Author: Bud Thomas

The pilot of a hot air balloon that crashed in the Arizona desert and killed four people earlier this year did not have ketamine in his system prior to the crash, officials said, correcting an earlier report.Cornelius van der Walt, 37, was initially reported to have had enough ketamine in his blood to be considered impaired for driving, according to a medical examiner’s report obtained by USA Today. The initial report said that rescue crews that tried to revive him did not utilize the drug. But days later, Pinal County officials said they had discovered an error and released an…

A man attending the murder trial for his father’s killer in Brazil interrupted court proceedings to shoot the suspect half a dozen times and assault him. Video of the attack was captured on CCTV from the courtroom in São José do Belmonte. The video shows the judges and jury scattering for cover as Cristiano Alves Terto, 27, opened fire at Franscico Cleidivaldo Mariano de Moura, 38.It remains unclear how Terto had made it into the courtroom with a .38-caliber revolver. The attack occurred on November 29, 2023, but police only released the video on April 1, 2024. Terto chased Moura across the…

If you build it, they might complain. An Arizona woman is speaking out after she says her neighbor, former MLB-All Star J.J. Hardy, started construction on a baseball field in his backyard. Pam Lang, a resident of Chandler, Arizona, told KPHO a decision to build the miniature ballpark across from her property goes “beyond what is reasonable to expect your neighbors to tolerate.” “I didn’t sign up to live next to a baseball field,” she said. “It’s like a commercial – like living next to Top Golf, you know.”The disgruntled neighbor explained she only realized what was going on once she saw…

HOUSTON, TEXAS — In northwest Harris County, a man using a weed trimmer to mow a lawn heroically defended himself against robbery suspects. While working on Renmark Lane, he noticed several individuals pilfering equipment from his truck. As they attempted to escape in their car, they aimed the vehicle at him. In defense, the man retaliated by hurling his lawn tool at their windshield. A confrontation ensued when one of the robbers, later identified as Jerell Alexander, 24, fell from the vehicle. Despite an attempt by the driver to intimidate the victim with a firearm, the situation deescalated when Alexander,…

Kirk Cousins revealed in his introductory press conference with the Atlanta Falcons last month that tight end Kyle Pitts joked that he was willing to hand off the No. 8 jersey if it meant he would be targeted more. And the former Minnesota Vikings quarterback would’ve happily made that exchange if it hadn’t been for the NFL.  During a recent appearance on “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” Cousins said that keeping the No. 8 jersey would’ve been a costly move after the league stepped in to inform both Pitts and Cousins that they would have to both cut a check to…

Research indicates that obesity may play a role in accelerating brain aging. mr.suphachai praserdumrongchai/Getty ImagesObesity increases the risk of health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and several types of cancer.New research suggests that it may also accelerate brain aging.The researchers found that obesity and a high fat diet damaged blood vessels in the brains of mice, reducing oxygen supply to brain cells and leading to cognitive decline.Obesity is a growing public health concern worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, 16% of people around the world had obesity. Prevalence in the United…

This article was originally published by Michael Snyder at The Economic Collapse Blog.  Something truly extraordinary is going to happen as the Great American Eclipse of 2024 passes over the United States, and hardly anyone is talking about it.  Those who follow my work on a regular basis have already heard much of what I am about to share with you in this article, and I apologize to them in advance.  But I feel compelled to write about this again because the information that I am about to share with you is incredibly explosive and so few people know about…

“Game of Thrones” star Joseph Gatt is suing Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, the City of Los Angeles, L.A. County and others for $40 million after being arrested and charged with having “online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines.” The 52-year-old actor was arrested in April 2022 and released the same day after posting a $5,000 bail. Gatt vehemently denied the allegations at the time, and the charges were dismissed in February. On Thursday, Gatt filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that a “thoroughly botched criminal investigation” based on “the uncorroborated word of a then-16-year-old, admittedly obsessed…

In the steamy streets of Los Angeles, where the sun blazes as fiercely as the public’s opinions on the Second Amendment, Officer Toni McBride was serving looks and justice – until she decided to take aim at the LAPD with a lawsuit that has since misfired. McBride, a vision in blue who could handcuff you with her charm as easily as with her Smith & Wesson, alleged that the LAPD, under the steely gaze of then-Chief Michel Moore, put a damper on her rising star because she refused to holster her social media presence. A police officer with the sharpshooting…

The Iowa Hawkeyes are back in the women’s final for the second year in a row, but not without a bit of controversy. Iowa battled through a tough first half against UConn where star shooter Caitlin Clark was limited to just six points. A late surge in the second half, coupled with pivotal three-pointers from Clark, kept Iowa in the race.  But a costly turnover with just a minute remaining gave way to Nika Muhl’s 3-pointer for a 70-69 Iowa lead.Then, in dramatic fashion, Aaliyah Edwards was called for an illegal screen on Gabbit Marshall.Clark made her first free throw attempt,…