photo by PictoralEvidence via Wikimedia Commons

Sales is a tough job. Those widgets ain't moving themselves. And everyone knows what happens at the weekly sales meeting: First prize is a Cadillac, second prize is a set of steak knives, and third place is you're fired. It's no different at Dynamic Medical Services, a Miami chiropractic center where salespeople had strict daily quotas: 12 new appointments for free consultations plus followups to persuade patients to pony up for paid services.

But if federal investigators are to be believed, those sales folks were also forced to spend half of each day toiling over L. Ron Hubbard's books and were coerced into screaming at ashtrays, staring down strangers in malls, and undergoing "cleansing" rituals in a sauna. If they didn't commit themselves to Scientology, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says in a federal complaint, they were fired.

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via YouTube

For the next month, two teams will be fighting tooth and nail for the chance to lead a billion dollar renovation of Miami Beach's convention center. But the Beach may soon have some serious competition on its hands for convention traffic, if a just released plan from downtown developers comes to pass.

A new player in the on-again, off-again Miami World Center project unveiled details today on YouTube for a twisty-looking Marriott and massive convention space on the old site of the Miami Arena.

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On May 2, Sonny Hoffer was walking his miniature dachshund Lulubelle along Collins Avenue when he spotted a giant, growling German shepherd on the sidewalk. Oh look, he thought to himself. This dog thinks Lulubelle is his dinner. Hoffer was right. An instant later, the 100-pound shepherd had the wiener dog in a death grip. "He was shaking her back and forth in his mouth like Cujo," Hoffer says.

Lulubelle barely survived, but Hoffer's ordeal was just beginning. He shelled out $2,000 to save his dog, but he says Florida's antiquated animal rights laws have prevented him from suing the German shepherd's owner. "In Florida, household pets are treated like chattel," he says. "Our animal rights laws are medieval."

(Graphic images after the jump.)

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via Dino Ghilotti's Facebook page

On Friday, Dino Ghilotti's friends and family gathered in Coral Gables to watch him walk the stage at the University of Miami's graduation. Today, they'll gather again at a Coral Gables church to mourn at his funeral ceremony.

Ghilotti was killed early Sunday morning in a two-car accident a few blocks from campus.

Update: Police have identified the driver of Ghilotti's car as Allison Meyer and the other driver as Rosalia Prado.

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Via twitter.com/sneakerheaderic

SpaceGhostPurrp is detained after a fight at the Fillmore last November

Eric Rowe had a bad feeling. It was the night of November 8, and the bulky bodyguard had been hired to protect A$AP Rocky during his concert at the Fillmore Miami Beach. All day, the rapper had been receiving threatening tweets from supporters of his local rival, SpaceGhostPurpp. During the concert, Purpp's crew began shouting at the stage. Rowe, an Army veteran, advised off-duty Miami Beach police officers to clear a path to Rocky's tour bus.

But when Rowe and his crew tried taking Rocky out the back door, Purpp's crew jumped the gate. Fists flew. Then came the gunshots -- crack, crack, crack. By the time cops secured the scene, the shooter was gone. The crowd had fled. So whom did officers arrest?

"The cops were on the ground, hiding, while my guys stood over them, protecting them," Rowe claims. "We're supposed to be on the same side. Instead, we got thrown into jail."

See also:
- SpaceGhostPurrp Arrested After Beefing With A$AP Rocky and the Mob on Miami Beach

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The years of brewing tension between the City of Miami and the producers of Burn Notice over their use as the Coconut Grove Expo Center as their filming hub are apparently at an end. Today, USA announced that the upcoming show's seventh season will be its last.

Burn Notice has not only shot its last episode in Coconut Grove, but anywhere.

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Stolen songs. Rampant suspicions. Secretly recorded phone calls. Welcome to the twisted world of twerk.

Last week, hip hop fans rejoiced when new song "Twerk It" by Pharrell Williams and Busta Rhymes appeared on websites. Local Miami rapper Monty $$ was furious, however. He already had a song called "Twerk It" with what he says are eerily similar features. "It's the same song, they just copied it and put it out," says Monty $$. "They are coming down to Miami and blatantly disrespecting me."

Does he have a case? Listen to the two songs and let us know what you think.

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As the tale of Kiera Wilmot -- the Bartow, Florida student expelled and charged with two felonies over a science project gone wrong -- went viral yesterday, a wide movement to support the 16-year-old blossomed from blogs to radio shows to Change.org petitions. Best of all, though, has been a Twitter campaign by scientists and science fans with a simple premise: writing about the craziest stuff they've blown up over the years, all in the name of science.

The difference, of course, is that they were congratulated on their curiosity or slapped on the wrist, not hit with life-altering felonies.

See also:
- Florida School Responds to Criticism for Expelling Student Over Science Project: "There Are Consequences to Actions"
- Florida Teen Girl Charged With Felony After Science Experiment Goes Bad

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courtesy of Holly Jacobs

Holly Jacobs' nightmare began in 2009. That's when naked photos of the Miami PhD student first appeared online. They soon went viral, appearing on hundreds of so-called revenge porn websites along with her name, phone number, and email address. Photos and videos were even sent to her bosses.

Jacobs has spent the past four and a half years trying to remove the embarrassing images from the internet. Two weeks ago, she filed suit against her ex and several revenge porn sites. Now Jacobs is urging Florida lawmakers to pass a proposal to criminalize what she calls "cyber rape." But with the legislative session ending tomorrow, House Bill 787 -- along with Jacobs' campaign -- hangs in the balance.

See also:
- Proposed "Revenge Porn" Bill Would Make Releasing Your Sex Tape a Felony

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By all accounts, Kiera Wilmot's science experiment gone wrong triggered just a tiny pop and a small amount of smoke at Bartow High School last week -- but her tale is certifiably blowing up the Internet today. Thanks to Reddit and Reason, thousands of people have commented on Wilmot's story, many asking the same question: How could an otherwise model student be expelled and charged with a felony over an experiment that didn't hurt anyone?

Riptide decided to call the Polk County School District to find out. The answer: The letter of the law demanded the punishment, and school administrators believe kids should learn "there are consequences to their actions."

We've also obtained a police report that indicates Wilmot mixed toilet bowl cleaner and aluminum foil -- a combination that has inspired hundreds of YouTube videos and generally produces a fairly unimpressive explosion.

See also:
- Florida Teen Girl Charged With Felony After Science Experiment Goes Bad

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