Random News of the Day

Hostess to close, cites nationwide worker strike
Twinkie maker Hostess to wind down ops, lay off 18,500 workers, put brands up for sale
By Tom Murphy, AP Business Writer | Associated Press – 14 hours ago


Hostess, the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, plans to go out of business, lay off its 18,500 workers and sell its snack cake and bread brands.
The Irving, Texas, company said a nationwide strike crippled its ability to make and deliver its products, which also include Ding Dongs, Ho Ho's and Home Pride bread.
Hostess suspended bakery operations at all its factories and said its stores will remain open for several days to sell already-baked products.
The company had warned employees that it would file a motion in U.S. Bankruptcy Court to unwind its business and sell assets if plant operations didn't return to normal levels by Thursday evening. The privately held company filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, its second trip through bankruptcy court in less than a decade.
"Many people have worked incredibly long and hard to keep this from happening, but now Hostess Brands has no other alternative than to begin the process of winding down and preparing for the sale of our iconic brands," CEO Gregory F. Rayburn said in a letter to employees posted on the company website.
He added that all employees will eventually lose their jobs, "some sooner than others."
"Unfortunately, because we are in bankruptcy, there are severe limits on the assistance the (company) can offer you at this time," Rayburn wrote.
Thousands of members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union went on strike last week after rejecting in September a contract offer that cut wages and benefits. Hostess said Friday the company is unprofitable "under its current cost structure, much of which is determined by union wages and pension costs."
A union representative did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment on the company's announcement.
Hostess has said that production at about a dozen of the company's 33 plants has been seriously affected by the strike. Three plants were closed earlier this week.
Hostess had already reached a contract agreement with its largest union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The company, founded in 1930, was fighting battles beyond labor costs. Competition is increasing in the snack space and Americans are increasingly conscious about healthy eating. Hostess also makes Dolly Madison, Drake's and Nature's Pride snacks.

‘Gangnam Style’ now most-viewed YouTube video of all time
By Dylan Stableford, Yahoo! News | The Sideshow – Sun, Nov 25, 2012

Congratulations, Internet.
"Gangnam Style," the unlikely smash hit by South Korean rapper Psy, has surpassed Justin Bieber's "Baby" to become the most-watched YouTube video of all time.
The video--featuring Psy's meme-ready dance moves--has racked up more than 815 million views since it was uploaded to YouTube on July 15. Bieber's "Baby," which has been watched more than than 803 million times since it was posted in February 2010.
"#GangnamStyle just became the most watched video @YouTube!" Psy (real name: Park Jae-Sang) tweeted on Saturday. "#History."
"Gangnam Style" already holds the title for "most liked" video in YouTube history with more than 2 million "likes," according to the Guinness Book of World Records, which officially recognized the achievement in September. The video for LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" is a distant second with more than 1.6 million "likes." Bieber's "Baby" is no. 3 in that category.
But true Beliebers, fear not: The 18-year-old pop star is not taking the "most viewed" loss lying down, tweeting a shirtless picture from the gym for his 30 million Twitter followers.

San Francisco Woman Live Tweets As She Hits Alleged Thief With Bear Spray, Chases Him


Sonya Yu defended her home when an intruder broke in and she doused them in bear spray, chased him with a samurai sword, and delivered him into the handcuffs of police, while live-Tweeting the whole incident in San Fransisco. (Twitter/Sonyayu)

By COLLEEN CURRY | Nov. 30, 2012

A San Francisco woman took crime fighting into her own hands this week when she doused a potential thief with bear spray and delivered him into the handcuffs of police while live-tweeting the whole incident.

Photographer Sonya Yu began tweeting about the intruder Tuesday morning, saying that the suspect had been plaguing the neighborhood with thefts of deliveries.

"He's the one that's been rampantly stealing packages in our neighborhood. I put out a bait package today & will be quietly working," she tweeted.

"My bear spray, bokken, & I are still not intimidated," Yu tweeted. "He's back & strong apparently. We keep bear spray by the door, so my plan is spray, call 911, & mutilate his junk."

A bokken is a wooden sword that was used to train Japanese samurai warriors.

When she saw the suspect approach her house Tuesday afternoon, Yu said she grabbed a can of "bear spray," a powerful pepper-spray like substance, and went out on her balcony, dousing the alleged thief.

He had a knife but did not attack her, she said.

The man fled from Yu's home, but she called police and went after him, according to her Twitter feed.

"He escaped, but not far. The bear spray debilitated him & painted him orange so other cops picked him up within 5 minutes. GOT HIM!" she wrote.

San Francisco police said that the suspect, later identified as Andy Anduha, 51, walked through a gated entry and onto Yu's front porch where he began inspecting a package. Though they would not confirm Yu's name, police said the victim saw Anduha attempting to steal the package, hit him with the bear spray, and then went after him when he fled.

"The police were called and officers were in the area of the incident, and they located the suspect in the next street over suffering from bear spray to the face," Officer Albie Esparza said today.

Yu said in her tweets that she went to meet the police after the arrest and drove with them to identify Anduha.

Anduha was later booked and charged with attempted burglary and outstanding warrants for traffic violations, Esparza said.

Yu declined to answer any questions about the incident because of the ongoing police investigation.

Yu said in her messages that she was happy she had caught the alleged thief and that she had bear spray on hand, though the residual spray had burned even her skin.

"In related news, I hope none of you ever gets bear sprayed cuz (sic) even this back-spray BURNS," she said. "Tho (sic) imagining how bad he's suffering (considering I emptied half a canister of bear spray onto him) makes me feel better."

She then tweeted that she would move onto her next task of the day: "Now onto making a dinner of blowtorch prime rib roast & fried brussels (sic) sprouts for friends tonight. All in a day's work," she wrote.

Esparza, of the San Francisco police, said that the department had been trying to catch a thief who had been stealing packages throughout the area. But they recommended members of the public not to follow Yu's example in taking justice into their own hands.

"The department does not suggest victims go after any suspects because you never know if they're armed, and they could potentially hurt someone by going after them," Esparza said.

League City man, 79, disarms intruder with his bare hands
By Deborah Wrigley | Tuesday, December 04, 2012

LEAGUE CITY, TX (KTRK) -- A League City man had a rude awakening Monday morning when a man with a rifle was banging on his front door. But that man was no match for the 79-year-old homeowner and his bare hands.

Ervin Brittnacher doesn't go looking for trouble, but he doesn't back down from it either. And early Monday morning, trouble came calling.

At the front door, police say was Charles Brian Smith, 38, accused of being high on bath salts. He tore the screen door off its hinges and made it inside the house, where Mr. Brittnacher was waiting, in his pajamas.

"I gave him a karate chop across the neck and the second one was on the jaw," Brittnacher recalled.

The result -- one would-be burglar was knocked out cold.

To understand how he overcame a man half his age, you have to know him. Ervin Brittnacher has a story. He rode bucking broncos and bulls in rodeos. He was a cowboy, and he once owned a honky tonk where he was also a bouncer. He took some lessons to heart from that.

"You can get run over real bad if you don't protect yourself," he said.

Monday morning's encounter could have turned out badly. Police say Smith was carrying a loaded rifle and when he was arrested, he was incoherent.

34:12 "During the time I was patting him down and checking his pockets, he kept asking if that was his dad's eyeball in his pocket," said Sgt. Tamara Spencer with the League City Police Department.

Smith remains in jail. Mr. Brittnacher is back to his routine on his farm, where he still bales hay. Just in case more trouble comes calling, he has a shotgun if his left hook doesn't do the job.

His children found out about the entire incident only when they read about it in the newspaper.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)