The game, called Tubs of Fun, involved tossing balls into a tub. Gribbohm said something was causing the game to throw the balls out after he tossed them.

But you know what happens with out of control gamblers – they keep doubling down hoping to win their money back. Soon, he was out $2600.

The carnival, located in Manchester, MA, is run by Fiesta Shows based out of New Hampshire. They report that the independent contractor who runs the game never gave them any trouble before.

The traveling carnival is now setting up in Derry, NH, but the Tubs of Fun game won’t be open, since the contractor running the game is now being investigated.

Also, we think $2600 hardly qualifies as “life savings” but we do know that a stuffed banana with dreadlocks is forever.

Thanks to Jeff H for the story, which you can read at CBS Boston.

Cons seem to have also evolved and now have now branched out to become a meeting place for fans of everything from Anime to Zombies. Not that I’m complaining too much since I want to culturally stimulate my children and dammit Zombies and Batman count too. The mixing of generes is as much evident as by the costumes I saw at Awesome Con. Some I recognized (anything Batman) some I had no idea what they were and had to ask (Dr. Who and afore the mentioned Anime). There was very little that was overly risque (unless you count my 3 year who decided mid conference room that she would prefer to be Batman over Superman and did so publicly…sigh). Have I mentioned that Awesome Con DC specifically catered to families with kid friendly events and a kid centric room which made for legions of tiny pint sized super heros…some of who were unable to keep their pants on.

Awesome Con DC included media guests such as Nicholas Brendon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ernie Hudson  (Ghostbusters), Phil LaMarr and Billy West (Futurama), and Theodus Crane (The Walking Dead). Sidebar: I had no idea that Ernie Hudson was so ripped. Panels included such fare as: Welcome to the Asylum (Batman Rogues Gallery), Gearing Up (Steam-punk), Pro Wrestling Today, The Wonderful World of Harry Potter, Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse 101, Futurama, and a plethora of others appealing from kids to gamers.

Exhibits offered up everything from copious amounts of graphic novels and comics which seemed to cover every genre from The Walking Dead to My Little Pony  to gamer themed jewelry. My favorites included Learning with Zombies, where I picked up A Baby’s First Book of Zombies, Quiltoni, who specializes in custom quilts, and Octopus Tree House, which has some badass art. This was the first time DC has had this sort of con and it has been confirmed back for next year, which is well…awesome.

Tamerlan kept in shape as a boxer and had studied at Boston’s Bunker Hill Community College. He wanted to be an engineer.

Tsarnaev’s family fled Chechnya in the early 1990s because of the conflict there. He lived in Kazakhstan before coming to the United States as a refugee. In the absence of an independent Chechnya, Tsarnaev says he would rather compete for the U.S. than for Russia.

Interesting that the article suggests he wanted to join the US Olympic team and he hoped to become a naturalized US citizen.

The uncle of Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his brother Dzhokhar – Ruslan Tsarni – said he believed that their parents moved back to Russia, and called Tamerlan a “loser.”
“He deserved his. He absolutely deserved his,” Tsarni said. “They do not deserve to live on this earth.” (source)

It was also reported that in 2012, the suspects’ mother – Zubeidat K. Tsarnaeva, 45, was arrested for trying to shoplift women’s clothing valued at over $1600 from Lord & Taylor..and she was also charged with “two counts of malicious/wanton damage/defacement to property.”

7:42 p.m.: Loss prevention from Lord & Taylor called to report they had detained a shoplifter. Zubeidat K. Tsarnaeva, 45, of 410 Norfolk St., Apt. 3, Cambridge, was arrested and charged with larceny over $250 (women’s clothing valued at $1,624), and two counts of malicious/wanton damage/defacement to property. (source)

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva

A manhunt is underway for Dzhokar A. Tsarnaev, 19. Here is his profile at Russian social networking site VK.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Wahga Ceremony (from Wiki Commons)

Let’s watch:

Extended Version of Wagah Cermony / Border Closing

Here’s an extended video of the ceremony, which includes the lowering of the flags and handshake.

During the ceremony (also known as the Beating Retreat Border Ceremony), people can be heard shouting “Pakistan Zindabad” or “Hindustan Zindabad” or “Jai Hind.” Since 1959 this ceremony has taken place.

Wagah lies on the Grand Trunk Road (called National Highway 1 on the India side) and is the only road border crossing between India and Pakistan.

Wagah Border Map (Google Maps)