Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Man is told to destroy his motel room in elaborate phone prank


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Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputies responded to the Motel 6 on Jones Road on Sunday night after a guest nearly smashed a hole through to an adjacent room with a wrench, saying later that a man who called his room told him to free a little person trapped there.

At about 11 p.m., a hotel worker called authorities, reporting that she responded to the room after guests complained about noise. When she arrived at the room, she found a guest destroying his room with a wrench in his hand, according to an incident report.

The man later told deputies that he was sleeping when his room phone rang. The male caller, who claimed to be management with the hotel, told the man a previous guest had placed highly sophisticated cameras in the room, but not to bother looking for them. The caller told the man to unplug the TV, which the man did. He then said to remove the back toilet cover and smash the TV, which the guest also did. When the TV didn’t break, the caller told the man to throw the TV outside, and the man complied, the report states.

At some point, the guest gave the caller his cell phone number so the guest wouldn’t have to keep running back to the landline. The caller then reportedly told the man to smash the room’s mirrors, after which the guest grabbed a wrench and began breaking the mirrors. According to the report, the caller then gave the guest an “elaborate story” in which a 4-foot, 3-inch person was barricaded in the adjacent room, and the police needed the guest’s help to free the smaller man. The guest began breaking through the sheetrock with his wrench, stopping short after realizing that if he created a hole, someone on the other side would see him, the report states.

The motel employee arrived at the room, saw the scene and called deputies. No charges were filed. The employee told deputies she did not hold the guest responsible, but she wanted him to leave.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

7.7 Magnitude strikes Sumatra

This is becoming the year of the earthquake.


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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Jogger had no clue he was about to die

A jogger on a quiet beach in South Carolina had no idea that he was in the direct path of an emergency landing. In an unusual accident the pilot had his vision obstructed by fluids on his windscreen, the jogger had his hearing diminished because of music playing is his headphones. The jogger was struck from behind and killed on impact. The pilot and his passenger were not injured in the incident. The airplane was a Lancair IV-P high performance full composite aircraft with retracting landing gear. The Lancair is able to fly at 29,000 feet with it's pressurized cabin. The aircraft is capable of flying at 330mph. The owner had little to say about the situation.
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Monday, March 15, 2010

In Chile a 6.7 Magnitude earthquake is just an aftershock

As the aftershocks continued in Chile this week, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck on March 15th. Anywhere else on earth a 6.7 magnitude earthquake would be a large one.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Shootout at Pentagon Metro Station

Two police officers were injured by a gunman firing shots outside the Pentagon tonight. Hundreds of employees there were ordered to go into "Code Red" -- the entire building locked down, with no one allowed to enter or leave.

ABC's Steven Portnoy reported that Pentagon police had a suspect in custody. ABC's Martha Raddatz reported that three ambulances were on the scene, and all parking lots at the massive Defense Department headquarters were closed off.

The shooting occurred at the Pentagon Metro Station, which is just outside the Pentagon's main entrance.

The shots were fired at about 6:30 p.m. ET.

Pentagon Police spokesman Chris Layman told ABC News the initial report was that two police officers were shot. But local television station WUSA reported three people were injured. Two were taken to George Washington Hospital in Washington, the station said.

"All I know right now is that there was a shooting. We believe two officers, police officers, were hit. And I believe we have one person in custody," Layman told ABC News.

"Metro is locked down until further notice," Pentagon police said in a message over the building's intercom.

Some witnesses reported hearing gunshots being fired in the station and people screaming.

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Saturday, February 27, 2010

8.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Chile

One of the largest recorded earthquakes has struck off the coast of Chile.

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Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Sea World Trainer attacked by Killer Whale "Shamu"

A 40-year-old female trainer was killed Wednesday by a killer whale at SeaWorld in Orlando Florida, a public information officer for the Orange County Sheriff's Office said. The trainer was introducing the show when one of the whales attacked. The show was immediately evacuated and Orange County authorities were called to the scene.

In 2006 a trainer was injured at SeaWorld Adventure Park after a killer whale grabbed him and twice held him underwater during a show.


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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

6.7 Earthquake Strikes Russia

An earthquake has struck an area near the Russia, China, North Korea Borders.  


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Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Colorado Springs Can't Afford to Waste Electricity

As a cost-saving measure, Colorado Springs, Colorado is turning off most of its streetlights.   This is expected to save $1.2 million in electricity bills.   NRR has reported this as a terrible circumstance of budget shortfalls.   MapSpy sees a few positives.    Less demand for coal to produce electricity is good for  our environment.   The reduction in light pollution will make Colorado Springs a destination for star gazers.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Climber Falls Into Mount St. Helens Crater

A 52 year old climber fell 1500 feet to his death into the Mount St. Helens Crater.




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Man saved by webcam

A woman watching the sunset on a web cam overlooking the North Sea in northern Germany spotted a man who was lost on the frozen ice and probably saved his life by alerting authorities.
The man had climbed over pack ice to photograph a sunset near the town of St. Peter-Ording, then became disoriented on the ice.  When he was unable to locate the beach, the man began using his camera to flash for help. That got the attention of a woman hundreds of miles away who was watching the sunset on her computer.  The woman contacted local police, who located the man's flashes and guided him to shore by flashing headlights.

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Sunday, February 14, 2010

Pennsylvania Ice Rink Roof Collapses

A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area Ice Rink roof partially collapsed while the ice was being resurfaced during a youth hockey tournament. No injuries were reported.

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Kite Boarder Attacked by Sharks

A south Florida man was attacked by sharks in the waters off of Stuart Florida. A lifeguard pulled Stephen Schafer, 38 500 yards to Stuart beach. Schafer died from the attack at hospital.


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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Earthquake Shakes Chicago

A revised 3.8 magnitude earthquake hit 48 miles north west of Chicago. Residents were jolted awake at 4 a.m. In April 2008 a 5.2 quake hit the region.

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Sunday, February 7, 2010

California Mudslides Damage Homes

A heavy rainstorm has triggered a major mudslide along Ocean View Boulevard in the La Cañada Flintridge. Of the reported 43 mud-damaged homes in La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta, nine were red-tagged, meaning entry was temporarily prohibited. In addition, 25 vehicles were damaged.
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Power Plant Explodes

An explosion has occurred at the power plant on River Road in Middletown,Connecticut.
At least 5 dead in Middletown CT Power Plant explosion.

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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Arizona storms cause Major Tent Collapse

A classic car auction in Scottsdale Arizona was hit by high winds, collapsing two large tents covering hundreds of classic cars and trucks. One tent was blown onto highway 101, closing it for over one hour. The annual Russo and Steele is one of the largest specialty car auctions in the country. Russo and Steele reported over $1.5 million in damage was caused by the storm.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Bowling Alley Owner Strikes a Match

In the competitive world of bowling alley ownership one man has put his competition in the gutter. The owner of Pike Bowling Lanes is accused of hiring two men to burn down his competitor's operation.

Loyle Lanes was a neighborhood bowling center in Vineland, New Jersey, until it burned to the ground. Police have charged the owner of Pike Lanes in Deerfield Township, New Jersey with hiring two men to set the fire.

Charles Loyle, the co-owner of Loyle Lanes was quoted as saying "he wasn't a very good businessman." "We got comments that he would put us out of business in two years. Well, it took him a little over two years. But to get us out of business he had to burn us down."


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Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Police find Underground Bud Bus.

In North Carolina, a local jack of all trades was discovered to have built an underground grow bus that contained a school bus full of high quality pot plants. The bus was buried in the back yard under his shed. The Man had managed to power his operation with stolen electricity from the town of Kinston, North Carolina. The man was able to grow a fertile crop with, Heat lamps, LED grow lights, Fans, a watering system, timing systems, and a radio that played rap music 24 hours a day.

Police found the buried pot bus with the help of a pot sniffing K-9 that reportedly fell through a trap door that lead to the hemp crop.


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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Bank Robbey Foiled By GPS Device

Minutes after an armed bank robbery in Calumet City, Illinois, the three suspects met up at the home of one of their parents in neighboring Dolton IL. Before they could count the GPS laced cash, they heard police approaching.

Timothy Rucker, 33, Phillip Griffen, 31, and Brandon Barnes, 25, met at Rucker's parents' Dolton home to plan the robbery, according to an FBI affidavit. They settled on a TCF Bank branch at 493 Torrence Ave.

Two of the men, wearing black masks, walked inside the bank about 10:40 a.m. One pointed a small handgun at a teller, and another jumped over the counter, officials said. They escaped with more than $9,000 -- and, unknown to them, two tracking devices -- in a blue nylon bag.

The three returned to Rucker's parents' home in the 14600 block of Wabash Avenue in two cars, officials said.

Griffen apparently accidentally locked the keys in his car and was captured less than 10 minutes after the robbery when police saw him walking quickly away. While a police officer ran his name, Griffen rolled down a squad car window, opened the door and "jumped out," before quickly being recaptured, the affidavit says.

About an hour after the robbery, authorities were allowed to enter the home where the GPS devices were located. In the basement, police found Barnes, a small handgun in a clothing bin and, behind a freezer, a blue nylon bag with $8,789, two tracking devices and eight bait bills.

The last bit of missing cash -- $250 -- was found in one of Barnes' socks.

By the time Tucker returned in his father's sedan, police had already searched the home, and Tucker was ready to tell federal agents "everything," according to the affidavit.

While GPS devices are proving valuable, most bank robberies are still solved with the help of security-camera footage, exploding dye packs and old-fashioned fingerprints.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Major 7.0 Magnitude Quake Strikes Haiti

Multiple earthquakes have struck Port-au-Prince Haiti. Major loss of property and life is expected. Over 24 aftershocks have put the Capital City into chaos. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and has a history of destructive natural disasters. Nearly 9,000 U.N. police and troops are stationed in Haiti to maintain order.

The quake, followed by aftershocks, prompted a tsunami watch for parts the Caribbean but this was later canceled.

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GPS Lost then GPS rescued the next day

When people turn on a GPS Device and turn off common sense, interesting things are going to happen. Jeramie Griffin, Megan Garrison, and their toddler are a very good example of driving while GPSing.

The family, using a portable GPS Mr. Griffin received as a Christmas present, tried a "shortcut" from Lebanon, Oregon across the Cascade Range to his family home in Maupin Oregon some four hours away(indicated in blue), and got stuck on a snowy local road for 24 hours before being rescued.(blue push pin)

Mr. Griffin had made the trip several times before. Because they were running late, the 40 mile "shortcut" the device promised was welcomed. But by Christmas morning, the young couple never arrived in Maupin.

To figure out which route he took, Mr. Griffin's nephew Mr. Wiens called a friend with the same GPS unit. After typing in the Maupin address, the navigation system suggested a route through the forest that would have cut 40 miles off their trip.

"It was the old Santiam Highway, up in the Cascades," said Wiens. "This is a summer road, not a winter road, and he didn't know that."

More than once, Wiens almost turned back. But when he saw footprints along Forest Road 46 shortly after 4 p.m., about 17 miles from U.S. 26, he plowed through.

"My nephew came walking up the road. He gave me the biggest hug. They were at wits' end. He broke down in my arms," Wiens said.

Expecting a 3-hour, 40-minute highway drive, the couple wasn't carrying food or water or warm clothes. Both adults tried to hike out for help and to get cell-phone service. The couple even recorded their final goodbyes on home video, he said.
quotes used from The Oregonian

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Monday, January 11, 2010

God Bless GPS

John Rhoads and Starry Bush-Rhoads got stuck on a mountain road, and wound up cold and hungry because of faith in a GPS enabled device. Three days later searchers, also using navigation units, tracked them down. The Rhoads were driving in their Toyota Sequoia four-wheel drive, heading home to Nevada after an Oregon vacation.

They had spent Christmas Eve in Redmond and set off to Bend and onto Oregon 31 then a straight shot to Reno, Nevada. They were both surprised when the unit's voice interrupted their drive near Silver Lake, Oregon. "We knew the route we wanted to take," said Bush-Rhoads, back home safely in Reno. "But after we were on 31 for about 25 miles, it said, 'Turn right on County Road 24.'" When they missed the turn, the GPS voice advised them to turn around. "We didn't know that it was a road that should have been closed. The only sign on the road, a little itty-bitty sign, said Not Winter Maintained." But the road appeared passable in both directions. The Rhoads took the road and wound up in a wildlife refuge wilderness area in Lake County. After the truck repeatedly got stuck in the snow, they spent first Friday night and then Saturday night in the truck. After rescuers pulled the 4x4 from the snow near Thompson Reservoir, Starry said it best "A GPS has its great pluses, but just like a dishwasher, it has its limitations."
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Sunday, January 10, 2010

"Gee-oh" Lost


The Global Positioning System works by using 30 U.S. government satellites that pinpoint your location on the Earth with the use of a GPS enabled device.   GPS is a technology that most of us use daily.    Everyday news reports emerge about people using GPS technology with blind faith.  This week Mapspy will bring you some examples of blind GPS faith.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Major Earthquake Hits Northern California

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit 22 miles WNW of Ferndale, California. Damage has been reported across northern California including Eureka and Ferndale. Preliminary reports indicate the earthquake was felt as far away as San Francisco.
The 6.5 magnitude quake appears to have occurred along the Russ fault.


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Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Unidentified Man Kidnapped near West Phoenix Dairy Queen


View Larger MapPhoenix Police on Monday asked for the public's help after an unidentified man was possibly kidnapped by two men in west Phoenix. The victim was last seen Thursday morning getting into a taxi at a Dairy Queen near 75th Avenue and Camelback Road, Phoenix Police said. Witnesses reported seeing two men in a maroon Mitsubishi Galant drive up in front of the cab, preventing it from leaving, Phoenix police spokesperson James Holmes said. One of the men from the Galant then walked out of the car and began yelling at the victim in Spanish, police said. Witnesses said one of the men held the victim in a headlock and forced him to get into the Galant before driving north, Holmes said. The driver of the car was described only as a Hispanic male between the ages of 17 and 20, police said. The victim was described as a Hispanic man, 40 to 50 years old, 5 feet to 5 feet 5 inches tall, with a medium build, beard and moustache, Holmes said. Although no weapons were seen by witnesses, the man who removed the victim from the cab kept one of his hands in his pocket the entire time, leading witnesses to believe he was concealing a weapon, Holmes said. Anyone with information on the possible kidnapping are asked to call the Phoenix Police Violent Crimes Bureau at (602)262-6141 or Silent Witness at (480)W.I.T.N.E.S.S.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Deforestation of the Amazon uncovers Geoglyphs

It is believed that the Geoglyphs are reveling the ancient "urban" centers of the Amazon that peaked between 1200 and 1600 A.D. Disease, warfare and enslavement at the hands of European settlers diminished native populations. Their villages, road networks, and elaborate plazas were reclaimed by the forest, removing all traces of their existence until now.

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Monday, January 4, 2010

England's longest New Year's party finally ends.

The Tan Hill is the highest inn in England at 1733 feet above sea level and it's in the middle of nowhere. About 30 New Year party goers had been cut off for several days. A snow plow managed to reach The Tan Hill Inn on Monday.
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Jordanian Informant kills 7 CIA Agents in Khost Afghanistan

The suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian intelligence officer was a double agent the CIA had recruited to provide intelligence on senior al Qaeda leadership, according to U.S. officials. Officials have also reported that the bomber was affiliated with al Qaeda.


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Sunday, January 3, 2010

Dubble Earquakes Hit Solomon Islands

Monday January 4th a 7.2 and 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit about 65 miles SSE of Gizo Island. A small tsunami was reported with some local damage.
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U.S. and Britain close Embassies in Yemen

The U.S. and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen on Sunday after threats from Al Qaeda.
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