Thief Stuffs Red Bull Down His Pants
nbcconnecticut.com/news, By Debra Bogstie
The latest incident at the Mobil On The Run on Blue Hills Avenue happened Monday night, said store owner Alan Lubin. Surveillance video shows the suspect dropping 17 cans of Red Bull into his pants, repeatedly looking over his shoulder, and then walking out the door.
"It weighs probably about 20 to 30 pounds worth of Red Bull in his pants and he walked out like there was nothing," said Lubin. "I'm sure he's been in here before because we're missing a lot of Red Bull."
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
And the horse that you rode in on too...
Man with holstered gun rides horse to church
Feb. 24, 2010 11:09 AM, Associated Press
ELLISBURG, Ky. – Members of a small central Kentucky church successfully disarmed a man who rode horseback to morning services, then walked into the church with a holstered gun.
Police said the man, 43, was arrested about an hour later at a house and charged with public intoxication.
The Advocate-Messenger of Danville reported Monday that local and state police were called to Ellisburg Baptist Church after the man arrived, disrupting the service.
Cindy Adams, wife of pastor Jerry Adams, said several men led him outside and talked him into giving up his gun and a rifle he had also brought on the horse.
Feb. 24, 2010 11:09 AM, Associated Press
ELLISBURG, Ky. – Members of a small central Kentucky church successfully disarmed a man who rode horseback to morning services, then walked into the church with a holstered gun.
Police said the man, 43, was arrested about an hour later at a house and charged with public intoxication.
The Advocate-Messenger of Danville reported Monday that local and state police were called to Ellisburg Baptist Church after the man arrived, disrupting the service.
Cindy Adams, wife of pastor Jerry Adams, said several men led him outside and talked him into giving up his gun and a rifle he had also brought on the horse.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Toyota Knew…
Toyota tried to cut costs on recalls
L. A. Times
By Ken Bensinger February 22, 2010
Toyota Motor Corp. officials took credit for saving hundreds of millions of dollars by persuading federal regulators to limit or avoid safety recalls and rules, a company document released Sunday shows.
A company document touts successes in limiting regulators' safety actions -- months before the sudden-acceleration problem was widely known outside of Toyota and the federal highway regulatory agency.
The document, an internal company presentation, depicts an automaker focused on getting what it termed "favorable recall outcomes" from regulators, with a goal of saving money even as the death toll climbed from accidents in which Toyota vehicles accelerated uncontrollably.
The presentation by executives in the company's Washington, D.C., office was addressed to Yoshimi Inaba, Toyota's top U.S. executive, and dated July 6, 2009 -- months before the sudden-acceleration problem was widely known outside Toyota and the federal highway regulatory agency. Released by congressional investigators, the document describes the automaker's regulatory agenda and highlights a wide-ranging string of "wins for Toyota."
Among the accomplishments cited in the document:
* Saving more than $100 million as it "negotiated" a limited recall in 2007 of 55,000 floor mats in Camry and Lexus ES sedans that had been the subject of a sudden-acceleration investigation. By agreeing to the recall, Toyota avoided a deeper investigation into the problem.
* Delaying the implementation of a federal safety rule requiring side-impact air bags, which saved the company $124 million and the cost of 50,000 hours of labor.
* Stalling or mitigating safety regulations governing roof crush standards, electric shocks from hybrid- and electric-vehicle batteries, and sliding doors on vehicles, which saved Toyota $11 million on its Sienna van.
* Avoiding a government probe of rust problems in the Tacoma pickup -- even though Toyota had issued an internal buyback program because of that issue. It also passed, unscathed, an investigation into the rear hatch on the Sienna, which numerous consumers had complained could fall without warning and cause injury.
In the document, officials also indicated that "sudden acceleration" was one of the "key safety issues" in models including the Lexus ES, Lexus LS, Camry and Tacoma, showing that it was concerned about the problem months before its first major recall.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-docs22-2010feb22,0,5030188.story
L. A. Times
By Ken Bensinger February 22, 2010
Toyota Motor Corp. officials took credit for saving hundreds of millions of dollars by persuading federal regulators to limit or avoid safety recalls and rules, a company document released Sunday shows.
A company document touts successes in limiting regulators' safety actions -- months before the sudden-acceleration problem was widely known outside of Toyota and the federal highway regulatory agency.
The document, an internal company presentation, depicts an automaker focused on getting what it termed "favorable recall outcomes" from regulators, with a goal of saving money even as the death toll climbed from accidents in which Toyota vehicles accelerated uncontrollably.
The presentation by executives in the company's Washington, D.C., office was addressed to Yoshimi Inaba, Toyota's top U.S. executive, and dated July 6, 2009 -- months before the sudden-acceleration problem was widely known outside Toyota and the federal highway regulatory agency. Released by congressional investigators, the document describes the automaker's regulatory agenda and highlights a wide-ranging string of "wins for Toyota."
Among the accomplishments cited in the document:
* Saving more than $100 million as it "negotiated" a limited recall in 2007 of 55,000 floor mats in Camry and Lexus ES sedans that had been the subject of a sudden-acceleration investigation. By agreeing to the recall, Toyota avoided a deeper investigation into the problem.
* Delaying the implementation of a federal safety rule requiring side-impact air bags, which saved the company $124 million and the cost of 50,000 hours of labor.
* Stalling or mitigating safety regulations governing roof crush standards, electric shocks from hybrid- and electric-vehicle batteries, and sliding doors on vehicles, which saved Toyota $11 million on its Sienna van.
* Avoiding a government probe of rust problems in the Tacoma pickup -- even though Toyota had issued an internal buyback program because of that issue. It also passed, unscathed, an investigation into the rear hatch on the Sienna, which numerous consumers had complained could fall without warning and cause injury.
In the document, officials also indicated that "sudden acceleration" was one of the "key safety issues" in models including the Lexus ES, Lexus LS, Camry and Tacoma, showing that it was concerned about the problem months before its first major recall.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-toyota-docs22-2010feb22,0,5030188.story
Friday, February 19, 2010
WTF
Pennsylvania school district denies spying on students with MacBooks
By Gregg Keizer - Computerworld
February 19, 2010
A suburban Philadelphia school district yesterday denied it spied on students by remotely activating the cameras on their school-issued MacBook laptops.
In a statement released late Thursday, Christopher McGinley, the superintendent of Lower Merion School District of Ardmore, Pa., admitted that the MacBooks' cameras could be turned on without the user's knowledge, but said that the functionality was part of a security feature.
On Tuesday, a high school student and his parents sued the district, claiming that the boy's MacBook had been used to spy on him in his home. According to the lawsuit, Michael and Holly Robbins of Penn Valley, Pa., said they first found out about the alleged spying last November after their son Blake was accused by a Harriton High School official of "improper behavior in his home" and shown a photograph taken by his laptop.
Improper behavior in his home? Accused by a high school official? What kind of an ‘official’? The ‘official’ decides what is improper behavior in the student’s home? Maybe improper behavior is some pervert 'official' spying on students. Are we paying 'officials' to this? Is it a full time job? How many photos were taken? Of who? Who has the photos? Lot's of questions here.
Peeping under changing room doors at a department store gets you arrested...and maybe registered as a sex offender.
By Gregg Keizer - Computerworld
February 19, 2010
A suburban Philadelphia school district yesterday denied it spied on students by remotely activating the cameras on their school-issued MacBook laptops.
In a statement released late Thursday, Christopher McGinley, the superintendent of Lower Merion School District of Ardmore, Pa., admitted that the MacBooks' cameras could be turned on without the user's knowledge, but said that the functionality was part of a security feature.
On Tuesday, a high school student and his parents sued the district, claiming that the boy's MacBook had been used to spy on him in his home. According to the lawsuit, Michael and Holly Robbins of Penn Valley, Pa., said they first found out about the alleged spying last November after their son Blake was accused by a Harriton High School official of "improper behavior in his home" and shown a photograph taken by his laptop.
Improper behavior in his home? Accused by a high school official? What kind of an ‘official’? The ‘official’ decides what is improper behavior in the student’s home? Maybe improper behavior is some pervert 'official' spying on students. Are we paying 'officials' to this? Is it a full time job? How many photos were taken? Of who? Who has the photos? Lot's of questions here.
Peeping under changing room doors at a department store gets you arrested...and maybe registered as a sex offender.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
More Dumbing Down of America
Get Rid of 12th Grade in Utah to Save Money, Says Senator
Associated Content Community, Published by McCarvel 2/17/2010
Utah State Sen. Chris Buttars on February 1st appeared before the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee and suggested that Utah schools eliminate the twelfth grade and get rid of busing for high school students to save $60 million. He said this grade was a waste of time for most students and that many squander away this year, which costs the state millions of dollars.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah has a $700 million budget shortfall, so $60 million is a significant cut. However, most parents will agree with teachers who say this grade is important to the development of the student. We are preparing them to enter the world in this grade. I have seen my own children sense that they are reaching a major goal in their life when completing the 12th grade and graduating from high school. Just because the state of Utah faces a budget crisis in education, which every state has for the last 30 years, it is no reason to create an unemployment crisis and make Utah kids miss out on crucial instruction that they need for college admission. According to the Utah Board of Education, it makes no sense to make students [even] less prepared for college than they are already.
This is really the way to compete in the world markets. The good people of our U.S.A. complain about immigrants getting the jobs, and our corporations are complaining about the lack of qualified job applicants, as Microsoft is. And Congress keeps a lid on the H-1B Visas, so MS builds a facility in just over the border in Canada to hire foreign professionals. H-1B Visas are for immigrant scientists, engineers, programmers, research analysts, management consultants, and others with a Bachelor's or higher degree. These are not 11th Grade ‘graduates’.
Associated Content Community, Published by McCarvel 2/17/2010
Utah State Sen. Chris Buttars on February 1st appeared before the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee and suggested that Utah schools eliminate the twelfth grade and get rid of busing for high school students to save $60 million. He said this grade was a waste of time for most students and that many squander away this year, which costs the state millions of dollars.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah has a $700 million budget shortfall, so $60 million is a significant cut. However, most parents will agree with teachers who say this grade is important to the development of the student. We are preparing them to enter the world in this grade. I have seen my own children sense that they are reaching a major goal in their life when completing the 12th grade and graduating from high school. Just because the state of Utah faces a budget crisis in education, which every state has for the last 30 years, it is no reason to create an unemployment crisis and make Utah kids miss out on crucial instruction that they need for college admission. According to the Utah Board of Education, it makes no sense to make students [even] less prepared for college than they are already.
This is really the way to compete in the world markets. The good people of our U.S.A. complain about immigrants getting the jobs, and our corporations are complaining about the lack of qualified job applicants, as Microsoft is. And Congress keeps a lid on the H-1B Visas, so MS builds a facility in just over the border in Canada to hire foreign professionals. H-1B Visas are for immigrant scientists, engineers, programmers, research analysts, management consultants, and others with a Bachelor's or higher degree. These are not 11th Grade ‘graduates’.
Friday, February 12, 2010
MORE TOYOTA
Toyota on the Potomac
Business Week ‘In Depth’ February 11, 2010
As the Japanese automaker hustles to complete an orderly recall of millions of vehicles, it is mounting an image-restoring counteroffensive. In Washington, reports Politico.com, the company is ramping up its already considerable lobbying operation in an attempt to head off a political backlash. Politico cites Senate records showing that "Toyota-related entities spent $4.1 million on lobbying last year—and $35.2 million during the past decade."
Business Week ‘In Depth’ February 11, 2010
As the Japanese automaker hustles to complete an orderly recall of millions of vehicles, it is mounting an image-restoring counteroffensive. In Washington, reports Politico.com, the company is ramping up its already considerable lobbying operation in an attempt to head off a political backlash. Politico cites Senate records showing that "Toyota-related entities spent $4.1 million on lobbying last year—and $35.2 million during the past decade."
MORE TOYOTA
Regulators Hired by Toyota Helped Halt Investigations
Feb. 12 Bloomberg
Former regulators hired by Toyota Motor Corp. helped end at least four U.S. investigations of unintended acceleration by company vehicles in the last decade, warding off possible recalls, court and government records show.
Chrisother Tinto, vice president of regulatory affairs in Toyota’s Washington office, and Christopher Santucci, who works for Tinto, helped persuade the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to end probes including those of 2002-2003 Toyota Camrys and Solaras, court documents show. Both men joined Toyota directly from NHTSA, Tinto in 1994 and Santucci in 2003.
While all automakers have employees who handle NHTSA issues, Toyota may be alone among the major companies in employing former agency staffers to do so. Spokesmen for General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC and Honda Motor Co. all say their companies have no ex-NHTSA people who deal with the agency on defects.
Possible links between Toyota and NHTSA may fuel mounting criticism of their handling of defects in Toyota and Lexus models tied to 19 deaths between 2004 and 2009. Three congressional committees have scheduled hearings on the recalls.
Feb. 12 Bloomberg
Former regulators hired by Toyota Motor Corp. helped end at least four U.S. investigations of unintended acceleration by company vehicles in the last decade, warding off possible recalls, court and government records show.
Chrisother Tinto, vice president of regulatory affairs in Toyota’s Washington office, and Christopher Santucci, who works for Tinto, helped persuade the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to end probes including those of 2002-2003 Toyota Camrys and Solaras, court documents show. Both men joined Toyota directly from NHTSA, Tinto in 1994 and Santucci in 2003.
While all automakers have employees who handle NHTSA issues, Toyota may be alone among the major companies in employing former agency staffers to do so. Spokesmen for General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., Chrysler Group LLC and Honda Motor Co. all say their companies have no ex-NHTSA people who deal with the agency on defects.
Possible links between Toyota and NHTSA may fuel mounting criticism of their handling of defects in Toyota and Lexus models tied to 19 deaths between 2004 and 2009. Three congressional committees have scheduled hearings on the recalls.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Scooter Guys For Palin
'Tea party' activists eagerly await Palin's words
Associated Press Feb. 6, 2010
Associated Press Feb. 6, 2010
Fremont Brown of Ashville, N.C., drives his scooter into the National Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, with bumper stickers on and in his briefcase proclaiming Palin 2012. Palin is scheduled to talk to the group Saturday night. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
Typical fat guy on a scooter like you see at the mall, except he has his Palin in 2012 stickers.
Wonder who paid for the Scooter? Medicare? Social Security? Obviously Government provided, certainly not some private insurer. Probably on full disability too. Wonder if he would give up the scooter for Palin? Or go back to work?
Wonder who paid for the Scooter? Medicare? Social Security? Obviously Government provided, certainly not some private insurer. Probably on full disability too. Wonder if he would give up the scooter for Palin? Or go back to work?
Let’s find out where he got that scooter.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Loss of City Services
Colorado Springs cuts into services considered basic by many
By Michael Booth The Denver Post
COLORADO SPRINGS — This tax-averse city is about to learn what it looks and feels like when budget cuts slash services most Americans consider part of the urban fabric.
Colorado Springs' woes are more visceral versions of local and state cuts across the nation. Denver has cut salaries and human services workers, trimmed library hours and raised fees; Aurora shuttered four libraries; the state budget has seen round after round of wholesale cuts in education and personnel.
More than a third of the streetlights in Colorado Springs will go dark Monday. The police helicopters are for sale on the Internet. The city is dumping firefighting jobs, a vice team, burglary investigators, beat cops — dozens of police and fire positions will go unfilled.
The parks department removed trash cans last week, replacing them with signs urging users to pack out their own litter.
Neighbors are encouraged to bring their own lawn mowers to local green spaces, because parks workers will mow them only once every two weeks. If that.
Water cutbacks mean most parks will be dead, brown turf by July; the flower and fertilizer budget is zero.
City recreation centers, indoor and outdoor pools, and a handful of museums will close for good March 31 unless they find private funding to stay open. Buses no longer run on evenings and weekends. The city won't pay for any street paving, relying instead on a regional authority that can meet only about 10 percent of the need.
Colorado Springs' woes are more visceral versions of local and state cuts across the nation. Denver has cut salaries and human services workers, trimmed library hours and raised fees; Aurora shuttered four libraries; the state budget has seen round after round of wholesale cuts in education and personnel.
"I guess we're going to find out what the tolerance level is for people," said businessman Chuck Fowler, who is helping lead a private task force brainstorming for city budget fixes. "It's a new day."
Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14303473#ixzz0esNK85ys
By Michael Booth The Denver Post
COLORADO SPRINGS — This tax-averse city is about to learn what it looks and feels like when budget cuts slash services most Americans consider part of the urban fabric.
Colorado Springs' woes are more visceral versions of local and state cuts across the nation. Denver has cut salaries and human services workers, trimmed library hours and raised fees; Aurora shuttered four libraries; the state budget has seen round after round of wholesale cuts in education and personnel.
More than a third of the streetlights in Colorado Springs will go dark Monday. The police helicopters are for sale on the Internet. The city is dumping firefighting jobs, a vice team, burglary investigators, beat cops — dozens of police and fire positions will go unfilled.
The parks department removed trash cans last week, replacing them with signs urging users to pack out their own litter.
Neighbors are encouraged to bring their own lawn mowers to local green spaces, because parks workers will mow them only once every two weeks. If that.
Water cutbacks mean most parks will be dead, brown turf by July; the flower and fertilizer budget is zero.
City recreation centers, indoor and outdoor pools, and a handful of museums will close for good March 31 unless they find private funding to stay open. Buses no longer run on evenings and weekends. The city won't pay for any street paving, relying instead on a regional authority that can meet only about 10 percent of the need.
Colorado Springs' woes are more visceral versions of local and state cuts across the nation. Denver has cut salaries and human services workers, trimmed library hours and raised fees; Aurora shuttered four libraries; the state budget has seen round after round of wholesale cuts in education and personnel.
"I guess we're going to find out what the tolerance level is for people," said businessman Chuck Fowler, who is helping lead a private task force brainstorming for city budget fixes. "It's a new day."
Michael Booth: 303-954-1686 or mbooth@denverpost.com
Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14303473#ixzz0esNK85ys
Friday, February 5, 2010
SANFORD AGAIN
Governor flies to Washington to support S.C. bid for stimulus
Friday, Feb. 05, 2010 By Gina Smith
Gov. Mark Sanford flew to Washington on Thursday to tell the Obama administration that South Carolina wants $300 million in federal stimulus money.
Sanford, who spent much of last year fighting parts of the Obama administration's stimulus plan, now wants S.C. to have a piece of $4 billion in "Race to the Top" education money.The money is awarded to states based on their plans to improve education and innovate. Forty states have applied so far.
Friday, Feb. 05, 2010 By Gina Smith
Gov. Mark Sanford flew to Washington on Thursday to tell the Obama administration that South Carolina wants $300 million in federal stimulus money.
Sanford, who spent much of last year fighting parts of the Obama administration's stimulus plan, now wants S.C. to have a piece of $4 billion in "Race to the Top" education money.The money is awarded to states based on their plans to improve education and innovate. Forty states have applied so far.
Toyota Quality
When is the media going to tell us about the serious problems Toyota trucks have been having for a few years now?
Some of the problems are:
frames prematurely rusting
rusting causing the spare tires to fall off
ball joints failing, front end collapsing
sudden acceleration
brake problems
Toyota even had a truck ‘buy back’ program. Ever hear about that? Why not?
If an American auto company had any one of these problems, it would be all over the news, the owners would be suing, and Consumer Reports would be reporting it too. Speaking of Consumer Reports – they have been pretty quiet about their favorite brand, Toyota.
And Toyota owners are still standing behind their vehicles. One interviewed on tv last night started ranting about how bad the U.S. auto quality is.
Head in the sand.
When is the media going to tell us about the serious problems Toyota trucks have been having for a few years now?
Some of the problems are:
frames prematurely rusting
rusting causing the spare tires to fall off
ball joints failing, front end collapsing
sudden acceleration
brake problems
Toyota even had a truck ‘buy back’ program. Ever hear about that? Why not?
If an American auto company had any one of these problems, it would be all over the news, the owners would be suing, and Consumer Reports would be reporting it too. Speaking of Consumer Reports – they have been pretty quiet about their favorite brand, Toyota.
And Toyota owners are still standing behind their vehicles. One interviewed on tv last night started ranting about how bad the U.S. auto quality is.
Head in the sand.
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