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Vodka Marketing

8/03/11 6:10am

P. Diddy's "Luxury" Vodka Confiscated

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A one-brand man Photo via

Vodka spokesman and rapper P. Diddy was left bereft after French customs officers stripped his entourage of "a few crates" of 80 proof Ciroc vodka late last week. French law stipulates that travelers can only bring a single liter of liquor above 44 proof into the country. Diddy's hangers-on were flying considerably larger quantities from the States to Nice's Cote D'Azur airport, in preparation for the rapper's promotional tour of several St. Tropez clubs. The artist formerly known as Puff reportedly threatened to cancel an appearance at Cannes nightspot Gotha on Friday when he heard it was stocked with a rival vodka brand—but yet more cases of Ciroc were flown in to rescue the situation. Diddy signed a deal to market the lethally-strong liquor back in 2007, and shares 50% of the profits from each sale. The deal could be worth as much as $100 million to him if all goes well, and the rapper is serious about his responsibility to make himself richer. "I'm not just a celebrity endorser," he said, "I'm a brand-builder. I'm a luxury brand builder." Tell it to customs, Puff.

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By Will Godfrey

News

8/03/11 5:00am

The Quick Fix: A Real-Time Round-Up of Today's News

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O'Neal: On probation when busted Photo via

By Will Godfrey

Crazy drunk

8/03/11 3:59am

Video: Breast Milk Attack Mom Sentenced

An Ohio woman, who earned instant notoriety by spraying cops with her breast milk a month ago, was sentenced to two years of probation and given a $200 fine. 30-year-old Stephanie Robinette, a new mom, was a teacher at an elementary school—until she was fired following her drunken night of madness on June 25. After drinking heavily and arguing with her husband at a wedding reception, she became abusive and punched him in the face. Then she locked herself in their car and refused to leave. When sheriff's deputies arrived, she "pulled out one of her breasts and literally started milking it, spaying breast milk towards the officers," said the Delaware County Sheriff. Any offensive use of bodily fluids constitutes an assault and she was dragged from the car—more attempted violence followed. Her husband—sitting next to the prosecutor in court—said, "I don't know that alcohol is my wife's problem." But her attorney said she was receiving treatment. Robinette was also ordered by the judge to take anger management classes. Police captured her arrest on camera as she yelled, "Record it all!"

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By Will Godfrey

Bath Salts

8/02/11 1:08pm

Bath Salts Addict Shot Dead by Troopers as Use Rises

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Outside the house: A grim task Photo via

A 29-year-old man struggling with a “bath salts” addiction was shot dead July 28 by Pennsylvania state troopers after taking his mother and two other people hostage in his mother’s Poconos home. Troopers had that morning served Robert J. Kish with a court order requiring him to stay away from the house. Police said Kish prevented his mother and two others from leaving, then set fire to the place. He used a shotgun loaded with birdshot to fire on troopers who had been called to the scene—troopers shot Kish after he approached them with his gun and refused orders to drop it. A few days earlier, Kish had called a Scranton rehab for his addiction to mephedrone—or bath salts—an addictive synthetic drug with amphetamine-like effects. The rehab called back to say a bed was available—a day after his death. Mephedrone use has been on the rise in Pennsylvania, especially among the under-30s, according to Neil Capretto, MD, medical director of Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh. “They can certainly make you psychotic,” Capretto told The Fix. “These are intense stimulants—cocaine and methamphetamine are stimulants, and bath salts are the same. One woman I talked to was on a five-day bath salts run—she really started hallucinating from it. I’ve talked to some guys who say they’re more likely to get into fights on bath salts.” Pennsylvania recently passed legislation banning mephedrone. It will take effect later this month—but Capretto says mephedrone is widely available on the internet and in bordering states, which don't yet have such laws.

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By Jennifer Matesa

Chicago thaw

8/02/11 11:16am

Chicago Could Loosen Grip on Potheads

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Free-er weed? Photo via

There seems to be an overabundance of potheads in Chicago's detention centers. At a meeting last week to discuss overcrowding in the city's, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle reminded Chicago officials how the system is clogged with inmates booked on minor drug possession charges, many of whom eventually see their cases dismissed by judges. Days after Preckwinkle’s presentation, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy suggested his force may go easier on reefer toking individuals in possession of only small quantities. He reiterated that marijuana offenders will continue to be arrested on lesser charges. The plan is to slap them with a summons or citation, rather than booking them and locking them up. Chicago authorities are simply considering this option now. “It’s not cooked yet,” said McCarthy, but added, "I think that people are going to see some changes down the road." He believes that changing the approach to cannabis will free up his officers back to deal with more substantial crimes.

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By Kenneth Garger

Aussie Nurses

8/02/11 6:13am

Aussie Nurses Swipe Drugs and Sell 'Em

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No wonder she's cheerful. Thinkstock

In the past 18 months New South Wales hospitals have reported more than 180 incidents of workers stealing drugs—and in 25% of cases oxycodone was the drug being swiped. The numbers—released yesterday through a public information access act—also show that so far this year six nurses have been caught with “addictive drugs.” They were consequently stripped of their licenses. One nurse apparently locked herself in a bathroom and was found unconscious with a needle in her arm. Blood tests showed she had taken a bizarre cocktail of morphine, Versed—a drug used to induce “twilight sleep” during outpatient surgical procedures—and metaclopramide, an anti-nausea drug. As well as morphine, the substances being stolen include Demerol and fentanyl, used in Australia primarily for cancer treatment. Paul Dillon, the director of Drug and Alcohol Research Training Center Australia, noted the black market for the drugs stolen and voiced the opinion that most of the drug-pilfering workers down under are selling them: “[Stealing] oxycodone would be about money.”

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By Jennifer Matesa

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