Author: Admin

Monday, August 21, 2006

John Mark Carr, the man who has been accused of killing six-year-old JonBenét Ramsey ten years ago, has arrived in the US after being extradited from Bangkok in Thailand.

The forty-one year-old American schoolteacher was escorted by US security officials from Bangkok, but officers from the Los Angeles Police Department accompanied him after he went through customs. He was then whisked off in a helicopter and taken to the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown Los Angeles.

“Mr. Karr is expected to remain in the custody of local authorities while the Boulder District Attorney’s Office seeks his extradition to Colorado,” a statement from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Karr confessed to being with JonBenét when she died, adding that her death was an accident. “I was with JonBenét when she died. I loved JonBenét. She died accidentally. I am so very sorry for what happened to JonBenét. It’s very important for me that everyone knows that I love her very much, that her death was unintentional, that it was an accident.”

Despite his confession, Karr’s then ex-wife said that he was in Alabama with her when the murder occurred.

JonBenét was found beaten and strangled in her Colorado home on the day after Christmas in 1996.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

The International Energy Agency (IEA) issued a warning that the World faces an insecure, dirty and expensive future unless the rate of investment in energy supplies is increased substantially.

In real terms, investment in oil and gas production has not increased significantly in the last five years, but demand has continued to rise. This has been despite oil and gas prices of between four and five times the 2002 levels. If no action is taken, demand will increase by over 50% between 2006 and 2030.

Coal is now cheaper than gas and nuclear is cheaper than both, in some cases even ignoring carbon tax effects. The continued rise in energy prices should make investment on the supply side more attractive.

These are among the findings of the “World Energy Outlook – 2006” report by IEA published this week in London.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday November 7, 2006, IEA Executive Director Claude Mandil said “WEO 2006 identifies under-investment in new energy supply as a real risk.” He said “We don’t see how we can avoid [nuclear power] if we want a sustainable long-term future.”

To secure the supply/demand position, IEA calls for investment in energy-supply infrastructure of over $20 trillion in real terms over 2005-2030 to ensure that the World moves into a “Cleaner, Cleverer and More Competitive Energy Future.”

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Mega Millions, a multi-state lottery in the United States is nearing a record high. Friday’s August 31 drawing is expected to be at least US$325,000,000. So far, it is the fourth largest jackpot in U.S. history.

Twelve states in the U.S. participate in the lottery and the odds of at least one person winning the jackpot are one in 175,711,536. It costs just one dollar to purchase a ticket and if you win, you can receive the winnings in sums of 36,000 for every million won, each year, or receive it all in one lump sum.

On Tuesday, the jackpot was only at $250 million and reports say that the jackpot could rise even higher than $325 million just before the drawing on Friday.

On March 6, 2007, the Mega Millions jackpot of US$390 million, the highest lottery jackpot ever in the world, was paid out to two individuals who lived in Georgia and New Jersey.

The lottery results will be broadcast on live television at 8:00 p.m. (pacific time), 11:00 p.m. (eastern time).

Friday, April 2, 2010

Jack Diesing Sr., former chairman of the College World Series has died at the age of 92. His son announced the cause of death as complications from Parkinson’s disease. Diesing was chairman of the series from 1963 until 2002.

Diesing helped the tournament become one of the most successful college events in the United States. He became chairman in 1963 after his boss at Brandies department store died and passed on his duties to Diesing, one of which was the chairman role.

Before taking the role the series had only made a profit in five of its fourteen years. Under Diesing’s leadership the series never made a loss. During his time as chairman he also negotiated a long term contract with the NCAA and lengthened the series from 5 to 10 games.

Diesing’s son, Jack Diesing Jr., released a statement on his fathers death saying “My dad will be missed by a lot of people, but he won’t be forgotten”. He continued to say that his goals were to make “Omaha a better community” and to secure the “CWS to mantain its legacy”.

At the time of his death Diesing was still chairman emeritus of College World Series of Omaha Inc., a non-profit organization that helped with the coordination of the series.

Friday, April 29, 2005

The world’s most expensive hotel-casino ever has opened in Las Vegas, Nevada. The casino, which was designed and built over a period of five years, cost US$2.7 billion to construct. The hotel stands nearly fifty stories above the Las Vegas valley, with a 180-foot tall mountain in front of the main entrance.

Numerous lavish touches contributed to the high expense of the development. The sign in front of the Wynn property has an unusual mechanical design, with a large piece containing the Wynn logo, which can move vertically up or down as different announcements are presented.

“I think it’s going to start a shift of power. It’s been the south for a long time. Things will start moving to the north because of Wynn Las Vegas, Sheldon Adelson with the expansion of the Venetian, the New Frontier — that whole area will become the new hot area of Las Vegas for the next decade or so,” gaming expert Anthony Curtis told Las Vegas KLAS TV.

As the property opened to the public, developer Steve Wynn greeted visitors at the front entrance.

“It’s always fascinating to watch people enter the thing and get their first moment after we open the doors,” Wynn told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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Analysts are not too concerned about the cost of the Wynn development. Wynn paid off the cost of The Mirage hotel-casino in 18 months, much earlier than the planned seven years for which the debt had been scheduled for repayment.

“If you remember the opening of The Mirage in 1989, Wynn needed to make a nut of $1 million a day. Everyone thought he was nuts; ‘couldn’t be done,’ they all said,” Las Vegas history department Chairman Hal Rothman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Wynn sold his interest in Mirage Resorts to MGM Grand (which became MGM Mirage and is now run by Kirk Kerkorian) for US$6.4 billion back in 2000, then turned around and purchased the property for the Wynn hotel-casino for US$275 million. The property was previously the home of the Desert Inn.

The hotel has 2,359 rooms, and a few hundred deluxe suites and “parlors” for high rollers. The casino has 1,960 slot machines and 137 table games on a 111,000 square foot casino floor. A Ferrari–Maserati dealership and the Le Reve stage show, featuring a million gallon water tank, round out the expensive offerings.

A round of golf will go for US$500 on the elaborate golf course located behind the main building.

All of these specifications add up to a record construction cost of over one million US dollars per room. Other expensive Las Vegas properties cost a fraction of the price, such as the Bellagio, which cost half the price at US$533,000 per room. The most expensive hotel property in the world was previously the Grand Wailea Resort in Maui, Hawaii, which cost US$775,000 per room.

“Yes, (Wynn) may be in over his head, but then he has found ways to survive before,” Las Vegas professor Bill Thompson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Several of Wynn’s largest competitors spoke with admiration of the property and looked forward to its impact on Las Vegas.

“I’ve never understood the hand-wringing about something new, especially in Las Vegas and Atlantic City,” Harrah’s Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Other casino bosses from the Mandalay and the MGM Mirage had positive comments as well, hoping to pick up some new business from the development.

“It’s a positive in terms of bringing more visitors,” Mandalay Resort Group President and CEO Glenn Schaeffer told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“Steve will build a great property and bring new people to town. If we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing, then we’ll pick up some of that business also,” MGM Mirage Chairman and CEO Terry Lanni told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Thousands of visitors gathered for hours in front of the property before it opened. Security guards had to monitor the number of visitors entering the building.

“I think it’s spectacular,” David Schwartz, coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas told Reuters.

“People were pushing and shoving,” Las Vegan Kathie Anderson told Associated Press.

“There is nobody in the world who creates such entertaining and beautiful casinos,” British billionaire Richard Branson told Associated Press from the casino floor. “I would say every other casino must be nervous. He’s lifted the bar dramatically,” Branson said.

“This would be hard to top,” Las Vegan Marlene DeMarco told Reuters.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Photos showing Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) leader Warren Jeffs with child brides were entered into evidence Friday in a Texas court case involving children seized from the Yearning For Zion (YFZ) Ranch by State authorities in April. Texas officials removed over 400 children from the Eldorado, Texas YFZ Ranch in early April on suspicion of widespread child abuse.

The photos were entered into evidence as part of the case in Tom Green County District Court. Officials claim there is a “pervasive pattern” of underage girls forced into marriage with older men. The photos show Warren Jeffs kissing and hugging young girls, and attorneys for Texas Child Protective Services claim that one of the girls shown in the photos is a 12-year old “bride”. The photos are dated from July 2006 and January 2005.

The State of Texas is seeking custody of a baby boy born to Louisa Bradshaw and her “husband” Dan Jessop. According to the Deseret News, Jessop was asked if he thought the photos of Jeffs and the girls was evidence of sexual abuse, to which he responded, “I do not consider a girl kissing a man sex abuse.” Child Protective Services lawyers told the court that the photos show Jeffs kissing the girls similar to “how a husband kisses a wife”.

Deseret News reported that Protective Services lawyers did not say how the images of Jeffs were obtained, but said that the photos illustrate a culture of abuse at the compound. According to CNN, information revealed in court shows that one of the girls in the photos is an aunt to the children involved in the Texas custody hearing and lived on the YFZ Ranch. CNN reports that the girl’s birth date was given as July 1994 and she is 13 years old. She was taken into state custody by Texas officials along with other children in April.

ABC News reported that an alleged child bride shown in the photographs was set to give testimony in court, but state attorneys and FLDS representatives came to a resolution and agreed that Protective Services would retain custody of Louisa Bradshaw’s baby. The baby was born in Texas state custody. Bradshaw was initially taken into custody as well because authorities thought she was under age, but it has since been revealed that she is over the age of 18. According to ABC News Bradshaw will remain with her baby in a shelter. Protective Services said that Bradshaw and Jessop lived in the same building as the 12-year old girl shown in the photographs with Jeffs.

Jeffs is seen in one set of photos from January 26, 2005 labeled “First anniversary” with a girl called “Loretta”. In another set dated July 27, 2005, Jeffs is shown with a girl referred to as “Merrianne”. Child Protective Services officials said that they have evidence that “Merrianne” was 12 years old when she was married to Jeffs at the YFZ compound. The Vancouver Sun reported that, per a family member, “Loretta” was no older than 12 when she was married. Portions from the set of photos were displayed at media sites including Radar Online, CNN, FOX News, National Nine News and ABC News, and the website The Smoking Gun made three of the court exhibits available for viewing.

In a statement made Tuesday to CNN, Salt Lake City, Utah attorney and spokesman for FLDS families Rod Parker said the photos were an effort by Child Protective Services to “get publicity” and “paint everybody with the same brush”. “What I’m saying is, that isn’t fair, and each parent of each family is entitled to stand on its own. And these photos have no ties to this particular family in a way that’s relevant to these proceedings,” said Parker.

“I’m sure law enforcement in several states will take a look to see what more can be done,” said Utah Attorney General‘s Office Paul Murphy in a statement to ABC News. Murphy said that investigators may look further into the photographs to determine if evidence shows the girls were abused, and if so where, before charges could be brought. “Everyone who saw those photos did a complete gasp. I think they’re shocking,” he said.

In a ruling made last week in a case involving 38 FLDS mothers and 124 children, the Texas 3rd District Court of Appeals said that the state did not have the right to remove those children from the compound. The appeals court said that Child Protective Services was unable to prove that the children in the compound were at risk of immediate physical harm. Texas law states that “a danger to the physical health or safety of the child which was caused by an act or failure to act of the person entitled to possession and for the child to remain in the home is contrary to the welfare of the child” must be shown in order to remove that child from the home.

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services filed court papers Wednesday asserting that FLDS families may flee the state if they are reunited with their children after the Texas appeals court ruling. Protective Services officials are worried that if the families leave the court’s jurisdiction, children could be at risk of abuse. In response, attorneys for mothers of the children in custody filed a counter-motion. The mothers claim that the children are under “continuing, irreparable harm every day that they are separated from their parents”.

Warren Jeffs was convicted in September 2007 of two counts of being an accomplice to rape related to a 2001 wedding he arranged between a 14-year old girl and her 19-year old cousin. He was sentenced to two consecutive five-year prison sentences in Utah, and faces an impending trial in Arizona on eight charges including sexual conduct with a minor, incest and conspiracy.

The FLDS group has approximately 10,000 members total, and was founded in the 1930s. It split from the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) after the LDS Church abandoned the practice of polygamy in 1890.