Police: NY gunman set 'trap' for firefighters

This image taken from video provided by WHAM13-TV, shows a wide view of homes on fire in an area where a gunman ambushed four volunteer firefighters responding to an intense pre-dawn house fire early Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, in Webster, N.Y., killing two before ending up dead himself, authorities said. Police used an armored vehicle to evacuate more than 30 nearby residents. (AP Photo/WHAM13-TV via AP video)

This image taken from video provided by WHAM13-TV, shows a wide view of homes on fire in an area where a gunman ambushed four volunteer firefighters responding to an intense pre-dawn house fire early Monday, Dec. 24, 2012, in Webster, N.Y., killing two before ending up dead himself, authorities said. Police used an armored vehicle to evacuate more than 30 nearby residents. (AP Photo/WHAM13-TV via AP video)

A house burns Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. An ex-con set a car and a house ablaze in his lakeside neighborhood to lure firefighters, then opened fire on them, killing two, engaging in a shootout with police and committing suicide while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

A house burns Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

Police officers move in to look for a man who set fire to a house, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Jamie Germano)

Lake Rd. residents are evacuated from the neighborhood, Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 in Webster, New York. A former convict set a house and car ablaze in his lakeside New York state neighborhood to lure firefighters then opened fire on them, killing two and engaging police in a shootout before killing himself while several homes burned. Authorities used an armored vehicle to evacuate the area. (AP Photo/Democrat & Chronicle, Max Schulte)

(AP) ? An ex-con gunned down two firefighters after luring them to his neighborhood by setting a car and a house ablaze early Monday, then took shots at police and committed suicide while several homes burned.

Authorities used an armored vehicle to help residents flee dozens of homes on the shore of Lake Ontario a day before Christmas. Police restricted access to the neighborhood, and officials said it was not clear whether there were other bodies in the seven houses left to burn.

The sister of the gunman, who lived with him, was unaccounted for. The gunman's motive was unknown.

The gunman fired at the four firefighters when they arrived shortly after 5:30 a.m. at the blaze in Webster, a suburb of Rochester, town Police Chief Gerald Pickering said. The first police officer who arrived chased the suspect and exchanged gunfire.

He lay in wait outdoors for the firefighters' arrival, then opened fire probably with a rifle and from atop an earthen berm, Pickering said.

"It does appear it was a trap," he said.

The gunman, William Spengler, had served more than 17 years in prison for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980 at the house next to where Monday's attack happened, Pickering said at afternoon news conference. Spengler, 62, was paroled in 1998 and had led a quiet life since, authorities said. Convicted felons are not allowed to possess weapons.

Two firefighters, one of whom was also a town police lieutenant, died at the scene, and two others were hospitalized. An off-duty officer who was passing by was also injured.

Another police officer, the one who exchanged gunfire with Spengler, "in all likelihood saved many lives," Pickering said.

Emergency radio communications capture someone saying he "could see the muzzle flash coming at me" as Spengler carried out his ambush. The audio posted on the website RadioReference.com has someone reporting "firefighters are down" and saying "got to be rifle or shotgun ? high powered ... semi or fully auto."

Spengler lived in the house with his sister and mother, Arline, who died in October. He had originally been charged with second-degree murder in connection with grandmother Rose Spengler's death but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter.

The West Webster Fire District learned of the fire early Monday after a report of a car and house on fire on Lake Road, on a narrow peninsula where Irondequoit Bay meets Lake Ontario, Monroe County Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn said.

The fire appeared from a distance as a pulsating ball of flame glowing against the early morning sky, flames licking into treetops and reflecting on the water, with huge bursts of smoke billowing away in a brisk wind.

Two of the firefighters arrived on a fire engine and two in their own vehicles, Pickering said. After Spengler fired, one of the wounded men managed to flee, but the other three couldn't because of flying gunfire.

A police armored vehicle was used to recover two men, and eventually it evacuated 33 people from nearby homes, the police chief said. The gunfire initially kept firefighters from battling the blazes.

The dead men were identified as Police Lt. Michael Chiapperini, 43, the Webster Police Department's public information officer; and Tomasz Kaczowka, also a 911 dispatcher, whose age was not released.

Pickering described Chiapperini as a "lifetime firefighter" with nearly 20 years in the department, and called Kaczowka a "tremendous young man."

The two wounded firefighters, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, were in guarded condition in the intensive care unit at Strong Memorial Hospital, authorities said. Both were awake and alert and are expected to recover.

Hofstetter, also a full-timer with the Rochester Fire Department, was hit once in the pelvis, and the bullet lodged in his spine, authorities said. Scardino was hit in the chest and knee.

At West Webster Fire Station 1, there were at least 20 bouquets on a bench in front and a bouquet of roses with three gold-and-white ribbons saying, "May they rest in peace," ''In the line of duty" and "In memory of our fallen brothers."

A handwritten sign says, "Thanks for protecting us, RIP." Two candles were lit to honor the dead.

Grieving firefighters declined to talk to reporters. A memorial vigil was planned for early Monday evening.

The shooting and fires were in a neighborhood of seasonal and year-round homes set close together across the road from the lakeshore. The area is popular with recreational boaters but is normally quiet this time of year.

"We have very few calls for service in that location," Pickering said. "Webster is a tremendous community. We are a safe community, and to have a tragedy befall us like this is just horrendous."

O'Flynn lamented the violence, which comes on the heels of other shootings including the massacre of 20 students and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

"It's sad to see that that this is becoming more commonplace in communities across the nation," O'Flynn said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the State Police and Office of Emergency Management were working with local authorities.

"Volunteer firefighters and police officers were injured and two were taken from us as they once again answered the call of duty," Cuomo said in a statement. "We as the community of New York mourn their loss as now two more families must spend the holidays without their loved ones."

Webster, a middle-class suburb, now is the scene of violence linked to house fires for two Decembers in a row.

Last Dec. 7, authorities say, a 15-year-old boy doused his home with gasoline and set it ablaze, killing his father and two brothers, 16 and 12. His mother and 13-year-old sister escaped with injuries. He is being prosecuted as an adult.

___

Associated Press writers Chris Carola, George Walsh and Mary Esch in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-24-Fire-Shooting/id-ee4107937b9d4a6b9e5b0ea9588019a0

masterchef Dictionary.com Chicago teachers strike yahoo finance september 11 2001 september 11 2001 dr oz

Keen On? John Borthwick: Why The Facebook-Instagram Deal Is The Most Important Tech Event Of 2012

Keen On? John Borthwick_ Why The Facebook-Instagram Deal Is The Most Important Tech Event Of 2012 | TechCrunchWhat was the most significant tech event of 2012? No, neither Apple after Steve Jobs nor the Facebook IPO. Not at least according to John Borthwick, the CEO of Betaworks and one of the shrewdest observers of the tech scene.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/GnBEuVbuGuA/

the grey review demi moore 911 call ipo jim rome ufc on fox 2 weigh ins convulsions john tyler

Follow This Advice To Make Commercial Real Estate ... - Maynas Eric

Industrial property and other commercial properties are going up on the market all the time, but this type of property does not get preferential listings like regular homes. You have to know where to find these properties, and this article will give you the tools you need to do just that.

Take some time to visit websites that are devoted to commercial real estate. These sites have lots of information for both new investors and seasoned professionals. Excessive knowledge isn?t a problem you have to worry about, so it always proves smart to learn all you can.

Look around at the general environment around the building. The one who?ll have to clean up any environmental waste on your property is you. Do you want to buy property in a area that is prone to flooding? If so, think again. It?s possible to get information specific to the locale you?re considering by contacting environmental assessment agencies in that area.

TIP! Before buying a piece of commercial property, decide what you intend to do with the property once you buy it. Do you plan on having your own business on the property or do you plan on leasing it? When you have specific guidelines for what kind of commercial property you are looking for, you can narrow down the results to save time and effort.

Document your business needs prior to hunting for commercial property. Determine what sort of office you will need to run your business. Perhaps you could buy more than you need right now if you can afford to and you plan on expanding your business.

If you are planning to rent your commercial properties once you purchase them, opt for solidly constructed buildings that are simple in their design. Tenants will be more likely to rent space in this type of building, as it looks taken care of. Since these properties probably do not need many repairs, they will require less maintenance from the owner and tenants.

In the beginning, a great deal of time might be required to spend on your investment. It takes time to find a lucrative opportunity and purchase a propriety, adding to that time to carry out any repairs and alterations that are needed. Don?t abandon you commercial real estate venture because it currently consumes so much of your time. Once you get the property ready, you will be compensated for years to come.

TIP! Investors of commercial properties should be mindful that the specter of massive inflation always looms on the horizon of the coming years. In years gone by, leases might have a clause to protect signers from rapid inflation.

Ask any potential broker about what experience they have had with commercial property before choosing someone to represent your interests. Make certain that they have experience and expertise in the community you are dealing in. Entering into an exclusive contract with that particular broker is a good idea.

Try to get a lender who can make commercial property offers. Ask friends or investors you know to give you a list of the lenders they prefer. Do some research, and select the one that can help you reach your goals prior to purchasing the property. If you are willing to devote the time to covering all of your bases, you can improve your chances of qualifying for a loan.

Make sure you have sufficient utility to access on any commercial piece of real estate. Every business requires certain utilities, most commonly things like water, sewage and electricity.

TIP! When buying commercial property, think about the socioeconomic status of the neighborhood around the building. Your business might do better in affluent communities, since your prospective foot traffic has more money.

Real Estate

Avoid signing a standard lease for your commercial real estate property. It is not uncommon for real estate brokers to include detailed, confusing terms and clauses into the lease. Only by going through the document with care can you prevent the potential pains and aches that you can get from standard commercial lease paperwork.

One major part of commercial real estate deals is inspections. When property you are involved in is being inspected, take steps to verify the legitimacy of every inspector. Many people in certain fields are not accredited, including pest and insect removal services. You?ll have less problems after the sale, as such.

TIP! Ensure that you have reviewed your contracts before negotiating leases so that you minimize the chances of default. That will cut down on the likelihood that the tenant defaults on a lease.

Establish what you need before searching in commercial real estate. Take the time to outline what your needs may be, from number of rooms to types of spaces needed. This should include the appropriate number of washrooms based on people present.

Be sure to only focus on one investment at a time. Focusing on offices, land, retail or apartments will help you do well with investing. You can?t be successful if you try to focus on more than one type of real estate investment at a time. Choose one type of investment and put all your attention on making it successful. You are better off becoming a master of one arena than mediocre with many.

Dual Agency

TIP! If you are novice investor, you should start off with just one single type of investment. Select the type of property upon which you wish to focus, and pay close attention to your dealings.

If the agent you are thinking of hiring for your commercial real estate transaction gives you any disclosure forms, make sure you read them carefully. Dual agency is a possibility that you need to be aware of. Dual agency in real estate is when the agency works for both parties. Dual agency occurs when the landlord and the tenant hire the same agent. Dual agency should be disclosed and both parties should agree to it.

You should always know who takes care of emergency repairs. Ask in advance who will be handling any emergencies that arise. Be aware of the response time of emergency personnel, and be sure to have their contact information handy. Use any information you can get from your landlord so contingencies are ready for the times your normal business operations are interrupted so you can safeguard your customer service and your reputation.

Posting a newsletter online, using social media or otherwise staying in touch with previous clients helps investors remember to send new clients your way. After you have finished a deal, don?t vanish from sight online.

TIP! Choose a reputable business where they strive for exceptional customer service. Otherwise, it might cost you a lot of money in the future for something you could have easily avoided.

Use your blog to establish an expert reputation. This helps to attract potential buyers if you have something for sale or lease.

There are several strategies you can utilize to reduce the amount of money you spend on environmental cleanup. First off, you may not be liable for cleanup expenses if you do not hold ownership interest, but if you do, you are on the hook. Clean up for the space and disposal of waste from the property can cost a great deal of money. Try to get an environmental report from any environmental assessment companies. They are somewhat expensive, but the consequences of not doing this can be even more expensive.

Finding the proper commercial property is just half the battle. Every bit of information can make a difference.

TIP! Be sure about the correct square footage available. It is common for commercial properties to be described in terms of usable square feet in which an enterprise would actually operate, or in terms of total square feet, which encompasses walls and non-usable area.

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/follow-this-advice-to-make-commercial-real-estate-work-for-you-3

macaulay culkin Larry Hagman macys apple apple jcpenney toys r us

Gout study offers genetic insight into 'disease of kings'

[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 23-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Anna Borthwick
anna.borthwick@ed.ac.uk
44-797-346-6208
University of Edinburgh

Scientists have shed light on why some people are more susceptible to gout than others. A study has identified 18 new genetic variations that increase levels of uric acid in the blood, which is the main cause of the disease. High levels of uric acid form small crystals in joints and tissues, causing pain and swelling the main symptoms of the condition once known as the 'disease of kings'.

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting up to two per cent of the world's population. Understanding how these common genetic variants increase uric acid levels in the blood may lead to improvements in the treatment and prevention of the disease. It could also help research into urate-lowering drugs.

The international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of Edinburgh and Queen Mary, University of London, say gout is becoming more common in the developed world.

They attribute its rise in part to increasing levels of obesity and an aging population.

This painful joint inflammation affects at least one in seventy adults in the UK with approximately 900,000 people suffering at least one attack of gout in their lifetime.

The work, published in Nature Genetics, was carried out by analysing the genetic data of more than 140,000 people, from more than 70 individual studies from Europe, the U.S., Japan and Australia and represents the largest study worldwide on this topic.

Dr Veronique Vitart, from the Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit at the University of Edinburgh, and one of the lead authors of the study said: "Abnormal levels of uric acid have been associated with various common diseases and conditions, but causal relationships are not always clear. Gaining insight into the genetic components of uric acid levels offers a very useful tool to tackle these issues and to further our understanding of these conditions."

Professor Mark Caulfield, from the William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary, and a lead author said: "Existing therapies to avoid attacks of gout sometimes cause side effects. Our findings identify new potential mechanisms for gout and offer opportunities for new therapies which may improve prevention of this debilitating condition in the future.

###



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 23-Dec-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Anna Borthwick
anna.borthwick@ed.ac.uk
44-797-346-6208
University of Edinburgh

Scientists have shed light on why some people are more susceptible to gout than others. A study has identified 18 new genetic variations that increase levels of uric acid in the blood, which is the main cause of the disease. High levels of uric acid form small crystals in joints and tissues, causing pain and swelling the main symptoms of the condition once known as the 'disease of kings'.

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting up to two per cent of the world's population. Understanding how these common genetic variants increase uric acid levels in the blood may lead to improvements in the treatment and prevention of the disease. It could also help research into urate-lowering drugs.

The international team of researchers, including scientists from the University of Edinburgh and Queen Mary, University of London, say gout is becoming more common in the developed world.

They attribute its rise in part to increasing levels of obesity and an aging population.

This painful joint inflammation affects at least one in seventy adults in the UK with approximately 900,000 people suffering at least one attack of gout in their lifetime.

The work, published in Nature Genetics, was carried out by analysing the genetic data of more than 140,000 people, from more than 70 individual studies from Europe, the U.S., Japan and Australia and represents the largest study worldwide on this topic.

Dr Veronique Vitart, from the Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit at the University of Edinburgh, and one of the lead authors of the study said: "Abnormal levels of uric acid have been associated with various common diseases and conditions, but causal relationships are not always clear. Gaining insight into the genetic components of uric acid levels offers a very useful tool to tackle these issues and to further our understanding of these conditions."

Professor Mark Caulfield, from the William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary, and a lead author said: "Existing therapies to avoid attacks of gout sometimes cause side effects. Our findings identify new potential mechanisms for gout and offer opportunities for new therapies which may improve prevention of this debilitating condition in the future.

###



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-12/uoe-gso122112.php

the express zappos hacked jane fonda jon huntsman bit coin huntsman w.e.

Kuwait boycott bloc hails lower voter turnout

KUWAIT CITY (AP) ? Opposition groups in Kuwait hailed their election boycott as a success Sunday after officials said voter turnout on Saturday was sharply lower than during the last parliamentary races earlier this year.

Kuwait's Ministry of Information said 40.3 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. That compares with nearly 60 percent in the February elections.

As expected, the results point to a solidly pro-government chamber. Three women are among the new 50-seat parliament, which is expected to hold its first session within two weeks after the end of procedural issues to name a new government.

A wide-reaching opposition coalition, including conservative Islamists and Western-leaning liberals, boycotted the vote to protest alleged power abuses by the ruling family. They have vowed to press ahead with street demonstrations despite a ban on major political gatherings in public.

Kuwait's parliament is the most politically powerful among the Gulf Arab states, but the ruling establishment controls all key government posts and policies.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kuwait-boycott-bloc-hails-lower-voter-turnout-101301600.html

monta ellis wiz khalifa taylor allderdice mixtape reggie wayne taylor allderdice vincent jackson vicki gunvalson pierre garcon

Blog Advertising Service Skyscraper Raises $500K Seed Round Led By Howard Lindzon And Tom Peterson Of Social Leverage

Skyscraper LogoSkyscraper, the recently launched service that aims to make direct ad sales easier for bloggers, just announced that it has raised a $500,000 seed round led by Stocktwits founder and CEO Howard Lindzon and Tom Peterson of Social Leverage. The service launched out of Vancouver's GrowLabs accelerator program earlier this year (it was still called Skyscrpr back then) and its focus is squarely on making direct ad sales as easy as possible for small to medium publishers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/9RA-tXmdCHk/

Big Tex Sweetest Day optimal Samantha Steele Espn goog Sylvia Kristel st louis cardinals

Page Not Found (404) - Salon.com

Copyright ? 2012 Salon Media Group, Inc. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited.

SALON ? is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon Media Group Inc.

Associated Press articles: Copyright ? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://feeds.salon.com/salon/index

tyson chandler stephen hill draft tracker the pirates band of misfits cleveland browns minnesota twins bobby abreu