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02 Jan 2012 11:21

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World: Global warming e-mail whodunit heats up as new e-mails surface

  • It smells a lot like a certain quadrant of the denier community. They pretend to be concerned that we are impeding development in poor countries. Only certain think tanks think that way and play that way.
  • Greenpeace research director Kert Davies • Discussing who he thinks might be behind an infamous 2009 hack that led to the distribution of over 1,000 e-mails from the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, timed in such a way to undercut research being done on global warming. The story, on the backburner for nearly two years, is suddenly starting to simmer again as a result of further e-mail releases and word of an investigation in Britain. During the most recent leak of e-mails, the leaker offered up just enough details in cryptic messages to give investigators something to grasp onto. Many in the climate change community — skeptics, activists and so on — have different views on the motives of the person who released the e-mails, but it’s a whodunit which should keep things interesting in the coming weeks. source
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02 Jan 2012 10:46

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U.S.: “Person of Interest” sought in killing of ranger at Mount Rainier National Park

Benjamin Colton Barnes, a 24-year-old with “strong survivalist skills” is sought in the shooting. (Here’s his photo; not exactly the best calling card.) Overnight, 125 people were evacuated from the park; officials believe the man is still on the run. source
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02 Jan 2012 10:28

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U.S.: “Person of interest” in custody after L.A.-area arson spree

  • Is this the guy? Last night, the LAPD released this image of a person of interest in this weekend’s widespread arson spree, which was the result of over three dozen separate blazes — some of which damaged significant amounts of property. This morning, the police say they have a person of interest in custody, presumably the guy in this photo. However, officials say “it is too early to speculate if this person is responsible for the spree of arson fires.” However, sources say that fire-starting materials were found in the man’s van, meaning he potentially had the ability to start a number of fires if he wanted to. source
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01 Jan 2012 16:23

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U.S.: Military member charged with bringing explosives into Texas airport

  • No word on his motive or intent: 30-year-old Trey Scott Atwater, who was visiting family in Midland, Texas before heading back to Fort Bragg, was taken into custody Saturday after airport security officials found out he was carrying military-strength C-4 explosives in his bag. Atwater is expected to be charged Tuesday over the incident — a rare direct catch by the TSA. (Photo by Heather Leiphart Odessa American/AP) source
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01 Jan 2012 15:31

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World: Syria: Arab League-tied group recommends observers leave Syria

  • The killing of children and the violation of human rights law is happening in the presence of Arab League monitors, raising the fury of Arab people. The mission of the Arab League team has missed its aim of stopping the killing of children and ensuring the withdrawal of troops from the Syrian streets, giving the Syrian regime a cover to commit inhumane acts under the noses of the Arab League observers.
  • The Arab Parliament’s Kuwaiti head, Ali Salem al-Deqbasi • Strongly suggesting, along with the rest of Arab Parliament, that the Arab League’s observers should leave Syria, as the deaths of Syrians continue despite their presence. The 88-member Arab Parliament, while a sister organization of the Arab League that makes recommendations to the higher-profile group, its recommendations are non-binding. source
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01 Jan 2012 14:12

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U.S.: L.A. arson spree: Officials struggle as wave of fires continue

  • 39 number of fires suspected to be part of an arson spree in the L.A. area
  • 7 number of fires set last night alone — one of the arson attacks was described as “serious”
  • $60k the size of the reward for info leading to an arrest; despite this, details are scarce source
  • » Cars uses as incendiary devices: The damage caused by these fires, many of which were started by unlocked cars and allowed to blaze out of control, sometimes spreading to nearby buildings — in one case a home where Jim Morrison once lived. “Auto fires, as soon as they get going, they get really hot, really fast,” Los Angeles Assistant Chief Patrick Butler said. “They essentially give off their own combustibles.” Officials are asking neighbors to keep their eye out and to offer up any security footage near the scenes of the arson attacks.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

31 Dec 2011 15:30

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U.S.: Marine saves his own life after robbery after plugging bullet holes with fingers

  • I’m a Marine and I’m not going to run from a fight. You wouldn’t want a Marine to run from a fight. Call me crazy, call me stupid. I got shot once and it just angered me more. I wanted to get this guy. I got shot twice, and I re-evaluated that decision. I decided I need to stay alive.
  • Florida-based Marine vet Lt. Col Karl Trenker • Discussing how he got shot, days before Christmas, in a Craigslist-transaction-gone-bad. The Iraq and Afghanistan vet’s fiance tried selling a man’s gold-chain necklace, but Trenker offered to make the transaction due to safety concerns, which turned out to be correct, as the alleged buyer picked up the necklace and ran. Trenker ran after the man, known only as “Galven,” only to get shot twice. Here’s the dramatic part: Following his training as a Marine (29 years experience), he plugged the bullet holes with his fingers, a move which likely saved his life. Say what you will about the Craigslist transaction (it certainly wasn’t the best idea), but that’s pretty amazing, no matter how you look at the situation. source
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31 Dec 2011 11:11

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Offbeat: Awesome: Random dude inherits Hollywood star’s old cell phone number

  • A few weeks old, but too good not to post: What happens when you get a new cell phone previously owned by a well-connected Hollywood actor? That’s what happened to a middle-aged dude named Bob Gray (center), who moved to California and got a new cell phone with his girlfriend Liza Foster (right). It was obvious that someone famous owned the number before him — because he kept getting invited to parties, including Paris Hilton’s birthday party. In a fitting end to this Happy Madison-like tale, Adam Sandler himself called the number and told Gray he inherited the cell phone number of Nick Swardson, a regular in Sandler’s movies who most recently starred in “Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star.” (Too bad it wasn’t like Sean Penn, but not bad either way.) Gray plans to write a screenplay about this, because … um, wouldn’t you? source
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30 Dec 2011 22:26

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Tech: Knight of the night: That’s SIR Jony Ive to you, unworthy Windows users

  • But seriously, this is awesome: Jony Ive, the industrial design icon who became Steve Jobs’ right-hand man during his second run at Apple, will honored as a Knight Commander of the British Empire (KBE) next year. Jobs, who called Ive his “spiritual partner” in the biography released weeks after his death, enabled Ive to help create radical, minimalistic designs that have defined the company since the release of the original iMac. It’s not his first honor from the British government — in 2005, he was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE). This is an upgrade for the design icon — the equivalent of moving from a Mac Mini to a Mac Pro. source
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30 Dec 2011 14:04

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Politics: Iowa caucus prelude: Newt sheds tears over the death of his mother

In a moment that evoked Hillary Clinton’s famous 2008 tear-shed, Gingrich said this about his mom, who died in 2003: “I identify my mother with being happy, loving life, having a sense of joy in her friends.” We don’t doubt the tears are real. source
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