Strong Storms Batter Plains, Head Into Midwest

Some places in Oklahoma still don't have full power back on after the recent ice storm. The wind is gusting at more than 30 miles per hour, causing whiteout conditions in some areas. In a strange twist, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported that a multi-vehicle pileup included an ambulance with victims from a prior accident.

A strong snowstorm that cut visibility nearly to zero in some places as it rolled across the Plains on Saturday caused numerous vehicle pileups and forced authorities to close portions of several major highways.

Dozens of vehicles were involved in a pileup on Interstate 29 in western Missouri, authorities said. Sections of some Oklahoma highways were closed because of whiteout conditions.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said preliminary reports indicated 20 to 40 vehicles, including three tractor-trailer rigs, were involved in the early afternoon chain-reaction wreck on Interstate 29 at St. Joseph.

Multiple ambulances were sent to the scene but there was no immediate indication how many people were injured or if there were any fatalities. Heartland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph said it was treating several people from the accident though none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

The patrol closed about 100 miles of I-29 from Dearborn, which is between Kansas City and St. Joseph, to the Iowa state line. The storm blew locally heavy snow across Oklahoma, eastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri, plus parts of Nebraska and Iowa.

Source: foxnews.com

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Google This: Wiki Slipped a Mickey in COO's Criminal Past

As web powerhouse Google launches its own encyclopedia, "knol," the Wikimedia Foundation is batting clean-up after revelations about its recent chief operating officer, Carolyn Bothwell Doran. Doran, now in jail in Virginia for prior offenses, managed more than $1 million in donations to the parent organization of Wikipedia.

From a hit-and-run auto accident to shooting a boyfriend to kiting checks, Doran had a long history of trouble with the law. How she wound up as COO for Wikimedia is a cautionary tale. It's also an embarrassment for an internet resource founded to provide reference and information.

Already battling criticism over sometimes-chaotic Wiki entries, inaccurate information, and turf warfare among contributors, the scrappy company runs primarily through the services of volunteers. Faced with a need for cash, Wiki has been running a donations drive while keeping a wary eye on Google's recently-announced plans for a competitive reference resource.

The foundation that runs — and accepts donations for — the online encyclopedia Wikipedia neglected to do a basic background check before hiring a chief operating officer who had been convicted of theft, drunken driving and fleeing a car accident.

Before she left in July, Carolyn Bothwell Doran, 45, had moved up from a part-time bookkeeper for the Wikimedia Foundation and spent six months as chief operating officer, responsible for personnel and financial management.

In March, she signed the small nonprofit's tax return, which listed more than $1.3 million in donations.

At the time, she was on probation for a 2004 hit-and-run accident in Virginia that had landed her seven months in prison.

Doran had multiple drunken-driving convictions, and records show earlier run-ins for theft, writing bad checks and wounding her boyfriend with a gunshot to the chest.

Source: foxnews.com

Torture Chamber, Mass Graves: Somber Iraq Discovery

Sometimes, it's not easy understanding what a "war on terrorism" is really all about. It's a fuzzy term, something that may seem a far cry from clearly-defined "start" points like the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.

But a chilling discovery by American troops brought the reality of terrorism and radical Islamism into sharp focus. An Al-Qaeda torture chamber in Muqdadiyah spotlights a base reality: the hatred goes beyond just philosophical "concepts" or political talking points.

The terror and brutality are up close and personal. These terrorists intend to destroy anyone or anything that is not part of their Islamic world. They torture, bomb,and murder every days. They intend to subjugate, degrade, destroy, maim and kill anyone in their path.

The pictures of the remains in the mass grave tug at the heart. These were people like you and I, people who loved, were loved, had friends and family. But they displeased the merchants of terror and hatred, and so they suffered, horribly, died, and their remains were dumped like so much garbage.

The terrorist/torturers even left behind a message. Scrawled on a wall: "Long live the Islamic State."

Here's what that state is like. Warning: these images are graphic.

Soldiers find torture chamber in Iraq

Corvette ZR1: 600+ HP Hits the Streets in 2008

The legendary Corvette is poised to boldly go where no driver has gone before: up to 650 horsepower in the sleek new ZR1 edition. As rumors of the newly-redesigned 'vette raced through the automotive world, car fanciers have waited for the unveiling of a monster machine with the panache that is Corvette.

Adapted from the C6 version, the ZR1 was designed to be the fastest Corvette of all time. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said that the innovation team wanted to combine speed with a car easily handled at lower speeds. Look for the hot new model to draw star attention at next month's Detroit Auto Show.

Called "The Blue Devil" during earlier secret testing days, the ZR1 will be released in the summer of 2008. The sticker price: most likely starting at $100,000.

The outrage that no doubt will follow on the part of Al Gore and the Goristas: priceless.

Christmas Miracle: Missing CA Family Alive, Survived in Storm Drain

Incredible story here. The father and children, who'd gone hunting for a Christmas tree, survived by taking refuge in a storm drain.

With new Pacific storms bearing down on the family, lost since Sunday, searchers had become deeply worried that time was running out.

All four members of a family that vanished Sunday in the Northern California mountains while searching for a christmas tree have been found alive, FOX News reported Wednesday.

"They have found all four, and they appear to be OK," said Paradise Police Sgt. Steve Rowe.

He said rescuers airlifted Frederick Dominguez, 38, and his three children, aged 18, 15 and 12, out of the mountains and were planning to evaluate their condition. The children walked out of the snow into a crowd of media and excited rescuers gathered at the staging area for the search.

Source: foxnews.com via PEP

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Drew Peterson: Sued for Police Brutality

In BizarroLand, former Bolingbrook cop Drew Peterson, suspected in the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, and the disappearance of his four wife, Stacy Peterson, is being sued for police brutality.

Timothy Brownlee said that Peterson attacked him and broke his thumb after Brownlee was arrested after a neighborhood dispute. A judge threw the charges out of court.

Brownlee, who said that he was also called "the n-word" is suing Peterson, two other officers, and the scandal-ridden Bolingbrook Police Department. Brownlee, whose troubles began when he decided to barbecue in his backyard, said that he's afraid of Peterson.

Peterson's attorney and fellow bon vivant Joel Brodksy said that he thought the State's Attorney would handle the case properly. Memo to Joel: a civil lawsuit doesn't fall under the province of the State's Attorney, who handles criminal matters.

Brodsky and Peterson have also been in a snit about what they term "leaks" from grand jury proceedings looking into the death of Savio and the disappearance of Stacy Peterson. Brodsky demanded a special prosecutor to investigate those "leaks."

Memo to Brodsky: people who appear before the grand jury may talk about their testimony. Speaking of leaking, is there any bigger media manipulator and hog than Peterson himself?

COPS: How a Writer's Strike Helped Launch 20 Years of "Bad Boys"

As the current writer's strike drags on, time to take a look back to the birth of the reality TV show Cops. Creator/producer John Langley spent seven long, hard years trying to sell his concept, with no luck.

Then came the 1988 writer's strike, the rise of Fox News,a dearth of scripts, and the unscripted Cops was on the streets and into your home. With multiple Emmy nominations, Cops is the longest-running reality TV show in history.

Take a quick look at Cops history and highlights. Don't miss the guy with the pot cigarette tucked behind his ear telling cops that he doesn't smoke weed. Priceless!

Beauty in Motion: Ford Model Mary Claire's Photo Shoot

Notice how "high tech" imaging has become as Ford model Mary Claire shares a photo shoot for her new book.

Drew Peterson: Boy Toys Not Returned in Missing Wife Probe

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Jailbreak, Shawshank Style, in New Jersey

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