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Monthly Archives: February 2012

FLASH: NEW JERSEY COLLEGE LOCKED DOWN DUE TO ESCAPED INMATE MANHUNT

shane hopkins mug shot 

MAYS LANDING, N.J. – February 1, 2012 (WPVI) — A college in Atlantic County, NJ has been locked down as police try to track down an escaped prisoner.

Security officials at Cape May Community College, Mays Landing Campus confirm that the campus was put on lockdown Wednesday beginning at 12:30 p.m. while police searched for a man who escaped from Hamilton Township Police Tuesday night.

People are not being allowed to enter the campus and are being asked not to leave. If they do leave they are not being permitted back on campus.

Shane K. Hopkins, 38, escaped from the custody of Hamilton Township Police on Tuesday night as he was being transported to the Atlantic County justice facility in Mays Landing for a hearing.

He was a prisoner of South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, N.J. and had been in custody since April 27, 2011 on several charges, including burglary and eluding police.

Hopkins is 5’3″, 135 lbs with blue eyes and brown hair. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit and handcuffs when he escaped.

An alert on the college’s website says Hopkins may now be wearing a white flannel shirt and gray sweatpants.

The alert reads:

“A lockdown is in progess at Atlantic Cape’s Mays Landing Campus. Stay indoors until further notice; do not come to campus at this time. Police are pursuing escaped inmate near campus. Escaped inmate is wearing white flannel shirt and gray sweatpants. Updates will be provided as available.

“To stay updated with essential information on weather-related closings and other up-to-the-minute bulletins, sign up for TxtAlerts or find us on Facebook. Please contact your instructor or view the list of instructor cancellations for individual courses.”

Police say anyone who spots Hopkins should immediately call 911.

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FRACKING FOR THE TRUTH: ‘Gasland’ Filmmaker Arrested at Capitol Hearing $UNG

By JOHN M. BRODER – NEW YORK TIMES
Capitol policemen cornering the filmmaker Josh Fox at a House subcommittee session on fracking.Courtesy of EarthworksCapitol policemen cornering the filmmaker Josh Fox at a House panel’s hearing on fracking.
Green: Politics

Josh Fox, whose HBO documentary “Gasland” raised questions about the safety of the natural gas drilling technique known as horizontal hydraulic fracturing, was handcuffed and led away on Wednesday as he tried to film a House Science Committee hearing on the topic.

The Capitol Police said that Mr. Fox, whose film was nominated for an Academy Award last year, was charged with unlawful entry and was being dealt with at Capitol Police headquarters. A spokeswoman for Mr. Fox said she had no further details as of early Wednesday afternoon.

Mr. Fox brought a crew to film a hearing of the energy and environment subcommittee that was looking into an Environmental Protection Agency finding that fracking, as the technique is popularly known, was probably responsible for groundwater contamination in Pavillion, Wyo.

Mr. Fox is preparing a sequel to “Gasland,” which has contributed to widespread concern about fracking, which uses large volumes of water and chemicals under high pressure to free gas deposits from underground shale.

The chairman of the subcommittee conducting the hearing, Representative Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican, objected to the presence of Mr. Fox and his crew as well as another crew under contract to ABC. A committee chairman has the discretion to bar cameras from hearings, according to a committee aide.

The hearing was broadcast at the committee’s Web site. Mr. Harris said the two crews did not have proper media credentials.

Representative Brad Miller, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, asked that the crews be allowed to stay and called for a vote. After a recess to round up more members, the Republicans prevailed and the cameras were barred.

“This is a public hearing!” Mr. Fox shouted as he was led away, according to several news reports. “I’m being denied my First Amendment rights.”

SOURCE

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Ex -Trader From Credit Suisse Pleads Guilty

“NEW YORK—A former Credit Suisse Group AG employee pleaded guilty Wednesday to criminal charges over alleged misstatements regarding the bank’s mortgage-bond valuations during the financial crisis.”

Full article

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So, Just How Safe Is Your Ship?

Giuseppe Modesti/Associated Press
By 

IN the wake of the Costa Concordia catastrophe on Jan. 13 that killed at least 17 people and raised troubling questions about the ship’s captain, many tourists are wondering: How safe am I on a cruise?

Well, the chance of dying in a cruise accident is small. From 2005 to 2010, about 100 million passengers took cruises, and there were 16 deaths attributed to marine accidents, according to the Cruise Lines International Association.

But the Concordia, which ran aground off the Tuscan coast of Italy a few hours after departure, has the cruise industry on the defensive. “All of our members recognize the seriousness of these events,” said Christine Duffy, president of the Cruise Lines International Association, in apress briefing last month.

Still, no regulatory changes have actually been made, though there has been plenty of discussion about the growing size of ships and the 24-hour window after boarding in which ships must run safety drills.

At the time of the deadly wreck, just off the coast of Isola del Giglio, about 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members were aboard the Costa Concordia, a massive vessel owned by a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation.

Some travel industry experts say the sheer size of the Concordia and other cruise ships may pose greater evacuation challenges because of the large number of passengers, but cruise officials point out that regulations have kept pace with the size of the ships. Evacuation routes and safety equipment, including the size and number of lifeboats, are “scaled in accordance with the increased size of the vessel,” said Capt. William Wright, a senior vice president at Royal Caribbean International, at the briefing convened by the Cruise Lines International Association.

There is no indication that size was a factor in the Concordia accident, but the 24-hour window for safety drills is being scrutinized. Some critics argue that the window should be tightened so that passengers will be better prepared in case an emergency strikes early on, as it did on the Concordia. Unlike airplane safety announcements, which take place before takeoff, cruise drills aren’t required before the ship leaves the dock. The Concordia passengers who had boarded before Civitavecchia had already been through the drill, but nearly 700 passengers who joined the ship there had not. The next drill had been scheduled for the following day.

While the Carnival Corporation said it will do “a comprehensive audit and review” of safety procedures, at least one other cruise line, Prestige Cruise Holdings, the parent company of Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas, has announced that it will hold drills on the day of departure. Previously, those drills were occasionally held the next morning.

The Concordia tragedy has focused attention on safety and operating standards, but there are other concerns that passengers should keep in mind.

VIRUSES

Cruise passengers are more likely to get a stomach bug than face shipwreck. Last year, there were 14 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on 10 ships, affecting hundreds of passengers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The illnesses included the highly contagious norovirus.

Cruise companies increase cleaning and disinfecting procedures if there is an outbreak, including scouring “high-touch” areas of ships, like banisters and elevator buttons. But such measures can’t prevent a sick passenger from infecting others. According to the C.D.C., the best defense against catching a stomach bug is simple: keep washing your hands, avoid shaking hands during outbreaks and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

CRIME

Crime on cruise ships has become such an issue that in 2010 Congress passed the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act. The law mandates reporting of kidnappings, sexual assaults and other crimes and requires vessels to be equipped with cabin peepholes and video surveillance systems, among other security measures. Last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation closed 16 investigations involving crime on cruise ships, 13 of which were sexual assaults, according to data posted online by the Coast Guard. But that doesn’t represent the total number of incidents reported to the F.B.I., including any still-open or pending prosecutions.

While it’s easy to let your guard down on a cruise, travelers shouldn’t assume they’re safe just because they’re onboard, said Charles R. Lipcon, author of “Unsafe on the High Seas” and a maritime lawyer who handles cases involving personal injury, cruise-line sexual assault and wrongful death claims. Sure, a cruise may feel like a floating party — and no one has to drive home — but drinking too much can compromise your judgment.

“I like to tell people, don’t leave your common sense at the dock,” Mr. Lipcon said. “That’s typically what people do, and overdrink and get themselves into a risky situation.”

FIRE

Even though modern cruise vessels are designed with smoke detectors and sprinkler systems, fire is a risk. Last year, a fire aboard a Hurtigruten cruise ship off the coast of Norway killed two people, injured nine others and forced the evacuation of nearly half of the 262 people aboard. CruiseShipFires.com, a Web site dedicated to documenting blazes, explosions and other accidents on pleasure vessels, has photographs of similar events, including an engine fire on the Carnival Splendor in 2010. No passengers were injured, but the fire stripped the ship of its power, knocking out its operating systems and leaving its 3,300 passengers without air-conditioning, hot food or water.

Most of those fires started in the engine room in the lower part of the ship, said Janet Huggard, editor of CruiseShipFires.com and its sibling site, CruiseBruise.com, devoted to publicizing crime, injuries and other incidents on ships. She recommends avoiding cabins below deck. “Higher is better in almost all cases for evacuation purposes,” she said.

FALLING OVERBOARD

Although falling overboard is rare, it does occur. Last year at least 22 people went overboard on cruise ships and passenger ferries, according to Cruisejunkie.com, which lists cases reported by the media on its Web site, including passengers who jumped. One of the requirements under the Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act is that ships must be equipped with rails not less than 42 inches above the deck, and with alarms and other technology to help signal and locate passengers who go overboard.

As a general rule, pay attention to safety announcements and make sure you try on your life jacket and know where your muster or lifeboat station is located. If you are traveling with friends or family, have a contingency plan so you know how to find one another in the event of an evacuation. “It is unlikely that something will happen,” said Ross A. Klein, who has written books on the cruise industry and operates Cruisejunkie.com, “but it is better to have a plan if something does happen than to be drawn into a hysteria when an emergency situation presents itself.”

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Tripadvisor is Shadier Than You Think $TRIP

Tripadvisor must no longer claim that all of its reviews are honest or even from real people

Tripadvisor must no longer claim that all of its reviews are honest or even from real people Photo: ALAMY
James Hall

By , Consumer Affairs Editor

7:00AM GMT 01 Feb 2012

It follows complaints that some unscrupulous hoteliers have posted fake comments on the site to boost their own business or sabotage others.

Following a four month investigation, the Advertising Standards Authority found that it was possible for “non-genuine content” to appear on Tripadvisor, which is designed to allow holidaymakers to share tips and opinions on places they have visited.

The advertising watchdog said that because reviews can be posted on the site without any form of verification, Tripadvisor must no longer claim that all of its reviews are honest, or even from real people.

In a strongly-worded ruling, the ASA told Tripadvisor “not to claim or imply that all the reviews that appeared on the website were from real travellers, or were honest, real or trusted”.

The ASA’s ruling, which applies only to Tripadvisor’s UK site, follows a complaint last year from two unnamed hoteliers and a website called Kwikchex, which helps companies manage their online reputations.

They argued that wording on Tripadvisor’s website – claiming that the site contained “reviews you can trust” and “honest” opinions from “real travellers” – was misleading as Tripadvisor could not prove that the reviews were genuine.

Chris Emmins, co-founder of Kwikchex, said that there are a “substantial” number of fake reviews on Tripadvisor, which is being “abused by fraudsters”.

Fake comments range from unsubstantiated claims of food poisoning in restaurants to theft and credit card fraud in hotels, said Mr Emmins.

Tripadvisor, which has removed the wording from its website, said that the ASA had taken a “highly technical view” of its online marketing copy that was “used in a limited capacity”.

In a statement, the company said: “We have confidence that the 50 million users who come to our site every month trust the reviews they read on Tripadvisor, which is why they keep coming back to us in increasingly larger numbers to plan and have the perfect trip.”

A spokesman added that the average traveller reads dozens of reviews before making an informed decision on where to travel, rather than just “one or two” reviews. Travellers base their decision on “the wisdom of the crowds” rather than isolated reviews, the spokesman said.

“We know that our users approach Tripadvisor with common sense, and make an educated decision based on the opinions of many. If people did not feel the insight they gained from our site was an accurate reflection of their experience they wouldn’t keep coming back,” the spokesman said.

SOURCE 

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Creepy Voice Over Narration for Morgan Freeman’s Incestuous Marriage to Step-Granddaughter

Hit Dan BackHit Dan BackA few weeks ago, a disturbing story broke that Morgan Freeman was maintaining a 10-year relationship with his step-granddaughter with whom he had a questionable sexual encounter when she was young. Yes, they are not related through blood, but Freeman is 72 and E’Dena Hines is now 27, which means she would have been 17 when they first… um… got together. Once Freeman’s wife found out about their secret affair she filed for divorce, and now the Enquirer is claiming that once proceedings go through, he and Hines are set to wed.

“Morgan has led her to believe that he wants to marry her,” says a family insider. Another source says, “Becoming Mrs. Morgan Freeman has been E’Dena’s goal.”

Consider us creeped out. Morgan Freeman is giving Woody Allen a run for his money! [HitDanBack]

SOURCE

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NATO report: Pakistan is the worst friend money doesn’t buy

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — Pakistan continues to support the Taliban in Afghanistan, a secret NATO report says, according to a journalist who has read it, despite years of Pakistani denials and American pressure to stop backing the insurgency

The Taliban depend on Pakistan for support, even though they do not necessarily welcome it, Times of London reporter Jerome Starkey said Wednesday, citing the report.

The leaked NATO document revives the longstanding accusation that elements in Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence agency are aiding the insurgency in Afghanistan.

It says the ISI knows the whereabouts of all senior Taliban commanders, Starkey said.

“It is a marriage of convenience,” he said. The Taliban see Pakistan as manipulative, but they see no alternative to accepting its support, he said.

The Taliban are absolutely confident of victory, he said the report found, based on 27,000 interviews with more than 4,000 detainees ranging from senior Taliban commanders to Afghan civilians.

They also include mid- and low-level Taliban, al Qaeda, and foreign fighters, he said.

Progress in Afghan peace talks NATO downplayed the importance of the report Wednesday, after it was leaked, while Pakistan rejected key conclusions entirely.

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Amtrak train jumps track in MI, no injuries

(CNN) — Two passenger rail cars jumped the tracks Wednesday near Ann Arbor, Michigan, but no life-threatening injuries were reported in the accident, officials said.

The Amtrak train “made contact” with a vehicle at a public highway crossing, Amtrak said, causing the engine to turn on its side and the first two cars of the train to derail.

The train involved in the incident was Amtrak Wolverine Service Train 351.

There were 71 passengers and five crew members on board, Amtrak said.

The train, made up of two locomotives and six rail cars, was heading westbound from Pontiac, Michigan, to Chicago.

Amtrak suspended service in central Michigan for several hours and said it will offer refunds or re-bookings without fees for those affected.

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Stay Classy OWS: condom throwing and hating free speech

Read here:

A group of Occupy Wall Street protesters disrupted a Right to Life rally and threw condoms on Catholic school girls inside the Rhode Island state capitol building.

Barth Bracy, executive director of Rhode Island Right to Life, said their rally had to be cut short after the Occupiers began screaming and refused to allow a Catholic priest to deliver a prayer.

“This is their idea of civil speech but we believe it’s an outrage,” Bracy told Fox News & Commentary “They started heckling, chanting and blowing whistles. They shouted down a priest.”

Last week’s rally was held inside the rotunda of the state capitol in Providence. Bracy said the Occupiers, along with some pro-choice demonstrators, infiltrated the crowd of some 150 pro-lifers. He said the pro-life crowd was made up of senior citizens, mothers with young children, Cub Scouts, and school kids.

Bracy said one of the most egregious incidents occurred when an Occupier climbed to the third floor balcony and dumped a box of condoms on girls from a Catholic school.

“What kind of individual throw condoms at Catholic school girls,” Bracy asked.

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What do Corzine, Solyndra, Pfizer lobbyists and California have in common?

Read here:

President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign identified its top fundraisers on Tuesday, including 61 people who each raised at least half a million dollars. Altogether, the more than 440 fundraisers collected at least $75 million to help Obama win a second term.

Among them are embattled former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee late last year returned $70,000 in contributions from Corzine and his wife following questions about the collapse of MF Global, the financial firm Corzine ran.

Corzine is no longer raising money for the re-election, campaign officials said.

The campaign divided the list into four groups based on how much money donors raised: $50,000-$100,000, $100,000-$200,000, $200,000 to $500,000 and those who raised more than $500,000 apiece.

The donors represent a broad network of contributors, many of them longtime Democratic Party stalwarts.

The list includes two fundraisers linked to Solyndra LLC, the California solar company that received a $528 million federal loan and then later declared bankruptcy, prompting a federal investigation. Steve Spinner, an Energy Department adviser, raised at least $500,000 and Steve Westly, a venture capitalist who was an unpaid adviser to the department, raised between $200,000 and $500,000.

The disclosure came as Obama headed back out on the money trail, speaking Tuesday night at two high-dollar fundraisers in the Washington area where donors paid $35,800 per ticket to see him. At an event at the posh St. Regis Hotel, the president told donors that Republicans have “the wrong vision for America,” though he didn’t mention any of his opponents by name or reference the voting under way in Florida, where polls were closing in the state’s GOP primary.

Obama said voters needed to know “that this is not an abstract ideological argument, that this is a practical concrete argument,” and that the election is about whether they’ll be able to find a good job with a living wage and get health care for their families. “They’ve got to feel that we are actively advocating on their behalf.”

Obama’s campaign ended the year with more than $81 million in the bank, but Republicans are gearing up in the race for the White House.

The Republican National Committee collected $27 million during the final three months of 2011, compared with $23 million by the DNC. In December, the RNC raised $11.6 million while the DNC collected $8.8 million.

Through the end of 2011, the RNC had $20 million in the bank and $13 million in debt, while the DNC held $12.5 million in cash on hand and $6.5 million in debt.

Though Obama rejects contributions from lobbyists, his top fundraisers include individuals involved in the business of influencing government.

Michael Kempner, among those who raised more than $500,000, is president and CEO of MWW Group, a public relations firm with a large lobbying business. Kempner himself is not a registered lobbyist.

Sally Susman, another fundraiser in the $500,000-plus category, is executive vice president for policy, external affairs and communications at Pfizer Inc., a job that includes directing the pharmaceutical giant’s government relations operations.

California figured most prominently on Obama’s roster of big money “bundlers.” Sixteen are from California and 13 are from New York.

Top fundraisers include movie producers Jeffrey Katzenberg and Harvey Weinstein, and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Actress Eva Longoria was in the second highest tier, bundling $200,000 to $500,000 for Obama’s re-election.

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