Not In Our Neighborhood! Florida Mansion Turned Rehab Center Infuriates Wealthy Locals
Posted on Apr 13, 2012 @ 04:00PM - 5 comments
By Debbie Emery - Radar Reporter
A multi-million dollar mansion that has been transformed into a halfway house for recovering drug and alcohol addicts has caused an uproar in an exclusive Florida neighborhood.
The expansive waterfront property located in The Cove neighborhood of Deerfield Beach, Florida, boasts a home theater, a full-time chef in a professional kitchen, beautiful views, a grand piano in a sitting room overlooking a sprawling patio with a pool and Jacuzzi hanging over the sea, reported ABCNews.com -- but instead of housing a wealthy business mogul it will now be home to patients of TLC Recovery.
Feds Charge Sushi Restaurant And Chef For Illegally Selling Whale
Posted on Mar 11, 2010 @ 05:06PM - 2 comments
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles filed criminal charges Wednesday against a Santa Monica sushi restaurant, Hump, and one of it's chefs for illegally selling whale meat. Typhoon Restaurant Inc. owner of the Hump restaurant and their chef, Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, were named in the criminal complaint for selling an endangered species, Sei whale meat.
They were formally charged with illegally selling a marine mammal product which is a misdemeanor and carries a maximum sentence of one year in jail and fines ranging from $100k-200k. The criminal complaint says The Hump and the sushi chef were involved in illegal sale of a marine mammal product for an unauthorized purpose. Sei whales are endangered species and the sale of all whale meat is prohibited in the United States by the Marina Mammal Protection Act.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Whale Advocate Blames Sea World For Whale Trainer’s Death
Last fall animal activists working with Louie Psihoyos, the Academy Award winning director of best documentary of The Cove, went to The Hump, requested whale meat and pocketed a sample. Psihoyos turned their evidence over to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement which began the investigation.
PHOTOS: Tiger Woods’ Kids Go To Sea World
The criminal complaint states that a search warrant was executed at the restaurant last Friday and that The Hump sold whole whale sushi on three occasions and that meat sold as whale on two of the occasions was tested by scientists who tested the DNA of the meat and determined that it was Sei whale. Receipts given to the customers at The Hump stated they had purchased whale.
"Someone should not be able to walk into a restaurant and order a plate of endangered species," United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. told RadarOnline.com, "Federal law has a variety of provisions, including criminal statutes, intend to protect this planet’s threatened natural resources. People should be aware we will use these criminal statutes where appropriate to protect endangered species including to ensure that they do not end up part of a meal."
AUDIO: 911 Call In Whale Trainer’s Death Released
"Making illicit products like whale meat available on the market only encourages the illegal hunting of marine mammals such as the Sei whale - a species that is already threatened by extinction," Martina Sagapolu of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement told RadarOnline.com. "While there is a market for illegal products and delicacies, we are dedicated to finding and prosecuting those who would exploit protected resources that are under threat."
DVD Review: The Cove
Posted on Dec 12, 2009 @ 12:23PM - 1 comment
Each fall in a small, Japanese village, fishermen systematically slaughter 23,000 dolphins, selling them for parts. Other dolphins are captured and sold to touristic enterprises worldwide to perform or swim with humans. When avid diver and film director Louie Psihoyos found out about it, he recruited a team of intrepid cameramen, free-divers and tech junkies to infiltrate the remote killing cove and show the world what goes on there.
The Cove, which arrived on DVD this week, is the culmination of Psihoyos’ efforts. Part documentary, part thriller and part action film, the movie is an unusual approach to what, for most of us, is an abstract topic typically relegated to science journals. Instead, armed with macho dudes sporting outlandish soul patches and a wealth of state-of-the-art devices, Psihoyos created a riveting film that makes its visceral, activist’s point but also explains the slaughter’s role in the larger context of environmental issues and global health.
The film hinges on his mission to film the Japanese cove at the risk of imprisonment and, possibly, physical harm. Yet, Psihoyos and his crew are not without a sense of humor as they plan their covert operation. To build their outdoor “rock cams,” for example, they seek out help from Hollywood effects specialists who demonstrate past achievements, like an exploding waterfall for Evan Almighty. Elsewhere, Psihoyos finds a helicopter pilot to create their sky cam, which they design to look like a children’s balloon. Even Ric O’Barry, the Flipper dolphin-trainer-turned activist, lightens up: In his efforts to guide the team through the village without arrest, he dons a wig to hide his identity.
DVD Releases for December 8:
Posted on Dec 08, 2009 @ 02:04PM - Add a comment
Beautiful Losers (Not rated)
Aaron Rose’s documentary examines an NYC art community rooted in skateboarding, punk, hip-hop, graffiti and DIY culture, introducing each artist and offering a behind-the-scenes look at how their community took shape. (Shepard Fairey [himself], Harmony Korine [himself], Ed Templeton [himself])
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG)
In the sixth installment of the Potter film franchise, the young wizard is back to fight evil. Now age 16, Harry’s hormones are raging and he learns more about the past of his nemesis. (Daniel Radcliffe [Harry Potter], Rupert Grint [Ron Weasley], Emma Watson [Hermione Granger])
Julie & Julia (PG-13)
The stories of Julie Powell, a down-and-out New Yorker, and groundbreaking chef Julia Child are intertwined, as both find meaning and identity through cooking. (Meryl Streep [Julia Child], Amy Adams [Julie Powell])
Public Enemies (R)
Charming and elusive bank robber John Dillinger expands his turf, outwitting the pursuit of an ambitious FBI agent. He makes time to fall in love, though, after he meets one mysterious beauty who’s take his heart. (Johnny Depp [John Dillinger], Christian Bale [Melvin Purvis], Marion Cotillard [Billie Frechette])
The Cove (PG-13)
The thriller-style documentary teams filmmakers, activists and free divers for a mission to uncover a deadly secret in a remote, Japanese cove. (Louis Psihoyos [director], Fisher Stevens [producer])
