Society's ChildS


Ambulance

US: 3 dead, more than 50 injured at Nevada air race; mechanical problems may be to blame

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© UnknownWWII-era plane plunges into grandstands.
A World War II-era fighter plane flown by a veteran Hollywood stunt pilot plunged Friday into the edge of the grandstands during a popular air race, killing three people, injuring more than 50 spectators and creating a horrific scene strewn with smoking debris.

The plane, piloted by 74-year-old Jimmy Leeward, spiraled out of control without warning and appeared to disintegrate upon impact. Bloodied bodies were spread across the area as people tended to the victims and ambulances rushed to the scene.

Authorities were investigating the cause, but an official with the event said there were indications that mechanical problems were to blame.

Maureen Higgins of Alabama, who has been coming to the air races for 16 years, said the pilot was on his third lap of a race when he lost control.

Laptop

Apple Yanks "Jew or Not Jew?" Application From France, Not U.S.

jew,not jew, app
© J Soft
An Apple application that let users guess which French politicians or celebrities are Jewish was pulled from France's App Store, but its American equivalent is still available.

French activist groups said the "Jew or Not Jew?" app violated bans on compiling information on people's religion and revealing that religion without their consent, according to United Press International.

The app, which became available last month, can still be purchased in other countries, the newspaper said. It was developed by a Jew. Johann Levy, 35, a French-British software engineer, told the Journal his intent was to develop a "recreational" tool for people who want to know the religious background of celebrities.

Mail

US: Postal Service faces grim 'new reality'

postal van

The current mail system of the United States is "no longer financially sustainable," and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is looking for billions of dollars in cuts to its services.

The postal service announced Thursday it was considering closing nearly 250 processing facilities, cutting equipment by 50 percent and slowing mail delivery in an extreme cost-cutting effort. It is looking for $3 billion in annual savings.

And as the president and Congress search high and low for ways to boost job creation, up to 35,000 people could be laid off as part of that effort.

Eye 1

Mayor Bloomberg predicts riots in the streets if economy doesn't create more jobs

Mayor Bloomberg
© Spencer Platt/GettyMayor Bloomberg is sounding the alarm bell over the nation's struggling economy.

Mayor Bloomberg warned Friday there would be riots in the streets if Washington doesn't get serious about generating jobs.

"We have a lot of kids graduating college, can't find jobs," Bloomberg said on his weekly WOR radio show.

"That's what happened in Cairo. That's what happened in Madrid. You don't want those kinds of riots here."

Newspaper

US: Subway station billboard battle is latest flareup in Israeli-Palestinian conflict

israel, billboard
© Julia Xanthos/NewsWESPAC Foundation's subway ad campaign is the first volley in a war of words playing out on billboards. A pro-Israel group plans a counter-campaign.
A subway station billboard war is the latest flareup in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The dispute began with posters urging an end to U.S. military aid for Israel, prompting a City Council member to demand an end to the ads - and spawning an upcoming series of counter-ads.

"This is a highly political campaign with a controversial underlying anti-Israel message," Councilman Lewis Fidler (D-Brooklyn) wrote MTA President Thomas Prendergast.

People

Abbas: Palestinians want full UN membership

UN showdown

Palestinian leader says PA to proceed with UN bid in September because President Obama endorsed Palestinian state; 'I'm going to the UN in order to demand our legitimate rights and secure full membership,' he says

Dramatic speech in Ramallah: The Palestinian Authority will be seeking full United Nations membership in its statehood bid later this month, PA leader Mahmoud Abbas said Friday.

"I'm going to the UN in order to demand our legitimate rights and secure full membership for the state of Palestine," the Palestinian president said in Ramallah. "We hope to secure full membership."

"We are going to the Security Council," Abbas added, but then made it clear that "all options are open" and that a final decision has not been made yet.

Footprints

Mystery Boy Emerges From German Woods

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© GettyAn English-speaking boy has emerged from the German woods, baffling authorities.

Says he lived in forest with father for five years

Police in Berlin are baffled over the identity of a boy who emerged from the forest, saying he'd lived there for five years with his father.

The boy, believed to be about 17, showed up at Berlin's City Hall on Sept. 5. He said he had lived in earthen huts and tents with his father until the elder man died. At that point, the boy, who speaks fluent English and little German, used a compass to walk north for two weeks, finally winding up in Berlin carrying a sleeping bag and backpack, according to The Associated Press.

"He said that he had lived for the last five years wandering around with his father," Police spokesman Michael Maass said. "We don't know where."

Mr. Potato

Canada's top military officer spends $1 million on VIP flights, including vacation

Walt Natynczyk
© The Canadian PressWalt Natynczyk
Canada's Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Walt Natynczyk has spent more than $1 million since 2008 flying on government VIP aircraft as an alternative to commercial flights.

Flight logs obtained by CTV News indicate Natynczyk used a CC-144 Challenger to fly to St. Maarten Island to begin a vacation after he missed a flight for a cruise holiday with his family.

The Caribbean flight cost taxpayers approximately $92,956.80.

The defence documents also show more than $1 million was spent transporting Natynczyk to various "military appreciation nights" at National Hockey League and Canadian Football League games.

The Challenger jets have also taken Natynczyk to military fundraisers throughout Canada over the last two years. Among those, his flight to attend the Support Our Troops Gala in Edmonton in September 2009 cost taxpayers $79,822. It's estimated the gala itself raised only between $200,000 and $250,000.

Dollar

US, Texas: Teen accused of taking $17,000 in donations for cancer hoax

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© unknownAccused of lying: Ruth Angelica Gomez is being investigated after raising $17,000 for her cancer foundation
A Texas teenager faces theft charges after police said she duped her community into giving her $17,000 because they erroneously believed she was dying of cancer.

Ruth Angelica Gomez, 18, of Horizon City, Texas, created the Achieve the Dream foundation, under which she held fund-raising events and solicited donations to help cure her leukemia, which she had said would claim her life before the year ended, Horizon City police Detective Liliana Medina said.

Yet there was no indication that Gomez ever had cancer, police said.

She is being charged with felony theft by deception, punishable by up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

"Ms. Gomez stated that she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness (Leukemia) and was under treatment for the disease, although Ms. Gomez does not have any form of cancer," Medina said.

Attention

US: California - Santa Cruz Man Assaulted By Installer, Camera Broken

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© UnknownWellington employee accused of assaulting a Santa Cruz resident and breaking his camera
This account came in this morning and it is very alarming. It's clear that PG&E is getting desperate and is resorting to physical violence to force their meters into our communities. Alan is currently at the police station filing a police report about this incident. We must come together and refuse to go along with these illegal, violent installations.
Today, September 14, 2011 - Alan Fischer Chestnut St, Santa Cruz, CA

Smart Meter Installation

I received a ring on my doorbell at about 10:45 AM and when I went outside I realized that a technician from Wellington corporation (working for PG&E) was already installing "smart" meters on my building which is only several feet from where I sleep. He was working rapidly and would not stop to acknowledge me throughout most of our interaction. I told him that I am disabled and had been assured when I talked to PGE representatives that I could "opt out", at least temporarily, from having smart meters replaced on my building until a later date, if at all, (which I understood meant the whole building, but now am told that what I was told was incorrect.) I informed that although I was upset about the violation of my rights and well-being that I knew he was just a worker and did not consider him my enemy.