Breaking Tweets » Kari O'Rourke

Gunman opens fire at Florida office

Kari O'Rourke — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:57:30 +0000

A gunman opened fired at an office downtown Orlando, Florida, Friday morning killing one person and injuring five others.

BBC News reports that Orlando police identified the gunman as Jason Rodriguez, 40, who used to work there. He was arrested at his mother’s house after fleeing the scene.

Twitter users in the area shared their concerns on the trending topic:

scotymax (Orlando, Fla.) Holy smokes! Shootings at the office building where I work in Orlando. Just happened to take today off. 06 Nov 2009 from Tweetie

GarrickBoyd (Orlando, Fla.) Suspect in the Orlando office shootings, Jason Rodriguez, 40, silver 02 Nissan SUV D11UXR http://yfrog.com/j84jxj 06 Nov 2009 from Tweetie

JP_Renaud (Orlando, Fla.) Orlando Florida Legion Place shooting – businesses at this location: RS&H, Tews staffing, Gulfatlantic Tile, an attoryney’s office, etc. 06 Nov 2009 from web

CMHillard (Orlando, Fla.) The office of one of our engineering subcontractors was shot up this afternoon by some psycho!!! I hope Keith is okay!!! 06 Nov 2009 from web

sam_gardner (Orlando, Fla.) Last I heard, our 16th floor office has been evacuated, but the 7th floor is still locked in the building, but safe #orlandoshooting 06 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

ShirleyHuangESQ (Orlando, Fla.) News station reporting suspected Orlando office gunman said “They (his employer) left me to rot” (re: layoff). 06 Nov 2009 from DestroyTwitter

Krispykreme88 (Undisclosed) Scary – Lure office less than a mile from the shooting – thankful our design friends at Engauge are all safe! 06 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

riccaboni (Orlando, Fla.) My school & hospital were on locked down because some dude shot up an office building that was 5 blocks from my location. What is going on?! 06 Nov 2009 from web

Tweet This Post

New Zealand mayor: Pay underclass not to breed

Kari O'Rourke — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:04:17 +0000

A New Zealand mayor is under attack after proposing a solution to the country’s child abuse problem by paying the “appalling underclass” not to breed, according to new.com.au.

Michael Laws wrote on the Web site of a New Zealand radio station where he hosts a talk show, “That it would be far better for this appalling underclass to be offered financial inducements not to have children.”

Twitter users did not share the same sentiment:

mcquillanator (Wellington, New Zealand) “What’s every parent’s nightmare?” “Having a child that turns out like Michael Laws.” Win. 29 Oct 2009 from web

christina_evans (Christchurch, New Zealand) Michael Laws wants to sterilise the “underclass” to prevent future crime. Because that’s never gone wrong before, and isn’t highly unethical 30 Oct 2009 from web

sbuxryry (Auckland, New Zealand) Michael Laws should dig a hole in Thailand, get in it and wait for the next Monsoon. 30 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

DorothyDentata (Wellington, New Zealand) Jesus Christ, Michael Laws. What an idiot, let’s just suggest pushing people of low socio-economic backgrounds into being sterilised. *duh* 30 Oct 2009 from web

LianaKaiwai (Brisbane, Australia) Michael Laws – a NZ politician said that the appalling underclass should voluntarily sterilise themselves. Gee thanks Hitler! 30 Oct 2009 from web

gnat (Ti Point, New Zealand) the biggest problem in New Zealand politics is that it’s too late to sterilise Michael Laws’s father. 01 Nov 2009 from Tweetie

Tweet This Post

Crucifixes banned in Italian schools

Kari O'Rourke — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:26:44 +0000

The European Court of Human Rights has banned crucifixes in Italian schools citing that they run counter to a child’s right to freedom of religion, reports the BBC.

The ruling overturns a law dating back to the 1920s where it was a requirement to hang crucifixes in all classrooms.

Mixed reaction from all over the world popped up on Twitter:

anxioustomato (Glassgow, United Kingdom) Hurrah! Now if only the UK followed in Italy’s footsteps: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8340411.stm #religion #crucifix #ban 03 Nov 2009 from web

TheGodless (Undisclosed) No more bronze age torture devices? RT @anatheistnews Court says Italian schools should be crucifix-free http://anatheist.net/go/?x=… 03 Nov 2009 from mobile web

dockofthelake (Italy) EU saying no to crucifix in class: now, do they ever decide anything on something useful, or do they just waste time/money on bulls’t? 03 Nov 2009 from Twidget

euroinfo (North Wales) How long before someone blames this on the EU? RT @Berlaymont: European court: No crucifixes in Italian schools http://bit.ly/4kunFF 03 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

lipsh (Ontario, Canada) Europe’s court of human rights says the display of crucifixes in Italian public schools violates religious and education freedoms. USA too! 03 Nov 2009 from web

LaCyn (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) Italy’s crucifixes in classrooms violate human rights http://tinyurl.com/italycross // wouldn’t not having them violate rights too? 03 Nov 2009 from web

Vingeviciute (Lithuania) Not free to believe.The European Court of Human Rights:no Catholic crucifixes in school allowed. http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/4148 03 Nov 2009 from web

ganhy (Singapore) This symbol banning is really starting to become overkill. (That said, I somehow find verses far more disturbing than crucifixes.) 03 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

Tweet This Post

Karzai declared president of Afghanistan

Kari O'Rourke — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:56:55 +0000

President Hamid Karzai has been declared president of Afghanistan after election runoff was cancelled by officials, according to the BBC.

Karzai’s only opponent, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, dropped out of the race on Sunday out of concerns that the votes would not be fair or free.

The United States and its allies congratulated President Hamid Karzai on winning a second term Monday, Fox News reports.

Many Twitter users were not as quick to dole out their congrats:

chadlavi (Brooklyn, N.Y.) Karzai didn’t win so much as his only opponent dropped out of the race. I could win a presidential election if no one ran against me, too. 02 Nov 2009 from web

MWM4444 (Fla.) Congratulating Karzai on his “win” is like congratulating The Godfather on his humanitarian selflessness. 02 Nov 2009 from web

Annapakshi (London) US says Karzai is a legitimate leader – on what grounds i wonder? except there is little choice! 02 Nov 2009 from web

MEVCo_USA (Jacksonville, Fla.) #Obama’s phone call to Karzai… Hey homey aren’t ya glad I sent you my play book from my 2008 election now… keep the faith my man! 02 Nov 2009 from TweetDeck

LisaMKoolFm (Barrie, Ontario, Canada) Almost a million fraudulant votes for him and Karzai still gets to be president with no new election. Hmmm. 02 Nov 2009 from txt

blkbird77 (Undisclosed) more like drop out of the race or else,Karzai poses a def prob,corrupt Pres= corrupt military,how can we work with this guy 02 Nov 2009 from web

Kahoneez (Undisclosed) Sounds like Same ole U.S. foreign policy OBAMA , Collaborating & paying Drug Lords & propping up puppet Karzai who rigged election . 02 Nov 2009 from web

Tweet This Post

Simultaneous attacks in Pakistan leave 39 dead

Kari O'Rourke — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:26:17 +0000

Militants launched simultaneous attacks on three law enforcement facilities in Lahore, Pakistan on Thursday, as car bombs hit two other cities, including the assault of a Peshawar school, reports Fox News.

At least 39 police officers and civilians are dead.

This is just the latest in a string of bloody attacks that have bombarded Pakistan. On Monday, at a security forces checkpoint in northwest Pakistan, 41 were killed and 45 were wounded in an explosion, according to CNN.

Twitter users from Lahore, Pakistan reacted to Thursday’s attacks:

abkhalid (Lahore, Pakistan) Lahore under attack, may Allah help us understand what really our religion (the religion of peace) teaches us, Fe aman Allah 15 Oct 2009 from web

wqs (Lahore, Pakistan) Manawan police training center under attack as well, three terrorist attacks happening in #Lahore simultaneously. #Pakistan #fb 15 Oct 2009 from Seesmic

adnanbwp (Lahore, Pakistan)@ahmedbilal @kursed I believe the FIA attack is a ruse to divert attention and then attack Elite force training center. 15 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck in reply to ahmedbilal

Ahsano0 (Lahore, Pakistan) suspectde attack at 3 places in lahore.. Manawa, Elite Force Office and I.G. Office 15 Oct 2009 from iSms

MusstEagle (Lahore, Pakistan) Elite Force training centre and FIA building under attack… The taliban are f***ing with my city again… #lahore #pakistan 15 Oct 2009 from mobile web

omairzahid (Lahore, Pakistan) Another sordid terrorist attack in Lahore today, mere yards from my office. 15 Oct 2009 from web

sidrahhaque (Lahore, Pakistan) eight attacks in eleven days with over 100 deaths. 15 Oct 2009 from web

Tweet This Post

USS New York embarks on maiden voyage

Kari O'Rourke — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:36:14 +0000

On Tuesday morning, the USS New York embarked on its maiden voyage from New Orleans to its namesake.

Constructed in honor of the victims from the 9-11 attacks, the ship has more than eight tons of steel from the wreckage taken from the World Trade Center towers.

Mixed tweets surfaced on Twitter the day of the send-off:

jstanwix (Manhattan, N.Y.) RE: USS New York. After reflection, it’s unsettling we took waste materials from mass deaths to create another force of destruction. 13 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

ojoscriollos (New Orleans, La.) As it leaves Nola, @JebPelican is “proud of the USS New York,” a floating propaganda warship made of 9-11 steel going to fight illegal wars? 13 Oct 2009 from web

quietlove (Calif.) fox8live my daughter is setting sail on the USS New York I’m so proud of her and the rest of the crew 13 Oct 2009 from web

johnwquinn (Tucson, Ariz.)Congratulations to the shipbuilders and crew of the USS New York for getting underway for NYC! Way to go! http://www.ussny.org/index.php 13 Oct 2009 from web

Despite foggy conditions, TwitPics have surfaced showing the historical moment:

@Ladywave4 (Undisclosed)

@MetTiger (Metry, La.) USS New York goin down river, made from 911 steel

Tweet This Post

Pope canonizes Hawaii’s 1st saint

Kari O'Rourke — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:40:13 +0000

On Sunday morning, Pope Benedict XVI canonized five saints in a ceremony held at St. Peter’s Basilica, including Father Damien De Veuster, Hawaii’s first, reports KITV. Hundreds of pilgrims from the island traveled to Rome to witness the historical event.

St. Damien dedicated his life to working with lepers on Molokai Island back in the 19th century. During his last four years he contracted the disease and died in 1889.

Twitterers from Hawaii expressed their excitement about the canonization of Father Damien:

SASTeachers (Kailua, Hawaii) Day 9, Today was the day of Fr. Damien’s canonization. Beautiful service despite the 2 hr. wait to get through security. Hawaii celebrates! 11 Oct 2009 from web

mBringinIt2U1st (Honolulu, Hawaii) I’m watching (and feeling) the canonization ceremony of Father Damien of Molokai – very spiritual… 11 Oct 2009 from web

lilybillykid (Waipio, Hawaii) also watching something that will go down in catholic history, the canonization of father damien. newsfeed live from italy its ornate! 11 Oct 2009 from web

mrtroi (Honlulu, Hawaii) Rushed home to watch the Canonization of Father Damien. The Vatican is so impressive and the Basilica is beautiful. Can’t wait! #fb 11 Oct 2009 from web

@naugusta (Honolulu, Hawaii) posted the following TwitPic of canonization coverage below:

Tapestry Tapestry of Saint Damien hanging in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Tweet This Post

Italian scientists re-create Shroud of Turin, say it is man-made

Kari O'Rourke — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:11:01 +0000

The Shroud of Turin, which has long since been at the center of controversy over its historical roots, has been replicated by Italian scientists with materials and techniques available during the Middle Ages.

“We have shown that it is possible to reproduce something which has the same characteristics as the Shroud,” said Luigi Garlaschelli, according to Reuters.

The Shroud is a linen that depicts the image of a crucified man and is thought by believers to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ.

Carbon data testing done back in 1988 places the Shroud origins circa 1260-1390, however there are those who remain skeptical of the relic’s authenticity:

caiornp (Sao Paulo) Italian scientist reproduces Shroud of Turin, now can I finally call it fake? http://digg.com/d316PW4?t 06 Oct 2009 from Digg

RobArcher (Los Angeles, Calif.) If you don’t wash your bedsheets for a few years, you can make your own “Shroud of Turin.” 06 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

BrettMerryman (Undisclosed) I love that hard science is used to disprove the Shroud of Turin. Just LOOK AT IT. It’s an obvious fake. 06 Oct 2009 from web

anjrued (Phillipsburg, N.J.) RT @trexblog: Confirmed yet again, the Shroud of Turin is a medieval forgery – http://ow.ly/sXpB 06 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

While there are others who rely on faith and not science to fuel their beliefs:

its_bj (Harrison, Ark.) Shroud of Turin Y R we always looking for signs, when all we need is faith. http://bit.ly/lCv8b 06 Oct 2009 from web

shanecorning (Kalamazoo, Mich.) I havent seen anything *NEW* about the Shroud of Turin they have not said before. & just kus u can re-make it doesn’t prove squat. 06 Oct 2009 from web

rowleyassoc (United States) Scientists reproduce the ‘Shroud of Turin’, confrim relic is man made. But can you measure faith? http://ow.ly/sUiv 06 Oct 2009 from HootSuite

grputland (Melbourne, Australia) Some strange people seem to think my faith depends on the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. 06 Oct 2009 from web

Garlaschelli will be at a para-normal conference this weekend in northern Italy to show off his findings.

Tweet This Post

USF students tweet about campus lockdown

Kari O'Rourke — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:13:01 +0000

The University of South Florida was on lockdown today after reports that there were armed intruders on the campus.

Two people were taken into custody, and the Tampa police’s bomb shelter had been called due to the belongings of one of the suspects in custody, reports CNN. No shots were fired.

Twitter users in Tampa quickly made mention of the case. A number of USF students, workers and others affiliated with the university tweeted about the search while it was ongoing:

zombuki (Fla.) USF campus is going bonkers, not sure if I’ll be going to class tonight or not … 05 Oct 2009 from web

FLNVK (Undisclosed) Is stuck in the ZAP lab at USF waiting for this all to blow over. At least the puppy is ok! 05 Oct 2009 from web

Markmistr (Tampa, Fla.) I work at USF! – we are currently in lockdown and I have heard sirens, helicopters, and reports of a subject with a black puppy and a knife! 05 Oct 2009 from web

The_Scho (Tampa, Fla.) thinks it was an eventful, rather interesting day here at USF. 05 Oct 2009 from web

davefain (Tampa, Fla.) After hearing about two armed men on USF campus, I opened tweet deck before hitting tbo.com Thankfully everyone was alright #honesty 05 Oct 2009 from Power Twitter

SigEp_FLIota (Tampa, Fla.) @dbwj787 Thank you for the concerns. All seems to be clear at USF campus. Talk soon. 05 Oct 2009 from web in reply to dbwj787

monicalynn21 (Tampa, Fla.) Today was pretty chaotic….USF had lots of issues on campus! 05 Oct 2009 from web

BucBabe37 (Tampa, Fla.) lockdown at USF was something else today….didn’t really get any work done today! 05 Oct 2009 from web

Kdogg511 (Tampa, Fla.) crazy asss day to be a USF student 05 Oct 2009 from web

usfbookstore (Tampa, Fla.) Was stuck at Cooper Hall – my thanks to the USF English Dept for the hospitality during today’s fiasco. 05 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

luv_laf_liv (Tampa, Fla.) bomb squad @ usf??? lol roomie just went back to the lib…stay safe T!!!! 05 Oct 2009 from web

Tweet This Post

Woman mauled, killed by 350-pound pet black bear

Kari O'Rourke — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:25:15 +0000

On Sunday, Kelly Ann Walz, 37, was pronounced dead on the scene after she was attacked upon entering the bear’s cage to clean it. The bear lived in a 15-by-15-foot steel and concrete enclosure on Walz’s property in Ross Township, reports CNN.

Walz’s children were onsite and called for help as they watched their mother being mauled. A neighbor shot the bear while it was atop Walz.

The victim’s husband, Michael Walz, is an exotic pet dealer who was operating with an expired license dating back to June 2008.

According to FOX News, authorities said that Michael Walz reported back in 2007 that he kept a lion, cougar, jaguar, tiger, black bear, leopard and two servals on the property in Ross Township, a rural area in the Pocono Mountains, about 20 miles northeast of Allentown.

Although tragic, Twitterers could not help by speak out:

AdrenalinePR (Freehold, N.J.) http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/05/bear.attack/index.html MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE YOU KEPT A PET BEAR IN YOUR BACKYARD. 05 Oct 2009 from web

Jackstowne (Seattle) There’s no such thing as a “pet” bear. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/05/bear.attack/index.html Poor bear. 05 Oct 2009 from web

denny111 (Wichita, Kan.) First a pet chimp attack, now a pet bear mauling. I smell an Oprah special. 05 Oct 2009 from TweetDeck

vawilliams007 (Las Vegas) This is why we stick to cats & dogs as pets http://cbs3.com/local/black.bear.attack.2.1228025.html 05 Oct 2009 from web

sinnombre (Undisclosed) This is why i approve of Natural Selection. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/10/05/bear.attack/index.html Why… Why does she have a pet bear? 05 Oct 2009 from web

Tweet This Post