Cool and Interesting News & Such.

[AndreaDraco]

Bobcat climbs cactus to survive:
http://www.magicalcreationsdesign.com/B ... actus.html

That's incredible. The bobcat is, of course, a magnificent animal, and the whole situation is both surreal and awe-inspiring. Thanks for posting, Tawm!

[Maiandra]

Bobcat climbs cactus to survive:
http://www.magicalcreationsdesign.com/B ... actus.html

That is really cool. What amazing photos! I can't help but think that it must be rather uncomfortable, though.

[Tawmis]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110520/ap_ ... ound_money
Loved this quote:
"I felt like I got to write a chapter in his life, a chapter he wasn't able to finish and see it through to its conclusion."

[Tawmis]

http://www.cbs8.com/story/14689573/moth ... sons-death

San Diego (CBS8) - Anna Josefson has spent the past year coming to terms over the loss of her son Nathan, who was shot and killed by a San Diego Police officer, all the while trying to change policy within the department.

"He shouldn't have been shot," she says. "He should have been taken to a hospital."

On May 20th of 2010, Nathan Manning, who suffered from bi-polar disorder had a fight with his roommate outside their Normal Heights apartment near Adams Avenue and Hawley Boulevard. The responding officer attempted to calm Manning down, but he was in an apparent bi-polar tirade and couldn't be talked down, according to police.

Both the officer and Manning ended up in a wrestling match on the ground, when the officer fired one shot. Nathan Manning died at the scene.

Nathan's brother Noah questioned the actions of the police officer, saying last year that more needs to be done to protect those with a mental illness. In hindsight the family says the officer should have waited for back-up and used less lethal means to subdue Nathan.

Fast forward one year to the very spot Nathan Manning took his last breath and Friday night you would have heard singing and an impromptu jam session among friends.

His mother Anna Josefson and a group of more than forty gathered Friday night to celebrate Nate, a classically trained guitarist and his musical groove.

"He got me to think of music I think in spiritual means and we connected that way," said Anthony Cutietta, a former classmate of Nate's at SDSU.

Julie Drake is a close friend of Anna and Nate and says the year has been difficult, and is amazed at the strength Nate's mom has shown over the past 52 weeks.

"There's been a lot of crying, but when we talk about Nathan we try to celebrate and that's what he would have wanted," she says. "He loved to groove."

As for Anna Josefson, she is still calling for change in the way police respond to calls, having posed the question to the District Attorney's office, she says. "We asked them do you treat mental illness different than anything else, and they said no we treat everything the same. I'm thinking maybe we shouldn't, maybe we shouldn't because my son is dead today because of it."

So I wouldn't mind discussing this one.

Personally, I think the cop did the right thing. As soon as the person tackled the cop and began wrestling with him; the cop's life was in immediate danger. The person could have got the gun and killed the cop. And I understand that the person suffered bi-polar disease, but there was nothing else that cop could have done; whether he was suffering from bi-polar, completely and utterly insane, or completely sane - once the person is that close to the cop's gun, it becomes a point where the officer has to protect himself (and others) - because who knows where the person might have stopped if he had gotten the gun. He could have killed the cop, then turned the gun on his room mate (whom he originally began the fight with).

[Rath Darkblade]

I don't think there's a right thing the cop could have done there. As Tawmis says, if he hadn't fired the fatal shot, his own life and the life of others would've been in danger; since he did fire the shot, an innocent (if mentally ill) man is now dead.

Since the duty of the police is to protect the public, a policeman should have other, non-lethal tools at his disposal. Police in the early 19th century had just a club - why not give police a club to use in these circumstances? If they are attacked by mentally ill people, a length of wood will keep them away; a club to the kneecaps or to the stomach or to the wrist can incapacitate without causing long-term serious injury.

Granted, these days a club is useless in just about any situation that involves firearms, but in a situation that involves an unarmed and mentally person, it could save a life. *shrug*

Comments?

[AndreaDraco]

So I wouldn't mind discussing this one.

Personally, I think the cop did the right thing.

I vehemently disagree. The cop should have never fired. Let me stress it: never. We are not talking about a person who was consciously trying to harm him. We're talking about a person suffering from a mental condition that hampers his mood, his reasoning and his morality. And he was shot... why? Haven't policemen got other methods to hamper a struggling person without killing him? He could have beaten him on the arms or the legs with his truncheon; he could have sprayed him; he could have called for backups or waited for an ambulance with trained people to arrive. Instead he chose the easy route and pulled the trigger. I can't tall you how much this kind of things infuriates me. I call it abuse of power ("I have a gun and I will use it because I can!") and, were it up to me, this policeman would loose his badge forever.

[Tawmis]

I vehemently disagree. The cop should have never fired. Let me stress it: never. We are not talking about a person who was consciously trying to harm him. We're talking about a person suffering from a mental condition that hampers his mood, his reasoning and his morality. And he was shot... why? Haven't policemen got other methods to hamper a struggling person without killing him? He could have beaten him on the arms or the legs with his truncheon; he could have sprayed him; he could have called for backups or waited for an ambulance with trained people to arrive. Instead he chose the easy route and pulled the trigger. I can't tall you how much this kind of things infuriates me. I call it abuse of power ("I have a gun and I will use it because I can!") and, were it up to me, this policeman would loose his badge forever.

Make no mistake - I understand the person was mentally ill and not in control of their emotions. But at what point does an officer go from "going out of his way" to subdue a mentally challenged person to risking his life and everyone else's?

Did you not see this part:

Both the officer and Manning ended up in a wrestling match on the ground, when the officer fired one shot. Nathan Manning died at the scene.

At that point, the person, who is clearly prone to violence, was within grasping the officer's gun.

When you're wrestling on the ground - you probably can't see where the person's hands are. You reach for your gun, if you're able to get to it (hopefully before the person you're on the ground wrestling with, gets it) - and fire. Unfortunately, the person died.

But we're not talking about an officer who was standing there - 10 feet away - and decided to fire and kill the guy because he couldn't be talked down. The person engaged the officer and ended up ON THE GROUND WRESTLING.

At that point, I believe the officer had no choice. It could, at that moment, have easily been the mentally challenged person with the gun in the hand, gunning the officer as they struggled (then, clearly still in a fit of rage, turned the gun on his room mate, whom he was already being violent with).

It's NO DOUBT a very sad thing that happened. But in this case, I firmly believe the officer was left with absolutely no choice.

And I like how you think the officer took the easy route and shot and killed the guy. Really? You think that's the easy route? How do you think this officer is going to sleep at night now? Knowing he killed someone? I believe the officer did it because he was in fear of his life. NOT BECAUSE it was the "easy" thing to do. This will, no doubt, haunt the officer for the rest of his life and change him and impact him. Easy, indeed.

[Collector]

It is indeed unfortunate, but without knowing more I can't much about it.

Both the officer and Manning ended up in a wrestling match on the ground, when the officer fired one shot. Nathan Manning died at the scene.
At that point, the person, who is clearly prone to violence, was within grasping the officer's gun.

except you are making an assumption that the person was grasping the officer's gun when the article said no such thing. At the point that they became entangled, fear that he might try to might have been a real concern for the officer, but nothing in what you posted gives us any indication one way or another. It is a good argument for Tasers. While people have died from the use of Tasers, those deaths almost have to be considered unfortunate accidents. And given the mostly nonfatal aspect of them, the officer might have been a little quicker in its use; i.e. before he was attacked.

[Tawmis]

It is indeed unfortunate, but without knowing more I can't much about it.

Both the officer and Manning ended up in a wrestling match on the ground, when the officer fired one shot. Nathan Manning died at the scene.
At that point, the person, who is clearly prone to violence, was within grasping the officer's gun.

except you are making an assumption that the person was grasping the officer's gun when the article said no such thing.

Incorrect. Read what I said again.
I said: "At that point the person is WITHIN GRASPING the officer's gun."

Which means, if he wanted to - he could have - and at that point, would have been an extremely deadly situation for both the officer, the room mate, and who knows who else. The article mentions that the officer attempted to talk the guy down - and the officer felt he couldn't be talked down. At some point between that and the shot being fired, the officer and victim ended up wrestling on the ground. Now whether the guy attacked the officer, or if the officer tried to subdue the victim, it doesn't say - but at some point - the officer lost control of the situation and was in peril.

It is a good argument for Tasers. While people have died from the use of Tasers, those deaths almost have to be considered unfortunate accidents. And given the mostly nonfatal aspect of them, the officer might have been a little quicker in its use; i.e. before he was attacked.

I agree. I am all for tasers. However, these days people will bitch about anything. I am sure if he got tasered, the mother will still be up in arms about tasering a "mentally challenged" individual.

[dotkel50]

Did the cop even know he was mentally ill when he got there?

[Tawmis]

Did the cop even know he was mentally ill when he got there?

Article doesn't say. Like Collector said, there's plenty of facts that we don't know. But I am going off what's been reported.

That said, I sympathize with the mother. Please don't think that I do. For example, Lord forbid, some officer shot Odin, because he felt threatened by Odin when Odin lunged at him - I'd be the first one out there, to see that the officer is hung upside down on a tree, as I slit his throat!

So I am not FAULTING the mother for doing what she's doing.

[AndreaDraco]

[...] and the officer felt he couldn't be talked down. [...]

See, this shouldn't be judged by a police officer completely untrained to deal with such issues. Why wasn't an ambulance there? Here in Italy, if someone calls the cops because things are getting messy, the first thing the cops do, even before hopping into their car, is call the ambulance, because you never know when you may need a paramedic. Sadly, this tragedy could have been entirely avoided if the police officer wasn't the only law enforcer on scene.

[Tawmis]

http://movies.yahoo.com/news/movies.ap. ... -record-ap

NEW YORK - The reengineered "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel "On Stranger Tides" found its smoothest sailing overseas, where it took in a record $256.3 million at the international box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.

That surpasses the previous record foreign opening of the sixth "Harry Potter" film, 2009's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which earned $236 million internationally.

Walt Disney co. said "On Stranger Tides," the fourth "Pirates" installment, earned $90.1 million domestically. Its combined worldwide total is $346.4 million, the fourth largest global opening ever.

The new 3-D film jettisons co-stars Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom, but brings back Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow. "Chicago" director Rob Marshall took the helm from Gore Verbinski, who directed the trilogy. Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane introduce new characters.

It was a risky reboot considering the popularity of the previous "Pirates" films. The last, 2007's "At World's End," opened with $114.7 million.

But "At World's End" was also badly reviewed and disappointing to much of its audience. For Disney, which has expansive merchandising and theme park tie-ins to "Pirates of the Caribbean," it's a crucial franchise. The first three movies earned a combined $2.7 billion worldwide.

"The whole play of this particular movie was based on a worldwide release because of our feeling of how strong the international marketplace would be," said Chuck Viane, head of distribution at Disney. "Johnny is not just a domestic star. Johnny is an international star."

Viane said the result vindicated the franchise's new look, that audiences "loved the rebooted attitude." Viane didn't comment on whether this meant a subsequent fifth film, but that seems extremely likely. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer already has a script in the works.

"On Stranger Tides" was the only new film in wide-release on the weekend. In its second week of release, the acclaimed comedy "Bridesmaids," starring Kristen Wiig, was second at the box office with $21 million. That was an impressively small decrease of just 20 percent from the Universal release's opening weekend of $26.2 million.

The slight decrease was even less than popular comedies like "The Hangover" and "Wedding Crashers," which had similarly sustained business due to strong word-of-mouth.

Last week's top film at the box office, the comic book adaptation "Thor," from Paramount, slid to third place in its third week of release. It earned $15.5 million, bringing its cumulative total to $145.4 million.

Making its limited-release debut was Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," which has received some of the best reviews for Allen in years. The Sony Pictures Classics release opened in just six theaters, but drew an exceptional per-screen average of more than $96,000.

Though "On Stranger Tides" had the best North America opening of the year, the international revenue was the larger story. The film traded on its foreign appeal by casting international stars like Cruz and setting itself in bright tropical locales.

"This proves the importance of the global marketplace," said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com.

The film performed especially strong in Russia, China and India, accounting for $52.6 million. It set an all-time record in Russia, taking in $28.6 million.

The film benefited from higher ticket prices for 3-D showings, but perhaps more importantly from IMAX screenings. "On Stranger Tides" set a global record for IMAX with $16.7 million worldwide.

Propelled largely by the "Pirates" installment and the continuing success of "Bridesmaids," it was the second "up" weekend in a row as compared with box office figures from the same weekend last year. Next weekend, the three-day Memorial Day weekend, also appears bright, with debuts from "The Hangover Part II" from Warner Bros. and "Kung Fu Panda 2" from Paramount.

Combined with the second weekend of "On Stranger Tides," Dergarabedian expects it to be one of the biggest moviegoing Memorial Day weekends ever.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," $90.1 million.

2. "Bridesmaids," $21 million.

3. "Thor," $15.5 million.

4. "Fast Five," $10.6 million.

5. "Rio," $4.7 million.

6. "Priest," $4.6 million.

7. "Jumping the Broom," $3.7 million.

8. "Something Borrowed," $3.4 million.

9. "Water For Elephants," $2.2 million.

10. "Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family," $990,000.

[BBP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo5zH0Il8B0

I'm guessing it's because of the distance between the front and rear wheel axes, but you have to admit: importing your own car so you can drive around bulletproof, acid-proof and missile-proof... and then get stuck on a speed bump...

(The real question is: does his exhaust survive?)

[Rath Darkblade]

I'm guessing the terrorists finally won.