Earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay

Northern California rattled by magnitude-6.0 earthquake; governor declares emergency.

Dozens injured, 3 critically, after strong earthquake in California

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 struck the San Francisco Bay area early Sunday, prompting California Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency. The earthquake hit just before 3:30 a.m. Pacific time about 10 miles northwest of American Canyon, which is about six miles southwest of Napa, in California wine country, according to Leslie Gordon of the U.S. Geological Survey.

It was the largest earthquake to shake Northern California since the devastating 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta quake in 1989, the USGS said. Widespread damage was reported Sunday, and dozens of people were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries.

In Napa, dozens of historic buildings have been damaged, and crews are responding to 50 gas line breaks and 30 water main leaks, according to city officials. Four homes at a mobile-home park were destroyed by fire after the temblor.

At least 87 people have been treated for injuries at Queen of the Valley Medical Center. Three major injury cases are known at this time.

According to the Associated Press, Vanessa deGier, a spokeswoman for the hospital in Napa, said most patients have cuts, bumps and bruises. She said the facility has treated a hip fracture and heart attack, but it was unclear whether it was related to the earthquake. The hospital has set up a triage tent, deGier said, and many people are still coming in.

City fire and police officials said during a news conference that there is relative calm, as they work on securing the downtown area and identifying the most damaged structures.

Jay Jacobs, who lives on and owns the Cuttings Wharf Vineyard in Napa, called the area a disaster.
“We have no electricity. Lines are down everywhere. It knocked over a cabinet filled with clothes,” said Jacobs, who grows Chardonnay grapes on his 16 acres. “A TV was knocked off the stand. All the pictures flew off the wall.”

He said he does not think there is damage to his home, which was built about 20 years ago, or his vineyard, which is about seven miles south of downtown Napa.


But other wineries didn’t escape damage:

“It woke me up. The house shook for at least 10 seconds after I realized what was happening, multiple shakes like wind gusts, but much stronger,” Weintraub recalled. “Since we almost never have earthquakes in Sacramento, I guessed immediately that this was a strong one, in either the Bay Area or the Sierra.”

Others had similar stories of being woken in the middle of the night by the earthquake, which to some sounded like an oncoming freight train.

“Everything came off every single shelf. Every picture was off the wall. Every dish had come out of the cabinet and was broken on the floor,” said Chris Cox, 40, who conducts wine tours for a living and works at Napa Valley Caterers as a bartender. “The refrigerator opened and most of the food was out on the floor. Everything that was in bottles was broken, and food was all over the place.”

Cox, who was about two miles north of downtown Napa and five miles south of the epicenter, said  people who live in the hills of Napa, which is made of rock, versus the valley floor, which is made of clay, seemed to fare better.

The earthquake lies within a 44-mile-wide set of major faults of the San Andreas fault system, according the USGS.

At least 30 water main breaks and leaks were reported, according to Napa public works director Jack Rochelle. "We have our crews out assessing all those locations," he said at a news conference. Water will be shut off to any damaged water main as quickly as possible, and the water that is still flowing is safe to drink, he said.

The earthquake triggered six major fires, including several mobile homes that completely burned down, Callanan said. The city has turned Napa High School into a shelter for those who have lost their homes.

People phoned in more than 100 reports of gas leaks and downed power lines, according Napa city officials.

Some historic buildings in downtown Napa showed extensive damage and at least 15,000 customers in and around Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Rosa lost power, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

The USGS estimated, based on their locations, that 15,000 people experienced severe shaking, 106,000 people felt very strong shaking, 176,000 felt strong shaking, and 738,000 felt moderate shaking.

"I've got a lot of broken wine, being here in Napa," said Emily Massimi, who was woken up by the quake. "We tend to collect wine, so I have wine all over my kitchen, and glass, and pictures off the wall and books off of bookshelves," she told CNN.

At Silver Oak Winery, owner David Duncan spent the morning cleaning up hundreds of broken wine bottles that fell off the shelves.

"Those bottles were very unique," he said. They were part of his private collection and worth hundreds of dollars. "It's a tragedy, but it's nothing we can't overcome." Duncan said he plans to open the winery today.

The quake jolted downtown Napa resident Karen Lynch. "The refrigerator flew open and all the food fell out," she told CNN.

"It was not like other quakes we have felt," Lynch said. "This was a violent quake, jolting us to and fro."

There have been at least five aftershocks so far, according to the USGS, ranging from 2.6 to 3.6 magnitude

Via:CNN 

Via:WashingtonPost

Journalist James Foley (Video)

James Foley in Syria, 2012

To the 44 nights I wasted considering James Foley, he was clueless who I used to be. It absolutely was earlier 2011 and Jim, then the writer to the Global Post, was kidnapped in Libya, the place he was credit reporting around the civil conflict. Kidnapped with him were being 3 other newspaper writers, with a independent news reporter called Clare Morgana Gillis, who'd submitted experiences for USA Today and the Atlantic, where I used to be her publisher.

During the US, a team of about 10 of us in the Atlantic, USA Today, and Global Post expended the 30 days and a half that Jim and corporation had been in captivity agitating because of their release. I'm particular most or everything was ineffective, but it really made us sense a minimal much less helpless: harassing State Office authorities, struggling for useful contacts in the area, preparing press coverage. The only one useful issue we did was speak to the family members. When we planned to assist them to, it always had become the complete opposite. They'd Jim and Clare's bravery and perseverance which kept us heading. As soon as the writers had been liberated and delivered home, they were just conference me for the very first time, having said that i was feeling like I'd well-known them for a long time.

""He tended to address other gentlemen as 'brother' within a few moments of interacting with them""

Annually later on, Jim vanished close to Aleppo when reporting on Syria's civil conflict, suspected kidnapped by individuals even more monstrous than Moammar Qaddafi's regimen. On Tuesday, after more than a year of silence, the jihadist group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) published a relevant video of his death, and also the death of his family's hope that Jim would ever go back home.

The conditions of Jim's final times are unspeakable. But not to consider them might be a injustice for the truth-telling objective which he so frequently risked, and consequently provided, his existence for. An ISIS jihadist which has a Uk accent, wearing an all-black costume and his face protected, appears above Jim in some dusty, barren place from the Middle East. Jim, wearing orange and putting on a lapel mic, is pushed to kneel and repeat an argument contacting People in the USA to "go up against my real killer, the federal government." After that last humiliation, he's beheaded.

My personal relationships with Jim after he came home from Libya had been scarce, but sufficient to glimpse the unfailing generosity and warmth that produced him so much loved between his good friends. Jim's hope was something all of us decided never to talk about in public while he was held in Syria, but it really was the wellspring of his generosity. He'd been free of his personal traumatic captivity in Libya for just a few nights while he took it upon himself to assist organize a commemorative fund for Anton Hammerl, a South African professional photographer who was simply murdered in Libya several feet from Jim and Clare on the time they were kidnapped, and who'd left a wife and kid behind. I helped Jim with this particular, even though I now wish I'd completed a lot more, and I assisted him get his items out of Libya. We traded several email messages, generally about Anton's loved ones.

Primarily I understood Jim through Clare, who talked and submitted at excellent length about how exactly his kindness and unfading character had gotten her via their period in Libyan captivity, which has been frequently unsure.

"When we had been arrested in Tripoli, Jim instantly switched his efforts to maintaining our energy and desire," she had written in May 2013 inside publication Syria Seriously. "We contributed a mobile for two and a half weeks, and every day time he developed databases for all of us to communicate via. Top Ten films. Preferred publications." When he permitted himself to get worried, it had been about his family members. "What grieved Jim most about detention was the fear he suspected he was causing his loved ones."

There will be many efforts in the coming days to derive meaning from Jim's death. Some will say ISIS had him killed to punish the US for its recent air strikes against them in Iraq, some will say it was to egg the Americans on, and others will attribute it to simple madness.

I would rather derive meaning from Jim's life. As a journalist, I want to celebrate his dedication to truth and understanding. But that would sell him short. It is clear even just by secondhand accounts from the family that would do anything to help him, even when he insisted on returning to a war zone, and from the friends who were so enriched by knowing him, that Jim's value was so much more.

Via: Vox

Louisville Purge

Teen prankster started 'Louisville Purge' hoax: police 

The unnamed teenager thought it would be funny to circulate rumors of a 12-hour crime spree, but as 80,000 people tuned into an online police scanner, nothing happened — not even the alleged giraffe running loose in the Kentucky city.

'The Purge: Anarchy' is a film in which emergency services are suspended for 12 hours each year to rid the nation of violent crime. 

Despite claims on social media, the “Louisville Purge” scheduled for Friday was a hoax.

The rumor stemmed from a teen prankster who thought it would be funny to tweet about Kentucky authorities allowing crime to run rampant for one night only, according to a Courier Journal report.

A poster that circulated Instagram, Twitter and Facebook in the past week said the alleged Louisville Purge would start at 8 p.m. on Friday and continue until 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

The hoaxed produced nary a violent crime, but Louisville Metro Police had a word with the teen who started the whole debacle anyway.

The teen’s wannabe purge was inspired by a film titled “The Purge,” where in its fictional world ruled by a totalitarian government, emergency services were suspended for 12 hours each year to rid the nation of violent crime.

“We’re going to take any threat that we receive seriously, particularly one that encourages and incites violence against our community,” police spokesman Phil Russell told WAVE-TV.

The teen has since apologized for his prank, and said he understands his actions stirred up some panic in his beloved hometown.

“I didn’t think it would really get that serious,” the unnamed student told the Louisville TV station. “It was wrong for me to do that.”

He started the rumors by tweeting "Whos trying get a Louisville Purge started with me?" on Aug. 10 at 8:30 p.m.,according to duPont Manual High School's newspaper.

The teen has not been identified because he will not be charged with a crime, but his hoax turned into a legitimate concern for local schools and authorities.

There was one football scrimmage rescheduled for Saturday morning because of the threats circulating on Twitter, and extra police patrols were ordered in the metro area and neighboring communities, according to Journal and WAVE-TV reports.

As 80,000 people tuned into an online police scanner, several fake reports of a giraffe being freed from the Louisville Zoo made the rounds on Twitter.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO: Police say Michael Brown was suspect in Ferguson store robbery

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) - A suburban St. Louis police chief on Friday identified the officer whose fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager ignited days of heated protests, and released documents alleging the teen was killed after a robbery in which he was suspected of stealing a $48.99 box of cigars.

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson released several police reports and documents during a news conference where he also identified the officer involved as Darren Wilson, who has been on administrative leave since he shot 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9.

Brown and his friend, Dorian Johnson, were suspected of taking a box of cigars from a convenience store in Ferguson that morning, according to police reports. Jackson said Wilson went to the area after a 911 call reporting a "strong-arm" robbery just before noon. He said a dispatcher gave a description of the robbery suspect, and Wilson, who had been assisting on another call, was sent to investigate.

Wilson, a six-year veteran of the police department, encountered Brown just after 12:01 p.m., with a second officer arriving three minutes later, Jackson said. Police later said Wilson did not know Brown was a robbery suspect.

Via:NYdailyNews

Robin Williams dead

Robin Williams dead; family, friends and fans are 'totally devastated'

(CNN) -- Robin Williams -- who first made America laugh and eventually touched "every element of the human spirit" in a remarkable range of performances -- died at his Northern California home Monday, law enforcement officials said.

Williams apparently took his own life, law enforcement officials said. He was 63.

"He has been battling severe depression of late," his media representative Mara Buxbaum told CNN. "This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time."

Coroner investigators suspect "the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia," according to a statement from the Marin County, California, Sheriff's Office.

Williams married graphic designer Susan Schneider in Napa Valley, California, ceremony in October 2011. Schneider sent a written statement to CNN through the representative.

"This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken.

"On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions."

Word of Williams' death stunned the entertainment community and beyond Monday.

President Barack Obama's statement sent from the White House summed it up:

"Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between.  But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien -- but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.  He made us laugh.  He made us cry.  He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most -- from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets."

Comedian Steve Martin tweeted, "I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul."

Former CNN host Larry King said he would remember Williams as "a genuine caring guy.  Not just a funny man, but a guy who cared about people."

Marin County deputies responded to an emergency call from Williams' home in unincorporated Tiburon, California, at 11:55 a.m., reporting "a male adult had been located unconscious and not breathing," the release from the sheriff said.

Williams was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m., it said.

Williams was last seen alive at his home, where he lives with his wife, at about 10 p.m. Sunday, the sheriff's statement said.

"An investigation into the cause, manner and circumstances of the death is currently underway by the Investigations and Coroner Divisions of the Sheriff's Office," the sheriff's statement said.

"Coroner Division suspects the death to be a suicide due to asphyxia, but a comprehensive investigation must be completed before a final determination is made."

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, the sheriff said.

Williams made at least two trips to rehab for drug treatment, including a visit this summer, and he underwent heart surgery in 2009.

Williams, born in Chicago on July 21, 1951, studied theater at Juilliard School before taking his stand up act to nightclubs. He was cast as Mork, an alien visitor to Earth, for a 1974 episode of television's "Happy Days."

"Happy Days" star Henry Winkler said it was "unimaginable that this is the reality today, that this incredible human being, incredible, delicate, funny, dramatic human being is gone."

Winkler said he "realized I was in the presence of greatness" at Williams' first rehearsal as Mork.

"I just realized my only job is to keep a straight face," said Winkler, who played "The Fonz." "And it was impossible. Because no matter what you said to him, no matter what line you gave to him, he took it in, processed it, and then it flew out of his mouth, never the same way twice. And it was incredibly funny every time."

The role led to the spin-off show "Mork & Mindy," which showcased Williams' usual comic improvisation talents.

He proved his dramatic acting skills in "Good Will Hunting," a 1997 film that earned him a best supporting actor Oscar.

His memorable movies over the past three decades includes "Good Morning, Vietnam," "Dead Poets Society," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Birdcage." The list is much longer.

Williams credited the influence of Jonathan Winters' comic irreverence and quirky characters as a great influence on his comedy. The connection between the two was completed when Winters was cast as Williams' son on "Mork & Mindy."

When Winters died in 2013, Williams said he was "my idol, then he was my mentor and amazing friend." He tweeted that Winters was his "Comedy Buddha."

"Mork & Mindy" co-star Pam Dawber simply said "I am completely and totally devastated. What more can be said?"

WIlliams and Dawber reunited on TV earlier this year on an episode of the CBS comedy "The Crazy Ones." 

Williams' fans can look forward to four more movie appearances coming to theaters, including another installment in the "Night at the Museum" franchise.

The film, set for a December release, has Williams reprising the Teddy Roosevelt role he delivered in the first two comedies.

Via:CNN

Submarine shark

Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentary

Shark Week has done it again with their Shark of Darkness nonsense.  This show goes after everyone, from the whale watching industry, to shark cage diving, to South Africa as a country, and literally broke my heart to watch.

 

The fake-u-mentary is supposedly based in Hout Bay, but continually shows a map of Dyer Island and Geyser Rock and refers to Shark Alley that are all in Gansbaai, ~100km to the east.  So why would they say Hout Bay?  If you google “boat capsized in Hout Bay”, you will find that there was a boat which capsized outside of Hout Bay in 2012, killing 2 passengers onboard.  This boat was capsized by heavy swell in the middle of the day and had nothing to do with a shark, let alone a mythical one.  So I can only assume that Discovery Channel chose to include this very real tragedy in order to somehow legitimize their fake-u-mentary.  This is horribly insensitive.

 

The shark Submarine is an urban legend from the 1970’s about a large white shark in False Bay, started by journalists who wanted to see how easy it would be to fool the average newspaper reader.  The Submarine shark then was reportedly “sighted” for years to come and the legend grew longer as the years went on.  Everyone who has worked on white sharks has seen their version of the Submarine, but it does not actually exist.  Think Loch Ness.

I am a Zoologist specialized in behaviour, and have just completed my M.Sc. from the University of Cape Town studying the anti-predator tactics of Cape fur seals in Shark Alley, Geyser Rock, South Africa.  Not once did I meet the researchers Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine features, because they do not exist.  They are actors.  However, Discovery Channel has done a bit of googling and came upon our real great white shark wound healing research.

Prop is a real great white shark that was wounded by a direct hit from a boat’s propeller in Gansbaai, South Africa.  This shark’s injuries were first identified by the Dyer Island Conservation Trust.  Prop’s remarkable 9-month recovery was documented (video) and the results were published in Global Perspective on the Biology and Life History of the White Shark.  Prop has nothing to do with Submarine – neither the real legend or the made up story Discovery Channel produced.  None of the researchers who published Prop’s recovery were contacted by Discovery Channel.  Again, by including this real bit of information, Discovery is trying to legitimize their fake-u-mentary.

Shark of Darkness serves as yet another unsurprising disappointment.  There is so much real shark science occurring that could be featured, why make something up?

Via:southernfriedscience

Hallucinating moments of wildlife in Nature

These amazing photos show animals in a way that you've never seen them before. Each image serves as a reminder that we share the planet with some truly awe-inspiring creatures. 

Via:News.distractify.com