handball

Handball (also known as team handball, Olympic handball, European team handball, European handball, or Borden ball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outfield players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the goal of the other team. A standard match consists of two periods of 30 minutes, and the team that scores more goals wins. Modern handball is played on a court 40 by 20 meters (131 by 66 ft), with a goal in the center of each end. The goals are surrounded by a 6-meter zone where only the defending goalkeeper is allowed; the goals must be scored by throwing the ball from outside the zone or while "jumping" into it. The sport is usually played indoors, but outdoor variants exist in the forms of field handball and Czech handball (which were more common in the past) and beach handball (also called sandball). The game is quite fast and includes body contact, as the defenders try to stop the attackers from approaching the goal. Goals are scored quite frequently; teams typically score between 20 and 35 goals each. The game was codified at the end of the 19th century in northern Europe, chiefly in Scandinavia and Germany. The modern set of rules was published in 1917 in Germany, and had several revisions since. The first international games were played under these rules for men in 1925 and for women in 1930. Men's handball was first played at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin as outdoors, and the next time at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich as indoors, and has been an Olympics sport since. Women's team handball was added at the 1976 Summer Olympics. The International Handball Federation was formed in 1946, and as of 2013 has 174 member federations. The sport is most popular in continental Europe, whose countries have won all medals but one in men's world championships since 1938, and all women's titles until 2013, when Brazil broke the series. The game also enjoys popularity in the Far East, North Africa and Brazil.

bocce

Bocce (/bɒtʃi/; Italian pronunciation: [bɔttʃe]), sometimes anglicized as bocci, is a ball sport belonging to the boules sport family, closely related to bowls and pétanque, with a common ancestry from ancient games played in the Roman Empire. Developed into its present form in Italy (where it is called bocce, the plural of the Italian word boccia which means "bowl"), it is played around Europe and also in overseas areas that have received Italian migrants, including Australia, North America, and South America (where it is known as bochas, or bolas criollas in Venezuela, bocha in Brazil). Bocce was initially played among the Italian migrants but has slowly become more popular with their descendants and the wider community. The sport is also very popular on the eastern side of the Adriatic, especially in Croatia, Montenegro and Herzegovina, where the sport is known in Croatian as boćanje ("playing boće") or balote (colloquially also bućanje). In Slovenia the sport is known as balinanje or colloquially "playing boče" or bale (from Italian "bocce" and Venetian "bałe", meaning "balls"). In Southern France the sport is also popular and known as Boule Lyonnaise.

InuYasha

Inuyasha (犬夜叉), also known as Inuyasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale (Japanese: 戦国御伽草子 犬夜叉 Hepburn: Sengoku Otogizōshi Inuyasha), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008, with the chapters collected into 56 tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. The series follows Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old girl from Tokyo who is transported to the Sengoku period after falling into a well in her family shrine, where she meets the half-demon Inuyasha. When a monster from that era tries to take the magical Shikon Jewel embodied in Kagome, she accidentally shatters the Jewel into many pieces that are dispersed across Japan. Inuyasha and Kagome start traveling to recover it before the powerful demon Naraku finds all the shards. Inuyasha and Kagome gain several allies during their journey, as Shippo, Miroku, Sango and Kirara. In contrast to the typically comedic nature of many of Takahashi's previous work, Inuyasha deals with darker subject matter, using the setting of the Sengoku period to easily display the violent content. It was adapted into two anime television series produced by Sunrise. The first was broadcast for 167 episodes on Yomiuri TV in Japan from October 16, 2000 until September 13, 2004. The second series, called Inuyasha: The Final Act, began airing five years later on October 3, 2009 to cover the rest of the manga series and ended on March 29, 2010 after 26 episodes. Four feature films and a original video animation have also been released. Other merchandise include video games and a light novel. Viz Media licensed the manga, the two anime series, and movies for North America.

coffee

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of "berries" from the Coffea plant. Coffee plants are cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in the equatorial regions of the Americas, Southeast Asia, India and Africa. The two most commonly grown are the highly regarded arabica, and the less sophisticated but stronger and more hardy robusta. The latter is resistant to the coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastatrix, but has a more bitter taste. Once ripe, coffee beans are picked, processed, and dried. Green (unroasted) coffee beans are one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Once traded, the beans are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor, before being ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee is slightly acidic (pH 5.0–5.1) and can have a stimulating effect on humans because of its caffeine content. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, cappucino, cafe latte, etc.). It is usually served hot, although iced coffee is also served. The effect of coffee on human health has been a subject of many studies; however, results have varied in terms of coffee's relative benefit. The majority of recent research suggests that moderate coffee consumption is benign or mildly beneficial in healthy adults. However, the diterpenes in coffee may increase the risk of heart disease. Coffee cultivation first took place in Southern Arabia. The earliest credible evidence of coffee-drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century in the Sufi shrines of Yemen. In the Horn of Africa and Yemen, coffee was used in local religious ceremonies. As these ceremonies conflicted with the beliefs of the Christian church, the Ethiopian Church banned the secular consumption of coffee until the reign of Emperor Menelik II. The beverage was also banned in Ottoman Turkey during the 17th century for political reasons, and was associated with rebellious political activities in Europe. Coffee is a major export commodity: it was the top agricultural export for twelve countries in 2004, the world's seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value in 2005, and "the second most valuable commodity exported by developing countries," from 1970 to circa 2000. This last fact is frequently misstated; see commodity market, below. Further, green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Consequently, fair trade and organic coffee are an expanding market.

Human-ghost

A Human-Ghost, sometimes called "Half-Ghost" or a "Halfa", is a fictional species in the Danny Phantom's Universe. It is a hybrid between Human and Ghost, with the ability to change to and from said species and use the majority of ghost powers. Though the first human-ghost we see in the series is Danny Phantom, the main character in the show, he is not the first one to come into existence. Instead, Vlad Plasmius, who was caught in the blast of Jack Fenton's prototype Ghost Portal in college, gained both a disease known as Ecto-Acne as well as his ghost powers twenty years earlier. Danny would go on to suffer a similar accident inside the completed Ghost Portal, and would become a half-ghost, but without the ecto-acne. One main characteristic of Human-Ghosts is that they can shift between human to ghost forms at their own accord. This transformation, usually back to the human form, can also be triggered through exasution or lack of experience, as Danny did in his first fights. As a hybrid species, Half-ghosts' DNA is a combination of Human DNA and Ectoplasm, as the result of the exposure to high levels of ghost energy. Hybrids can utilize the majority of their powers while in human form, but in order to use them to their full potential must change into ghost form, a transformation Danny dubs "Going Ghost". The Human-Ghosts can be almost as or even more dangerous than a typical ghost, with equal if not above average levels of power and use the advantage of their human side against defenses like ghost shields. They also seem to have certain immunity to several ghostly effects, like Ember’s hypnotic music. Unfortunately, Halfas are vulnerable to other ghost weaknesses like Blood Blossoms or Ecto-ranium, and are able to be controlled by Freakshow’s Crystal Ball Staff.

Frappucino

Frappuccino is a trademark for a line of frozen coffee beverages sold by Starbucks. It consists of coffee or other base ingredient (e.g., strawberries and cream), blended with ice and other various ingredients, usually topped with whipped cream. Frappuccinos are also sold as bottled coffee beverages in stores and from vending machines. History: Frappuccino is a portmanteau of frappé and cappuccino, an espresso coffee with frothed milk. The word was coined and trademarked in Boston, Massachusetts. In the Boston area, a "frappe" (pronounced "frap" and spelled without the accent) is a term for a thick milkshake with ice cream, derived from the French word frappé. The original Frappuccino beverage was developed, named, trademarked and sold by George Howell's Eastern Massachusetts coffee shop chain, The Coffee Connection. When Starbucks purchased The Coffee Connection in 1994, they also gained the rights to use, make, market, and sell the Frappuccino beverage. The beverage was introduced under the Starbucks name in 1995 and as of 2012, Starbucks had annual Frappuccinos sales of over $2 billion. In response to the success of Frappuccinos, several of Starbucks' competitors have developed similar drinks with similar sounding names: Cinnabon's Mochalatta and Caramelatta (1998);Coffee Break; Gloria Jean's Chillers. Available versions: The following is a list of the typical versions available of each type of Frappuccino. Decaffeinated: Decaffeinated Frappuccinos were discontinued in 2008 and reintroduced in 2010. Crème: A coffee-free "cream" base was created to make a beverage called a Frappuccino Blended Crème. Examples include the Green Tea Frappuccino, Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, and Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino. Vegan: Frappuccinos made with soy milk became available in stores in the United States and Canada in 2010. In January 2011 Starbucks introduced this option to Australian stores, and the option has since been made available in other countries. Juice blends: In the summer of 2006, Starbucks introduced the Frappuccino Juice Blend, which is described as being "real fruit juices combined with Tazo Tea, blended with ice". This version seems to be different from the Tazoberry "blended tea" versions of several years ago,[according to whom?] since it uses more "real juice" and "freshly brewed" ice teas to the drink instead of a bottled, premixed concentrate. Juice Blends were discontinued in 2007–2008, with the Pomegranate the first to go. The Tangerine Juice Blend was discontinued shortly thereafter. The drinks in this category included: Pomegranate (raspberry and blackcurrant in UK & Ireland): Pomegranate, peach and "other fruit juices" combined with 'Zen' Iced Tea. Pomegranate Frappuccino Juice Blend has been discontinued in the U.S. Tangerine (mango passionfruit in UK, Ireland, Japan and Spain): Tangerine and "other fruit juices". combined with Passion Iced Tea. Tangerine Frappuccino Juice Blend has been discontinued in the U.S. Blended Strawberry Lemonade: A combination of strawberry puree and lemonade. Lemonade Blended Beverage: Fresh lemonade flavor with real lemon zest, blended with ice. Introduced in the U.S. in the Summer of 2008. A "Lemon" version of the chilled beverage was introduced to UK stores in June 2010, following a minor menu change and price increases across the majority of the ranges sold. The Lemonade Blended Beverage was made with a proprietary Blended Lemonade base that consisted of real lemon zest and was thicker than the lemonade that is currently used for Iced Tea Lemonades. This Blended Lemonade Base was discontinued in the fall of 2008. A Blended Lemonade can still be bought at Starbucks, however it will be made with the "old" lemonade, and thus be a different taste and consistency. Modifications: Many drinks include additional ingredients, which can include espresso shots, flavored syrups, chocolate chips, and flavored powders. Frappuccinos can also be double blended, or made with more or less ice. Mocha drizzle is added to the Java Chip and Double Chocolaty Chip by standard, and caramel drizzle is added to the Caramel. Any drink can have an additional syrup/espresso or many other flavorings added at request for an additional charge. One less popular modification is to order the Frappuccino affogato style (an Italian word literally meaning "drowned"). An affogato Frappuccino has a shot of espresso on top rather than blended into the rest of the drink. The most common versions of this variation are known as "caramel affogato" and "mocha affogato" style, in which the espresso shot is poured on top of a crosshatch pattern of either caramel or mocha sauce in place of whipped cream. International varieties: There are also different versions available only in certain countries, such as Banana Java Chip and Mango, Azuki in the Philippines and azuki (red bean) in Japan. Banana Java Chip is also available in Switzerland. Blackberry Green Tea Frappuccino is currently available in the Philippines and Australia. Another variation found in Japan is the Sakura (cherry blossom) Frappuccino. The Coffee Jelly Frappuccino was formerly a seasonal offering in the Philippines but later is now part of the standard menu. Coconut Mocha Frappuccino is available in the U.S. Argentina offers a Dulce de Leche Frappuccino. In Peru, as of 2011, there is the Algarrobina Frappuccino, made with Algarrobina, a syrup derived from the Black carob tree. Bottled version: A bottled Frappuccino is sold in retail stores and vending machines. The U.S. 9.5-oz. bottled version is manufactured by PepsiCo. In Europe this product is made by Arla Foods in Denmark. This product uses a different recipe from that of the blended drink of the same name. The following flavors are available: Caramel: the most popular flavor made with a hint of caramel flavoring Mocha: made with chocolate Mocha Lite: made with chocolate and special creme to make it less fattening Vanilla: a hint of vanilla flavoring Coffee: similar to iced coffee Strawberries & Crème: crème based and coffee-free Mint Mocha (Limited Edition): Since its addition in July 2005, it has appeared during the holiday seasons. Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha (Limited Edition)" Just like mint mocha but with extra chocolate and mint flavor. New for the 2007 holiday season and re-released for the 2008 holiday season. Dark Chocolate Mocha: Just like Mocha but with extra chocolate. Released February 2008. Dark Mocha Raspberry (Limited Edition): Dark chocolate with a hint of raspberry. Released August 2008. Mocha Cookie Crumble: Chocolate with cookies on top. Gingerbread (Limited Edition): Gingerbread flavor, it appears during the holiday seasons.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is a coffee drink made with a mix of traditional fall spice flavors (cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove), steamed milk, and espresso and is topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. The drink is offered by Starbucks on a seasonal basis, usually being introduced on the first of September—though in 2014 the drink was introduced earlier on August 25—and usually, depending on the store, will end sometime around the end of December.

story

Jackie and Emily were listening to 1D and then they had a contest. we had to enter. the 1st fan who called in with the title would get back stage passes. we won. we spend all week getting ready. when we go back stage and meet 1D Sean Berdy comes out and asks if we are groupies. i sign yes we are. Emily gives me an arm punch.than David Archuleta comes out and asks if we are fans or roadies. Emily excuses herself and gets us our spots. i find her all happy. "well?" she asks. "I'm David's girlfriend." we hug. i ask if she wants details. she says "yes." I say, "I told him he was cute and i asked if he had a girlfriend. he said he didn't. he thought i was cute and asked why i was back there and i said, "i won a contest for 1D." she squeals and hugs me. i told her i asked HIM out since i could tell he was shy. so after the show we go back stage and meet the band. we run into Sean Berdy.I throw him a sexy smile and go up to Harry Styles. David comes up to me and puts his arm around my shoulders. "Who's that?" He asks pointing to me, as i flirt with Harry. "my SBFF Emily. SBFF means sister-best friend," i say. he smiles. Sean tried to flirt with you while you are flirting with Harry. "2 gorgeous men" i say, "dear me." i say, "i've got mine." David smiles at me. I kiss Harry on the cheek. i run my hand thru David's hair. i run up and hitch my legs around you. we fall. i laugh and kiss your cheek. we wake up. "Was that an acid dream or something?" i ask. "i think so," i say. we go get ready for school. "man that was CRAZY", i say. "I know," i say as we get Starbucks. "can you believe we won: 1D tickets as well as back stage passes, you getting 2 guys to fall for you and 1 for me?" i ask. "I know, i wish it was real," Emily says. "wanna know the weirdest part? we were both LGBT at the end." Emily gags. "that's why i wonder if it WAS true." "Well", i say, answering a text from a guy, "its true." "wait, WHAT?" i exclaim. "April Fools" Emily says. "thank god," i say. David texts me. i look and say, "wait how does David Archuleta have my number?" Emily says, "that can't have been real." "i think the everything BUT the kiss was real," i say. "But we were here last night. doing homework," Emily says. "we watched a concert on TV and i entered our names in a contest. remember?" i say. "....no," Emily says. "huh. oh wait it was for a call from David archuleta. sorry," i say. "its ok hon," Emily says. "that's how he has my number. he and i struck up a friendship. he really does like me," i say. "Huh, nice," i curl up by you and sip my coffee.

i picked a bad day to be....

i had a conversation and i knew where it was going. i said i knew where this is going. i thought, "i picked the wrong place to be"

Hadden Clark

Hadden Irving Clark (born July 31, 1952) is an American murderer, currently serving two 30-year sentences at Western Correctional Institution, for the murders of 6-year-old Michelle Dorr in 1986, whom he cannibalized, and 23-year-old Laura Houghteling in 1992. He was also given a 10-year sentence for robbery. He is the second child of four[3] and was born and raised in Troy, New York. Clark's brother, Bradfield Clark, strangled a woman in California; his father, Hadden, Sr., committed suicide. Clark confessed to the 1974 murder of an unidentified murder victim nicknamed "Lady of the Dunes" but many are in doubt due to his history of false statements.

body identification

Body identification is a subfield of forensic science wherein investigators need to identify a body. Forensic (literally, "for the courts") purposes are served by rigorous scientific forensic identification techniques, but these are generally preceded by simply asking bystanders or other persons for the victim's name. If a body is not badly decomposed or damaged, two persons (or one) who knew the deceased well should visually confirm the identity. Authorities will also compare supportive documents such as driver's license, passport, or other authoritative photo ID before accepting a personal identification with which to further their investigative and/or forensic purposes. Of course, any formal investigation should "reality check" additional forensic and scientific evidence to reinforce or question the supposed identity of the victim. Reliable identification becomes increasingly difficult as time passes.

STR

A microsatellite is a tract of repetitive DNA in which certain DNA motifs (ranging in length from 2–5 base pairs) are repeated, typically 5-50 times. Microsatellites occur at thousands of locations in the human genome and they are notable for their high mutation rate and high diversity in the population. Microsatellites and their longer cousins, the minisatellites, together are classified as VNTR (variable number of tandem repeats) DNA. The name "satellite" refers to the early observation that centrifugation of genomic DNA in a test tube separates a prominent layer of bulk DNA from accompanying "satellite" layers of repetitive DNA. Microsatellites are often referred to as short tandem repeats (STRs) by forensic geneticists, or as simple sequence repeats (SSRs) by plant geneticists. They are widely used for DNA profiling in kinship analysis and in forensic identification. They are also used in genetic linkage analysis/marker assisted selection to locate a gene or a mutation responsible for a given trait or disease.

DNA profiling

DNA profiling (also called DNA fingerprinting, DNA testing, or DNA typing) is a forensic technique used to identify individuals by characteristics of their DNA. A DNA profile is a small set of DNA variations that is very likely to be different in all unrelated individuals, thereby being as unique to individuals as are fingerprints (hence the alternate name for the technique). DNA profiling should not be confused with full genome sequencing. First developed and used in 1985, DNA profiling is used in, for example, parentage testing and criminal investigation, to identify a person or to place a person at a crime scene. Although 99.9% of human DNA sequences are the same in every person, enough of the DNA is different that it is possible to distinguish one individual from another, unless they are monozygotic ("identical") twins. DNA profiling uses repetitive ("repeat") sequences that are highly variable, called variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs), in particular short tandem repeats (STRs). VNTR loci are very similar between closely related humans, but are so variable that unrelated individuals are extremely unlikely to have the same VNTRs. The DNA profiling technique nowadays used is based on technology developed in 1988.

forensic anthropology

Forensic anthropology is for identification and recovery of remains. In extreme cases where conventional techniques are unable to determine the identity of the remains, anthropologists are sometimes able to deduce certain characteristics based on the skeletal remains. Race, sex, age and stature can often be determined by both measuring the remains and looking for structural clues in the bones.

forensic botany

Forensic botanists look to plant life in order to gain information regarding possible crimes. Leaves, seeds and pollen found either on a body or at the scene of a crime can offer valuable information regarding the timescales of a crime and also if the body has been moved between two or more different locations. The forensic study of pollen is known as forensic palynology and can often produce specific findings of location of death, decomposition and time of year. The knowledge of systematics leads to identification of evidences at crime scene. The morphological and anatomical study revels in collection of samples from crime scene and its in vitro analysis. It leads to proper submission of evidences in court of law.

forensic science speech

i decided to do a forensic science speech once. it was a complete and total fail. 1) because i was nervous 2) because there was WAY too much information and it wasn't organized (i was apparently jumping everywhere) 3) i looked stupid with a blood stained shirt. i had no prior "run thru" of the speech; just the components.

Mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical chemistry technique that helps identify the amount and type of chemicals present in a sample by measuring the mass-to-charge ratio and abundance of gas-phase ions. A mass spectrum (plural spectra) is a plot of the ion signal as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. The spectra are used to determine the elemental or isotopic signature of a sample, the masses of particles and of molecules, and to elucidate the chemical structures of molecules, such as peptides and other chemical compounds. Mass spectrometry works by ionizing chemical compounds to generate charged molecules or molecule fragments and measuring their mass-to-charge ratios. In a typical MS procedure, a sample, which may be solid, liquid, or gas, is ionized, for example by bombarding it with electrons. This may cause some of the sample's molecules to break into charged fragments. These ions are then separated according to their mass-to-charge ratio, typically by accelerating them and subjecting them to an electric or magnetic field: ions of the same mass-to-charge ratio will undergo the same amount of deflection. The ions are detected by a mechanism capable of detecting charged particles, such as an electron multiplier. Results are displayed as spectra of the relative abundance of detected ions as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. The atoms or molecules in the sample can be identified by correlating known masses to the identified masses or through a characteristic fragmentation pattern. History: In 1886, Eugen Goldstein observed rays in gas discharges under low pressure that traveled away from the anode and through channels in a perforated cathode, opposite to the direction of negatively charged cathode rays (which travel from cathode to anode). Goldstein called these positively charged anode rays "Kanalstrahlen"; the standard translation of this term into English is "canal rays". Wilhelm Wien found that strong electric or magnetic fields deflected the canal rays and, in 1899, constructed a device with parallel electric and magnetic fields that separated the positive rays according to their charge-to-mass ratio (Q/m). Wien found that the charge-to-mass ratio depended on the nature of the gas in the discharge tube. English scientist J.J. Thomson later improved on the work of Wien by reducing the pressure to create the mass spectrograph. The word spectrograph had become part of the international scientific vocabulary by 1884. The linguistic roots are a combination and removal of bound morphemes and free morphemes which relate to the terms spectr-um and phot-ograph-ic plate. Early spectrometry devices that measured the mass-to-charge ratio of ions were called mass spectrographs which consisted of instruments that recorded a spectrum of mass values on a photographic plate. A mass spectroscope is similar to a mass spectrograph except that the beam of ions is directed onto a phosphor screen. A mass spectroscope configuration was used in early instruments when it was desired that the effects of adjustments be quickly observed. Once the instrument was properly adjusted, a photographic plate was inserted and exposed. The term mass spectroscope continued to be used even though the direct illumination of a phosphor screen was replaced by indirect measurements with an oscilloscope. The use of the term mass spectroscopy is now discouraged due to the possibility of confusion with light spectroscopy. Mass spectrometry is often abbreviated as mass-spec or simply as MS. Modern techniques of mass spectrometry were devised by Arthur Jeffrey Dempster and F.W. Aston in 1918 and 1919 respectively. Sector mass spectrometers known as calutrons were used for separating the isotopes of uranium developed by Ernest O. Lawrence during the Manhattan Project. Calutron mass spectrometers were used for uranium enrichment at the Oak Ridge, Tennessee Y-12 plant established during World War II. In 1989, half of the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Hans Dehmelt and Wolfgang Paul for the development of the ion trap technique in the 1950s and 1960s. In 2002, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to John Bennett Fenn for the development of electrospray ionization (ESI) and Koichi Tanaka for the development of soft laser desorption (SLD) and their application to the ionization of biological macromolecules, especially proteins. Parts of a mass spectrometer: A mass spectrometer consists of three components: an ion source, a mass analyzer, and a detector. The ionizer converts a portion of the sample into ions. There is a wide variety of ionization techniques, depending on the phase (solid, liquid, gas) of the sample and the efficiency of various ionization mechanisms for the unknown species. An extraction system removes ions from the sample, which are then targeted through the mass analyzer and onto the detector. The differences in masses of the fragments allows the mass analyzer to sort the ions by their mass-to-charge ratio. The detector measures the value of an indicator quantity and thus provides data for calculating the abundances of each ion present. Some detectors also give spatial information, e.g., a multichannel plate. Theoretical example: The following example describes the operation of a spectrometer mass analyzer, which is of the sector type. (Other analyzer types are treated below.) Consider a sample of sodium chloride (table salt). In the ion source, the sample is vaporized (turned into gas) and ionized (transformed into electrically charged particles) into sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) ions. Sodium atoms and ions are monoisotopic, with a mass of about 23 u. Chloride atoms and ions come in two isotopes with masses of approximately 35 u (at a natural abundance of about 75 percent) and approximately 37 u (at a natural abundance of about 25 percent). The analyzer part of the spectrometer contains electric and magnetic fields, which exert forces on ions traveling through these fields. The speed of a charged particle may be increased or decreased while passing through the electric field, and its direction may be altered by the magnetic field. The magnitude of the deflection of the moving ion's trajectory depends on its mass-to-charge ratio. Lighter ions get deflected by the magnetic force more than heavier ions (based on Newton's second law of motion, F = ma). The streams of sorted ions pass from the analyzer to the detector, which records the relative abundance of each ion type. This information is used to determine the chemical element composition of the original sample (i.e. that both sodium and chlorine are present in the sample) and the isotopic composition of its constituents (the ratio of Cl to Cl). Creating ions: The ion source is the part of the mass spectrometer that ionizes the material under analysis (the analyte). The ions are then transported by magnetic or electric fields to the mass analyzer. Techniques for ionization have been key to determining what types of samples can be analyzed by mass spectrometry. Electron ionization and chemical ionization are used for gases and vapors. In chemical ionization sources, the analyte is ionized by chemical ion-molecule reactions during collisions in the source. Two techniques often used with liquid and solid biological samples include electrospray ionization (invented by John Fenn) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI, initially developed as a similar technique "Soft Laser Desorption (SLD)" by K. Tanaka for which a Nobel Prize was awarded and as MALDI by M. Karas and F. Hillenkamp). Hard ionization and soft ionization- In mass spectrometry (MS), ionization refers to the production of gas phase ions suitable for resolution in the mass analyser or mass filter. Ionization occurs in the instrument ion source. There are a plethora of ion sources available; each has advantages and disadvantages for particular applications. For example, electron ionization (EI) gives a high degree of fragmentation, yielding highly detailed mass spectra which when skilfully analysed can provide important information for structural elucidation/characterisation and facilitate identification of unknown compounds by comparison to mass spectral libraries obtained under identical operating conditions. However, EI is not suitable for coupling to HPLC, i.e. LC-MS, since at atmospheric pressure, the filaments used to generate electrons burn out rapidly. Thus EI is coupled predominantly with GC, i.e. GC-MS, where the entire system is under high vacuum. Hard ionization techniques are processes which impart high quantities of residual energy in the subject molecule invoking large degrees of fragmentation (i.e. the systematic rupturing of bonds acts to remove the excess energy, restoring stability to the resulting ion). Resultant ions tend to have m/z lower than the molecular mass (other than in the case of proton transfer and not including isotope peaks). The most common example of hard ionization is electron ionization (EI). Soft ionization refers to the processes which impart little residual energy onto the subject molecule and as such result in little fragmentation. Examples include fast atom bombardment (FAB), chemical ionization (CI), atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI), electrospray ionization (ESI), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) Inductively coupled plasma- Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) sources are used primarily for cation analysis of a wide array of sample types. In this source, a plasma that is electrically neutral overall, but that has had a substantial fraction of its atoms ionized by high temperature, is used to atomize introduced sample molecules and to further strip the outer electrons from those atoms. The plasma is usually generated from argon gas, since the first ionization energy of argon atoms is higher than the first of any other elements except He, O, F and Ne, but lower than the second ionization energy of all except the most electropositive metals. The heating is achieved by a radio-frequency current passed through a coil surrounding the plasma. Other ionization techniques. Others include photoionization, glow discharge, field desorption (FD), fast atom bombardment (FAB), thermospray, desorption/ionization on silicon (DIOS), Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), spark ionization and thermal ionization (TIMS).

forensic pathology

Forensic pathology is a sub-specialty of pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. The autopsy is performed by a medical examiner, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some jurisdictions. Coroners and medical examiners are also frequently asked to confirm the identity of a corpse. Also see forensic medicine. The word forensics is derived from the Latin forēnsis meaning of or before the forum. Scope of forensic pathology- Forensic pathology is an application of medical jurisprudence. The forensic pathologist: Is a medical doctor who has completed training in anatomical pathology and who has subsequently specialized in forensic pathology. The requirements for becoming a "fully qualified" forensic pathologist vary from country to country. Some of the different requirements are discussed below. Performs autopsies/postmortem examinations to determine the cause of death. The autopsy report contains an opinion about : The pathologic process, injury, or disease that directly results in or initiates a series of events that lead to a person's death (also called mechanism of death), such as a bullet wound to the head, exsanguination caused by a stab wound, manual or ligature strangulation, myocardial infarction resulting from coronary artery disease, etc.), and The "manner of death", the circumstances surrounding the cause of death, which in most jurisdictions include:[2] Homicide Accidental Natural Suicide Undetermined The autopsy also provides an opportunity for other issues raised by the death to be addressed, such as the collection of trace evidence or determining the identity of the deceased. Examines and documents wounds and injuries, both at autopsy and occasionally in a clinical setting. Collects and examines tissue specimens under the microscope (histology) in order to identify the presence or absence of natural disease and other microscopic findings such as asbestos bodies in the lungs or gunpowder particles around a gunshot wound. Collects and interprets toxicological analyses on body tissues and fluids to determine the chemical cause of accidental overdoses or deliberate poisonings. Forensic pathologists also work closely with the medico-legal authority for the area concerned with the investigation of sudden and unexpected deaths i.e. the coroner (England and Wales), procurator fiscal (Scotland) or coroner or medical examiner (United States). Serves as an expert witness in courts of law testifying in civil or criminal law cases. In an autopsy, he/she is often assisted by an autopsy/mortuary technician (sometimes called a diener in the USA). Forensic physicians, sometimes referred to as 'forensic medical examiners' or 'police surgeons' (in the UK until recently), are medical doctors trained in the examination of, and provision of medical treatment to, living victims of assault (including sexual assault) and those individuals who find themselves in police custody. Many forensic physicians in the UK practise clinical forensic medicine part-time, whilst they also practise family medicine, or another medical specialty. In the United Kingdom, Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists is not a prerequisite of appointment as a Coroner's Medical Expert, i.e. doctors in the UK that are not forensic pathologists or pathologists are allowed to perform medicolegal autopsies, simply because of the vague wording of 'The Coroners Act', which merely stipulates a 'suitably qualified medical practitioner', i.e. anyone on the GMC Register.

Luminol

A method frequently used in forensic chemistry is that employing luminol (as preemptory test), a derivative of phthalic acid, which reacts with metal cations and hence to detect traces of blood. The process involves mixing luminol with a polar solution dependent upon the method used to create the luminol base, which is spread carefully in places where it is thought that there are remnants of blood after all other evidence has be collected due to its destructive properties. Thus, typically the iron-shaped cation found in the heme group of hemoglobin reacts with luminol observing a blue luminescence of the reaction itself is carried out. However, due to the nature of luminol there are other metal ions that it can react with to produce false positives, for this reason alone that is why it is used only to determine the possibility of blood being present. In this process, the final product is the 3-aminophthalate anion which is in an excited state. Upon returning to the ground state (or basal) releases energy in the form of light, which is known as blue luminescence. The reaction described has a very slow cinétic. In fact it is the iron in the heme group of hemoglobin, which catalyzes the process. Another note to keep in mind when working with luminol is that the reagent is only viable for a maximum of ten minutes and the darker the room the better the test.

Spectroscopy

Another instrument used to aide in identification of compounds is the Fourier Transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). The sample is bombarded with infrared radiation. Polar bonds found in organic compounds have a natural frequency of vibration similar to the frequency of infrared radiation. When the frequency of the infrared radiation matches the natural frequency of the bond, the amplitude of the vibration increases, and the infrared is absorbed. The output of an infrared spectrophotometer charts the amount of light absorbed vs. the wavelength, typically with units of percent transmission and wavenumbers(cm−1). Because both the frequency and the intensity of absorption are dependent on the type of bond, a skilled chemist can determine the functional groups present by examining the infrared spectrum. As with the GCMS the FTIR spectrum can be compared to that of a known sample, thus providing evidence for the identification of a compound. Spectroscopy can also help to identify materials used in failed products, especially polymers, additives and fillers. Samples can be taken by dissolution, or by cutting a thin slice using a microtome from the specimen under examination. Surfaces can be examined using Attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy, and the method has also been adapted to the optical microscope with infra-red microspectroscopy. Ultraviolet-visible-near infrared spectroscopy is used to test for certain drugs of abuse. UV-visible-NIR microspectrophotometers are instruments able to measure the spectra of microscopic samples. The UV-visible-NIR microspectrophotometer is used to compare known and questioned samples of trace evidence such as fibers and paint chips. They are also used in the analysis of inks and papers of questioned documents and to measure the color of microscopic glass fragments. As these samples are not altered, UV-visible-NIR microspectroscopy is considered a non-destructive technique. Thermoplastics can be analysed using characterization techniques such as infra-red spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and an environmental scanning electron microscope. Failed samples can either be dissolved in a suitable solvent and examined directly (UV, IR and NMR spectroscopy) or be a thin film cast from solvent or cut using microtomy from the solid product. Infra-red spectroscopy is especially useful for assessing oxidation of polymers, such as the polymer degradation caused by faulty injection moulding. The spectrum shows the characteristic carbonyl group produced by oxidation of polypropylene, which made the product brittle. It was a critical part of a crutch, and when it failed, the user fell and injured herself very seriously. The spectrum was obtained from a thin film cast from a solution of a sample of the plastic taken from the failed forearm crutch.

forensic tire tread evidence

Forensic tire tread evidence records and analyzes impressions of vehicle tire treads for use in legal proceedings to help prove the identities of persons at a crime scene. Every tire will show different amounts of tread wear, and different amounts of damage in the form of tiny cuts and nicks. These unique characteristics will also show on the impression left by the tire. This forensic technique was first invented in 1930 by David Chapman, a researcher affiliated with the Sheriff's Office in Los Angeles, California, in the United States.

Codis

Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is the generic term used to describe the FBI’s program of support for criminal justice DNA databases as well as the software used to run these databases. The National DNA Index System or NDIS is considered one part of CODIS, the national level, containing the DNA profiles contributed by federal, state, and local participating forensic laboratories. Origins: CODIS was an outgrowth of the Technical Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (TWGDAM, now SWGDAM) which developed guidelines for standards of practice in the United States and Canadian crime laboratories as they began DNA testing in the late 1980s. TWGDAM was sponsored by the FBI Laboratory which hosted several scientific meetings a year at Quantico, Virginia, to accelerate development of laboratory guidelines and peer-reviewed papers to support forensic DNA testing which was, to some, an unproven forensic tool. TWGDAM completed a white paper in October 1989 which provided conceptual and operational concepts for a Combined DNA Index System to share DNA profiles among crime laboratories similarly to automated fingerprint identification which had become commonplace in law enforcement during the 1980s. The FBI Laboratory began a pilot project with six state and local crime laboratories to develop software to support each laboratory's DNA testing and allow sharing of DNA profiles with other crime laboratories. The DNA Identification Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C. §14132) authorized the establishment of this National DNA Index. The DNA Act specifies the categories of data that may be maintained in NDIS (convicted offenders, arrestees, legal, detainees, forensic (casework), unidentified human remains, missing persons and relatives of missing persons) as well as requirements for participating laboratories relating to quality assurance, privacy and expungement. The DNA Identification Act, §14132(b)(3), specifies the access requirements for the DNA samples and records “maintained by federal, state, and local criminal justice agencies (or the Secretary of Defense in accordance with section 1565 of title 10, United States Code)” …and “allows disclosure of stored DNA samples and DNA analyses only— (A) to criminal justice agencies for law enforcement identification purposes; (B) in judicial proceedings, if otherwise admissible pursuant to applicable statutes or rules; (C) for criminal defense purposes, to a defendant, who shall have access to samples and analyses performed in connection with the case in which such defendant is charged; or (D) if personally identifiable information is removed, for a population statistics database, for identification research and protocol development purposes, or for quality control purposes.” Federal law requires that laboratories submitting DNA data to NDIS are accredited by a nonprofit professional association of persons actively engaged in forensic science that is nationally recognized within the forensic science community. The following entities have been determined to satisfy this definition: the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) and Forensic Quality Services (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board FQS). Scientific basis: Identification using CODIS relies on short tandem repeats (STR) that are present in the human genome. These two to six nucleotides are highly susceptible to copy-number variation polymorphisms. STR loci can be amplified using PCR, and analyzed by gel electrophoresis. The size of the DNA fragment is proportional to the number of repeats. Therefore, the number of repeats can be quantified, and the combination of repeats at each locus provides a distinctive genetic fingerprint for each individual. Markers: CODIS identifies genetic markers at 13 STR loci, plus Amelogenin (AMEL) to determine sex. CSF1PO D3S1358 D5S818 D7S820 D8S1179 D13S317 D16S539 D18S51 D21S11 FGA THO1 TPOX vWA These markers do not overlap with the ones commonly used for genealogical DNA testing. Some may be indicative of genetic diseases. Indices and database structure: CODIS is an index of pointers to assist US public crime laboratories to compare and exchange DNA profiles. A record in the CODIS database, known as a CODIS DNA profile, consists of an individual's DNA profile, together with the sample's identifier and an identifier of the laboratory responsible for the profile. CODIS is not a criminal history database, like the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), and does not contain any personal identity information, such as names, dates of birth, and social security numbers. Originally, CODIS consisted of the Convicted Offender Index and the Forensic Index, but in recent years, the Arrestee Index, the Missing or Unidentified Persons Index, and the Missing Persons Reference Index have been added. The Convicted Offender Index contains profiles of individuals convicted of crimes. State law governs which specific crimes are eligible for CODIS. (All 50 states have passed DNA legislation authorizing the collection of DNA profiles from convicted offenders for submission to CODIS.) The Forensic Index contains profiles developed from biological material found at crime-scenes. CODIS has a matching algorithm that searches the various indexes against one another according to strict rules that protect personal privacy. In solving rapes and homicides, for example, CODIS searches the Forensic Index against itself and against the Offender Index. A Forensic to Forensic match provides an investigative lead that connects two or more previously unlinked cases. A Forensic to Offender match actually provides a suspect for an otherwise unsolved case. It is important to note that the CODIS matching algorithm only produces a list of candidate matches. Each candidate match is confirmed or refuted by a Qualified DNA Analyst. (To become Qualified, a DNA Analyst must meet specific education and experience requirements and undergo semi-annual proficiency tests administered by a third party.) CODIS databases exist at the local, state, and national levels. This tiered architecture allows crime laboratories to control their own data—each laboratory decides which profiles it will share with the rest of the country. As of 2006, approximately 180 laboratories in all 50 states participate in CODIS. At the national level, the National DNA Index System, or NDIS, is operated by the FBI at an undisclosed location. Relative size: The National DNA Index (NDIS) contains over 10,376,000 offender profiles, 1,515,800 arrestee profiles and 493,500 forensic profiles as of May 2013. Ultimately, the success of the CODIS program will be measured by the crimes it helps to solve. CODIS’ primary metric, the “Investigation Aided,” tracks the number of criminal investigations where CODIS has added value to the investigative process. As of May 2013, CODIS has produced over 210,800 hits assisting in more than 202,100 investigations. Controversies--- Privacy concerns: The CODIS database originally was primarily used to collect DNA of convicted sex offenders. Over time, this has expanded. Currently all fifty states have mandatory DNA collection from certain felony offenses such as sexual assault and homicide. Other states have gone further in collecting DNA samples from juveniles and all suspects arrested[citation needed]. In California, as a result of Proposition 69 in 2004, all suspects arrested for a felony, as well as some individuals convicted of misdemeanors, will have their DNA collected starting in 2009. In addition to this, all members of the US Armed Services who are convicted at a Special court martial and above are ordered to provide DNA samples, even if their crime has no civilian equivalent (for example adultery). Currently, the ACLU is concerned with the increased use of collecting DNA from arrested suspects rather than DNA testing for convicted felons. Along with the ACLU, civil libertarians oppose the use of a DNA database for privacy concerns as well as possible institutionalized discrimination policies in collection. In popular culture: In forensics television series such as CSI, Bones, NCIS, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Rizzoli & Isles and Dexter, the investigators often match DNA with the CODIS database. These media representations have had a considerable effect on how members of the public, but also professionals within the criminal justice system, and even prisoners, view the utility of DNA databases

IAFIS

The Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) is a national automated fingerprint identification and criminal history system maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). IAFIS provides automated fingerprint search capabilities, latent searching capability, electronic image storage, and electronic exchange of fingerprints and responses. IAFIS houses the fingerprints and criminal histories of 70 million subjects in the criminal master file, 31 million civil prints and fingerprints from 73,000 known and suspected terrorists processed by the U.S. or by international law enforcement agencies. Employment background checks and legitimate firearms purchases cause citizens to be permanently recorded in the system. For instance, the State of Washington mandates that all applicants seeking employment in an inpatient setting that houses vulnerable minors (such as children who are mentally challenged, physically or emotionally ill) are fingerprinted and entered into IAFIS as part of their background check in order to determine if the applicant has any record of criminal behavior. Fingerprints are voluntarily submitted to the FBI by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. These agencies acquire the fingerprints through criminal arrests or from non-criminal sources, such as employment background checks and the US-VISIT program. The FBI then catalogs the fingerprints along with any criminal history linked with the subject. Law enforcement agencies can then request a search in IAFIS to identify crime scene (latent) fingerprints obtained during criminal investigations. Civil searches are also performed, but the FBI charges a small fee and the response time is slower. The FBI has announced plans to replace IAFIS with a Next Generation Identification system, developed by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Safran.

criticism of mormonism

"All About Mormons", also known as "All About the Mormons?", is the twelfth episode of the seventh season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 108th overall episode of the series. It was originally broadcast on Comedy Central in the United States on November 19, 2003. The episode revolves around the religion and culture of Mormons, as a Mormon family moves to the town of South Park, and influences the beliefs of the family of character Stan Marsh. The story of Joseph Smith's founding of Mormonism and the writing of the Book of Mormon is told through a number of comedic 19th century flashbacks, with a musical narration. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Trey Parker, and was rated TV-MA in the United States. The episode evolved from personal experiences of creators Parker and Matt Stone, who grew up in Colorado. Growing up in Colorado both Stone and Parker often visited Utah, and both had Mormon classmates. The scene in which Stan is invited to dinner by the Mormon family was inspired by Parker's first girlfriend in high school, who was Mormon and invited him over for Family Home Evening. They found the religion ridiculous but hard to parody Mormons due to their good-natured attitudes. The new Mormon student Gary is voiced by South Park writer Kyle McCulloch, who grew up Mormon. The episode received positive reviews from television critics, and has been placed on "best-of" South Park lists. Parker found that younger audiences found the episode unfunny, but many of his Mormon friends found it hilarious. "All About Mormons" was released on DVD along with the rest of the seventh season on March 21, 2006. Parker and Stone later carried over many themes from the episode for their musical The Book of Mormon, which opened on Broadway in 2011. In the summer of 2013, fans voted All About Mormons as the best episode of Season 7.

priesthood

In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is the power and authority of God given to man, including the authority to perform ordinances and to act as a leader in the church. A body of priesthood holders is referred to as a quorum. Priesthood denotes elements of both power and authority. The priesthood includes the power Jesus gave his apostles to perform miracles such as the casting out of devils and the healing of sick (Luke 9:1). Latter Day Saints believe that the Biblical miracles performed by prophets and apostles were performed by the power of priesthood, including the miracles of Jesus, who holds all of the keys of the priesthood. The priesthood is formally known as the "Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God", but to avoid the too frequent use of the name of deity, the priesthood is referred to as the Melchizedek priesthood (Melchizedek being the high priest to whom Abraham paid tithes). As an authority, priesthood is the authority by which a bearer may perform ecclesiastical acts of service in the name of God. Latter Day Saints believe that acts (and in particular, ordinances) performed by one with priesthood authority are recognized by God and are binding in heaven, on earth, and in the afterlife. In addition, Latter Day Saints believe that leadership positions within the church are legitimized by the priesthood authority. For most of the history of the Latter Day Saint movement, only men have been ordained to specific offices in the priesthood. The first exception to this policy was within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), a faction founded by James J. Strang that flourished between 1844 and 1856 (though a diminutive remnant still exists today). In Strang's church, women were—and still are—permitted to hold the offices of priest and teacher (but not any other offices) from as early as 1856. In 1984, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now the Community of Christ), the second largest denomination of the movement, began ordaining women to all of its priesthood offices. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the largest church in the movement, still restricts its priesthood to men, as do most of the other Latter Day Saint denominations. Mormon feminist Kate Kelly was excommunicated for campaigning to allow women's ordination in the LDS Church. However, an apostle of the LDS Church has taught that "[m]en have no greater claim than women upon the blessings that issue from the Priesthood and accompany its possession."

history of forensic science

The ancient world lacked standardized forensic practices, which aided criminals in escaping punishment. Criminal investigations and trials heavily relied on forced confessions and witness testimony. However, ancient sources do contain several accounts of techniques that foreshadow concepts in forensic science that were developed centuries later. For instance, Archimedes (287–212 BC) invented a method for determining the volume of an object with an irregular shape. According to Vitruvius, a votive crown for a temple had been made for King Hiero II, who had supplied the pure gold to be used, and Archimedes was asked to determine whether some silver had been substituted by the dishonest goldsmith. Archimedes had to solve the problem without damaging the crown, so he could not melt it down into a regularly shaped body in order to calculate its density. Instead he used the law of displacement to prove that the goldsmith had taken some of the gold and substituted silver instead. The first written account of using medicine and entomology to solve criminal cases is attributed to the book of Xi Yuan Lu (translated as Washing Away of Wrongs), written in China by Song Ci (宋慈, 1186–1249) in 1248, during the Song Dynasty. In one of the accounts, the case of a person murdered with a sickle was solved by an investigator who instructed everyone to bring his sickle to one location. (He realized it was a sickle by testing various blades on an animal carcass and comparing the wound.) Flies, attracted by the smell of blood, eventually gathered on a single sickle. In light of this, the murderer confessed. The book also offered advice on how to distinguish between a drowning (water in the lungs) and strangulation (broken neck cartilage), along with other evidence from examining corpses on determining if a death was caused by murder, suicide or an accident. Methods from around the world involved saliva and examination of the mouth and tongue to determine innocence or guilt. In ancient Chinese and Indian cultures, sometimes suspects were made to fill their mouths with dried rice and spit it back out. In ancient middle-eastern cultures the accused were made to lick hot metal rods briefly. Both of these tests had some validity since a guilty person would produce less saliva and thus have a drier mouth. The accused were considered guilty if rice was sticking to their mouths in abundance or if their tongues were severely burned due to lack of shielding from saliva.

contriversies in forensic science

Questions about certain areas of forensic science, such as fingerprint evidence and the assumptions behind these disciplines have been brought to light in some publications[61][62] including the New York Post. The article stated that "No one has proved even the basic assumption: That everyone's fingerprint is unique."[63] The article also stated that "Now such assumptions are being questioned - and with it may come a radical change in how forensic science is used by police departments and prosecutors." Law professor Jessica Gabel said on NOVA that forensic science "lacks the rigors, the standards, the quality controls and procedures that we find, usually, in science." In America, on 25 June 2009, the Supreme Court issued a 5-to-4 decision in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts stating that crime laboratory reports may not be used against criminal defendants at trial unless the analysts responsible for creating them give testimony and subject themselves to cross-examination. The Supreme Court cited the National Academies report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States in their decision. Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia referred to the National Research Council report in his assertion that "Forensic evidence is not uniquely immune from the risk of manipulation." In 2009, scientists indicated that it is possible to fabricate DNA evidence, therefore suggesting it is possible to falsely accuse or acquit a person or persons using forged evidence. In America, another area of forensic science that has come under question in recent years is the lack of laws requiring the accreditation of forensic labs. Some states require accreditation, but some states do not. Because of this, many labs have been caught performing very poor work resulting in false convictions or acquittals. For example, it was discovered after an audit of the Houston Police Department in 2002 that the lab had fabricated evidence which led George Rodriguez being convicted of raping a fourteen-year-old girl. The former director of the lab, when asked, said that the total number of cases that could have been contaminated by improper work could be in the range of 5,000 to 10,000. This could have been avoided if the lab had been accredited by organizations such as ASCLD/Lab, which require crime labs to undergo rigorous assessments to show that they are able to perform multiple tests accurately. Once they become accredited, they are periodically re-evaluated to ensure that the lab is still functioning at its best. Periodic evaluations of a lab's performance by an independent organization will help to prevent scandals from occurring in forensic science laboratories. Although forensic science has greatly enhanced the investigator's ability to solve crimes, it has limitations and must be scrutinized in and out of the courtroom to avoid the occurrence of wrongful convictions.

humanitarian work in forensic science

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) uses forensic science for humanitarian purposes to clarify the fate of missing persons after armed conflict, disasters or migration, and is one of the services related to Restoring Family Links and Missing Persons. Knowing what has happened to a missing relative can often make it easier to proceed with the grieving process and move on with life for families of missing persons. Forensic science is used by various other organizations to clarify the fate and whereabouts of persons who have gone missing. Examples include the NGO Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, working to clarify the fate of people who disappeared during the period of the 1976–1983 military dictatorship. The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) uses forensic science to find missing persons, for example after the conflicts in the Balkans.

forensic science in pop culture

The Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges claims that the police novel genre is inaugurated with Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue". But it is first Sherlock Holmes, the fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in works produced from 1887 to 1915, who used forensic science as one of his investigating methods. Conan Doyle credited the inspiration for Holmes on his teacher at the medical school of the University of Edinburgh, the gifted surgeon and forensic detective Joseph Bell. Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple books and television series glorify too a similar prototype. The comic strip Dick Tracy also featured a detective using a considerable number of forensic methods, although sometimes the methods were more fanciful than actually possible. In comic books published by DC Comics, Barry Allen (alter ego of The Flash) is a forensic scientist for the Central City police department. Defense attorney Perry Mason occasionally used forensic techniques, both in the novels and television series.One of the earliest television series to focus on the scientific analysis of evidence was Quincy, M.E. (1976–83, and based loosely on an even earlier Canadian series titled Wojeck), with the title character, a medical examiner working in Los Angeles solving crimes through careful study. The opening theme of each episode featured a clip of the title character, played by Jack Klugman, beginning a lecture to a group of police officers with "Gentlemen, you are about to enter the most fascinating sphere of police work, the world of forensic medicine." Later series with similar premises include Dexter, The Mentalist, CSI, Hawaii Five-0, Cold Case, Bones, Law & Order, Body of Proof, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Silent Witness, Case Closed, Midsomer Murders and Waking the Dead, depict glamorized versions of the activities of 21st-century forensic scientists. Some claim these TV shows have changed individuals' expectations of forensic science, an influence termed the "CSI effect". Non-fiction TV shows such as Forensic Files, The New Detectives, American Justice, and Dayle Hinman's Body of Evidence have also popularized forensic science. The Ace Attorney series features forensic science, mainly in Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney and the DS-only case in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

balence

when someone skateboards or long boards they'll sometimes hold their arms out in a way that steadies them. i do it. a girl i knew from class does it. this way in case someone does fall their balance wasn't a cause.

Jack Mormon?

The term Jack Mormon is a slang term originating in nineteenth-century America. It was originally used to describe a person who was not a baptized member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but who was friendly to Church members and Mormonism, sympathized with them, and/or took an active interest in their belief system. Sometime in the early- to mid-twentieth century, however, the term began to refer to an individual deemed by adherents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to be an inactive or lapsed member of the LDS Church who, despite his personal religious viewpoint, maintained good relations with and positive feelings toward the LDS Church. Origin of the term: The first publicly recorded use of the term was in 1846 by Thomas C. Sharp, editor of the Warsaw Signal, who referred to "A certain Jack-mormon of Hancock county..." Sharp also coined the term "Jack-Mason" to refer to those who were sympathetic toward Freemasons in the Anti-Masonic political movement. These sympathetic non-Mormons included Nauvoo Justice of the Peace Daniel H. Wells, who later joined the church, and soldier and diplomat Thomas L. Kane. Kane was identified as a sympathetic Jack Mormon by US Army officials and the media, some of whom asserted that he had been secretly baptised into the LDS faith. However friendly toward the LDS people, Kane remained a Presbyterian all of his life. Several LDS historians believe that the term was used prior to Sharp's mention, and has ties to sympathetic Democrats in Jackson County, Missouri. Their belief is that the term originated in Missouri, during the Kirtland period of Latter Day Saint history, circa 1834. When Church members were expelled from Jackson County by a mob, many fled to Clay County, where local citizens, mostly Democrats, were sympathetic and friendly toward the Mormons. These citizens were pejoratively labeled "Jack" Mormons by the antagonistic citizens of Jackson County. Use in popular culture: The term "Jack Mormon" was used by author Edward Abbey in his novel The Monkey Wrench Gang to describe a character, Seldom Seen Smith, who was a Mormon and had many wives, but was not active in the LDS Church nor its belief system: "Born by chance into membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Smith was on lifetime sabbatical from his religion. He was a jack Mormon. A jack Mormon is to a decent Mormon what a jackrabbit is to a cottontail." In the play Angels In America by Tony Kushner, the character Harper Pitt identifies herself as a Jack Mormon, and postulates an alternate explanation for the origin of the term: "Like jack rabbit...I ran." The term is used in its modern meaning by Wallace Stegner in his 1979 novel Recapitulation, set in Salt Lake City. Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons is a popular rock band from Portland, Oregon in the United States. Jack Mormon Coffee Company is a Salt Lake based coffee roaster, located in the Historic Avenues district.

right place at the right time

i was at the right place at the right time. it was raining and someone was kind enough to offer me a ride home since it was raining and i didn't have any protection. it was hilarious too. i remember once i ran into 1 of my former preschoolers and i ran home. too bad it was raining.

excuse the pun

What’s the best part about living in Switzerland? Not sure, but the flag is a big plus.; What do you call dangerous precipitation? A rain of terror.; How many kids with ADHD does it take to change a light bulb? Let’s go play on our bikes.; Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like banana; What did Jay-Z call his girlfriend before they got married? Feyoncé.; My friend recently got crushed by a pile of books, but he’s only got his shelf to blame.; What time is it when you have to go to the dentist? Tooth-hurtie.; Why was six afraid of seven? Because seven was a well known six offender.; Did you hear about the new corduroy pillows? They’re making headlines everywhere!; Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella? Fo’ drizzle; Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom? Because the “P” is silent.; How does NASA organize their company parties? They planet.; Did you hear about the Mexican train killer? He had locomotives.; Why don’t you ever see hippopotamus hiding in trees? Because they’re really good at it.; You kill vegetarian vampires with a steak to the heart.

bar and bat mitzva

Bar Mitzvah (Hebrew: בַּר מִצְוָה) and Bat Mitzvah (Hebrew: בַּת מִצְוָה) (Ashkanasic: "Bas Mitzvah") (plural: B'nai mitzvah (for boys, B'not Mitzvah, Ashkanasic: "B'nos Mitzvah" for girls) are Jewish coming of age rituals. Bar (בַּר) is a Jewish Babylonian Aramaic word literally meaning 'son' (בֵּן), while bat (בַּת) means 'daughter' in Hebrew, and mitzvah (מִצְוָה) means 'commandment' or 'law'. Thus bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah literally translate to "son of commandment" and "daughter of commandment". However, in rabbinical usage, the word bar means 'under the category of' or 'subject to'. Bar mitzvah therefore translates to 'an [agent] who is subject to the law'. Although the term is commonly used to refer to the ritual itself, in fact the phrase originally refers to the person. According to Jewish law, when Jewish boys become 13 years old, they become accountable for their actions and become a bar mitzvah. A girl becomes a bat mitzvah at the age of 12 according to Orthodox and Conservative Jews, and at the age of 13 according to Reform Jews. Prior to reaching bar mitzvah, the child's parents hold the responsibility for the child's actions. After this age, the boys and girls bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics, and are able to participate in all areas of Jewish community life. Traditionally, the father of the bar mitzvah gives thanks to God that he is no longer punished for the child's sins (Genesis Rabba, Toldot 23:11). In addition to being considered accountable for their actions from a religious perspective, b'nai mitzvah may be counted towards a minyan (prayer quorum) and may lead prayer and other religious services in the family and the community. Bar mitzvah is mentioned in the Mishnah (Ethics of the fathers, 5:21), and in the Talmud. In some classic sources, the age of thirteen appears for instance as the age from which males must fast on the Day of Atonement, while females fast from the age of twelve. In the late Middle Ages this was systematized in Europe into a general rule as to when a young person was obligated to observe the mitzvot. The age of b'nai mitzvah roughly coincides with physical puberty. The bar or bat mitzvah ceremony is usually held on the first Shabbat after a boy's thirteenth and a girl's twelfth birthday.

baby abduction

what's sadder than an abduction? an abduction of a baby. Sabrina Paige Aisenberg was abducted and hasn't been seen since. At 6AM on November 24, 1997, Marlene Aisenberg was shocked to find that her five-month-old daughter, Sabrina, was missing from her crib. The case shocked the community and police knew they needed to find the kidnapper quickly. However, there was no sign of an intruder in the house, and suspicion began to fall on Marlene and her husband, Steve. Police took several items from their home for FBI analysis, and during this time they made a public appeal for the safe return of Sabrina. Police thought the appeal was suspicious, along with a videotape of the Aisenbergs leaving their home smiling. In order to prove their innocence, they agreed to take polygraphs, but the results were inconclusive. Police have not ruled them out as suspects, but they continue to maintain their innocence in the disappearance of Sabrina. Suspects: No suspects so far Extra Notes: This case first aired on the April 2, 1999 episode. Results: Unsolved. In April 2003, police began to suspect that an unidentified young girl known as "Paloma Unknown", who was abandoned in Mexico five years earlier and being raised in Illinois, was Sabrina. DNA testing, however, confirmed that they are not the same person. Paloma remains unidentified and Sabrina remains missing.

Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman

On the night of December 29, 1999, Danny and Kathy Freeman celebrated their daughter Ashley's sixteenth birthday; Ashley's best friend, Lauria Bible was also present at the mobile home in Vinita, Oklahoma. Ashley's boyfriend, Jeremy Hurst, was also present, but left at around 9:30 pm. Sometime during the night or early morning hours of December 30, 1999, a fire erupted inside of the Freemans' mobile home. A concerned neighbor called the Fire Department at 5:30 am on the morning of December 30, 1999. Lauria's parents and the police immediately canvassed the mobile home for signs of the Freeman family and Lauria Bible. Kathy Freeman was found dead, but her husband Danny Freeman's body and the two girls' bodies were nowhere to be found. Police theorized that Danny Freeman killed his wife Kathy and abducted his daughter Ashley and her friend Lauria Bible; however, his remains were found a day later. The husband and wife had been shot in the head prior to the fire. Ashley and Lauria weren't among Danny Freeman's remains, nor were they anywhere in the vicinity. Lauria's purse was left behind with $200 inside, which suggested that the girls might have been abducted, but robbery was ruled out as a motive since $200 was left behind. There were no suspects in the case, but before his death, Danny had told his brother Dwayne Vancil that should anything happen to him, to look to the Craig County Sheriff's Department. Danny's son, Shane, had been shot and killed by a deputy after he stole a truck, and Danny was planning to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the department just before the tragic fire. The deputies volunteered to remove themselves from the investigation and turn the matter over to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The cooperative deputies passed polygraph tests that proved their innocence. Many theories were given as to the missing girl's whereabouts. One theory speculated that Danny Freeman was a small-time drug trafficker and had met with two unidentified men two weeks before the murder, but that theory never fit with the girls' disappearance. Others believed Ashley Freeman killed her parents because of friction between her and her father, but authorities believed that the girls couldn't have hidden out for long if that theory was to be believed. No trace of Lauria Freeman or Ashley Bible has ever been found. There is a $50,000 reward offered in the case. Suspects: The Freemans had an outstanding feud with the Craig County Sheriff’s department over their son, Shane, who had been shot and killed by a deputy after the theft of a neighbor’s truck and rifle. A judge later ruled the shooting as justifiable. Ashley Freeman's boyfriend Jeremy Hurst was not a suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend Ashley Freeman and/or her best friend Lauria Bible. Extra Notes: This case first aired on the July 3, 2001 episode. It was also profiled on America's Most Wanted and Vanished With Beth Holloway. Results: Unsolved. Jeremy Jones and another man have both "confessed" to having led both Lauria and Ashley from the house and killing them elsewhere, but one confession has been proven false, and the other is suspected to be false as well. They have never been found. Ashley was declared legally dead in 2010. Update: police have a suspect in custody. 3 men ate being charged in the homicide. Details to come

Michaela Garecht

Michaela Joy Garecht (born January 24, 1979) was nine years old when she was abducted on November 19, 1988, in Hayward, California, San Francisco Bay Area, in broad daylight at the corner of Mission Boulevard and Lafayette Avenue, outside a grocery store then known as Rainbow Market, now called Mexico Supper. abduction: Garecht was abducted at approximately 10:15 a.m. on November 19, 1988. Garecht and a friend left home at 10:00 a.m. and rode their scooters to the market, two blocks from Garecht's home. They left the scooters by the side door as they went inside the store. Upon leaving the store, the two girls started walking home, completely forgetting about the scooters. When they realized they had forgotten them, they turned back to where they left them; however, they saw that Garecht's scooter was missing. Garecht then spotted her scooter farther down in the market parking lot, where it had been placed near a parked car. When Garecht bent down to pick the scooter up, an unidentified white male jumped out of the parked car, picked up Garecht from behind, and threw her into the back of his car. Garecht's friend was the only witness and she ran back into the store to get help. The abductor managed to escape with Garecht and she has not been seen or heard from since. Witness' description: Garecht's abductor is described as a white male in his 20s at the time of the abduction. The most distinguishing characteristic was that he seemed to have severe acne, boils and pockmarks on his face. He had shoulder length, dirty blonde hair. He may have been wearing his hair in a ponytail at the time. He was around 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) in height and had a slender build. The witness described him as having fox-like eyes. The abductor drove a large older model American-made sedan. It was possibly a four-door vehicle and was either cream or tannish gold in color. The car may have had cement splatters on the sides and lights set into the rear bumper. The front bumper was battered; the vehicle appeared run-down, it may have previously been in an accident. The car was last seen speeding south on Mission Boulevard towards nearby Union City, California, with Michaela inside. Search: Garecht's kidnapping led to one of the most extensive police investigations by the Hayward Police department and they received 5000 tips in the first year alone. In 1994, The Daily Review reported that police had followed up more than 15,000 leads. More than two decades later, the investigation at the Hayward Police Station continues. Chief investigator Inspector Robert Lampkin declared, "we'll go anywhere, any corner of the earth to try to bring Michaela home". It has also remained an open case with the FBI and it is believed to still be solvable. At the time of the kidnapping, Garecht's photo was featured as a missing child on milk cartons nationally and thousands of fliers and posters were spread throughout the community. Garecht's kidnapping was one of the most high-profile missing-child cases and received national media attention. Garecht's case was the first missing-child case to feature on America's Most Wanted in 1988. The case featured once again on the show in 2009. The case has also featured on numerous other television shows including Unsolved Mysteries (twice) and many talk shows including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dateline NBC, Larry King Live, CNN, Geraldo, Leeza, Maury, The Susan Powter Show, The Jane Whitney Show, The Today Show, Good Morning and The Early Show. The case has since caught the attention of the international media. The reappearance of kidnapped schoolgirl Jaycee Lee Dugard, after 18 years in captivity, led police to be initially hopeful that Dugard's abductor, Phillip Garrido, might have also been involved in Garecht's disappearance. Hayward is within an hour's drive from Garrido's Antioch home in Contra Costa County, and Garecht's abduction took place three months after Garrido was freed from prison for rape and kidnapping. Like Garecht, Dugard was also thrown into the back of a car in broad daylight and in the presence of witnesses. The general description of the kidnapper and the car used in both kidnappings are also similar. Although no evidence has been found linking Garecht's abduction to the Garridos, a connection to the abductors has not yet been ruled out and the investigation continues. Wesley Shermantine, one of the so-called Speed Freak Killers duo, wrote a letter to The Stockton Record after his partner in crime, Loren Herzog, committed suicide in January 2012, in which he pointed out that Herzog bore a resemblance to the composite of the person who kidnapped "that Hayward girl. The anniversary of Garecht's kidnapping is marked every year by her family at the location where the kidnapping took place. Several ribbons are tied to the tree next to where the kidnapper's car was parked.

America's Most Wanted

America's Most Wanted was an American television program produced by 20th Television, and, until its cancellation was announced on May 16, 2011, formerly the longest-running program on Fox Television Network. The final episode on the network aired on June 18, 2011. The following September, the show's host, John Walsh, announced that it would resume later that year on the cable network Lifetime. After a brief run on Lifetime, however, on March 28, 2013 the show was canceled again. This was reportedly due to low ratings and the level of royalty payments to Fox which holds the trademark and copyright. It was succeeded by John Walsh Investigates, a one-off special on Lifetime. The show profiled cases involving the search for and apprehension of fugitives wanted for serious crimes, including murder, rape, kidnapping, child molestation, white-collar crime, organized crime, armed robbery, gang violence, and terrorism, and also many of whom are currently on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. On May 2, 2008, the program's website announced its 1,000th capture; as of March 30, 2013, 1,202 people have been captured because of AMW. Many of the series' cases have some connection outside the United States or have not taken place in the United States at all. The series' first international capture was in Nova Scotia in 1989. The first two-hour quarterly special aired on Saturday, October 29, 2011 on FOX. The second two-hour special aired on Saturday, December 17, 2011, the third two-hour special aired on Saturday, February 11, 2012, and the fourth and final two-hour special aired on Saturday, April 21, 2012. On July 13, 2014, a successor premiered on CNN called The Hunt With John Walsh, which adds more international stories to its predecessor.

Judith Barsi

Judith Eva Barsi (June 6, 1978 – July 25, 1988) was an American child actress of the mid to late 1980s. She began her career in television, making appearances in commercials and television shows, and later appeared in the films Jaws: The Revenge, The Land Before Time, and All Dogs Go to Heaven, supplying the voice for animated characters in the latter two. In 1988, after years of physical and mental abuse, her father, József, shot and killed Judith and her mother, Maria, before fatally shooting himself in a double murder–suicide. Abuse and murder: As Judith's career success increased, József became increasingly abusive, jealous, and paranoid, and would routinely threaten to kill himself, Maria, and Judith. His alcoholism worsened, and resulted in three separate arrests for drunk driving. In December 1986, Maria reported his threats and physical violence toward her to the police. After they found no physical signs of abuse, she eventually decided not to press charges against him. After the incident, József reportedly stopped drinking, but continued to threaten Maria and Judith, which included threats of cutting their throats as well as burning down the house. He reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in Hungary had died, in an attempt to prevent her and Judith from leaving America. Physical violence continued, with Judith telling a friend about him throwing pots and pans at her, resulting in a nosebleed. Due to his abuse, she began putting on weight and exhibited disturbing behavior, which included plucking out all her eyelashes and pulling out her cat's whiskers. After breaking down in front of her agent during a singing audition for All Dogs Go to Heaven, she was taken by Maria to a child psychologist, who identified severe physical and emotional abuse and reported her findings to Child Protective Services. The investigation was dropped after Maria assured the case worker that she intended to begin divorce proceedings against József and that she and Judith were going to move into a Panorama City apartment she had recently rented as a daytime haven from him. Friends urged her to follow through with the plan, but she resisted, reportedly because she did not want to lose the family home and belongings. Judith was last seen riding her bike on the morning of July 25, 1988. That evening, József shot her in the head while she was sleeping, and then Maria. He spent the next two days wandering around the house, and said during a phone conversation with Judith's agent the next night that he intended to move out for good, and just needed time to "say goodbye to my little girl." He then poured gasoline on the bodies and set them on fire. After incinerating the bodies, he went to the garage and shot himself in the head with a .32 caliber pistol. On August 9, 1988, Judith and Maria were interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. aftermath: Judith's final film, All Dogs Go to Heaven, in which she voices the orphan Anne-Marie, was released in 1989. Don Bluth, the director of The Land Before Time, described her as "absolutely astonishing. She understood verbal direction, even for the most sophisticated situations," and he had intended to feature her extensively in his future productions.

Travis Alexander

On June 4, 2008, salesman Travis Alexander was killed by his ex-girlfriend, Jodi Arias, in Alexander's house in Mesa, Arizona. Arias was convicted of first-degree murder on May 8, 2013 and sentenced to natural life in state prison on April 13, 2015. At the time of the killing, Alexander sustained multiple knife wounds and a gunshot to the head. Arias testified that she killed Alexander in self-defense. The murder and trial received widespread media attention. Background: Travis Victor Alexander was born on July 28, 1977, in Riverside, California. After his father's death in July 1997, Alexander and his seven siblings were taken in by their paternal grandmother, Norma Jean Preston Alexander Sarvey (1932–2012), who eventually introduced them to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Alexander was a salesman for PPL - Prepaid Legal Services (later renamed LegalShield), a legal services company. He also worked as a motivational speaker for PPL. Jodi Ann Arias was born on July 9, 1980, in Salinas, California. She and Alexander met in September 2006 at a Prepaid Legal Services conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. On November 26, 2006, Arias was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Alexander. Alexander and Arias began dating in February 2007.Arias moved to Mesa, Arizona. In April 2008, she moved to Yreka, California, and lived with her grandparents. Death: The killing of Travis Alexander occurred on June 4, 2008. On June 9, 2008, Alexander's body was discovered by his friends in a shower at his home in Mesa, Arizona. Alexander had sustained 27 to 29 stab wounds, his throat had been slit, and he had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. Medical Examiner Kevin Horn testified that Alexander's jugular vein, common carotid artery, and trachea had been slashed and that Alexander had defensive wounds on his hands. Horn further testified that Alexander "may have" been dead at the time the gunshot was inflicted, and that the back wounds were shallow. Alexander's death was ruled a homicide. He was buried at the Olivewood Cemetery in Riverside, California. Discovery and investigation: On May 28, 2008, a burglary occurred at the residence of Arias' grandparents, with whom she was living. Among the missing objects was a .25-caliber gun, which was never recovered. This later became significant as a spent .25 caliber round was found near Travis Alexander's body at the murder scene. On June 2, Arias rented a car in Redding, California, approximately 100 miles (160 km) south of her home. Arias told the rental company staff that she would only drive the car locally, but when Arias returned the car on June 7, it had been driven about 2,800 miles (4,500 km). The car was missing its floor mats and had red stains on its front and rear seats. The car was cleaned before police could examine it. On June 5, Arias called Alexander several times and left several voicemail messages for him. She also accessed Alexander's voice mail system. Alexander missed an important conference call on the evening of June 4. On June 9, having been unable to reach Alexander, a concerned group of his friends went to his home. His roommates initially said he was out of town. After finding a key to Alexander's master bedroom, his friends entered the room and found large pools of blood in the hallway to the master bathroom, where his body was discovered in the shower. In the 9-1-1 call made to authorities (not heard by the jury), Alexander's friends mentioned an ex-girlfriend, Arias, who Alexander had said was stalking him, accessing his Facebook account, and slashing his tires. Alexander was scheduled to leave on June 10, 2008, for a work-related trip to Cancún, Mexico. In early 2008, Alexander told his company that Arias would join him. In April, Alexander asked to change his travel companion to another female friend. While searching Alexander's home, police found Alexander's recently purchased digital camera damaged in the washing machine. Police were able to recover deleted images showing Arias and Alexander in sexually suggestive poses, taken at approximately 1:40 p.m. on June 4. The final photo of Alexander alive was taken at 5:29 p.m. that day. Alexander was in the shower when the photo was taken. Photos taken moments later show an individual believed to be Alexander "profusely bleeding" on the bathroom floor. A bloody palm print was discovered along the wall in the bathroom hallway; it contained DNA from both Arias and Alexander. On July 9, 2008, Arias was indicted by a grand jury for the first-degree murder of Alexander. She was arrested at her home on July 15 and extradited to Arizona on September 5. Arias pleaded not guilty on September 11. Arias gave several different accounts about her involvement in Alexander's death. She originally told police that she had not been in Mesa on the day of the murder and claimed that she last saw Alexander in April 2008. Arias later told police that two intruders had broken into Alexander's home, murdering him and attacking her. Two years after her arrest, Arias told police that she killed Alexander in self-defense, claiming that she had been a victim of domestic violence.

Caylee Anthony

Mommy's Little Girl: Casey Anthony and her Daughter Caylee's Tragic Fate is a 2009 biographical true crime book by novelist Diane Fanning about 2-year-old Caylee Anthony’s disappearance from her Florida home in July 2008. This was the first book released about the case. Casey Anthony, Caylee's mother, who was indicted for first-degree murder in the death, faced a capital murder charge in her trial. On the eve of jury selection, author Fanning appeared as a commentator on TruTV's "InSession." After the jury acquitted Anthony, Fanning told My San Antonio that she was "stunned" by the "not guilty" verdict. The Orlando Sentinel, in its 2009 book review, wrote that Fanning "tirelessly recounts the young woman's lying ways, theorizes how Anthony might have disposed of her daughter and concludes that Anthony is 'an individual whose self-absorption and insensitivity to others is a destructive force.'" The producers of CBS's "48 Hours" wrote in their review, "This timely account weaves together the details surrounding this highly publicized case. And WKMG-Channel 6 in Orlando gave it a thumbs up, saying the book "condenses those thousands and thousands of court documents into an easy-to-read story." Caylee Marie Anthony (August 9, 2005 – 2008) was a two-year-old American girl who lived in Orlando, Florida, with her mother, Casey Marie Anthony, and her maternal grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony. On July 15, 2008, she was reported missing in a 9-1-1 call made by Cindy, who said she had not seen Caylee for 31 days and that Casey's car smelled like a dead body had been inside it. Cindy said Casey had given varied explanations as to Caylee's whereabouts before finally telling her that she had not seen Caylee for weeks. Casey told detectives several falsehoods, including that the child had been kidnapped by a nanny on June 9, and that she had been trying to find her, too frightened to alert the authorities. She was charged with first-degree murder in October 2008 and pleaded not guilty. On December 11, 2008, Caylee's skeletal remains were found with a blanket inside a trash bag in a wooded area near the family home. Investigative reports and trial testimony alternated between duct tape being found near the front of the skull and on the mouth of the skull. The medical examiner mentioned duct tape as one reason she ruled the death a homicide, but officially listed it as "death by undetermined means". The trial lasted six weeks, from May to July 2011. The prosecution sought the death penalty and alleged Casey wished to free herself from parental responsibilities and murdered her daughter by administering chloroform and applying duct tape. The defense team, led by Jose Baez, countered that the child had drowned accidentally in the family's swimming pool on June 16, 2008, and that George Anthony disposed of the body. The defense contended that Casey lied about this and other issues because of a dysfunctional upbringing, which they said included sexual abuse by her father. The defense did not present evidence as to how Caylee died, nor evidence that Casey was sexually abused as a child, but challenged every piece of the prosecution's evidence, calling much of it "fantasy forensics". Casey did not testify. On July 5, 2011, the jury found Casey not guilty of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. With credit for time served, she was released on July 17, 2011. A Florida appeals court overturned two of the misdemeanor convictions on January 25, 2013. The not guilty murder verdict was greeted with public outrage, and was both attacked and defended by media and legal commentators. Some complained that the jury misunderstood the meaning of reasonable doubt, while others said the prosecution relied too heavily on the defendant's allegedly poor moral character because they had been unable to show conclusively how the victim had died. Time magazine described the case as "the social media trial of the century". Caylee's Law Since the end of the trial, various movements have arisen for the creation of a new law, called "Caylee's Law", that would impose stricter requirements on parents to notify law enforcement of the death or disappearance of a child. One such petition, circulated via Change.org, has gained over 1.2 million electronic signatures. In response to this and other petitions, lawmakers in four states—Florida, Oklahoma, New York, and West Virginia—have begun drafting versions of "Caylee's Law". The law in Oklahoma would require a child's parent or guardian to notify police of a missing child within 24 hours, and would also stipulate a time frame for notification of the disappearance of a young child under the age of 12. The Florida law would make it a felony if a parent or legal guardian fails to report a missing child in timely manner if they could have known the child would be in danger. The call for mandatory reporting laws has been criticized as being "reactive, overly indiscriminating and even counterproductive". One critic noted the law could lead to overcompliance and false reports by parents wary of becoming suspects, wasting police resources and leading to legitimate abductions going uninvestigated during the critical first few hours. Additionally innocent people could get snared in the law for searching for a child instead of immediately calling police.

true crime

True crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people. The crimes most commonly include murder, with tales of serial killers dominating the genre (about 40% in a 2002 survey), but true crime works have also focused on other subjects, for instance policemen memoirs, and more recently reality police TV shows. Depending on the writer, true crime can adhere strictly to well-established facts in journalistic fashion, or can be highly speculative. Some true crime works are "instant books" produced quickly to capitalize on popular demand; these have been described as "more than formulaic" and hyper-conventional. Others may reflect years of thoughtful research and inquiry and may have considerable literary merit. Still others revisit historic crimes (or alleged crimes) and propose solutions, such as books examining political assassinations, well-known unsolved murders, or the deaths of celebrities. Helter Skelter (1974), the true story of the Manson murders by Vincent Bugliosi is the biggest selling true crime book in publishing history, Truman Capote's In Cold Blood is number two.

Homicide Hunter

Homicide Hunter (also known as Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda) is an American documentary television series showcasing the career of retired Colorado Springs police detective Joseph Kenda. It debuted October 25, 2011 on Investigation Discovery and has been renewed for a fifth season expanded to 20 shows. Premise: In each episode, Kenda recounts a murder investigation on which he worked, going from the 911 call to the final resolution of the case. Through re-enactments, discussions with investigation teams, and interviews with victims' families and other involved persons, the show highlights Kenda's successes with his 400 homicide case history and 92 percent solution rate. Kenda and an unseen voiceover professional handle the narration. Actor Carl Marino portrays Kenda in the re-enactments.

Unusual suspects (TV show)

Unusual Suspects is an American documentary television series on Investigation Discovery. The series debuted on June 21, 2010. The series showcases many of the most shocking and difficult cases in law enforcement history, and also sheds light on the investigations that led to the arrest of the culprits.