Angelina Jolie’s mourning process, this time round reports suggest her battles with food have come as a result of her frenetic lifestyle, which requires constant work to balance work, children, travel and, of course, her relationship with Brad Pitt.

Their union has been blighted by rumour of late – are they splitting, aren’t they splitting? – Brad Pitt said in an interview with Parade magazine that they were stronger than ever.

“One of the greatest, smartest things I ever did was give my kids Angie as their mum,” Brad Pitt said.

“She is such a great mum. Oh man, I’m so happy to have her.”

Despite this show of unity though – Angelina Jolie has flown with the couple’s children across the world to be with Brad Pitt while he publicises his film.

The Grazia magazine source said: “What with her career, Brad and their six kids, Angelina has a lot on. Yes, stress plays a part. She is the type of person who drops weight when she’s stressed out.

“She simply loses her appetite and can survive on almost nothing. But a lot of people are worried that she is taking things too far and that she won’t have the strength to do all the things she wants to do if she doesn’t gain some weight.

“Everyone has been begging her to eat more and she is trying not to get any skinnier, but unfortunately she just doesn’t seem to be putting on any more weight.”

 

Fernando Brazier threw himself into Harlem River hours after marrying his long-term love

Diane A. Wade
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Fernando Brazier threw himself into Harlem River hours after marrying his long-term love

Fernando Brazier, a 28-year-old father of two from New Rochelle, took his own life by throwing himself into a river just hours after marrying his long-term love.

Fernando Brazier had left a note at the front desk of the hotel where he had his wedding reception the night before to tell his new wife where his body could be found.

The groom was then seen leaving the Radisson Hotel in New Rochelle, New York around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday and climbing into a taxi.

His body was discovered at the bottom of the Harlem river near Roberto Clemente State Park around 3:00 p.m., according to police sources.

The coroner has yet to confirm a cause of death but said there was no sign of foul play.

Fernando Brazier, a 28-year-old father of two from New Rochelle, took his own life by throwing himself into a river just hours after marrying his long-term love
Fernando Brazier, a 28-year-old father of two from New Rochelle, took his own life by throwing himself into a river just hours after marrying his long-term love

Fernando Brazier’s new bride, 26-year-old Trudian Hay, identified her husband’s body with his mother Paula Brazier-Weeks.

Trudian Hay’s family described the young mother, a college graduate, as “distraught”.

Fernando Brazier’s sister Shawna Weeks told the New York Post: “He said [in the note] he couldn’t take it anymore, and to take care of the kids.

“He left his ring in the envelope.”

Police sources believe that the man leapt from a building or the promenade behind it at 55 Richman Plaza in the Bronx.

Fernando Brazier and Trudian Hay had been together since they were teenagers and had two daughters aged 5 and 2.

He was said to have been suffering from depression for several months and had counselling with his fiancee.

Shawna Weeks also told the New York Post: “He would tell me that Trudy was a good person [but] he didn’t want to marry her; he was feeling like he was pressured.”

Fernando Brazier, who was studying to be a nurse, had divorced parents and wanted to give his children a stable home.

During their wedding reception on Saturday evening at the hotel, relatives said Fernando Brazier looked happy and not at all distressed.

The couple spent the night at the hotel but the following morning, Fernando Brazier said he was “going out for a walk” and when he didn’t return his wife was told by staff he had left in a taxi and passed her the note.

 

Apple’s biggest store in the world will be opened in NY Grand Central Station

Nancy Clayson
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Apple’s biggest store in the world will be opened in NY Grand Central Station

Apple is opening its next New York City store today – which is believed to be the tech giant’s biggest store in the world – in Manhattan’s Grand Central Station.

According to new reports, a 23,000-square-foot space in Grand Central Station will top the corporation’s 25,000-square-foot Regent Street location in London.

An online video appears to give a walk-through tour of the site, which Apple’s executives are expected to uncloak today ahead of an official opening on America’s biggest shopping day of the year – Black Friday.

According to 9to5mac, a five-minute clip uploaded to on YouTube on October 22, entitled Apple Store Grand Central, was shot before construction began in mid-August.

The behind-the-scenes glimpse indicates there is substantial work to be done between two stories on the north and northeast balconies of the terminal’s main concourse to get the store in shape for shoppers.

An online video appears to give a walk-through tour of the site, which Apple's executives are expected to uncloak today ahead of an official opening on America's biggest shopping day of the year - Black Friday
An online video appears to give a walk-through tour of the site, which Apple's executives are expected to uncloak today ahead of an official opening on America's biggest shopping day of the year - Black Friday

9to5mac reports Apple’ store will be the workplace of 300-plus employees.

Workers are expected to arrive tomorrow to remove several black boards that currently obstruct the store’s façade, preventing outsiders from evaluating what progress has been made – or speculating if an Apple Store is in the making at all.

It is likely the Grand Central Terminal store – Apple’s fifth in Manhattan and 358th in the world – will likely be one of its busiest.

The historic transportation and shopping hub, which opened in 1871, sees about 750,000 people each day.

But numbers can explode to one million daily visitors during the holiday season, with many commuters and tourists lurking around to dine or shop at its approximately 70 restaurants and retail stores.

The International Business Times suggests that Apple will forego its well-known all-white design to compliment the look and feel of Grand Central’s 19th century architecture.

“Tables and chairs resemble the train station’s sepia stones, while soaring ceilings and bright chandeliers give the space a luxurious feel,” reports the International Business Times.

[youtube fpBEcpw3wqA]

Toddlers covering living room in flour

Diane A. Wade
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Toddlers covering living room in flour

A mother of two boys, aged one and three, emerged from a visit to the bathroom when she found her entire living room covered in flour.

The guilty culprits – her two young boys – happily playing in the mess even as she expressed her shock.

The mother uploaded a film of the scene to YouTube and it’s already been watched nearly 750,000 times.

“Oh my gosh” the mother says repeatedly as she pans the camera around the room to find that the flour has been dispersed by the boys – called Andrew and Jack – all over the furniture, on pictures and even along the top of the door.

“Did you boys get in the flour?” the mother asks them.

A mother of two boys, aged one and three, emerged from a visit to the bathroom when she found her entire living room covered in flour
A mother of two boys, aged one and three, emerged from a visit to the bathroom when she found her entire living room covered in flour

 

The woman makes a brief horrifying tour before finally concluding that it “looks like a snowman has puked all over my living room”.

A one point one of the boys shows his mother the empty bag of flour and says “see?” before throwing it on the floor.

Mother replies: “Yeah, you emptied the whole thing!”

“I don’t know what to do. I think I’m going to throw up.”

The accompanying description on the YouTube video reads: “Mommy was not feeling well and had to stay in the bathroom longer than usual during which my two boys, ages 1 and 3 took my new bag of flour out of the cupboard and destroyed my house.

“This is from ONE 5 lb bag. Don’t believe me? Hand a full bag to a 3 year old and see what happens.”

[youtube bPNyK7XTy6o]

 

San Pedro landslide: enormous stretch of Paseo del Mar collapsed into the Pacific Ocean

Diane A. Wade
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San Pedro landslide: enormous stretch of Paseo del Mar collapsed into the Pacific Ocean

An enormous stretch of coastal road collapsed into the Pacific Ocean Sunday, and left a gaping hole where the road once was, after a large rainstorm in San Pedro.

The coastal road, located along an 800-foot section of Paseo del Mar in San Pedro, had been closed to traffic for several months as the road sunk and shifted. Signs also served as a warning to residents to stay away from the unstable section.

Peter Sanders, spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, says the road is likely irreparable, and that plans for a new roadway must now be considered.

It was reported that no one was injured and no homes were directly in the path of the San Pedro landslide.

However, a local resident said: “My greatest concern is that all these homes are going to end up in the water, and that we’re going to be separated like our own little island.”

An enormous stretch of coastal road collapsed into the Pacific Ocean Sunday, and left a gaping hole where the road once was, after a large rainstorm in San Pedro
An enormous stretch of coastal road collapsed into the Pacific Ocean Sunday, and left a gaping hole where the road once was, after a large rainstorm in San Pedro

 

Knowing the enormous landslide may be a temptation to adventure seekers and the insatiably curious, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich has assigned the LAPD to patrol the area overnight.

“Because this is such a new thing, there are going to be a lot of looky-loos out here,” Carmen Trutanich told one worker.

An 8-foot chain link fence was installed around the most dangerous parts of the landslide. Visitors and residents of the area came out in the pouring rain to observe the sight.

The landslide began late this summer at a very gradual pace.

At the beginning of November, the road was moving at a rate of about half an inch a day, according to geologists.

Then fissures began appearing more frequently, and the road started to buckle.

According to engineers the landslide is moving nearly four inches a day – vertically and horizontally – widening the fissures and dropping chunks of roadway and dirt into the ocean.

The road runs south of downtown Los Angeles along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, and served as a place for nearby residents to walk their dogs and cycle along the bluffs.

Peter Sanders says a geological firm has been hired to study the cause of the landslide, which will take around seven months to complete.

Some experts say that the continued popularity of building homes near the bluffs merely exacerbated the problem of landslides in the area.

[youtube ZQ6Vzmpsqu0]

Guilford rampage: 3 deaths and 4 in critical condition after Mary Ann Holder’s shooting

Diane A. Wade
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Guilford rampage: 3 deaths and 4 in critical condition after Mary Ann Holder’s shooting

Mary Ann Holder, a jilted lover from Guilford, North Carolina, shot her former boyfriend and five other people before killing herself, as was revealed by the man’s wife to 911 operators.

Jennifer Lamb, whose husband Randall Lamb, 40, was blasted in the shoulder by Mary Ann Holder, 36, after he ended their tryst, admitted to 911 operators that her spouse had been having an affair.

Jennifer Lamb, who had reportedly filed a restraining order against Mary Ann Holder in February after alleging that she would call,text and send nude photos of herself to Jennifer Lamb, told operators: “I don’t know exactly what happened, but my husband has been shot.

“He’s on his way… He’s getting ready to – umm… he just called me and said he was on the highway and that he had been shot.

“He was at – I don’t know for sure… I think he was at his work.

“And this woman who he had had an affair with… she was there when he got there and she shot him.”

Mary Ann Holder, a jilted lover from Guilford, North Carolina, shot her former boyfriend and five other people before killing herself
Mary Ann Holder, a jilted lover from Guilford, North Carolina, shot her former boyfriend and five other people before killing herself

Mary Ann Holder went on to shoot her sons Robert Dylan Smith 17, and Zachary Smith, 14, in the head, instantly killing the eldest, before firing at Robert’s girlfriend, Makayla Woods, 15, and killing her niece, Hannaleigh Suttles, 8.

The woman also injured her her 17-year-old nephew, Richard Suttles during the rampage on Sunday.

Finally, in the final twist of her murderous rampage, Mary Ann Holder turned the gun on herself and committed suicide.

“We’ve got death. We’ve got drama. We’ve got a situation basically no one could ever imagine,” Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes said yesterday.

While Sheriff BJ Barnes expanded upon the grisly details, he called it “one of the worst situations I’ve seen in my 30 years in law enforcement”.

Mary Ann Holder left behind two notes taking responsibility for the shootings.

Sheriff BJ Barnes said she apologized for the pain she caused.

But she also said she felt “wronged”.

The tragedy began to unfold shortly before 9:00 a.m. Sunday when Mary Ann Holder met her onetime boyfriend Randall Lamb in the parking lot of the Guilford Technical Community College Aviation Centre.

They spoke briefly before she shot at him multiple times, before a bullet struck him in the shoulder, investigators said.

Randall Lamb is in stable condition.

Randall Lamb’s wife called 911, saying her husband had been shot, prompting police officers to being a search for Mary Ann Holder.

Deputies went to Mary Ann Holder’s one-level brick residence on nearby Cocoa Drive in Pleasant Garden around 9:30 a.m.

They were stationed outside her home, but a deputy spotted her car driving down the street about an hour later.

Police officer said he saw a “puff of smoke” in the car and found Mary Ann Holder dead and her son Zachary shot in the head. The boy remains in critical condition.

Deputies recovered two handguns inside the vehicle, one in Mary Ann Holder’s lap, the sheriff said.

The officers then went into her home and discovered her son Robert dead.

Robert Dylan Smith’s girlfriend, Makayla Woods was injured along with Mary Ann Holder’s niece, eight-year-old Hannaleigh Suttles, and her 17-year-old nephew, Richard Suttles.

Mary Ann Holder reportedly had custody of her nephew and niece after their mother died.

Hannahleigh Suttles died on Monday of her injuries. The other two remain in critical condition.

Investigators were trying to unravel the violent chain of events and understand why Mary Ann Holder took out her rage on children.

Sheriff BJ Barnes said: “They were obviously shot for the purpose of killing them. You can call it an execution, you can call it a shooting, you can call it whatever you want. The result is the same. We may never know exactly what her thoughts were and why.”

Authorities said Monday they were still trying to determine when the victims in Mary Ann Holder’s home were shot and whether it happened before or after she met with Randall Lamb.

 

France: teenager under judicial supervision raped and killed 13-year-old school girl Agnes Marin

Diane A. Wade
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France: teenager under judicial supervision raped and killed 13-year-old school girl Agnes Marin

Mathieu M., a French teenager is accused for killing of 13-year-old girl, Agnes Marin, from his boarding school, after he raped her.

Mathieu M., 17, had spent four months in jail for raping another minor, in southern France.

The teenager had been under judicial supervision. The school said it had not been fully aware of his past.

Last Friday, the body of Agnes Marin was found in a forest close to the school. She had been raped and burned.

Agnes’s mother, Paola Marin, said she would not have died “but for a little less negligence” from the school.

The victim’s father, Frederic Marin, alleged that the school, Cevenol International in Chambon-sur-Lignon, had been aware of the boy’s history and that he had problems involving “acts of sexual aggression”.

Head teacher Philippe Bauwens, told French radio station RTL that the school was aware the boy had had problems with the judiciary but did not know their nature.

“We had no contact with the judicial authorities,” he said.

After an emergency meeting with fellow ministers on Monday, French Interior Minister Claude Gueant told TF1 television that “there had been a dysfunction” in the case and that reform of the justice system for minors would be a priority after elections next spring.

Agnes Marin's burned body was found in a forest close to the school
Agnes Marin's burned body was found in a forest close to the school

Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that in the most serious cases where a minor was a suspect, they should be “placed in a secure educational centre”.

Francois Fillon also asked cabinet colleagues to ensure that it was no longer possible for a pupil to be enrolled in a school without the head teacher being fully informed of serious cases involving judicial supervision.

French media report that Mathieu M. was accused of raping a childhood friend and that after four months in custody had been assessed as not posing any danger.

Mathieu M.’s parents were said to have looked for another school for him to complete his education but had been rejected on several occasions before being given a place at Cevenol International.

Agnes Marin disappeared on Wednesday last week and her body was found two days later. The prosecutor said had been murdered in an extremely brutal manner.

Danielle Mitterand, former French First Lady, dies at 87

Diane A. Wade
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Danielle Mitterand, former French First Lady, dies at 87

Danielle Mitterrand, the former French First Lady and widow of Francois Mitterrand, has died at the age of 87.

Danielle Mitterrand died in Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris after being taken ill on Friday, the French news agency AFP reports.

The former French First Lady died at 02:00 (01:00 GMT) on Tuesday, days after being placed in an artificial coma.

Former French President Francois Mitterrand led the Socialist party and served two terms as president of France, from 1981 to 1995.

Danielle Mitterrand died in Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris after being taken ill on Friday
Danielle Mitterrand died in Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris after being taken ill on Friday

Resistance heroine and humanitarian, Danielle Mitterrand was never content with the ornamental role of a traditional French first lady, according to AFP.

Whether it was backing the Kurds or Tibetans or Cuban leader Fidel Castro, pleading for an equitable share-out of water resources or denouncing slavery, the causes that Danielle Mitterand defended ardently were numerous, the agency reported.

Born Danielle Gouze in the eastern town of Verdun, she joined the Resistance as a nurse aged only 17, when German troops occupied most of France in 1940.

On 27 October, 1944, she married Francois Mitterrand, a fellow Resistance member, whom she met when he was on the run from the Gestapo.

Danielle and Francois Mitternad had two sons, Gilbert and Jean-Christophe.

After Francois Mitterrand’s election in 1981, AFP said she preferred to shun the glittering receptions at the Elysee Palace, and devote herself to human rights work.

Former President Francois Mitterrand died of cancer in 1996, but his widow continued her political and human rights work. The organization Danielle Mitterand founded in 1986, France-Libertes, celebrated its 25th anniversary in October this year.

Edwin Ledgard, Big Boy restaurant worker arrested for pouring animal drugs into a coffee pot

Diane A. Wade
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Edwin Ledgard, Big Boy restaurant worker arrested for pouring animal drugs into a coffee pot

Edwin Ledgard, a Big Boy restaurant worker from Cincinnati, Ohio, with a history of violence, was arrested Friday for pouring animal medicine into a pot of coffee in hopes of killing customers.

Edwin Ledgard, 36, went into a Big Boy restaurant where he worked on his day off in order to follow a “delusion” he had to kill.

The man was not scheduled to work on Friday, so when a co-worker saw him tampering with the coffee pot around 4:00 p.m. on Friday, it raised a mental red flag.

One of Edwin Ledgard’s colleagues saw him pouring vials of an animal medication into a pot of brewing coffee and a salt shaker before stopping him.

Edwin Ledgard, a Big Boy restaurant worker from Cincinnati, Ohio, with a history of violence, was arrested Friday for pouring animal medicine into a pot of coffee in hopes of killing customers
Edwin Ledgard, a Big Boy restaurant worker from Cincinnati, Ohio, with a history of violence, was arrested Friday for pouring animal medicine into a pot of coffee in hopes of killing customers

Edwin Ledgard brought three vials of Dextran with him, attempting to poison customers using the medicine that treats anemia in baby pigs. The drug is also known as Dexiron or Iron-500.

For humans, the substance can be fatal, with common side effects including anaphalactic shock, respiratory failure, or excessive water accumulation in the brain.

After his coworker stopped Edwin Ledgard from serving the poisoned coffee and salt, the vials were taken away from him and he was arrested for one count of contaminating a substance for human consumption.

Upon arrest, Edwin Ledgard told police that he was following a “delusion” to kill customers.

This is not his first run in with the law. Edwin Ledgard was just released in late May of this year after serving a portion of an one-year sentence of a 2010 stalking charge.

Prior to that, Edwin Ledgard spent a month in jail after he hit a corrects officer in jail.

Edwin Ledgard is now in the custody of the Toledo Municipal Court and is scheduled to be arraigned this morning.

 

NASCAR crowd boos Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden

Diane A. Wade
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NASCAR crowd boos Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden

First Lady Michelle Obama and the Vice President’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were booed before kicking off NASCAR’s season finale in Florida.

Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden were on hand at the race on Sunday to honour military troops and their families through First Lady’s Joining Forces program.

As the two ladies arrival was announced to say the ceremonial “Gentleman, start your engines”, a chorus of loud booing could be heard above the cheers in the crowd.

The Joining Forces is a program designed to hire and train veterans and military spouses.

First Lady Michelle Obama and the Vice President’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were booed before kicking off NASCAR’s season finale in Florida
First Lady Michelle Obama and the Vice President’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were booed before kicking off NASCAR’s season finale in Florida

An ABC News source traveling with Michelle Obama said that no distinct booing could be heard during the “loud chaotic program with jets flying over and tons of noise”.

But as hostile as the Homestead-Miami Speedway crowd may have been, Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden were welcomed during pre-race festivities, receiving a standing ovation.

At the time, Michelle Obama said NASCAR has been “amazing in terms of its support, not just today but every day for military families”.

The First Lady added that days like this remind military families that “they do have a country that cares and appreciates what they do, and it means so much to them”.

Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden also appeared with military families in driver Carl Edwards’ garage, where they were treated to an up-close look at his cars, the Kansas City Star reported.

Carl Edwards serves on the President’s Council for Physical Fitness, an effort designed to increase awareness of physical fitness and healthy eating.

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Guilford: woman killed one person and wounded 5 more before fatally shooting herself

Diane A. Wade
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Guilford: woman killed one person and wounded 5 more before fatally shooting herself

A woman from Guilford, North Carolina, killed one person and wounded five more – including four children – before fatally shooting herself in front of police officers.

One of the victims was shot and wounded in the car park of Guilford Technical Community College near Greensboro.

The woman shot herself in a car as police approached her and was pronounced dead at a hospital, said Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes.

A wounded victim was found in the back seat of the vehicle with a gun shot wound.

Police officers then went to the suspect’s nearby home, where they found one person dead and three more wounded.

One of the victims was shot and wounded in the car park of Guilford Technical Community College near Greensboro
One of the victims was shot and wounded in the car park of Guilford Technical Community College near Greensboro

Four of the victims were aged between 9 and 19, and the fifth victim was 40-years-old.

Police said they believe the shooting was a domestic situation that went wrong and that all the victims knew each other.

Victims identities have not been released.

The sheriff says three of the wounded were on life support late Sunday afternoon.

“We’re trying to figure out exactly what did happen here,” BJ Barnes said at a news conference.

“The only thing we know is we have a large number of gunshot victims.”

The shootings began happening around 9:00 a.m. on Sunday and police have recovered several guns, Sheriff BJ Barnes said.

A two-page note was found at one of the shooting scenes in Pleasant Garden, but Sheriff BJ Barnes could not specify what it said.

 

Noel Gallagher counter-sues brother Liam and reveals the disintegration of Oasis

Lisa.Felice
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Noel Gallagher counter-sues brother Liam and reveals the disintegration of Oasis

Liam and Noel Gallagher’s mother, Peggy, has told her sons to “sort it out themselves” after they became embroiled in a bitter legal battle.

Liam and Noel Gallagher, former Oasis bandmates, worth a cool £63 million ($95 million) combined, have always been more famous for offstage antics than their onstage performances.

Noel Gallagher, 44, who left Oasis in 2009, charted the end of band in a 14 page document lodged at the High Court.

Liam and Noel Gallagher's mother, Peggy, has told her sons to "sort it out themselves" after they became embroiled in a bitter legal battle
Liam and Noel Gallagher's mother, Peggy, has told her sons to "sort it out themselves" after they became embroiled in a bitter legal battle

In the explosive documents, Noel Gallagher reveals the disintegration of Oasis from its glory years in the early nineties to today.

The Daily Mirror reported Noel Gallagher’s version of events given in a legal document in response to his brother’s libel action.

When quizzed at her Manchester home over whether she was upset, Peggy Gallagher simply said “yes”.

Noel Gallagher claimed his brother left abusive voicemail messages on his wife Sara MacDonald’s phone, tried to attack him with his guitar and disrupted gigs after drinking too much.

The legal documents also describe how Noel regarded Liam Gallagher as “spiteful and childish” for mocking him onstage.

Since the band split in 2009, Liam and Noel Gallagher have been fighting it out professionally and personally with very public spats.

This court case originated after Noel claimed Liam Gallagher missed the 2009 V Festival gig in Chelmsford because he was hungover.

Even though Noel apologized, Liam Gallagher has launched a libel action against him which is ongoing.

In the papers filed in his defence, lodged on November 1, Noel Gallagher makes a string of allegations against his younger brother Liam.

The older brother claims before he quit the band in August 2009, they were not talking after Noel refused to allow ‘free advertising’ for Liam Gallagher’s clothing range Pretty Green in the band’s promotional material.

According to some reports, Noel Gallagher said he would allow free advertising “over his dead body”.

This spelled the end for the band with Liam Gallagher starting to wind his brother up and dedicate songs to Pretty Green staff onstage.

Noel Gallagher claims it was this “spiteful and childish” nature which led him to leave the band he started with his brother.

His lawyers detail 12 times from 1994 to 2005 where Liam Gallagher allegedly “disrupted” gigs by storming out, being drunk or getting into fights.

But Noel Gallagher has scored a point against brother Liam, shooting to the top of the Official Charts with his first solo album in October.

The songwriter flew into number one with his aptly-named debut release Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

Liam Gallagher’s post-Oasis band Beady Eye peaked only at number three when they released Different Gear, Still Speeding last year.

Last night a spokesman for Liam Gallagher said: “After Noel apologized the matter is now in the hands of lawyers.”

Noel Galalgher declined to comment.

 

 

FDA pulls approval of the metastatic breast cancer indication for Avastin

Kathryn R. Bown
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FDA pulls approval of the metastatic breast cancer indication for Avastin

Food and Drug Administration has rescinded approval of Genentech’ breast cancer drug, Avastin, saying it is not effective enough to justify the risks of taking it.

FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., said today she is revoking the agency’s approval of the breast cancer indication for Avastin (bevacizumab) after concluding that the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use.

Avastin will still remain on the market as an approved treatment for certain types of colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme).

“This was a difficult decision. FDA recognizes how hard it is for patients and their families to cope with metastatic breast cancer and how great a need there is for more effective treatments. But patients must have confidence that the drugs they take are both safe and effective for their intended use,” Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg said.

“After reviewing the available studies it is clear that women who take Avastin for metastatic breast cancer risk potentially life-threatening side effects without proof that the use of Avastin will provide a benefit, in terms of delay in tumor growth, that would justify those risks. Nor is there evidence that use of Avastin will either help them live longer or improve their quality of life.”

Food and Drug Administration has rescinded approval of Genentech' breast cancer drug, Avastin, saying it is not effective enough to justify the risks of taking it
Food and Drug Administration has rescinded approval of Genentech' breast cancer drug, Avastin, saying it is not effective enough to justify the risks of taking it

Avastin’s risks include severe high blood pressure; bleeding and hemorrhaging; heart attack or heart failure; and the development of perforations in different parts of the body such as the nose, stomach, and intestines.

FDA’s decision, outlined in Dr Margaret A. Hamburg’s 69-page opinion, involves Avastin used in combination with the cancer drug paclitaxel for those patients who have not been treated with chemotherapy for their form of metastatic breast cancer known as HER2 negative. This indication must now be removed from Avastin’s product labeling.

Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg’s decision is based on an extensive record, which includes thousands of pages submitted to a public docket, data from several clinical trials and the record from a two-day hearing held in June, 2011.

Avastin was approved for metastatic breast cancer in February 2008 under the FDA’s accelerated approval program, which allows a drug to be approved based on data that are not sufficiently complete to permit full approval.

The accelerated approval program provides earlier patient access to promising new drugs to treat serious or life-threatening conditions while confirmatory clinical trials are conducted. If the clinical trials do not justify the continued approval of the drug or a specific drug indication, the agency may revoke its approval. In this case, the accelerated approval was based on promising results from one study that suggested that the drug could provide a meaningful increase in the amount of time from when treatment is started until the tumor grows or the death of the patient.

After the accelerated approval of Avastin for breast cancer, the drug’s sponsor, Genentech, completed two additional clinical trials and submitted the data from those studies to the FDA. These data showed only a small effect on tumor growth without evidence that patients lived any longer or had a better quality of life compared to taking standard chemotherapy alone – not enough to outweigh the risk of taking the drug.

FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, which is responsible for the approval of this drug, ultimately concluded that the results of these additional studies did not justify continued approval and notified Genentech it was proposing to withdraw approval of the indication.

Genentech did not agree with the Center’s evaluation of the data and, following the procedures set out in FDA regulations, requested a hearing on the Center’s withdrawal proposal, with a decision to be made by the Commissioner. That two-day hearing, which took place June 28-29, 2011, included recommendations from the FDA’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC), voting 6-0 in favor of withdrawing approval of Avastin’s breast cancer indication. After the hearing, the public docket remained open until Aug. 4, 2011. (In an earlier meeting of the ODAC, that committee had voted 12-1 in favor of the removal of the breast cancer indication from the Avastin label).

“FDA is committed to working with sponsors to bring promising cancer drugs to market as quickly as possible using tools like accelerated approval,” Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg said.

“I encourage Genentech to consider additional studies to identify if there are select subgroups of women suffering from breast cancer who might benefit from this drug.”

 

Sky Metalwala case: police found “something of interest” at Watershed Park in Kirkland

Diane A. Wade
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Sky Metalwala case: police found “something of interest” at Watershed Park in Kirkland

Investigators of Bellevue’s missing toddler Sky Metalwala case have found what they describe as “something of interest” in the case.

The items were found on Saturday at Watershed Park in Kirkland, over two weeks after Sky Metalwala was reported missing after being left alone in his mother’s broken down car.

Police would not release further details about what items were found but said they were enough for them to call in a forensics team after an overnight search the heavily wooded area.

According to ABC affiliate KOMO-TV, police are not sure if the items are related to the case but have sent them in for analysis.

Investigators of Bellevue's missing toddler Sky Metalwala case have found what they describe as "something of interest" in the case
Investigators of Bellevue's missing toddler Sky Metalwala case have found what they describe as "something of interest" in the case

The items were found shortly after police released new photos of Sky Metalwala and his mother Julia Biryukova in effort to acquire more leads in the case.

Carla Iafrate of the Bellevue Police Department told KOMO-TV: “They found something of interest. We called out our CSI investigators, they showed up and looked at the items.”

Carla Iafrate confirmed rakes and shovels were used in the overnight search of Watershed Park. However, she asked speculation not be made based on the equipment, insisting it was “standard’ for any search and rescue.

“There’s a lot of leaves, it’s pretty wet and damp. There’s a lot of rabbit burrows, so the land is soft back there,” Carla Iafrate said.

Police have had serious questions about Julia Biryukova’ story that she left Sky Metalwala alone in an unlocked car in Bellvue after running out of gas on November 6.

Julia Biryukova’s car had plenty of gas and was running fine, police determined.

Sky Metalwala’s mother had told police it stalled as she was driving her son to the hospital because he wasn’t feeling well, and that she left him inside as she and the boy’s four-year-old sister spent an hour walking to a gas station and calling a friend for help. She told police upon returning to the vehicle, driven by a friend, toddler was missing. The friend called police.

In new photos released on Saturday, Julia Biryukova is seen standing alone in a store wearing the same gray sweat suit she wore on the day she said she left Sky Metalwala in the unlocked vehicle.

Julia Biryukova and her estranged husband, Solomon Metalwala, were cited in 2009 for leaving the boy sleeping in their sport utility vehicle in a Target parking lot in Redmond for 55 minutes. They came out to get him only after police arrived and asked the store to page the vehicle’s owner.

Solomon Metalwala, with whom the mother is in a bitter divorce and custody battle, has said her story is full of holes. He also claimed in divorce documents she had dreamt of strangling the boy.

Police were also looking into whether Julia Biryukova was a member of an online dating service that connects women with “sugar daddies”.

Julia Biryukova, 30, an Ukrainian immigrant, has refused to speak with detectives since the day of Sky Metalwala’s disappearance, but she did acknowledge to police she sometimes left her children alone for extended periods.

Nevertheless, detectives have yet to arrest Julia Biryukova for any crimes they might be able to pin on her, such as making a false police report or recklessly endangering the boy. By giving her some space, they say, they hope to encourage her to cooperate beyond the limited help she’s given.

Investigators have searched Julia Biryukova’s apartment and car with her consent, police said. However, her divorce attorney said she has declined to take a polygraph test because they are unreliable and she is too emotionally devastated.

Sky Metalwala’s father has passed out fliers and voluntarily took polygraph examinations, as did some of his relatives. He warned in a court declaration early this year that his estranged wife’s mental health issues were endangering the children. She alleged that he was domineering and abusive.

In the week before Sky Metalwala disappeared, his parents reached a tentative agreement after a 12-hour mediation session that would allow Solomon Metalwala to have some visitation with the couple’s two children.

But two days later – and two days before she reported her son missing – Julia Biryukova decided to pull out of the agreement, Solomon Metalwala’s divorce attorney, D Michael Tomkins, said last week .

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Garrett Uekman, 19, football player at Arkansas Razorbacks found dead in his dorm

Clyde K. Valle
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Garrett Uekman, 19, football player at Arkansas Razorbacks found dead in his dorm

Garrett Uekman, a promising 19-year-old college football player at Arkansas Razorbacks, was found dead in his dorm by a roommate yesterday.

Garrett Uekman was last seen in “good health” playing video games by a flatmate yesterday morning, but less than an hour later another roommate found him unconscious.

The teenager was declared dead shortly after, THV reports.

Garrett Uekman was “living his dream” of going to the University of Arkansas and playing tight end for the Razorbacks, his devastated family said.

He was said to have been “beaming from ear to ear” in Arkansas’ win against Mississippi State in his hometown of Little Rock less than 24 hours before his death.

Garrett Uekman had played in nine games during the current football season for his beloved team.

Paramedics arrived at the Northwest Quad residence hall in Fayetteville at 11:20 a.m. and found the student-athlete in cardiac arrest, but several attempts to revive him failed, the report says.

Garrett Uekman was pronounced dead at Washington Regional Medical Center at 12:10 p.m.

University Police Lt. Matt Mills told THV that the cause of Garrett Uekman’s death is not known at this time, but there are no suspicious circumstances.

Garrett Uekman, a promising 19-year-old college football player at Arkansas Razorbacks, was found dead in his dorm by a roommate yesterday
Garrett Uekman, a promising 19-year-old college football player at Arkansas Razorbacks, was found dead in his dorm by a roommate yesterday

His body is being sent to the State Medical Examiner for an autopsy.

The grieving parents Danny and Michelle Uekman said: “Our son was living his dream of going to the U of A and playing football for the Razorbacks.

“He loved his school, his coaches, and his teammates and classmates, and was an influence and inspiration to so many people.

“We ask for your love and prayers for Garrett, our family and his friends as we all cope with this heavy and painful loss.”

David Estes, the football coach at Little Rock Catholic where Garrett Uekman played in high school, said he was “beaming from ear to ear” on Saturday night in Little Rock’s War Memorial Stadium as the Razorbacks defeated Mississippi State 44-17.

“Garrett was any parent or coach’s dream,” David Estes said.

“He was one of those special kids and had a passion for everything. He loved Catholic High, loves UA and wanted to be a Razorback forever. He got to live that dream.”

A Facebook group set up in Garrett Uekman’s memory has already got 1500 members and tributes on social networking sites have been flooding in.

Members of the Razorback football team held a meeting this afternoon where the player’s death was announced.

“Garrett Uekman was a special member of our family, and we are all saddened by his passing,” Bobby Petrino, the head football coach said.

“His loss is a terrible shock, and it makes you realise how precious life is. Garrett was a great teammate and loved being a Razorback.

“My sympathies are with his entire family during this incredibly trying time, and I share in their grief. Our team will honour and show our respect to Garrett.”

Lt. Matt Mills said he expected to have more information on the cause of the death today.

Garrett Uekman was a sophomore majoring in applied exercise science in the College of Education and Health Professions.

According to the Razorbacks website, 6ft 4in tall Garrett Uekman was regarded as one of the top prospects in the state and was ranked as the No. 23 tight end in the nation and the No. 5 recruit in the state of Arkansas.

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Gregory Halman, Seattle Mariners’ outfielder, stabbed to death in Netherlands

Clyde K. Valle
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Gregory Halman, Seattle Mariners’ outfielder, stabbed to death in Netherlands

Gregory Halman, baseball player at Seattle Mariners, has been stabbed to death in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Gregory Halman, 24, the Seattle Mariners outfielder, died in the early hours of this morning, police and the player’s family have confirmed.

Gregory Halman’s brother has been arrested in connection with the incident.

A spokesman for Rotterdam police said: “A 24-year-old died this morning in a stabbing and we have arrested the 22-year-old brother of the victim.”

Gregory Halman, baseball player at Seattle Mariners, has been stabbed to death in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Gregory Halman, baseball player at Seattle Mariners, has been stabbed to death in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Gregory Halman was a Dutch national, born in Haarlem, Netherlands.

The outfield player made his debut aged 16 in 2003 with the Dutch major league team of Corendon Kinheim in his home town of Haarlem.

When he was 17 and right of out high school, Gregory Halman moved to the U.S. after signing with the Seattle Mariners in June 2004.

Gregory Halman was one of the country’s most successful baseball exports and rose steadily through the Major League ranks before hitting the big time in 2010.

He appeared in 44 MLB games for Seattle and helped the Netherlands win the European Baseball Championship in 2007.

In 2009, Gregory Halman earned the “best power hitter” tag and “best athlete” in the Mariners.

When not playing for the team, Gregory Halman had helped boost baseball in Europe by holding coaching sessions with youngsters.

He was a graduate of Mendel College, Holland, and spoke four languages.

Gregory Halman’s father, Eddy, and brother, Jason, had also played on the Dutch national baseball team.

His sister, Naomi Halman, is a professional basketball player in Europe.

Gregory Halman had previously admitted it was a struggle leaving his “supportive” family behind to live in the United States.

“It was hard coming from a big family with love around you,” Gregory Halman said in an interview with Tacoma Weekly last year.

“But playing baseball was always my goal, so when I was feeling homesick I would tell myself this is what I always wanted to do. It was tough.”

Gregory Halman was seen as a power-hitting prospect, especially after hitting 33 home runs in 2010 at the team’s Triple A team in Tacoma.

Last season, he hit .230 with two home runs and six RBIs in 35 games with the Mariners last season.

 

Lakeview: hunter David Weaver accidentally shot dead his brother who was camouflaged

Diane A. Wade
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Lakeview: hunter David Weaver accidentally shot dead his brother who was camouflaged

David Weaver, a hunter from Lakeview, Michigan, accidentally shot dead his brother Harry who was sitting in a camouflaged hunting blind.

Harry Weaver, 26, died instantly after being hit in the head by the stray bullet.

Harry Weaver, who is from an Amish family, had not told his younger brother David that he was going out hunting on family-owned land in rural Mecosta County in Michigan.

While David Weaver, 23, stalked deer with several friends across rural farmland his older brother took refuge in a hunting blind.

Camouflaged blinds are often used by hunters as it allows them to go unnoticed by deer.

According to police, David Weaver fired three shots at a deer that is believed to have bolted in front of the hunting blind.

David Weaver, a hunter from Lakeview, Michigan, accidentally shot dead his brother Harry who was sitting in a camouflaged hunting blind
David Weaver, a hunter from Lakeview, Michigan, accidentally shot dead his brother Harry who was sitting in a camouflaged hunting blind

All three shots missed their target but Harry Weaver was found dead after he failed to return to the family home to carry out his chores.

Police said the victim was more than 400 yards from his brother across open fields.

The shooter had limited visibility and all he could see was the top of the deer blind.

Police said they are treating the incident as a tragic accident and said it should serve as a warning to other hunters.

Sheriff Todd Purcell said: “Evidence found at the scene initially pointed to the fact that the brother may have been the one to fire the fatal shot.”

Sheriff added that David Weaver is shaken, but cooperating fully with the investigation.

“It’s an accidental tragedy that the hunting community is aware of,” Todd Purcell said.

“The brother did not come back for chores, which threw red flags up to the family, at which point they went out to search for him and they found him.

“The family is doing as best as possible.”

Harry Weaver’s death came two days after Michigan’s 16-day firearm deer hunting season began.

 

Florida: Jeanne Thomas was watching her house from work when she saw two burglars inside

Diane A. Wade
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Florida: Jeanne Thomas was watching her house from work when she saw two burglars inside

Jeanne Thomas of Florida was watching her house from work using an internet surveillance webcam, when she saw two burglars raiding her home.

After the shock of seeing two burly men handling her gaming consoles and flat screen television, Jeanne Thomas called the police.

Minutes later, Jeanne Thomas, 43, continued to watched in dramatic suspense as the suspects were arrested right in her living room.

“This is unbelievable!” Jeanne Thomas exclaims into the recording.

“He doesn’t even know I’m sitting here watching all this.”

Jeanne Thomas from Florida was watching her house from work using an internet surveillance webcam, when she saw two burglars raiding her home
Jeanne Thomas from Florida was watching her house from work using an internet surveillance webcam, when she saw two burglars raiding her home

Jeanne Thomas installed a home video monitor last October because she had been robbed, and that protection was well worth it after the second burglary was thwarted.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Jeanne Thomas’ safe, a 37-inch flat screen television, a video game console and games all lined up on her bed, ready to be packed away.

The video shows two men enter her Boynton Beach home through the doggie door and walk around, adjusting their tools and grabbing Wii video games as they inspect their possible loot.

Jeanne Thomas gets progressively more worried as minutes go by without any sign of police.

Approximately three minutes, the men appear visibly concerned, running around the home trying to figure out a way out as they must have heard police approaching.

The men were identified as Curtis Williams, 20, and Steven Morales, 19, and were arrested by police at the scene.

Two other men- Scott George and Jonathan Cruz, both 20- were also arrested for having helped plan the crimes.

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Occupy Wall Street leaders checked into five star W Hotel Downtown

Diane A. Wade
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Occupy Wall Street leaders checked into five star W Hotel Downtown

Peter Dutro and Brad Spitzer, two leading figures of the Occupy Wall Street movement, who moonlight as businessmen, have eschewed the campfire comradeship for a room at a fashionable five star W Hotel Downtown.

Peter Dutro, one of the members of elite finance committee, and Deloitte analyst Brad Spitzer, who covertly took part in protests while on a work trip from California, checked into the sumptuous W Hotel Downtown, The New York Post reported.

W Hotel Downtown is a $700-per-night hotel, with 350-count Egyptian cotton sheets.

Brad Spitzer said: “I’m staying here for work. I do finance, but I support it still.

“Tents are not for me.”

W Hotel Downtown is a $700-per-night hotel, with 350-count Egyptian cotton sheets
W Hotel Downtown is a $700-per-night hotel, with 350-count Egyptian cotton sheets

Brad Spitzer, 24, also offered other demonstrators respite from the weather in his decadent surroundings, requesting a roll-out bed to accommodate guests, according to The New York Post.

“He’s here all the time,” a hotel source said.

“We all see him at the protest.”

During their stay the scruffy set he draws into the hotel live it up like 1 per centers, hotel sources told The New York Post.

Brad Spitzer denied accommodating demonstrators and claimed he simply offered a shower to a blogger friend living in the park.

Meanwhile, Peter Dutro, 35, one of the small powerful team that decides how the movement’s $500,00 fund should be spent, arrived at the hotel the night after Zuccotti Park was cleared.

While many of the rumpled revolutionaries scratched around for accommodation in church basements, Peter Dutro, who lives in Brooklyn, put up in a hotel that promises guests can “unleash [their] inner Gordon Gekko.”

Gordon Gekko is the name of the rogue trader played by Michael Douglas in the 1987 and 2010 Wall Street films that epitomise the greed that the Occupy movement claims to oppose.

Peter Dutro claimed to have chosen the W Hotel Downtown for its convenience
Peter Dutro claimed to have chosen the W Hotel Downtown for its convenience

Confronted, Peter Dutro claimed to have chosen the W Hotel Downtown for its convenience.

“I knew everything was going to be a clusterf–k in the morning,” he told The New York Post, referring to Occupy’s plans to bring the city to a halt.

“How would I get over the bridge when they were shutting it down?”

Peter Druto added: “I’m not in the business of throwing money away. It’s the only room I could find.”

Peter Druto, a tattoo artist and former software project manager who dropped out of an NYU finance degree program to join the occupation said he paid $500 of his own money, using an American Express card, on the palatial surroundings.

He wanted to get a good night’s sleep before the cause’s two-month ceremony the following day, he explained.

“I knew . . . there was a high probability of getting arrested,” he said.

“I wanted a nice room. That’s OK. Not everybody there is dirt poor.”

“It is an expensive hotel. Whatever,” he said.

Peter Dutro also claims that he looked after fellow protesters, who were staying in less salubrious surroundings.

“I took food to all those churches,” he said.

“I got them cigarettes.”

Other group leaders have stayed in both the W Downtown and the Marriott Hotel, the New York Post reported. Some key players were not present at the park campsite when police swept Zuccotti Park free of tents.

Rooms at the W Hotel Downtown have 37-inch flat-screen TVs, goose down duvets, rainforest showers and iPod-docks. A pastrami sandwich, from room service, costs an astonishing $18.

 

Demi Moore wants to “punish” Ashton Kutcher “financially”

Lisa.Felice
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Demi Moore wants to “punish” Ashton Kutcher “financially”

Demi Moore is said to have instructed her lawyers to “punish” Ashton Kutcher “financially” in revenge for the betrayal that led her to seek a divorce.

Demi Moore‘s edict is in spite of a pre-nuptial contract with Ashton Kutcher – which she insisted on when they married in 2005.

At the time, Demi Moore, now 49, wanted to prevent him ever seeking a share of her $148 million pot of assets.

Back then, Ashton Kutcher, now 33, the son of a mid-western factory worker, was just beginning his acting career while Demi Moore had a fortune built up from roles in hit films including Indecent Proposal and Disclosure.

In addition Demi Moore had a $75 million divorce settlement from her second husband, Bruce Willis.

Now Demi Moore’s career is on the wane and Ashton Kutcher is the one who commands major fees.

Demi Moore is said to have instructed her lawyers to "punish" Ashton Kutcher "financially" in revenge for the betrayal that led her to seek a divorce
Demi Moore is said to have instructed her lawyers to "punish" Ashton Kutcher "financially" in revenge for the betrayal that led her to seek a divorce

Ashton Kutcher earns $750,000 an episode playing an internet billionaire in the TV sitcom Two And A Half Men and as much as $6 million a year as a successful investor in new technology projects, including Skype.

“With a pre-nuptial agreement, Ashton should be sitting pretty,” a source close to Demi Moore’s entourage said.

“These agreements are designed to protect one’s earnings during the marriage as well as one’s pre-nuptial assets.

“But Demi is furious, raging in fact – you only have to look at every photo you see of her to see the toll Ashton’s cheating has taken on her.

“She wants to punish him financially because of the way he has broken her heart. She is talking about going after a share of what he has earned since their marriage on the grounds that she contributed to much of what he has achieved.

“She is going to give him a bitter fight and, whether or not she wins, it will be an expensive lesson for him.”

Demi Moore originally consulted a divorce lawyer in early October after Ashton Kutcher allegedly had unprotected sex on their sixth wedding anniversary with Sara Leal, following a drunken hot-tub party.

It was alleged to be the second occasion Ashton Kutcher had publicly humiliated her – Brittney Jones, 21, had bragged that he seduced her at a Los Angeles home he shares with Demi Moore.

Demi Moore’s frequent travels – she also has residences in New York and an Idaho mountain resort – “have made it easy for Ashton to go on living like a bachelor”, a source close to the couple said.

“But she has to travel for her work and she believes he just totally violated her trust.”

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher went to Kabbalah marriage counselling after he begged for a second chance. They also spent a weekend on a Caribbean atoll, Parrot Cay, where they were lent a villa by Bruce Willis, who remains one of his ex-wife’s closest friends and has helped bring up their three daughters.

“She was a wreck,” the source said.

“She believes strongly in marriage and she really didn’t want to spend her middle years alone. But in the end, she just couldn’t see any way of making things work. Bruce told her he is in her corner.”

A leading US family law expert, Raoul Felder, warned last night that Demi Moore faces an expensive battle.

“There are very few grounds for overturning a pre-nuptial agreement,” Raoul Felder said.

“The only people likely to win are the lawyers for the wife and the toyboy husband, who will collect huge legal fees.”

 

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