French runner Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbab shoves 14 year old girl dressed as mascot after winning gold medal in 3000 metre steeplechase

On July 3, 2012 By A.P.In Algeria, France, Helsinki, Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbab, StupidityLeave a comment

French athlete Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad has gained track and field infamy in the lead-up to the London Olympics.

The 27-year-old had just won gold in the European Championship’s 3000 metre steeplechase in Helsinki on Sunday when audience cheers quickly subsided into shock over his subsequent actions.

Rather than appearing happy about his 8.33.23-minute victory, the Algerian-born athlete walked over to the championship’s mascot “Appy”, which was being worn by a 14-year-old girl, and smacked a gift bag out of her hands and shoved her with both hands.

Michael Marin, Arizona man, commits suicide in court after being found guilty of arson

On June 30, 2012 By A.P.In Arizona, arson, Crime, Michael Marin, Phoenix, suicideLeave a comment

Arizona man Michael Marin collapsed in court and died Thursday after hearing a jury convict him of burning down his $3.5 million mansion, CBS affiliate KPHO-TVreports.

Court officials said the judge and lawyers were discussing aggravating factors and the jury was out of the room when 53-year-old Marin’s face suddenly turned red and he collapsed to the floor.

He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators said Marin deliberately burned down his $3.5 million suburban Phoenix mansion in July 2009 after it failed to sell at a charity auction and he could no longer pay the mortgage. He was seen escaping the fire by climbing down a rope ladder while wearing scuba gear.

A Maricopa County Superior Court jury found Marin guilty Thursday afternoon of arson of an occupied structure. Prosecutors said he could face16 years in prison if he was convicted.

A video recording of Marin’s last moments in court has some officials wonder whether his death was a suicide. The video showed Marin cover his mouth and his hands while hearing the guilty verdict and apparently swallowing something, KPHO-TV reports.

He was also seen occasionally sipping from a sports drink bottle before his body twisted into violent convulsions.

Detroit man gambles away $1.5 million accidentally given by ATM

On June 21, 2012June 21, 2012 By A.P.In bank glitch, Crime, Detroit, Michigan, Ronald Page, unlimited ATM cash overdraft1 Comment

Ronald Page seemingly had it made when Bank of America unintentionally changed his account status, allowing the 55-year-old man to make unlimited ATM cash overdraft withdrawals.

But ABC News reports that Page, who in reality had only $300 in his checking account, used the accidental loophole to withdraw more than $1.5 million—losing it all on gambling.

And even worse for Page, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit says he is now facing 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of theft of bank funds, $1,543,104 in total between December 1, 2008 and May 31, 2009.

“In this case, the bank’s glitch allowed the defendant to lose a significant amount of money that was not even his in the first place,” reads the U.S. Attorney’s sentencing memorandum, obtained by ABC. “The fact that defendant acted on an impulse does not minimize the seriousness of his conduct and the need for a custodial sentence.”

The day the Bank of America glitch went into effect, Page reportedly withdrew $312,000 from ATMs at the Greektown Casino in Detroit and an additional $51,727 from the MGM Grand Casino. Bank of America placed a hold on his account 17 days later, but he had already withdrawn $1.5 million by that point.

The glitch reportedly occurred because Page originally had a banking account with LaSalle Bank. When Bank of America acquired LaSalle, the glitch somehow occurred while the two banking institutions were transferring account information.

Page, who does not have a prior record, could have faced a steeper sentence but prosecutors said his crime was a “lapse of judgment” and placed blame with Bank of America for allowing the withdrawals to take place.

In addition to the recommended 15-month sentence and order to repay the funds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has suggested that Page be prohibited from gambling in any capacity.

“If his gambling addiction is not addressed, he is very likely to cause further financial hardship to himself and his family,” the memorandum reads.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/detroit-man-gambles-away-1-5-million-accidentally-191619543.html;_ylc=X3oDMTNsY3FxZXJsBF9TAzEzNzA0OTc4BGFjdANtYWlsX2NiBGN0A2EEaW50bAN1cwRsYW5nA2VuLVVTBHBrZwM4NzZjMTEyMi1jODYyLTNlMmQtOTg3OS1mMjRlMjZmMzE4MjAEc2VjA21pdF9zaGFyZQRzbGsDbWFpbAR0ZXN0Aw–;_ylv=3

Thanks to Mr. C for bringing this to the attention of the It’s Interesting community.

Mystery golden retriever brings owner 12 loaves of bread

On June 21, 2012June 21, 2012 By A.P.In bread, Canada, Gillie, Golden Retriever, muffin, NatureLeave a comment

Gillie the mischievous golden retriever has since Sunday been on a one-dog crime spree in a rural town near Camden, south-west of Sydney.

Owner Michael Shaw explained that his eight-year-old pooch mysteriously turned up with an unopened loaf of bread on Sunday morning, dropping it on the front step and lying down proudly next to her freshly baked trophy.

It didn’t stop there. Gillie has since returned with a total of 12 full loaves of sliced bread and two packets of muffins, despite the fact the closest shop is a 10-minute drive away.

“She brings back things quite often, but normally it’s an old gumboot or something like that,” Mr Shaw, 25, said today.

“She has a bit of an insecurity problem so she always has things in her mouth. She has a big stuffed toy and will bark at neighbours while still holding it in her mouth but she’s never brought back anything like this before.”

“The only thing she’s eaten is the first bag of muffins and there was a new fresh bag there this morning and it was untouched.”

Gillie’s modus operandi up to this point has been to deliver the loaves one-by-one at the front step, then lie amongst her baked booty proudly with a wag in her tail.

“It’s like she’s bringing us gifts – she just lies around all of them,” Mr Shaw said.

He is yet to hear from neighbours about any missing baked goods, so the mystery continues.

“The only thing we can think of is that a neighbour has bought some bread to give to some cows or something, but it’s completely bizarre,” he said.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/national/mystery-golden-retriever-dog-gillie-brings-owner-12-loaves-of-bread-as-owner-michael-shaw-is-puzzled/story-e6frg15u-1226402746788

Thanks to Kebmodee for bringing this to the attention of the It’s Interesting community.

Ottawa Airport Wired to Record Traveller’s Conversations

On June 20, 2012June 18, 2012 By A.P.In Big Brother, Canada, Canada Customs Acts, CBSA, Government, Macdonals-Cartier International AirportLeave a comment

Sections of the Ottawa airport are now wired with microphones that can eavesdrop on travellers’ conversations.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is nearing completion of a $500,000 upgrade of old video cameras used to monitor its new “customs controlled areas,” including the primary inspection area for arriving international passengers.

As part of the work, the agency is introducing audio-monitoring equipment as well.

“It is important to note that even though audio technology is installed, no audio is recorded at this time. It will become functional at a later date,” CBSA spokesman Chris Kealey said in a written statement.

But whenever that occurs, the technology, “will record conversations,” the agency said in a separate statement in response to Citizen questions.

Meanwhile, as many as 88 of the new high-definition video cameras are to be ready this summer.

Once the Ottawa equipment is activated, signs will be posted referring passersby to a “privacy notice” that will be posted on the CBSA website, and to a separate help line explaining how the recordings will be used, stored, disclosed and retained.

Already, though, the union representing about 45 CBSA employees at the Ottawa airport is concerned personal workplace conversations and remarks could be captured and become part of employees’ official record, Jean-Pierre Fortin, national president of the Custom and Immigration Union, said Friday. He added that the union only learned of the audio-recording development this week, after the Citizen began making inquiries.

The CBSA statement said that audio-video monitoring and recording is already in place at other unidentified CBSA sites at airports and border points of entry as part of an effort to enhance “border integrity, infrastructure and asset security and health and safety.”

That recording equipment may also be linked to a federal initiative to help CBSA combat organized crime and internal smuggling conspiracies at big Canadian airports.

A 2008 RCMP report said at least 58 crime groups were believed active at major airports, typically by corrupting airport employees or placing criminal associates in airport jobs to move narcotics and other contraband to and from planes.

The Customs Act was amended in 2009 to allow for the creation of “customs controlled areas” within airports, starting with those in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, followed by Ottawa and other international Canadian aerodromes.

A crucial aspect of the change are proposed regulations giving border services officers expanded powers to question, examine and search airport workers and travellers, both domestic and international, within the designated areas.

The controlled areas at Macdonald-Cartier International include the areas surrounding aircraft that have arrived in or are about to leave Canada; the primary inspection area where all travellers must report to a border services officer; the secondary inspection area where border services officers conduct further examinations of travellers and goods; as well as certain holding and departure areas at the airport.

The Treasury Board requires government departments to conduct a “privacy impact assessment” before establishing any new or substantially modified program or activity involving personal information. The assessment is then reviewed by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner.

The office this week said it is reviewing a CBSA privacy assessment for the customs controlled areas.

But, “we have not received a privacy impact assessment regarding audio-video monitoring at the Ottawa airport,” said spokeswoman Valerie Lawton. “If the CBSA were to introduce audio-video monitoring, our office would expect a full privacy impact Assessment, which we would review and make (non-binding) recommendations as necessary to protect privacy.”

An official with the Ottawa International Airport Authority had no comment on the CBSA installations, saying the two organizations are distinct and separate.

Unabomber updates his Harvard alumni profile

On June 19, 2012June 18, 2012 By A.P.In California, Harvard University, Ted Kaczynski, Unabomber1 Comment

Harvard University alumni attending their 50th class reunion a few weeks ago got updates on classmates, but one person stood out among those sharing news about career moves, retirements and grandkids — Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.

Kaczynski graduated in 1962 and is locked up in the federal Supermax prison in Colorado for killing three people and injuring 23 during a nationwide bombing spree between 1978 and 1995. In an alumni directory, he lists his occupation as “prisoner” and says his awards are “Eight life sentences, issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, 1998.”

It’s an update the alumni association now regrets.

“While all members of the class who submit entries are included, we regret publishing Kaczynski’s references to his convictions and apologize for any distress that it may have caused others,” the Harvard Alumni Association said in a statement Wednesday evening.

The alumni association said all class members, including Kaczynski, were invited to submit entries for the class report, distributed for reunion activities during commencement week.

A Harvard spokesman said the update was submitted by Kaczynski but could not immediately say how the university confirmed that. A message seeking comment was left with Kaczynski’s attorney.

Kaczynski is a Harvard-trained mathematician who also got master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Michigan.

He lived as a recluse in a Montana cabin, railed against technology and led authorities on the nation’s longest and costliest manhunt. He was caught in 1996 when his brother recognized his idiosyncratic writings and tipped off authorities.

Kaczynski pleaded guilty two years later to avoid a trial at which his lawyer had planned to offer an insanity defense. The guilty plea also saved him from the death penalty.

Items seized from his cabin were auctioned last year by the U.S. Marshals Service for more than $200,000 to benefit his victims.

http://news.yahoo.com/unabomber-updates-harvard-university-alumni-book-063745283.html

Bear crashes into middle school graduation in California

On June 19, 2012June 18, 2012 By A.P.In Bears, California, Middle school graduation1 Comment

The last day of classes at a California elementary school and a graduation ceremony at an adjacent middle school were interrupted by an unexpected guest: a black bear that wandered onto school property.

Kern County Animal Control officers say the young black bear approached Ramon Garza Elementary School in Bakersfield on Thursday, forcing students who were outside to return to their classrooms, and surprising students and parents attending a graduation ceremony at adjacent Sierra Middle School.

A teacher called authorities as the bear approached the schools, but the animal kept its distance and nobody was in danger.

Within minutes, officers cornered the animal at an apartment complex, hit it with a stun gun, and loaded it into a truck. They then released it back into the wild near the Tejon Ranch, 1 1/2 hours southeast of Bakersfield.

Authorities believe the 150-pound, 3-year-old bear followed the Kern River into town.

HBO’s Game of Thrones apologized for putting Bush-head on a stake

On June 18, 2012June 18, 2012 By A.P.In Bush, Bush head, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff, Game of Thrones, George Bush, HBO, Popular CultureLeave a comment

The creators of “Game of Thrones” say they meant no offense when they placed on a stake what looks like the head of former U.S. President George W. Bush.

The popular fantasy series is set in medieval times on another planet and follows several clans through a bloody struggle for ultimate power.

Season 1 of the show ended last year with numerous beheadings and a new king.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss confirmed on the commentary for the DVD release of Season 1 that a prosthetic head bearing the likeness of Bush was among the noggins stuck on stakes and lining a castle wall.

“It’s not a choice, not a political statement!” EW.com reported one of the writer-producers said during the commentary. “We just had to use what heads we had around.”

HBO issued an apology in response to criticism from fans who said they felt the move was disrespectful.

“We were deeply dismayed to see this and find it unacceptable, disrespectful and in very bad taste. We made this clear to the executive producers of the series who apologized immediately for this inadvertent careless mistake. We are sorry this happened and will have it removed from any future DVD production,” the cable network said.

EW.com said Benioff and Weiss released a separate statement, saying: “We use a lot of prosthetic body parts on the show: heads, arms, etc. We can’t afford to have these all made from scratch, especially in scenes where we need a lot of them, so we rent them in bulk. After the scene was already shot, someone pointed out that one of the heads looked like George W. Bush. In the DVD commentary, we mentioned this, though we should not have. We meant no disrespect to the former president and apologize if anything we said or did suggested otherwise.”

http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/TV/2012/06/14/Thrones-creators-apologize-for-putting-fake-Bush-head-on-a-pike/UPI-62881339687395/?spt=fsb&or=on

Left Party in Sweden wants men to sit down to urinate

On June 18, 2012 By A.P.In Left Party, Sweden, Toilet, Urination, Urine, Viggo Hansen2 Comments

Left Party members of a Swedish county council said they want to encourage men using the council’s toilets to sit during urination.

The Left Party in Sormland said it wants the Sormland County Council to pass a motion requiring toilets reserved for stand-up urination to be labeled, Swedish news agency TT reported Monday.

The party said sit-down urination is more hygienic and reduces the risk of bathroom users having to negotiate their way around puddles en route to the toilet.

The supporters of the motion said sitting during urination also has medical benefits, including reducing the risk of prostate problems and leading to a healthier and longer sex life.

Viggo Hansen, a substitute member of the council and author of the motion, said he wants it to eventually lead to sitting-only bathrooms.

Unmanned U.S. X-37B Space Plane Returns to Earth

On June 17, 2012 By A.P.In Military Industrial Complex, NASA, Science, Space and Time, Space Shuttle, X-37B2 Comments

Unmanned Air Force space plane lands after secret mission

Wrapping up a classified 469-day mission, an unmanned Air Force space plane dropped out of orbit and returned to Earth on Saturday, executing an automated landing to close out the program’s second test flight.

An unmanned Air Force space plane dropped out of orbit and glided to a computer-controlled California landing early Saturday to close out a classified 469-day military mission.

The reusable Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle touched down on a runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., at 5:48 a.m. PDT (GMT-7). The Air Force did not provide any advance warning of the re-entry and landing time and no technical details about the vehicle’s performance were released.

But in a statement, the Air Force said the autonomous landing by the nation’s “newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft” was executed “safely and successfully.”

“With the retirement of the space shuttle fleet, the X-37B OTV program brings a singular capability to space technology development,” Air Force Lt. Col. Tom McIntyre, X-37B program manager, said in the statement. “The return capability allows the Air Force to test new technologies without the same risk commitment faced by other programs. We’re proud of the entire team’s successful efforts to bring this mission to an outstanding conclusion.”

The X-37B was launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket that took off March 5, 2011, from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was the second flight for the Air Force Orbital Test Vehicle program following a successful 224-day maiden voyage in 2010. The spacecraft used for that mission is expected to be relaunched in October.

As with the initial test flight, details about the program’s just-concluded second mission are classified.

Built by Boeing’s Experimental Systems Group, the X-37B is equipped with twin tail fins, stubby wings and an advanced heat shield. It is about one quarter the size of NASA’s now-retired space shuttle, measuring 29 feet long. It has a wingspan of just 14 feet and weighs about 11,000 pounds when loaded with propellants.

“With OTV-1, we proved that unmanned space vehicles can be sent into orbit and safely recovered,” Paul Rusnock, Boeing vice president of Government Space Systems, said in a company statement. “With OTV-2, we tested the vehicle design even further by extending the…mission duration of the first vehicle and testing additional capabilities.

“We look forward to the second launch of OTV-1 later this year and the opportunity to demonstrate that the X-37B is an affordable space vehicle that can be repeatedly reused.”

The spacecraft was originally developed by Boeing for NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, but it eventually was turned over to the Orbital Test Vehicle program operated by the Rapid Capabilities Office of the Air Force.

The unmanned orbiter is based on the same lifting body design used for the space shuttle and flies a similar re-entry trajectory. But the X-37B features more lightweight composite materials, improved wing leading edge insulation and tougher heat-shield tiles that “are significantly more durable than the first generation tiles used by the space shuttle,” according to a Boeing Web site description. “All avionics on the X-37B are designed to automate all de-orbit and landing functions.”

The X-37B features a scaled-down 4-foot by 7-foot payload bay. But unlike NASA’s manned orbiter, which relied on fuel cells for electrical power, the Air Force space plane is equipped with a deployable solar array that permits it to remain in orbit for long-duration missions.

What else might have been carried aloft during the OTV program’s second mission is not known. The possibilities include reconnaissance cameras or other spy sensors; test gear to precisely measure the craft’s performance over the course of a long-duration mission; and space exposure experiments to help researchers learn more about the long-term effects of the space environment on sensitive materials or instruments.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57454645-76/unmanned-air-force-space-plane-lands-after-secret-mission/?google_editors_picks=true