Moscow’s Matrosskaya Tishina pre-trial jail, famous for holding high-profile detainees such as Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Sergey Magnitsky, has had only a few escapes in its history. Oleg Topalov, a 33-year-old from Sochi, may have outdone them all in sheer effortlessness as he allegedly only had a piece of tableware to aid in his escape.Early Tuesday morning, the prison’s guards discovered that Topalov, an inmate in an eight-person cell, was missing. Accused of two murders and illegal arms trafficking, Topalov was characterized as “mentally abnormal and liable to escape” by the prison staff.Having been detained for a year and a half, he was scheduled to appear in court soon, but made his escape before the hearings could begin.According to Federal Penitentiary Service spokesperson Sergey Tsygankov, Topalov “expanded the vent of an air-shaft with the help of some item.” He then climbed up the vent to the prison’s roof, and left the facility undetected.The only item suitable for the job that Topalov would have had in his possession was “a table-spoon,” a police source speculated, according to Interfax. The inmates are “routinely searched” for items they are not allowed to have, the source added.While the police search for the escapee within the city and Moscow region, investigators have opened an inquiry into possible dereliction of duty among prison staff.Most of the inmates who attempted to escape Matrosskaya Tishina before Topalov used brute force to smash the facility’s brick walls. They were all later detained.The most successful escape that the jail has seen took place in 1995, puzzling the authorities and causing a big stir in the media. Notorious hitman Aleksandr Solonik made use of an accomplice in the junior police who infiltrated the prison guards’ ranks and smuggled him some mountain-climbing equipment. Both escaped with the help of a 20-meter long cord thrown over the jail’s wall. Solonik was never seen in Russia again, but two years later reports of his death emerged in Greece. … Read More
Europe’s Herschel telescope bows out after successful mission
Europe’s deep-space Herschel telescope has given up the ghost — running out of coolant after a successful mission to observe the birth of stars and galaxies, the European Space Agency said Monday. “Herschel has made over 35,000 scientific observations, amassing more than 25,000…
New Hampshire Republican refers to women as “vaginas” in email to lawmakers
New Hampshire State Rep. Peter Hansen referred to women as “vaginas” in an email to colleagues sent on the legislature’s official internal listserv. In response to a message debating a “stand your ground” measure being considered by the State House, the Republican lawmaker wrote:What could possibly be missing from those factual tales of successful retreat in VT, Germany, and the bowels of Amsterdam? Why children and vagina’s of course. While the tales relate the actions of a solitary male the outcome cannot relate to similar situations where children and women and mothers are the potential victims.Hansen’s use of metonym outraged his Democratic and Republican colleagues, prompting Democratice State Rep. Rick Watrous to respond:”Children and vagina’s”??!! Are you really using “vaginas” as a crude catch-all for women? Really? Please think before you send out such offensive language on the legislative listserve.NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire weighed in, too:Continue Reading… … Read More
Nvidia reportedly planning to offer Metro: Last Light with GeForces
Nvidia may be preparing to mount a counterattack against AMD's “Never Settle” game bundle initiative, according to TechPowerUp. The site reports that it has learned Nvidia is “frantically” looking to address its rival's program, which has been largely popular among mainstream enthusiasts who play games and presumably successful business-wise considering… … Read More
Greek prisoner takes six hostages in his 3rd prison-break attempt
Authorities have deployed additional police at the scene andsummoned the convict’s lawyer for negotiations.The Associated Press reports they obtained a photo captured byone of the prisoners that shows the convict, identified as AlketRizaj, standing beside six handcuffed hostages holding what appearsto be a hand grenade.The general secretary of the ministry of justice was en route toMalandrino prison, the country’s news agency said.The 36-year-old Alket Rizai, was convicted of murder in 2003. Heis well known for two successful escape attempts from Korydallosmaximum security prison in Athens.DETAILS TO FOLLOW … Read More
Greek convict takes six hostages in his 3rd prison-break attempt
The criminal, identified as Alket Rizaj, has reportedly takenfour guards and two other inmates hostage. According to local newsreports he is armed with two hand grenades and knives. Some reports suggest he is under the influence of drugs.The Associated Press reports they obtained a photo captured byone of the prisoners that shows the convict, identified as AlketRizaj, standing beside six handcuffed hostages holding what appearsto be a hand grenade. As the standoff continues authorities have deployed additionalpolice at the scene and summoned the convict’s lawyer fornegotiations. The General Secretary of the Ministry of JusticeMarinos Skandamis has also arrived at the scene to monitordevelopments.According to authorities the incident began at around 9pmlocal time after the lights went off in parts of theprison. The 36-year-old Alket Rizai, was convicted of murder in 2003and sentenced to life in prison. He is well known for two successful escape attempts fromKorydallos maximum security prison in Athens.In 2006, two accomplices landed a hijacked helicopter on theroof of Korydallos prison picking up two convicts – Alket Rizai andVassilis Paleokostas, who was sentenced to a 25-year sentence forkidnapping and bank robbery. They flew to a nearby cemetery andescaped on motorcycles. Both fugitives were captured a few monthslater.The second escape happened using the same tactics in 2009 duringthe trial over the first escape. Rizai and Paleokostas climbed arope ladder thrown to them by a passenger in the helicopter as itwas flying over the prison courtyard. The men were transferred backto Korydallos just one day before the attempt. While Rizai was recaptured in November 2009, Paleokostas remainsat large.In 2011, Rizai virtually announced his third prison breakattempt, saying in an interview with an Albanian newspaper thatGreece is taking away his “best years” and that he would rather diethan stop trying to escape. … Read More
Monoprice: From underground following to legitimate electronics brand
Monoprice built a very successful online business by doing one thing exceedingly well: offering extremely high quality cables (most notably HDMI cables) at unheard of bargain basement prices. This allowed the company to grow into a $120 million a year business that’s been growing at between 25 percent and 35… … Read More
