truesee's Blog

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1271339/Hearse-driver-transporting-woman-s-body-funeral-fined-wearing-seatbelt.html

Faisal Shahzad ARRESTED In Connection With Times Square Car Bomb

First Posted: 05- 4-10 12:11 AM   

Updated: 05- 4-10 02:17 AM

Faisal Shahzad has been arrested in connection with the Times Square car bomb. Get Breaking News Alerts

A man has been arrested in connection with Saturday's attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square.

The suspect is Faisal Shahzad, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen of Pakistani descent. The Connecticut native was captured at JFK International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Dubai. According to a colleague, CNN's Deb Feyerick "reports the suspect was taken off the plane when he was arrested."

Statement from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder:

Earlier this evening, Faisal Shahzad was arrested in connection with the attempted car bombing in New York on Saturday. Mr. Shahzad, an American citizen, was taken into custody at JFK Airport in New York as he attempted to board a flight to Dubai.

Since this plot was first uncovered on Saturday night, the FBI, prosecutors and intelligence lawyers in the National Security Division of the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorneys Offices in Manhattan and Connecticut, along with the NYPD have worked night and day to find out who was responsible for what would have been a deadly attack had it been successful. Over the course of the day today, we have gathered significant additional evidence that led to tonight's arrest, which was made by agents from Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection.

This investigation is ongoing, as are our attempts to gather useful intelligence, and we continue to pursue a number of leads. But it's clear that the intent behind this terrorist act was to kill Americans.

FBI agents are working with their state and local counterparts in New York, Connecticut and other jurisdictions to gather evidence and intelligence related to this case. We are also coordinating with other members of the President's national security team to ensure we use every resource available to the United States to bring anyone responsible to justice.

We continue to gather leads in this investigation, and it's important that the American people remain vigilant. The vehicle in Times Square was first noticed on Saturday by a citizen who reported it to authorities, and, as always, any American who notices suspicious activity should report it to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

This investigation is ongoing, it is multi-faceted, and it is aggressive. As we move forward, we will focus on not just holding those responsible for it accountable, but also on obtaining any intelligence about terrorist organizations overseas.

Because of the fast-moving nature of this investigation, I am not able to make any further information public at this time. But the American people should know that we are deploying every resource available, and we will not rest until we have brought everyone responsible to justice.

ASSOCIATED PRESS UPDATE: 2:00 AM -- NEW YORK -- A Pakistani man believed to be the driver of an SUV used as a car bomb in a failed terror attack on Times Square was taken into custody early Tuesday by federal and local police officials while trying to leave the country, a law enforcement official said.

The suspect, Faisal Shahzad, was identified by customs agents at John F. Kennedy International Airport and was stopped before boarding an Emirates airlines flight to Dubai, according to officials who spoke to The Associated Press early Tuesday on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation. He had recently returned from a five-month trip to Pakistan, where he had a wife.

He was being held in New York and couldn't be contacted. He has a Shelton, Conn., address; a phone number listed there wasn't in service.

Law enforcement officials say Shahzad bought the SUV, a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder, from a Connecticut man about three weeks ago and paid cash. The officials spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.

Police said the bomb could have produced "a significant fireball" and sprayed shrapnel with enough force to kill pedestrians and knock out windows. The SUV was parked on a street lined with restaurants and Broadway theaters, including one showing "The Lion King," and full of people out on a Saturday night.

The vehicle identification number had been removed from the Pathfinder's dashboard, but it was stamped on the engine, and investigators used it to find the owner of record. The discovery was paramount to the investigation.

"The discovery of the VIN on the engine block was pivotal in that it led to the identifying the registered owner," said Paul Browne, chief New York Police Department spokesman. "It continues to pay dividends."

The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan will handle the case. An early morning call to the office was not immediately returned. It wasn't clear if additional suspects were being sought.

Officials say the SUV's registered owner, whose name has not been released, was not considered a suspect in the bomb scare.

Investigators tracked the license plate found on the rear of the SUV to a used auto parts shop in Stratford, Conn., where they discovered the plate was connected to a different vehicle. They also spoke to the owner of an auto sales shop in nearby Bridgeport because a sticker on the Pathfinder indicated the SUV had been sold by his dealership.

As the buyer came into focus, investigators backed off other leads. They had initially wanted to speak with a man apparently in his 40s who was videotaped shedding his shirt near the Pathfinder, but they backed away as the buyer became clear. The man had not been considered a suspect, and officials said it's possible he was just a bystander.

In Washington on Monday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Saturday's attempted bombing was a terrorist act.

The motive remained unclear. The Pakistani Taliban appeared to claim responsibility for the bomb in three videos that surfaced after the weekend scare, monitoring groups said. New York officials said police have no evidence to support the claims. It was unclear if the suspect in custody had any relationship to the group.

The SUV was parked near offices of Viacom Inc., which owns Comedy Central. The network recently aired an episode of the animated show "South Park" that the group Revolution Muslim had complained insulted the Prophet Muhammad by depicting him in a bear costume.

The SUV was captured on video crossing an intersection at 6:28 p.m. Saturday. A vendor pointed out the Pathfinder to an officer about two minutes later. Times Square, clogged with tourists on a warm evening, was shut down for 10 hours. A bomb squad dismantled the explosive device, and no one was hurt.

The explosive device had cheap-looking alarm clocks connected to a 16-ounce can filled with fireworks, which were apparently intended to detonate the gas cans and set the propane afire in a chain reaction, said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

A metal rifle cabinet placed in the cargo area was packed with fertilizer, but NYPD bomb experts believe it was not a type volatile enough to explode like the ammonium nitrate grade fertilizer used in previous terrorist bombings.

The exact amount of fertilizer was unknown. Police estimated the cabinet weighed 200 to 250 pounds when they pulled it from the vehicle.

Free meals for teachers on Teacher Appreciation Day May 4, 2010

May 3, 11:49 AM

Restaurant Examiner

Shelley Owens

May 3, 2010 -- This is Teacher Appreciation Week and some places are showing their appreciation for teachers on Tuesday May 4, Teacher Appreciation Day, with free food. Expect to show school I.D. of a pay stub.

These restaurants go to the head of the class:

Melbourne and Stuart, Florida: Tropical Smoothie Cafes in Martin County and Brevard County are giving a free smoothie to teachers any day this week as Tropical Smoothie Cafes in the two counties show their appreciation during National Teachers Appreciation Week, May 2 through 8.

The same Cafes’ will also offer a free smoothie to any nurse on National Nurse’s Day, May 6.

Applebees in Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania:
Thomas & King Applebee’s franchises confirmed that they are offering free meals for teachers on Tuesday May 4. Thomas & King operates 90 Applebee’s in Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Check your local store before heading out for free eats.

The menu for free meals will be dine-in only and with limited but varied and chosen from popular favorites. Tip and beverage not included.

This examiner’s note: Do the right thing – don’t show up with a table of eight teachers during lunch rush and expect eight free meals. And leave a good tip.

Ithaca, NY: VisitIthaca.com offers discount cards so that teachers may receive free entrees, freebies and discounts for teachers at IthacaLovesTeachers.com.

Richmond, Virginia: According to their Facebook page, Qdobas in Richmond are offering a free entrée to teachers on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Offer details: All Richmond locations. You must have a valid school ID. Limit one per customer. No purchase necessary. Must be present to receive offer. No phone or fax orders.

Be Old Homestead's 10 millionth customer and eat free for life

May 3, 11:16 AM

NY Restaurant Examiner

Howard Portnoy

The Old Homestead has held court in the same location in the Meatpacking District since 1868.Photo: Old Homestead

It's similar to guessing how many jelly beans there are in a 100-gallon jar, but with an important difference. You don't get to eat the jelly beans if you guess right (not that you'd necessarily want to), whereas if you become the 10 millionth customer at The Old Homestead (56 Ninth Avenue, bet 14th and 15th Sts, 212-242-9040) you will find youself showered with riches beyond your wildest imaginings. Well, not really. But the recipient of the restaurant's 10 millionth meal will win a Florida vacation, a year's supply of frozen dinners or a gym membership (you'll need the latter if you win) and—pièce de résistance—free dinner for life, for him or her and a guest.

When you consider that a steak without sides at the Old Homestead nowadays runs between $36 (for a petite filet migon) and $49 (for an on-the-bone ribeye), you realize that this prize is nothing to sneeze at.

According to the restaurant's calculations—they started keeping track of the number of customers two years ago, based on an estimate arrived at with the aid of accountants and statisticians—they have served over 9,993,920 meals to date. That means that the magic number is currently somewhere just shy of 6,080. How many meals does the Old Homestead serve on an average day? They're not telling, though the management has no aversion to customers making regular forays to the restaurant to compile their own data.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1271229/A-loo-view-Couple-desperate-house-converted-15k-public-toilet.html

Ocala man arrested for DUI – but not before one more drink

Joe Callahan
Staff writer

Published: Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 3:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 3:54 p.m.

BELLEVIEW -- An Ocala man who was just minutes away from taking a roadside sobriety test decided he needed another drink before he got started.

Marion sheriff’s deputies say they pulled over Dana Allen Seaman, 61, of 2417 S.E. 17th St., along the 3000 block of County Road 484.

Deputy Eric Larson spotted Seaman swerve his car three times.

After stopping the vehicle, the deputy asked Seaman if he had been drinking. Seaman said yes and agreed to undergo a field sobriety test.

Before the test, the deputy watched Seaman take a drink from a cup and toss it under the passenger seat.

The deputy said he “retrieved the cup and could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from the cup,” according to the report.

Larson reported that Seaman could not stand on one leg, weaved when attempting to put his finger to his nose and was unsteady on his feet during all the tests.

The deputy also said he couldn’t understand most of the alphabet due to Seaman’s slurred speech. Seaman refused to submit to a breath test. He was arrested and charged with DUI.

Phil Griffin MSNBC President: We Want To Be Like Fox News

First Posted: 05- 3-10 09:37 AM   

Updated: 05- 3-10 11:39 AM

MSNBC President Phil Griffin said in an interview with the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rosenthal that he hopes MSNBC can grow to be more like Fox News, but that he won't be putting any "hard-right shows" on his network.

Griffin praised Fox News chief Roger Ailes for the television phenomenon he's created.

"He's changed media," Griffin said of Ailes. "Everybody does news differently because Roger's changed the world. Roger early on figured it out and was brilliant."

To Griffin, developing a successful cable news network means creating a place for "like-minded" viewers to come for the network's hosts' takes on the news.

"We're talking about the actions and passions of today, which tend to be political," he said.

"I don't think we have quite the passionate support that Fox does," he said. "Some shows do, but as a network we don't. Our prime time is getting there. But that's what we want to get."

But despite the desire to emulate Fox, Griffin insists he would not put on a hardcore conservative news show.

"Could we put on a hard-right show? No. It wouldn't fit," he said. "I want flow."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/gene-taylor-mississippi-c_n_561362.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2957272/Bedbound-by-my-big-boobs.html

http://www.weirdasianews.com/2010/05/02/horny-hindu-holyman-arrested-leaked-sex-tape-nsfw/

It's illegal, but desperate Americans are buying drugs online from Canada

Fernando Quintero

Orlando Sentinel May 2, 2010 

How the Dems got their groove back

After spending an entire year on healthcare reform, it appears congressional Democrats, sinking in the polls, have now decided to push on regulatory reform, revisit oversight of regulations for the mining and oil drilling industries and pass energy reform and — yes — an immigration overhaul as well. This is the definition of bring it on. Senate Democrats, in response to the new Arizona immigration law that has sparked criticism from both parties, introduced an immigration bill yesterday designed to attract bipartisan support. It makes securing the border the first priority, to be followed by the registration of illegal immigrants, who would pay back taxes and be put on a path to citizenship if they lack criminal records. The bill also calls for Social Security identity cards, which proponents say would stem the tide of future illegal immigration by holding businesses accountable.
 
"We'll only succeed in dramatically reducing future illegal immigration by creating an employment verification system that holds employers accountable for knowingly hiring illegal workers," said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Schumer co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has now dropped out of the debate, claiming Democrats' political maneuvers on the issue have poisoned the well.
 
Some liberals are alarmed  that Democrats have included an identification card, but Schumer and the leadership point out that many of their proposals are GOP ideas included in past bills such as the one sponsored by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). 
 
McCain is finding the sudden return of the immigration debate awfully uncomfortable as he struggles to fend off a primary challenge from former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.), a strong foe of comprehensive immigration reform. This debate will also be difficult for many conservative and centrist Democrats struggling in tough reelection campaigns, which is why I am quite surprised to see it front and center.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Grandmother-Rosie-Swale-Pope-Completes-27-Completes-Marathons/Article/201005115623750?f=rss

Video released showing Marion teacher ‘creeping’ though locker room

2:26 p.m. EDT

April 30, 2010

LINK TO VIDEO:

 http://www.orlandosentinel.com/videobeta/93f82e5e-b8aa-4f2a-b3b5-1bfa35467ad9/News/Marion-County-teacher-accused-of-swiping-cash-from-students-lockers

Wendy Button

April 30, 2010 11:05 AM

There is no other time than the night of The White House Correspondents Dinner when Washington is more out of touch with the country it guides and informs.

With the black ties and dresses, shiny hair and sparkling diamonds, bad jokes and back-slapping, it would be hard to tell that more than 37 million Americans live in poverty every day and millions more at the razor's edge or that more than 508,000 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans have sought care from a Veterans Affairs facility because some of the people at that dinner sent them off to war. That contrast of clashing Americas has always seemed unseemly like the Pope wearing fancy red shoes.

A few years ago, Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro made the documentary, Body of War, about an Iraq War veteran, Tomas Young. Tomas enlisted right after the attacks on September 11th and five days after he arrived in Iraq, he was shot in the chest and paralyzed. Tomas came home to a country completely unprepared to care for its veterans. His frustration led to action and he was one of the first veterans to start speaking truth to power about the lies that led us to war.

During one scene in the movie, Tomas is in his wheel chair watching The White House Correspondents Dinner. In the glow of the television, he sees the sea of tuxedos and dresses, Republicans and Democrats and their laughter and clapter as jokes are made about missing weapons of mass destruction. It is a chilling, heart breaking, moment of disconnect between the decision makers and those who decided to serve.

We forget that we are -- like it or not, for it or not -- a nation at war and we rarely act like it. Most Americans don't serve. Most Americans don't know that 2 million men and women have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; the suicide rate for active duty soldiers has more than doubled since these wars began; nearly 15 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are unemployed, and their families have to fight to get a wheel chair or surgery or help with a creeping traumatic brain injury.

At tomorrow night's high profile dinner, our national press corps could begin to change all of this for our veterans. 

Since the wars began, the press has used incomplete numbers about the non-fatal casualties from the Iraq and Afghanistan combat zones. Most of the time on the news and in the papers, reporters use one set of numbers issued every week by the Department of Defense which are limited to those killed and wounded in action.  As of April 29, 2010, the report states that in Iraq 31,790 have been wounded and 4,397 have been killed and in Afghanistan, 5,677 have been wounded and 1,043 killed.

What is interesting about that report is that it includes every death, as it should. Every service member killed because of a bullet, shrapnel, or by suicide is counted, honored, in that weekly report. But the wounded in action number is incomplete. It excludes everyone who was medically evacuated because of a serious injury or illness. Those numbers are released in another monthly report, the last one issued April 3, 2010.

For those who don't want to look and add, the total number of non-fatal casualties that includes those wounded in action and those medically evacuated for injuries and illness, that number in Iraq is 70,615 and in Afghanistan, it is 14,936. These complete numbers have been hiding in plain sight. Why won't the press use them? They show why so many of our veterans are struggling and when all are added up, the total number of battlefield casualties is 90,925. That number is arresting in its size and the American people need to know it.

These injuries and illnesses requiring evacuation aren't inconsequential either. The injuries often include lost limbs, serious cases of Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the signature medical conditions from the two wars.

The press has a chance to make these numbers known to the American people tomorrow night. Imagine a room with all that power? Why not put that audience to good use for those who defend our country?

There will be several opportunities for prominent journalists to issue this correction and call on their colleagues to use the complete numbers: when Ed Chen, president of The White House Correspondents' Association greets the guests, and when Ben Feller, Jake Tapper, Mark Knoller, Suzanne Bohan, and Sandy Kleffman receive their awards. Why not build on that journalistic spirit and fix a fact? Why not use that room and all the power in it to issue an important correction not on the back pages or during the credits, but right there in front of the president, vice president, cabinet members, leaders in Congress, editors, network anchors, leading artists, and the world. This could be a chance for the press to restore some of its good will with the American people by speaking truth to power and at the dinners to follow.

There are more than 1 million veterans from these wars and that means there is a great chance that another veteran like Tomas Young will be watching the dinner in a daze of disbelief from their home. Will our veterans see another night of disconnect and jokes or will they hear something different? Will the truth -- 90,925 battlefield casualties -- pierce through the bubble and let everyone know in the words of the mighty Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On" with our Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans.