Gorvin's News

Despite a new law that lifted a ban on headscarves at public colleges, 16 Turkish universities are not allowing women wearing headscarves onto their campuses, BBC reported.
According to the Washington Post, guards stationed at university gates forced women to remove their scarves before entering campus.
“Here I am, cleansed of my identity,� 21-year-old Sabiha Gimen said as she stood wearing a hat to hide her headscarf in front of Istanbul Bilgi University Monday. (Washington Post)
Turkey, though 99 percent Muslim, is ruled by a strictly-secularist government. The new law was signed Feb. 22 by Turkey’s Islamic-oriented president Abdullah Gul.
Opponents of the law, secularist leaders, believe lifting the ban is a step backward and may bring a religious government that will lead to “disintegration of the nation� (CNN). Opposition also says that the law is compromising the division between religion and state, BBC reported.
Proponents of the law say freedom of religion is important. “These things should be left to the woman to choose,� Huseyin Hatemi, a retired Istanbul University civil law professor said Monday. “Iran is wrong in forcing them to wear the head scarf, and Turkey is wrong in forcing them not to.� (Washington Post)
The new law only allows for scarves tied loosely under the chin. Burkas and scarves that cover the neck are still banned, BBC reported.

Posted by gorvi004 at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 3-year-old Coon Rapids girl suffered third degree burns over 50 percent of her body after her dress caught on fire Tuesday, ABC Newspapers reported. Jadea Oldenburg was in critical condition in Hennepin County Medical Center as of Thursday.
Jadea was with her mother, Amber Oldenburg, in their apartment when the fire occurred. ABC Newspapers , a website that consolidates three local newspapers, reported that Oldenburg was in the bathroom when she heard her daughter screaming. Oldenburg rolled the girl on the carpet to extinguish the flames, cut her dress off and put her in the bathtub before calling paramedics.
When firefighters arrived, Jadea was not crying, but standing and looking at her burns, which covered her body from chin to knees, ABC Newspapers said. Coon Rapids Fire Marshal Todd Williams said Jadea is expected to be hospitalized for two or three months.
According to KARE-11, authorities are not yet sure how the girl’s dress caught fire, but reported that firefighters found candles burning in the apartment as well as a lighter and matches. ABC Newspapers reported that the fire is believed to have been accidental and started when the girl was playing with a candle or matches.
The Coon Rapids Fire Department is using this incident to teach the public about candle safety. “Blow the candles out. Even if there are no kids in the house, pets can knock them down,� Coon Rapids Fire Prevention Specialist Chuck Fleury said. “Matches and lighters should be put away where no one can reach them but adults.� (KARE-11)

Posted by gorvi004 at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A man threw a 34-year-old Prior Lake woman onto a highway following a road rage incident, WCCO reported. Jennifer Boulden landed in the middle of Hwy. 169 northbound near Shakopee, suffering injuries to her back and head.
Boulden, a mother of five, had missed her exit and had made a legal U-turn, the Star Tribune reported. According to WCCO, Boulden then cut in front of a pickup, whose driver immediately began honking and motioning for her to pull over.
Boulden complied, hoping to apologize, the Star Tribune reported. “I rolled down my window and he's just screaming profanities at me,� said Boulden (WCCO).
The man walked away from Boulden, but she followed him, still attempting to apologize, the Star Tribune reported. Frightened, Boulden tried calling 911, but the man grabbed her cell phone. He then grabbed Boulden and tossed her into the highway.
Many drivers pulled over to help Boulden, including Jessica Uitermarkt and her father, who carried Boulden onto the shoulder of the road, the Star Tribune reported.
Police have not been able to identify the suspect, but say he is white, in his 40s and has graying hair, the Star Tribune reported. Witnesses were not able to get his license plate number.
Boulden was released from the hospital Thursday afternoon, the Star Tribune said. She will have to use a walker to get around, WCCO reported.
While data is not kept on road rage incidents, State Patrol Lt. Mark Peterson said he believes aggressive driving is becoming more common and offered advice. “Do not play the game,� he said. “Disengage at the earliest opportunity.� (Star Tribune)

Posted by gorvi004 at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Company-owned Starbucks coffee houses across the nation closed for a 3 ½-hour employee training session Tuesday evening, the Guardian reported. Company chairman Howard Schultz ordered the session earlier this month in an effort to boost sagging sales.
According to Schultz, the session will retrain 135,000 employees “to pull the perfect shot, steam milk to order and customize [a customer’s] favorite beverage� (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). The baristas will learn to rinse the pitchers and shot glasses out and wipe the steamer wands off after each drink, the Star Tribune reported.
“The comprehensive educational curriculum for all U.S. store partners will provide a renewed focus on espresso standards that will help ensure the exceptional quality of every beverage,� Schultz said. (Star Tribune)
Starbucks shares fell 42 percent last year and the company saw a 1 percent decrease in the average number of transactions per store, the Guardian said. In addition to the training session, Starbucks is cutting 600 jobs, offering free wireless internet, and discontinuing hot breakfast sandwiches because they cover up the aroma of the coffee.
Smaller coffee chains jumped on the chance to boost sales while their biggest competitor had locked its doors for the evening. Dunkin Donuts stores sold lattes and cappuccinos for 99 cents, according to the Star Tribune. The Guardian reported that Los Angeles-based Coffee Klatch gave free coffee to its customers.

Posted by gorvi004 at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The first Star Tribune article about the hit and run accident in St. Paul that left a 59-year-old woman dead began with a lead that described the scene shortly after the accident. Not many details were known when the article was written so the lead took more of a story-telling approach, not stating clearly what had happened. The rest of the story focused on a witness who helped the victim. It included extensive quotes from the witness and her thoughts about the accident to bulk up the report. It briefly mentioned that a man, Terrance Oliver, had been arrested in connection with the accident. Because there weren’t many known facts, the story gave accounts from people who did not see the accident about how busy the street is.
The second Star Tribune article gives much more detail about the accident itself and about the arrest of Terrance Oliver. The lead tells why Oliver says he hit the woman (the sun was in his eyes) and summarizes the accident. It is a hard news lead where the lead for the first story was not, probably because the reporter knew more facts at the time of the second writing. The witness who played such a large part in the first writing isn’t mentioned in the second writing because more important information than her thoughts and concerns was discovered.
This story also gives much more detail about the victim, now stating her name as Margaret (Peggy) Prowse and giving her specific injuries. (The first story just said her limbs were mangled, a recount from a witness). We also get specific information on Oliver, that he was driving without a license and that he had many violations for driving without a license in past years. This story also relates that Oliver was not breaking any traffic laws when he hit Prowse. (The first article didn’t make this clear.) Oliver’s previous criminal background is also given, as well as details that led to his arrest.
In the first story, most facts are attributed to the witness. In the second, the facts are attributed to police officials or documents.
In general, the second story gives the why and how. The first story just told the what, when, and where. More details were discovered, and hence, more detail was given in the second writing.
The second story was not a reaction to a report from another news organization.

Posted by gorvi004 at 3:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A transcript claiming to outline a conversation between Jack Ruby and Lee Harvey Oswald in which Oswald plots the assassination of John F. Kennedy has been deemed a fake, CNN reported. The transcript was presented by Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins at a news conference Monday.
Watkins said the transcript was likely part of an abandoned film called “Countdown in Dallas� that former Dallas District Attorney Henry Wade, Ruby’s prosecutor, proposed to make, the Guardian reported. Wade discusses the film in letters found with the transcript.
The transcript supposedly records a conversation between Oswald and Ruby that took place Oct. 4, 1963 at Ruby’s nightclub, CNN reported. However, it is well-documented that Oswald was in Irving, Texas that night.
The transcript quotes Oswald as saying, “I can still do it, all I need is my rifle and a tall building; but it will take time, maybe six months to find the right place; but I'll have to have some money to live on while I do the planning.� (Star Tribune)
“It’s not real,� Terri Moore, Watkins’ top assistant, said. “Crooks don't talk like that.� (Guardian)
The document was found locked in a Dallas County courthouse safe that also contained Ruby’s gun holster and brass knuckles, clothing that belonged to Oswald and Ruby, letters to Ruby from Wade, and a movie contract signed by Wade, the Star Tribune reported. These objects have been found to be genuine, the Guardian reported.
“[The transcript] will open up the debate again about whether there was a conspiracy,� Watkins said. (Star Tribune)

Posted by gorvi004 at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Como Park Zoo has chosen the name Jaya for the baby orangutan born Dec. 13, the Pioneer Press reported. The zoo announced the name Monday after a four-week contest that let the public vote by donating money toward their favorite choice, the Star Tribune reported.
Jaya, which means “celebration� in Indonesian, beat out the other choices of Pandu and Bejo. The zoo raised $767.52 in the naming contest.
The new name is fitting; Jaya and his mom, 20-year-old Sumatran orangutan Markisa, struggled through a difficult birth. After having trouble during labor, Markisa underwent a Caesarean section at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, the Pioneer Press reported. The procedure was only the ninth performed in over 1,600 captive orangutan births, the Star Tribune reported, and the first for the Como Park Zoo.
Then, Jaya was in critical condition his first few days of life, struggling with breathing problems and fluid in his lungs, the Pioneer Press said.
However, when the zoo announced the name Monday, both mother and son were doing well, posing for pictures in their holding area.
“[The name] reflects not only the success of the baby boy, but the success of the mother," Como Park Zoo lead orangutan trainer Megan Elder said. (Star Tribune)

Posted by gorvi004 at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A South Carolina bus driver who used duct tape to discipline children on her bus has been charged with cruelty to children, Fox Carolina reported. Helen Curry, 39, is accused of duct taping the mouths and possibly the wrists of eight children, one of them being her own daughter.
The Greenville News reported that the incidents occurred between November 2007 and February 2008 and that the children ranged from the ages of 8 to 12. Curry could face a $1,600 fine if convicted, Fox Carolina reported.
Greenwood School District 51 learned of Curry’s behavior after she was terminated from her position for unrelated reasons Feb. 15. Students told the new bus driver about being duct taped, The Greenville News reported. The school contacted police immediately.
According to WYFF, Curry said that she was trying to act in the best interests of the children on the bus. "If I've got two, three or four students that are habitually making it unsafe for the other 70 on the bus I feel it's my responsibility to do what I have to do to ensure the safety of the other kids," she said. WYFF reported that she gave the children the choice of being duct taped or given an administrative write-up.

Posted by gorvi004 at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A St. Paul man was arrested Wednesday evening on suspicion of vehicular homicide after a 59-year-old woman was stuck and killed crossing University Avenue, the Star Tribune reported.
Police suspect Terrell "Terrance" Oliver, 45, was the driver of the vehicle that failed to stop after hitting the pedestrian at about 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, the Pioneer Press reported. Oliver was being held in Ramsey County Jail without bail.
“There was no way [the driver] couldn't have seen her,� Jennifer Macaulay, a defense attorney who witnessed the accident, said (Star Tribune).
Macaulay, 33, said she initially thought something had been thrown out of the car because the object “almost caught wind, like it was a kite,� (Pioneer Press). Macaulay soon realized it was a gray-haired woman carrying a pink backpack. “She was so mangled — all her limbs were fractured in a horrible way,� she said.
Macaulay and other passersby wrapped the woman in a sleeping bag and tried to comfort her, though the woman was unresponsive and didn’t have a pulse, the Pioneer Press reported. The victim, whose name has not been released, was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul where she died at 10:30 a.m.
Police say the woman had been crossing the street in an area where there was no crosswalk. “It was cold,� police spokesman Tom Walsh said about the victim’s decision to cross (Star Tribune).

Posted by gorvi004 at 9:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two of the four paintings that were stolen last week in one of the biggest art thefts in history were found Monday near the Zurich, Switzerland museum they were taken from, the New York Times reported.
Authorities found Monet’s “Poppies Near Vétheuil� and van Gogh’s “Blossoming Chestnut Branches� in the back of a white sedan parked outside a mental hospital that is located about 500 yards from the E. G. Bührle Collection.
The two paintings, worth $64 million, are said to be in perfect condition, still under the glass the museum displays them under, the New York Times reported. Lukas Gloor, the museum’s director, suspects that the robbers discarded these two paintings because their larger size makes them difficult to transport.
The paintings were found when a hospital employee checked the parking lot and made note of the white sedan because its doors were unlocked, the New York Times reported. Police later discovered the paintings in the backseat. It is unknown how long the vehicle had been in the lot.
“The severe wound which was inflicted on our house on 10 February has been closed somewhat," Gloor said. (BBC)
Cézanne’s “Boy in a Red Vest,� the most valuable of the four, and Degas's “Count Lepic and his Daughters� are still missing, the BBC reported. The three thieves are still at large.

Posted by gorvi004 at 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The BBC’s story about the theft of four paintings from a Zurich museum begins by expressing the impact of the theft. The reporter explains that the robbers took four very valuable paintings and that this theft may be one of the largest in 20 years. This structure immediately tells readers why they should care about this particular story.
The reporter then gives the names of the stolen paintings, answering the question most readers would be asking at this point.
Then, a chronological summary of how the paintings were stolen is given. This comes after the most important facts (the paintings’ names and the impact of the theft) were given. Linking words such as “then� are used to clearly convey the actions of the robbers.
Finally, quotes from the police spokesman and the museum director that support the reporter’s earlier statements are given. This works because the quotes are not essential to the reporting of the story and are therefore put towards the end. They do, however, give life and credibility.
I think putting these quotes more in the beginning (the bulk) of the story would have worked well too. The quote form the museum director could have been put with the names of the paintings. This would have helped relay the impact of the robbery to readers who may not recognize the artists’ names. The quote from the police spokesman, if placed earlier in the story, would have worked in a similar way.
The story ends with background on the museum the paintings were stolen from. This works very well because, while pertinent, this information is not at all essential to the story.

Posted by gorvi004 at 6:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Police have charged a man with reckless homicide in the death of his 2-month-old grandson, MSNBC reported.
David Cull, 50, apparently passed out Wednesday evening on top of infant Xavian, who was asleep in a chair. Cull is believed to have been intoxicated from taking too much prescription medication.
When a family member woke Cull around 5 a.m. Thursday, the infant’s grandmother, Donna Marie Cull, found the child unconscious.
"His lips were purple, and he had four purple stripes down the side of his face,� she said. “I blew in his face and he wouldn't breathe. His hands were clenched, and he was cold." (WLKY)
A 911 call was placed aroud 7:30 a.m. The county coroner confirmed the infant was dead, MSNBC reported.
After interviewing family members, police arrested David Cull Thursday morning. According to WLKY, he is being held at the Carroll County Regional Detention Center.
The Culls had custody of Xavian and his 5-year-old half-sister. Child Protective Services removed the girl from the home and placed her with relatives Thursday afternoon, WLKY reported.

Posted by gorvi004 at 5:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Animal rights groups are upset that the Taronga Zoo in Sydney has allowed a 9-year-old endangered Asian elephant to become pregnant, the Daily Mail reported. It is “the equivalent of allowing your 12-year-old daughter to become pregnant,� Erica Martin, of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifew), said (BBC).
The elephant, called Thong Dee, was brought to the zoo from Thailand in 2006. Ifew says that elephants in captivity should be at least 11 years old before reproducing.
Australia's Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said the pregnancy may prove unhealthy for both mother and baby. "Thong Dee's age and lack of maternal and social experience make this pregnancy very risky,� Bidda Jones, the society’s chief scientist, said (Daily Mail).
The zoo is standing behind their decision. Lucy Melo, the senior keeper at the zoo, told the BBC that they consulted with elephant reproductive specialists and were told that the elephant was ready for breeding.
“The well-being of all animals in our care is of paramount importance," Guy Cooper, the zoo’s director, said (Daily Mail).
The zoo announced that Thong Dee was five months into her 22 month pregnancy Wednesday, the Daily Mail reported. They released ultrasound pictures and said the birth would be a “historic event� because it would be the first captive birth of an elephant in Australia (Daily Mail).

Posted by gorvi004 at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 400-pound radiator fell from the ceiling of a classroom Thursday, leaving one 5-year-old boy with a broken leg, the Star Tribune reported.
The kindergarten class at Guardian Angels Catholic School in Chaska was having a Valentine’s Day party when the radiator fell 12 feet to the classroom floor. The incident also left two other students and two teachers with minor scrapes that did not require medical treatment, the Star Tribune said.
The school’s principal Nancy Ronhovde told the Star Tribune the radiator did not fall directly to the ground, but bounced off of pipes. She said this was the reason the incident was not deadly.
It is unknown why the radiator came loose from the ceiling, the Pioneer Press reported. The area where the radiator fell will be closed off until engineers can determine the cause of the fall. Meanwhile, the kindergarteners will continue having class at a church across the street from the school.
The kindergarten classroom where the radiator fell is located in the basement of a 100-year-old building. The Pioneer Press reported the basement of the building is the only floor with ceiling-mounted radiators.
The injured boy underwent surgery Friday on his broken leg at the Hennepin County Medical Center, the Pioneer Press said. His condition is unknown.

Posted by gorvi004 at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Four paintings were stolen from a private Zurich museum Sunday, The New York Times reported. According to the BBC, the robbery is the biggest art theft in 20 years.
The four missing paintings, valued at $163 million, are: Poppies near Vetheuil, by Claude Monet, Count Lepic and his Daughters, by Edgar Degas, Chestnut in Bloom, by Vincent Van Gogh and Boy in a Red Jacket, by Paul Cezanne.
Just before the museum closed Sunday, three men wearing ski masks entered the E. G. Bührle Collection. They forced security guards and visitors onto the ground with a handgun, grabbed the four paintings and sped off in a white van. The New York Times said the entire robbery took less than three minutes. The robbers are still at large.
The BBC reported that the paintings are the finest works of art in the E. G. Bührle Collection. Because the paintings are so well-known, resale on the open market is impossible.
According to The New York Times, the thieves spoke German with a Slavic accent. This has caused Swiss citizens to worry that their country has become a target for foreign criminals, The New York Times said.
Citizens are also concerned about the ease with which the paintings were stolen. The New York Times reported that the museum does not check visitor’s bags and that no metal detectors are in place because the front doors to the museum are too narrow.
The Bührle robbery follows the Wednesday theft of two Picassos valued at an estimated $4.4 million from the near-by town of Pfäffikon. Swiss police are investigating a possible connection between the two thefts, The New York Times reported.

Posted by gorvi004 at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The mayor of Wyoming, Minn., camped out on top of city hall for more than a week to raise money for a teen center, the Star Tribune reported.
Mayor Sheldon Anderson abandoned his tent on top of the Wyoming Municipal Building Sunday after meeting his fundraising goal of $35,000 for the Forest Lake Teen Center.
Anderson had been camping on top of the building since Feb. 2. The National Weather Service said last week correlates with the time frame of Minnesota’s most extreme winter weather, Reuters reported.
While Anderson knew the weather would be bad, he wasn’t expecting the high winds that nearly blew his tent off the roof and continually blew out the pilot lights of his propane heaters.
Anderson climbed down after he received a check for $6,000 that pushed total donations past the fundraising goal. The donor, a Woodbury man, did not wish to be identified, Anderson said.
The Forest Lake Teen Center provides free educational and enrichment after-school programs for middle school students, Reuters reported. Before the fundraiser, the center couldn’t keep up with the $20,000 a year operating costs. Now, the center should be able to stay open for at least another year.
Anderson, who dropped out of high school after the 11th grade, said he just wanted to make sure other kids have the opportunity he didn’t. (Reuters)

Posted by gorvi004 at 6:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minneapolis police found the body of a 4-year-old Minneapolis boy who had been missing since Wednesday, WCCO reported.
Desmond Reed’s body was found Sunday morning in the house where he had been staying. Though the cause of death is unknown, police are investigating the case as a homicide.
A woman had been taken into custody, but no charges were filed as of Sunday night.
Reed was reported missing from a north Minneapolis home Wednesday night. Police are now investigating whether he actually left the house.
Because many details about the case were unclear, an Amber Alert was not issued. Officials did not have an accurate description of a car that was believed to have been used. They also felt that media outlets across the state informed the public about Reed’s disappearance, the Star Tribune reported.
Reed’s mother brought the boy to Minneapolis from Chicago in order to visit his father, who is in prison. His mother left Reed with relatives and returned to Chicago.

Posted by gorvi004 at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tornados killed 55 people in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee Tuesday night in the deadliest storm of its kind to hit the United States in 20 years, CNN reported. Many residents had very little or no warning that the bad weather was approaching.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency was sent out to aide with the disaster. Thousands of buildings were destroyed. Pictures on CNN.com showed cars smashed and thrown on top of one another.
On Tuesday night, CNN reported many personal stories from victims of the storms. In Tennessee, a baby was found alive 250 yards away from the body of its mother. A tornado struck Union University in Jackson, Tenn., trapping students in dormitories. One resident took his children to the local storm shelter when he heard the sirens. They escaped injury, but he called his community “total destruction.�
Throughout the week, CNN continued reporting personal stories. On Wednesday, CNN gave a detailed account from a Union University student who huddled in her dorm bathroom throughout the storm. This article also gave several personal quotes from victims. "We had a beautiful neighborhood; now it's hell,� Bonnie Brawner of Tennessee said.
On Thursday, CNN told the story of a Tennessee woman who watched her brother-in-law die in the back of a pick-up from his injuries sustained during the storms. An Alabama couple and their 19-year-old son were killed when a tornado struck their home 3 a.m., Wednesday. An Arkansas letter carrier had built her home in an area that she thought would be protected from tornados. She was killed in the storm and her teenage daughter and husband were injured.
Thursday, the BBC reported that President Bush offered prayers for the victims of the storm. "I do want the people in those states to know the American people are standing with them," he said.

Posted by gorvi004 at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the February 2 Anchorage Daily News article on the missing Japanese balloonist, there are six sources used: the U.S. Coast Guard, the balloonist’s assistant, the balloonist’s wife, a Coast Guard lieutenant, the Japan Balloon Federation and the assistant’s husband.
The majority of the sources are people. However, two institutional sources are used: the Coast Guard and the Japan Balloon Federation.
For the most part, the sources are clustered together. The Coast Guard information is placed at the beginning of the story, with one stray piece of information towards the end. However, this is not confusing because the U.S. Coast Guard is self-explanatory; the reader does not need to remember the name of a person and that person’s role in the story.
The balloonist’s assistant, Chika Edgar is introduced in the third paragraph, amongst information from the Coast Guard. One piece of information from the assistant, Chika Edgar, is used here before there is a quote from the balloonist’s wife. This is the only time that the wife is mentioned.
The next time the assistant is used is six paragraphs later. However, the reporter makes it easy for the reader to follow because he uses an appositive to explain again that Edgar is the assistant.
There is, however, information from the assistant that seems to be randomly added towards the end of the story. This part is confusing because it simply attributes as “she said.� It took a bit of searching and thinking to figure out who “she� really is. And I still feel like there is some doubt. The assistant’s name should have been used to clarify.
Most of the information from the Coast Guard lieutenant is clustered together and is clear. However, like the assistant, there is one stray piece of information from the lieutenant towards the end of the story that could have been clearer. The use of an appositive again would have worked well.
The Japan Balloon Federation is referenced only once, as is the assistant’s husband. Both attributions are clear and easy to follow.

Posted by gorvi004 at 3:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One more worker from the Hormel meatpacking plant in Austin, Minn., may have the same neurological symptoms as 12 other plant employees, the Star Tribune reported Tuesday.
The newspaper reported Feb. 1 that workers who were suffering varying degrees of numbness and tingling in their extremities may have a previously undiscovered neurological disease that is being called progressive inflammatory neuropathy, or PIN.
Investigators believe that the workers contracted the disease when they inhaled droplets of liquefied pig brain tissue. For some unknown reason, proteins in the pig brain may have caused the workers’ immune systems to attack their own nerve tissue.
The meatpacking plant liquefies the brain tissue using a high-compression air system. The tissue is then blown into the air as droplets. According to Kare 11, the finished product is frozen and sold as food in the Southern United States and Asia. When the investigation began in December, the processing plant stopped using the air-compression system.
Kare 11 reported that the thirteenth worker was not stationed near the air-compression system like the first twelve employees were. However, the thirteenth worker was exposed to the brain tissue at a different stage in the rendering process.

Posted by gorvi004 at 2:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

German scientists said that tattooing a vaccine into the skin may be more effective than simply injecting it, the BBC reported.
In tests done on mice, the scientists found 16 times more antibodies when the vaccine was tattooed. More antibodies mean a higher response from the immune system to the vaccine.
A possible reason that tattooing may be more effective is that the vibrating needle damages the skin more than an injection. “This affects the immune cells, which then look out for antigens,� Martin Mueller of the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg told Reuters.
The vaccine measures about a centimeter square, uses no ink, and leaves no permanent mark.
The German scientists injected the mice with the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, but Reuters reported that the new technique could be used for everything from flu to cancer.
Because of the pain involved with receiving the vaccine, it may not be suitable for children. However, the technique could be used in the vaccination of animals.

Posted by gorvi004 at 7:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a Japanese hot air balloonist who went missing over the Pacific Ocean Thursday, the BBC reported. According to CNN, Michio Kanda, 58, left Japan Thursday morning and was trying to reach Portland, Ore. in order to break the current distance and duration ballooning records.
After checking in with his team Thursday morning via satellite phone, Kanda failed to respond to scheduled calls from his support team over the next six hours.
The Anchorage Daily News reported that the Coast Guard was using several planes equipped with air-to-surface radar to search for Kanda. On Saturday, helicopters were also being sent to the scene.
Kanda, a father of three, had been planning his voyage for nearly five years and had studied the North Pacific’s weather patterns, Kanda’s assistant Chika Edgar told the Anchorage Daily News.
Kanda’s balloon is equipped with provisions and a survival suit. "We're all still hopeful," support team member Edmund Edgar said. (Anchorage Daily News)

Posted by gorvi004 at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune report on the Baltimore boy who murdered his family begins with a hard-news summary lead. The lead summarizes what the boy did (killed his family) and what he did after the murder (spent time with friends, and then called 911). The lead also identifies where the murder happened in the dateline. The lead does not include why the boy would murder his family. However, the lead does specify that the victims were shot. Also specific is the age of the boy because of its importance to the story.
The lead is a delayed identification lead. The reporter generalized the identities of the boy and his family in the lead because most people would not recognize their names.
The names are then given in the second and third paragraphs.

Posted by gorvi004 at 9:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The mayor of a small town in Texas resigned Friday after being indicted on one count of tampering with evidence and one count of concealing evidence, the BBC reported. Alice Mayor Grace Saenz-Lopez published her letter of resignation, effective February 1 at midnight, in the Alice Echo News Journal.
Neighbors had asked Lopez to look after their Shih Tzu, Puddles, last summer while they went on vacation. Lopez told them the dog had died and she had buried it in her back yard. However, the dog, whom Lopez renamed Panchito, was later spotted at a groomer’s and at Lopez’s sister’s house.
Lopez’s charges carry a possible sentence of two to ten years in prison, the Alice Echo News Journal reported. On Monday, a custody hearing will decide who will keep the dog.
“I did at the time what I thought was best for Panchito and what I
felt was right in my heart,� Lopez said in her letter of resignation. “I am sorry for the division that the events of these last few weeks have caused. It was never
my intent to bring any negative exposure to our City.�

Posted by gorvi004 at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On an order from the state education department, metro area schools stopped serving beef in their cafeterias after a slaughterhouse that supplies meat to the federal school lunch program was investigated for a possible animal-cruelty and food safety violation, the Pioneer Press reported.
The California-based slaughterhouse is being investigated by the USDA after the Humane Society released video footage showing workers mistreating sick cattle by kicking, shocking, and prodding them with the blades of a forklift. Processing these diseased animals could result in a spread of E. Coli, salmonella, or mad cow disease to humans.
The Star Tribune reported that St. Paul schools had received a 40,000 shipment of ground beef from the company and have served nearly half of it. They will not use the remainder of the shipment.
As of Thursday, there had been no reports of food-borne illnesses in either St. Paul or Minneapolis. "There is no immediate health risk that we are aware of," Department of Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said. (Pioneer Press)

Posted by gorvi004 at 7:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance that will require background checks investigating how circuses treat their animals before the show can come to Minneapolis, the Star Tribune reported. The circus will also have to provide animals’ records and obtain a permit from the city. The ruling put an end to more than a year of debate.
In practice, the annual Shrine Circus is the only event the ordinance will affect.
Council members Cam Gordon and Ralph Remington wanted further measures to be taken. Remington sought to give the city the power to deny a circus a performance permit if they use a bull hook on elephants.
"There's no purpose to use this instrument other than to gouge flesh," Remington said. (Pioneer Press)
Gordon wanted to ban the public from having direct contact with elephants, sighting safety concerns. "The city is not being responsible in allowing direct contact," said Christine Coughlin, director of the Minnesota chapter of Circus Reform Yes. (Pioneer Press)
If Gordon had succeeded, the ordinance would have eliminated elephant rides, a major source of fund-raising for the Shriners.
“Naturally, we're happy that it passed the way it did," Shriner, elephant-handler and Minneapolis police officer Tim Davison said. (Pioneer Press)

Posted by gorvi004 at 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A 15-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder after killing his sleeping parents and brothers, the Star Tribune reported. The teen was allegedly not getting along with his father.
Friday, Nicholas Waggoner Browning shot his father, John Browning, 45, mother Tamara, 44, and brothers Gregory, 13, and Benjamin, 11. He used his father’s handgun.
After the killings, Browning threw the weapon in bushes on the property and fled the house to spend Friday night and Saturday with friends. When he returned to the house Saturday night, Browning told friends his father was dead and called 911. At 1:05 a.m. Sunday morning, the teen admitted to killing his family.
Browning is being held in the Baltimore County Detention Center until a bail review hearing on Monday. Even though he is being charged as an adult, Browning is too young for the death penalty.
WBAL TV News reported that neighbors described the Browning family as “quiet, friendly and active members in the community.�
"These people would do anything in the world for you - just incredible people," neighbor Mike Thomas said. (WBAL TV News)

Posted by gorvi004 at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Indian police have uncovered an organ-trafficking ring that involved at least four doctors, nurses, and other medical technicians, CNN reported. Hospitals and houses were raided and one doctor was arrested. Police are now looking for the ringleader, supposedly a doctor named Amit Kumar.
The goal of the organ-trafficking ring was to steal kidneys from poor workers and then sell them to wealthy clients.
Police discovered waiting lists 48 names long that listed patients from five countries, including Greece and the United States. Police suspect over 500 transplants were conducted over the past 10 years.
Allegedly, the ring operators first approached the workers offering jobs, The Guardian reported. Then, using equipment concealed in luxury cars, they tested the victims’ blood.
“They . . . gave me an injection, and I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I had pain in my lower abdomen and I was told that my kidney had been removed," victim Mohd Salim said. (The Guardian)
While organ donation is legal, Indian law forbids the sale of organs.

Posted by gorvi004 at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)