History, Security

The Syndicate

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PBS has a brief but robust description of the history of The Syndicate in America. The story is mainly in regard to the establishment of Las Vegas casinos but it also touches on its role in influencing and working with law enforcement and intelligence agencies:

The Office of Strategic Services (later, the CIA) in fact employed the Syndicate in some covert operations. During World War II, the Syndicate helped with the invasion of Sicily and in protecting the Eastern waterfront against German sabotage. Some of the Syndicate’s major drug traffickers were used as informants and assassins in the Cold War. As one White House official described the government’s relationship with Lansky, “The government turned to him because hiring thugs was what government and business had been doing for a long time to control workers, and because it could conceive little other choice in the system at hand.”

Food, Security

Woman dies after winning water drinking contest

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A Sacramento TV station reports that a woman has died after a radio station (KDND 107.9) held a contest to see who could drink the most water without relieving themselves. The winner was supposed to get a Nintendo Wii ($249 MSRP).

Sadly, the woman who won the contest left and then called in sick to work after telling them “her head was hurting her real bad”. Only a few hours later she was found dead from water intoxication.

The radio station apparently had provided a warning, which was described by another contestant as “if you don’t feel like you can do this, don’t put your health at risk”. The TV station report also mentions a waiver of liability. It does not sound like anyone was given any serious health consultation or recommendation about balance of electrolytes to ensure they were making an informed decision. It’s also not clear if anyone at the station themselves understood the dangers of hyper-hydration.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tim Curran confirmed Strange’s death Friday, but said there were no immediate grounds to begin an investigation.

According to contest participants, 17 to 20 contestants took part in the competition in a room at KDND’s Madison Avenue studios. The contest broadcast during The End’s Morning Rave program began around 6:15 a.m. as contestants were each handed eight-ounce bottles of water to drink every 15 minutes.

Fellow contestant James Ybarra of Woodland said he met Strange at the event and had no idea of the potential danger of water poisoning.

[…]

Ybarra said before the contest, he did not read a liability waiver form handed to him by station personnel before signing it. Ybarra said he was surprised by the physical toll he felt after the contest.

“I was kind of out of it yesterday. I was just drained. I was just going to the bathroom,” Ybarra said. “I wasn’t feeling well and I actually fell asleep. I woke up with a headache (Saturday) morning and then took a couple of aspirins.”

How is someone supposed to know if they are at a proper hydration level? It seems a popular recommendation is to look at the level of color in your urine, the exact measure of health that was forbidden in the contest.

Perhaps this will be filed under psychiatric conditions that lead to death? It certainly does not fit the other “at risk” categories listed by Wikipedia (Infants, Runners, Overexertion and heat stress, Unusual water losses in disease, Iatrogenic water intoxication).

And if you think this is bad, I hear the radio station’s next hot contest will be “Self-Immolation for a Playstation”…

Security

2007 Serbian Parliamentary Election

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Wikipedia has some fun facts to read about the upcoming parliamentary election in Serbia. What it does not mention is whether electronic voting machines will be used for the nearly 7 million eligible voters and, if so, how the machines will be certified. Unfortunately, IFES Election Guide does not help either. Thought it might be interesting to know if the various groups could agree on a electronic voting system, or if they chose not to use one.

History, Security

Comoros volcano tremors

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Reuters reports that the island of Grand Comore is in danger of volcanic activity:

In the capital Moroni, thousands slept outside overnight and national radio broadcast appeals for calm and readings from the Koran across the mainly Muslim island.

“When I felt the tremor, I woke my wife and we stayed in the garden,” said resident Abderemane Koudre. “We thought the house was going to collapse. It was frightening.”

In 1903, 17 died from noxious fumes that seeped from cracks, and the last big eruption was in April 2005 when thousands fled in fear of poisonous gas and lava.

Poisonous cracks of noxious fumes? Strange not to hear discussion of masks or filters for every family, since that’s always the talk when WMDs are involved. The article mentions running away, but is that really an option for remote and small islands with few roads?

Photo by me…near Itsandra

grand-comore_looking-sw

Speaking of alerts, the AlertNet adds a much more urgent and realistic tone to news about Mount Karthala, one of the world’s largest active volcanoes:

“My neighbour woke me at two o’clock in the morning and we saw the red glimmer in the sky,” said resident Halima Ahamada.

“A strong smell of burning earth took us by the throats.”

Colonel Ismael Daho, head of the emergency management team for the archipelago, said Grande Comore had been put on red alert.

“We have put all military and interior security forces on alert, in case the population is evacuated,” he said.

In May, the volcano frightened thousands of residents when it bubbled lava and lit up the night sky, but later stabilised.