Cops: Pair Cremate Grandma On BBQ, Cash In

CORNING, Calif. (CBS/AP) ― Authorities said relatives of a deceased Tehama County woman cremated her remains on a makeshift barbecue and continued collecting her retirement checks.

Ramona Allmond's daughter and grandson were arrested Sunday on suspicion of embezzlement, elder abuse and other charges.

Tehama sheriff's Capt. Paul Hosler said the 84-year-old Allmond likely had died of natural causes. He said her daughter, 50-year-old Kathleen Allmond, and her grandson, 30-year-old Tony Ray, left the body on her bedroom floor for a week before cremating the remains in their backyard fire pit.

Detectives say the daughter also fashioned a two-inch piece of her mother's skull into a necklace.

They said they kept collecting her monthly retirement checks amounting to more than $25,000 since she died in December

Concord Police Probe Well Fargo Bank Robbery

CONCORD (BCN) ― Police were investigating a report of a bank robbery late Wednesday morning at a Wells Fargo bank in Concord, Cpl. Kerry Cerletti said.

The robbery was reported at 11 a.m. at the Wells Fargo bank branch at 2190 Willow Pass Road.

Initial reports indicated that a dye pack may have exploded in the course of the robbery, Cerletti said.

Suit Against God Tossed Over Lack Of Address

Suit Against God Tossed Over Lack Of Address
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) ― A judge has thrown out a Nebraska legislator's lawsuit against God, saying the Almighty wasn't properly served due to his unlisted home address. State Sen. Ernie Chambers filed the lawsuit last year seeking a permanent injunction against God.

He said God has made terroristic threats against the senator and his constituents in Omaha, inspired fear and caused "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers has said he filed the lawsuit to make the point that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they are rich or poor.

On Tuesday, however, Douglas County District Court Judge Marlon Polk ruled that under state law a plaintiff must have access to the defendant for a lawsuit to move forward.

"Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant this action will be dismissed with prejudice," Polk wrote.

Chambers, who graduated from law school but never took the bar exam, thinks he's found a hole in the judge's ruling.

"The court itself acknowledges the existence of God," Chambers said Wednesday. "A consequence of that acknowledgment is a recognition of God's omniscience."

Therefore, Chambers said, "Since God knows everything, God has notice of this lawsuit."

Chambers has 30 days to decide whether to appeal. He said he hasn't decided yet.

Chambers, who has served a record 38 years in the Nebraska Legislature, is not returning next year because of term limits. He skips morning prayers during the legislative session and often criticizes Christians.

Flaming Squirrel Blamed For NorCal Brush Fire

REDDING (AP) ― With southern California fighting wind-driven flames and spot fires breaking out across northern California, firefighters have fingered at least one arsonist: an unlucky squirrel.

Redding firefighters say the squirrel set off a blaze when it shorted out a power line, caught fire and dropped into dry vegetation.

Battalion Chief Gerry Gray says it took 18 firefighters and six fire engines to fight the fire that started behind a Redding restaurant.

The fire briefly threatened a home before it was contained Monday.

Redding Electric Utility spokesman Pat Keener says about 200 customers might have noticed their electricity flicker when the squirrel shorted out the high-voltage power line. But the incident did not cause a power outage.

Flaming Squirrel Blamed For NorCal Brush Fire

REDDING (AP) ― With southern California fighting wind-driven flames and spot fires breaking out across northern California, firefighters have fingered at least one arsonist: an unlucky squirrel.

Redding firefighters say the squirrel set off a blaze when it shorted out a power line, caught fire and dropped into dry vegetation.

Battalion Chief Gerry Gray says it took 18 firefighters and six fire engines to fight the fire that started behind a Redding restaurant.

The fire briefly threatened a home before it was contained Monday.

Redding Electric Utility spokesman Pat Keener says about 200 customers might have noticed their electricity flicker when the squirrel shorted out the high-voltage power line. But the incident did not cause a power outage.

I always knew those flaming squirrels would be trouble!

Look honey... Dinner just fell out of the sky in front of us.. Which leg you want?

2 South Bay Brokers Found Guilty Of Mortgage Fraud

SAN JOSE (BCN) ― After a three-month trial, two mortgage brokers have been convicted of multiple counts of grand theft and forgery in connection with subprime mortgages loaned out of their Milpitas business, Summit Mortgage One.

Esperanza Valverde, 41, and Herman Covarrubias, 40 were convicted Friday in a case that involves over $10 million in fraudulent sub-prime loans with 23 different borrowers, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. The couple, who were engaged before being arrested for the crimes, are scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4.

Valverde was convicted of 40 felony counts and faces 36 years in prison while Covarrubias was convicted of 22 felony counts and faces 24 years in prison, Deputy District Attorney Yen Dang said.

Two other defendants, Cesar Valverde Ponte and Cayetano Alberto De La Rosa were acquitted of aiding in the fraud, Dang said. It appears that jurors were undecided on whether the two knew of the scheme to defraud investors, or were unknowing participants in the fraud.

"Sub-prime mortgage loans have been the subject of a lot of news coverage lately, because of the economic crisis, and this is just one example of that trend," Dang said. Three of the borrowers lost their homes to foreclosure and another one may potentially lose a home. Other borrowers have had to sell off their property to get out of the bad loans.

Valverde and Covarrubias falsified loan applications, and misrepresented borrowers' ability to repay loans by inflating income amounts on applications, according to the district attorney's office. The two submitted false income tax returns, W-2 statements, pay stubs and employment verification letters to lenders as part of the fraud.

The defendants are believed to have misled borrowers, primarily Spanish-speakers, by having them sign up for adjustable rate loans instead of the fixed rate loans they were promised, by concealing the brokers' fees that borrowers were charged.

The jury found that Valverde and Covarrubias caused losses in excess of $2.5 million, Dang said.

U.S. Admits Potential for Long, Painful Recession

WASHINGTON (AP) ― The U.S. has not endured a deep and prolonged recession in more than a quarter century -- enough time for many Americans to forget what one feels like.

But unlike the last two relatively short recessions, this one could be much longer and more severe, potentially bringing with it anxiety and job losses not seen in many years.

"In thinking about recessions, people will naturally think back to the last couple" in the early 1990s and in 2001, said Paul Ashworth, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics in Toronto. "What they should be looking back at is further."

That requires dredging up memories of the economic slides in the 1970s, when an Arab oil embargo starved the nation of energy, and the early 1980s, when unemployment and inflation soared.

The last recession -- coinciding with the collapse of the tech stock bubble and the terrorist attacks of 2001 -- lasted just eight months. It was known more for the slow "jobless" recovery that followed than for the depth of the downturn.

Many economists agree that the nation won't be so fortunate this time.

"I don't think we can escape damage to the real economy," former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker said this week in Singapore. "I think we almost inevitably face a considerable recession."

The Fed's current chairman, Ben Bernanke, delivered a more measured, but similarly grave assessment to economists, saying the recent financial turmoil "may well lengthen the period of weak economic performance and further increase the risks to growth."

The signs of stress are starting to show: The U.S. has lost 760,000 jobs since late last year, and retail sales in September plunged 1.2 percent, the largest drop in three years.

Every recession is driven by its own dynamic and psychology. The current slump started with the collapse in the housing market and got worse with sharp restrictions on credit that pressured consumer spending and businesses.

That is a different environment from 1973, when an oil crisis was the culprit, squeezing U.S. businesses and consumers. In the early 1980s, raging inflation and high interest rates took their toll.

Both periods saw millions of Americans out of work. In 1975, the unemployment rate peaked at 9 percent. In 1982, it jumped to 10.8 percent.

Most economists forecast a sharp increase in the number of people who lose their jobs. But they do not see it leading to unemployment on the scale of either the 1970s or 1980s.

The jobless rate is currently at 6.1 percent, and many economists expect it to rise to about 7 percent early next year -- a level the country has not seen since 1993. Some analysts believe the unemployment rate could eventually climb close to 8 percent, which hasn't happened since 1984.

But this recession could begin to feel like those of the past not just because of lost jobs, but because of fear about the future.

In the 1980s, as the nation struggled with inflation and a transition from a manufacturing economy to one based on services, Americans had "a huge amount of uncertainty and anxiety that lingered on for a long period of time," said Bart Van Ark, chief economist for The Conference Board.

"That element I find comparable to what we're seeing today, but some of the underlying dynamics are very, very different."

In 1973, the U.S. economy had been growing for three years and unemployment had dropped to well below 5 percent.

Then, on Oct. 6, Egyptian and Syrian forces launched surprise attacks on Israeli-held territory while Jews were observing Yom Kippur. Arab members of OPEC soon cut off shipments of oil to the U.S. and other countries that supported Israel.

Oil prices rose sharply and forced rationing of tight supplies. Drivers lined up at filling stations on odd or even days depending on the number on their license plates. Some stations ran out of gas.

A recession is typically defined as a period in which the economy shrinks for two quarters in a row. In the 2001 recession, the quarters weren't even consecutive.

But in the 1970s, the recession stretched on for a year and a half. Nearly 2.2 million people lost their jobs. By the end of 1974, the Dow Jones industrial average had lost more than 40 percent of its value. At the same time, the nation was focused on the Watergate scandal and the vacuum left by President Nixon's resignation in August 1974.

The economy began to recover in spring of the next year. But inflation, which had eased as the oil embargo was lifted, spiked again. By 1980, prices were rising at an annual rate of 13.5 percent.

Anxious about a hostage crisis in Iran and the Carter's administration inability to tame inflation, Americans elected Ronald Reagan president. But it wasn't at all clear how his plan to increase defense spending would cure the economy's ills.

Volcker, appointed by Carter to lead the Fed in 1979, took on inflation by sharply raising interest rates. It worked, but made life even more difficult for consumers at a time when the nation was doubtful about its economic future.

"That was the feeling at that time: hopelessness, in terms of how do we get out of this situation," said Anthony Campagna, author of "The Economy in the Reagan Years."

The next recession did not come until 1990, as preparations for the Gulf War drove up the price of oil. But the 1.6 million jobs lost was much less severe than in the previous downturn, and this one lasted for just eight months.

When it recovered, the economy staged its longest expansion on record -- 10 years of growth. The next recession, in early 2001, was similarly short-lived. The number of people out of work rose sharply, but compared with some past recessions, unemployment rate was relatively mild.

The fact that the last two recessions were so short, the damage relatively limited and the preceding good times so long has helped many people forget the pain of a more severe economic slump.

"We've become a little spoiled, actually," said Todd Knoop, a professor at Iowa's Cornell College and author of "Modern Financial Macroeconomics: Panics, Crashes and Crises."

That could make this recession feel particularly intense.

Said Jay Bryson, global economist at Wachovia Corp.: "I think no matter how you measure it, this coming recession will be worse than the last one."

EBay Posts 3Q Profit, Reversing Last Year's Loss

SAN JOSE (AP) ― EBay Inc. said it posted a third-quarter profit, reversing a year-ago loss that stemmed from charges to its Skype telecommunications unit. The profit beat analyst forecasts.

The online auction site operator earned $492 million, or 38 cents per share, in the quarter. EBay reported a loss of $936 million, or 69 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

Excluding items, eBay earned 46 cents per share—five cents higher than analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected.

Revenue rose 12 percent to $2.12 billion, a bit lower than the $2.13 billion analysts anticipated.

'Housewives' Actor Injured In Motorcycle Accident

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Gale Harold was in critical condition Wednesday after the "Desperate Housewives" actor crashed his motorcycle the day before, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Harold was awaiting further tests at USC Medical Center, spokeswoman Adelaida De La Cerda said. She gave no further details on his injuries.
Publicist Nancy Seltzer said Wednesday that Harold fractured his shoulder, and "Housewives" creator and executive producer Marc Cherry said he apparently has swelling on the brain but is expected to recover.

"We're hearing he's going to be fine, but he's going to be recovering for a couple of weeks," Cherry said.

Selzer said no one else was injured, but did not provide further details on the Tuesday wreck, which was first reported by TMZ. The California Highway Patrol said it had no information about the accident.

Harold plays Jackson, the boyfriend of Teri Hatcher's character Susan Mayer on the ABC show. The character plays a pivotal role in the fifth season's eighth episode, a November sweeps installment which finds several Wisteria Lane residents trapped inside a nightclub fire.

Cherry said Harold had been filming scenes all week for the episode and had been scheduled to be on set Tuesday. He said they would await the actor's prognosis before deciding how to proceed, but that at least some changes would have to be made.

"We know we're going to rewrite one scene," he said.

Tesla Motors Delays Electric Sedan, Slashes Jobs

SAN CARLOS (AP) ― Tesla Motors said Wednesday it will scale back the development of its all-electric Model S sedan.

The San Carlos-based company said it is waiting until its federal loan guarantee comes through.

The move is expected to push back production of the vehicle by about six months to mid-2011.

Tesla chairman and product architect Elon Musk says the loan from the Department of Energy can only be tapped after the company receives environmental approval for its new headquarters in San Jose.

That should happen next year.

Musk says the company will also reduce its work force although he did not specify how many jobs would be lost.

Musk is taking over as the company's chief executive. He replaces Ze'ev Drori, who will remain on Tesla's board as its vice chairman.

Google's 1st Phone Smart, But Needs Work

Given Google Inc.'s reputation as a trend setter on the Web, I expected great things from its first mobile phone— especially since it is emerging more than a year after Apple Inc. launched the enormously popular iPhone.

And while it's far from perfect, the G1 powered by Google's Android operating system is packed with plenty of consumer-oriented features that may even make iPhone fans take notice.

Made by Taiwan's HTC Corp., the G1 is being released Oct. 22 by T-Mobile in the U.S. and will cost $179 with a two-year contract. The device, about the size as the iPhone but plumper, will be available in black or bronze. It sports a large touch screen, and the lower smidgen of the device is angled—the curvature seemed more stylistic than functional to me—and sports four buttons and a trackball.

Beneath the touch screen is a slide-out QWERTY keyboard that makes the G1 feel like a grownup's version of another device T-Mobile sells, the Sidekick. The keyboard will appeal to anyone who, like me, still prefers the feel of physical keys rather than virtual ones on the screen (sorry, Apple).

There's also an adjacent microSD card slot that comes loaded with a 1 gigabyte card. Don't lose this tiny card, because it's the storage spot for photos and songs you want to access on the G1. If you want to invest in more space, the G1 supports cards up to 16 gigabytes.

From the start, the G1 was easy to use. It includes an intuitive interface and many of Google's familiar services, like search, Gmail and Google Talk.

There's also Google Maps, which is enhanced by a built-in compass that lets you see locations in the "Street View" feature by moving the phone as you hold it.

I had no trouble doing things like instant messaging my friends, searching for bubble tea stores near my apartment, and yes, making phone calls. There is a good-looking browser that is pretty simple to navigate, and the device's screen is clear and sharp.

I was more impressed with the speed of T-Mobile's 3G network than I have been with AT&T's, and noticed applications and songs downloaded fairly quickly and easily. This could change, though, as the network is still quite new and there are not many phones running on it yet. The phone also works on T-Mobile's slower but more widespread EDGE network; however, data functions aren't as zippy.

The downside of all the talking, Web surfing and content downloading is that it can quickly run down a phone's battery. The G1 promises up to five hours of talk time and nearly 5 ½ days of standby time, but who's going to simply chat on a smart phone or let it sit gathering dust?

I gave the device a fairly realistic battery rundown— on-and-off use of multiple functions and applications and the phone's 3G and Wi-Fi network capabilities. It's safe to say people with a serious multimedia habit will have to keep a charging cable on hand.

Early on, I noticed that the G1's main screen actually extends beyond the device's viewing area. You can access the "hidden" parts by swiping to the right or left of the screen. I used this to organize shortcuts to certain programs by type: I put all my game shortcuts on the left "screen" and kept shortcuts to things like my contacts, Gmail, browser and phone dialer on the main screen area.

A key element is the Google-run Android Market, which lets third-party developers offer add-on programs and games that you can download wirelessly to the G1. For now, downloads are free, but eventually some may cost money.

There weren't that many programs available when I tested the G1—I counted about three dozen applications and 10 games, a fraction of what Apple's iPhone App Store contains—but more should come soon. And while Apple has been slowly approving iPhone applications and rejecting some that compete with its own programs, the Android Market is more open to developers.

I liked a few applications, especially the "Barcode Scanner" that uses the G1's 3-megapixel camera to read the UPC barcodes on things like product boxes and book jackets and then links you to related Web searches. It's pretty nifty if you want to know more about a novel or check prices online.

Some applications take advantage of the G1's GPS capabilities, like one called "Ecorio" that tracks your trips and computes your carbon footprint.

The G1 also connects to Amazon.com Inc.'s online MP3 store, which was easy to browse and offered quick downloads of songs free of copy protection. Take note, though, that as with the iPhone you'll need Wi-Fi access rather than just 3G cellular connectivity to download songs wirelessly.

The phone's built-in support for YouTube may appeal to video fans, but it was underwhelming to me. Even though Google owns YouTube, the clips I watched on the Google phone looked poorer than they tend to on a desktop computer.

Unfortunately, video and song playback is hampered by a major hardware shortcoming: the G1 eschews a standard headphone jack in favor of an included but uncomfortable earbud headset, which plugs into the mini USB port that is also used to charge the phone. This poses several problems, as you can't use your favorite headphones without an adapter and it's impossible to charge the G1 while listening to music or watching videos, unless you want to use the included speaker.

I thought I might be able to circumvent this problem by using a stereo Bluetooth headset, but, alas, the G1 only supports non-stereo Bluetooth headsets.

True smart phone greatness can take time, and I'm willing to cut Google a little slack. After all, the first iPhone wowed, but it was not without issues and missing features. The second version was better, and yet still there is plenty of room for improvement.

So I'm optimistic the G1 will improve soon, partly through its over-the-air software updates and additions to the Android Market. Google's search engine was not the first of its kind, either. And we all know how that worked out.

i hope you copy and past that stuff cause that is a ass amount of typing lol

Motorcyclist Killed In Crash Near SF State Univ

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ― A motorcyclist died after he broadsided another vehicle near San Francisco State University Thursday morning, a San Francisco police spokesman said.

The crash was reported around 8:15 a.m. at 19th and Holloway avenues.

Sgt. Wilfred Williams said a 40-year-old San Francisco man was riding his motorcycle east on Holloway Avenue when he broadsided a Honda that was headed north on 19th Avenue. The motorcyclist was thrown about 20 feet, according to Williams.

Paramedics responded to the intersection and took the man to San Francisco General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries shortly before 9 a.m.

There was no immediate report of injuries to the 34-year-old San Francisco woman who was driving the Honda.

Williams said she stopped after the crash and no arrests were made in connection with the accident.

The crash affected traffic in the area for more than two hours Thursday morning, but the intersection was cleared by 11:05 a.m., Williams said.

Ellen Griffin, a spokeswoman for SFSU, said the crash, which happened near the university's main entrance, but did not affect operations at the school.

"The university is always strongly concerned about safety on 19th Avenue and when accident like this occurs it heightens our awareness," she said.

Williams said the cause of the crash is under investigation.

EBay Posts 3Q Profit, Reversing Last Year's Loss

SAN JOSE (AP) ― EBay Inc. said it posted a third-quarter profit, reversing a year-ago loss that stemmed from charges to its Skype telecommunications unit. The profit beat analyst forecasts.

The online auction site operator earned $492 million, or 38 cents per share, in the quarter. EBay reported a loss of $936 million, or 69 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

Excluding items, eBay earned 46 cents per share—five cents higher than analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected.

Revenue rose 12 percent to $2.12 billion, a bit lower than the $2.13 billion analysts anticipated.
people are broke and sell stuff it makes sence

Mervyns Confirms Plans To Liquidate And Close

HAYWARD (CBS 5 / AP) ― Ailing department store chain Mervyns LLC, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July, confirmed Friday that it plans to begin liquidation sales at its remaining 149 stores and wind down its business, a move first reported Thursday by CBS 5.

The Hayward-based chain said in a statement that after completing a thorough analysis of all available options, including a sale of the company, the board determined that holding liquidation sales during the holiday season was the best way to maximize value for the company's creditors.

It also cited a challenging retail environment and declining liquidity as factors forcing the company's liquidation. Mervyns now operates mainly in California and has seen its sales drop further as the state is among the hardest hit by the real estate slump.

Mervyns plans to pursue the liquidation under the Chapter 11 bankruptcy code, which typically allows companies to retain more control over the selling off of assets. The company said it intends to retain an outside professional services firm to assist in the liquidation sales of inventory.

"We are disappointed with this outcome but the company's declining liquidity position and the extremely challenging retail environment, together with the fact that we have exhausted all other possibilities, requires that we take this action," said John Goodman, chief executive of Mervyns. "We are confident that the deep discounts available through going out of business sales will drive significant traffic in our stores."

Mervyns' announcement marks the latest retail obituary and represents yet another blow to the nation's malls, which are grappling with increasing vacancy rates in a deteriorating economic environment. On Tuesday, specialty retailer Linens 'n Things, which filed for bankruptcy protection in May, announced it will begin liquidation sales at its stores as early as this week after failing to find a buyer that wanted to operate the company.

Gadget retailer Sharper Image Corp., which filed for bankruptcy in February and eventually liquidated its stores, is seeking a new life as a wholesaler. It announced on Monday it signed a $540 million licensing agreement with manufacturer HoMedics to create gadgets to be sold in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The big problem with Mervyns, a 59-year-old chain, was that it had been squeezed between high-end department stores and discounters like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Before its bankruptcy filing, Mervyns had been shuttering stores and leaving states such as Oregon and Washington since 2005, after a consortium of private equity players including Sun Capital Partners Inc. bought Mervyns from Target Corp. for $1.2 billion.

In April, Mervyns appointed Goodman, who had been president and general manager of the Dockers brand - a key supplier to Mervyns - as president and chief executive. But the chain's heavy concentration in California has made a turnaround harder.

Last month, Mervyns sued the private equity firms involved in the leveraged buyout of the chain from Target, alleging the deal stripped the retailer of its real estate assets, forcing it into bankruptcy.

Mervyns said in the suit that the investment group, which included Cerberus Capital Management and Sun Capital Management, bought Mervyns in 2004, acquired its real estate and leased it back to the company at substantially increased rates. Mervyns says the increased rent was used to finance the buyout.

Small Earthquakes Rattle North Bay, East Bay

Two small earthquakes shook different parts of the Bay Area within 15 minutes of each other Friday morning.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 2.0 struck at about 6:55 a.m. this morning in Contra Costa County, about a mile west of Concord and 4 miles north of Walnut Creek.

Minutes earlier at about 6:40 a.m., the USGS said a quake measuring 2.4 hit in Sonoma County, 2 miles northwest of The Geysers and 11 miles east of Cloverdale.

No damage or injuries were reported in either quake

Butchered Black Bear Found Next To I-680 Sunol

SUNOL (AP) ― State officials say the body of a butchered black bear was dumped near the highway in Sunol.

A driver saw the dead bear on Thursday near a pullout next to Interstate 680.

It's legal for licensed hunters to shoot a bear in California during bear season as long as they have the proper paperwork, according to the state Fish and Game Department, but illegal to dump the body.

Pa. Man Chews Through Gut-Busting 15-Pound Burger

CLEARFIELD, Pa. (AP) ― It took Brad Sciullo 4 hours and 39 minutes to finish a marathon. A meat marathon, that is. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound western Pennsylvania chef is the first person to eat a monstrosity called the Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser: a 15-pound burger with toppings and a bun that brought the total weight to 20.2 pounds.

The mountain of beef is the product of Denny's Beer Barrel Pub, about 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh in Clearfield.

Sciullo, 21, of Uniontown, was planning to go to New York City last weekend for a pizza-eating contest. When that didn't work out, he went to Clearfield in search of a bigger challenge.

Sciullo said Monday he was surprised he finished the sandwich. "About three hours into it, things got tough," he said.

When asked what possessed him to eat a burger that big, Sciullo said: "I wanted to see if I could."

The burger included a bun, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, mild banana peppers and a cup each of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and relish, pub owner Dennis Liegey said.

For completing the challenge in the under-five-hour time limit, Sciullo won $400, three T-shirts, a certificate "and a burger hangover, as I call it," Liegey said.
http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/20/2008/10/17/175x131/BradSciullo.jpg

Putin Puts Satellite Navigation On His Dog

MOSCOW (AP) ― Russia's satellite navigation system isn't fully operational yet, but it seems to work on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's dog.

Putin listened Friday as his deputy, Sergei Ivanov, briefed him on the progress of the Global Navigation Satellite System. Then footage broadcast on Russian TV showed them try a collar containing satellite-guided positioning equipment on the prime minister's black Labrador Koni.

Ivanov said that the equipment goes on a standby mode when "the dog doesn't move, if it, say, lies down in a puddle."

Putin interrupted him jokingly: "My dog isn't a piglet, it doesn't lie in puddles."

"She wags her tail, she likes it," Putin said after watching Koni outside his collonaded residence on Moscow's western outskirts.

The navigation system, which goes by acronym GLONASS, was developed during the Soviet era as a response to the U.S. Global Positioning System, but it has been slow to take shape amid the post-Soviet economic meltdown.

The government had promised to make the system fully operational by the beginning of this year, but it was delayed by equipment flaws and other technical problems.

Ivanov told Putin that the system would have 21 satellites by the year's end - enough to provide navigation services over the entire Russian territory.

Ivanov said it would be available worldwide by the end of 2009, for which it would need to have 24 satellites.

Dummy Bomb Hits Truck Near Nev. Air Force Base

LAS VEGAS (AP) ― Authorities are investigating how a dummy bomb fell from a military jet and hit a truck traveling near a Nevada Air Force base.

Police and Nellis Air Force Base officials say one was hurt in the accident Wednesday morning.

The 25-pound device landed just within the air base and broke apart before a piece bounced toward a boulevard and hit the truck.

The training weapon looks like a real bomb carried by fighter aircraft. It carries a small smoke charge to mark its impact point.

Vt. Man Practicing Quick Draw Shoots Self In Leg

BARRE, Vt. (AP) ― Police say a man was recovering from a gunshot wound after he shot himself in the leg with a handgun while practicing a quick draw. Police said a bullet from a revolver entered the 61-year-old man's leg just below the left knee and lodged in his foot.

Police say when rescue crews arrived at about 7 p.m. Tuesday they found the man sitting on the sidewalk near his home.

Police said the man was in stable condition.

Mom Allegedly Takes Girl To Fight, Gets Involved
VICTORVILLE, Calif. (AP) ― A mother who took her 12-year-old daughter to a Victorville park to fight another youngster has been arrested after allegedly jumping into the fracas. The woman was jailed for investigation corporal injury to a child.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's investigators say the 31-year-old woman took her daughter to the Mojave Desert park on Oct. 5 to fight the other 12-year-old girl.

When they arrived, the girls began fighting. Witnesses told deputies that the woman intervened when her daughter appeared to be losing. The woman allegedly grabbed the girl's hair and slapped the youngster in the face.

Berkeley Considers Owls To Combat Rat Problem
BERKELEY (AP) ― A Berkeley group is looking at owls to solve a rat problem in the famed People's Park.

The People's Park Community Advisory Board will consider a proposal to install wooden owl boxes in the park to attract the predators. Barn owls can eat at least a dozen rats a night.

Some residents blame an increasing rat population on food scraps left by homeless and the groups that deliver them food. But those groups say they clean up all the food provided.

Nonprofit organization Keep Barn Owls Berkeley said the move couldn't hurt as long as poison isn't being used on the rodents in the park that would also harm the owls.

Oh snap... we cant... We cut the trees down...


Put bbq's in every corner and bring in more bumms..

Advanced Micro Devices Co-Founder Ed Turney Dies
CUPERTINO (AP) ― Advanced Micro Devices Inc. co-founder Ed Turney has died. He was 79.
Turney died Wednesday at a retirement home in Cupertino from brain cancer, according to his brother George Turney.

Turney's first jobs at semiconductor manufacturer AMD—which was founded in 1969 -- included buying equipment and overseeing construction of the company's first chip factory. He also built a sales organization and developed a network of electronics distributors.

Turney was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1929.

After high school, he joined the Navy and became an electronics technician.

He worked at Fairchild Semiconductor before helping to found Sunnyvale-based AMD.

Turney left AMD in 1974, going on to work for smaller semiconductor manufacturing and distribution companies. He also served as a consultant to startups.

Pleasant Hill Police Car Involved In Crash
PLEASANT HILL (BCN) ― The California Highway Patrol is responding to a report that a Pleasant Hill police car has collided with another vehicle, CHP Sgt. John Carman said.

The crash was reported at 1:53 p.m. on Contra Costa Boulevard at Gregory Lane in the city of Pleasant Hill, Carman said. The second vehicle was reportedly a four-door Chevrolet.

According to unconfirmed reports, an ambulance has been requested for the driver of the Chevrolet.

Pleasant Hill police were not immediately releasing information about the crash. Carman said the department requested that the CHP respond to the incident.

Advanced Micro Devices Co-Founder Ed Turney Dies
CUPERTINO (AP) ― Advanced Micro Devices Inc. co-founder Ed Turney has died. He was 79.
Turney died Wednesday at a retirement home in Cupertino from brain cancer, according to his brother George Turney.

Turney's first jobs at semiconductor manufacturer AMD—which was founded in 1969 -- included buying equipment and overseeing construction of the company's first chip factory. He also built a sales organization and developed a network of electronics distributors.

Turney was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1929.

After high school, he joined the Navy and became an electronics technician.

He worked at Fairchild Semiconductor before helping to found Sunnyvale-based AMD.

Turney left AMD in 1974, going on to work for smaller semiconductor manufacturing and distribution companies. He also served as a consultant to startups.
WOW $$$$$$$$$$

Yahoo Reportedly Plans Cost-Cutting Moves, Layoffs

SUNNYVALE (CBS 5 / CNET / AP) ― Slumping Internet pioneer Yahoo Inc. is expected to announce cost-cutting moves this week, including another round of layoffs, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The exact number of layoffs is unknown, but job cuts are expected to come from all departments in the 14,300-employee company, according to the report.

Sunnyvale-based Yahoo, which is set to announce its third-quarter earnings Tuesday, has reportedly asked managers to identify areas where the company can achieve operating budget reductions of 15 percent.

Yahoo hasn't been immersed in this much strife and adversity since the dot-com bust walloped the company in 2001, triggering a traumatic shake up that eventually led to a turnaround.

Unlike its previous downturn, Yahoo hasn't lost money through its most recent troubles -- yet the company might be in a more precarious position now because its shareholders and employees seem to have lost faith in a management team led by co-founder Jerry Yang.

Since spurning a $47.5 billion takeover offer from Microsoft in May, Yang hasn't been able to convince Wall Street that he has a viable strategy to make the company worth more than Microsoft was willing to pay. And with an already feeble economy weakening even more, the prospects for a Yahoo comeback are looking dimmer.

Reflecting the bleak outlook, Yahoo's stock sank to a 5 1/2-year low of $11.37 last week. The shares entered this week at $12.90, far below Microsoft's last bid of $33.

Shareholders expressed their dismay with Yang and Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock at the company's annual meeting in August. Nearly 40 percent of shareholders opposed Bostock's re-election while nearly 34 percent wanted to bounce Yang from the board.

Yang's job as chief executive is widely considered to be in jeopardy, particularly with shareholder activist Carl Icahn -- a strident critic during the Microsoft talks -- now on the company's board.

With revenue likely to erode, Yahoo is now mulling its second of layoffs this year. The company eliminated about 1,000 jobs in February, but then offset those cuts by hiring employees in other areas. Yang last month hired management consultants Bain & Co. to help Yahoo "get fit as an organization" and "work more efficiently."

Some of the most talented employees who survived the February layoffs have since left Yahoo to take other jobs out of frustration with the company's drift.

Yahoo had been counting on being able to show ads sold by Google to boost its annual revenue by $800 million. But the Google partnership, originally scheduled to launch earlier this month, is in limbo as the U.S. Justice Department investigates whether the alliance would diminish competition in the online ad market.

Besides trying to hitch its wagon to Google, Yahoo also has been negotiating with Time Warner Inc. about a possible purchase of AOL, another online icon that has fallen on hard times. Investors, though, have been worried that Yahoo is so desperate to find a financial catalyst that it will pay too much for AOL.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect Yahoo to report income of 9 cents per share on $1.37 billion in net revenue.

Both Benjamin Schachter of UBS and Sandeep Aggarwal of Collins Stewart are expecting Yahoo's earnings to fall a penny below analysts' estimates because of the "headwinds" facing the company.

But Yahoo's stock has been hammered so hard that Schachter thinks investors can still make money by buying the shares in their current range. If Yang doesn't straighten things out soon, Schachter believes a new management team will be brought to draw up a new strategy or Microsoft will renew its bid to buy the company at a much lower price than in May.

Yahoo is still hoping to find a way to persuade government regulators to green-light the Google partnership this month. And Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer last week raised the possibility of trying to negotiate another deal with Yahoo, although Microsoft tried to debunk the idea by issuing a public statement saying the Redmond, Wash.-based software maker has moved on.

Yahoo shares have shed 16 percent during the quarter and are down 45 percent for the year.

Small Earthquake Shakes Hayward Area

HAYWARD (BCN) ― A 2.0 earthquake shook the East Bay Sunday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

It reportedly hit around 5:15 p.m. about 5 miles east of Hayward and 16 miles southeast of Oakland with an epicenter less than a mile deep, according to USGS.

Walnut Creek School Copper Wire Thief Arrested
WALNUT CREEK (BCN) ― One of two suspects who allegedly stole copper wire from Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek was arrested early Sunday morning, about 30 minutes after running from a school security guard, police said.

About 3:30 a.m., the security guard saw the suspects stealing copper wire from the school at 2775 Cedro Lane.

The guard chased the suspects, but stopped after one claimed to have a gun, police said.

Officers went to the school and then searched for the suspects in a nearby residential neighborhood.

About a half hour later, officers found Concord resident John Toomey, 44, who the security guard identified as one of the suspects, according to police.

Toomey was arrested on charges of grand theft, felony vandalism, possession of burglary tools and being under the influence of a controlled suspect.

He was booked into Contra Costa County jail in Martinez with a bail of $25,000.

Police were still seeking the second suspect and asked anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Walnut Creek Police Department at (925) 943-5844.

Britain Releases Files On UFO Sightings
LONDON (AP) ― Alitalia pilot Achille Zaghetti thought it was a missile.

Zaghetti was at the helm of a jet from Milan to London's Heathrow Airport on the evening of April 21, 1991 when a flying object streaked across his field of vision.

"At once I said, 'look out, look out,' to my co-pilot, who looked out and saw what I had seen," Zaghetti wrote in his report. "As soon as the object crossed us I asked to the ACC (area control center) operator if he saw something on his screen and he answered 'I see an unknown target 10 nautical miles behind you."'

An investigation later ruled out a missile - but never ruled anything in, either.

The close encounter is one of many reported UFO sightings among 19 files that Britain's National Archives posted Monday to the Web. The new material covers UFO sightings between 1986 and 1992.

While the 1,500-page batch of documents debunks a host of UFO sightings, others like Zaghetti's near-miss with a UFO remain unexplained.

On June 17, 1991, four passengers on a Hamburg, Germany-bound Dan Air 737 spotted "a wingless projectile pass below and to the left of the aircraft" as the flight climbed out of London's Gatwick Airport.

"It would seem to have passed fairly close by as the passengers were able to see it quite clearly," the Civil Aviation Authority wrote in its report.

More disturbing was a sighting a month later by crew aboard a Gatwick-bound Britannia Airways Boeing 737, who saw "a small black lozenge-shaped object" zipping past about 100 yards (90 meters) to the left of the aircraft.

The airport confirmed seeing an object on its radar and clocked it traveling at 120 miles (190 kilometers) per hour. Air traffic controllers quickly warned the next aircraft to turn out of the object's flight path, although by then the object had disappeared from view.

Speculation centered on a weather balloon released in the area the same day, but an investigation could not determine what the UFO was.

Monday's release is the second batch of UFO files that Britain's military has put out this year. David Clarke, a UFO expert who has worked with the National Archives, said in the next few years, a total of 160 UFO-related files will be made available to the public.

Some things in the newly released files were either unhinged or unverifiable.

One correspondent tells the military he was shouted at by aliens while sleeping outdoors. Another writes in "with extraordinary news," saying the "legendary 'feathered serpents"' are waiting for permission to land on earth. One U.S. pilot's tale of being ordered to shoot down a UFO over eastern England, forwarded to the Ministry of Defense by a UFO enthusiast, was kept on file even though the military turned up no evidence of it in its official records.

Occasionally, though, officials got to the bottom of the sightings.

On a clear November afternoon in 1992, an office worker called the Ministry of Defense, saying a strange shimmering object was descending slowly over London's Regent's Park.

"As call progressed, it became clear that the object was a kite," an unidentified military staffer noted drily in his write-up.

Police Arrest Mich. Man For Car Wash Vacuum Sex
THOMAS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) ― Police say a Michigan man has been arrested after "receiving sexual favors from a vacuum" at a car wash.

The Saginaw News reports the 29-year-old Swan Creek Township man was arrested Thursday in Saginaw County's Thomas Township, about 90 miles northwest of Detroit.

Police Sgt. Gary Breidinger says a resident called to report suspicious activity at the car wash about 6:45 a.m. An officer approached on foot and caught the man in the act.

The suspect, whose name wasn't immediately released, is being held in the Saginaw County Jail.

Suspect Uses Golf Cart As Getaway Car
MORGAN, Utah (AP) ― A Utah sheriff's office has found that it shouldn't underestimate the golf cart as a getaway car.

A suspect in a souped-up cart managed to elude officers who pursued him last month through an alfalfa field — but only for a while. He was arrested the next day at his grandmother's house.

Officers started pursuing the driver after he was spotted spinning out in a city park in Morgan. He took off into an alfalfa field and jumped irrigation ditches that the sheriff's cruisers couldn't cross.

Morgan County Sheriff's Sgt. Scott Peay suspects the cart was fitted with a car engine instead of the original electric motor.

Police Arrest Mich. Man For Car Wash Vacuum Sex
THOMAS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) ― Police say a Michigan man has been arrested after "receiving sexual favors from a vacuum" at a car wash.

The Saginaw News reports the 29-year-old Swan Creek Township man was arrested Thursday in Saginaw County's Thomas Township, about 90 miles northwest of Detroit.

Police Sgt. Gary Breidinger says a resident called to report suspicious activity at the car wash about 6:45 a.m. An officer approached on foot and caught the man in the act.

The suspect, whose name wasn't immediately released, is being held in the Saginaw County Jail.
hmmmmmm wow too cheap for a hooker ?

Walnut Creek School Copper Wire Thief Arrested
WALNUT CREEK (BCN) ― One of two suspects who allegedly stole copper wire from Foothill Middle School in Walnut Creek was arrested early Sunday morning, about 30 minutes after running from a school security guard, police said.

About 3:30 a.m., the security guard saw the suspects stealing copper wire from the school at 2775 Cedro Lane.

The guard chased the suspects, but stopped after one claimed to have a gun, police said.

Officers went to the school and then searched for the suspects in a nearby residential neighborhood.

About a half hour later, officers found Concord resident John Toomey, 44, who the security guard identified as one of the suspects, according to police.

Toomey was arrested on charges of grand theft, felony vandalism, possession of burglary tools and being under the influence of a controlled suspect.

He was booked into Contra Costa County jail in Martinez with a bail of $25,000.

Police were still seeking the second suspect and asked anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Walnut Creek Police Department at (925) 943-5844.
this is a big problem


peeps do it because copper is alot of $$$ now

Yeah I used to work for bart police. We had a huge problem back when they were building the pittsburg and dublin lines.

no more updates?

Hahaha... been busy with work.. 8am till 10pm

I think your the only one looking.. lol

AIG Failure May Cost BART, Other Transit Agencies
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP) ― Transit agencies around the country - including Bay Area Rapid Transit - may have to come up with billions of dollars to repay investors as long-term financing deals disintegrate, a result of the global credit crisis that could eventually affect millions of commuters.

The problems stem from the collapse of insurance giant American International Group, which had guaranteed financing deals between transit agencies and banks.

Officials said about 30 transit agencies across the country have entered into these types of deals, including BART as well as others in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The fallout could mean less money for new trains and buses at a time when ridership in many areas has been steadily climbing because of high fuel prices.

Rob Healy, vice president for government affairs at the American Public Transportation Association, said some agencies could be forced to increase fares, cut bus routes and delay long-term capital improvement projects.

"You've got agencies struggling to meet increased demand, they are hamstrung by the higher cost of fuel ... and this is exposing them to additional costs," Healy said.

In a once-common practice that the Internal Revenue Service has ended, many transit agencies entered into arrangements in which they sold equipment such as rail cars to banks. The banks then turned around and leased the equipment back to the transit agencies.

Both sides benefited. The transit agencies were given a large sum of money up front, which could pay for various infrastructure upgrades. And the banks were able to rely on frequent lease payments while also writing off taxes on the depreciating property.

The deals were approved by the Federal Transit Administration, which promoted the lease agreements, transit agency officials said.

Washington's Metro transit agency made 16 of the deals, selling 600 rail cars worth more than $1.6 billion. In return, the agency made $100 million.

AIG, which collected fees paid by Metro and other transit agencies, guaranteed that lease payments to the banks would be made on time. But AIG's financial problems have triggered a clause that allows the banks to demand their money all at once.

The IRS has offered a settlement to banks if they end these agreements by the end of the year.

Metro's chief financial officer, Carol Kissal, said Friday the agency is being asked to pay $43 million by next week. She said that under a worst-case scenario, Metro could be forced to make $400 million in payments. She said owing millions of dollars all at once could hurt Metro's ability to borrow money from other banks and eventually could affect service.

Marc Littman, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said the agency participated in eight so-called "sale-in, lease-out" financing deals insured by AIG. The total value of the deals was $1 billion.

Under the agreements, the agency sold buses, train cars, five maintenance divisions, a parking garage and bus plaza to private equity investors and then leased the facilities back from them, Littman said.

"Worst-case scenario is we'd have to come up with $100 million to $300 million very quickly. That would be problematic for us," he said, adding that cutting services or raising fares would be a last resort after the agency looks at all its options.

BART's commuter rail system could also feel the impact of AIG's woes. Six years ago, BART struck a "sale-in, lease-out" deal to sell its rail equipment for $230 million. The agency put $23 million into its general fund and gave most of the balance to AIG, which agreed to make lease payments to the investors over the next 30 years, BART spokesman Jim Allison said.

Under the terms of the financing deal, BART would have to pay a $40 million payment to the investors if AIG's credit rating drops below B-triple plus. AIG's rating recently fell to A-minus, triggering payments from other transit agencies that reached similar equipment-financing deals involving AIG.

BART officials are concerned about the impact on its $670 million annual operating budget if AIG's credit rating slips further.

"Obviously, we're concerned about the potential to have to make that payment, but we are not in that situation yet, and we're closely monitoring what's happening with the other transit agencies that are in a more difficult position than us," Allison said.

The agencies are asking the U.S. Treasury Department and congressional staffers for help. They have proposed that the government step in to back the deals instead of AIG. Metro officials said it is unlikely the agency will find a replacement for AIG.

"We haven't received any real positive statement from the Department of Treasury, who in my view has to make this decision," Kissal said.

A Treasury Department spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Kissal said Metro is working with banks to get extensions. She also said the agency could go to court to fight the banks' demands.

One bank demanding money from the "sale-in, lease-out" deals, KBC Group of Belgium, would not comment when reached by The Associated Press.

"There is client confidentiality, and there is a contractual matter involved," said spokesman Stef Leunens in Brussels.

The Federal Reserve came to the rescue of AIG last month with a two-year, $85 billion credit line, after it fell into peril from the huge volume of credit default swaps it had sold and rising levels of defaulted mortgage and other debt. In return for the $85 billion credit, the government received a 79.9 percent stake in AIG.

NorCal Woman Charged In Mom's Samurai Sword Death

An Oroville woman has been arraigned in the death of her 62-year-old mother, who authorities say was attacked with a samurai sword in her home.

Investigators say 36-year-old Rachael Porteous was free on bail and awaiting sentencing for using her car to assault a male friend when she attacked her mother, Theresa Shaw.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said Porteous' sister called 911 around 2 a.m. Tuesday after finding her with their mortally wounded mother at the mother's home.

Shaw had sought a restraining order last year after telling police her daughter was on drugs and acting strange, but apparently allowed her to stay at her home the night of the attack.

Police Charge Man With Theft Of Women's Underwear
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (CBS) ― A bizarre case unfolded in Howard County, Md.. where police say a man was breaking into apartments and stealing women's underwear.

It was at an apartment complex on Town and Country Road where Howard County Police say Brian Hong, 23, broke into at least nine apartments.

"Members of the community were very concerned because not only were things like jewelry, cash and laptops being taken, but clearly this man was going into private bedrooms of these women and stealing very private items," said Sherry Llewellyn, Howard County Police spokesperson.

Police say in many cases, entire underwear drawers were cleaned out.

"Very intrusive, and it is just very disgusting. How else would a woman put it? It's just private, and they don't need anyone stealing it," said Susan Kelley.

In at least two cases, victims reported seeing Hong peeping through windows. In another case, police believe he stole a car after breaking in.

"There are concerns that perhaps this could have escalated to greater things, more serious things," said Llewellyn.

Detectives discovered Hong using a victim's credit card at a Howard County Exxon station. Police caught up with Hong and arrested him in Elkridge. They obtained a search warrant for his home where they uncovered many stolen items.

Questions were raised as to whether his victims were targeted.

"We understand that he had familiarity with this apartment complex. He knew some of the people there. That's why he was continually drawn back to that location. We don't believe any one woman was targeted, but clearly he went to places where he would find items inside," said Llewellyn.

"Walking the dog and stuff makes you wonder who is really in the neighborhood and what kind of creep would do that," said Kelley.

Hong faces several charges including burglary, theft, car theft and two counts of peeping Tom.

High-Speed Chase Suspect Gets Away, Leaves Wallet
SACRAMENTO (CBS) ― A short but intense high-speed chase came to an end along Highway 50 in California this morning with the driver getting away but leaving behind his wallet, reports CBS station KOVR-TV in Sacramento.

Sacramento Police say the driver was originally pulled over for a traffic violation around 4:30 a.m. when the driver took off.

Officers chased the suspect vehicle, a white Saturn, at speeds of up to 100 miles an hour.

The driver exited the freeway at Howe Avenue and ended up driving off the road La Riviera Drive. The driver then took off on foot.

Officers say they found a wallet and cell phone in the car. They believe the driver may have been under the influence.

Mo. Students In Hot Water For 'Hit-A-Jew' Day
ST. LOUIS (AP) ― At least four students from a suburban St. Louis middle school face punishment for allegedly hitting Jewish classmates during what they called "Hit a Jew Day."

The incident happened last week at Parkway West Middle School in Chesterfield.

District officials said Thursday they believe that fewer than 10 children of the district's 35 Jewish students were struck.

District spokesman Paul Tandy said that in most cases, the students were hit on the back of their shoulders but one student was slapped in the face.

It began with an unofficial "Spirit Week" among sixth-graders that started harmlessly enough with a "Hug a Friend Day." Then there was "High Five Day."

Soon, though, the days moved from friendly to silly. Next there was "Hit a Tall Person Day" and, finally, "Hit a Jew Day."

District officials believe a handful of children were directly involved. Those who actually struck classmates could face suspension and required counseling, Tandy said. Others who weren't directly involved but taunted Jewish students or egged on classmates could face lesser penalties.

"There is a mix of sadness and outrage," Tandy said. "The concern is a lot of kids knew about it and they didn't take action or say anything."

Karen Aroesty, St. Louis regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said this was more than a case of bullying. Officials from the group will meet Friday with district leaders to discuss the matter.

Branson Abandons Sailing Speed Record Attempt
NEW YORK (AP) ― British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has abandoned his transatlantic speed record aboard a 99-foot ultramodern racing yacht.

Spokeswoman Jackie McQuillan says Branson made the decision around 7:15 a.m. EDT. Friday, two days after setting sail from New York City. The crew, including Branson's two children, are now sailing to St. George, Bermuda.

They plan a conference call with the media later in the day to talk about the conditions that led them to abandon the record.

She says Branson first announced his decision in a live interview with CNN.

They hoped to break the record for a trans-Atlantic crossing in a single-hulled sailboat by making it to southwest England in less than six days.

Mass. Road Kill Shocker: 200-Pound Wild Boar
LANCASTER, Mass. (AP) ― This was no ordinary road kill.

Massachusetts State Police say a 200-pound Russian wild boar was euthanized after being struck by a vehicle on a road in Lancaster earlier this week.

That was a big surprise to state wildlife experts. They say although some wild boars are known to live in northern New England, there never has been a native population of feral swine in Massachusetts.

Hunter Chester Hall said he was offered the carcass for coyote bait.

Typo Leads Wis. Store To Sell Diesel For 59 Cents
LYONS, Wis. (AP) ― Diesel fuel was on heavy discount at a rural Wisconsin convenience store -- just 59 cents a gallon.

That is, until the owner discovered he had left off the other $3 while changing the price in his computer.

Mohinder Singh estimates 50 to 75 customers took advantage of the mistake at his Lyons Shell Plaza last weekend, costing him more than $4,000.

He says he changed the price about noon Saturday, and it stayed at 59 cents until he arrived at 7 a.m. Sunday and saw a warning light indicating the diesel tank had only 200 gallons left.

Eighteen-year-old Jordan Koster knew something was wrong when he filled his pickup's 30-gallon tank for only $10. He told his father, and his father advised him to make things right.

The teen stopped Monday and paid the full amount.

Despite Slump, Yahoo Plans New Operations In Neb.
Yahoo: Latest Quote & News
SUNNYVALE (AP) ― Yahoo Inc. says it will invest at least $100 million in a new data center and a new service center in Nebraska, creating at least 100 jobs.

The announcement Friday from the Internet company and Nebraska officials comes just days after Yahoo said it would cut at least 1,500 workers as it deals with the economic downturn.

Earlier this year, Sunnyvale-based Yahoo applied for state tax breaks available in Nebraska to help set up some operations in La Vista. The customer service center will be in west Omaha, Gov. Dave Heineman said, probably at the First National Bank business park near Boys Town.

Because of the incentives it will receive, within seven years Yahoo will have to invest at least $10 million and create at least 100 jobs. In return, it will receive benefits including sales tax refunds on capital purchases and some property and payroll tax breaks.

Earlier this week Yahoo announced that it would cut 10 percent of its employees, or 1,500 people, citing a 64 percent drop in its third-quarter profit.

Asked about the creation of new jobs while company employees were being let go, Kevin Timmons, Yahoo's vice president of operations, said the company's infrastructure needs continue to grow.

Both he and the governor characterized the Omaha and La Vista operations as "mission-critical facilities," and Timmons said in the case of the data center, the jobs couldn't be outsourced.

Yahoo said it is preparing for a deep downturn well into 2009 by trimming $400 million from its annual expenses of $3.9 billion. Besides eliminating those 1,500 workers during the next two months, Yahoo may close some U.S. offices and assign more jobs to lower-paid contractors in other countries.