angelm's Blog

NYPD rookie makes arrest moments after graduation

NEW YORK � A New York Police Department rookie just couldn't wait to get started.

One of the NYPD's newest officers made his first arrest Thursday just minutes after graduating from the Police Academy in a ceremony at Madison Square Garden.

Officer Dariel Firpo, 23, was leaving the midtown Manhattan ceremony when he saw a 79-year-old man being robbed of his wallet and thrown to the ground by a mugger, police said.

The mugger tried to run away, but Firpo caught him without incident, they said.

"Officer Firpo made us all proud," police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "He's off to a great start."

The man Firpo arrested, Jeffrey Grant, was being charged with robbery. Grant, 47, has 48 previous arrests and was just released last week from Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, N.Y., after serving time for a robbery conviction, police said.

Grant, of Manhattan, was in custody late Thursday and couldn't be contacted. The name of his attorney wasn't yet on record.

The mugging victim was treated at a hospital for a broken wrist.

Firpo's feat "may be the fastest police action upon graduation in department history," said chief police spokesman Paul Browne, who was at the graduation ceremony for the class of 250 new officers.

Firpo, who graduated from Lehman College in January with a degree in political science, said he wants to focus on community affairs while working in the nation's biggest police department.

"I'm really trying to stick in the community," he said.

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain America! America! God shed your grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.
O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities glean Undimmed by human tears America! America! God shed your grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.

13 Things Your Waiter Won't Tell You

1. Avoid eating out on holidays and Saturday nights. The sheer volume of customers guarantees that most kitchens will be pushed beyond their ability to produce a high-quality dish.

2. There are almost never any sick days in the restaurant business. A busboy with a kid to support isn't going to stay home and miss out on $100 because he's got strep throat. And these are the people handling your food.

3. When customers' dissatisfaction devolves into personal attacks, adulterating food or drink is a convenient way for servers to exact covert vengeance. Some waiters can and do spit in people's food.

4. Never say "I'm friends with the owner." Restaurant owners don't have friends. This marks you as a clueless poseur the moment you walk in the door.

5. Treat others as you want to be treated. (Yes, people need to be reminded of this.)

6. Don't snap your fingers to get our attention. Remember, we have shears that cut through bone in the kitchen.

7. Don't order meals that aren't on the menu. You're forcing the chef to cook something he doesn't make on a regular basis. If he makes the same entr�e 10,000 times a month, the odds are good that the dish will be a home run every time.

8. Splitting entr�es is okay, but don't ask for water, lemon, and sugar so you can make your own lemonade. What's next, grapes so you can press your own wine?

9. If you find a waiter you like, always ask to be seated in his or her section. Tell all your friends so they'll start asking for that server as well. You've just made that waiter look indispensable to the owner. The server will be grateful and take good care of you.

10. If you can't afford to leave a tip, you can't afford to eat in the restaurant. Servers could be giving 20 to 40 percent to the busboys, bartenders, ma�tre d', or hostess.

11. Always examine the check. Sometimes large parties are unaware that a gratuity has been added to the bill, so they tip on top of it. Waiters "facilitate" this error. It's dishonest, it's wrong-and I did it all the time.

12. If you want to hang out, that's fine. But increase the tip to make up for money the server would have made if he or she had had another seating at that table.

13. Never, ever come in 15 minutes before closing time. The cooks are tired and will cook your dinner right away. So while you're chitchatting over salads, your entr�es will be languishing under the heat lamp while the dishwasher is spraying industrial-strength, carcinogenic cleaning solvents in their immediate vicinity.

Mystery surrounds Michael Jackson's sudden death

One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before a long-awaited series of comeback concerts.A family attorney said on Friday he had been concerned that Jackson's use of prescription drugs for dancing-related injuries would eventually prove fatal and that the entertainer's inner circle had ignored his warnings.
Authorities scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.
Jackson, a former child star who became one of the best-selling pop artists of all time before descending into a strange and reclusive lifestyle amid accusations of child molestation, died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital.
He had been rushed to the hospital in full cardiac arrest after collapsing at his nearby rental home.
Jackson's passing was front-page news around the world as airwaves filled with his greatest hits from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" and social networking sites were bombarded with messages and tributes from fans and musicians.
"It's so sad and shocking," former Beatle Paul McCartney said. "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever."
Few details were known about the circumstances surrounding Jackson's death but he was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center. Doctors were unable to revive him.
His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late Thursday.

Surprising Ways to Cool Off

1. Cool your pulse. Wrap an ice cube in a towel and apply it to any of your body's major pulse points (think wrists, behind the knees and inside elbows) for a minute, then remove it for a minute�repeat until you feel sufficiently cool. Pulse points are areas of the body with the best circulation, so lowering your blood temperature in those spots will carry the cooling effect throughout the entire body.

2. Go light with hair care. During the summer months, our whole bodies sweat more�including our scalps. Avoid weighing down your hair (and subsequently covering your scalp) with heavy hair products, so air can make contact with your scalp, cooling your head.

3. Think cool. You know that whole mind-body connection? Well, put it to good use this summer by visualizing yourself in a chilly place in order to cool yourself down. This is especially important if you find yourself in a stressful situation, such as waiting in line at an amusement park or sitting in a traffic jam. Try picturing yourself somewhere calm and cool, like floating in a pool or sitting in front of a powerful fan.

4. Eat spicy food. Thanks to capsaicin, a chemical found in hot peppers, your body sweats when you eat spicy foods�without raising your body temperature. As the moisture evaporates from your skin, all your body's surfaces will be cooled down.

5. Take a cooling breath. Yogis call it sheetali pranayama, but even if you don't practice yoga, you can still try it out. Sit in a comfortable position with your hands on your knees. Stick your tongue out without straining it and curl up both sides to create a tube-like shape. Inhale, drawing air through the tube your tongue forms; the air temperature will decrease as it passes over your tongue, leaving behind a pleasantly cool sensation.

Grilled hot wings
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons honey
10 tablespoons  hot sauce
3 jalapeno peppers, finely minced
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Marinade wings for about 3 - 4 hours in equal parts Tabasco, and Soy sauce and some olive oil.
Cook on grill for about 30 to 45 minutes.
Heat sauce ingredients above until bubbling
Remove wings from heat when they can easily be pulled apart at the joints and coat with sauce

Happy Fathers Day!!

Worst Father's Day gifts

Why is it that we'll send Mom a bouquet of beautiful flowers for Mother's Day, but give Dad the dumbest stuff possible on his special day? Unless you've got a hate on for your pop, stay away from these cringe-worthy gifts.

1. Anything Homemade

Moms are wired to think anything you create is precious. Dads are not. At the end of the day, they're still dudes, which means that arts and crafts make their eyes glaze over. This also includes lame IOU coupons.

What to get him instead: There's one exception to this rule: If what you're making is edible (ie. cookies, brownies).

2. That Stupid Plaque With the Singing Fish or Some Other Novelty Gift

Your dad may have a goofy sense of humor, but no one thinks these things are that funny. So stay away from trash like dancing hamsters, "#1 Dad"-clad baseball caps, and cheesy neckties.

What to get him instead: "The Godfather Collection: The Coppola Restoration" DVD box set, $39.99

3. Anything that Says "Get to Work" or "Get in Shape"

This includes but is not limited to: lawnmowers, a car vaccum, 50-gallon trash cans, ab rollers, the multi-core-flex excel body gym machine, etc. Ugh.

What to get him instead: Ticketmaster gift card, and offer to go with him $25 - $250

4. Golf Gear or Fishing Accessories

We're willing to bet that if you get him more tees/balls/bait/knick-knacks/whatever, it's just going to go in a box with all the other stuff you've given him for previous Father's Days. The fact is, if he wants that kind of stuff, he'll get it himself.

What to get him instead: Victorinox Swiss Army wissFlash 4 GB, $54.95

5. Stinky Cologne

There is no way Daddy Dearest smells worse than what's inside some of those dusty bottles in the back of the drugstore. So leave his man-scent alone, unless it's a fragrance you know he absolutely adores.

What to get him instead: The Art of Shaving Starter Kit, $25

Nestle recalls Toll House cookie dough products

NEW YORK � Nestle USA on Friday voluntarily recalled its Toll House refrigerated cookie dough products after a number of illnesses were reported by those who ate the dough raw.

The company said the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control are investigating reported E. coli illnesses that might be related eating the dough.

In a statement, the FDA said there have been 66 reports of illness across 28 states since March. About 25 people have been hospitalized, but no one has died.

The FDA advised consumers to throw away any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their homes. Retailers, restauranteurs and employees at other food-service operations should also not sell or serve any of the products.

Nestle spokeswoman Roz O'Hearn said "this has been a very quickly moving situation," adding the company took action less than 24 hours after hearing of the problem.

O'Hearn said the company will "cooperate fully" with the FDA's investigation.

The recall includes refrigerated cookie bar dough, cookie dough tub, cookie dough tubes, limited edition cookie dough items, seasonal cookie dough and Ultimates cookie bar dough. It extends to chocolate chip dough and other varieties, including gingerbread, sugar and peanut butter cookie dough. It does not affect any other Toll House products, including ice cream that contains Toll House raw cookie dough.

The FDA also said consumers should not try to cook the dough, even though eating cooked dough would be safe, because consumers might get bacteria on their hands and on counters and other cooking surfaces.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure.

Umpire ejects entire crowd during baseball game

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa � An umpire has emptied the stands at a high school baseball game, ejecting the entire crowd of more than 100 fans for being unruly.

Umpire Don Briggs said he had no problem with any of the student athletes during Thursday's game between Winfield-Mount Union and West Burlington.

He said he had to take action because fans were being unruly, yelling and arguing.

However, West Burlington Superintendent James Sleister said he didn't see any unusual behavior and said he thought the umpire overreacted.

The game resumed after a 40-minute delay. West Burlington won 12-11.

The umpire called police as a precaution. West Burlington police officer Al Waterman says there were no arrests. He says he saw no unruliness himse

Boy Hit by Meteorite

A 14-year old German boy was hit in the hand by a pea-sized meteorite that scared the bejeezus out of him and left a scar.

"When it hit me it knocked me flying and then was still going fast enough to bury itself into the road," Gerrit Blank said in a newspaper account. Astronomers have analyzed the object and conclude it was indeed a natural object from space, The Telegraph reports.

Most meteors vaporize in the atmosphere, creating "shooting stars," and never reach the ground. The few that do are typically made mostly of metals. Stony space rocks, even if they are big as a car, will usually break apart or explode as they crash through the atmosphere.

There are a handful of reports of homes and cars being struck by meteorites, and many cases of space rocks streaking to the surface and being found later.

But human strikes are rare. There are no known instances of humans being killed by space rocks.

According to a SPACE.com article on the topic a few years, back:
On November 30, 1954, Alabama housewife Ann Hodges was taking a nap on her couch when she was awakened by a 3-pound (1.4-kilogram) meteor that crashed through the roof of her house, bounced off a piece of furniture and struck her in the hip, causing a large bruise.
On October 9, 1992, a large fireball was seen streaking over the eastern United States, finally exploding into many pieces. In Peekskill, New York, one of the pieces struck a Chevrolet automobile owned by Michelle Knapp. Knapp was not in the car at the time.
On June 21, 1994, Jose Martin of Spain was driving with his wife near Madrid when a 3-pound (1.4-kilogram) meteor crashed through his windshield, bent the steering wheel and ended up in the back seat.

In 2004, a 2,000-pound space rock bigger than a refrigerator exploded in the late-night sky over Chicago, producing a large flash and a sound resembling a detonation that woke people up. Fragments rained down on that wild Chicago night, and many were collected by residents in a northern suburb.

1 container (6 oz) Yoplait Key lime pie yogurt
1 ripe banana, sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon dry lemon lime-flavored soft drink mix (from 0.13-oz package)
1 cup vanilla frozen yogurt

1. Place all ingredients except frozen yogurt in blender. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth.
2. Add frozen yogurt. Cover; blend until smooth.

Car loses all four wheels on highway
ZURICH  � A car traveling on a motorway in Switzerland lost all four wheels simultaneously, coming to an immediate halt in the middle of the highway, police said on Saturday.

The car had just stopped and the passengers had changed from winter to summer wheels themselves, a common task in Switzerland where there is plenty of snow in winter, but used the wrong nuts when mounting the new set.

"When they then drove back on to the motorway, all of the wheels disconnected," St Gallen cantonal police said in a statement. "Luckily, no one was injured and no other vehicle was damaged."

1/2 cup butterscotch pieces
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp double acting baking powder
1 (6oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1 cup Campfire Miniature Marshmallows
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Melt butterscotch pieces and butter in 3 quart saucepan over medium flame; stir until blended.  Cool to lukewarm. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate pieces, marshmallows and walnuts. Spread into greased 9x9x2-inch pan. Bake in 350�F gas oven 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on rack.

:
2-1/2 pounds ripe watermelon
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1-1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios plus extra for sprinkling
Preparation:
Cut watermelon into chunks and remove rind and seeds. Put watermelon through a food mill or process in a blender to get about 2 cups juice.

Combine the watermelon juice, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan, and stir until the cornstarch completely dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Let boil for a few minutes until the pudding is bright red. Stir in the orange blossom water and cinnamon.

Pour into 4 or 5 small ice cream goblets. When cool, stir in chocolate pieces and pistachios.

Refrigerate until well chilled. To serve watermelon pudding, sprinkle with chopped pistachios