pileofcrapola

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WASHINGTON — An owl in Montgomery County, Maryland, has been picking on runners along the Capital Crescent Trail recently.

Now, the owl is taking his attacks online.

Someone has created a Twitter account for the raptor, with a profile that reads, “I eat mice and regurgitate pellets. In between, I protect my turf from joggers.”

Because people are running through my home. As humans, surely you can understand this response. https://t.co/oa2kctJdXu

— MoCo Owl (@moco_owl) October 14, 2015

Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry. https://t.co/wCXGBjmOhQ

— MoCo Owl (@moco_owl) October 14, 2015

A Montgomery Parks spokeswoman says three people have been attacked.

The D.C. area has also been home to other Twitter critters, including @CapitolHillFox, @NIH_Bear and the late @SnowyOwlDC.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — PETA has done a lot with a little sex, shock and shame.

One of the longest-running and sexiest stunts you will see in online ads around the world is a group of naked women who choose to wear nothing rather than wear fur, said Ingrid Newkirk, president and co-founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

For shame, there are photos, group posts and videos, like one of an angora rabbit screaming as its fur is yanked out one tuft at a time.

For shock value, two of the hundreds of petitions and lawsuits PETA has filed over the years stand out. One in 1982 sought to make PETA the guardian of all animals used in research experiments; and another in 2011 asked a federal court to declare five SeaWorld orcas to be considered slaves in violation of the 13th Amendment.

PETA did not win the guardian case, and whales were not declared slaves. But the Norfolk, Virginia-based non-profit is still using attention-getting tactics to fight for animal welfare as it marks its 35th year. It now has 3 million members and supporters, including celebrities ranging from Paul McCartney to Bill Maher. Its fundraising brought in nearly $52 million in 2014.

“Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, use for entertainment or abuse in any other way,” is the organization’s credo. And while its push for animal rights has coincided with larger trends, like the popularity of vegan diets, it’s also led to real achievements, like an end to using live animals in car crash tests following a PETA campaign.

But wacky stunts and some questionable dealings complicate PETA’s standing in the animal rights world. The group sometimes clashes with researchers and other organizations.

“By campaigning against animal research, PETA presents a threat to the development of human and veterinary medicine. Only days ago we saw the Nobel Prize awarded to Tu Youyou, whose work in monkeys and mice paved the way for the use of artemisinin to protect against malaria, saving over 100,000 lives every year,” said Tom Holder, director of Speaking of Research, an international British-based advocacy group.

“If PETA had got their way 30 years ago, we would not have vaccines for HPV, hepatitis B or meningitis, nor would we have treatments for leprosy, modern asthma treatments and life support for premature babies,” Holder said.

Newkirk was in charge of a Washington, D.C., animal shelter in 1980 when she co-founded PETA to publicize what was going on in slaughterhouses, factory fur farms and laboratories. One of PETA’s first targets was the Ringling Bros. circus. After PETA acquired images of baby elephants being yanked from their mothers and trainers using whips and bull hooks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture fined Ringling Bros. $270,000 for violating the Animal Welfare Act.

Thousands of PETA demonstrations later, the circus pledged this year to stop using elephants by 2018.

Former “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson, who’s been working with PETA for 20 years, says she thinks PETA’s methods are “brilliant,” especially the out-of-the-box campaigns. “Humor can bring attention to something that is difficult to listen to,” she said.

One thing PETA’s been criticized for is the euthanasia of animals at its lone shelter in Norfolk. PETA’s 2014 annual report showed the shelter placed 162 cats and dogs, but euthanized 2,454. Newkirk notes that 500 of those animals were brought in by owners who wanted to relieve their pets’ suffering from old age, illness or injury. Many of the other animals euthanized were feral, aggressive or otherwise unadoptable, and had been rejected by no-kill shelters.

“Animals don’t evaporate if you refuse them admission to your shelter, which is the new game in town,” Newkirk said. When shelters refuse to accept animals, pet owners “let the old dog die slowly on the rug or throw it in the woods.”

PETA does not charge for euthanizing animals, and the shelter also spayed or neutered 10,950 animals for free or at low cost; provided free medical care for 1,500 pets; took 312 adoptable animals to shelters with more foot traffic, and helped 2,500 people work through behavior problems with their pets.

In addition to its big campaigns, PETA works with local groups. Projects with the San Diego Humane Society included the rescue of 83 rabbits from a backyard breeder. “We’ll do all we can to give animals a second chance,” said Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society.

Kathy Stevens, founder and executive director of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary in Saugerties, New York, says she doesn’t agree with all of PETA’s tactics. But, she adds, “I think they have been an important voice in our work for a more compassionate world.”

___

Online:

—www.peta.org

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This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Cali, a Golden Lab, who recently moved to Clarendon from Richmond. This little lady loves fall and jumping in leaves, and while she might be considered middle-aged, Cali still thinks she’s a puppy.

Here’s what one of Cali’s owners had to say:

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email arlingtonnews@gmail.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

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CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) — A West Virginia woman has pleaded guilty after running an illegal puppy mill operation at her Maryland home.

The Cumberland Times-News reports (http://bit.ly/1LM1en0 ) 42-year-old Pepper Taylor, of Ridgeley, West Virginia, pleaded guilty Tuesday to 10 animal cruelty charges. Taylor reached a plea agreement that included the dismissal of more than 140 animal cruelty charges.

Taylor’s home was raided by Allegany County Animal Control officials on July 16.

She was sentenced to 90 days in prison for each of the 10 counts, totaling about two-and-a-half years of jail time, which the judge suspended.

The judge ordered Taylor to make restitution to Animal Control and for service rendered by local veterinarians for the dogs. Taylor was also ordered to relinquish all rights of the 35 dogs rescued from her residence.

___

Information from: Cumberland (Md.) Times-News, http://www.times-news.com/timesnew.html

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BRUNSWICK, Md. (AP) — At least two students at a Maryland high school were asked to change out of clothes displaying the Confederate symbol.

School district spokesman Michael Doerrer says the students at Brunswick High School wore the Confederate symbol Tuesday. The Frederick News-Post reports (http://bit.ly/1LtPU34 ) Tuesday also marked USA Day. During the event, the school encourages students to wear patriotic colors in honor of Spirit Week.

Doerrer says the school doesn’t ban Confederate symbols, but administrators can ask a symbol to be removed on a case-by-case basis if it proves disruptive.

Brunswick High Principal Nancy Doll says administrators spoke with three students who “cooperatively and respectfully” changed their clothing.

Last month, about 20 students at Christiansburg High School in Virginia were sent home for refusing to shed their Confederate flag gear.

___

Information from: The Frederick (Md.) News-Post, http://www.fredericknewspost.com

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CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. (AP) — Donations have boosted a reward offered for information in the theft of one Chincoteague’s famed wild ponies.

The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company had offered a $1,000 reward in the case. The Daily Times (http://bit.ly/1NGsABA) of Salisbury, Maryland, reports that donations have increased the reward to $2,300.

Police say the pony, named Dreamer’s Faith, was stolen in September from the corral area at the Chincoteague carnival grounds.

The fire company owns and maintains the herd of wild ponies that lives on Assateague Island.

The pony had been bought in July during an annual auction that raises money for the fire company. After the auction, the pony was donated back to the fire company so it could eventually roam free with the other wild ponies.

___

Information from: The Daily Times of Salisbury, Md., http://www.delmarvanow.com/

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Madeleine Deason and Rose Creasman Welcome, Correspondents

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland has its fair share of haunts: A bloodthirsty goat-human hybrid, haunted Victorian ruins, and a remote hill where cars mysteriously roll uphill are among many legends native Marylanders have passed down over generations.

This Halloween, take a virtual (or actual, if you dare) tour of the spookiest spots in the state.

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WASHINGTON — When the sun goes down, it’s no more Mr. Nice Owl, says a Montgomery Parks spokeswoman.

Montgomery Parks is warning people about a barred owl that has been attacking runners on the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda.

A sign warns trail users about the bad-tempered bird: “CAUTION! An aggressive owl lives here,” it reads.

Three people have recently been attacked. The owl swoops down and strikes runners from behind.

“These owls are typically active at night; they’re territorial,” says Melissa Chotiner, of Montgomery Parks. Each of the incidents has happened after sunset.

“We want users to know the safety policy is for users to use the trail only between sunrise and sunset,” she says.

She suggests making noise as the owl approaches. Tucking ponytails inside hats may also prevent confusion with other animals, she says.

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The Chesapeake Dock Diving Dog Club makes a return appearance at Lake Anne Plaza this weekend.

The world champion dogs will be leaping and diving off the boat dock from 1 to 4 p.m.

The appearance is sponsored by PetMAC, a pet boutique and adoption center at 11412 Washington Plaza West.

PetMAC will also have adoptable dogs from New Love Rescue and Homeward Trails; “Ask the Trainer” with Kissable Canine; and representatives from a number of businesses, including The Hope Center and several natural pet food companies.

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There always has to be someone – or something – that tries to ruin everyone’s favorite spooky holiday: the thief who wiped out a preschoolers’ pumpkin patch, the wild boars that threatened to put a damper on trick-or-treating, and now a California man who allegedly set an aisle of Halloween costumes on fire at Walmart. 

A 40-year-old man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of arson after police claim he sprayed lighter fluid on a rack of Halloween costumes and set them on fire, prompting the evacuation of the store, KTVU-TV reports (warning: link has video that autoplays).

Police say surveillance footage of the incident shows a man taking a two-liter bottle of charcoal lighter fluid off a garden area shelf and walking around the store.

“Once he was in the store, they saw some sort of container inside a cart that was leaking liquid as he pushed it throughout the store,” San Leandro police Lt. Robert McManus said.

A short time after witnesses saw the man pushing the cart, a fire started in the Halloween area. A customer posted a video on Twitter showing candy and costumes on fire and smoke billowing down the aisle.

“A lot of families were in the store purchasing items for Halloween,” the man told NBC Bay Area (warning: link has video that autoplays). “That’s something that’s heartbreaking.”

Walmart security was able to apprehend the man before police arrived. No one was injured in the incident and authorities say they have yet to discover a motive.

“We are still reviewing surveillance video from the store, interviewing witnesses and evaluating evidence, hoping to piece this incident together,” Lt. McManus said Tuesday evening. “Although we don’t know how many customers and employees were in the store when the fire started, we do know that it was a very dangerous situation that placed others in danger.”

Fire at San Leandro Walmart prompts evacuation [KTVU-TV]
Halloween Costumes Set on Fire Inside San Leandro Walmart [NBC Bay Area]

McDonald’s has several methods for marketing directly to children and parents, including McTeacher’s Nights, where educators will volunteer to work for the night at a McD’s in exchange for a “percentage of sales from the event” being donated to the school. Today, groups and unions representing some 3 million American teachers are asking McDonald’s to put an end to the program.

In a letter [PDF] to McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook, dozens of national and local teachers’ organizations — along with school nurses and consumer advocates like Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood — describes McTeacher’s Nights as an “exploitative” and “harmful” practice that should be halted.

“It is wrong to enlist teachers to sell kids on a brand like McDonald’s whose core products are burgers, fries, and soda,” reads the letter. “We are in the midst of the largest preventable health crisis in the U.S.—one that is spreading throughout the world, and that increasingly affects children. If this trend is not reversed, many children will be burdened with diet-related diseases like obesity and Type 2 diabetes, affecting their heath for life.”

The groups accuse McDonald’s of undermining efforts by the World Health Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and others to curb the marketing of fast food to children.

McTeacher’s Nights, according to the letter, are “exploiting educators’ authority and popularity to lure kids to McDonald’s,” and “negate the good work of educators to create healthy food habits and environments in schools.”

“It is wholly inappropriate for McDonald’s to exploit cash-strapped schools to market its junk food brand, while miring its workers in poverty, effectively hollowing out the tax base for our schools,” said Jesse Sharkey, Vice President of the Chicago Teachers Union, in a statement. “In Chicago we face potentially devastating cuts to our schools, yet one of the world’s richest corporations operating in our backyard is exploiting this situation by eroding the school food environment and our students’ health in the long-run.”

While McTeacher’s Nights are touted as fundraisers, some argue that McDonald’s franchises get more out of it than the schools do.

In general, schools involved in these events get around 15-20% of proceeds from a McTeacher’s Night. That means supporters are spending a lot more on food than they are giving to the school. For example, customers at one Ohio McTeacher’s Night spent around $1,273, but only $191 of that ended up going to the school while the McDonald’s benefited from the advertising and marketing of associating itself with the fundraiser.

“Frankly, it’s disrespectful for a multi-billion dollar corporation such as McDonald’s to throw pennies at our schools while it uses our teachers to market its products,” said Melinda Dart, Vice President of the California Federation of Teachers and President of the Jefferson Elementary Federation of Teachers. “At a time when we are working hard to help our youth adopt healthy habits, this corporation and its junk food simply have no place in our schools.”

Loudoun County Animal Watch Washington Post These were among cases received by the Loudoun County Department of Animal Services. For information on the animal shelter's hours and location, adoption and licensing, rabies clinics and low-cost neutering, call 703-777-0406 in eastern Loudoun or ... and more »

It’s October 1989. Your family is spending a pleasant Saturday afternoon at Kmart, browsing for some late back-to-school clothes, or maybe some Halloween costumes. The shelves are full of clearance lunch boxes and plastic pumpkins, and you hear soft instrumental adult-contemporary music interspersed with Kmart promos over the store speakers. That music’s all piped in, though, isn’t it? No recordings of it could possibly exist.

They do. A former Kmart employee writes the music and ads came on a cassette tape from corporate weekly or monthly until around 1993. When new tapes arrived, he would save them from the trash and stash them at home for the day in the future when someone would need them.

It’s still not clear whether anyone needs them, but the tapes have been digitized, providing listeners with a better trip back to the late ’80s and early ’90s than that time capsule house in Buffalo. Thank you, Internet Archive, for dragging the sounds of my childhood back from my subconscious.

Confusingly, about fifteen minutes in, the October tape has “You Make Me Feel Like Christmas” by Neil Diamond, which I was always under the impression was supposed to be a Christmas song.

Zip about 28 minutes into the July 1990 to hear Jim Croce fading into an ad for film processing at Kmart, starring photo center mascot Dusty Lenscap.

It’s not really retail music purgatory until the Christmas music comes out, though.

If nothing else, these tapes will probably give you a new appreciation for or loathing of the music system in the next store that you visit.

Attention K-Mart Shoppers [Internet Archive] (via BoingBoing)

ASHBURN, Va. — Thrill-seekers looking for an alternative to leaping from an airplane will soon be able to fly in a more controlled environment.

By February 2016, customers of the iFly Indoor Skydiving center will take flight in its 45-foot tall, glass-encased cylindrical wind tunnel in Loudoun County.

“It’s wall-to-wall air flow,” says Patrick Framel, vice president of development. “You can fly to the left, you can fly to the right, you can fly up near the top — you will not fall off that column of air.”

The three-story building is several weeks into construction, and will eventually be outfitted with four huge fans in its ceiling, which will keep fliers airborne.

“It’s exactly like a free-flowing sky dive,” says Framel. “I’ve done 500 sky-dives from an airplane — if you close your eyes inside that chamber you can’t tell the difference.”

The facility is being built along Virginia Route 7 adjacent to the new Top Golf, less than a mile from the One Loudoun development. County government and business leaders were on hand Tuesday morning for an official groundbreaking.

In an area stocked with offices parks, “what you didn’t have was real entertainment, unique entertainment, that would draw you to Loudoun – not something you could get in Anywhere, USA,” says Taylor Chess, president of development for Peterson Companies.

The company and its affiliates operate at 37 locations with 13 more currently under construction.

Framel says fliers have ranged in age between 3 and 103. All will have an instructor present until they demonstrate mastery of skills needed for safe flying.

Most initially learn to fly on their torsos, says Framel.

“The first thing you learn from your flight instructor is stability,” he says. “You learn the body position before you get in the chamber, and you’ll learn to fly in a stable position.”

“Next you’ll learn to fly forward and backward by moving your arms and legs and to spin around.”

After displaying proficiency, customers can fly with their friends in the chamber, he says.

Chess expects the project will continue Loudoun County’s attempt to offer more than expanding residential communities.

“What it needs is more entertainment and other reasons to stay here in Loudoun, as opposed to feeling you need to go into D.C. or Tysons,” he says.

The price for a first-time flyer package is expected to start around $69 and includes two flights, training, gear and flight instruction with a certified instructor. Family and group/special event packages will also be available.

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Tens of thousands of dead fish have washed up on Virginia’s Eastern Shore after a net recently tore during menhaden harvesting.

Media outlets report that Omega Protein alerted the Virginia Marine Resources Commission of the tear on Oct. 7. The fish began washing ashore over the weekend. The company estimates it lost about 75,000 fish.

Commission spokeswoman Laurie Naismith says Omega mobilized a cleanup crew, which worked to clean up the dead fish at the company’s cost.

Despite cleanup efforts, thousands of menhaden carcasses lined the beach Monday at Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve in Northampton County. There were also reports of dead fish littering the beach at Cape Charles over the weekend.

Omega did not immediately respond to the Daily Times of Salisbury’s request for comment on the cleanup.

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WASHINGTON — An incident involving a profanity-laced tirade on the side of the road in Sterling, Virginia, has gone viral, being viewed more than 100,000 times online.

The driver of a Jeep is caught on camera shouting expletives at a teenager Thursday afternoon.

“Shut your (expletive) mouth!” the man yells, claiming the teen walked in front of him and nearly caused a crash.

A passing motorcyclist, Michael Crawford, caught the exchange on a helmet-mounted camera. He steps in and tries to calm the man down.

“I figured maybe I should go over and let him know he’s being recorded and that there’s another adult present and hopefully de-escalate the situation,” Crawford explained to WUSA9.

But Crawford only seems to make the situation worse, as the man threatens to press charges against him for harassment.

WUSA9 reports the Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and took everyone’s information down.

Nobody was arrested.

Warning: Graphic language

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COLUMBIA, Md. (AP) — Howard County Police have identified the officer who shot and killed a man who threatened him with a knife.

The department said in a news release Monday that Officer First Class Luke Buchanan shot 19-year-old Gary Carmona Boitano of Hyattsville.

Boitano was shot Friday after officers were called to a home in Columbia, about 22 miles southwest of Baltimore. A caller reported that a man with a knife was inside the home and threatening to kill him.

Police say officers who responded found Boitano in the driveway with a knife. Police say an officer was “forced to fire” at Boitano after he refused to drop the knife.

Buchanan, an 8-year veteran of the department, remains on leave as the shooting is investigated.

The post Police identify officer who shot knife-wielding man appeared first on WTOP.

A man reportedly set himself on fire at the Sunoco at 640 Elden St. in Herndon on Monday afternoon.

WJLA-TV reports the man, age 50, bought 56 cents worth of gas and then set himself on fire at the gas station near Kohl’s department store. More than a dozen witnesses tried to put the fire out, another witness said.

He was airlifted to Medstar Washington Hospital Center. He had burns on 80 percent of his body and was pronounced dead at the hospital, reports WJLA.

The man has not been identified.

Man sets himself on fire outside Herndon gas station. http://t.co/tI0zJa2c4X http://t.co/mox81kaYBW

— Van Applegate (@VBagate) October 12, 2015

Witnesses like Adil Ahniche were horrified by the scene this afternoon at a #Herndon Sunoco @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/Wzlw0C3q0V — Van Applegate (@VBagate) October 12, 2015

Items at the scene, including the water bottles used by bystanders attempting to put the flames out, and the gas can. pic.twitter.com/HhV8CemzKA

— Van Applegate (@VBagate) October 12, 2015

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Editor’s Note: The Local Woof is a column that’s sponsored and written by the staff of Woofs! Dog Training Center. Woofs! has full-service dog training, boarding, and daycare facilities, near Shirlington and Ballston.

Do you “practice at your performance?”

I’ve been talking to a lot of clients about practice lately. People hate practice. Do you remember being forced to practice the piano? What about sports drills? It seems to be in our nature to want to get better at something but to hate the process required to get there. Dog training is the same way. We want our dog to be well behaved but we find it challenging to put in the time it takes to make that happen.

One of the biggest mistakes people make in training their dogs is that they try to practice in the exact environment where they are having trouble. I call this “practicing at your performance.” Have you ever had to give a speech, or a recital? How many hours did you spend practicing in a quiet room by your self? What about in front of a friendly audience in you living room? Do you decide to run a marathon and wake up one day and run 26 miles? I doubt it. Accomplishing these goals can take hours, weeks and months of practice before you ever take the stage.

The same applies to training your dog. Say for example your dog is out of control when you encounter another dog while walking on leash. Your dog barks and lunges and you generally have to drag him off in another direction. You would like to replace this behavior with a dog who can sit quietly while another dog passes within 10 feet.

This is a reasonable goal, but you cannot start by practicing this behavior while out walking your dog. Asking your dog to perform a behavior they have not had sufficient practice on is unfair and often results in the handler being disappointed or even angry when the dog cannot deliver up an expert performance. You will need to start by making sure your dog can sit quietly with a dog 25 ft away, then 15 ft away then 10 ft away. This could take weeks or months of practice before you ever attempt it out on a walk.

But practice doesn’t have to be a chore. Keep in mind that it will take time, but the more practice sessions you do, the faster you will achieve your goal. Here are some tips to help you achieve your training goals!

#1: It doesn’t have to be a process. One of the biggest hurdles to practicing is getting started. We tend to think we need to spend a lot of time getting organized, cutting up treats, clearing a space, etc. The truth is you can sneak in a little practice at any time. Have some leftovers? Practice a few behaviors before feeding them to the dog. Time to eat? Ask your dog to do some tricks before putting down the bowl. Better yet, get them to work for their meals.

#2: Have treats everywhere. Purchase some attractive containers and place them strategically around the house. Remote treats should be non-perishable, not too stinky, but still something your dog is willing to work for. Freeze dried treats are a really good option in this case. This allows you to reward good behavior any time you see it.

#3: Reward for everyday activities. All out practice sessions are great, but training that is integrated into your daily life is the most effective. Need your dog to sit when he sees another dog on a walk? Start training sits all over your house. Before going out, before coming in, before going up stairs, before getting out of the crate. The more automatic the behavior becomes, the easier it will be to use out in the real world.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The post Local Woof: (The Right Kind Of) Practice Makes Perfect appeared first on WTOP.

Child Dies in Dirt Bike Wreck in Manassas Patch.com 11-year-old victim lost control and struck a tree, according to Prince William County Police. Manassas, VA. By Greg Hambrick (Patch Staff) October 12, 2015. ShareTweetGoogle PlusRedditEmailComments0. Child Dies in Dirt Bike Wreck in Manassas. and more »

Late last year, an outbreak of Listeriosis traced to caramel apples killed seven people and caused one miscarriage, and hospitalized dozens of people. These treats are most popular during the fall, which is Halloween season and apple-harvesting season, which is why consumers might be understandably worried that it could happen again this year. Microbiologists have found one possible cause of the contamination: sticks.

Normally, you eat a caramel apple impaled on a stick. In this outbreak, it was clearly the apples that brought Listeria to the party, and not the caramel or the sticks, but researchers at the University of Wisconsin discovered that apples with sticks that are stored without refrigeration are the most likely to spread Listeria.

The Washington Post explains that the researchers speculate that piercing an apple with a stick causes juices from the inside of the contaminated fruit to pour to the outside. If the apple is immediately dipped in caramel or chocolate, there’s a nice space between along the apple skin for the bacteria to multiply. Since cold temperatures slow the growth of Listeria, the researchers found less of the bacteria on refrigerated apples.

They deliberately contaminated the apples to see how different preparation and storage methods would affect the bacterial contamination, so keep that in mind: if your own apples are thoroughly washed, you don’t have much to worry about. Keep these issues in mind when you or a family member are tempted by a commercially prepared caramel apple, though.

Unrefrigerated caramel apples may pose deadly listeria risk, study suggests [Washington Post]

Dollar Tree pumped up its namesake portfolio earlier this year when it completed the $9.2 billion takeover of rival retailer Family Dollar, converting many of those stores into Dollar Trees. Now the discount chain will be bestowing its name on more than 200 smaller Deals (or Deal$) branded stores.

Virginia-based Dollar Tree announced Tuesday that it will convert 217 Deals stores – which sells products for more than $1 – into Dollar Trees and five others into Family Dollar stores by mid-2016.

The company bought 138 Deals locations back in 2006 and grew the chain to include 222 stores in 19 states, the Charlotte Observer reports.

Bob Sasser, Dollar Tree CEO, said in a statement that the company believes that converting the Deals stores will allow the company to operate more efficiently.

“For nearly a decade, our committed team of Deals associates has done a great job of consistently providing customers with terrific values,” he said. “We are confident that we can better serve our Deals customers and markets through one of our primary banners.”

As for the company’s recent acquisition of more than 8,200 Family Dollar stores, Sasser says work has been moving quickly. The retailer is on track to convert at least 150 of the new Family Dollar stores into Dollar Trees by the end of October.

[via The Charlotte Observer]

The 12 countries participating in the Trans-Pacific Partnership finally came to an agreement on the more-or-less final draft on October 6. Each member nation soon gets to kick off its own ratifying process, but until that formally begins, the entire text is still a closely-held secret.

Or at least, most of the text is. One chapter, however, has leaked, and it has consumer and tech advocates seriously worried. Here’s what we know.

What got leaked?
WikiLeaks has posted a full, apparently near-final version of the as-yet unnumbered chapter on intellectual property rights. The date on the text is October 5; since the participating nations announced they had reached an accord on October 6, it seems likely to be the final draft in all important respects. (Placeholders remain for the sort of non-content pieces, like chapter number and article headings.) The full text of the single chapter (PDF) is about 60 pages long.

What areas does the IP chapter cover?
The text deals with all issues of intellectual property, including patents, copyright, and trademarks. That sounds broad because it is: those issues cover everything from online file-sharing to drug patents.

Among the specific subsections are articles specifically regarding:

• Domain name cybersquatting
• What categories of invention a nation may determine cannot be patented
• Rules boosting exclusivity for “agricultural chemical products”
• Protection for pharmaceutical product patents
• Protection for industrial designs
• Guarantees for protection of copyright, including rights of reproduction, broadcast, and distribution
• Extension of all copyright terms to a minimum of 70 years + the life of the author
• DRM and rights protection (“technological protection measures”)

Which parts are raising the most hackles?
Concerns specifically based on the IP chapter generally circle around three areas: pharmaceutical patents, copyrights, and DRM.

Okay, what’s the deal with the drug patents?
Opposition to the TPP sections on pharmaceuticals comes down to concerns over cost and availability. Provisions in the treaty would extend the IP rights for certain drugs and delay the development and approval of generics.

Brand-name medicine is way more expensive than the generic stuff; anyone who’s picked up a bottle of store-brand ibuprofen instead of name-brand Advil or Motrin knows that much. When you get to prescription drugs, the difference gets even more stark, and can in some cases run into thousands of dollars… per dose.

So, consumers (and their health insurance companies) like generics, because they do the same thing, with less of a punch to the wallet. But of course the premium pharmaceutical companies don’t like generics, because then they do not get to print money. So they do anything they can to interfere with that process. Including lobbying hard to have their interests protected in international trade agreements.

Politico, analyzing an earlier leaked version of the draft back in May, explained that the suggested changes would significantly delay the time it would take for new generics to come to market — and the changes, and the way they apply to all participating nations, would mean that some nations might not get certain generics at all.

The end result, across the board, would likely be significant increases in (already-high) drug prices, especially facing the poorest consumers who can least afford it.

And what’s the deal with copyright and DRM?
The frustrations over the copyright provisions come down to three major areas: extension, enforcement, and privacy.

Copyright extensions in the U.S. over the past 20 years have already made it so no works can enter the public domain until at least 2019, and the TPP is set to expand and solidify that in all member nations, which would be required to agree to copyright terms of at least life of the author plus 70 years.

So let’s say you were born in 1980 and publish your first book in 2015, at age 35. The crystal ball says you will be fortunate and live to a ripe old age of 90 before passing away peacefully in 2070. The rights-holder of your book at that future time — your estate, heirs, or publisher — would then continue to hold the exclusive copyright on that book you published this year until at least 2140, if not longer. That’s been the law in the U.S. since 1998, but would now apply to all 12 nations.

In addition to expanding the pool of what stays under copyright and for how long, the enforcement mechanisms for investigating and punishing those copyright infringements have created strong concern. The TPP requires participating nations to determine and implement some kind of legal framework for catching infringers, which means getting customer data from ISPs.

As BoingBoing explains it, any country prosecuting someone for “intellectual property theft” can demand that other countries turn over a huge amount of otherwise private data: “information regarding any person involved in any aspect of the infringement or alleged infringement, and regarding the means of production or the channels of distribution of the infringing or allegedly infringing goods or services, including the identification of third persons alleged to be involved in the production and distribution of such goods or services and of their channels of distribution.”

ZDNet has a thorough breakdown of all the relevant passages on enforcement. The TL;DR version? In all participating nations, anyone found to have infringed copyright will have to pay civil damages… and the TPP grants courts in all those countries the rights to consider basically everything and set the bar sky-high in determining those penalties.

Those penalties apply to any act that involves circumventing DRM on a product, too — even if you don’t distribute the product in violation of copyright, the EFF explains.

BoingBoing also notes one particular clause of concern when it comes to whistleblowers: “Under the terms of the text, countries in the TPP can force each other to suspend legal proceedings if the trial would cause embarrassing information — information ‘detrimental to a party’s economic interests, international relations, or national defense or national security’ — would come to light. That would be the Wikileaks/Snowden clause.”

This is a leaked draft though, right? Not final? So can it change?
Small details — still subject to the “legal scrub” — are still subject to change. But the negotiators who sit around the big table and hammer out all the meaningful clauses are done, so those parts are probably fixed.

Two previous leaks of earlier drafts of the IP chapter, from previous months and years, indicate that the current shape of the text appears to be in line with earlier versions.

Talk about low-hanging fruit… If you’re on the hunt for cars that have lapsed inspection stickers, where are you most likely to find them? Probably outside of garages that perform inspections. Garage operators in one Virginia county say they are being unfairly hassled by a zealous parking enforcement officer — to the point where one mechanic was arrested for allegedly assaulting the ticket-giver.

The Washington Post has the story of garage operators who work in a business park in Fairfax County, VA, not far from D.C., and who say that the county has been coming onto private property for years to issue citations for vehicles with lapsed inspections when those vehicles were there to be inspected.

On operator says his customers have been hit with around $60,000 in fines since 2009. Some of the garages choose to pay for the tickets themselves because they don’t want to lose the long-term business of the customers.

“I don’t want to give them a bill for repairs and add on $50 for a ticket,” explains one local businessman, who says he’s paid $2,200 in tickets in a single month. “You think they’ll come back?”

He explains that he now tries to do all inspection work first thing in the morning to lessen the chances of a car being ticketed, but since not every car passes the inspection or emissions test, it has to be put off to the side while it’s waiting for repair; thus putting it at risk for a ticket.

Things have gotten so bad, say the mechanics, that when they hear of a parking enforcement agent on the campus’s grounds there’s a scramble to hide all the past-inspection vehicles indoors. While that’s happening, no work is getting done on other cars.

When one operator snatched a ticket from the hand of an enforcement officer in 2014, he was eventually charged with felony assault of a police officer — even though the woman in this case is not a cop. A judge sentenced him to four days in jail, but on appeal a jury acquitted him of the charges.

So why are enforcement officers patrolling the lots and streets of a private business campus? The county says back in 2009, the park’s management firm granted county police permission to enforce local traffic, parking and towing ordinances.

“Why aren’t they barking up their property manager’s tree?” a county police rep asks the Post. “That is their business. Without that letter, we have no authority — none — to be in that parking lot.”

But the attorney for the mechanic charged with assault argues that just because the county can issue parking tickets in the business park doesn’t mean they have to ticket cars that aren’t illegally parked and are awaiting inspection.

“There’s no law against using common sense,” he contends.

Prince William County news in summary Washington Post A ground-breaking and dedication ceremony for the Ali Krieger Sports Complex will begin at 1 p.m. Monday at 17700 Dominican Dr., Dumfries. The complex is named for Krieger, a former member of the Prince William Sparklers youth soccer team, a graduate ... and more »

Inside NoVA

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Two men rob Express Food Mart in Manassas Inside NoVA Manassas police are searching for two men who assaulted and robbed an employee at the Express Food Mart at 9792 Center St., Thursday night. The robbers walked into the store after 9:30 p.m., assaulted the clerk and took cash from the register, police ...

Washington Post

One last look at Switzerland's $300 million view Washington Post In 1967, a fatal crash in Nicosia, Cyprus, led to the collapse of an airline company and financial distress for its major shareholder, a Swiss businessman whose father had amassed an important collection of 20th-century art. Peter Staechelin, son of ...

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — The Navy’s newest warplane is getting a test run off the coast of Virginia.

Friday’s sea trials on board the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower were the second phase of testing for the F-35C Lightning II.

The Navy’s first stealth fighter, which officials hope to have ready for operations by 2018, cost about $116 million each.

The fleet completed the first round of testing on board the USS Nimitz in November 2014. Testing onboard the Eisenhower is expected to last about another week.

Three variants of the F-35 jets have been developed, one each for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. The F-35C, the model designed for aircraft carriers, is assigned to a fighter squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

The F/A-18 Super Hornet was the last new aircraft introduced to the fleet more than a decade ago.

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland’s health care exchange, plagued by a website crash the day it opened in 2013, suffered from a host of problems — including how it paid companies and secured sensitive personal information, according to a state audit released Friday.

The audit also noted that the exchange’s board violated open meetings law seven times between June 2011 and March 2014, according to the State Open Meetings Compliance Board. The violations related to untimely notification and inadequate disclosures. The content of closed sessions also exceeded the scope of topics allowed by state law, the audit said.

Auditors found the exchange did not comply with policies for buying goods and services in five contract awards totaling $96.5 million. For example, the audit noted the exchange solicited only a single vendor for some work.

“Also, relevant procurement and contract documentation, such as evidence of negotiating for best price and terms, could not be provided,” the audit said.

In a response, exchange officials disagreed with the finding, because the policy calls for soliciting responses “from as many vendors as practicable.”

“This provision expressly recognizes that it may not always be practical to conduct a competitive selection or even a quasi-competitive selection in emergent circumstances,” the exchange said in its response, noting the failure of the original website, as well as federal implementation deadlines and open enrollment mandates.

While exchange officials did not agree with some of the audit’s findings, its executive director wrote that the exchange largely concurred with recommendations made by the Office of Legislative Audits. Carolyn Quattrocki wrote that the exchange was still a young agency during the audit period, and it has made progress in enhancing infrastructure and operations, accountability, security and transparency.

“The agency has either implemented, or taken significant steps towards implementing, all of these recommendations,” Quattrocki wrote.

The fiscal compliance audit covered the period from June 1, 2011, to July 23, 2014.

Among other findings in the 51-page audit:

—There were “numerous security and control issues” with the exchange information systems. Specifically, the audit noted that personally identifiable information, such as full name, date of birth, social security number and household income of 591,858 people was not appropriately safeguarded. The exchange responded that it protected confidential data with “substantial and effective mitigating controls,” though it was unable initially to implement an encryption solution due to time constraints.

—The exchange did not obtain or evidence its review of certain documentation to substantiate vendor billings. Auditors said their tests disclosed that the exchange made payments totaling $8.2 million to vendors for hourly services without first obtaining time and payroll records to verify the propriety of the labor charges billed.

—The exchange had not verified the propriety $23.4 million in fiscal year 2014 grant expenditures incurred by six entities that provided outreach and enrollment services under the Connector Program.

—The exchange did not submit federal fund reimbursement requests in a timely manner, resulting in the loss of interest income of $199,000. For expenditures incurred during the period of April 2011 through Sept. 2014, the exchange submitted six federal fund reimbursement requests totaling $73.9 million from one to 32 months after the claims could have been submitted.

—The exchange had not implemented procedures to account for and control its equipment inventory, including computer equipment purchased for the original exchange system.

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