posted 01-07-2016 10:47 PM                       

quote: San Bernardino Sun

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SAN BERNARDINO >> A Bloomington man is suspected of trying to kill a man believed to be his brother outside a Mimi’s Cafe on Wednesday during an apparent family dispute, police said.

Keith Pryor, 64, allegedly shot the man outside the Mimi’s, police said.

Pryor then fled the scene in his red 2002 Ford Ranger pick-up, with a California Disabled license plate DPV3948, according to police.

The shooting was reported at 10:35 a.m. and occurred in the rear parking lot of the restaurant at 395 E. Hospitality Lane, San Bernardino police Lt. Dan Gomez said.

Witnesses said they heard a single gunshot and they saw the victim go down, Lt. Rich Lawhead said.

The victim, a man in his 60s, was taken to the hospital in critical condition but was expected to recover,

The shooting led to a search for Pryor, who was considered to be armed and dangerous.

Mimi’s was closed much of the day. It reopened after 4 p.m., its manager said.

On Wednesday, immediately after the incident, the parking lot of the restaurant was cordoned off as detectives searched for evidence and interviewed witnesses.

A couple walked out of the restaurant at one point but seemed not to know anything happened.

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posted 01-09-2016 10:21 PM                       

quote: Daily Mail

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El Chapo was caught as the result of trying to hire Sean Penn to play him in a movie

Sean Penn met and interviewed El Chapo while he was on the run in the Mexican jungle last year - and unwittingly led the Mexican military to the fugitive drug lord's lair.

The extraordinary meeting took place in October and was arranged by Penn, Mexican actress Kate del Castillo and a fixer, with the permission of the Sinaloa cartel.

El Chapo admitted in the sensational interview to being the biggest drug trafficker in the world and said he sent engineers to Germany to learn how to build the tunnel he would eventually use to escape a maximum security prison.

The cartel boss was captured on Friday in a daring 4am raid by Mexican marines and was returned to Altiplano jail.

The double Oscar-winning actor's meeting with El Chapo led to the gun battle in which he was captured, an official said.

Penn and del Castillo are now under investigation in Mexico, ABC News reported.

In an article written by the Mystic River star for Rolling Stone, El Chapo says: 'I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. I have a fleet of submarines, airplanes, trucks and boats.'

Despite his notoriety, up until this point the Mexican gangster had always insisted he was 'just a farmer'.

Penn wrote that El Chapo sent engineers - who were already accomplished in tunnel-building from the multitudes of underground paths they have built across the U.S.-Mexico border - to Germany to learn how to construct the tunnel he fled down as he escaped from prison in July last year.

The actor claimed the cartel leader was concerned about the low-lying water table beneath the jail.

Penn said he did not turn El Chapo in because the drug lord's trust 'was not to be f***ed with'.

'I take no pride in keeping secrets that may be perceived as protecting criminals, nor do I have any gloating arrogance at posing for selfies with unknowing security men. But I'm in my rhythm. Everything I say to everyone must be true,' Penn wrote.

El Chapo was caught after contacting actors and directors about making a Narcos-style biopic about his life, Mexican officials said.

El Chapo - real name Joaquin Guzman - also explains in a video interview how he escaped from the prison and talks of how he became one of the most notorious drug lords of all time.

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posted 04-19-2016 09:30 AM                    

quote: nj.com

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In the early 1970s, Dave Miller helped his father build record-pressing machines, but never imagined that, four decades later, he would once again be working on them.

But here in a nondescript Bordentown NJ industrial park, those very machines are noisily working their magic, spinning vinyl pellets into 12-inch records. Independent Record Pressing, one of a dozen record-making plants in the country, launched last year amid a growing demand for vinyl records.

"Old is new," said Miller, the plant manager. "You look at a CD, you stick it in, you play it and that's the way it goes. But a record, you feel it, you look at it, you look at the artwork and you can hear a difference in the music."

Last year, 16.9 million LPs were sold in the United States, a 28 percent increase over the year before, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

Another sign of its growing popularity is Saturday's Record Store Day, which is now in its eighth year of celebrating independent record stores.

Independent Record Pressing is a partnership between Darius Van Arman, a co-founder of Indiana-based Secretly Group, and Dave Hansen, general manager of Epitaph Records.

The pair enlisted the help of Miller and Sean Rutkowski, a veteran of the music industry, to run the plant. They cater to independent labels and their current order list includes records by Mac DeMarco, Refused, Rancid, Bad Religion and The Offspring.

Once the plant reaches full capacity, it will have six presses running and hopefully be able to produce 8,000 records per day and up to 1.5 million a year.

But pressing a record is no easy task. Vinyl compounds are poured from a bucket into a hot extruder and then melted down into a hockey-puck-size disc. A label is glued on each side of the puck and it is placed between the stampers — nickel plates made from the master. The pressing machines then squash the pliable vinyl into an album. Once it cools, the flattened plastic is pushed out onto a trimmer, where any excess vinyl is cut and the disc is dropped onto a spindle.

But the slightest variation — be it the compounds, the labels, the stampers, the machines, the weather or even the employees — can mean a record has to be scrapped.

"Without a doubt, manufacturing vinyl records is the dirtiest, worst, most annoying part of the music business," Miller said. "You can babysit drunken bands who throw up on themselves all day long and it doesn't compare to this."

The records are checked for sound quality issues before they're brought over to another crew, who assembles the finished records, sleeves and jackets and packages them for shipping.

Dawn Scheideler, who oversees the assembly and packaging tasks, said there are checks and balances at each step of the process.

"My biggest thing is making people happy because I know how much this means to them," she said. "Back in the day when that was the only medium, it didn't matter so much ... but nowadays, they're looking for a perfect-looking record.

"We can press 24 hours a day, seven days a week and sell every record, but keeping it a consistent, good record is the hardest thing," she said.

Scheideler began working at Independent part-time in between her runs as a school bus driver, but about a month into production, transitioned to full-time.

"I didn't even collect records now, but once you're working with them again, it takes you back," she said, recalling her teenage years when she memorized Barry Manilow and Billy Joel songs from vinyls and 8-tracks.

Today, songs can be streamed and downloaded for free, but she said people who collect records are drawn to the format's richer, warmer sound.

"They're looking for that connection," she said. "There's nothing like it and I felt that. Anybody that works here needs to have that. ... It's not just somebody who likes music; it's somebody that makes that connection of where that all started."

Scheideler likened the sound of a record to the comfort of sitting in front of a fireplace.

"You're getting that warmth, you're getting a crackle warm sound," she said. "The people that are buying these are buying it for the sound ... they're buying it for that special connection."

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posted 04-19-2016 10:30 AM                       

quote:

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"Back in the day when that was the only medium, it didn't matter so much ... but nowadays, they're looking for a perfect-looking record.

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posted 04-25-2016 08:47 AM                    

quote: Fox News

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The decomposing body of a Spanish woman was found inside a movie theater after been dead for around a week.

The 55-year-old woman, who has been identified only as Concha M. N., was found in an "unfrequented" area of the ABCPark movie theater in Valencia on Spain's eastern coast, some 200 miles East of Madrid.

A local government representative told the English-language Spanish paper, The Local, that the woman could have "passed out, fallen and died." She disappeared on April 12, seven days before her body was found inside the theater.

Sources close to the investigation told local media that an autopsy determined her death was caused by falling down the stairs.

The body was discovered by a worker who noticed a “strong smell” emanating from an area “between two emergency doors, where there are some stairs." When the worker opened the door, she found the body in an advanced stage of decomposition.

The woman had been reported missing by her husband on Wednesday, April 13.

"We suspect that she has been dead for a week,” Juan Carlos Moragues, the representative of the regional Valencia government. “There were some blood stains on the stairs. She could have fainted, fallen and died at this moment," he said.

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posted 04-26-2016 03:11 PM                       

quote:

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Police investigating release of 'noxious substance' at Toronto-area cinemas

TORONTO — The Canadian Press

Published Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2016 11:40AM EDT

Last updated Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2016 1:42PM EDT

Cineplex Entertainment says the remaining screening of the Tamil movie “Theri” has been cancelled in the Greater Toronto Area following “incidents” at three theatres.

Peel Regional Police say they are investigating after a “noxious substance” was released at two separate movie theatres in Brampton and Mississauga.

They say the incidents are believed to be linked as both took place during the movie’s screening at about 7:20 p.m. on Friday.

Cineplex says a similar incident took place at a Toronto theatre also on Friday evening.

Police say the effects of the noxious substance were similar to the symptoms caused by pepper spray.

They say some theatre patrons were treated by paramedics at the scene and required no further medical assistance.

Cineplex spokeswoman Sarah Van Lange says each incident was localized to a single auditorium but all three cinemas were evacuated “in an abundance of caution.”

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posted 05-26-2016 12:26 PM                       

quote: Daily Mail

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Pensioner destroyed six luxury flats after starting fire by using 400C paintstripping heat gun to defrost his freezer

A pensioner burned down his entire apartment block when he used a 400 degree paint stripping heat gun to defrost his freezer.

The 85-year-old set six flats alight with his novel approach to thawing the thick ice clogging up his storage space.

He is believed to have been thrown across his kitchen when the appliance exploded as he blasted it with half the heat of a jet engine.

That caused a massive fire to take hold of his home - the flames of which spread to the five flats beneath and across from his in the three-floor build in Thorntonhall, a leafy village on the outskirts of Glasgow.

Fortunately, the man and his neighbours all managed to escape without serious injury.

The unknown pensioner was, however, treated for smoke inhalation.

Fire crews raced to the scene of the blaze when it took hold on April 29. All the residents were evacuated - with the firefighters themselves having to flee when they thought the building was about to collapse.

The inferno was eventually brought under control.

Several of the properties - which change hands for around £250,000 - were damaged beyond repair. Others suffered significant smoke damage.

The conclusions of the investigation into the fire have only now come to light.

A source close to the probe told The Herald that the elderly gentleman considered the heat gun a viable option for removing his freezer's build-up of ice.

The device can be bought for as little as £30. Capable of reaching temperatures of 400C, they are more commonly used for removing paint and gloss from walls and doors.

The source said: 'He was using a paint stripping device, which we would refer to as a heat gun, to defrost the freezer.

'There are components in fridge freezers which can explode. They are quite dangerous, particularly if certain devices are used to defrost them.

'He's very, very fortunate to have escaped without serious injury. It was a major fire.'

The instrument's safety guidelines warn users that it is capable of setting flammable items alight.

To ensure ultimate chill, freezers contain a highly flammable layer of insulation.

Police Scotland have confirmed that the man will not be charged over the blaze.

The source added: 'The residents are absolutely devastated. They have lost everything.'

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posted 05-26-2016 02:23 PM                       

quote:

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Canada's ambassador to Ireland, the man hailed as a hero for shooting Ottawa gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau after he stormed Parliament Hill in 2014, tackled a protester at a ceremony in Dublin Thursday morning.

Canada's 'AmBadAssador' to Ireland receives mixed reaction after tussle with protester

Kevin Vickers, the former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms, was at the event commemorating the 100 British soldiers who died during the Easter Rising, also called the Easter Rebellion, when Irish republicans tried to overthrow British control of the country by force.

Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers tackles protester at ceremony to honour British soldiers killed in 1916https://t.co/idQ3g16gG8
— @rtenews

A male protester, wearing an Easter Rising T-shirt, stood up during the invitation-only event and could be heard yelling, "This is an insult."

Vickers was the first to respond to the disturbance, tackling the man and leading him away from the ceremony. Police later arrested the protester.

"This man just ran forward and started screaming, 'It's a disgrace.' He was tackled by somebody and it was only after that I realized it was the Canadian ambassador," an unnamed eyewitness told the Irish Independent.

"The whole thing lasted about a minute," the eyewitness said. "The Canadian ambassador grabbed him. There was a struggle and gardaí [the police] wrestled him to the ground. Without hesitation, [Mr. Vickers] jumped out from the middle of dignitaries."

Thursday's ceremony was being held at a time of heightened security, in the centennial year of the uprising that sought to establish an Irish republic. The British MI-5 recently raised the threat level for Northern Ireland-related terrorism from moderate to substantial, adding there is a "strong possibility" of an attack from "dissident" Irish republicans.
Ambassador Grabs Protestor Kevin Vickers

Former House of Commons sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers tackled a protester at an event in Dublin on Thursday. The event commemorated the death of British soldiers during the 1916 Easter Rebellion. (Canadian Press/PA via AP-Brian Lawless)

The protester was identified as Brian Murphy by the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA), of which he is a member. The group, which claims it is not aligned with any political party, is a support group for the families of imprisoned republicans.

In a Facebook post, the group chided Vickers for what it called his "assault" on their member. Murphy can be seen wearing the IRPWA logo across his chest.

As the protester was being handcuffed by police, attendees at the ceremony were hearing these words from the speaker at the podium, quoting from the Irish government's foreword to the Ireland 2016 centenary program.

"All lives are equal in value, and 2016 must be a year in which the narratives of everyone on this island of Ireland are included and heard. This is how we can truly honour the vision of the 1916 proclamation (of the Irish Republic)."
'It was impressive'

A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that Vickers intervened to intercept the protester from running up to the speakers' podium. He was not injured during the incident, the department confirmed. The Canadian Embassy in Ireland would not comment.

Photo with president expands Kevin Vickers's Twitter stature
RCMP honoured for actions on Oct. 22, 2014
TIMELINE | Parliament Hill shooting: five minutes of terror

"We were all kind of surprised, to put it mildly, that a dignitary kind of beat the Irish police in wrestling this guy to the ground," Colin Keegan, a photographer covering the event, told Vanessa Vander Valk, host of CBC Radio's Shift.

"I have to hand it to him. It was impressive … he was in action within a split second of it happening."

But Keegan said Murphy, the protester, seemed more disgruntled than a security risk.

"I wouldn't say it was threatening, really, it was more disruptive than threatening. He didn't lunge at anybody, or he didn't have a weapon. I presume the gentleman was just disgusted that we were commemorating the death of British soldiers on Irish soil."
Ireland Kevin Vickers

Canadian Ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers helped subdue a protester who began chanting "insult" at the service commemorating more than 100 British soldiers killed trying to suppress the Irish Easter Rising a century ago. (Brian Lawless/PA via AP)

Global Affairs Canada has a code of conduct for its diplomatic staff abroad, last updated in 2014.

Under a broad heading of "Canada's reputation: Personal behaviour," it notes in part: "Regardless of any legal immunity conferred upon representatives abroad, their conduct and actions will be subject to a greater degree of scrutiny and public interest than they would be at home.

"The potential for public scrutiny requires that representatives use good judgment and common sense."

Vickers was representing Canada at the ceremony as a guest of the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan.

He was appointed ambassador to Ireland early last year, just months after he played a key role in ending the shooting attack on Parliament Hill.

Gunman Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed 24-year-old Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014, then entered the halls of Centre Block and continued shooting, as security staff and frightened parliamentarians raced through corridors. Vickers was lauded for his efforts in halting the attacker.

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posted 05-28-2016 01:05 AM                       

quote: thelocal.de (my emphasis)

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Berlin Airport PR chief fired for calling project 'shit show’

The new spin doctor for Berlin’s embarrassingly delayed new airport found honesty doesn’t pay in his business on Monday, after just three months in the job.

Berlin's new international airport was supposed to be the jewel in the crown of the reunited and reinvigorated German capital.

But the building project has become a by-word for administrative ineptitude, as delays, construction failures and a botched attempt at privatization have pushed the planned opening back by years.

The state governments of Berlin and Brandenburg are also likely to have to pay out millions in compensation to airlines which planned their businesses around a 2011 opening.

However, the project’s PR chief discovered the hard way on Monday that, despite all this being common knowledge, it doesn’t pay for someone on the inside to admit to it.

In an interview with PR Magazine, Daniel Abbou made the bleeding obvious observation that there is no chance the building project will be considered a success story.

“The old managers of the project messed up too much for that to be the case, too many billions of euros have been wasted,” he said. “What we can do is create a sense of transparency.”

And it didn’t end there. Abbou, who has been in the job since January, became ever more pointed in his criticism.

“Up until now official statements always said that the project was going well. That’s bullshit. Take responsibility when something has been a shit show,” he said.

Speaking about a mooted opening in 2017, Abbou also cast doubt on the assurances of his bosses that this target could be met.

“Believe me, no politician or airport director, no person who is not addicted to pills, would give you definitive assurances for this airport."

Clearly, Abbou’s bosses at the airport were less than impressed with his call for openness.

The interview Mr Abbou gave PR magazine wasn’t agreed upon with the company hierarchy,” airport head Karsten Mühlenfeld said on Monday in an explanation of the decision to relieve him of his duties.

Ironically, Abbou was hired to the post because Berlin mayor and head of the airport oversight committee, Michael Müller, was unsatisfied with his predecessor’s tendency to react defensively to journalists’ questions on the project.

But the opposition were more sympathetic to Abbou’s case.

Andreas Otto of the Green Party, and member of the airport investigatory committee, said that it is “incomprehensible that transparency and openness are being punished.”

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posted 08-10-2016 01:35 PM                       

quote: KTLA

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Pet Owner Arrested After Neglected Dog Tests Positive for Meth

A 21-year-old dog owner in Fontana was arrested after his pet tested positive for ingestion of methamphetamine, police said Monday.

The dog, a Chihuahua named Jack Sparrow, was initially brought in to the Inland Valley Veterinary Specialists & Emergency Center in Upland on Tuesday, July 5, according to a news release from the Fontana Police Department.

His owner said the dog was exhibiting erratic behavior and may have ingested methamphetamine, the release said. The center’s staff saw the dog having convulsions and seizures, according to police.

Once the owner, identified as Isaiah Nathaniel Sais, was told a test was for the drug was positive, he took Jack Sparrow and left the veterinary center, according to police.

Veterinarians felt the dog’s life was in danger and called city animal service officers, who went to the owner’s home in the 10400 block of Hemlock Avenue in Fontana.

“At the residence, animal service officers observed Jack still suffering from the effects of the drug and other signs of general neglect, seized him from the owner,” the news release said.

The dog was taken back to the Upland center, where he is still being treated. He is very sensitive to noise and sudden movement but is expected to recover. Once he’s well, he’ll be put in a foster home.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office’s Animal Cruelty Task Force sought and received an arrest warrant for Sais, who was taken into custody by Fontana police in Rancho Cucamonga on Friday.

Sais was booked into the West Valley Detention Centeron suspicion of felony animal cruelty, police said.

He was due in court Monday and was being held on $50,000 bail, inmate records indicate.

In March, a puppy that was seized during a drug bust in Tustin tested positive for meth and heroin, police said. The little dog, Bubba, was placed into the care of the Orange County Animal Authority and was recovering, Tustin police said in May.

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