Danny Puff

By Keith Coffman

DENVER (Reuters) - A white supremacist parolee suspected of killing Colorado's prisons chief and a pizza delivery man last month had been mistakenly released from prison in January - four years early - due to a clerical error, court officials said on Monday.

Evan Spencer Ebel, 28, was killed in a roadside gun battle with police following a high-speed chase in Texas, two days after the March 19 killing of Tom Clements, executive director of the Colorado Department of Corrections.

Ebel had been released from prison in Colorado early after a judicial assistant failed to note on his prison file that sentences he received in 2008 for second-degree assault were supposed to be served consecutively rather than concurrently, the chief judge and district administrator for the 11th Judicial District said in a statement.

Ebel, who pleaded guilty to the assault charge and received a reduced sentence in a deal with prosecutors, was released on mandatory parole on January 28 of this year, according to the Colorado Department of Corrections.

"The district has undertaken a review of its practices in an effort to avoid a re-occurrence of this circumstance," Chief Judge Charles Barton and District Administrator Walter Blair said in the statement.

"The court regrets this oversight and extends condolences to the families of Mr Nathan Leon and Mr Tom Clements," they said.

Authorities have also named Ebel as a suspect in the killing of Domino's pizza delivery driver Nathan Leon in the Denver area two days before Clements was shot dead when he answered the door at his home 45 miles (72 km) south of Denver.

KAUFMAN COUNTY KILLINGS

Ebel was a member of a white supremacist prison gang, the 211 Crew.

According to Colorado court records, he was arrested at least seven times between 2003 and 2010 for crimes including burglary, weapons possession, assault, menacing, robbery and trespassing.

Authorities have said they were looking for ties between the murder of Clements and the January slaying of Mark Hasse, a prosecutor in the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office. Kaufman County is east of Dallas.

The January 31 murder of Hasse occurred the same day the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that the Kaufman County District Attorney's Office was among the agencies involved in a racketeering case against the Aryan Brotherhood white supremacist group.

On Saturday, Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, were found with fatal gunshot wounds at their home near the Texas town of Fourney. Fourney Mayor Darren Rozell has called the killing of McLelland and his wife a "targeted attack."

A search of Ebel's car following the shootout with Texas police turned up a pizza deliverer's shirt, visor, pizza box and heat bag. Ballistics tests established that the same gun he fired at police during that gun battle matched the weapon used to kill Clements and Leon.

Also found in the car were bomb-making materials and instructions for building bombs, according to Texas authorities.

(Reporting by Keith Coffman; Writing and additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and David Brunnstrom)

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NEW YORK (AP) Twitter did away with vowels, Google unveiled a button to add smells and the cast of the 1990s sitcom "Wings" launched a Kickstarter campaign.

The digital world celebrated April Fools' Day with the rollout of mock innovations and parody makeovers. Many of the top online destinations spent Monday mocking themselves and, in Google's case, playfully trying to lure users into pressing their noses against their computer screens.

Google, having already debuted its wearable Google Glass, on Monday showcased Google Nose to add scents to it search results. It urged visitors to lean in close and take a deep whiff for search results such as "unattended litter box."

"In the fast-paced world that we live in, we don't always have time to stop and smell the roses," product manager Jon Wooly said in a video. "Now with Google Nose Beta, the roses are just a click away."

YouTube, despite 72 hours of video uploaded every minute, said it was shutting down. The Google Inc.-owned video site joked that its eight-year rise was merely a lengthy talent search. At the end of the day, nominees were to no longer be accepted so judges could, for the next 10 years, sift through the billions of videos and declare a winner.

Google has always been one of the most enthusiastic April Fools' Day observers, and on Monday it trotted out an extensive lineup of satire. It also added a "treasure map mode" to Google Maps, complete with "underwater street view," and trumpeted Gmail Blue, in which the revolutionary upgrade is the simple addition of the color blue.

The comedy site Funny or Die parodied the recent Kickstarter campaign for a "Veronica Mars" movie with a number of crowd-funding campaigns for other 1990s shows, including "Wings" and "Family Matters." The mock campaigns included videos with original cast members trapped by nostalgia.

"You've been asking for it for years," ''Wings" star Crystal Bernard says in a video asking for $87 million. "Think of it like a $1,000 ticket to the film. Or $20,000!"

Instead of linking to a way to donate money, the mock campaigns led users to charities including the Make-a-Wish Foundation: "Please channel that giving energy into one of these very real, very worthy charities," read the site, slyly suggesting a more deserving cause for donation than Kickstarter projects.

Twitter, not content with the brevity of 140 characters, said it was "annncng" Twttr, a service that would limit messages to just consonants. In an apparent dig at the splitting in half of Netflix memberships between DVD and streaming, Twitter said users would now have to pay $5 a month for the premium use of vowels.

Netflix, meanwhile, boasted joke genre categories such as "Reality TV about people with no concept of reality."

Hulu offered a new slate of programming for its video site, presenting fictional series as if real, completed shows. "30 Rock" fans were baited with the promise of an actual "The Rural Juror" (a fake film frequently alluded to on "30 Rock" starring Jane Krakowski's character), and "Arrested Development" watchers were tempted by finally getting to see an episode of "Mock Trial with J. Reinhold."

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Online:

http://www.google.com/landing/nose/

http://www.funnyordie.com/

http://blog.twitter.com/

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jake_coyle

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NEW YORK (AP) Robin Thicke's new music video is too hot for YouTube.

A representative for the R&B crooner said Monday that his unrated video for "Blurred Lines" was banned from the website. The clip features nude models prowling around Thicke and rappers T.I. and Pharrell.

A rep for YouTube didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The video is still playing on the music video website Vevo.

Thicke's unrated clip was released last week and garnered more than 1 million views in days. It became a water cooler topic on the blogs and entertainment websites. The original video was released a week before and has 1.3 million views.

Thicke said in an interview last week that he had sought the approval of his wife, actress Paula Patton, to shoot with nude models.

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NEW ORLEANS (AP) Rapper Rick Ross says critics have misinterpreted his lyrics on Rocko's "U.O.E.N.O" after uproar from women's advocacy groups.

Ross raps about giving a woman the drug MDMA, known as Molly, and having his way with a woman in the song, "and she ain't even know it."

Although the song was released in January, the lyrics gained widespread notice last week when women's groups began to complain. Petitions were issued, including one asking Reebok to withdraw its advertising agreement with Ross.

The Miami-based rapper said in an interview on New Orleans' Q93.3 that "there was a misunderstanding with the lyric, a misinterpretation." He says the term "rape" was never used and it's not something condoned by him, his camp or hip-hop in general.

Messages to Ross' publicist weren't returned.

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Online:

http://rickrossdeeperthanrap.com /

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NEW YORK (AP) TBS says it's extending Conan O'Brien's late-night show through November 2015. O'Brien premiered "Conan" on TBS in November 2010, some months after his departure from a short-lived stint as host of NBC's "Tonight" show. He left NBC when Jay Leno was returned as "Tonight" host.

Although "Conan" averages just 900,000 viewers nightly, TBS says it leads the late-night pack in social media engagement and online activity.

"Conan," hosted by O'Brien with Andy Richter as announcer, airs Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. Eastern time.

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By Alastair Macdonald

LONDON (Reuters) - The April Fool is dead. Or at least the gentle jester of the common folk has been converted into a corporate colossus controlled by global marketing executives.

Companies around the world, from Google to BMW and Sony, have adopted the tradition of goading the gullible on April 1 to show their lighter sides and steal some free publicity.

Google Inc extended a practice dating back a decade or so in poking fun at its own ubiquity: it introduced a database of smells, pretended that it was shutting down its YouTube service, offered a treasure-hunting mode and old parchment style navigation on Google Maps, and unveiled Gmail Blue, a new version of its email service that is ... blue.

In Japan, telecoms company KDDI offered a mobile phone that was actually a bed - to save ever having to get up. And Sony Corp went to the dogs, rather literally, introducing a TV that only displays pictures in dog-friendly colours and has a remote with paw-enabled buttons.

A blog at Twitter, or rather "twttr", said users who wanted to use vowels would have to pay $5 (3.2 pounds) a month. "Trd th nw Twttr yt? Mr tm fr mr twts!" was one of the blog's more easily deciphered examples.

Procter and Gamble Co's mouthwash brand Scope offered a new "Bacon" flavour with taglines like "For breath that sizzles" and the appetizing "Indulge your meat tooth."

German carmaker BMW offered British readers excited at the impending arrival of a royal baby the P.R.A.M. (Postnatal Royal Auto Mobile) complete with picture of a sportily styled buggy and corgis at Windsor Castle - inquiries to Joe.King@bmw.co.uk.

SATIRE

In the more traditional realm of news-based fun, Yahoo's French website led its front page with the announcement that, to save money, President Francois Hollande would move his offices from the Elysee Palace to one of Paris's grittier suburbs.

Iceland Review Online reported that the country's central bank had solved the problem of how to value the local currency, the krona, which was badly damaged during the financial crisis -- replace it with Africa's CFA franc.

In Britain, the Guardian offered its leftish, liberal readers "augmented reality" spectacles to let them "see the world through the Guardian's eyes at all times."

By staring at a restaurant, cinema or retail product the paper's critics' reviews would come into vision without all the hassle of reaching for the phone, wrote the Guardian's anagrammatic correspondent Lois P. Farlo.

"Nesta Vowles" had a story in Britain's Daily Mail about owls being trained, Hogwarts-style, to deliver internal mail in an office. It carried photographs of what it called the "Roy-owl Mail." The Sun mocked up a shot of Mick Jagger in a tent and said the millionaire Rolling Stones were practising for the Glastonbury rock festival by spending Easter outdoors.

But few papers may top the Times Daily of Florence, Alabama, which fronted Monday's edition with a picture of a local bridge coming under simultaneous attack by the Loch Ness Monster, a UFO and Godzilla.

"Panic unnecessary: No deadly tomatoes reported near scene," the paper reported.

COULD BE TRUE?

It took French post office, La Poste, to highlight the struggle for survival faced by traditional media in a new technological age; it issued a press release announcing that airborne drones were delivering newspapers to people's homes.

Blurring the lines between mirth and marketing, Britain's Daily Mirror carried a story on the launch of glass-bottomed airliners - offering special sightseeing trips over Loch Ness. It would, it said, be operated by Richard Branson's Virgin airline - which duly carried its own online advert for the new planes, along with publicity for its real new domestic service.

With April Fools Day ever more an ad man's dream, Coca-Cola put an ironic, postmodern twist on the whole bluff-or-double-bluff atmosphere by advertising a relaunched vanilla version of the fizzy drink in Britain:

The slogan? "It's back! - (no really, it is)."

If the stress of sifting fact from fiction seemed too much, particularly for fellow journalists writing reports from the frontline of foolery, once could have left it to Britain's Metro newspaper to do the legwork and make things easier.

Its 2013 "round-up of the best jokes" from other media included a BBC story on NASA's Mars rover tweeting that bullying by Internet trolls was forcing it off Twitter, the Telegraph on rabbits bred with human ears and a supermarket press release offering to deliver food via a 3D printer.

Trouble is, those were all made up by Metro. April Fools!

(Additional reporting by Eric Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Giles Elgood and Eric Walsh)

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NEW YORK (AP) Lindsay Lohan will be a guest on "Late Show with David Letterman" next week.

CBS says she will pay Letterman a visit on the April 9 telecast. It will be her first "Late Show" appearance in six years.

Lohan is promoting her guest appearance on the FX sitcom "Anger Management," which will air two days later. On that episode, she will be playing herself, but as a therapy patient of series star Charlie Sheen.

Lohan and Sheen have also recently worked together in the upcoming "Scary Movie 5," which is opening this month.

The troubled 26-year-old actress is currently facing 90 days in rehab as part of a plea deal in a misdemeanor car crash case in California.

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NEW YORK (AP) "Glee" star Cory Monteith is heading to rehab.

In a statement, Monteith's rep confirmed Sunday night that the actor has "voluntarily admitted himself to a treatment facility for substance addiction.

"He graciously asks for your respect and privacy as he takes the necessary steps towards recovery."

People first reported the news on its website.

This is not the 30-year-old's first time in rehab. He got treatment when he was 19 and previously has spoken about his addiction struggles, saying he had a serious problem and took just "anything and everything."

He told Parade in 2011 that he was "lucky to be alive."

Monteith stars as Finn Hudson on the Fox show. He dates his co-star, Lea Michele. She told People that she loves and supports Monteith and is proud he's going to rehab.

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By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - An 80-year-old Japanese mountain climber who has had heart surgery four times is heading to Mount Everest to try for a third ascent of the world's highest peak and will become the oldest person to reach the top if he succeeds.

Yuichiro Miura climbed to the summit of the 8,850 metre (29,035 ft) mountain in 2003 and 2008. He skied down Everest from an altitude of 8,000 metres (26,246 ft) in 1970.

Miura and a nine-person team will climb up the standard southeast ridge route, pioneered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay when they became the first people to reach the summit in May 1953.

"The record is not so important for me," the white-haired Miura told Reuters in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu, before setting out for the mountain.

"It is important to get to the top."

The record for the oldest person to climb the mountain is held by Nepal's Min Bahadur Sherchan, who reached the summit at the age of 76, in 2008.

A doctor specialising in heart ailments is in the team to keep an eye on Miura's health. The group hopes to summit in May.

Miura has skied down the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, and is merely following family tradition. His late father, Keizo Miura, skied down Europe's Mont Blanc at the age of 99.

"If you wish strongly, have courage and endurance, then you can get to the summit of your dream," said Miura.

He already has a new dream. He wants to ski down Cho Oyu, the world's sixth highest mountain at 8,201 metres (26,906 ft), also in the Himalayas.

"Maybe, when I become 85 years old, and if I stay alive, I want to climb and ski down Cho Oyu," Miura said. "It is my next dream."

About 4,000 climbers have been to the top of Everest and about 240 people have died on its slopes.

(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Elaine Lies and Robert Birsel)

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NEW YORK (AP) Reactions to Phil Ramone's death:

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"A friend, a musical genius and the most lovable person. It was a thrill for me to have worked with Phil, and I have so many wonderful memories." Elton John

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"I'm so saddened to learn of Phil's passing. We first worked together in 1967 when I did a free concert in Central Park. His brilliance at capturing sound was immediately evident. Later we worked together on the film 'A Star Is Born' where Phil was able to record me singing live, including 'Evergreen.' In the next decade we worked on the soundtrack to 'Yentl' and many other recordings. Phil had impeccable musical taste, great ears and the most gentle way of bringing out the best in all the artists he worked with. The monumental recordings he produced will endure for all time." Barbra Streisand

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"There aren't enough words to express how heavy my heart is with the news of the passing of my dear friend and brother Phil Ramone. From Andy Williams and Lesley Gore, to Billy Eckstine, Paul Simon and all of my albums including 'Soul Bossa Nova' and 'Q's Jook Joint,' Phil was a collaborator in the studio and a friend in life for more than 50 years. Whenever I was in the studio recording, if Phil wasn't there by my side it would seem like one ingredient was missing. Today we lost one of the true musicians, innovators and geniuses of the record industry. His immense talents were only surpassed by the gigantic size of his heart, and I will miss him terribly." Quincy Jones

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"I always thought of Phil Ramone as the most talented guy in my band. He was the guy that no one ever ever saw onstage. He was with me as long as any of the musicians I ever played with longer than most. So much of my music was shaped by him and brought to fruition by him. I have lost a dear friend and my greatest mentor. The music world lost a giant today." Billy Joel

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What a heartbreak to all of us who knew him and loved him. What a great man, what a kind spirit, such an incredible producer. The star of stars behind the stars. Phil will be missed always. Truly a tragic loss for us on earth but what a wonderful blessing for heaven. As I've always said, 'Love you Phil, God Bless.'" Stevie Wonder

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"Phil Ramone was a lovely person and a very gifted musician and producer. It was a joy to have him work with me in the recording studio on so many projects as he had a wonderful sense of humor and a deep love of music. Phil had the admiration and respect from everyone in the entertainment industry and his passing is a great loss." Tony Bennett

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"Phil was a true gentleman in every sense of the word. It was an honor to know him. He was an angel and I loved him dearly. This is a profound loss for the music world, for all the lives he touched and of course for his family ... Rest in Peace, Phil ... You will be deeply missed and never forgotten." Michael Buble

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As co-founder of A&R Recordings, he was a pioneer of audio technological developments creating new innovations for the compact disc and surround sound technologies. His impressive career spanned all genres in which he collaborated with a diverse group of artists including Tony Bennett, Etta James, Paul McCartney, Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and numerous others ... Our industry has lost an immense talent and a true visionary and genius, and The Academy has lost a very dear and close friend." Neil Portnow, President/CEO, The Recording Academy

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