Silly News Items Not Covered In The Shoutbox That Don't Warrant Individual Threads [Archive]

mikeython1

02-10-09, 03:57 PM

January 25, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Chicago police say a 14-year-old boy has been charged with impersonating a police officer after he allegedly dressed up in a regulation uniform and reported for duty at a South Side police station.
The boy worked with a partner in a squad car overnight.
The 14-year-old boy was in police custody at the juvenile detention center Sunday. Police say he was very familiar with the police department because he used to be a member of the Young Explorer program, which is part of the CAPS program. Police say the boy was and still is eager to be a police officer.
His mother says he has wanted to be a police officer since he was five years old. It was Saturday at 1:30 p.m. that police say the 14-year-old boy reported for duty at the 3rd district. The teenager was dressed in a full authorized Chicago police uniform, although he was not wearing a C.P.D. star on his sweater, nor was he carrying a gun.
The boy was partnered with a female officer. They went out for about five hours on traffic duty before heading back to the station. It was there that a sergeant questioned the boy about his identity and also why he wasn't wearing a star.
The boy says he couldn't answer the questions and began making up stories. It was then when he was arrested for impersonating a police officer.
"He basically said he did it because he was bored," his mother told ABC7 Chicago.
"The senior officer was in full control of the squad car at all times, and the 14-year-old never interacted with the public while present with the assigned officer," said Chicago police Asst. Supt. James Jackson.
However, his mother says that is not true. She says her son told her that he went on 10 calls Saturday afternoon, including a couple domestic violence calls.
"The height and weight was pretty much proportionate. A photograph of the individual, in my opinion, he looks older than his 14 years. Keep in mind, [he was] in the uniform, because as Sergeant Jackson stated, he was familiar with the procedures as being an Explorer," Dep. Supt. Dan Dugan said.
At the beginning of the shift, it is police practice to have a roll call, and at that roll call, it is the watch commander's responsibility to look at every officer's uniform. In this situation Saturday, apparently there was no roll call.
The incident is under review and investigation. Police would not say exactly what the female officer that the boy rode with for five hours had to say or if she questioned him.
According to the boy's mother, this is not the first time her son has impersonated an officer. She claims he did it before and was never prosecuted. She also says Vincent told her he bought the uniform at a uniform shop.
The mother says while he son may look a bit older than 14, she still can't believe he got away with it for more than five hours. " I was listening to what he was saying, and I'm looking at the cops thinking, 'How did you not know this was a 14-year-old kid?'"she said. -abc News

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6623808

There has been a huge buzz about this now with the whole Blagojevich thing. Illinois is having a lot of problems lately with government officials and state employees. This just shows how incompetent the people the state has hired are! These are not proud days for people who live in Illinois.

n3wt

02-23-09, 01:45 PM

Schoolboy, 11, hunts down 'DVD thief'

A Japanese schoolboy could be rewarded by police after tracking an alleged thief for more than a kilometre after clocking his suspicious behaviour outside a shop.
The 11-year-old said he saw the man take a box of DVDs from a parked car in Sendai and decided to follow him.
AFP reports that the young sleuth tailed the man until he entered his apartment, then called police to alert them to his whereabouts.
A police spokesman said: "The boy told us that he just thought he had to catch the suspicious man." He added that the boy had been thanked and that an award was being considered.
A 28-year-old man was later arrested for allegedly stealing a box of pornographic DVDs.

n3wt

02-23-09, 01:47 PM

Man discovers pet dog is a wolf

A Chinese man who thought he was doing a good deed by rescuing a shivering 'puppy' was reportedly shocked to discover that his beloved pet is a wolf.
Authorities were called to the village of Xian after local residents became suspicious when they heard howls in the night, according to Huashang Daily.
Mr Li had apparently found the animal during a walk in the mountains last year and, mistaking it for a puppy, took it home to care for it.
He said: "It looks very much like a dog to me. I would never have suspected that it was a wolf."
An expert confirmed that the animal is a wolf and it has now been taken in by a local zoo.

n3wt

02-28-09, 06:13 AM

Curious octopus blamed for aquarium flood

Staff at a Californian aquarium have blamed a curious octopus for a recent flood at the attraction.
The octopus reportedly managed to loosen a water-control valve at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, resulting in 200 gallons of seawater flooding the facility.
"It found something loose and just pulled on it," the aquarium's education manager Tara Treiber told the Los Angeles Times. "They are very smart creatures."
The female California two-spotted octopus has been at the aquarium for two months. "They are solitary but curious creatures," Treiber added.

Pensioner rescued in 8mph motorway scare

A 90-year-old man who took a wrong turn when he popped out for the paper ended up on a dual carriageway on a mobility scooter with a top speed of just 8mph.
Undeterred by the cars and lorries speeding by, Stanley Murphy remained in the centre of the slow lane as he rolled along with the vehicle at maximum power.
The drama was eventually brought to an end when businessman James Dunne pulled over, put on his hazard lights to warn other traffic and finally persuaded Murphy to stop, reports The Daily Telegraph.
"The old chap looked confused and wasn't going to stop at first. He was about to overtake when he finally gave up," said Dunne.
"He didn't say much and looked pretty shell-shocked. He wasn't even on the hard shoulder but right in the middle of the slow lane. He wouldn't have stood a chance had he been hit."
Dunne then put the Atlas mobility scooter on the back of his truck and drove it back to the pensioner's house in Shoreham, West Sussex.
Murphy said that he was thankful to everyone who had helped him get home safely

n3wt

03-28-09, 07:49 AM

Florida student suspended from bus for passing gas

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) -- An eighth-grader was suspended from riding the school bus for three days after being accused of passing gas. The bus driver wrote on a misbehavior form that a 15-year-old teen passing gas on the bus Monday to make the other children laugh, creating a stench so bad that it was difficult to breathe. The bus driver handed the teen the suspension form the next day.

Polk County school officials said there's no rule against flatulence, but there are rules against causing a disturbance on the bus.

The teen said he wasn't the one passing gas.

Whether he did it or not, he might have gotten off easy. A 13-year-old student at a Stuart school was arrested in November after authorities said he broke wind in class.

Sexy Celebrity

03-28-09, 01:52 PM

I dunno, I'm kinda glad that people are getting in trouble for passing gas. That stuff can be noxious.

Lennon

11-05-09, 12:05 AM

I love all that Colbert does, just for the sake of it...

(CNN) -- Stephen Colbert may have lost his bid as an underdog presidential candidate last year, but he still wants to represent America any way he can.
The "Colbert Report" host said that his viewers. the "Colbert Nation," will now be the primary sponsor for the U.S. Olympic speed skating team when the squad goes to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.
The announcement was made on his show Monday night. Earlier, the Netherlands-based DSB Bank in the Netherlands had dropped out as a team sponsor.
"We must ensure that it is America's 38-inch thighs on that medal platform!" Colbert exhorted.
Bob Crowley, executive director of US Speedskating, said Colbert "embracing the US Speedskating Team will provide immeasurable exposure for our sport and very talented athletes."
The team has quite the track record, including 75 Olympic medals and such alumni as Dan Jansen, Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden. It ranks as the most successful of any United States winter sports team.
Donations can be made via www.colbertnation.com (http://www.colbertnation.com) or through US Speedskating's site (https://webpoint.usspeedskating.org/wp/Transactions/Donate.asp).
US Speedskating is a nonprofit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the International Skating Union.

honeykid

11-05-09, 03:38 PM

How popular will YouTube footage of this be?

Now we have to confess that we can find Jordan as irritating as the next person - but despite spending more time than we would like writing about her, we're not quite at the stage where we're ready to burn a 27ft effigy of her on bonfire night.

But that's exactly what the villagers of Edenbridge in Kent will be torching in front of a crowd of 10,000 people on Saturday.

The giant likeness looks pretty good to us, although we think the artist may have actually underestimated the size of her boobs.

In case anybody's not sure who it's meant to be, they've got her holding the severed heads of ex-hubby Peter Andre and her new bloke Alex Reid in one hand - and some celeb mags in the other.

The effigy is also wearing white jodphurs, in acknowledgement of her love of horse riding.

Each year the villagers picks a different celeb to consign to the flames, and last year it was Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand.

http://celebrity.aol.co.uk/2009/11/04/jordan-effigy-to-be-burned-for-bonfire-night/

http://www.holymoly.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/medium_590/big-pictures_t_katie-price-04110908/Katie%20Price,%20Alex%20Reid%20and%20Peter%20Andre%20effigy%20in%20Edenbridge.jpg

n3wt

11-05-09, 03:49 PM

HK man that is the best thing I have ever seen :D

honeykid

11-29-09, 12:21 AM

Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Child named best guitar riff of all time

Voodoo Child, by Jimi Hendrix has been named the greatest guitar riff of all time, more than 40 years after he first recorded the classic jam.

Late guitar guru Hendrix, who topped the singles chart with the track in 1970, triumphed in a poll of musicians. The track - full title Voodoo Child (Slight Return) - edged past Guns N'Roses song Sweet Child O'Mine which finished second in the poll by musicians' website MusicRadar.com. When the site's sister magazine Total Guitar last conducted the survey five years ago, the list was headed by the G N'R song.

The list shows that the older riffs are the best. Just two from the past decade make it into the top 20 - Muse's Plug In Baby at 11 and The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army at 15. Michael Jackson's Beat It, with its Eddie Van Halen guitar part, props up the top 20. Voodoo Child - with its distinctive 'wah-wah' opening - was first released on Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album and led on from an earlier track, Voodoo Chile, which was a 15-minute blues jam. Confusingly, by the time it was released as a single in 1970 it too had been named Voodoo Chile. MusicRadar.com's editor-in-chief Mike Goldsmith said: ''Nearly 40 years after his untimely death, Jimi Hendrix is still the undisputed heavyweight champion of rock guitar. ''Of the current generation of six-string stars, only Jack White of The White Stripes and Muse frontman Matt Bellamy feature in the higher echelons of our list. No surprise given both Bellamy and White share - or have inherited - Hendrix's unique blend of experimental instincts and white-knuckle showmanship. ''Above all though, our poll seems to indicate one thing - in 2009, classic rock still rules.'' More than 5,000 MusicRadar users took part in the poll.

The top 20:

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

2. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

3. Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love

4. Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water

5. Derek and the Dominos - Layla

6. AC/DC - Back In Black

7. Metallica - Enter Sandman

8. The Beatles - Day Tripper

9. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

10. The Rolling Stones - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

11. Black Sabbath - Paranoid

12. Muse - Plug In Baby

13. Eddie Van Halen - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

14. The Kinks - You Really Got Me

15. The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

16. AC/DC - Highway to Hell

17. Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker

18. Black Sabbath - Iron Man

19. Led Zeppelin - Black Dog

20. Michael Jackson - Beat It

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/6661438/Jimi-Hendrixs-Voodoo-Child-named-best-guitar-riff-of-all-time.html

honeykid

11-29-09, 12:24 AM

Top ten great singers who can't sing

They are celebrated as great vocalists, but can the likes of Bob Dylan and Tom Waits really sing?

Bob Dylan: “A voice like sand and glue” in Bowie’s memorable phrase. Contrary to what many of his critics would assert, Dylan actually sings in tune but his harsh, barbed-wire timbre & attacking delivery has been inspiration for every tone deaf poet with a guitar. But with songs like these, who cares whether he can really sing or not?

Lou Reed: His half talking, half singing drawl with the Velvet Underground created a new rock template

Tom Waits: Started out gruff and soulful but deliberately ravaged his vocal chords with whiskey & cigarettes to sound older & more lived in. In the history of vocals, I am not sure anyone has ever done more with less.

Johnny Cash: Even as a youngster, his voice was shaky & low, but he sang in time and in tune and like he had lived every word.

John Lydon: His ranting style, high and tuneless, led the attack of the Sex Pistols then took us on dub metal journeys with PIL

Ian Dury: Unrepentantly cockney speak-singing, frequently completely flat but utterly alive in the playful lyrics.

Leonard Cohen: A low, shaky monotone that has, somehow, grown in authority even as it reduces in range

Nick Cave: A stiff baritone beset by tuning problems, Cave invests his apocalyptic blues with spine chilling conviction

Siouxsie Sioux: A lone female entrant on our chart of errant singing stars, Siouxsie’s limited range and gravelly tone only added to her lustre as the grand dame of punk & goth

Jarvis Cocker: OK when he keeps it to a whisper but as soon as he sings out he turns into some tuneless geek in a karaoke bar. Which perfectly suits his vignettes of ordinary life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopmusic/6654478/Top-ten-great-singers-who-cant-sing.html

honeykid

12-01-09, 07:18 AM

Careless driver writes off Italian police's prized Lamborghini

When the Italian police unveiled their state-of-the-art Lamborghini patrol cars, they cannot have been short of volunteers itching to take the supercars in pursuit of speeding criminals.

A team of elite drivers was trained to chase down speeding motorists and deliver urgently-needed transplant organs in the futuristic vehicles, capable of reaching more than 200mph.

What they apparently were not prepared for was a distracted motorist who pulled out of a petrol station without looking.

Today, a bandaged and bruised police driver may have had a tough time explaining how he managed to write off one of the force's prized Lamborghinis when he rammed it so hard into a line of parked cars that one of the stationary vehicles ended up on the police car's roof.

According to the police, the crash was caused by the driver of a slow-moving Seat Ibiza who emerged without looking from a service station, clipping the Lamborghini and sending the vehicle swerving into the parked cars.

The front end of the Lamborghini was crushed in the accident, near Cremona, and the driver and a passenger were injured, although not seriously.

The Lamborghini Gallardo, worth £130,000 and capable of reaching 62mph in four seconds, was one of a pair donated by the Italian manufacturer to the police to do battle on Italy's roads, where 1 million motorists are injured annually and 4,731 died last year.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/11/30/1259583006098/An-Italian-police-Lamborg-001.jpg

Both cars include transmitters to send images back to HQ, a defibrillator for accidents and a fridge for transporting donor organs. The two officers were returning from a convention in Cremona, where they had been addressed a student audience on road safety.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/30/italian-police-lamborghini

n3wt

12-01-09, 07:37 AM

Oops :blush:

honeykid

12-04-09, 07:29 PM

Ancient city of Pompeii added to Google Street View

Google has added Pompeii to its Street View application, allowing internet users to take a 360-degree virtual tour of the ancient Roman city.

Italy's culture ministry says it hopes the move will boost tourism to the site, state news agency Ansa reports.

Among the ruins visible on the search engine's free mapping service are the town's statues, temples and theatres.

The city was buried in ash after Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD79 and was not discovered until the 18th Century.

The volcanic debris preserved many of the city's buildings, frescos, silverware, mosaics and other artefacts.

"Giving people a chance to take a virtual stroll through Pompeii will give an extraordinary boost to Italian tourism," Ansa quoted Mario Resca of the culture ministry's heritage promotion department as saying.

The Google Maps service, launched in 2007, provides panoramic street-level views of more than 100 cities around the world.

It also includes the ancient heritage site of Stonehenge.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8394384.stm

honeykid

12-27-09, 11:54 AM

'Britain's worst shoplifter' jailed for 321st crime

A man who has been described as Britain's most prolific shoplifter was jailed for one day yesterday after committing his 321st offence.

David Archer, 54, from Rhyl, north Wales, has served the equivalent of two life sentences as a result of his addiction to petty crime. He has been unable to spend 14 out of the past 15 Christmases with his daughter because he has been behind bars.

Yesterday, Archer admitted in court to stealing two bottles of whisky from a store at Abergele. David Mainstone, prosecuting, said Archer had a "quite horrendous" list of previous offences and 155 court appearances.

Archer even went through a spell of stealing charity boxes, for which he was given an Asbo. In October, he had been jailed for 12 weeks for trying to steal a collection box, his 317th offence. Two years earlier he had been jailed only days after being released from prison after taking a Cancer Research Fund charity box from a Woolworths store in Rhyl.

In January, when Archer was jailed for 28 days for his 299th offence, David Davies, the court chairman, said: "Because of your appalling previous record, we are imposing a custodial sentence. It is a shame you are abusing the care that the agencies are trying to give you. Probation and other services are trying to do their best for you."

Archer also made the headlines in Christmas 1999: minutes after finishing a five-day sentence, he had stolen a £1.50 can of lager from a Llandudno off-licence, a court in the town heard. Then 44, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a fortnight in jail, but served just half and – unusually – was out in time for Christmas.

Yesterday, Andrew Hutchinson, who was defending Archer, said: "What can I say about David Archer that many of my colleagues haven't said previously?"

Archer was let out yesterday as he had already spent three days in jail, including Christmas Day – but he must pay £85 in costs.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/27/worst-shoplifter-in-britain-jailed-for-321st-offence?CMP=AFCYAH

honeykid

12-29-09, 09:49 PM

Man Nicked For Drink-Driving On An OAP Scooter

A DISABLED man has been arrested for 'drink-driving' while giving a lift home to his friend on the back of his MOBILTY SCOOTER.
Nigel Lee Drummond was caught on CCTV cameras careering through Darlington at speeds of 8mph with a pal on the back.

The 37-year-old, who walks with the help of crutches but uses the scooter for long distances, was three times over the limit when police finally caught up with him following a night out in the Route 66 bar.

Normal drink driving rules do not apply to mobility scooters but he was prosecuted under an obscure law dating from Victorian times of being drunk in charge of a carriage.

PC Kevin Salter, from Darlington Police, said: "Although mobility scooters do not travel at great speed, they can still be very dangerous.

"They can pose risks to the user and other members of the public when they are not being used correctly.

"We urge that anyone wanting to consume alcohol seeks alternative transport."

Footage captured by camera operators shows Drummond and his friend struggling to get on the scooter as they leave the club.

After rummaging in his pocket for his keys, the pair get on board and set off, swerving quickly into the road and narrowly missing a group of revellers going into the club.

The scooter then draws up to the kerb as the men start to chat with a group of women.

They appear to offer them a lift, but move on again when their advances are rebuffed.

The scooter then disappears into an underpass, before it emerges in a nearby street, as Drummond swerves across the middle of the road to avoid speed bumps.

He was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £65 costs.

PC Salter said: "He was very drunk. A number of people use these scooters and it can be a problem, especially at this time of year."

A repentant Drummond backed the police's campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of driving a mobility scooter after drinking.

He said: "My scooter only goes at 8mph, but if I had hit somebody with it, it would have hurt. When I saw the CCTV footage in court, I felt about an inch big."

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2786258/Man-nicked-for-drink-driving-on-an-OAP-scooter.html

honeykid

01-07-10, 01:25 AM

Wolverhampton on world's worst list

Civic leaders in Wolverhampton rejected the findings of a Lonely Planet survey which ranked the city as the fifth worst place on earth. Skip related content

The list, topped by the US city of Detroit and based on traveller feedback, saw the West Midlands city deemed to be less attractive than the capital of El Salvador, as well as other "hated" cities in India, Tanzania and Mexico.

Wolverhampton was placed fifth on a revised Lonely Planet list of nine most hated cities following "swift and fierce" reaction to an initial request for travellers' least favourite destinations.

On its website, Lonely Planet gave reasons for the selection of the cities other than Wolverhampton, describing Seoul in South Korea as having no heart or spirit.

But Wolverhampton, which can trace its history back to 985 AD, was described as being "so bad that we don't even have it on this site!"

In a statement, the leader of Wolverhampton City Council, Neville Patten, said it was "quite obvious" that representatives of the respected travel guide publisher had failed to visit the city.

Mr Patten said: "The picture they paint of Wolverhampton is not an accurate one.

"If they had come here, they would have seen that Wolverhampton is one of the most progressive cities in Britain. Wolverhampton is such a friendly, open place which is why so many people want to come and live and work here.

"We have first class facilities for residents and visitors and this is certainly not a downtrodden or Third World city.

"I would like to invite Lonely Planet to actually come here and take a tour so they can see for themselves what a vibrant place it is."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091231/tuk-wolverhampton-on-world-s-worst-list-6323e80.html

honeykid

01-07-10, 09:43 PM

Switzerland millionaire hit by record speed fine

A Swiss millionaire has been handed down a record speeding fine of $290,000 (£180,000) by a court.

The man was reportedly caught driving a red Ferrari Testarossa at 137km/h (85mph) through a village.

The penalty was calculated based on the unnamed motorist's wealth - assessed by the court as $22.7m (£14.1m) - and because he was a repeat offender.

It is more than double Switzerland's previous record speeding fine - handed to a Porsche driver in Zurich in 2008.

In the latest case, the motorist was clocked speeding 57km/h (35mph) faster than the limit, according to the cantonal court in St Gallen, eastern Switzerland.

"The accused ignored elementary traffic rules with a powerful vehicle out of a pure desire for speed," the court said in its judgement.

Swiss media reported that the man owns a villa with five luxury cars, including the Ferrari.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8446545.stm

honeykid

01-28-10, 01:04 AM

Dog washed out into Baltic Sea has lucky escape

A dog had a lucky escape when a Polish boat rescued him from an ice floe that had carried him more than 100 km (70 miles) up a river and out onto the icy waters of the Baltic Sea.

"My crew saw... a shape moving on the water and we immediately decided to get closer to check if it was a dog or maybe a seal relaxing on the ice," Jan Joachim, senior officer aboard the Baltica, told Reuters Television.

"As we got closer to the ice floe we saw that it was a dog struggling not to fall into the water."

Ship engineer Adam Buczynski managed to scoop the dog off the floe onto an inflatable dinghy and wrapped him in a blanket.

"He didn't even squeal. There was just fear in his big eyes," said Buczynski.

The dog was first seen on the ice floe some 100 km (70 miles) inland to the south on the Vistula river but firemen were unable to rescue him. When the Baltica crew found him, he had already drifted some 24 km (18 miles) out to sea.

"We were in the right place at the right time," said Joachim, noting that they rescued him shortly before night fall.

The crew are now trying to locate the dog's owner.

Poland is in the grip of bitterly cold weather, with night temperatures in some areas falling as low as -34 Celsius (-31 Fahrenheit).

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20100127/tsc-oukoe-uk-poland-dog-life-1df2b7e.html

*There is a 39 second video of the dog being 'rescued'. Click the link if you want to see it. Though you should be aware that there are news stories after it. I don't know if they change order, but the one that's there at the moment isn't particularly pleasant.*

jrs

01-28-10, 01:17 AM

Ohio Man Arrested on Charges of Urinating on $600-Worth of Steaks

http://i48.tinypic.com/2iaylqs.jpg

CANTON, Ohio -- A Canton man remains in jail after being arrested for urinating on a meat counter at a Wal-Mart store.

According to Lt. Linda Brown of the Canton Police Department, Robert T. Jenkins, 21, of Canton, was arrested at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning and charges with felony vandalism and disorderly conduct.

Police say Jenkins was arrested after they responded to a call from an employee at the Wal-Mart store on Atlantic Blvd. NE, claiming a man walked up to the meat counter and began urinating on the steaks, destroying more than $600 dollars in meat.

According to Lt. Brown, it is not yet known if alcohol or drugs played a role in Brown's actions.

He is currently being held in the Stark County jail in lieu of $25,000 bond.

Source: Fox8News (http://www.fox8.com/news/wjw-news-man-arrested-urinating-steaks,0,5343411.story)

jrs

01-28-10, 01:20 AM

Want to commit Facebook suicide? No, really, there's an app for that! (http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/12/24/commit-facebook-suicide-no-really-theres-an-app-for-that/) :p

jrs

01-28-10, 01:24 AM

Man Bites Off Cop's Nipple

http://i45.tinypic.com/2hy9um1.jpg

Some situations are nail-biters. This one's a nipple-biter.

An off-duty cop was allegedly bitten in the chest (http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1997129,man-bites-cop-in-chest-011810.article) outside a Gold Coast bar Sunday night, police said.

At about 9:30 p.m., Fernando Cooper, 31, and an off-duty officer got into a physical confrontation outside Gibson's Bar and Steakhouse, the Sun-Times reports (http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1998572,cop-nipple-charges-filed0119.article).

Police who witnessed the event say the officer identified himself, but the other man didn't back down and continued to assault the cop.

Along with several punches that caused cuts to the officer's eye, the man also "severely" bit the cop's nipple.

Both the suspect and the cop were treated for cuts and bruising to their faces. However, a doctor said that the bite on the officer's chest was so severe, the cop "lost a body part," according to the report.

Cooper has been charged with attempting to disarm a peace officer and aggravated battery to a peace officer, both felonies.

Talk about getting something off your chest.

Source: NBC Chicago (http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Man-Takes-Bite-Out-of-Crime-Fighter-82030952.html)

honeykid

01-28-10, 01:54 AM

Ouchee.:eek:

honeykid

02-02-10, 09:21 PM

Man wins compensation after cigarette explosion

An Indonesian man has won compensation after a cigarette he was smoking exploded in his mouth.

Security guard Andi Susanto lost six teeth in the explosion, which happened while he was riding a motorcycle.

After hearing of his ordeal, cigarette producer PT Nojorono Tobacco Indonesia agreed to pay for his medical costs, the 31-year-old told local press.

'The company's officials have talked to my family and we agreed to settle it amicably, as an out-of-court settlement. They will pay all the medical expenses,' Susanto said from his hospital bed.

The pay-out amounts to 5m Indonesian rupiah, the equivalent of £335.
The cause of the explosion remains a mystery, and Susanto says he didn't notice anything strange about its taste.

A spokesman for the cigarette company which makes the Clas Mild brand said: 'We do not put any strange materials in the cigarettes, so we think that this is a weird case. This is the first time for us.'

The company is not planning a recall of the brand, but is awaiting results of tests.
Indonesia has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. Nearly two-thirds of Indonesian men are regular smokers.

Susanto, who has been smoking since he was a boy, told the Jakarta Post he would now be giving up after undergoing treatment which left him with 51 stitches in his mouth.

http://news.aol.co.uk/health-news/man-wins-compensation-after-cigarette-explosion/article/20100202130009990001?icid=main|uk-hp|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.co.uk%2Fhealth-news%2Fman-wins-compensation-after-cigarette-explosion%2Farticle%2F20100202130009990001

Plainview

02-02-10, 11:23 PM

Sh?t better not smoke anymore!

honeykid

02-03-10, 09:26 AM

Or, at least, not in Indonesia. £335?!?! That's about, what? US$500? Something like that. If he'd smoked that cigarette in the West, he'd have been loaded and if he'd done it in the US, he'd probably be rich enough to run for President. :D

honeykid

03-07-10, 08:11 PM

Armed men rob Berlin poker tournament

Armed robbers stormed a poker tournament in the German capital Berlin and made off with the 800,000 euro jackpot.
Dramatic video footage shows panic in the hotel as the robbery took place.
Several people were hurt, although there were no reports of serious injuries. A security guard who tried to stop the robbers is said to be among those hurt.
Police spokeswoman Heidi Vogt told the press: 'Several masked, armed individuals entered the Grand Hyatt Hotel and fled with a haul of money'.
During the confusion, the attackers left behind a bag containing part of their haul, police said.
Some 1,000 poker players, including tennis star Boris Becker, were taking part in the five day event when the raid happened, said to have been the work of between four and six men armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles and grenades.
The European Poker Tour made an appeal for eyewitnesses and video recordings which might be used to capture the raiders.
Press photographer Olaf Wager said: 'I was at the entrance to the poker hall when they stormed in. I saw three masked men struggling with security personnel in the room where cash is exchanged for chips.
'As they ran one of the security men pulled a robber to the ground. I couldn't decide if this was all a PR stunt or not.'
The tournament resumed four hours after the robbery.

http://news.aol.co.uk/armed-men-rob-berlin-poker-tournament/article/20100307063709990001?icid=main|uk-hp|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.co.uk%2Farmed-men-rob-berlin-poker-tournament%2Farticle%2F20100307063709990001

BTW, if you click the link, there's footage of the live feed.

n3wt

03-09-10, 12:41 PM

I saw this on Sky News the following morning and couldnt believe my eyes, how shocking and scary must it of been for the people there. I did think it was very brave of the people im assuming they were security there throwing things like chairs at the robbers.

SammyJ88

03-09-10, 04:00 PM

I wonder what Sunshine of your Love by Cream is on that list thats a sick riff..

Anyway on the way to work i heard that a woman crashed into a back of a truck while trying to drive and shave her bikini line at the same time, her ex-boyfriend was steering for her, and she was on her way to her current boyfriends house????:suspicious: weirdos.

mack

03-09-10, 04:04 PM

Want to commit Facebook suicide? No, really, there's an app for that! (http://www.downloadsquad.com/2009/12/24/commit-facebook-suicide-no-really-theres-an-app-for-that/) :p

wow. though the part where he said "the first thing the program changes is your password" scared me a little bit - not because I would be worried I couldnt log on again, but because I'd be seriously concerned about what happens AFTER they have sole access to my account.

hmm....

Ever seen THIS video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o8XMlL8rqY

honeykid

03-25-10, 09:51 PM

Who would pay £200,000 for a flat the size of a dining room table?

A flat opposite Harrods has gone on sale for £200,000. It doesn't sound a bad price, especially given the swanky location, until you discover that this flat is only marginally larger than a dining room table.

It is said to be a former cupboard, converted in the property boom of the 1980s, but with internal measurements of 11 ft by 5.5 ft, there's no 'former' about it. This is a cupboard with pretensions.

So why would anyone pay £200,000 for a cupboard?

The current owner says it has been a godsend, saving him a hellish commute from Bath to London every day.

He claims to have plenty of space. He even boasts that he can lie on his bed and do the cleaning. In theory, he has everything he needs, He has two rooms (if you can call them rooms), a bed and a bathroom.

However, he has no natural light, or space to swing a cat, and his home is somehow worth £35,000 more than the price of the average home in Britain.

Clearly the price of this particular property is deeply insane. It's a sign that a swanky address in London still attracts pointless and meaninglessly high prices, but while there are people around the world looking for this sort of property in this sort of place, there's no need for prices to fall.

It's a frustrating sign that buyers anywhere really desirable will be competing with the sort of people who have such deep pockets that no price is ever going to be too high for them.

It's a sign that normal people will always have to compromise, commute further, and live in slightly more dodgy places - or opt for a cupboard.

There's nothing cheerful about this property tale.

However, if you are really attracted by this kind of living, you can check out the swanky postcodes on this site and see what's in your price range. Alternatively, I can recommend a cupboard a few miles away for less than £50 a month (as long as you don't mind it being big and yellow).

http://www.walletpop.co.uk/2010/03/16/who-would-pay-200-000-for-a-flat-the-size-of-a-dining-room-tabl/?icid=main|uk-hp|dl5|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.co.uk%2F2010%2F03%2F16%2Fwho-would-pay-200-000-for-a-flat-the-size-of-a-dining-room-tabl%2F

honeykid

03-27-10, 05:07 PM

Texas Strip Club's Battle Over 'Pole Tax'

A row over whether strip clubs in Texas should have to charge a $5 entrance fee has become the subject of a bizarre battle in the state's Supreme Court. Clubs say the fee - known as the "pole tax" - is unconstitutional.

Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson asked lawyers for the strip clubs: "Is it proper or not for the state to have the position that live nude dancing should be discouraged?

"Is it unconstitutional for the state to target live nude dancing because it believes it's culturally unsound, immoral?"

The admission fee was introduced three years ago with the income intended to fund programmes for sexual assault victims.

The Texas Entertainment Association, which represents strip clubs across the state, sued and a district judge struck down the law in 2008.

Another court then ruled that the tax improperly singles out one form of expression, nude dancing, for regulation.

The estimated $13m (about £8.7m) already collected in fees is being held in an account pending the outcome of the legal battle.

Figures from the state's accountants show that around 2.7 millions strip club customers have paid the fee since it took effect, although many clubs ignore the fee.

The case is being watched closely by authorities in New York and Georgia which have proposed a similar fee on clubs.

In Texas, the law applies specifically to strip clubs that sell alcohol.

Because the state could ban both practices, solicitor general James Ho told the nine Republican justices, the fee was justified.

He said: "It would be turning the first amendment on its head to say that you can criminalise but can't impose a modest regulation."

Much of the debate focused on the dancers' right to "freedom of expression".

Their lawyer, Craig Enoch, was asked what exactly nude dancers express in their shows.

"Eroticism," he replied. "It's seeking to create emotion."

A ruling is not expected for several months.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20100327/tod-texas-strip-club-s-battle-over-pole-870a197.html

honeykid

03-27-10, 05:09 PM

Simon Pegg Tweets and Jet Bike Steve is Born

A new aquatic adventure film is setting the Internet alight, with fan groups, merchandise and artwork springing up at an incredible rate. The only thing is, the film didn't exist outside of the imagination of Shaun of the Dead star Simon Pegg until 7.22am, March 23rd, with this tweet:

"I'm gonna write a film about jet bikes. I like them, they go fast on the sea. I play the main character, Jet Bike Steve. That's all so far."

Welcome, then, to the Internet phenomenon that is Jet Bike Steve, it might be the first movie to be greenlit on the back of a throwaway 140 character joke.

Speaking to Lauren Laverne on 6music on Friday, Pegg spoke of the growing support for JBS: "I was walking through Crouch End and I thought: 'I love jet bikes, I wish I could be in a film about jet bikes', and I tweeted about it... then it just took off and everybody went nuts."

Jet Bike Steve now has a Facebook page, a Wikipedia page, its own Action Figure and its own artwork popping up here, here, here and here (there will be more by the time you read this). You can also keep up to date with the ongoing adventures of Jet Bike Steve by following @realjbs on twitter.

It wouldn't be the first time fans have willed a whole film into existence based on little more than a concept. Robert Rodriquez's upcoming film, Machete, starring Danny Trejo started life as a trailer for a fake film stuck onto the Rodriquez/Tarantino experiment, Grindhouse.

So, the Internet buzz is in full flow, can the momentum last all the way to a cinema release and does this sound like a film you'd like to see? Or is it just another case of the Internet jumping on an amusing concept without any thought for the outcome (We're looking at you, Snakes on a Plane).

http://www.moviefone.co.uk/2010/03/27/simon-pegg-tweets-and-jet-bike-steve-is-born/

honeykid

04-22-10, 02:50 AM

Seth Rogen has been named Hollywood’s hardest working actor, according to a poll compiled by Forbes magazine.

The ‘Knocked Up’ star came top of the list, which looked at nearly 600 films released between January 2005 and December 2009. Those who had the most starring roles and whose films earned the most money ended up on the list.

With twelve films to his name, including ‘Superbad’, ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ and ‘Kung-Fu Panda – Rogen was at number one after his movies earned over £580 million.

In second place was Morgan Freeman. While his nine films over that period grossed £760 million, he only co-starred in a number of them.

Matt Damon was in third place, thanks to roles in ‘The Bourne Ultimatum’ and ‘The Departed’. Will Ferrell and Robert Downey Jr rounded out the top five.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/20042010/5/hollywood-s-hardest-working-actor-0.html

Dame Helen Mirren wishes Hollywood would stop casting British actors as villains.

The Oscar winning actress believes British actors are “an easy target” to be cast as villains in Hollywood blockbusters.

She said, “I think it's rather unfortunate that the villain in every movie is always British.

"It's just nice to say we're not snooty, stuck-up, malevolent, malignant creatures as we're often portrayed.

"We're actually kind of cool and hip!"

Mirren made the comments at an LA event, which celebrated British success in Hollywood.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/21042010/5/mirren-fed-brits-cast-villains-0.html

YouTube has started to remove popular Hitler parodies of the German film ‘Downfall’, which chronicles the last days of the Nazi dictator, over a copyright issue.

The 2004 drama features a scene in which Bruno Ganz as Hitler rants in his Berlin bunker about his army’s failure to repel a Russian attack on the city. But it has led to a series of parodies, with users inserting new subtitles in the clip.

There are around 70 comedy versions of the scene, with one of the more famous ones seeing Hitler bemoan his inability to access X-Box LIVE, while another finds him disgusted at how poor the eagerly-awaited ‘Avatar’ trailer was.

Despite the film’s director Oliver Hirschbiegel conceding that he enjoys the parodies, Constantin Film has demanded that video sharing sites remove the clips.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/21042010/5/downfall-parody-clips-removed-0.html[/quote]

honeykid

06-02-10, 11:56 PM

Blonde women march on Latvian capital

Over 800 blonde women have marched through the Latvian capital of Riga.

According to AFP, the event was organised with the aim of cheering up locals during the country's current economic crisis.

Student Linda, 19, said: "I feel very good to be surrounded by so many beautiful women. It's great to be blonde."

Another blonde helper Ilze added: "It is just great to do something positive in Latvia and at the same time promote blondes as being fun, positive, intelligent people."

New Zealander Clint, 26, who travelled from Britain for the event, said: "After seeing last year's parade in the news, I knew this was something I could not afford to miss!"

The march marked the end of a week-long blonde celebration, with money collected during the festivities being donated to local charities.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a222840/blonde-women-march-on-latvian-capital.html

Man completes five-year pub crawl
A 60-year-old man has completed a five-year car-free pub crawl after visiting every establishment listed in the Good Beer Guide.

Real ale fan Stuart Ashby of Shoreham, West Sussex, drank a pint in each of the 700 pubs named in the 1990 edition of the book, finishing at The Lamb in Yapton, the Daily Mail reports.

Ashby said: "When there is no public transport I hitch-hike. I don't think anything of it. Enough people stop to get me from A to B and people are interested when they find out where I am going.

"I do a lot of walking, which stops me putting on more weight than I would otherwise. If it needs doing then I'll travel as far as I have to by whatever means to make it to a pub on the guide."

He added: 'I've had some wonderful times and some scary times. I once travelled to a pub in South Bermondsey and the place was shut at 5pm so I banged on the door for a bit only to be greeted by a very angry man and his shotgun.

"I left that one pretty quickly. I did go back later, very discreetly, because I had to have a pint from there so I could cross it off my list."

The most remote pub on his journey was an establishment off the coast of Devon on Lundy Island, requiring a four-hour ferry trip.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a223157/man-completes-five-year-pub-crawl.html

Viewers 'reach out to touch 3D boobs'

The co-founder of a 3D film technology company has suggested that pornography will be a key driver in takeup of new TV sets.

Philippe Gerard's French company 3Dlized is working with adult-content producer Marc Dorcel on a new project, Reuters reports.

"Viewers reached out with their arms to the candies in the Haribo adverts in theatres," Gerard said. "When boobs pop out of the screen it's the same - people reach out to touch them."

Dorcel's chief executive Gregory Dorcel said that its 3D output will be available to viewers paying a monthly subscription of €20-30 (£17-25).
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a222864/viewers-reach-out-to-touch-3d-boobs.html

Soothsayers make World Cup predictions

A number of soothsayers have made their predictions about the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Nigerian seer John Adatiri, 78, admitted that he had not forecast football tournaments before but predicted a strong showing for his home country after looking at a two-sided mirror, Reuters reports.

Adatiri said: "Nigeria go play quarter-final. Brazil go win."

Meanwhile, Zulu witchdoctor Sebenzile Nsukwini, 33, cast animal bones and sea shells and predicted a "strong" showing for hosts South Africa, despite their outsider status.

However, despite the blessing of Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium, football reporter Linda Moreotsene from Sowetan expressed scepticism about the idea of managers using 'muti' (traditional South African medicine) to help their teams to victory.

Moreotsene said: "All the muti stuff was before my time. I can't say I've seen any smoke or herbs being burnt in the changing rooms. Many of the top sides have got European coaches now and they don't think much of that sort of thing."
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a223145/soothsayers-make-world-cup-predictions.html

honeykid

06-19-10, 09:50 PM

Bye bye bifocals, hello electronic spectacles

Traditional bifocals could become a thing of the past with the invention of electronic glasses that automatically adjust to let their wearer view objects at different distances.

The spectacles, which are due to be launched in the US this year and the UK next year, use lenses that change their strength when a small electrical current passes through them.

A layer of liquid crystal sandwiched inside each lens alters its refractive properties according to the current applied, adapting the focal length according to where the wearer is looking.

Traditional bifocals, which use two lenses of different strengths in front of each eye, have been used by people who are struggle to focus on both near and far objects ever since they were believed to have been invented by Benjamin Franklin, the American statesman, in the 1780s.

But some users complain of headaches and dizziness while the small field of view forces them to move their heads while reading.

The electronic glasses, which have been developed by US firm PixelOptics, can be adjusted manually to view objects at different distances by pressing a button on the side of the frames.

Unlike traditional bifocals, which only allow the wearer to focus "near" or "far", the electronic lenses have a range of in-between settings.

The focal length can also change automatically when motion sensors embedded in the frames detect that the wearer is looking down – to read a book, for example.

Trials are under way in the US and the developer hopes to launch the glasses by the end of 2010 before bringing them to the UK by the middle of next year.

Peter Zieman, director of European sales for PixelOptics, said: "We have been developing these glasses for the past 10 years.

"Liquid crystals can change their refractive index when an electrical charge is put through them, so wearers can switch between distance and reading in the time it takes to blink.

"Putting in the kind of motion sensors that are used in the iPhone also allows the glasses to sense when someone is reading a book or a newspaper and so change the focal distance of the lenses automatically.

"In essence, glasses haven't changed all that much since they were first invented. The most recent development was transition lenses that tint in sunlight, but even that was 15 years ago.

"Our glasses bring modern technology to an old solution."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/7840034/Bye-bye-bifocals-hello-electronic-spectacles.html

mack

06-20-10, 01:59 AM

my older (single) sis sent me this article, and I thought w/o reading it....uh oh, she's in "that" place! :eek: but she cornered me and read it to me when I visited and I ended up literally falling out in peals of laughter - anyone who's ever navigated the rocky shoals of singlehood for any length of time will certainly find humor in this one. Enjoy! :D

5 Reasons Being Single Sucks Even More Than You Thought (http://www.cracked.com/article_17063_5-reasons-being-single-sucks-even-more-than-you-thought_p1.html)

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/13354.jpg

There's a lot to love about being single. You save money on Valentine's Day gifts, you get to meet new and interesting people and sometimes you even get to have sex with them.

But it's not all knocking boots and freedom. There are some aspects of single life that might, in fact, be seen as less than desirable. And then there are these five facts that will make you wish you got married in high school ...

#5. You Get Paid Less

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/paid_less.jpg

Single People Tell Themselves:

Of course my married co-workers take home a little more scratch than me! They tend to be older and lamer, and most corporate pay-scales are directly tied to how old and lame you are.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/paid_less2.jpg
"We deserve more money, because we're so close to death."

The Truth:

You've got one part right: Your married co-workers take home more money. Just how much you're getting cornholed depends on who you ask, but a recent study pegged it at about 27 percent (http://escholarship.org/uc/item/06s8022j).

But it's not just age. The above study was based on identical twins where the bachelor was just as educated as his married dopelganger. In fact, even if you and a married man do the same job at the same level of competence for the same number of years (http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2007/11/04/singled-out-why-should-we-stay-late-at-work-just-because-we-didnt-get-hitched/), the guy with the ring takes home more than you.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/paid_less3.jpg
"And I don't even like my wife, you chump!"

There are a couple of possible explanations for this and, contrary to what you might want to believe, none of them involve your boss being jealous of your electrifying sex life. The explanation married guys are most likely to cite is a little old fashioned elbow grease. It's hard not to hustle when the option behind door number two is "let your wife and kids starve to death." Meanwhile, single guys are more likely to take a sick day to sleep off an especially bad hangover, or quit a great job because the nachos in the cafeteria suck.

And even if your married co-worker is the slap dick and you're the responsible one, the perception still may not change. From your boss's perspective, that guy's money is going toward feeding his kids. Yours could be going toward any number of elicit activities he's vaguely aware of. One of those sex parties he's seen on those HBO documentaries, perhaps.

#4. You Work More

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/work.jpg

Single People Tell Themselves:

In an unprecedented act of kindness, American corporations decided their employees were working too hard and began enforcing something called "work/life balance." Of course they had their selfish reasons. A happier employee will do better work, and get sick less. But who cares? Less work means more time for us single folk to go out and have indiscriminate sex with one another, right?

The Truth:

If you're single, work/life balance is yet another way for the world to punish you for being unloved. One way the "balance" is enforced is the Family and Medical Leave Act, which gives any employee the right to take time off if a spouse, child or parent gets sick.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/work2.jpg

But what if you're struggling to save up enough money for a ring for your girlfriend of seven years when she gets hit by a bus? According to work/life balance, you'd better have some vacation time saved up. Otherwise, you're just going to have to learn to weep a little quieter, because you're sort of bumming out the rest of the folks in Accounts Receivable.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/work3.jpg
Take it outside.

There's also the unofficial considerations. Married employees simply have more legitimate excuses to ask for time off: a kid's birthday party, an anniversary dinner, Christmas. Yes, single people are more likely to be asked to work on holidays (http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-1111-The-Workplace-Are-Single-Workers-Treated-Differently/?cbsid=f9134c9d6d584ee1919b22963fe57958-330310468-w1-6&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_single_versus_married_&ArticleID=1111&cbRecursionCnt=2). The logic goes: You're single, you don't have a wife or kids, what could you possibly have to do? It doesn't matter if you were planning to spend the day delivering presents to sick children. Someone's got to pick up the slack for the married guy who keeps taking time off to attend his daughter's dance recital.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/work4.jpg
"Dance Recital."

But don't worry too much about vacation time. Thanks to something called per person double occupancy (PPDO) (http://www.smartertravel.com/travel-advice/coping-with-the-single-supplement.html?id=1285803), you wouldn't be able to go on good vacations anyways. Essentially, hotels, cruise lines, pretty much anything that isn't a plane or a train, is designed and priced for couples. The travel industry wants as many people as possible roaming the streets in a capitalist frenzy. The more people they can pack into a hotel or a cruise ship, the happier they are. If that means punishing you for being unloved, so be it. Maybe you'll learn not to be so lonely next time.

#3. The Government Hates You

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/government.jpg

Single People Tell Themselves:

The tax code has something called the "marriage penalty," (http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba445/) which is supposed to make married couples pay more. See? Uncle Sam remembers what it was like to be a squirrel trying to get a nut.

The Truth:

Actually, 51 percent of married couples get a tax bonus (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/LoveAndMoney/TheMythOfTheMarriagePenalty.aspx), and it can be up to $1300 a freaking year. Just enough for your co-worker to take his wife on that Hawaiian vacation while you do all his work.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/government1.jpg

The benefit comes if there's an income disparity; i.e. one partner is making more than the other. If they're pulling in the mad bucks and their spouse is working a part time job, or just a full-time job that sucks, they wind up paying less. You're stuck with the full tab.

To add a little salt to the hemorrhaging wound in your bank account, married couples can choose to file jointly or separately. So they have plenty of wiggle room to get the lowest taxes possible. So basically, instead of getting a tax break, you're doing the equivalent of buying another wedding gift for all the happily married couples you know every April 14th.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/government2.jpg
You paid for that wine. And that mustache.

And if you think the government's a dick to private citizens around tax time, you should try fighting wars for them. You might expect the military to pay people who get shot at pretty well, regardless of whether or not they're married. But in fact, a soldier with a ring on their finger is entitled to an extra $250 a month based on a piece of legislation left over from WWI called Family Separation Allowance. They also get an increased housing allowance, which is untaxed money. So basically, married soldiers get bigger houses and enough money to install a jacuzzi in the backyard. But hey, at least you single folks get to play the field in Iraq.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/field.jpg
Above: The field in Iraq.

#2. People Hate You

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/single.jpg

Single People Tell Themselves:

Fine, so I'm poor, over-worked and my government hates me. So what? That doesn't mean I should rush into anything. Only fools rush in! Elivis said that, and he was practically a genius. It's not like I should shack up with the next biologically viable human being I pass on the street, right? Right?

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/single2.jpg

The Truth:

Rutgers University did a study that gathered empirical data of social stigma associated with being single and, well ... it's not pretty. Single men were viewed as being stupid and dishonest, and single women were more likely to be harassed and treated badly at restaurants. In fact, the study yielded so much material, that report we linked up there runs 58 freaking pages.

Even with the divorce rate hovering around 50 percent (http://www.nationmaster.com/country/us-united-states/peo-people), marriage is still considered the norm. And if you're single for too long, there's a chance you'll stay that way.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/single3.jpg
You. Forever.

Time spent single is a lot like time spent in the bathroom. It's the most natural thing in the world, until you're there just a moment too long. But once you hit that point, there's no turning back. People start to wonder what's wrong with you. Gross images start popping into their heads. The next time they see you, you might smell a little funny to them. But hey, look on the bright side, at least nothing's actually wrong with you, right?

#1.You Are Going to Die Soon

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/death.jpg

Single People Tell Themselves:

Well, at least I have my health...

The Truth:

We'd hate to send the message that you single folks are all alone in this world, with nobody to rely on but yourself ... since you can't even rely on yourself, really. See, even your body hates you for being single. (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Depression/story?id=2298049)

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/death2.jpg
"Hello? Anyone?"

Opinions vary on why single people are more likely to get sick and die. Some think it's because marriage offers moral support to get through the tough times. Others think it's just that a spouse is more likely to nag you into going to the doctor. Of course those are things you can counteract without getting married. Just buy a dog and schedule regular medical checkups, right?

But that won't change the fact that married people have a better immune systems (http://www.newscentre.bham.ac.uk/press/2005/11/marriage_health_press_release_08_11_05.shtml) than you. They don't have to be happily married. Even divorced people are better at fighting off illness. It's like marriage is an all purpose vaccination that never wears off.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t313/theladycat/death3.jpg
"If only he would've married. Then he wouldn't be so pathetic. And dead."

You'd think the health care system would be designed to accommodate all the strange and fascinating diseases you single folks have waiting in your future. But married people get the better of that too, often choosing between two subsidized plans (http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/insur/20000321k.asp), and paying less per person. In fact, they get such a good deal that people literally get married just to get on their partner's health plan. (http://abcnews.go.com/Business/CareerManagement/Story?id=5379923&page=1) While this might sound pathetic to you now, it will sound a lot more reasonable when you realize that the grapefruit sized lump on your neck isn't going to remove itself. If it does remove itself, you're probably going to have to go to the ER and get that **** stitched up.

But hey, happy Valentine's Day single people! You might want to hang onto all that money you're saving on gifts.

will.15

06-20-10, 02:16 AM

[quote=honeykid;625286]

Viewers 'reach out to touch 3D boobs'
These are 3D (cup) boobs
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n205/kelmorn/3boobs.jpg

DexterRiley

06-20-10, 11:58 AM

Meet the 'innovator' of the vuvuzela

Before we get rolling here in advance of the Algeria-England match, a little something for your dartboard
http://beta.images.theglobeandmail.com/archive/00711/vuvu_711443artw.jpg
The fellow in this photo is named Neil van Schalkwyk, and he is the self-described “innovator” of the vuvuzela, the ubiquitous plastic horn that has been the number one topic of discussion at this World Cup.
He makes no claims to be the inventor, since people have been blowing horns from the beginning of time, and there have been various sorts of plastic horn-like noisemakers used at sporting events for decades.
But the way van Schalwyk describes it, he had a true eureka experience. While playing soccer for a local under-19 side, he scored a game-winning goal, and noticed in the celebration that followed someone in the crowd blowing a homemade horn made of tin.

“That’s the moment that really stuck in my head,” he said Thursday at a modest press conference held near the Cape Town waterfront.
Van Schalwyk worked in a plastic factory. He figured that if you could mass produce something similar to the tin horn (that age old business principle – make something that costs a penny that you can sell for a buck), it might catch on with South African football fans.

He worked by day in the factory, and at night perfecting the design.
“I lost a lot of sleep,” he said. “So my sympathy is with the people who are now losing a lot of sleep because of the vuvuzelas at night.”

Rim shot…

Sales began in 2000, and started slowly, with only 500 units moved that first year. But with the Confederations Cup tournament here last year, and of course now the World Cup, they’ve taken off.
Van Schalwyk’s company claims about 25 per cent of the market, and to date has done about a million dollars worth of business. They hold patent rights only to the name (the origins of the word “vuvuzela” itself remain unclear) when stamped on the product, so there are all kinds of perfectly legal knock offs, and anyone can refer to their horns as vuvuzelas.
But by buying the real thing, you get a nice smooth mouthpiece that won’t cut your lips, you get a design that breaks into three pieces under stress (and therefore is ineffective if used as a weapon), you get a sound that has been intentionally cut down from a maximum of 140 decibels to 121. And in some cases, you now get a complimentary pair of official vuvuzela earplugs.

Van Schalwyk is also working with a South African professor who is determined to teach people to play the damned things properly so that they can make a variety of more musical sounds - though the “innovator” is skeptical.

“He has found it very difficult to convince people to blow it that way,” he said.

As for the worldwide criticism about the din, and of the fact that vuvuzelas kill traditional soccer singing and chanting, van Schalwyk has a ready answer.

“The vuvuzela is a big part of the game for South African people, and it has been for ten years or so.

“We’ve got eleven different languages in South Africa. Certain songs are not understood by everyone. But the vuvuzelas are used by everyone. The twelfth language of South Africa is the vuvuzela.”

On to football now – the wheels have already come off the mighty German mannschaft today, at least temporarily. Now let’s see if the United States and England can dispatch relatively weak opposition in Slovenia and Algeria respectively, and remain head-to-head for the honours in Group C.
It would be easy to see the Americans falling into the emotional trap of a match like this. And it would also be easy to see England finding their form and putting a beating on the Algerians.

But so far, this is a tournament that hasn’t always played according to script….

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1608861/ (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/the-worlds-game/meet-the-innovator-of-the-vuvuzela/article1608861/)

actually i find soccer boring as hell, this thing might keep me awake, but i do know theres a pile of euro and english mofos;'s sp thought there might be interest.

honeykid

07-08-10, 10:37 PM

*In my best Dennis Norden voice*

File this one under "The Last Person You Thought Would Like This"

Snoop Dogg to swap hip-hop for soap opera as he begs agent to let him tread the cobbles of Coronation Street

It's not where you'd usually expect to find an international hip-hop star.

But Coronation Street could soon be welcoming a very special guest to its cobbles in the form of rapper Snoop Dogg.

The star has revealed that he begged his agent to get him a cameo on the soap opera having been a huge fan of the show for the past 11 years.

The rapper, real name Calvin Broadus, who visited Manchester today, said: 'I had my agent reach out to them to see if they could try to get me on and they said they were interested so hopefully it might happen.

'It would be perfect for me to be on the show. I've got friends around the world who always put me up on things and turn me on to things. Eleven years ago one of my friends turned me on to it.

'I love the whole dynamic, the way it is put together, it is my world, it is something I could fall into.

Handy man: Snoops grabs a roller brush and helps volunteers paint a wall at the Ordsall Community Center in Manchester

Snoop Dogg was speaking at the Ordsall Community Centre in Salford, where he met young volunteers who gave up four hours of their time to paint the centre in exchange for a ticket to the rap star's gig tonight at the Manchester Apollo through the Orange RockCorps scheme.

The 38-year-old was refused a visa to enter the UK in 2007 after a series of run-ins with the police.

But the ban was eventually lifted, allowing the bad boy of West Coast American rap to play at Glastonbury last week.

He said: 'One of the important things about me coming back into the UK was that I wanted to become real community active to show people that I really do care about the problems that are going on over here.

This is like a treat, to be able to do something constructive for your community, it feels good to be a part of it.

He was joined by Manchester United and England footballer Rio Ferdinand who made a surprise appearance at the community centre.

Snoop introduced him to the crowd as 'my nephew Rio' before the rapper played football with the teenage volunteers.

Ferdinand said: 'I am a huge Snoop fan so if I put in a bit of hard work, a bit of painting, I might get a ticket.'

Snoop Dogg is currently number one in the UK charts with the Katy Perry collaboration, California Gurls.

But the rap star did not even know he had hit the top spot and said: 'I've not bothered to look. Tell it like it is and not like it was.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1293193/Snoop-Dogg-swap-hip-hop-soap-opera-begs-agent-let-tread-cobbles-Coronation-Street.html

NSFW, but quite funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMXngm7YdJM

OK, on reflection I may've found a reason for Snoop wanting to walk the cobbles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8uXHIZJMy0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYiT2vc8gJE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VByWvgyJYA4&feature=related

will.15

07-08-10, 11:04 PM

I bet his press agent told him to say that and the Dogg has no idea what the show is.

christine

07-09-10, 09:58 AM

My son just sent me that Snoop link, hilarious! I can see him ordering Cristal in The Rovers :laugh:

I used to watch Coronation Street years ago when the characters were much funnier. I just read that there's going to be a huge disaster where the viaduct collapses and falls on a tram or summat so might just go and tune in that night for a melodrama fix

earlsmoviepicks

07-09-10, 10:03 AM

There was an article in our small town paper a couple weeks ago about a teenager who was issued a summons for screeching his car tires on main street. The bastard. I hope I never catch up with him.....

n3wt

07-09-10, 10:50 AM

I found this on another forum today :eek:

http://i30.tinypic.com/2ic43u1.jpg

earlsmoviepicks

07-09-10, 11:45 AM

Maybe she'll meet up in heaven with David Carradine.....

(yes I in fact am going to hell for that one...)

I found this on another forum today :eek:

http://i30.tinypic.com/2ic43u1.jpg

DexterRiley

07-09-10, 03:36 PM

China Closes Airport over UFO Hovering Above

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90782/90872/7058628.html

A photo taken by a resident in Hangzhou shows an unidentified flying object hovering over Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, late Wednesday, July 7, 2010.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/mediafile/201007/09/P201007090755561564718782.jpg
An unidentified flying object (UFO) disrupted air traffic over Zhejiang's provincial capital Hangzhou late on Wednesday, the municipal government said on Thursday.

Xiaoshan Airport was closed after the UFO was detected at around 9 pm, and some flights were rerouted to airports in the cities of Ningbo and Wuxi , said an airport spokesman, who declined to be named.

The airport had resumed operations, and more details will be released after an investigation, he said.

A source with knowledge of the matter, however, told China Daily on Thursday that authorities had learned what the UFO was after an investigation.

But it was not the proper time to publicly disclose the information because there was a military connection, he said, adding that an official explanation is expected to be given on Friday.

Inbound flights were diverted to the nearby airports in Zhejiang province's Ningbo and Jiangsu province's Wuxi. Outbound flights were delayed for three to four hours.

A staff member at the airport's information desk said the airport had "no idea" how many flights were affected by the closure.

At around 11 pm on Wednesday, a netizen wrote three entries announcing the airport's closure in

his microblog at Sina.com, but they were all soon deleted.

He posted an apology at midnight, saying the news had not been confirmed and asking those who had republished his earlier entries to delete them

The Next Big Thing

07-09-10, 04:16 PM

This is why you don't want to do wedding photography.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rks6Is4kW3c

Brodinski

07-09-10, 06:29 PM

Star Wars voices now available for TomTom devices

Read (http://starwars.tomtom.com/voices/index-starwars.php?Lid=4&voice=darthvader) more.

And a funny (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdcJVuylmsM)...

n3wt

07-09-10, 06:37 PM

honeykid

07-10-10, 07:52 AM

"Hmm... Right, you must turn. Then, your destination, you will reach." :yup:

Also, if they'd printed the name and brand of that vibrator, I guarentee that it's sales would've, at least, doubled in a week.

n3wt

07-10-10, 09:19 AM

A vibrator that when used you have a chance of pleasure so great you may die :laugh:

honeykid

07-11-10, 07:07 AM

I'm telling ya. You watch them all rush and get one. :D

n3wt

07-11-10, 11:07 AM

I dont doubt you mate :laugh: all those housewifes ;)

honeykid

07-11-10, 10:48 PM

It'd soon become the most popular hen night game in Blackpool. ;)

n3wt

07-14-10, 12:14 PM

Australian drunk survives attempt to ride crocodile

A drunk man who climbed into a crocodile enclosure in Australia and attempted to ride a 5m (16ft) long crocodile has survived his encounter.
The crocodile, called Fatso, bit the 36-year-old man's leg, tearing chunks of flesh from him as he straddled the reptile.
He received surgery to serious wounds to his leg and is recovering in hospital, police say.
He had been chucked out of a pub in the town of Broome for being too drunk.
The man, who was not named by the police, climbed over a fence and tried to sit on the 800kg (1,800lb) saltwater crocodile.

"Fatso has taken offence to this and has spun around and bit this man on the right leg," Sgt Roger Haynes of Broome police told journalists.
"The crocodile has let him go and he's been able to scale the fence again and leave the wildlife park."
'Right mind'
Malcolm Douglas, the park's owner, said that the crocodile was capable of crushing a man to death with a single bite.
"The man who climbed the fence was fortunate because Fatso was a bit more sluggish than normal, due to the cooler nights we have been experiencing in Broome," said Mr Douglas.
"If it had been warmer and Fatso was more alert, we would have been dealing with a fatality."
"No person in their right mind would try to sit on a 5m crocodile, Saltwater crocodiles, once they get hold of you, are not renowned for letting you go."
The man staggered back to the pub bleeding heavily.
Pub manager Mark Phillips said staff told him that the man reappeared at about 11pm with bits of bark hanging off him and flesh gouged out of his limbs.
"They said he had chunks out of his legs and things like that," Mr Phillips told The West Australian news website.
An average of two people are killed each year in Australia by aggressive saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to 7m (23 ft) long and weigh more than a tonne.

:facepalm:

honeykid

07-16-10, 10:39 PM

People really need to get a grip.

The German aquarium that owns octopus oracle Paul has rejected a number of bids for the celebrity mollusk from Spain.

Paul rose to international prominence by correctly calling the outcome of all seven of Germany's matches at the 2010 World Cup, culminating in their semi-final defeat by eventual champions Spain.

With many in his home country speculating how Paul would taste grilled in garlic butter, Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero offered to send a security team to protect the two-and-a-half-year-old.

Meanwhile, officials from the Spanish town of O Caraballino tried to borrow Paul to promote a seafood festival and a businessman from the town also offered about £26,000 to buy him, but the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen declined.

Madrid Zoo then asked Sea Life if it would be willing to make a deal to bring him in - on either a temporary or permanent basis - as a tribute to the Spanish football team's victory, but that request has also been rejected.

It's totally out of the question to sell Paul or lend him out," said Sea Life spokeswoman Kerstin Kuehn. "Paul will enjoy his greatly deserved retirement in Sea Life in Oberhausen." (Associated Press)

Juno MacGuff

07-16-10, 10:42 PM

I am not understanding this conversation.:confused:

honeykid

07-17-10, 12:13 AM

It's not a conversation. We just posts silly little stories that we find. Y'know, people being idiots or something. Nothing that really deserves its own thread.

Juno MacGuff

07-17-10, 12:23 AM

It's not a conversation. We just posts silly little stories that we find. Y'know, people being idiots or something. Nothing that really deserves its own thread.Oh I fit in good then.:p

n3wt

07-17-10, 09:26 AM

http://imgur.com/MoOvU.jpg

I dont know if this is real or not but it is hilarious.

honeykid

07-22-10, 09:20 PM

Tom swaps Top Gun for Top Gear

Tom Cruise enjoyed being the "top gun" on the Top Gear racetrack, he said.

In between promoting his latest film, Knight And Day, in the UK, the Mission: Impossible actor, 48, found time to race around the famous track against co-star Cameron Diaz.

"It was fun, very fun. I like fast cars and motorcycles - I've always loved them since I was a kid," he said on the red carpet at the film's premiere in London.

The two Hollywood stars were racing one another in a Kia cee'd in a bid to complete the fastest lap, and the results will be shown on Sunday's Top Gear show on BBC Two.

Diaz, who glittered in a silver sequinned Stella McCartney minidress, admitted she was finding it difficult to keep their scores a secret.

"We did timed laps. It's very exciting - we know the score and we want to tell everybody, but we can't because we want them to watch the show," she said.
The 37-year-old added: "I love speed. What I love about it is that you have to live in the moment, and I love just being in the moment."

Cruise heaped praise on his co-star, saying: "Cameron is such a great actress to work with every day. She's someone who brings a smile every day, she's just someone who is very fun to be around."

Diaz returned the compliment, saying: "Tom is just amazing and so much fun. We had a laugh every day, and did the best work we could."

The high-octane blockbuster, directed by James Mangold, will be released on Friday August 6.

http://news.aol.co.uk/tom-swaps-top-gun-for-top/article/20100722151749970565852

christine

08-14-10, 07:18 AM

For LotR fans

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7942834/Lord-of-the-Rings-sheep-take-over-The-Shire-on-New-Zealand-film-set.html

honeykid

08-26-10, 07:28 AM

Record-breaking film fan dies

A movie buff who holds the world record for the amount of films that he has watched has died aged 65.

Gwilym Hughes was included in the 2008 Guinness Book of Records after having watched over 28,000 films. Hughes, from Dolgellau in North Wales, sat through up to 14 films a week.

He became obsessed with films after a childhood illness left him in hospital for two-and-a-half-years.

Remembering seeing 'King Solomon's Mines' during that time, he said in 2008, "You can imagine what it was like. I could only waddle my feet and move my hands and head.

"I was in an iron frame, and you saw these moving things in front of you. You just couldn't wait for the next time.

"They were so wonderful. It just clicked my imagination."

He kept a detailed record of all the films he watched, including a cast list and often newspaper cuttings about the movie.

Despite his love for films, he insisted that it never took over his life.

"People think that I'm glued to the television set 24 hours a day but I'm not because I'm a member of about ten organisations," he said.

"I watch films from about 9pm until about 12am. Sometimes I could set up one on the television in the study. It works out about 10 to 14 films a week."

His favourite film was David Lean's 'Lawrence of Arabia'.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/25082010/5/record-breaking-film-fan-dies-0.html

n3wt

08-26-10, 01:50 PM

Thats some dedication to the magic that is film :yup:

honeykid

09-09-10, 06:31 PM

Clint Eastwood passed on Bond and Superman
Clint Eastwood turned down the chance to play James Bond and Superman early on in his career.

The 'Dirty Harry' star recently let it slip that he passed on the chance to play two iconic roles.

When Sir Sean Connery decided to quit playing James Bond after 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever', Eastwood was approached by the film series' bosses to don the famous tuxedo.

He told the LA Times, "I was also offered pretty good money to do James Bond if I would take on the role. But to me, well, that was somebody else's gig. That's Sean's deal. It didn't feel right for me to be doing it."

Years later, Eastwood was then asked to play Superman by Warner Bros president, Frank Wells. Again, he turned the role down.

"I was like, 'Superman’? Nah, nah, that's not for me.' Not that there's anything wrong with it. It's for somebody, but not me.

"I always liked characters that were more grounded in reality."

As one of Hollywood's greatest screen heroes, it's no surprise to discover Eastwood doesn't regret his decision.

"Believe me, I can get it out of my mind. I got it out of my mind back then. It was easy," he said.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/09092010/5/clint-eastwood-passed-bond-superman-0.html

Snoop to form band with Beckham's kids
Snoop Dogg is hoping to scoop the Christmas number one with a band comprising his kids and the Beckham boys, potentially going head to head with the ‘X Factor' winner.

The Doggfather is compiling a celeb-packed album, and hopes that he can hook up Brookyln, Cruz and Romeo with his sons Corde and Cordell to make a chart smash.

"With me, David and Victoria behind them they would be unstoppable. We're in talks for a Christmas recording," said Snoop.

"You got his kids and my kids, and we bring them together. I'm waiting for Becks to get back in town. I can't see why their first single shouldn't be out by Christmas."

Snoop seemingly has 11-year-old Brooklyn in mind to front the group. [Daily Star]
http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/pop_gossip/9410/snoop-to-form-band-with-beckhams-kids

Xbox LIVE locks out ‘Fort Gay’ gamer

Political correctness takes a step closer to complete insanity, as Microsoft bans a gamer from Xbox LIVE just because of where he lives.

You see, Josh Moore, a 26 year-old unemployed factory worker with a penchant for first-person shooters, is a resident of “Fort Gay”. This diminutive West Virginian ‘burg dates back to 1789 and is thought to be named after an American Civil War nurse. Sadly, Xbox LIVE staff knew nothing of this and didn’t even bother to check the town’s existence. Instead they suspended Moore’s Xbox LIVE account when they saw what was considered to be an offensive term in his gamer profile.

Needless to say, Moore was somewhat dumbfounded, complaining: "At first I thought, 'Wow, somebody's thinking I live in the gayest town in West Virginia or something. I was mad. ... It makes me feel like they hate gay people."

You might think that such a simple mistake would be easy to fix with a quick phone call to Xbox Customer services. Alas, this only seemed to make matters worse: "I figured, I'll explain to them, 'Look in my account. Fort Gay is a real place. I told him, Google it - 25514!" said Moore, identifying the town's ZIP code.

However the Xbox LIVE employee responded with a stern warning that if Moore put Fort Gay back in his profile, they’d cancel his account and keep the two years’ subscription fee he’d already paid in advance.

Even Fort Gay’s Mayor, David Thompson, was unable to help, and was summarily informed that “Gay” was deemed an insulting term when used in any context. Which, of course, is complete nonsense – quite apart from its ‘Happy’ meaning, Microsoft itself has recently changed its policy, allowing Xbox gamers to express their sexuality in their profiles and gamer tags.

But it took Xbox LIVE’s director of policy and enforcement, Stephen Toulouse, to finally break the unfortunate impasse.

“Someone took the phrase 'Fort Gay WV' and believed that the individual who had that was trying to offend, or trying to use it in a pejorative manner. Unfortunately, one of my people agreed with that. When it was brought to my attention, we did revoke the suspension."

"In this very, very specific case, a mistake was made and we're going to make it right."

To which end, staff training has since been improved and senses of humour have been reset. At least until the next moronic misunderstanding hoves into view...
http://uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com/cd/news/xbox-live-locks-out--fort-gay--gamer-eaffcd.html

n3wt

09-09-10, 06:41 PM

Snoop to form band with Beckham's kids

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:YH35Bei2NYNFTM:http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e115/OrigWolfeye/Misc/facepalm_bongo.jpg&t=1

christine

09-10-10, 09:31 AM

Hope this guy is careful with his shears!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bradford-west-yorkshire-11260559

DexterRiley

09-17-10, 08:27 PM

Witnesses see mystery man fall from sky without parachute

A number of witnesses swear they saw a man falling head first from the sky without a parachute or paraglider in New Jersey.
"You could see the arms and legs flailing," Kelly Hale told 6ABC (http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=7669913). "There is no doubt that it is a person, we are 100 per cent sure."
Hale said her and two of her colleagues saw him drop behind trees into a forest across the road from their office.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/yahoocanada/100916/canada/witnesses_see_mystery_man_fall_from_sky_without_parachute

..no mention of a turnpike ..but still am i the only one that thought...

http://www.ifilmdb.com/Video/Being_John_Malkovich/Being_John_Malkovich_poster.jpg

honeykid

10-25-10, 09:29 PM

Quaid target of 'celebrity killers'?

Hollywood actor Randy Quaid is seeking asylum in Canada after claiming that he is on a ‘celebrity death list’ and fears his life is in danger.

Quaid and his wife Evi were arrested in Vancouver recently over allegations they broke into their former Californian home and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

However, the pair are desperate to stay in the country after fearing they are being targeted by "Hollywood star whackers" - a group of people Quaid believes are responsible for the death of Heath Ledger, 'Kill Bill's David Carradine and others.

Evi told officials at the Immigration and Refugee Board, "We feel our lives are in danger.
"Randy has known eight close friends murdered in odd, strange manners. We feel that we're next."

The couple's lawyer issued a statement in which they said, "Yes, we are seeking asylum from Hollywood star whackers."

Quaid, who has appeared in a number of films including the 'National Lampoon' series and 'Independence Day', worked with Ledger on the hit drama 'Brokeback Mountain'.
Ledger died in 2008 from an accidental overdose, while Carradine died from asphyxiation last year.

Randy and his wife are to attend a second immigration hearing later this week.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/25102010/5/quaid-fears-target-celeb-killers-0.html

ash_is_the_gal

10-26-10, 02:15 AM

did y'all know Michael Jackson died?

christine

10-26-10, 10:03 AM

The World Cup excitement was all too much for Paul

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11626050

honeykid

11-16-10, 06:30 PM

Buy a truck, get a free AK-47: used car dealership launches unusual promotion

A used car dealership in Florida has launched an unusual promotion to help it through the sluggish US economic recovery: a complimentary AK-47 with every purchase.

Nations Trucks, in Sanford, promises to pay for a Soviet-style assault rifle for anyone who buys one of its used trucks.

The dealership has more than doubled sales since the offer was announced last week, according to Nick Ginetta, the general sales manager.

A poster in Nations' office window proclaims "FREE AK-47" above a large illustration of the gun, which is by far the biggest-selling assault rifle of all time.

Mr Ginetta said rather than hand out guns itself, the firm gave truck-buyers a $400 (£250) voucher which could be redeemed for a rifle at a local firearms shop.

"I don't think it sends the wrong message," said Mr Ginetta, who insisted the dealership was merely allowing customers to assert their rights under the Second Amendment of the Constitution.

"You don't need to buy a truck to go and buy an AK-47," he told local television. "You have the right to do that as long as you meet all state and federal laws. So it's just a promotion."

Mr Ginetta claimed that under the scheme, which runs until the end of November, all customers would be subjected to background checks before being able to obtain a firearm.

On Monday morning he told The Daily Telegraph that business was so brisk that he was unable to field more media enquiries about the promotion.

"There is a long line of people just waiting to buy trucks," Mr Ginetta said. Earlier he suggested it was the perfect offer for his customer base.

"My buyer is absolutely a gun owner, no question," he said.

One customer said he was not deterred by the dealership's promotion despite knowing from experience what an AK-47 could do.

"I've had them shot at me," Don Zeis, a Vietnam War veteran, told local television. "I need a truck... that's why I'm here."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8134804/Buy-a-truck-get-a-free-AK-47-used-car-dealership-launches-unusual-promotion.html

Man loses seven stone after seeing himself on Google Street View

An obese man was shocked into losing seven stone after he identified his overweight frame on Google Street View.

Bob Mewse, 56, weighed 21 stone 3lb after years of feeding his sweet tooth with cakes and biscuits.

He was so horrified a year ago when he saw himself on Google Street View – a mapping service that uses a 360-degree camera to record images – that he decided to start losing weight.

Mr Mewse lost a third of his body weight after drastic changes to his diet and a strict regime of exercise. He now weighs 14 stone (89kg).

The Google Street View photograph showed Mr Mewse, of Bristol, side-on opposite a filling station wearing a tent-like grey shirt.

He said: "I was horrified when I saw that photo. I was massive. My belly was sticking out and I looked huge.

"I'd been thinking about losing weight for some time but after seeing that picture, I knew that I actually had to do something about it. I was in such bad condition that I was unable to walk and talk at the same time.

"My blood pressure was sky-high and I was getting back problems due to the excess weight I was carrying around." Mr Mewse was classed as morbidly obese.

After seeing the picture, he joined a gym, Fitness First, in Longwell Green, Bristol.

A personal trainer gave him an exercise programme to run in conjunction with a healthy eating plan – which replaced cakes and takeaways with fruit, salads and protein-rich foods – and he lost weight rapidly.

Will McCullough, the gym's fitness manager, praised Mr Mewse for his determination and said he was an example for anyone who wanted to lose weight.

He said: "He's stuck with the programme we gave him and followed it to the letter to reach his target weight, which is fantastic."

Mr Mewse said: "If I can do this, anybody can – I'm just an ordinary bloke. I feel much healthier now."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/8133138/Man-loses-seven-stone-after-seeing-himself-on-Google-Street-View.html

Blind student uses 'guide pony'
A miniature horse used by a blind student in the US is thought to be the first “guide pony” to attend university.

Cali is the first guide animal for Mona Ramouni, a devout Muslim whose parents – Jordanian immigrants – would not accept a dog into their house.

Miss Ramouni, a 30-year-old blind student at Michigan State University, uses Cali, one of a handful of miniature horses in the US known to be used as guide animals.

“Usually I’m good about it because you have to educate people,” Mona Ramouni said. “Sometimes I’ll say, no, it’s a really cool toy.”

The university has an internationally recognised centre which assists disabled students and employees integrate into the community and achieve their full potential.

While there was some initial concern about whether Cali would make a mess or be a distraction, the tiny brown horse with a shiny black mane is surprisingly tidy and even gets along with the guide dog of one of Ramouni’s classmates.

“The thing that I love about having Cali and the dog Harper in the class is that it’s such a vivid example to people about how adaptive students can be in going about their lives and achieving what they want to achieve,” Prof Shelley Smithson said.

Weighing in at slightly over 7st, miniature horses are about the same size as a large dog but are much stockier and can help support people with mobility issues.

They also have significantly longer lifespans – they can live and work for more than 30 years while guide dogs are usually retired after about six to eight years – but require much more care.

Without Cali, Miss Ramouni probably would never have pursued her dream of getting a master’s degree in rehabilitation counselling so she can one day work with disabled children.

She bought Cali in October 2008 and sent the retired show pony to a professional trainer to be taught to tap her hoof to point out obstacles, get in and out of cars and buses, and even pick up misplaced objects with her teeth.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8133858/Blind-student-uses-guide-pony.html

honeykid

11-23-10, 05:47 PM

In Dead Trouble: Coroner's Ailing 'Body Shop'

A coroner's office in the US is trying to breathe new life into its dying gift shop.

Not a lot of people know that the Los Angeles county coroner sells a range of quirky clothes and tongue-in-cheek trinkets from an office near the morgue and from a website called Skeletons in the Closet.

And that's the point. So its sales have been rather slow.

In fact, it has been subsidised by a drink-driving educational programme.

Now auditors have suggested that marketing experts be brought in to resuscitate sales.

Craig Harvey, the department's chief of operations, said: "We can do government services very well but business is another thing."

The shop is thought to be the only one in America. It has been operating for 17 years and its biggest customers are homicide police officers.

It is mentioned in guidebooks, however, and tourists can buy anything from beach towels with chalk body outlines, "Body of work" T-shirts and bottles of "Bodily Fluids".

Mr Harvey said: "There is a mystique about the LA county coroner, something people identify with. People want to know what we do and how we do it."

But while recognising the sales potential, he said it had simply not been a priority for a department that prides itself as one of the top forensic science units in the country.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20101123/tod-in-dead-trouble-coroner-s-ailing-bod-870a197.html

DexterRiley

12-14-10, 04:39 PM

Michael Moore posts bail for Julian Assange.

Wall of Text alert.

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
Friends,
Yesterday, in the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, the lawyers for WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange presented to the judge a document from me stating that I have put up $20,000 of my own money to help bail Mr. Assange out of jail.

Furthermore, I am publicly offering the assistance of my website, my servers, my domain names and anything else I can do to keep WikiLeaks alive and thriving as it continues its work to expose the crimes that were concocted in secret and carried out in our name and with our tax dollars.
We were taken to war in Iraq on a lie. Hundreds of thousands are now dead. Just imagine if the men who planned this war crime back in 2002 had had a WikiLeaks to deal with. They might not have been able to pull it off. The only reason they thought they could get away with it was because they had a guaranteed cloak of secrecy. That guarantee has now been ripped from them, and I hope they are never able to operate in secret again.

So why is WikiLeaks, after performing such an important public service, under such vicious attack? Because they have outed and embarrassed those who have covered up the truth. The assault on them has been over the top:

**Sen. Joe Lieberman says (http://middletownpress.com/articles/2010/12/10/news/doc4d024883a149a725770342.txt) WikiLeaks "has violated the Espionage Act."
**The New Yorker's George Packer calls (http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/georgepacker/2010/11/the-right-to-secrecy.html) Assange "super-secretive, thin-skinned, [and] megalomaniacal."
**Sarah Palin claims (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=465212788434) he's "an anti-American operative with blood on his hands" whom we should pursue "with the same urgency we pursue al Qaeda and Taliban leaders."
**Democrat Bob Beckel (Walter Mondale's 1984 campaign manager) said (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/07/fox-news-bob-beckel-calls_n_793467.html) about Assange on Fox: "A dead man can't leak stuff ... there's only one way to do it: illegally shoot the son of a bitch."
**Republican Mary Matalin says (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXAiOmAJKs) "he's a psychopath, a sociopath ... He's a terrorist."
**Rep. Peter A. King calls (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/11/28/2010-11-28_media_unveils_classified_documents_via_wikileaks_website_in_explosive_release_of.html) WikiLeaks a "terrorist organization."

And indeed they are! They exist to terrorize the liars and warmongers who have brought ruin to our nation and to others. Perhaps the next war won't be so easy because the tables have been turned -- and now it's Big Brother who's being watched ... by us!

WikiLeaks deserves our thanks for shining a huge spotlight on all this. But some in the corporate-owned press have dismissed the importance of WikiLeaks ("they've released little that's new!") or have painted them as simple anarchists ("WikiLeaks just releases everything without any editorial control!"). WikiLeaks exists, in part, because the mainstream media has failed to live up to its responsibility. The corporate owners have decimated newsrooms, making it impossible for good journalists to do their job. There's no time or money anymore for investigative journalism. Simply put, investors don't want those stories exposed. They like their secrets kept ... as secrets.

I ask you to imagine how much different our world would be if WikiLeaks had existed 10 years ago. Take a look at this photo (http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/1607200/Getty-Images-News). That's Mr. Bush about to be handed a "secret" document on August 6th, 2001. Its heading read: "Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US." And on those pages it said the FBI had discovered "patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings." Mr. Bush decided to ignore it and went fishing for the next four weeks.

But if that document had been leaked, how would you or I have reacted? What would Congress or the FAA have done? Was there not a greater chance that someone, somewhere would have done something if all of us knew about bin Laden's impending attack using hijacked planes?
But back then only a few people had access to that document. Because the secret was kept, a flight school instructor in San Diego who noticed that two Saudi students took no interest in takeoffs or landings, did nothing. Had he read about the bin Laden threat in the paper, might he have called the FBI? (Please read this essay (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/15/opinion/la-oe-rowley-wikileaks-20101015) by former FBI Agent Coleen Rowley, Time's 2002 co-Person of the Year, about her belief that had WikiLeaks been around in 2001, 9/11 might have been prevented.)
Or what if the public in 2003 had been able to read "secret" memos from Dick Cheney as he pressured the CIA to give him the "facts" he wanted in order to build his false case for war? If a WikiLeaks had revealed at that time that there were, in fact, no weapons of mass destruction, do you think that the war would have been launched -- or rather, wouldn't there have been calls for Cheney's arrest?

Openness, transparency -- these are among the few weapons the citizenry has to protect itself from the powerful and the corrupt. What if within days of August 4th, 1964 -- after the Pentagon had made up the lie that our ship was attacked by the North Vietnamese in the Gulf of Tonkin -- there had been a WikiLeaks to tell the American people that the whole thing was made up? I guess 58,000 of our soldiers (and 2 million Vietnamese) might be alive today.
Instead, secrets killed them.

For those of you who think it's wrong to support Julian Assange because of the sexual assault allegations he's being held for, all I ask is that you not be naive about how the government works when it decides to go after its prey. Please -- never, ever believe the "official story." And regardless of Assange's guilt or innocence (see the strange nature of the allegations here (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B669H20101207)), this man has the right to have bail posted and to defend himself. I have joined with filmmakers Ken Loach and John Pilger and writer Jemima Khan in putting up the bail money -- and we hope the judge will accept this and grant his release today.

Might WikiLeaks cause some unintended harm to diplomatic negotiations and U.S. interests around the world? Perhaps. But that's the price you pay when you and your government take us into a war based on a lie. Your punishment for misbehaving is that someone has to turn on all the lights in the room so that we can see what you're up to. You simply can't be trusted. So every cable, every email you write is now fair game. Sorry, but you brought this upon yourself. No one can hide from the truth now. No one can plot the next Big Lie if they know that they might be exposed.
And that is the best thing that WikiLeaks has done. WikiLeaks, God bless them, will save lives as a result of their actions. And any of you who join me in supporting them are committing a true act of patriotism. Period.
I stand today in absentia with Julian Assange in London and I ask the judge to grant him his release. I am willing to guarantee his return to court with the bail money I have wired to said court. I will not allow this injustice to continue unchallenged.
Yours,
Michael Moore
[email protected]
MichaelMoore.com (http://www.michaelmoore.com/)
P.S. You can read the statement I filed today in the London court here (http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/mike-in-the-news/witness-statement-of-michael-moore)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CXAiOmAJKs&feature=player_embedded#!

honeykid

12-14-10, 05:13 PM

Couldnt' agree more. He has to stay in prison tonight, though, as the Swedish Government have appealed the decision.

Assange back in British jail after bail ruling challenged

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange won bail from a British court Tuesday over sex crimes claims but must stay in jail for at least another night after Swedish prosecutors appealed against the decision. Skip related content

The 39-year-old Australian had given a thumbs-up to the packed courtroom in London as the judge granted him conditional bail, one week after being arrested at the request of Swedish authorities.

But two hours later, lawyers for Swedish prosecutors announced that they would appeal the ruling, meaning the case will now go to Britain's high court and a new hearing must be heard within 48 hours.

Until that time Assange, who denies the allegations, must stay in his cell at Wandsworth prison in London.

"This is really turning into a show trial," Assange's lawyer Mark Stephens told reporters after hearing the Swedish decision.

"They clearly will not spare any expense to keep Mr Assange in jail."

District judge Howard Riddle had earlier granted bail worth 240,000 pounds (378,000 dollars, 283,000 euros) but ordered that Assange wear an electronic tag, abide by a curfew and live at the country estate of a supporter.

"I am satisfied that the conditions I am going to impose will make it certain as far as the risk of flight is concerned," Riddle told City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Celebrity supporters in court included socialite and campaigner Bianca Jagger, while US filmmaker Michael Moore offered to put up bail. Assange's mother Christine had flown in from Australia and was also in court.

The announcement of bail prompted cheers from about 20 supporters who had staged a protest in support of Assange outside court, but the response became muted as it emerged that he would not yet be free.

Even if Sweden had not appealed, Stephens said the court had demanded that those standing bail for Assange come up with 200,000 pounds in cash before he could be freed -- and this was unlikely to be raised immediately.

Another member of the legal team, high-profile human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, earlier told the court that the rape and molestation allegations made against his client by two Swedish women should not be taken seriously.

"It was very clear this is not an extremely serious offence. It is arguably not even a rape offence," Robertson said.

He added that Assange was being held in "Victorian" conditions in prison and was being detained in solitary confinement and allowed just one visit per week.

Assange was arrested on December 7 after giving himself up to police acting on an extradition warrant from Sweden.

His legal team has condemned the claims as politically motivated, noting their timing coincided with WikiLeaks' release of thousands of secret US diplomatic cables which have touched off a global storm.

Swedish prosecutors insist their investigation is based on law.

Wearing a dark suit and a white shirt, Assange spoke in court Tuesday only to confirm his name, date of birth and address in Victoria, Australia.

His next appearance at the court is on January 11, with a full extradition hearing set for February 7 to 8.

Earlier, Assange blasted three global giants which have stopped money being sent to his website -- credit card companies Visa and MasterCard and the Internet payment firm PayPal -- and accused them of being US puppets.

PayPal has said its decision to restrict the WikiLeaks account was not the result of any US pressure.

The three firms have been attacked by computer hackers for their stance.

In a statement to Australia's Channel 7, he also said WikiLeaks would not stop releasing the data, which has included candid reflections from US diplomats of world leaders and global events.

"My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have expressed," Assange said, in a statement from prison he dictated to his mother.

US President Barack Obama has led worldwide condemnation of the leaks, dubbing them "deplorable", and Washington is pursuing a criminal investigation into how WikiLeaks obtained the information.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20101214/twl-assange-back-in-british-jail-after-b-2802f3e.html

will.15

12-14-10, 05:15 PM

The guy is scum and what his organization did is evil. I never liked that loony Michael Moore and I am a Democrat.

DexterRiley

12-14-10, 05:51 PM

lulz

what does it matter whether you are a Democrat or not Will?

will.15

12-14-10, 06:14 PM

Because most of the people who bash Michael Moore publicly are hard right conservatives. Michael Moore is loony left. He is a good filmmaker, but he sees conspiracies everywhere and I don't like documentaries that are deliberately slanted, distort facts, and don't even make an attempt to fairly present the other side. I'm no fan of the less talented right wingers who make anti Michael Moore documentaries either.

honeykid

12-14-10, 08:28 PM

Michael Moore is loony left. He is a good filmmaker, but he sees conspiracies everywhere...

You don't think the timing of these charges (which had already been settled 3 months ago and in a different part of Sweden) is extremely suspect?

honeykid

01-04-11, 08:52 PM

Netflix to get its own button on remote controls

Netflix's streaming video service was one of the red-hot entertainment products of 2010. Now it will become easier for fans to access Netflix on TV sets with the click of a button.

A number of consumer electronics companies are working on Netflix-branded one-click buttons on remote controls that operate Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray disc players and other devices that connect the Internet to the TV, the company said Tuesday.

Beginning this spring, such Netflix buttons, including some featuring the company's red logo, are planned for remotes for devices from the likes of Best Buy's Dynex brand, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and Toshiba.

Remote controls for Boxee, Iomega and Roku set-top boxes also will feature the Netflix one-click remote.

"For members who want even more convenience when instantly watching TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix, the answer is about to be right in their hands," said Netflix chief product officer Neil Hunt. "No more turning on the TV, going to a home screen and searching for the Netflix icon. With the Netflix one-click remote, it's simply a matter of pushing the Netflix button to instantly watch any of the vast selection of TV shows and movies available to stream from Netflix."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20110104/ttc-oukin-uk-netflix-fe50bdd.html

honeykid

01-11-11, 12:02 PM

Hubble Telescope finds space blob

The Hubble Space Telescope has had its first peek at a mysterious giant green blob in outer space and found that it is strangely alive.

The bizarre glowing blob is giving birth to new stars, some only a couple million years old, in remote areas of the universe where stars do not normally form.

The blob of gas was discovered first by a Dutch school teacher in 2007 and is named Hanny's Voorwerp. Voorwerp is Dutch for object.

Parts of the green blob are collapsing and the resulting pressure from that is creating the stars. Nasa released the new Hubble photo at an American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle, Washington.

The stellar nurseries are outside of a normal galaxy, which is usually where stars live. That makes these "very lonely newborn stars" that are "in the middle of nowhere", said Bill Keel, the University of Alabama astronomer who examined the blob.

The blob is the size of the Milky Way, the galaxy that includes the Earth, and it is 650 million light years away. Each light year is about six trillion miles.

It consists of mostly hydrogen gas swirling from a close encounter of two galaxies; it glows because it is illuminated by a quasar in one of the galaxies. A quasar is a bright object full of energy powered by a black hole.

The blob was discovered by elementary school teacher Hanny van Arkel, who was 24 at the time, as part of a worldwide Galaxy Zoo project where everyday people can look at archived star photographs to catalogue new objects.

Ms van Arkel said when she first saw the odd object in 2007 it appeared blue and smaller. The Hubble photo provides a clear picture and better explanation for what is happening around the blob.

"It actually looked like a blue smudge," Ms van Arkel said. "Now it looks like dancing frog in the sky because it's green." She said she can even see what passes for arms and eyes.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20110111/tsc-hubble-telescope-finds-space-blob-4b158bc.html

honeykid

01-14-11, 08:38 AM

Fox shoots man

A wounded fox shot its would be killer in Belarus by pulling the trigger on the hunter's gun as the pair scuffled after the man tried to finish the animal off with the butt of the rifle, media said Thursday.

The unnamed hunter, who had approached the fox after wounding it from a distance, was in hospital with a leg wound, while the fox made its escape, media said, citing prosecutors from the Grodno region.

"The animal fiercely resisted and in the struggle accidentally pulled the trigger with its paw," one prosecutor was quoted as saying.

Fox-hunting is popular in the picturesque farming region of northwestern Belarus which borders Poland.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20110113/tod-oukoe-uk-belarus-fox-cb1d00a.html

honeykid

01-20-11, 09:52 PM

Gang members snort ashes they mistook for drugs

Five teenage burglars snorted human and animal ashes after mistaking them for Class A drugs, it has been revealed.

After a burglary, which took place at a woman's home in Silver Spring Shores, Florida, thieves made off with electronics, jewelry and two urns - one filled with the cremated remains of the victim's father and two for her Great Danes.

Police discovered what happened to the stolen ashes after the suspects were arrested last week in connection with another attempted burglary.

In a statement, deputies from Marion County Sheriff's Office said: "The suspects mistook the ashes for either cocaine or heroin. It was soon discovered that the suspects snorted some of the ashes believing they were snorting cocaine."

Speaking after the burglary, which took place in December, grieving victim Holli Tencza, 35, told a local Ocala news site: "I understand why the burglar took my flat-screen television, the Blu-ray DVD player, laptop computer and jewelry… but there's no monetary value in the ashes, so who knows in this crazy world. I just want them back. I don't care if I ever know who took them."

When the gang members discovered their mix-up they threw the remaining ashes into a lake in fear that their fingerprints were left on the urns.

Marion County Sheriff, Jenifer Fisher Lowe told Yahoo! News: "On Thursday at 11AM EST, underwater divers at Magic Lake in Gail d'Helvie Park recovered two urns containing the ashes of the owner's dog and father."

The ashes were protected by plastic bags inside wooden boxes stored in the urns. The delinquents have been jailed on a number of charges, including burglary.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/38/20110120/tod-gang-snorts-ashes-they-mistook-for-d-045b8e8.html

DexterRiley

01-27-11, 07:27 PM

The Lake that Glows.

Groovy maaaaan

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/26/article-1350686-0CEA7C63000005DC-213_964x636.jpg

Skippen Stones :

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/26/article-1350686-0CEA7A39000005DC-139_964x627.jpg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1350686/Glowing-dark-Eerie-phenomenon-turned-swimmers-brighter-shade-blue.html

honeykid

01-27-11, 09:08 PM

That's just damn cool. Thanks for posting it. :)

DexterRiley

01-29-11, 07:46 PM

honeykid

02-21-11, 09:06 PM

SuBo the movie?

A Susan Boyle biopic is underway, and, if reports are correct, they've picked a surprising actress to play the former Scottish spinster.

Glenn Close, best known for her role as the psycho mistress in 1987's 'Fatal Attraction', has won the part, despite Boyle wanting Scottish actress Elaine Smith to play her in a movie, according to The Sun.

While SuBo is believed to have preferred Rab C Nesbitt's screen wife for the film, it's the veteran actress that has reportedly won the part.

An insider told the newspaper, “The film is full steam ahead now the leading role is sorted. It was always going to be a tricky one to cast. (Her) incredible story is so well-known across the planet that the film is bound to go down a storm.

"Glenn has played some imposing women in the past including Cruella de Vil and Alex Forrest, who boils the pet rabbit in Fatal Attraction. But [Boyle] might just be her biggest role yet."

So less Bunny Boiler, and more Susan Boyle-r!

While the idea of a 64 year-old American playing a 49-year-old Scottish woman seems a bizarre one, it hasn't been the oddest suggestion.

Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta Jones was once linked to the part, while Robin Williams joked two years ago that he would like to done a skirt and reheat his old ‘Mrs Doubtfire’ accent to play Boyle, saying, “I've been asked if I want to play Susan in the movie. I think she's incredible.”

And Matt Lucas can consider himself unlucky to not be in the running, following his uncanny dead-on impersonation of her in a 2009 photo shoot.

Susan Boyle became a global phenomenon following her iconic performance of 'I Dreamed A Dream' during an audition for 'Britain's Got Talent'.

It transformed the shy Scottish woman into a hugely successful recording artist. Her two albums have sold nearly 10 million copies worldwide.

Filming is reported to begin earlier this year, with no word yet on who will play Simon Cowell – Ricky Gervais anyone?
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/149062/subo-the-movie.html

will.15

02-21-11, 09:37 PM

Who wasnts to see a movie about Susan Boyle?

I would have chosen Charlize Theron.

honeykid

02-21-11, 10:34 PM

Don't ask me. I'm still trying to work out who wants to hear her sing.

honeykid

02-22-11, 04:15 AM

KFC changes 50-year-old slogan

Kentucky Fried Chicken is ditching its 50-year-old slogan in an effort to help the chicken chain create a healthier corporate image.

The fast-food chain is set to replace their current slogan, ‘finger lickin’ good’ – one of the most successful marketing slogans of the 20th century – with simply ‘so good’.

The new slogan is being launched along with other health-conscious measures, such as using healthier oils and cooking meals on a griddle rather than using fryers. Further plans to display the calorific value of items on their menu will begin in September.

Martin Shuker, a rep for KFC says: “‘Finger lickin’ good’ is very food centric. ‘So good’ is still about the food, but it also allows us to more effectively communicate the breadth of different things about the brand, such as our people.’

The catchphrase originated by accident in the 1950s when franchisee David Harman was shown eating chicken and licking his fingers in the background of an American TV commercial.

A viewer phoned the company to complain about the scene, to which the manager replied: ‘Well, it’s finger lickin’ good.’ The catchphrase took off, becoming the KFC slogan and one of the most recognised taglines in the world.

UK and Ireland chains will stop using palm food oil and switch to the healthier rapeseed oil in an effort to reduce saturated fats across the chain’s range by 25 per cent, as well as reduce food miles by sourcing it from Kent rather than Asia.

KFC will also spend £7m to outfit its restaurants with ovens in the run up to the launch of the Brazer, the first product that is griddled rather than fried. The Brazer is a burger and tortilla-style wrap which boasts fewer calories than other popular KFC products.
http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/food-drink/KFC-changes-50-year-old-slogan-blog-16-yahoo-lifestyles.html

No force to stop Jedi census answer
People who want to declare their religion as "Jedi" or call themselves witches will still be able to do so in the 2011 Census, its director has said.

In 2001 - the first time the questionnaire contained a voluntary question about faith - almost 400,000 people claimed they were members of the Star Wars movement.

Glen Watson, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census Director, said although putting joke responses on the national survey form was "not an acceptable thing to do", it could not be stopped.

Speaking at the launch of the advertising campaign for the £482 million information-gathering exercise, he said: "The religion question is the only voluntary question on the whole questionnaire.

"We would process the information and we would include that in the results, I imagine.

"I don't think we would pursue somebody for declaring their religion, for example, as Jedi.

"As I say, it's a voluntary question. I'm not really saying that we can stop it.

"If people really want to express their religious affiliation in a particular way, they're within their rights to do so."

Since the last census, the use of social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter has rocketed and campaigners have used them as tools to galvanise support for various movements.

In 2009, a Facebook campaign led to the rock group Rage Against the Machine taking the Christmas chart number one spot ahead of X Factor winner Joe McElderry in a grass-roots plot apparently aimed against Simon Cowell.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20110221/tuk-no-force-to-stop-jedi-census-answer-6323e80.html

will.15

02-22-11, 05:24 AM

I think the KFC item is inaccurate. I doubt they are phasing out fried chicken in the UK. They haven't done it here, but added grilled chicken to the menu

As for the second one. alright. Jedi sounds like a good religion to me. Better than Scientology.

honeykid

02-23-11, 11:43 AM

Chinese gamer dies after three day blowout
A Chinese man has died after playing an online game for three days without a break.

The Beijing Times reports that the unnamed 30 year-old had barely slept or eaten during his mammoth session. He collapsed while playing at an internet cafe on the outskirts of the city and was rushed to a nearby clinic, where he died after failing to regain consciousness.

It later came to light that the man had spent the equivalent of £928 on online games last month. It is not known which game he was playing at the time of his unfortunate demise.

Online gaming is hugely popular in China, particularly among the country’s young. Measures introduced to curb problems of addiction have met with little success so far, and it is now thought that as many as 450 million Chinese citizens now have internet connections.

Sadly, this is not the first time that somebody has died after gaming for too long. In 2005 a Korean man perished after playing online for 50 hours non-stop. A lack of rest and nourishment would seem to be contributing factors in both instances.
http://uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com/blog/article/24526/chinese-gamer-dies-after-three-day-blowout.html

honeykid

02-24-11, 11:55 PM

Ricky Gervais offers Oscar hosts "a little opening"
Controversial Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais has no plans to attend the Oscars, but he has written a snarky opening monologue for Anne Hathaway and James Franco. Skip related content

"Good luck to James Franco and Anne Hathaway at The Oscars on Sunday. I know how nervous they must be right now...They will do an absolutely fantastic job and don't need my help, but I've written a little opening in case they have a few minutes to fill," The British comedian wrote in a blog post.

In Gervais' fake script, Franco says: "Usually they hire comedians to host The Oscars, but tonight, instead, you get us!"

Adds Hathaway, "No comedians tonight. And do you know why? Because comics are ugly."

"Especially that rude obnoxious one who played the Steve Carell part in the English remake of 'The Office'," says Franco.

"But you can all relax because Ricky Gervais is in London..." adds Hathaway. "He's doing some charity work. Yeah, he's visiting orphans with cancer. He's telling them what bald little losers they are...."

Gervais also includes an exchange in which Franco tells Hathaway, "Oh Anne you are naughty. In a respectful, wholesome way...That Ricky Gervais should do more for charity...Ricky Gervais is now worth $80,000,000. The obnoxious Brit confirmed the figure, adding, 'Yes and my dentist hasn't seen a penny.'"

Answers Hathaway, "Yeah, why doesn't he get his teeth straightened and bleached like everyone else in Hollywood?"

Says Franco, "It's a good question Anne. For the same reason he doesn't have Botox or suck up to important producers -- there's something wrong with him."

Gervais also takes digs at Franco's Oscar-nominated movie "127 Hours" ("You probably know me from '127 Hours' where I play a man trapped in an enclosed space who decides he would rather cut his own arm off than stay where he was. Now that sounds "way out" but wait till half way through this .... ceremony and you'll start to identify with him.")

And he riffs on Hathaway being cast as Catwoman ("And I'm the new Catwoman. The first white woman to play that role since Michelle Pfeiffer. I want it to be an inspiration to all white people everywhere. Your dreams can come true in Hollywood too.")

And presenters ("Presenting awards tonight will be a string of Hollywood legends and some other actors who have a film out in March or April.").
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20110224/ten-uk-oscars-gervais-5fdf947.html

They really should ask him to host it. It'd almost be watchable then.

DexterRiley

03-01-11, 05:22 PM

LOL

Southern Decadence protest leader booked with masturbating at Metairie park

The Rev. Grant Storms, the Christian fundamentalist known for his bullhorn protests of the Southern Decadence festival in the French Quarter, was arrested on a charge of masturbating at a Metairie park Friday afternoon.

Storms, 53, of 2304 Green Acres Road in Metairie, was taken into custody at Lafreniere Park after two women reported seeing him masturbating in the driver's seat of his van, which was parked near the carousel and playground, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office report said.
The first woman told deputies she was taking her children to the playground and parked next to the van at about noon. As she was walking around her own vehicle, she noticed the van windows were down and the occupant was "looking at the playground area that contained children playing, with his zipper down...," the report said. The woman noted that he was masturbating and quickly ushered her children out of her car......

....A self-styled "Christian patriot," Storms led a small West Bank congregation called The Reformer Church and for 10 years hosted "The Reformer Radio Show" on WSHO. Storms has railed against the Roman Catholic church, calling it "satanic" and "demonic."

Full Story

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2011/02/man_booked_with_masturbating_a.html

honeykid

03-02-11, 12:20 PM

League One - Posh launch £15,000 season ticket
A League One side has trumped Manchester United, Barcelona and AC Milan by selling the most expensive season ticket in the world.

Peterborough United are demanding £15,000 for one of 10 'Chairman's Choice' season tickets for the 2011-12 campaign.

But this is no ordinary ticket: fans who splash out the extraordinary sum will be entitled to a seat in the directors' box for every home match of the season - including cup games - where they will be able to tuck in to as many free pies as they like since all their food will be on the house.

It doesn't stop there: they will also be invited to an away match as a guest of one of the club's directors, will be guaranteed a chance to meet the squad, and will even be awarded the title of 'honorary director' of the club.

If you're happy stumping up a five-figure sum to watch the Posh but insist on getting decent value, the club have another alternative: the Lifetime ticket, a season ticket which lasts 75 years and can be passed on to a member of your family in the event of your death.

The price? A very reasonable-sounding £12,000, which works out at a fraction under seven quid per match for the 1,725 matches you could see. That's great value even in 2011 - so by 2086 it'll seem like you're going for free!
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/02032011/58/league-posh-launch-15-000-season-ticket.html

honeykid

03-14-11, 06:51 AM

From prostitutes to bikinis: US prepares tax expenses

Prostitutes, cat food, trips to Africa: There are few limits to the expenses Americans believe should be tax deductible, but given the complexity of the tax code they may be forgiven.

To file taxes in the United States is to enter a Byzantine labyrinth replete with pitfalls and potholes.

The system is so complex that ahead of the tax deadline this April 18, tens of millions of Americans -- including the head of the Internal Revenue Service -- will hire professional help to complete their filings.

"It's a horror show" admitted Ann Murphy, who was an IRS attorney for nearly 15 years and now teaches at Gonzaga University.

While even choosing how to file can be tricky -- singly, jointly as a couple, separately in a couple, as a head of household or qualified widower -- choosing which expenses are deductible might be the most fiendish task.

"You can deduct for business expenses, but not if it gets too personal, and that is just a really tough line," explained Murphy.

Frequently that line is crossed.

In the past the US tax court has ruled that a man who spent $65,934 on New York prostitutes in one year could not mark it down as a medical expense.

Earlier this year a court took a dim view of a female Ohio news anchor who claimed business expenses of around $20,000 a year for makeup, self-defense classes, a cotton bikini and thong and subscriptions to Cosmopolitan and Newsweek.

Equally a Texas woman was unsuccessfully in claiming a $1,036 rebate because the value of her emu was depreciating and a Pennsylvania furniture store owner could not claim a half million payment to an arsonist as a "service" cost.

By the same measure sperm donations, mink coats and gambling losses are not always tax deductible.

But over the years the line between illegitimate and legitimate claims has been blurred, pulled and stretched.

In one infamous case from the 1980s, exotic dancer "Chesty Love" successfully claimed for the costs of enlarging her bust size to 56FF.

A court ruled that her "freakishly large breasts" were indeed part of a costume that was "useful only in her business."

Similarly the owners of a junkyard on Hardscrabble Road in Columbia, South Carolina successfully claimed $300 in expenses for cat food, to lure in wild cats and keep snakes and rats at bay.

And the good news for beach lovers is that any business convention held in Bermuda can be written off.

But even as Washington is convulsed in an annual bout of talk about reforming the system, according to Murphy, simplifying the tax code would be great in other areas, but would little affect on deductions.

"How do you fix it? You would have to create a list," she said.

The only way to clean up this part of the tax code, ironically, might be more paper.

DexterRiley

03-21-11, 12:26 AM

Man convicted of making his own currency

Apparently these were real silver coins that look similar to Liberty silver dollars. He had a beef with the federal reserve system so took to printing his own form of currency. Not counterfeit but his own, which apparently the gubment takes exception too. Now they want him to forfeit 7 million dollars of the coins which appear to only have value because they are real silver. The attorney general calls it an act of terrorism...

http://charlotte.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel11/ce031811.htm

Only the federal governemnt is empowered to coin money under Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution:

The Congress shall have Power To: coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

in unrelated news Chuck E. Cheese and The Parker Brothers are vacationing in non-extraditable countries.

:laugh:

honeykid

03-21-11, 02:53 AM

Unless it actually is an act of terrorism, anyone calling stuff like this "terrorism" should be held in contempt and, preferabley, given a night or two in the cells.

honeykid

03-23-11, 12:23 PM

Ugly policemen banned from World Cup final
The Mumbai police commissioner in charge of security for the Cricket World Cup final has banned ugly officers from being on duty at the match.

Commissioner Arup Patnaik told his senior officers during a meeting that he wanted only good-looking policemen to be among the 1,500 on duty for the showcase match at the Wankhede Stadium in order to show his city and his nation in the best possible light.

"He is showing personal interest in each and every aspect of security for the ground," a senior officer told the Press Trust of India.

"During a meeting, he said that fit and good-looking cops should be deployed in and around the ground."

Patnaik also specified that overweight or tobacco-chewing officers should not be working anywhere near the stadium on the day of the final, India's Daily News and Analysis newspaper reported.

"There is a tendency among our policemen to behave rudely at times. This is going to be an international event, and so the city police should look good and behave well," a police source told the paper.

Patnaik has only been in his job for a matter of weeks, but it is not the first time he has drawn media attention.

Last week he made surprise inspections of several police stations, with any officers who were found watching the cricket on TV or dozing in their armchairs being punished by being put on duty away from TV screens during the final matches of the tournament.

The worries over the fitness of the Indian police isn't the only security worry: on Wednesday a new security scandal hit one of the other tournament co-hosts, Bangladesh, when seven people were arrested after 105 policemen fell ill while on security duty during a match in Dhaka
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/40299/

DexterRiley

03-26-11, 04:56 PM

Ford Sues Nissan Over Brazilian Bikinis And Bling

Ford Motor is suing Nissan Motor in Brazil for airing an eye-popping TV commercial that accuses Ford of price-gouging (see video, below).

It’s noteworthy any time a carmaker directly challenges a competitor in its ads. But this particular commercial draws attention for entirely different reasons. In it, sexy bikini-clad women dance around, sipping champagne, while two rappers dressed as Ford engineers show off their gold rings and chains while boasting about all the money they make by overpricing the Ford Focus hatchback. In the background is a silver Focus.

The lyrics, translated from Portuguese, go something like this: “All the luxury that I got, I got it with your money. Don’t weep because you’re paying extra money — your money was well spent, look what I do with it.”

The commercial, a remarkably long one minute and 38 seconds that ends with a pitch for Nissan’s cheaper Tiida model, was withdrawn from national TV on March 3 after Ford obtained an injunction, according to Reuters. The lawsuit accuses Nissan’s Brazilian management of “improper brand uses” and “unfair competition.” Nobody from either company is commenting.

Ford does need to be careful, though. Even in North America, it has been trying to push up prices of its small cars like the Focus and Fiesta by loading them with premium features in a bid to offset lost profits from slower-selling SUVs. If its prices rise too much, it won’t take a hilarious sexy commercial for consumers to notice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLSLzREsBJc&feature=player_embedded

will.15

03-26-11, 07:05 PM

Leave Ford alone. They didn't ask for a bailout.

DexterRiley

05-05-11, 12:19 PM

On-Duty LAPD Traffic Officers Appear in Internet Porn Video

As if traffic officers weren’t already considered to be on the lower end of the police food chain, a couple of LA cops have made things worse for everyone. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is coming under fire for an internet video in which two uniformed officers are shown in public with a female porn star. One officer is shown smacking the unidentified woman’s rear-end, holding her in his arms, and fondling her breasts. The other officer is seen being smacked on on his rear-end, after which he lets lets the porn star in his police cruiser, where she commits sexual acts on herself.

According to KNBC4, the news organization that broke the story, the city’s parking enforcement chief Jimmy Price knew about the porno for as long as two months, but up until very recently no action had been taken. Price was forced to acknowledge the video when a memo from February 21 that implicitly mentions the video was uncovered.

The memo, with the subject line “Standards of Conduct,” reminds officers that “while you are on duty and anytime you are in uniform, you are to conduct yourself in a manner that earns and maintains trust, respect and confidence of those with whom you come in contact.” In other words, don’t smack a naked booty in plain view while you’re supposed to be stopping speeders and handing out tickets.

The memo continues, making a more specific reference: “We have had a recent incident in which a City of Los Angeles Parking Enforcement uniform and vehicle were included in photographs posted on an inappropriate website.”

Although the memo makes no specific mention of the officers’ names, according to the employees who gave the video to KNBC4, Price knew who they were all along. However, when pressed to explain why they weren’t punished after he saw porno, Price stated that at the time, he was “not able to positively identify the individuals as employees.”

As result of the press, the officers have been suspended with pay while an investigation takes place.

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/on-duty-lapd-traffic-officers-appear-in-internet-porn-video/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEr5LiWwnyc

DexterRiley

05-05-11, 01:23 PM

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2009/8/26/128957852061370286.jpg

honeykid

05-12-11, 10:20 AM

I think the KFC item is inaccurate. I doubt they are phasing out fried chicken in the UK. They haven't done it here, but added grilled chicken to the menu

They were only changing the slogan from "Finger lickin' good" to "So good" (which they have) and changing the oil from Palm oil to rapeseed oil. There's more than enough fried chicken over here. :)

Most expensive movie memorabilia

10. James Bond pistol from the poster of ‘From Russia with Love’, £265,000
The first movie relic to make the top 10 is the Walther pistol featured on the poster for the 1963 James Bond film. Funnily enough, it was never used in the actual flick. Apparently no one thought to bring a gun to the poster’s photo-shoot, so Sean Connery had to use a Walther air pistol that belonged to the photographer.

9 – Full-scale terminator model from ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’, £300,000
This full scale T-800 was used in the opening scene of ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ and is apparently the only model cyborg used any of the films with real metal feet - which surely pushed up the price. Fingers crossed it doesn’t become self aware and try to kill Linda Hamilton.

8 – The flying car from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, £308,000
An avid car collector bought the original flying car from ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ in 2000 (disclaimer: it doesn’t actually fly). It joined the Batmobile in his (possibly underground) garage - he must have great fun acting out his favourite scenes from both franchises. The iconic auto could soon hit the top 5 in our list if it sells for the £730,000 estimate.

7 – Miniature Starship Enterprise from ‘Star Trek: Generations’, £350,000
In 2006 one serious Trekkie bought the miniature model of the USS Enterprise-D that appeared in the title sequence for the ‘Next Generation’ TV show, and later in the ‘Star Trek: Generations’ movie. The ultra-detailed model was used to produce images of the ship cruising through space, and we assume whoever bought it is doing the same thing in a blacked out room while shouting “schhooom” this very second. Well we would be anyway.

6 – Ruby Slippers from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, £400,000
The most iconic pair of plimsolls ever was bought in 2000. A genuine piece of Hollywood history, these ruby slippers are one of four surviving pairs used in The Wizard of Oz and set back the buyer a cool £400,000. We can’t imagine they would get much wear out of them as they must be a nightmare to resole.

5 – Original ‘Metropolis’ poster, £420,000
The original poster from silent science fiction classic ‘Metropolis’ was sold by London's Reel Poster Gallery. There are only four in the world, and one is up at the MOMA… that’s how special they are. Made in Germany in 1927, Metropolis is about a futuristic urban dystopia and was the most expensive silent film ever made, costing approximately 5 million Reichsmark.

4 – Cowardly Lion costume from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, £500,000
The second ‘Wizard of Oz’ artefact on the list. One film enthusiast took the chance to net a rather expensive costume for their next fancy dress party and bought the outfit worn by the Bert Lahr in the film. It may not go down too well with animal rights activists though; it’s made from real lion pelts. Expect the owner to be splattered with red paint by PETA any day now.

3 – Little black dress from ‘Breakfast at Tiffany's’, £565,000
Any girl looks a million bucks in a LBD (little black dress), but in this case it’s almost literally true. Hubert de Givenchy, who designed it for Audrey Hepburn to wear in the 1961 movie, auctioned off the garment for charity in 2006. It sold for £565,000, making it the most expensive dress in Hollywood. It’s worth the cash as conversation starter alone. “Oh this thing? It’s only the ACTUAL DRESS AUDREY HEPBURN WORE IN BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S!”.

2 – Elvis’ car from the film ‘Spinout’, £750,000
In 2011 one lucky punter stepped into The King’s blue suede shoes and got their hands on the 1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton from the 1966 film ‘Spinout’. After spending £750,000 on the car, the new owner surely has it locked up in a security garage where they can keep it safe and love it tender…

1 – ‘Goldfinger’ Aston Martin, £2.5million
The Aston Martin DB5 used in both 1964’s ‘Goldfinger’ and 1965’s ‘Thunderball’ still had most of the Bond gadgets intact, like front and rear rams, 'machine guns' and an ejector seat button. A replica of this car made for the film's press events was sold in 2006 for £1.3 million, while the original fetched a whopping £2.5 million in 2010.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/blog/article/178671/most-expensive-movie-memorabilia.html

honeykid

05-12-11, 10:26 AM

Family inherits millions, generations later

Millions of us dream of a long lost relative leaving a substantial sum to us in their will and solving all our financial problems, few think it would take almost 100 years to reach us. But that's exactly what's about to happen to 12 people — the descendents of Wellington Burt.

Burt died 92 years ago, in 1919, but thanks to one of the oddest and most hotly contested wills ever written, the millions he made in life won't reach his descendents until this month.

What happened

Burt was one of America's richest men at the turn of the century, he had made his fortune from iron and timber, but it seems he was keen his family should not take the lion's share of his wealth after he died.

Newspaper reports from the time suggest Burt's family fell out with him and each other. The businessman spent his final years living alone with his staff, but in life had had two wives and fathered six children.

Burt, 87 at his death, gave modest allowances of between $1,000 and $5,000 a year to his children and grandchildren — as well as to his cook, driver, secretary, housekeeper and coachman. In today's prices that's between £13,000 and £40,000 a year.

He did leave one of his sons $30,000 (about £230,000 in today's money) — but apart from that his inheritance was locked away until 21 years after his last grandchild died — which happened in 1989.

"I'm pretty sure he didn't like his family back then," said Christina Cameron — Burt's great-great-great granddaughter and one of those set to benefit now.

This meant his six children and seven grandchildren wouldn't inherit more than their allowances, while six of his great-grandchildren and 11 great-great grandchildren missed out by dying before the money was passed on.

Is that legal?

Legal battles raged for decades in the courts as those set to miss out or those who wanted the money sooner argued about these terms. In 1920 some $720,000 (worth £5 million in today's money) of Burt's wealth was passed among his children after a loophole was found in the will, while in 1961 another $700,000 (worth £3 million today) went to nine heirs and three other family members.

But the problems don't end there — even after the final grandchild died the question of who would get the rest of the cash was left unsolved.

It wasn't until April this year that a deal was struck on how to split the money, after 20 lawyers representing various heirs of the business mogul finally agreed on a settlement.

Now, 92 years after he died and 94 after the will was written, Burt's three surviving great-grandchildren, seven great-great grandchildren and two great-great-great grandchildren can take their shares of the £60 million fortune.

The chief probate judge of Saginaw County — Burt's final resting place — described it as "one of the most complicated research projects" he had faced in his 12-year career.
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Family-inherits-millions-yahoofinanceuk-3957464405.html

Quirky British festivals

Britain boasts more than its fair share of eccentric festivals – and many of them are in May. So make sure you don't miss out, and visit an engagingly bonkers Brit-fest near you this month. Here's a few of our favourites...

Stilton Cheese Rolling Championships
The town that gave the stinky Christmas cheesy favourite its name celebrates each year by booting whole stiltons up the high street! The origins of this tradition are a little bit special. Legend has it that after the building of the A1 by-passed the village, the pubs and businesses of the town found that trade had tailed off, so a landlord decided to 'revive' a tradition by rolling a stilton along the road. People came to watch, it became an annual event and so a tradition was born! Nowadays, teams of four have to roll the stilton down the high street, with each team member taking a turn to roll. Along with all kinds of stilton-y delicacies, there's plenty of family fun including an evening concert, a fun fair and Maypole dancing.

The Cotswold Olimpick Games
Surely not even the Royal Wedding could inspire such a rush of pride to be British, as the shin kicking contest in the Cotswold Olimpick Games! This ancient traditional contest has even been recognised by the British Olympic Association as "the first stirrings of Britain's Olympic beginnings". The festival goes back to 1612 when events included wrestling, sledgehammer throwing and sword fighting. The modern-day contest includes piano smashing, tug of war and, of course, shin kicking. An amazing event where you are allowed to stuff your trousers with straw, before gripping your contestant by their shoulders and kicking until one of you falls over! Outstanding! Go along on the Friday after Spring Bank Holiday and celebrate this Great British Olympic event!

The Tetbury Woolsack Race
Nothing brings out the British competitive spirit like a good race, and races don't come much better than the annual hill racing woolsack contest in Gloucestershire. The origins of this festival are a little murky, however, it's thought that in the 17th century, young men would try and impress women by running up a hill with a heavy woolsack… and we all know what a turn on for the ladies that can be. Ah. Just me then. There are now races for men and women, with men carrying a 60lb wool sack and women getting a 35lb load to race up a steep 1-in-4 hill through the town. The modern-day event has been running for around 30 years, and this year's race takes place on 30 May. There's plenty of traditional family fun on offer too, from Morris men, Punch and Judy, circus displays and a street market.

Jack of the Green
The celebration of May Day goes back thousands of years to Celt and Roman times. In the 1800s chimney sweeps would make garlands of leaves and flowers so big that they were covered from head to foot, this is thought to be the origin of the 'Jack of the Green' legend. In Hastings, on May Bank Holiday, this tradition comes alive with the Jack in the Green festival. Jack is set free from the Fisherman's Museum, along with his 'Giants and Bogies' (spirits with green-painted faces!) and then makes his way to Hastings castle where he is slain and the spirit of Summer released! As well as traditional Morris dancing and processions, Hastings also has a huge motorcycle event on the same weekend with around 20,000 bikes converging on the town – a great blend of traditions old and new.

Hunting the Earl of Rone
A four-day festival involving a pagan hobby horse, fools, grenadier guards and the 'Earl of Rone' takes place each year in Exmoor's Combe Martin between 27-30 May. Banned in 1837 for 'licentiousness' this festival was revived in 1974. The village hunts for the masked Earl, who is found on the Monday night. The Earl is set back-to-front on a donkey, repeatedly shot at (!), revived by the hobby horse and finally shot on the beach and hurled into the sea! Not for the faint-hearted... Over the four days there are plenty of events for children to enjoy, along with music, costume and lots of fun.
http://uk.travel.yahoo.com/p-promo-3361222

honeykid

05-17-11, 03:46 PM

Man to eat 25,000th McDonald's Big Mac
A man in Wisconsin is to eat his 25,000th Big Mac today at 3pm CDT (8pm GMT).

A Big Mac is the popular hamburger sold by fast-food restaurant McDonald's. Two beef patties, cheese, lettuce, onions and pickles are served with a sauce inside a sesame bun.

According to WISinfo.com, Don Gorske, who consumes around two Big Macs a day, is planning to eat his milestone burger on the 39th anniversary of when he had his first Big Mac back in 1972.

Gorske has also kept every receipt from every Big Mac he has bought, which is a result of his obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Of his impending achievement, he said: "I think 25,000 is a pretty awesome number. I'll never live long enough to eat 50,000.

"I eat what I need to survive."

Gorske also revealed that he always packs two Big Macs in his luggage in case he can't find a McDonald's when he travels. Furthermore, he recently got his cholesterol levels checked, with test results indicating that he is in perfect health.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a319996/man-to-eat-25000th-mcdonalds-big-mac.html

[B]Parents name baby 'Like' after Facebook
A couple from Israel have named their newborn child 'Like' after Facebook's 'like' feature.

The popular feature on the social networking website allows users to show their approval by giving a thumbs up to a variety of items, including comments, photos and status updates.

Father Lior Adler told Israeli newspaper Maariv: "We named her Like because it's modern and innovative.

"In our opinion, it's the modern equivalent of the name Ahava (Love). It's just my way of saying to my fantastic daughter, 'Love'."

Reaction among the parents' friends on Facebook has been mostly positive.

"When I posted her picture and name on Facebook, I got 40 'likes'," Adler continued. "Considering that I have only a little more than 100 friends on the network, that's a lot.

"I believe there will be people who will lift a eyebrow... But it is my girl, and that's what's fun about it."

The parents also have two other unusually-named girls: Pie, after the food, and Vash, which is the Hebrew for 'Honey'.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a319975/parents-name-baby-like-after-facebook.html

honeykid

05-19-11, 03:46 PM

Things you're not allowed to wear on holiday

Heading to Rome and planning on visiting Vatican City and St Peter's Square? Then make sure that along with your camera and sun cream, you also pack a shawl, shirt and some long trousers - or face being banned.

The Vatican City's Swiss Guard stepped up security in St Peter's Square last year, demanding that visitors who are dressed 'inappropriately' cover up. That means shorts, short skirts and bare shoulders are no longer allowed. The clothing ban was always in place at St Peter's Basilica, but was last year extended to the entire square. This led to hawkers setting up, selling scarves, paper trousers and shirts - and the square turning into a changing room.

To save you the embarrassment of sporting pull-on paper trousers, here's our guide to clothing customs around the world...

Barbados - Don't wear camouflage clothing
Several Caribbean nations have this rule, it's similar to not being allowed to impersonate a police officer in the UK. To stay safe, it's a good bet to leave any khaki, camouflage or military-style clothing at home. Military-style clothes are strictly for the professionals and wearing combat gear will almost certainly result in you being sent back to your hotel to change and could even land you in jail.

India - Don't wear shorts
Men and women should avoid wearing shorts in India as there is a stigma attached to Western adults wearing them. Shorts are seen as the uniform of the poorest people in Indian society and also - for men - they are traditionally just for young boys. Creased clothes should be avoided too - Indians are fastidious about their appearances, so take advantage of street ironing booths, or hotel laundry and ironing services, to avoid causing offence.

Peru - Don't wear a red hat if you're a single man
The people who live on Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca are textile experts, and they have used this skill to develop a rather handy shorthand when it comes to spotting who's single and who's attached. The men of this society wear knitted hats: a red hat says that you're married, and a white one shows that you're single. There are a few different ways to wear your hat if you're not attached; if your hat tilts to the right, you have a girlfriend, to the back, you live with someone but if your hat tilts to the left, you're single and available!

Indonesia - Don't leave your shoes pointing in the wrong way
Indonesia is a fairly conservative country. Away from the beach and tourist areas, women should always keep their knees and shoulders covered and men should avoid wearing shorts. When visiting Hindu temples, always remove your shoes but make sure that the toe of the shoes points to the outside from inside the entrance.

Morocco - Don't put your swimsuit on while you're on the beach
As a Muslim country, you should follow the usual rules of public behaviour - no bare knees or shoulders - and if heading away from tourist areas, dress more modestly with legs covered too. On the beach in a tourist resort, bikinis and swimming costumes are fine, but you should always head to a changing cabin when getting in or out of beachwear.

Cayman Islands - Don't go topless
Although the Cayman Islands are famous for their stunning beaches and warm turquoise sea, don't be tempted to get an all-over tan, as going topless or completely naked is illegal and strictly enforced. So cover up!

Iran - Don't forget your hijab
OK, so you're probably not heading to Iran for holiday but, just for the record, all women and girls over nine years old must cover their hair and most of their body. Most women choose to wear a chador, a full-length cloak that covers the whole body, along with scarves to cover their hair and neck. Western women should wear the hijab, a headscarf and clothes which cover everything, so only your face and hands are visible.
http://uk.travel.yahoo.com/p-promo-3359729

World to end on Saturday, say New York preachers
It's raining in New York, and everyone tries to get out of the rain. Not Manny. Unflappable, he stands on a corner with his umbrella, warning people that on Saturday, May 21, the world will end.

All over New York, preachers armed with T-shirts, brochures, books and posters are preaching the end of the world. Using a complex numerical calculation from the Bible, there are even advertisements on the New York city subway warning of the "great earthquake" that accompanies the advent of Judgement Day.

"According to the Bible, in the Book of Revelations there will be a worldwide earthquake," Manny said. "We're not sure if it will happen at the same time everywhere, because times are different. But it is supposed to happen simultaneously around the world," the 56-year old from the Dominican Republic told AFP.

The date of May 21, 2011 may seem random, but it is based on a numerical analysis by Harold Camping, the president of Family Radio, a religious broadcaster based in California.

"According to Genesis, when the flood occurred in the year 4990, God told Noah that in seven days he would destroy the earth," Manny explained. "And he destroyed it in seven days.

"But Peter said: 'I know that one day for me is like a thousand years.' So 4990 plus 7001 years (the equivalent of seven days) equals 2011," he explained.

Not only that, May 21 coincides with the 17th day of the second month of the calendar used during the Biblical flood, according to Camping.

Nearby the corner where Manny is prophesying, Borce, 43, is handing out leaflets and explaining to anyone who will listen that they have a few hours left to find salvation.

"Right now there is still salvation, but when May 21st gonna come, the salvation program is finished, God gonna shut the door, and after that only five months remain for the unsaved of the world, and they're gonna be suffering and on the 21st October, God gonna destroy this world with fire," Borce said.

If Manny and Borce are out on the noisy New York City streets everyday spreading the word, they are planning to be in a quieter place when the fateful moment arrives.

"Until Friday, I gonna still pray for God for mercy. Saturday I'll be at home, just watching the news, because the doors will be shut," said Borce, who is American.

"I will kneel and ask God's mercy to see if he can save me, because God wants salvation for everyone," said Manny, who was at his side.

Despite their faith, both men realize that their message is often ridiculed. "People do not believe it," said Manny. "It is typical of what happened in Noah's time, where only eight people were saved. According to the Bible, only 200 million people will be saved" this time, Manny said.

To Borce, that reaction is predictable. "The people are laughing, they laugh at us," he says, adding: "Pray until Friday."

Meanwhile, enterprising atheists across 26 states have set up a business to care for the animal companions of any Christians who are selected to go to heaven when Jesus Christ comes back

"You've committed your life to Jesus. You know you're saved. But when the Rapture comes, what's to become of your loving pets who are left behind?" Eternal Earth-Bound Pets says on its website, offering to "take that burden off your mind."

The post-doomsday pet rescue service already has 259 clients, who have paid $135 for the first pet and $20 for each additional pet at the same address, to ensure the faithful animal companions are looked after and loved even when their Christian owners have gone to the other side.

All the rescuers are sworn atheists, which means they will definitely be left behind on Earth, ready to rescue pets after the Rapture.

When judgment day happens, Eternal Earth-Bound Pets co-founder Bart Centre "will notify all of our rescuers to go into action and they will drive to the homes of anyone who's signed a contract with us, pick up their pets and take them home and adopt them as their own, keeping them happy and healthy for the rest of their lives.

"This will happen only if and when the Rapture happens. So we do not expect to have to do anything on Saturday," Centre told AFP.

Contracts are good for 10 years, just in case the Mayan calendar prophesy, which predicts the world will end in December next year, comes true.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/preachers-prophesying-end-world-york-000338169.html

honeykid

06-07-11, 09:38 PM

Michael Jackson concert insurers decline to pay out

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The insurers of Michael Jackson's ill-fated "This Is It" London comeback concerts have asked a judge to nullify a $17.5 million (10.6 million pound) policy taken out by promoters, saying they were never told that the singer was taking powerful drugs.

Underwriters at Lloyds of London filed a lawsuit against AEG Live and Jackson's company in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, asking a judge to solve the insurance dispute almost two years after the "Thriller" singer's death.

Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles on June 25 after rehearsing for the upcoming series of 50 concerts in London. Authorities said he died of a massive dose of the anaesthetic propofol and a cocktail of other sedatives and painkillers.

Jackson's personal doctor is scheduled to stand trial in September on charges of giving the singer a fatal dose of propofol as a sleep aid.

The insurance policy was taken out to cover the cancellation or postponement of the London concerts in the case of the death, accident or illness of Jackson.

The lawsuit claimed that AEG, who hired Jackson's physician Dr. Conrad Murray, failed to disclose the singer's medical history to the insurers "including, but not limited to, his apparent prescription drug use and/or drug addiction."

The lawsuit further states that AEG or Jackson or his company knew but did not disclose that Jackson was taking propofol -- an anaesthetic that is usually restricted to hospital use ahead of surgery.

It adds that attempts to resolve the dispute with AEG Live outside the courts have failed. "Underwriters therefore request that the policy be declared null and void."

AEG Live, which is privately held, did not return calls for comment on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, editing by Christine Kearney)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/michael-jacksons-thriller-jacket-auction-063041310.html

DexterRiley

06-13-11, 01:44 PM

Woman 'hit on the head with boss's genitals' awarded $95 million

A woman has been awarded a staggering $95 million in compensation in a sexual harassment case against her former employers - believed to be America's highest ever payout.

Ashley Alford, in her mid 20s, won the award from her former employers, Aaron's of St Louis, after a manager in the furniture and electrical store allegedly attacked her in a stockroom, lifting her shirt and masturbating over her while holding her down.

Prosecutors alleged Richard Moore - who is still awaiting trial - would pinch Miss Alford and make inappropriate comments before the 2006 attack.

They say on two occasions he hit her on the head with his penis.

On the second occasion, in October 2006, he was also said to have held her down on the warehouse floor, lifted her shirt and masturbated until he ejaculated on her.

Miss Alford's lawyer David Ratner said: 'From what we can tell, this is the absolute largest sex harassment verdict in the country for an individual plaintiff.'

Miss Alford claimed the assault came after almost a year of escalating harassment in a work environment, 'rife with sexual jokes and lewd propositions.'

In court documents, Miss Alford said Mr Moore sought 'sexual favours in return for her continued employment, her ability to leave for lunch or take a longer lunch hour and her ability to take a vacation.

'For example, Alford testified that Moore gave her unsought gifts for which he demanded 'sucky-sucky.''

She testified that in September 2006, Mr Moore grabbed her by her ponytail, unzipped his trousers, pulled her head back and hit her in the head with his penis.

The papers continued: 'On October 12, 2006, Moore again grabbed Alford, pulled her head against his pants, pulled out his penis and hit her on the head with it.'

In a second attack that day, he was said to have held her down, lifted her shirt and masturbated until he ejaculated on her.

Mr Moore's semen and DNA were later found on paper towels collected by the police.

Despite the massive $95 million award, it is understood a federal cap on harassment damages will limit the total to around $41.6 million.

The court heard how Miss Alford called an internal harassment hotline in May 2006 to report the alleged abuse, but said the complaint was never properly followed up.

She added that at some point after the call she was approached by Mr Moore's supervisor, who confronted her in front supervisor Mr Moore.

Mr Moore's boss was then said to have told him to 'watch his back' because of the complaint.

Miss Alford claims that after the confrontation she was denied a promotion for complaining about the alleged assault.

In deciding the damages, jurors were told that the company was worth $980 million and made $118 million last year in profit.

The Atlanta based company has 1,800 stores nationwide and employs more than 10,000 people.

The company found Aaron's liable for negligent supervision, sexual harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The suit was originally filed by the U.S. government Equal Employment opportunity Comission in 2008, before Miss Alford's lawyers took over the case.

Judy Cates, the lawyer who originally filed the suit, said after the decision: 'This company has always denied responsibility and continues to deny its responsibility to its workers.'

She added the jury: 'Wanted to send a message to Aaron's to change the culture and environment for their employees.'

Chad Strickland, vice president of associate resources at Aaron's said: 'Aaron's is extremely disappointed with the jury's verdict and believes that the award does not accurately reflect the evidence that was presented in this case.'

The papers continued: 'On October 12, 2006, Moore again grabbed Alford, pulled her head against his pants, pulled out his penis and hit her on the head with it.'
In a second attack that day, he was said to have held her down, lifted her shirt and masturbated until he ejaculated on her.

So she gets walloped upside the head with a penis, and decides to finish out the day?

yeah that seems reasonable

:laugh:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002112/Woman-hit-head-bosss-penis-awarded-95-million-largest-single-sex-case-award-Aarons.html#ixzz1P79eIBW1

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2002112/Woman-hit-head-bosss-penis-awarded-95-million-largest-single-sex-case-award-Aarons.html#ixzz1PAunnDxY

honeykid

07-02-11, 03:30 PM

Man fined after returning more than £10,000 in cash

You'd think that finding more than £10,000 in cash, in a bag next to a cash machine, and returning it to its rightful owners would be applauded. But for one man, all that it resulted in was a £300 fine.

Robert Adams, 54, saw the bag full of money next to a cash machine with Chase Bank's logo on the side. Instead of taking advantage, the resident of Arlington Heights, Illinois, returned it to the bank in question.

But he made a mistake, by giving police false information about exactly where he found it.

Adams found the large sum of cash on the night of 6 June while using an ATM inside the shop Walgreens. He had planned to meet a woman for a date, but when she failed to show decided to buy a drink before heading home.

Instead of handing in the money in the area where he found it, Adams took it to a police station nearer to his home where he said he felt more comfortable speaking to local police in familiar surroundings.

"I didn't want to go back into Walgreens, so I thought I would drive to the Chase Bank near my house and return it," he told the Southtown Star in the US.

But thinking it would result in fewer questions, Adams told the bank — and the police — that he'd found the money near his home not in the shop.

The error cost him $500 (£312).

Of course, leaving that sort of cash just lying about is a concern for any bank. So they, the security firm that lost the money and the police started to look into it. What they discovered was that Adams had lied about where he found the cash.

He was captured on CCTV picking up the money, leaving the shop and getting into his car, and then charged with lying in a police report — resulting in his fine.

"I accept the fine. I'm very sorry about this whole thing," Adams told the Chicago Tribune. He was never offered a reward for returning the cash.
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Man-fined-returning-10-000-yahoofinanceuk-3328382006.html

honeykid

07-04-11, 04:49 PM

Motorcyclist dies in anti-helmet protest crash

A motorcyclist died after crashing during a rally against mandatory helmet laws in America. Police said he would have been saved had he been wearing a helmet.

Philip Contos from New York was riding a 1983 Harley Davidson at a protest organised by American Bikers Aimed Towards Education (ABATE), a group that opposes mandatory helmet laws.

Mr Contos, 55 years old, lost control of his bike at the protest in Onondaga, New York, and was sent over the handlebars. He hit his head on the pavement and was pronounced dead in hospital.

ABATE, which has chapters across America, has held the ride annually for the last 11 years. Mr Contos was not part of the group, but had joined the rally to support its cause against New York helmet law.

New York is one of 20 US states that makes wearing a crash helmet mandatory. ABATE says it supports 'helmet freedom' in which it encourages the voluntary use of them but opposes their legal necessity.

It's reported that some states have overturned mandatory helmet laws because of lobbying by motorcyclists. Around 550 bikers had turned up to the Onondaga rally.

The group also lobbies for a motorcycle awareness section to be added to the US driving permit exam - this is its main cause, said a group spokesperson.

Thomas Alton of ABATE said: "I don't believe we've ever had a fatality on any group run of any kind. An officer of my group said there may have been equipment difficulties for the rider."

"Apparently he was riding a motorcycle that wasn't his usual one. Some vehicles have different quirks."
http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/04072011/36/motorcyclist-dies-anti-helmet-protest-crash-0.html

Saully

07-04-11, 05:03 PM

Karma...

will.15

07-09-11, 11:04 PM

DNA hints at polar bears’ Irish ancestry
Maternal line traced back to brown bears on Emerald Isle
By Susan Milius (http://www.movieforums.com/view/authored/id/70/name/Susan_Milius)
Thursday, July 7th, 2011

WHITE WAS GREEN
Today’s polar bears may be able to trace a maternal line to an ancestral female brown bear in Ireland. The two species had already diverged when she mated with a polar bear, but her maternally inherited DNA spread through the other species so that today's polar bears all seem to carry her mitochondrial DNA.Daniel J. Cox/NaturalExposures.com

All polar o’bears living today may be able to trace their maternal ancestry back through grandmothers many times great to a female brown bear in Ireland.
Analyzing bits of maternally inherited DNA from 242 bear lineages, both modern and fossil, suggests that polar bears interbred with brown bears in or near the vicinity of Ireland between 20,000 and 50,000 years ago, says evolutionary biologist Beth Shapiro of Pennsylvania State University in University Park.
A major Irish brown bear ancestor “was a complete shock,” says study coauthor geneticist Ceiridwen Edwards, now at the University of Oxford in England.
While working at Trinity College in Dublin, Edwards extracted fragments of DNA from fossil brown bears found in Irish caves. Her data were among those combined to outline the last 100,000 years or so of maternal history of polar and brown bears, reported by an international team of scientists online July 7 in Current Biology.
Biologists have known that even today polar bears and brown bears are closely related enough that they can produce fertile hybrid offspring. Also, genetic studies had hinted at ancient connections of some sort between polar bears and the brown bear populations of three islands off the coast of Alaska. A lingering impact from interbreeding around Ireland was an unexpected twist in the tale.
http://www.movieforums.com/view/download/id/332199/thumbnail/x_large/name/sm_mikeSimms_cave.jpg (http://www.movieforums.com/view/access/id/332199/name/sm_mikeSimms_cave.jpg) Enlarge (http://www.movieforums.com/view/access/id/332199/title/sm_mikeSimms_cave.jpg)http://www.movieforums.com/includes/com.confluentforms.codefluent.php/images/icons/grayscale-small/magnify.gif
EMPTY CAVEA view from one of seven caves in Ireland where fossils of brown bears turned up even though the country has no living members of the species. Scientists included mitochondrial DNA taken from some of the brown bear fossils in a new analysis of some 242 brown bear and polar bear mitochondrial lineages.Mike Simms

This wasn’t the only important interbreeding event for polar bears, the study suggests. Evidence for other, similar events could make researchers rethink the role of hybridization in the history of these bears, says conservation geneticist Lisette Waits of the University of Idaho in Moscow.
Polar bears specialize in living on Arctic ice, a habitat shrinking so fast with climate change that bears are now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Polar bears haven’t left much of a fossil record, but genetic studies and other work have suggested that they arose from coastal brown bears moving north to exploit icy resources.
Polar bears and brown bears can still be classified as distinct species even if they can produce fertile offspring now and then, notes coauthor and evolutionary geneticist Mark Thomas of University College London and Uppsala University in Sweden. The popular notion that different species can’t interbreed and create fertile offspring does not reflect real-world biology, he says. Nor does the notion reflect the current debate among biologists about how to define a species.
What biologists don’t generally expect is for a hybrid here, a hybrid there to create a large, lasting transfer of genetic material from one species to the other. Yet the new genetic analysis of polar bear history suggests that’s what may have happened in Ireland.
The researchers traced DNA inherited only from mothers that's stored in the little cellular powerhouse structures called mitochondria. The team did not look at the DNA from the nucleus of cells (which contains the main genetic blueprints from both mom and dad). Daughters pass along mom’s mitochondrial DNA to their offspring, creating genetic bread crumbs for following back the maternal line.
When some ancient polar bear interbred with an Irish bear, the offspring inherited the brown bear mom’s mitochondria and with it the brown bear mitochondrial DNA. That mitochondrial DNA apparently spread through polar bear descendants until it replaced original polar bear versions. “Today, all living polar bears have this brown bear mitochondrion,” Shapiro says.
Important as that maternal lineage proved, it’s only a small part of the total genetic heritage of polar bears, Thomas notes. For a person this lineage would not be mom’s whole family, just the chain of descent from her mother’s mother, her mother’s mother’s mother and so on. Unraveling the complete picture of polar bear origins will require a study of the nuclear DNA.
More mitochondrial DNA studies would also help in testing the new study’s propositions about polar bear history, says Charlotte Lindqvist of the State University of New York at Buffalo, who has also extracted DNA from bear fossils. The new history comes from fragments of mitochondrial DNA, not the whole mitochondrial genome. Bold claims could use more data, she says. “I’m a little concerned.”
What concerns long-time polar bear researcher Steven Amstrup, though, is the possibility of downplaying the current risks facing the bears from the melting of their sea ice homes. The paper suggests that polar bears hybridize with brown bears when ranges overlap during climate upheavals. “Unfortunately, some readers may interpret this statement, offered prominently in the first section of this paper as a suggestion that hybridization with brown bears may save polar bears from this crisis. That would be a terrible mistake!” says Amstrup, now with the conservation group Polar Bears International of Bozeman, Mont.
If polar bears evolved as biologists now think, Amstrup says, the warmest global mean temperatures they experienced were about 1 degree Celsius warmer than now. Predictions have temperatures exceeding that during the next 50 or 60 years. “Crossbreeding or not,” he says, “polar bears will not be able to undo 150,000 years of evolution, or even 20,000, in 50 years.”

DexterRiley

07-11-11, 01:34 AM

A Lost World? Atlantis-Like Landscape Discovered

http://news.yahoo.com/lost-world-atlantis-landscape-discovered-170805677.html

Buried deep beneath the sediment of the North Atlantic Ocean lies an ancient, lost landscape with furrows cut by rivers and peaks that once belonged to mountains. Geologists recently discovered this roughly 56-million-year-old landscape using data gathered for oil companies.

"It looks for all the world like a map of a bit of a country onshore," said Nicky White, the senior researcher. "It is like an ancient fossil landscape preserved 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) beneath the seabed."

So far, the data have revealed a landscape about 3,861 square miles (10,000 square km) west of the Orkney-Shetland Islands that stretched above sea level by almost as much as 0.6 miles (1 km). White and colleagues suspect it is part of a larger region that merged with what is now Scotland and may have extended toward Norway in a hot, prehuman world.

History beneath the seafloor

The discovery emerged from data collected by a seismic contracting company using an advanced echo-sounding technique. High pressured air is released from metal cylinders, producing sound waves that travel to the ocean floor and beneath it, through layers of sediment. Every time these sound waves encounter a change in the material through which they are traveling, say, from mudstone to sandstone, an echo bounces back. Microphones trailing behind the ship on cables record these echoes, and the information they contain can be used to construct three-dimensional images of the sedimentary rock below, explained White, a geologist at the University of Cambridge in Britain.

The team, led by Ross Hartley, a graduate student at the University of Cambridge, found a wrinkly layer 1.2 miles (2 km) beneath the seafloor — evidence of the buried landscape, reminiscent of the mythical lost Atlantis.
The researchers traced eight major rivers, and core samples, taken from the rock beneath the ocean floor, revealed pollen and coal, evidence of land-dwelling life. But above and below these deposits, they found evidence of a marine environment, including tiny fossils, indicating the land rose above the sea and then subsided — "like a terrestrial sandwich with marine bread," White said.

The burning scientific question, according to White, is what made this landscape rise up, then subside within 2.5 million years? "From a geological perspective, that is a very short period of time," he said.

The giant hot ripple

He and colleagues have a theory pointing to an upwelling of material through the Earth's mantle beneath the North Atlantic Ocean called the Icelandic Plume. (The plume is centered under Iceland.)

The plume works like a pipe carrying hot magma from deep within the Earth to right below the surface, where it spreads out like a giant mushroom, according to White. Sometimes the material is unusually hot, and it spreads out in a giant hot ripple.

The researchers believe that such a giant hot ripple pushed the lost landscape above the North Atlantic, then as the ripple passed, the land fell back beneath the ocean.

This theory is supported by other new research showing that the chemical composition of rocks in the V-shaped ridges on the ocean floor around Iceland contains a record of hot magma surges like this one. Although this study, led by Heather Poore, also one of White's students, looked back only about 30 million years, White said he is hopeful ongoing research will pinpoint an older ridge that recorded this particular hot ripple.

Because similar processes have occurred elsewhere on the planet, there are likely many other lost landscapes like this one. Since this study was completed, the researchers have found two more recent, but less spectacular, submerged landscapes above the first one, White said.

Both studies appear today (July 10) in the journal Nature Geoscience.

honeykid

07-12-11, 12:37 PM

Sun to strike NY streets in magical 'Manhattanhenge'

It is dubbed "Manhattanhenge" and happens two times a year when the Sun aligns at dusk with streets in a glowing magic trick as rays of sunlight span across New York perfectly, from west to east.

"Manhattanhenge may just be a unique urban phenomenon in the world," says astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, of the American Museum of Natural History, who officially discovered the phenomenon.

The name "Manhattanhenge" is a play on Manhattan, this city's most famous borough, and Stonehenge, the megalithic monument in southern England with large stone blocks set out in concentric circles.

At Stonehenge, the Sun crosses the site's central axis during the summer and winter solstices, leading experts to speculate that the site could have been used as a sort of sun calendar, as well as for religious ceremonies.

But in Manhattan, the phenomenon takes place before and after the solstices when at dusk but before sunset, the Sun neatly matches up with the even-numbered streets running west and east, sending out fingers of light.

"As a kid I visited Stonehenge in the Salisbury Plain of England and did research on other stone monuments across the British Isles," DeGrasse Tyson told AFP.

"So I was, in a way, imprinted by the emotional power that terrestrial alignments with the Sun can have on a culture or civilization."

And New York's phenomenon is more unusual than it may seem, he says.

"Any city crossed by a rectangular grid can identify days where the setting Sun aligns with their streets. But a closer look at such cities around the world shows them to be less than ideal for this purpose," he stressed.

DeGrasse Tyson first started thinking about the "Manhattanhenge" effect back in 1996. It was not until five years later, July 2001, that he took a photo of the Sun-meets-skyscrapers display.

It and others were published in 2002 in a special edition of Natural History Magazine called "City of Stars," he said. And the effect began to become better known.

This year, the effect took place May 30 -- before the June 21 solstice -- and now it will be seen again on Wednesday July 13, though it can be seen partially one day earlier.

In wintertime, the phenomenon is seen around December 5 and January 8. But weather conditions tend not to be ideal, and make it hard for anyone to spot.

To get a good take on the event, DeGrasse Tyson recommends that you "position yourself as far east in Manhattan as possible."

Some of the streets where the show shines best are 14th, 23rd, 34th and 42nd, offering incredible views of the Empire State building and the Chrysler building.

The American Museum of Natural History is offering on Tuesday a special program at the Hayden Planetarium with a visual tour of "Manhattanhenge."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/sun-strike-ny-streets-magical-manhattanhenge-171139773.html

ash_is_the_gal

07-21-11, 06:55 PM

http://jezebel.com/5822315/woman-gets-very-very-excited-about-sponge-painting

sorry, this isn't really applicable, i just really really wanted to share it somewheres

Skepsis93

07-21-11, 06:58 PM

OH MY GOD! Look at all those wiggles!

honeykid

07-22-11, 07:01 PM

A Clockwork Orange takes to the stage

A musical version of 'A Clockwork Orange' is set to hit the stage in Manchester , to honour the 50th anniversary of the controversial book.

It's actually a very fitting location, as the book's late author Anthony Burgess was born in the city.

He wrote the script for a musical version of ‘A Clockwork Orange’, and in 1990 the Royal Shakespeare Company performed it using original music by U2 front man Bono and lead guitarist The Edge.

The story is better known as told in the Stanley Kubrick film released in 1971, which was subsequently banned by the director himself due to the outcry it caused. Dr Andrew Biswell, director of the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in Manchester , explains why this version is so important:

“The reason why Burgess wanted to make his own stage adaptation, quite a long time after Kubrick made the film, was to assert his own ownership of the story.”

Dr Biswell also told BBC News about the differences between the various versions of the story.

"There's this scene in prison, where one of the prisoners is kicked to death, which is very throwaway and jolly. That's completely different from the corresponding episode in the film, which is very gloomy and depressing.”

As well as the production in Manchester , there is set to be a separate version with a new score and script to be staged in East London at the Theatre Royal Stratford in September.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/22072011/35/clockwork-orange-takes-stage-0.html

honeykid

08-10-11, 07:21 AM

British Volleyball stars sign a bum deal

Britain's female beach volleyball champions have turned their bottoms into their bottom line by signing a unique advertising deal that encourages spectators to photograph their behinds.

Zara Dampney, 24, and Shauna Mullin, 26, have rented out their rears and become the first sportspeople to advertise a Quick Response code.

It is a matrix barcode that when photographed on a smartphone takes a user straight to a specific website – which will be printed on the back of their bikini bottoms to ensure it catches the eye of spectators.

Betfair is trailing the unique marketing technique in this week's test London 2012 beach volleyball tournament at Horse Guards Parade in London.

Dampney and Shauna Mullin are currently ranked 26th in the world.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/64292/

And the 'other side' of stories like this.

Too heavy for Miss World?

A Miss World contestant was stripped of her crown because she gained just six pounds in weight, she claimed.

Stunning Cynthia de la Vega, 19, came second at the Nuestra Belleza Mundo Mexico beauty pageant last September - the country’s equivalent of Miss England.

The result meant she would go on to represent Mexico at the 2011 Miss World competition in November.

Or so she thought.

Speaking at a press conference, De la Vega said organisers of Nuestra Belleza Mundo withdrew her from the international pageant because she failed to lose enough weight.

"I was very sad and very deceived. I cried and cried and cried," she said.

"[They] demanded that I lose a few kilos, but they never provided a nutritionist or any other assistance to ensure the weight loss.

De la Vega admitted she had put on some weight, but was working hard with personal trainer Luis Rangel to shift the six pounds.

She also said she wasn’t aware of any weight requirements for the competition.

The organisers of Nuestra Belleza Mexico defended their decision. National director for the pageant, Lupita Jones, said in a statement that De la Vega was axed because of her “lack of dedication and discipline."

She "did not comply with the recommendations and goals agreed upon for her preparation", they said.

De la Vega will be replaced at Miss World, held in London, by Gabriela Palacio.
http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/too-heavy-for-miss-world.html

honeykid

08-12-11, 06:19 PM

Bert and Ernie 'not gay'

'Sesame Street' characters Bert and Ernie are not gay, according to the show's makers.

The clarification came after fans of the show started a petition to allow the pair to marry, following the legalisation of gay marriage in New York.

“We are not asking that 'Sesame Street' do anything crude or disrespectful by allowing Bert and Ernie to marry. It can be done in a tasteful way,” read the petition.

“Let us teach tolerance of those that are different. Let 'Sesame Street' and PBS Kids be a big part in saving many worthy lives.”

But representatives of Sesame Workshop, the company behind the show, issued a statement clarifying the situation behind the co-habiting puppets.

“Bert and Ernie are best friends,” it read. “They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves.

“Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most 'Sesame Street' Muppets do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.”
http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/news-extra/article/170562/daily-tv-round-upbert-and-ernie-not-gay.html

honeykid

08-26-11, 08:45 PM

Astronomers discover planet made of diamond

LONDON (Reuters) - Astronomers have spotted an exotic planet that seems to be made of diamond racing around a tiny star in our galactic backyard.

The new planet is far denser than any other known so far and consists largely of carbon. Because it is so dense, scientists calculate the carbon must be crystalline, so a large part of this strange world will effectively be diamond.

"The evolutionary history and amazing density of the planet all suggest it is comprised of carbon -- i.e. a massive diamond orbiting a neutron star every two hours in an orbit so tight it would fit inside our own Sun," said Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne.

Lying 4,000 light years away, or around an eighth of the way toward the center of the Milky Way from the Earth, the planet is probably the remnant of a once-massive star that has lost its outer layers to the so-called pulsar star it orbits.

Pulsars are tiny, dead neutron stars that are only around 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) in diameter and spin hundreds of times a second, emitting beams of radiation.

In the case of pulsar J1719-1438, the beams regularly sweep the Earth and have been monitored by telescopes in Australia, Britain and Hawaii, allowing astronomers to detect modulations due to the gravitational pull of its unseen companion planet.

The measurements suggest the planet, which orbits its star every two hours and 10 minutes, has slightly more mass than Jupiter but is 20 times as dense, Bailes and colleagues reported in the journal Science on Thursday.

In addition to carbon, the new planet is also likely to contain oxygen, which may be more prevalent at the surface and is probably increasingly rare toward the carbon-rich center.

Its high density suggests the lighter elements of hydrogen and helium, which are the main constituents of gas giants like Jupiter, are not present.

Just what this weird diamond world is actually like close up, however, is a mystery.

"In terms of what it would look like, I don't know I could even speculate," said Ben Stappers of the University of Manchester. "I don't imagine that a picture of a very shiny object is what we're looking at here."

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Sophie Hares)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/astronomers-discover-planet-made-diamond-014913051.html

will.15

08-30-11, 04:43 AM

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_B-C1O91V5NU/TDT0ExRluFI/AAAAAAAAA4A/UNfysx31oi4/s320/2625113400_70579c14e5.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_B-C1O91V5NU/TDT0ExRluFI/AAAAAAAAA4A/UNfysx31oi4/s1600/2625113400_70579c14e5.jpg)

Russia had already banned “South Park” (http://www.jewishjournal.com/thegodblog/item/russia_moves_to_ban_south_park_for_religious_extremism_20080908/) because the show’s religious characters “bore signs of extremist activity.” I guess Russian prosecutors were not a fan of Sea Man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Best_Friends).
Now, though, a Russian court has banned Alexander Savko’s depiction of the Sermon on the Mount, with Jesus portrayed by Mickey Mouse. As with “South Park,” the drawing, which was part of an exhibit titled “Forbidden Art,” was considered “extremist (http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2011/08/painting-of-jesus-as-mickey-mouse.html).”
The Huffington Post has a little more (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/25/russian-court-bans-painti_n_937331.html) from the court hearing:
A statement on the prosecutor’s website says, “During the court hearing, it was established that Savko’s technique of uniting the image of Jesus Christ, which is sacred for Christians, and the comical image of Mickey Mouse, which in this situation is vulgar, has turned the graphic work into a caricature of Jesus Christ. The Gospel story is therefore presented by the artist in the form of a comic, which is an extremely cynical and mocking insult to the religious beliefs and feelings of Orthodox Christian believers.”
HuffPo also got this reaction from Savko:
THE PUPROSE OF THIS PAINTING IS NOT ABUSE OF CHRIST AND NOT ABUSE OF CHRISTIANS. THIS IS DISPLAYING OF CURRENT REALITY: THE SUBSTITUTION OF HUMAN SPIRITUAL, MORAL VALUES WITH MASS-CULTURAL VALUES.

honeykid

08-30-11, 09:07 PM

How can it be a caricature of Christ is it looks nothing like him. The point of a caricature is to exaggerate what's already there. Even if the aim was to annoy/insult Christians, it wouldn't be a caricature.

This is a caricature.

http://www.quarehawk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/simon_cowell_caricature.jpg

honeykid

08-30-11, 10:58 PM

Sorry for the double post.

Man stabs himself rather than go to work at Blockbuster: Understandable!

At about 6:30 p.m. on Monday night, Aaron Siebers reported that he'd been stabbed in Edgewater by "three skinheads or Hispanic males dressed in black" who tried to rob him. Trouble is, a surveillance video from a business where this alleged attack supposedly took place didn't show anything like what Siebers described. So the cops interviewed him again -- and this time, he reportedly admitted that he stabbed himself rather than go to work at a Sheridan Boulevard Blockbuster.

An insanity defense wouldn't seem like the best way to go for Siebers when fighting the false-reporting charge he faces, since everyone with a job at Blockbuster probably dreams of stabbing himself on occasion, making it a totally logical impulse. Then again, maybe Siebers could argue that a sane man would have turned a blade on himself a lot sooner than he did. Either way, we're pulling for him. We've all been there, Aaron!
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2009/11/man_stabs_himself_rather_than.php

86-year-old man lives after getting impaled by pruning shears

A news release by the Tuscon UMC Monday, highlighted the efforts of several surgeons who helped an 86-year-old man who impaled himself with a pair of garden shears

The Green Valley man, Leroy Luetscher , was doing some yard work on July 30th when he dropped the shears and then tripped, landing face first onto the handle of the shears. The shears then lodged into his skull, making their way all the way to his neck (see image).

Luetscher was taken to Tucson’s University Medical Center, where he was treated by several surgeons who were stunned by the bizarre injury.

“You wouldn’t believe your eyes,” said Dr. Wynne, assistant professor in the UA Department of Surgery. “Half of the pruning shears was sticking out and the other half was in his head.”

The shears were removed withthe help of several surgeons including; Julie Wynne, MD, oculoplastic specialist Lynn Polonski, MD, and vascular surgeon Kay Goshima, MD.

“You just wonder how the handle of the pruning shears got there. The handle was actually resting on the external carotid artery in his neck,” said Dr. Polonski, clinical assistant professor of ophthalmology. “With the help of Dr. Wynne and Dr. Goshima, we decided we could safely remove the pruning shears. We are so happy that Mr. Luetscher did not lose his eye or any vital structures.”

Luetscher is home recovering from the injury and is expected to speak with the media at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning in Tucson.
http://outlandishnews.com/2011/08/29/86-year-old-man-lives-impaled-pruning-shears/

Godoggo

08-31-11, 07:50 PM

Ugg. :bawling:

Kimberly Stewart names baby

Last updated 11:55 25/08/2011
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http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1314229405/081/5506081.jpg Reuters
NAME GAME: Kimberly Stewart and Benicio del Toro have named their baby girl Delilah.

[/URL]
Kimberly Stewart and Benicio del Toro have named their baby girl.
The pair, who welcomed a daughter on Sunday, have called their bundle of joy, Delilah.
Entertainment Tonight said a source confirmed the news to them and also says that Benicio was at the hospital for the birth.
The 32-year-old daughter of rocker Rod Stewart had the 8lbs 9oz baby girl with her family there for support at a Los Angeles hospital.
"Benicio is the father and very supportive," his spokesperson said back in April. "Although [he and Kimberly] are not a couple, they are looking forward to the arrival of the baby."
Kimberly's pregnancy came as a surprise to many as her liaison with Benicio was not publicly known about.
The pair have remained on good terms, although it's been claimed Kimberly was hoping to have a relationship with the actor.
Benicio won an Oscar for his role in Traffic in 2001 and has said recently that he is too busy for a girlfriend.
According to RadarOnline, the duo were only seeing each other casually for a month before Kimberly became pregnant much to everyone's surprise.
"Kim and Benicio still see each other and talk for the sake of the baby, but it's not romantic and Kim wishes it were," the insider told the site.
"They weren't really ever dating to begin with, just sort of hooking up for a month, then boom - she was pregnant."
The source added that Kimberly is already a wonderful mother to the newborn although it was not an easy labour.
"It was a tough birth for Kim, but she's a tough cookie," the source added. "I think having any more children is the last thing on her mind right now!"
[URL="http://www.stuff.co.nz/about-stuff/advertising-feedback/?pos=STORYBODY&adsize=300x250&area=s.stuff"] Ad Feedback (http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/5537285/Daryl-Hannah-arrested-at-White-House)

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honeykid

08-31-11, 09:46 PM

Why are you crying Godoggo?

Godoggo

08-31-11, 10:32 PM

I wanted to have Benicio's baby. ;) Just kidding. But I did have a tremendous crush on him until Kimberly Stewart. There's no coming back from that.

akatemple

09-07-11, 11:46 AM

.Se7en sequel gets reworked

Sep 7, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Seven-movie-image-3-300x204.jpg

After the surprising box office hit in 1995′s Seven (or Se7en) was apparent, there’s was considerable talks to develop a sequel. Fincher refused, and even though New Line carried on without him, nothing ever really came about besides a script.
Better off, huh? Well, that script is getting reworked and it’s now called Solace, which will star Anthony Hopkins as a detective in this serial killer genre film. No director has been attached yet, but sources say Peter Morgan wrote the most recent draft. Morgan wrote the Oscar-nominated The Queen and Frost/Nixon.

akatemple

09-08-11, 02:37 PM

I am a huge fan of Machine Girl and Robo Geisha so I can't wait to see the magical weirdness that this will most likely be.

Poster for Zombie Ass, from Machine Girl director

Sep 7, 2011

Noboru Iguchi, director of Machine Girl, is coming off his most critically acclaimed film in Karate Robo Zaborgar, and has his next film’s poster already out. Enter: Zombie Ass.
http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/zombieass-teaser2.jpg
Here’s the plot: “We are going to flush you! The most crap-tastic zombie movie ever to emerge from Japan’s cinema sewer is finally upon us, and it’s from the twisted mind of cinematic madman and legendary ass- fetishist Noboru Iguchi, creator of THE MACHINE GIRL, ROBO-GEISHA and KARATE-ROBO ZABORGAR! Given free reign by a generous, independent producer to plumb the depths of his toilet-obsessed imagination, Iguchi has created a splatter comedy guaranteed to warm the bowels of those with the stomach for it…while more sensitive viewers may want to plug their noses and flee in disgust! Wracked with guilt over the suicide of her sister Ai, who was tormented by high school bullies, pretty young karate student Megumi accompanies a group of older friends on a trip into the woods: smart girl Aya, her druggie boyfriend Tak, big-boobed model Maki, and nerdy Naoi. Things start to go badly when Maki finds a parasitical worm inside a fish they catch – and wolfs it down alive, in the hope that it’ll help keep her skinny!
And then….zombies! The group is attacked by a crowd of poop-covered undead who emerge from an outhouse toilet, and seek refuge at the home of strange Dr. Tanaka and his daughter Sachi. But unbeknownst to them, Tanaka has been conducting experiments on the parasites–and the zombies!–and has another fate in mind for the five strangers from the city. What’s the connection between the parasites and the undead? And can Megumi’s karate alone help them escape, or will she have to rely on the liberating power of farts to save the day? Featuring special effects by FF 2009-2010 guest Yoshihiro Nishimura, and some truly jaw- dropping contributions from Iguchi’s genius subconscious, ZOMBIE ASS is a heaping helping of bad taste that may go down rough but is guaranteed to come out smooth and regular.”
Sounds amazing. Word has it that the film will premiere at Fantastic Fest 2011.

akatemple

09-08-11, 05:50 PM

Gerard Butler and Lena Headey could return for 300: Battle of Artemisia?

Sep 8, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300-sparta-300x225.jpg

Producer Bernie Goldmann talked with Movies.com (http://www.movies.com/movie-news/300-battle-artemisia-gerard-butler/4393)about the upcoming sequel/prequel/side story in 300: Battle of Artemisia, based on Frank Miller’s upcoming comic book, but is rumored to begin ten years prior to the events in the movie, 300. It’s basically Xerses origin story. But could we see Gerald Butler’s character of King Leonidas and Lena Headey’s?
“It’s a different story,” he said. “[However] there’s a small part for Lena [Headey]. There’s a small part for Gerry [Butler].”
.

akatemple

09-08-11, 05:58 PM

45 years of Star Trek

Sep 8, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/star_trek_csg_031-300x225.jpg

Happy Birthday Star Trek! In order to celebrate this occasion, Science Channel (http://www.sciencechannel.com/) is airing Trek Nation on November 30th and here’s the press release for it.
“When Gene Roddenberry’s epic series Star Trek first aired on CBS on September 8, 1966 no one knew what a phenomenon it would become. Forty-five years later, the legacy and millions of fans across the globe still continue to believe that space is the ‘final frontier’ and has yet to be fully explored.
In celebration of this momentous occasion, SCIENCE is working with Gene Roddenberry’s only son, Rod Roddenberry, to produce the world premiere documentary, TREK NATION set to air on Wednesday, November 30.
The film shadows Gene Roddenberry’s son, Rod, as he explores his family legacy and the crusade his father’s passion and curiosity for exploration. Through interviews with his most devoted fans, including George Lucas and J.J. Abrams, TREK NATION follows a son searching for the wisdom of his father. TREK NATION demonstrates that Roddenberry’s work has not only inspired legions of fans across the globe, but also generated a movement which has influenced entertainment, politics, space travel, social morality and much more. TREK NATION profiles how the Star Trek franchise helped foster a timeless understanding of the human condition and captured man’s constant search for a better world.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsccjLHJ2xs&feature=player_embedded

DexterRiley

09-09-11, 10:56 AM

Colorado School Comes Under Fire for Hanging Saudi Flag Higher Than American Flag

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/05/colorado-school-comes-under-fire-for-hanging-saudi-flag-higher-than-american/

An elementary school in Colorado has come under criticism after they lowered the American flag and elevated a Saudi Arabian flag.

The principal at Bauder Elementary School in Fort Collins said they did not mean to disrespect the American flag, according to a report in the Greeley Gazzette.

Principal Brian Carpenter told the newspaper that the American flag was immediately returned to its proper and prominent position at the school.

He explained that other flags are posted around the school to recognize the nationalities of students from other countries.

A photograph showing the raised Saudi flag alongside the lowered American flag was first posted on the Greeley Report, a local blog. It generated lots of local debate.

“We realize this is an extremely sensitive time with us getting close to the 10th anniversary of 9/11," Carpenter told the Gazzette.

"There is an increased amount of alertness and sensitivity, but if someone is concerned about something to do with our flag I will settle the issue right away.”

I haven't decided yet what is more amusing between Fox being owned by Saudi Interests and haven the moxy to stir up the hornets nest or that both flags were more than likely manufactured in China by the lowest bidder.

will.15

09-09-11, 11:19 AM

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/star_trek_csg_031-300x225.jpg

Happy Birthday Star Trek! In order to celebrate this occasion, Science Channel (http://www.sciencechannel.com/) is airing Trek Nation on November 30th and here’s the press release for it.
“When Gene Roddenberry’s epic series Star Trek first aired on CBS on September 8, 1966 no one knew what a phenomenon it would become. Forty-five years later, the legacy and millions of fans across the globe still continue to believe that space is the ‘final frontier’ and has yet to be fully explored

Star Trek premiered on NBC not CBS and stayed there through its entire three season run.

akatemple

09-09-11, 01:19 PM

"back to the future" shoes being auctioned

friday september 9th 2011 08:42am
http://www.darkhorizons.com/assets/0015/6305/nikeshoes_article.jpg?1315575838 remember those automatic fitting nike shoes from the 2015-set scenes in "back to the future part ii"? Well now nike has created the 2011 nike mag, a limited-edition pair of sneakers which are almost an exact replica.
nike is releasing 1,500 pairs for auction on ebay with all proceeds being donated to the michael j. Fox foundation for parkinson's disease research. The sneakers can glow for up to five hours per charge, however they do not have the ability to lace themselves like in the film.
unlike the shoes in the movie, the real-life versions had to be designed for day-to-day use - michael j. Fox wore a battery pack with wires running down his pants to keep them illuminated in the film. These versions took four years to design.
the auction is now underway on nikemag.ebay.com/shoes (http://nikemag.ebay.com/shoes) and will continue for the next ten days with 150 pairs being auctioned each day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxQQV-XukRc&feature=player_embedded

honeykid

09-09-11, 03:11 PM

:facepalm: the flag story.

Were it not that the money's going to charity, I'd be the same for the Nike's too. As it is, that one's more of a "sigh*.

akatemple

09-10-11, 05:52 PM

Ricky Gervais Does The Globes… Sort of

Saturday September 10th 2011 01:43PM

http://www.darkhorizons.com/assets/0015/6382/gervaiglobes_article.jpg?1315680288
So he very likely won't be back to host next year's Golden Globes ceremony, but unofficially comedian Ricky Gervais may be doing just that. Yesterday he came up with a brilliant idea on his This Side of Truth (http://www.rickygervais.com/thissideofthetruth.php) blog:
"What do you think of this? A live 3 hour podcast during The Golden Globes. Me and a few chums (like Louis CK, Chris Rock, Karl Pilkington, John Stewart, Larry David popping in and out) doing our own alternative commentary. People at home can have the telly on with the sound down listening to us online say things that no broadcaster could get away with. No one could do a ****ing thing.
The biggest live webcast ever? Who knows? Who cares? What’s fun is the **** we might come out with. No money. No sponsor. No guide lines. **** me I can’t wait. Maybe I’ll do a non-broadcast practice with The Emmys to see if it works. I’ll let you know."
Today he posted the following:
"Not only was the idea received well, but we’ve had offers of sponsorship, technical support and a bunch of comedians up for it.
I don’t want people to think that this is some sort of anti-establishment stunt. It’s not. Anymore than deciding to do a podcast in 2005 was. It’s about new horizons, new technologies and artistic freedom.
Fun basically. Although, if I actually do it, it will show people how tame my official hosting was last year. I still can’t quite understand how anyone would think I overstepped the mark, was cruel, or pushed any boundaries of taste and decency. It was a network friendly gentle ribbing of the industry. Nothing more. I didn’t even dress as Hitler in the end.
Anyway. I’m looking into it. Might not happen. I might not even be available. Who knows, I might be at The Golden Globes. (awkward silence.) The funny thing is, everyone who tunes in to the live webcast will also have to be watching the actual show on NBC. I could still be helping their ratings. Ha ha. I hadn’t thought this through. Maybe they should sponsor me? (awkward silence… slightly longer than the last one… slowly fade to black.)"

This is awesome, I will be watching the live podcast probably instead of watching the golden globes and laughing my ass off. The picture below has nothing to do with the article quote, but I though the photo was hilarious.

http://www.rickygervais.com/images/tsott_090911_1.jpg

akatemple

09-12-11, 02:01 PM

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo to direct Highlander remake

Sep 12, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/highlander_resam-300x284.jpg

28 Weeks Later director, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, is the frontrunner to direct the Highlander remake for Summit Entertainment. Fast Five‘s Justin Lin was originally tapped, but with Fast 6 and Terminator 5 taking up his time, he dropped out.
Melissa Rosenberg of Twilight fame, is rewriting the script, as fans recall, follows Connor MacLeod, an immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his kind, a murderously brutal barbarian, who lusts for the fabled Prize.
Now, Deadline (http://www.deadline.com/2011/09/toronto-intruders-helmer-juan-carlos-fresnadillo-is-highlander-frontrunner/) didn’t mention if Fresnadillo was to do this before or after the proposed The Crow remake, as production on that has been minimal at best right now.
.

akatemple

09-13-11, 11:25 AM

Book of Mormon movie likely

Sep 13, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/trey_parker_matt_stone_01-300x201.jpg

Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise. Just when Trey Parker and Matt Stone fans have given up hope for a new movie from these guys, in a recent interview with EW, they confirm they are going to do a movie version of their hit Broadway show, Book of Mormon.
“Hopefully it will have a big run and a big tour and then we can do the movie in several years,” says Parker.
Stone adds, “We want to do [the movie] some day. The great thing is, a lot of Broadway teams would have to go team up with a Hollywood producer and bring on a Hollywood director, but Trey’s a director and Scott’s a great producer. We’ve all made movies. So it’s kind of cool, it can stay in the same family.”
It’s been well-known they got burned out of making movies after the hardships on set of Team America, but godd*mn it! Don’t they know we need them?
.

akatemple

09-14-11, 01:22 PM

From Killerfilm.com
Trailer for A Wet Dream on Elm Street

Sep 13, 2011

Just when we were getting burned out on superhero XXX films, we get A Wet Dream on Elm Street…yep, A Nightmare on Elm Street porn parody. Directed by The Human Sexipede‘s Lee Roy Myers, and is scheduled to be released on September 29th, 2011.
http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/wdelmst1x-223x300.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovLHBOf2Sgg

akatemple

09-15-11, 05:29 PM

The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo trailer is gold

Sep 15, 2011

With The Muppets daring return to the big screen, they sure have been having a lot of fun with mock trailers teasing The Muppets vialant return. Take a look at their spoof for Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in The Pig with the Froggy Tattoo.
http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The-Pig-With-the-Froggy-Tattoo-poster-215x300.jpg
On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world’s biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets’ former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino house band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHqLcEtt368&feature=player_embedded.

Saully

09-15-11, 06:55 PM

Top Gun To Get A Big Screen 3D Makeover

2011-09-12

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/26712/top_gun_26712.jpg

It was announced this morning at the International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam that the legendary Goose, Ice Man, and Maverick will be returning to the big screen in a 3D conversion of Top Gun, says HeyUGuys (http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/09/12/highway-to-the-danger-zone-as-top-gun-to-be-re-released-in-cinemas-in-3d/). Of course we shouldn’t get too excited yet as Clash of the Titans taught us that 3D conversion can be the enemy, but the idea of this movie back on the big screen is cause for joy and celebration.

No release date has been set, but the conversion has already begun at Legend3D who showed off an aerial flight sequence they’ve already converted. The process is long and arduous so there’s no saying when this’ll hit, but rest assured that once the date is set, you’ll be the first to know.

The best news from this announcement is that they’re not remaking the movie whole hog. They’re taking an older movie, sprucing it up, and putting it in theaters for new generations to enjoy. As much as I love a good remake, they are few and far between, and seeing classics on the big screen is always great--Top Gun will be especially awesome. Tony Scott’s fighter jet saga doesn’t need to get remade, who could fill the role of Maverick anyway? But 25 years after the film’s release is a good time to make sure fans don’t forget about it, and new audiences learn that shirtless volleyball is the coolest thing to do with your time off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8rZWw9HE7o&feature=player_embedded#!

will.15

09-15-11, 07:12 PM

Joe McGinniss's new book, The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin, hits bookstores next week, but its controversial claims (http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/15/new-sarah-palin-book-leaks-from-joe-mcginniss-the-rogue.html)about the former Alaska governor are already making waves.
In the book, McGinniss writes that Palin had a one-night stand (http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/world-exclusive-sarah-palin-book-secrets-revealed-joe-mcginnis-rogue) in 1987 with future NBA basketball player Glen Rice nine months before she married her husband Todd. He quotes a friend who said Palin "had a fetish for black guys for a while."
"She was a gorgeous woman. Super nice. I was blown away by her," Rice tells McGinniss in the book, NBC reports. "Afterward, she was a big crush that I had."
McGinniss's book also alleges that Palin had an extramarital affair with her husband's business partner, Brad Hanson, in the mid-1990s, and snorted cocaine off a 55-gallon oil drum while snowboarding.
"An utter fraud. An absolute and utter fraud," McGinniss calls Palin in an interview (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44531485/ns/today-books/t/author-speaks-out-salacious-palin-claims/#.TnIJNk-IG-I) about the book with NBC.
"At best, she's a hypocrite," McGinniss tells NBC's Savannah Guthrie. "At worst, she's a vindictive hypocrite."

honeykid

09-15-11, 09:29 PM

I have more of a problem with the way he spells his name than anything else in that story. :D

As for the Top Gun story. If they re-release it in 2D I am soooo there. Love that film and it's the ultimate popcorn flick, IMO.

akatemple

09-16-11, 02:34 AM

Of course it would be on the CW.

WTF! New TV series reboot of the 80s Beauty and the Beast

Sep 15, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Hamilton-perlman-BandB.jpg

What the f$%#! TVLine (http://www.tvline.com/2011/09/exclusive-the-cw-rebooting-80s-cult-classic-beauty-and-the-beast/) is reporting that the CW is looking to reboot the popular 80s TV show of Beauty and the Beast, which starred Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman.
The new version will not only modernize and CW-up the love story but also add a procedural twist. Nice pedigree, too: Without a Trace vet Jennifer Levin and Brothers & Sisters‘ Sherri Cooper will pen the script and serve as executive producers.
The original show ran from 1987 to 1990. I guess with their popular Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle, CW is getting back into the supernatural. Still no explaination as to why they canceled Angel.
Does this really need to be redone?

honeykid

09-16-11, 02:43 AM

No it doesn't, but I'm not against it.

Never should've cancelled Angel though, though I wonder if we'd have had such a great final episode if it'd been cancelled a season or two later.

honeykid

09-16-11, 11:08 PM

US astronomers find planet with two Suns

US astronomers said Thursday they have discovered the first planet that is orbiting two Suns, much like the fictional home of Luke Skywalker featured in Star Wars.

Skywalker's native planet of Tatooine was hot and desert-like, but this planet, called Kepler-16b, is a freezing cold world about the size of Saturn, orbiting two parent Suns in a near perfect circle about 200 light years away.

The planet was glimpsed with the US space agency's Kepler space telescope, which monitors the brightness of 155,000 stars, according to the research published in the journal Science.

"This discovery is stunning," said co-author Alan Boss of the Carnegie Institution for Science Department of Terrestrial Magnetism.

"Once again, what used to be science fiction has turned into reality."

While astronomers have previously glimpsed planets they believed were orbiting two stars, they had never before seen one actually passing in front of its two Suns so this discovery offers the first proof.

"Kepler-16b is the first confirmed, unambiguous example of a circumbinary planet -- a planet orbiting not one, but two stars," said co-author Josh Carter of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

"Once again, we're finding that our solar system is only one example of the variety of planetary systems nature can create."

If there were people on Kepler-16b, they could relax to the view of a double sunset, but such a scenario is highly unlikely due to the planet's extreme frigid surface temperature of -100 to -150 Fahrenheit (-73 to -101 Celsius).

The chill is likely due to the fact that even though the planet has two Suns which it orbits every 229 days at a distance of 65 million miles (105 million kilometers), they are smaller and cooler than our single Sun.

One of Kepler-16b's Suns is 20 percent as massive as ours, and the other is 69 percent as massive.

While the planet orbits them, the two Suns dance with each other in an "eccentric 41-day orbit," the study said.

The study was led by Kepler scientist Laurance Doyle of the California-based SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/us-astronomers-planet-two-suns-171449073.html

akatemple

09-17-11, 12:58 AM

I really hope not.

From Killerfilm.com
Michael Bay directing Transformers 4?

Sep 16, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/michael-bay-thumb-400x267-14914-300x200.jpg

Michael Bay claimed that his Transformers: Dark of the Moon was to be his last in the franchise from Hasbro and Paramount, and that looks like a high point to go out on, racking up over a billion at the worldwide box office. What’s left to do or prove?
Who knows, but Tyrese Gibson seems to believe both Bay and Shia will return for a Transformers 4, as he tells MovieWeb (http://www.movieweb.com/news/exclusive-tyrese-gibson-predicts-michael-bay-and-shia-labeouf-will-return-for-transformers-4):
“I think, with the success of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, both Michael Bay and Shia probably want a break from the franchise, but there’s no way, I believe, that, at some point, they’re not going come back to do Transfomers 4. Maybe they need a few years to get a few other creative things out of their system, which is understandable, but for people to love this franchise around the world like they do, it’s damn-near crazy to not give the fans what they love and enjoy again. So maybe two years, maybe three years will go by, you never know, but I believe, and hope, that we are able to do another Transformers. I’m a real Transformers fan, outside of the fact that I’m in the movie, but I just hope we’re able to do it again one day. It’s the first film in Paramount’s 99-year history that has ever grossed $1 billion. I hope we’re able to figure this out.”

akatemple

09-17-11, 12:59 AM

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/us-astronomers-planet-two-suns-171449073.html

I was just reading about that on another website, that is so awesome.

akatemple

09-17-11, 02:06 AM

Really, who watches these, last time I checked people did not watch porn for the story.

Halloween XXX: A Porn Parody

Sep 16, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/halloweenporn091511-206x300.jpg

The Night He Came…Home. The famous tag line from John Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece has a whole new meaning now, huh? Here’s the trailer for Halloween XXX: A Porn Parody and it’s NSFW!
Spoof porn! It was on Halloween night that a young Michael Myers inexplicably slaughtered his slutty older sister (RAVEN ALEXIS). Fifteen later, he escapes a mental hospital and returns home. Spotting a scholarly looking teenager, Laurie (LILY LABEAU), the deranged psychopath Michael lusts after her and stalks her. Finding her trampy friends, Annie (ANDY SAN DIMAS) and Lynda (LEXI BELLE) engaging in carnal acts with their boyfriends on Halloween eve, just as his sister did years ago, sets Michael off. While her friends are off engaging in sex acts and getting killed, the responsible Laurie is at home babysitting. Unable to reach her friends by phone, Laurie becomes suspicious and walks across the street to Annie’s darkened house and comes face to face with Michael Myers himself.

honeykid

09-17-11, 02:48 AM

Ah, c'mon akatemple. Some of these things are so funny.

Besides, how much does this guy look like Picard?

http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/8/2011/05/xlarge_2011_5_4_st19.jpg

And, of course, Kimberly Kane as Scully.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d32yrefb8IM/SyGNvtAiGFI/AAAAAAAAAc8/4z7RYhyVhXA/s400/kimberly-kane-as-dana-scully.jpg

*Actually, I think that's Kimberly Kane as Crusher as well.*

akatemple

09-17-11, 03:19 AM

Yes Kimberly Kane deffinatly could pose as Scully but I just don't understand watching a porn for the storyline,,,, but yeah she is hot and yes the guy does look like Picard, actually he looks a little bit to much like him it's kinda scary.

akatemple

09-17-11, 01:43 PM

Not sure what to do with this, but it does have Darth Vader in it. I have no idea why I could not find a subtitles version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ7bY_I5eos

DexterRiley

09-17-11, 02:16 PM

Really, who watches these, last time I checked people did not watch porn for the story.

Apparently you have not seen the Story of O or deepthroat not too mention the devil and mrs jones. Basically the films that Burt Reynolds character in Boogie Nights produced.

If you want to watch just the shaggen, there are clips a plenty for that online, and i imagine among the single folks crowd thats all that is neccessarry..get in get off get out.. however the parody themed ones appeal to couples viewing together.

The seinfeld one wasn't half bad actually.

just my .02

Saully

09-17-11, 05:55 PM

Baywatch movie back on track with script from Rescue Me creator?

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/26829/baywatch_26829.jpg

The time to do a Baywatch movie, if a Baywatch movie absolutely had to be done, was probably 1989-91, when the red-suited lifeguards were in their prime and audiences camped out in front of television sets to see Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff and Yasmine Bleeth running. In slow motion. For hours.

Twenty years later, Hollywood is still trying to mount a proper Baywatch feature, and writer Peter Tolan may be the one riding to the franchise’s rescue. Now that his time on Denis Leary’s firefighter drama Rescue Me has drawn to a close (the show had its series finale earlier this month), Tolan tells the Batthew Aron Show podcast (via JoBlo) that he recently turned a Baywatch script in to Paramount.

Oddly enough, Tolan says his script has very little to do with the original TV show, which he did not watch in preparation for writing the treatment. He said the tone of the script he wrote is closest to Ivan Reitman’s Stripes, and that there are parts written into the screenplay for Hasselhoff and Anderson, though they would not be playing the characters they played in the show.

That’s a headscratcher. With so many changes, why call it Baywatch at all? Is the brand recognition that strong that you wouldn’t just launch another lifeguard-themed project and hope it could stand on its own? Then again, reboots of TV shows have fared well, but primarily when they’ve held at least a tiny connection to the source material. As for Anderson, she has said repeatedly that she’s against a Baywatch movie. But if you promise Hasselhoff a hamburger, some camera time, and the chance to record the film’s theme song, I’m sure he’s in.

will.15

09-17-11, 06:06 PM

Who in the hell in their right mind wants to see a Baywatch movie? You watched it for the girls in bathing suits, not because anybody cared about the acting and stories. Looking at hot girls in bathing suits isn't a compelling enough reason to drive a few miles to a movie theater.

akatemple

09-17-11, 06:08 PM

Isn't it though, isn't it. I mean I would drive a few miles to see girls in bikini's..... Oh wait I have the internet for that, nevermind. ;)

honeykid

09-18-11, 03:07 AM

The time to do a Baywatch movie, if a Baywatch movie absolutely had to be done, was probably 1989-91, when the red-suited lifeguards were in their prime and audiences camped out in front of television sets to see Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff and Yasmine Bleeth running. In slow motion. For hours.
Small point, I know, but Pam didn't join until '92. Therefore the peak (pun intended) years of Baywatch were probably '93-'96. Baywatch was 'saved' by LWT and TVS in the UK (after being axed in America) after it's first season.

Saully

09-18-11, 10:45 AM

Johnny Depp's "The Lone Ranger" may live on at Disney

2011-09-16

http://www.cinemablend.com/images/news_img/26830/the_lone_ranger_26830.jpg

"During the first week of this month, a report came out saying that the future of Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger was to be decided by studio heads over the long Labor Day weekend. The production had been shut down in August due to budget concerns - the film was hovering around $250 million - and after some tinkering done by the filmmakers, Disney was going to review the new budget and decide whether or not the project would move forward. Then...silence. It's been nearly two weeks since the executives were supposed to make their decision and we haven't heard a peep. Now we're finally hearing some news, and it sounds positive.

Deadline is reporting from inside sources that it looks as though The Lone Ranger will have a future at the studio, though the headline suggests that it's a matter of "guarded optimism." Following the shutdown, Disney suits told producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Verbinski that they would need to take $50 million off of the budget, but the pair argued for $215 million. A few days after the production was halted it was reported that what was driving up costs was an extensive amount of CGI related to werewolves and "Native American occult aspects." Those parts were removed from the script, but star Johnny Depp said that he wouldn't do the fulm without Verbinski at the helm. There's no official word yet, but the site's article ends saying, "don’t be surprised if The Lone Ranger rides again."

I still have no idea why a western would need a budget of $200 million, but then again I'm not a filmmaker/producer. The film does still have a stellar cast lined up, including the likes of Armie Hammer, Tom Wilkinson, Helena Bonham Carter, Dwight Yoakam, Barry Pepper and James Badge Dale, but this delay may affect the December 21, 2012 release date. One step at a time, though; we're still not sure if it's even happening."

will.15

09-18-11, 11:03 AM

It may be silly, but it was already posted in the Lone Ranger thread.

Saully

09-18-11, 12:04 PM

It may be silly, but it was already posted in the Lone Ranger thread.

Forgot there was a Lone Ranger thread, my bad.

akatemple

09-18-11, 06:38 PM

Really, does Disney need more money, This is a movie that has already made a ton of money so they re release it and make a ton more. I have seen this movie and can't imagine that it is so great in 3D, deffinatly not something I would pay money to see.

The Lion King 3D is #1 at the box-office

Sep 18, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/the_lion_king_cartoon-5070-300x225.jpg
It’s become rather common for studios to re-release popular films in 3D, but they have never seemed to gain much interest. But Coming Soon (http://www.comingsoon.net/boxoffice/detail.php?id=286)is reporting that Disney’s 3D re-release of The Lion King has gained the number 1 spot at the box-office this weekend with $29.3 million. That puts the film into the top 5 for September releases.
Last week’s number 1 film, Contagion, was brought down to second place with $14.4 million. The other films that opened this week were Staw Dogs, which opened in 5th with $5 million. I Don’t Know How She Does It opened in 6th with $4.5 million.

honeykid

09-18-11, 11:03 PM

Surely Disney hasn't needed any more money for about 60 odd years. There aren't rich people/companies/corporations that 'need' more money.

akatemple

09-19-11, 09:38 PM

Are we going to see Batman and Robin AGAIN?!

Sep 19, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Brivy-300x195.jpg

Don’t worry, after the epic failure of Joel Schumacher’s Batman and Robin, there’s no way the studio would want to return to that franchise. However, there’s been much speculation about the future of the Batman movie franchise now that Christopher Nolan will be calling it quits after The Dark Knight Rises.
We’ve heard that Warner Bros. is interested in rebooting the franchise once more, and the next film could be based upon the relaunched comic books.
Movieweb (http://www.movieweb.com/news/exclusive-batman-and-robin-movie-may-be-next-from-dc-comics-new-52) interviewed Executive Producer and Batman rights holder Michael E. Uslan about the future of the movie universe, and mentioned the New 52 Batman and Robin title could influence the next film. “The only thing I would direct your attention to is the new comic books. The comic books have kept this character vital, and intriguing, for seventy-two years. We are all still going back every Wednesday to see what’s new. I think the character is that vital and that sustaining. He is going to be around for a long time to come,” he said about the Batman film.
That’s nothing much to go on, but it would make alot of sense. As many fans have noticed, the look of Superman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is based upon the DC Comics relaunch. And it would make sense for a new Batman reboot to be influenced by the new comic storyline. Of course, the new Batman and Robin title wouldn’t fit in Nolan’s more “realistic” take on the Dark Knight, but the new reboot would likely take that away.
However, the studio is likely waiting until The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters on July 20th, 2012 before making any official decision on where to go with the next film.
.

HitchFan97

09-19-11, 09:40 PM

Studio, PLEASE don't let the Batman franchise suck when Nolan leaves...

akatemple

09-19-11, 09:44 PM

The Addams Family XXX are kinky and kooky

Sep 19, 2011

It seems that every week there is a new XXX parody announced that spoofs either a film or television show. Chalk up another one with The Addams Family XXX. Enough chatter, cum inside and meet the Addams. Oh, and it’s safe for work.
Look for it on DVD on October 3, 2011.

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/addams-family-xxx.jpg
In “The Addams Family XXX”, the Addams children are all grown up now and wreaking havoc on the community. Before Wednesday and Pugsly are off to college, Gomez and Morticia decide it’s time to have “the talk” with them…and no, not the one about the difference between juvie and the state pen. Adhering to family tradition, Gomez brings Pugsly a hooker, while Morticia attempts to teach Wednesday about sex and masturbation. Always the cleverer child, Wednesday quickly applies what she learned to an orgy hosted in the dungeon. With sex in the air, the rest of the Addams feel the urge to play. Uncle Fester’s electrifying personality manages to charm the skirt off Miss Millibanks. Morticia and Gomez tango their way into the bedroom. Even Lurch, Grandmama and Thing get in on the action! So, sit down at your station. Prepare for masturbation. You’ve got a reservation… The Addams Family!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvWwTXhoAEQ

akatemple

09-19-11, 09:48 PM

Ok I know I am always the one asking who the hell would watch these, but this one I actually wanna see. Kinda wondering what the hells gonna happen with the Wookie.
Who knows could be better then the prequels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiKPjPLPLh4&NR=1

DexterRiley

09-19-11, 10:42 PM

The big lebowski one was pretty good as well.

will.15

09-21-11, 12:59 PM

Tony Bennett (http://www.movieforums.com/name/nm0004746/) is under fire for telling Howard Stern (http://www.movieforums.com/name/nm0001769/) that President George W. Bush (http://www.movieforums.com/name/nm0129976/) admitted to him that the Iraq War was a mistake. The 85-year-old singer visited Stern’s satellite radio show on Monday to promote his new album of duets, and he shared his encounter with the then-president from the 2005 Kennedy Center honors. “He told me personally that night, he says, ‘I think I made a mistake,’” Bennett said, referring to the Iraq War. A spokesperson for Bush told NBC News that “This account is flatly wrong … President Bush (http://www.movieforums.com/name/nm0124133/) never said that to Tony Bennett (http://www.movieforums.com/name/nm0004746/) or anyone else.

I thought the only guests Howard Stern had on his show these days were porn stars.

akatemple

09-21-11, 06:45 PM

From Killerfilm.com
Morgan Spurlock wants you!

Sep 21, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/morgan-300x200.jpg
Documentarian extraordinaire, Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, 30 Days, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold) is gearing up to begin production on a new reality series called The Failure Club, and he wants you to be a part of it. That is, if you happen to live in New York, have a dream, and have yet to make your dream come true. Basically, if your a New Yorker with a dream and a lack of focus, this could be your opportunity to turn that lack of focus into another reality series.
Spurlock is a busy man. Not only has he been kicking ass and taking names in the documentary world, but he is about to start working on his very first narrative feature. So if like me, you dig the mans work, and you live in New York, then I suggest you read the press release below and get off your ass to audition for a spot on The Failure Club.
NEW YORKhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.slashfilm.com/morgan-spurlock-seeking-yorkers-big-dreams-reality-series-the-failure-club/#), Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Academy Award® nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (SUPER SIZE ME, 30 DAYS, POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD), is looking for New Yorkers who want to change their lives. Spurlock, along with his producing partner, Jeremy Chilnick and their production company Warrior Poets are launching a new non-fiction series entitled “THE FAILURE CLUB.”
“THE FAILURE CLUB,” is about embracing the fear of failure in order to change your life. There are too many things we never try simply because we’re too afraid to fail. But what would you do if you could move beyond that fear? Meeting each week over the course of a year, seven different people will come together to form this unique “club” where they will encourage each other to achieve the things they’ve only dreamed of. From the mother who always wanted to start a restaurant to the banker who always wanted to do stand-up comedy to the young athlete who never got his shot at the pros – together, each member of the failure club will try to make his/her dream come true. Some will succeed and some will fail, but the journey they take together will change them forever.
Warrior Poets is looking for inspiring and genuine every-day people with specific unfulfilled goals that they have always wanted to try, but never had the courage to attempt on their own. Applicants must also be over the age of 21 and based in New YorkCityhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif or the tri-state area and have compelling stories and interesting dreams.
Casting is underway and interested applicants can apply directly online at www.warriorpoetscasting.com (http://www.warriorpoetscasting.com/). The deadline to apply is September 24th, 2011.
“THE FAILURE CLUB” will begin shooting in the Fall of 2011 and will be broadcast across the Yahoo! Network video site.

honeykid

09-21-11, 06:58 PM

SC, here's your chance to 'meet' Jake! Get to it, my man! :):up:

will.15

09-21-11, 07:04 PM

I didn't know SC was your man.

will.15

09-22-11, 07:10 PM

I say give the old biddy lethal injection:

AMSTERDAM (AP) — A murder mystery has been solved — 65 years later — with the confession of a 96-year-old woman.
The 1946 killing of Felix Gulje, the head of a construction company who at the time was being considered for a high political post, roiled the Netherlands, and the failure to find the assassin became a point of contention among political parties.
On Wednesday, the mayor of Leiden, Henri Lenferink, said a woman has confessed to the killing, saying it happened in the mistaken belief that Gulje had collaborated with the Nazis.
Lenferink said he received a letter from the woman, whom he identified as Atie Ridder-Visser (http://www.movieforums.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Atie+Ridder-Visser%22), on Jan. 1. Two subsequent interviews with her and a review of the historical archives persuaded him that her story was true.
On the cold sleeting night of March 1, 1946, Atie Visser (http://www.movieforums.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Atie+Visser%22) rang Gulje's doorbell in Leiden, and told his wife that she had a letter to give to her husband. When he came to the door she shot him in the chest. He died in the ambulance, the mayor said, reading a lengthy statement at a news conference.
Visser had been a member of the resistance during the 1940-1945 Nazi occupation. Rumors had been circulating that Gulje was working with the occupation authorities, and he had been targeted in the underground press. His company did regular business with the Germans, and several employees belonged to a pro-Nazi organization (http://www.movieforums.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Nazi+organization%22).
He was arrested after the war, but acquitted.
After his death it emerged that Gulje had sheltered some Jews and had given money to help hide others with other families. A banned Catholic association (http://www.movieforums.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=news&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Catholic+association%22) also held secret meetings in his home, Lenferink said.
Visser moved to Indonesia after the war, where she met and married Herman Ridder. Childless, they moved back to the Netherlands several years later, also spending a few years in Spain.
Lenferink said police never suspected the woman in the killing.
After disclosing her role, Ridder-Visser met two grandchildren of her victim last month to explain what happened and why she did it, the mayor said. He did not disclose details of that conversation.
Ridder-Visser will not be prosecuted, he said. Although the 18-year statute of limitations was lifted for serious crimes in 2006, prosecutors ruled that the change in law would not apply in this case.
"Even now, after 65 years, the murder should be strongly condemned," Lenferink said. "It is a case of vigilantism, and is unacceptable."
But he appealed to reporters to leave her alone. "Mrs. Ridder-Visser is a very old, very frail woman who hears poorly, is disabled and needs help," he said.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/96-year-old-woman-confesses-to-1946-murder-1415096.php#ixzz1Yil9saJO

honeykid

09-23-11, 02:04 PM

I think that most people who'd be interested will've already heard. However, in case that not the case.

Amazement As Particles 'Beat Light Speed'

A space scientist has told Sky News that there will be an "earthquake in physics" if it is true that scientists have proved Albert Einstein's theory of relativity wrong by breaking the speed of light.

Experts at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Switzerland believe they have clocked neutrinos travelling fast enough to shatter the central pillar of physics.

But they cannot quite believe it themselves, they say, because according to Einstein 's famous 1905 equation, E=mc2, it is simply impossible.

"The feeling that most people have is this can't be right, this can't be real," said James Gillies, a spokesman for CERN.

Dr David Whitehouse, a space scientist and author, said that if the experiment is proved to be true then it is a revelation on a par with Einstein's own theories.

"It is an earthquake, a revolution in physics," he said.

"As soon as you are arrogant enough to think you understand the universe, the universe comes along and shows you are not right."

Mr Gillies said the readings have so astounded researchers that they are asking others to independently verify the measurements before claiming an actual discovery.

"They are inviting the broader physics community to look at what they have done and really scrutinise it in great detail," he said.

Ideally they want someone elsewhere in the world to repeat the measurements, he said.

Scientists at the competing Fermilab in Chicago have promised to start such work immediately.

"It is a shock," said Fermilab head theoretician Stephen Parke, who was not part of the research in Geneva.

"It is going to cause us problems, no doubt about that - if it is true."

The Chicago team had similar faster-than-light results in 2007, but those came with a giant margin of error that undercut its scientific significance.

Others were sceptical about CERN's claim that the neutrinos - one of the strangest known particles in physics - were observed smashing past the cosmic speed barrier of 186,282 miles per second (299,792km per second).

University of Maryland physics department chairman Drew Baden called it "a flying carpet", something that was too fantastic to be believable.

Dr Whitehouse said the findings technically meant that time travel might be possible.

"Everything is now open - because time, speed and the speed of light are all linked."

CERN says a neutrino beam fired from a particle accelerator near Geneva to a lab 454 miles (730km) away in Italy travelled 60 nanoseconds faster than the speed of light.

According to Einstein, the speed of light is a "cosmic constant" and nothing in the universe can travel faster - because physical objects have a mass whereas light does not.

Scientists calculated the margin of error of their experiment at just 10 nanoseconds, making the difference statistically significant.

But given the enormous implications of the find, they still spent months checking and rechecking their results to make sure there were no flaws in the experiment.

"We have not found any instrumental effect that could explain the result of the measurement," said Antonio Ereditato, a physicist at the University of Bern, Switzerland, who was involved in the experiment, known as Opera.

The CERN researchers are now looking to the United States and Japan to confirm the results.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/scientists-proved-einstein-theory-wrong-230650760.html

will.15

09-24-11, 12:03 AM

Now I can build that time machine!

I am going back to 1938 with an old dime to get off the newstands Action 1.

will.15

09-26-11, 10:53 PM

This the Bozo some Republicans want to draft into the presidential race?

AP
TRENTON, N.J. -MTV's "Jersey Shore" won't get a New Jersey tax break because Gov. Chris Christie says the show hurts the state's image.

Christie on Monday blocked a $420,000 film credit that was approved for the show last week by the state Economic Development Authority.

The money was supposed to cover production costs for the hit reality series' inaugural 2009 season.

Christie suspended the film tax credit program in 2010 to close a budget deficit, but the 2009 season still qualified.

He said in a statement he's "duty-bound" to ensure taxpayers aren't footing a bill for a project that "does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the state and its citizens."

The show centers on the cast living and partying along the beach and boardwalk in Seaside Heights.

will.15

09-29-11, 02:16 PM

Mass. cat with 2 faces lives 12 years, sets record

Updated: Sep 29, 2011 - 9:19AM
WORCESTER, Mass. -Frank and Louie the cat was born with two faces, two mouths, three eyes, and lots of doubts about his future.

Twelve years after Marty Stevens rescued him from being put to sleep because of his condition, the exotic blue-eyed rag doll cat is not only thriving but has made it into the 2012 Guinness Book of World Records.

He's the longest surviving member of a group known as Janus cats, named for a Roman god with two faces.

Stevens says every day is a blessing because such cats usually survive only for a few days.

These days, the friendly, laid-back Frank and Louie loves riding in the car and taking walks on a leash, though people who come up to pet him are usually shocked when they get closer.

honeykid

09-29-11, 08:42 PM

These days, the friendly, laid-back Frank and Louie loves riding in the car and taking walks on a leash, though people who come up to pet him are usually shocked when they get closer.
Of course they are because it's a minion of SATAN!!! :D

akatemple

09-30-11, 01:19 PM

Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg together again!

Sep 30, 2011

Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg will be teaming up for the first time after a very successful Zombieland, in Now You See Me.
Joblo reports: “Harrelson takes over in a role once meant for Jake Gyllenhaal, a mentalist who’s ‘known for his Jedi-style mind tricks.’ Once a performer for the Queen of England, an accident forces him to leave the UK and head to Vegas where he takes up with the Four Horsemen, a group of thieving illusionists.”
Now You See Me will also star Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, and Melanie Laurent, and will start filming later this year.
http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Zombieland-300x214.jpg
.

honeykid

09-30-11, 04:14 PM

Oh, dear God. I can already see Woody Harrelson's ****-eating grin in the role from here. :(

akatemple

10-05-11, 03:36 PM

Maybe it's just me but I cannot stand Lady Gaga, it was cool when Marilyn Manson did it but it's hard to put into words how much I can't stand her.

Lady Gaga getting a biopic?

Oct 5, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/d924ac8a-c862-460b-87b5-e7355b4b2508-300x204.jpg

Whether you love her or hate her, Lady Gaga has been taking over the music industry since her debut album “The Fame”. And while she’s only been around for a few years, it seems that a biopic is already in the works. Hollywood News (http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2011/10/04/lady-gaga-is-getting-a-lifetime-movie-bio/)is hearing that a casting call has gone out for a biopic on the pop star for the Lifetime channel. Norman Snider, who’s known for writing TV movies, has written a script for a film called Fame Monster, the title of Gaga’s second album.
The film is said to chronicle Steffani Germanotta’s life as she goes from a Catholic school girl to Lady Gaga. The film has apparently yet to be green-lit, but casting is already underway.

akatemple

10-08-11, 08:16 PM

So Johnny Depp is pretty much in everything coming out. You can't go to any film website without seeing his name, I did not think I would ever say that I'm getting pretty tired of Johnny Depp.

Johnny Depp To Play Dr. Seuss October 7th 2011

http://www.darkhorizons.com/assets/0016/0324/drseuss_article.jpg?1317990089

Illumination Entertainment and Infinitum Nihil are developing a live-action biopic about classic children's author and illustrator Dr. Seuss (aka Theodor Geisel) which Universal Pictures will distribute says Risky Biz Blog (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/risky-business/johnny-depp-dr-seuss-universal-illumination-245072).
Geisel was born in 1904 and spent much of his childhood in Massachusetts before going to college at Dartmouth. Throughout his early years, he drew advertising and comic strips, then political cartoons during World War II.
By 1950, Geisel was publishing the books that have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. He died of throat cancer in 1991.
Johnny Depp will produce the project with the potential to star as Seuss, while Keith Bunin ("In Treatment") has been hired to write the screenplay. While it won't be a major fantasy film (ala "Alice in Wonderland"), there might be some "animated bells and whistles" added to the mix.
Depp, Christi Dembrowski, Christopher Meledandri and David Kennedy will produce.

honeykid

10-08-11, 08:52 PM

akatemple

10-13-11, 01:47 PM

Whilst I understand where you're coming from, I can't say I blame him. After knocking back the 'big' Hollywood roles for 15-20 years, he obviously decided to go and make the stupid money. He's got a wife and child now and he probably felt as though it'd be silly to keep saying "no". That said, you'd have thought that the money he'd made from the "Pirates" films would've been enough. Maybe he's making films his girl can watch?

Your probably right, I saw an interview with another A-list celebrity I can't remember who but he said that now that he had kids he was wanting to make more movies that his kids would like. Maybe the interview was with Johnny Depp.

akatemple

10-13-11, 01:49 PM

This is the first I have heard about this, I'm always game for some Stephen King.

TV: Promo video for Stephen King’s Bag of Bones!

Oct 13, 2011

Director Mick Garris and Stephen King have worked together on a myriad of projects: Sleepwalkers, The Stand, The Shining, Quicksilver Highway and Desperation – and now coming to A&E is Bag of Bones.
We have the first look at the promo video (http://www.stephenking.com/promo/bag_of_bones_tv/preview/large.html), which gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the 2-night event coming in December.
http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/bagofbones450x6001.jpg
A&E Network presents “Stephen King’s Bag of Bones,” a four-hour epic miniseries based on The New York Times #1 bestselling novel, and featuring Pierce Brosnan’s return to television. The two-night event from Sony Pictures Television premieres on Sunday, December 11 and concludes on Monday, December 12, airing at 9PM ET/PT on both nights.
“Bag of Bones” is a ghost story of grief and lost love’s enduring bonds, about an innocent child caught in a terrible crossfire and a new love haunted by past secrets. Melissa George (“In Treatment”), Annabeth Gish (“Brotherhood”), Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls), William Schallert (“The Patty Duke Show”), Jason Priestley (“Beverly Hills, 90210”) and Caitlin Carmichael (“True Blood”) also star.

In “Bag of Bones,” bestselling novelist Mike Noonan (Brosnan) is unable to stop grieving after the sudden death of his wife Jo (Gish). Suffering from writer’s block, a dream inspires him to return to the couple’s lakeside retreat in western Maine. While there, Mike befriends an attractive young widow, Mattie (George) and her daughter Kyra (Carmichael), and becomes involved in a custody battle with the child’s enormously wealthy grandfather, Max (Schallert). Though his ability to write suddenly returns, Mike is plagued by ever-escalating nightmares and mysterious ghostly visitations from Sara Tidwell (Rose), a blues singer whose spirit lingers in the house. As he is haunted by the many secrets at the lake, Mike comes to realize that his late wife still has something to tell him.

Another link to the promo video.
http://www.stephenking.com/promo/bag_of_bones_tv/preview/large.html

honeykid

10-13-11, 04:28 PM

Normally I'd stay well away from a King adaptation, however, the inclusion of Melissa George is enough for me to think otherwise. ;)

honeykid

10-15-11, 06:43 PM

The Ultimate Silly News Stories.

Hunt for Worthing "poo thief"

A bag-snatcher on a bicycle pinched a bag of poo from an elderly dog-walker in Worthing.

The thief rode past the pensioner near the Post Office in High Street, Tarring, and grabbed a bag she had been using to clean up after her dog.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "A male on his pushbike came past her and snatched the bag, perhaps thinking that there was something of value inside.

"The lady was not harmed and clearly the thief stole nothing of value."

The crime took place at 10.45am on Sunday.

The suspect was described as a black teenager.
http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5051683.Hunt_for_Worthing__poo_thief_/

Lord Mayor's trousers fall down at children's event
The Lord Mayor of Leicester has offered his "deepest apologies" after his trousers fell down at an educational event for schoolchildren.

Councillor Colin Hall was at Southfields library – known as the Pork Pie library – to take part in a Global Education Summer Showcase.

Pupils from three local schools were present, and when he stood to give a vote of thanks his trousers came loose and fell.

The incident happened yesterday morning.

In a statement, Coun Hall, 46, said: "Whilst giving a vote of thanks, I suffered a problem with my trousers.

"Unfortunately, I had chosen not to wear a belt and the trousers came loose and fell.

"I would like to offer my deepest apologies to anyone who was offended by the accident."

Coun Hall is hoping to shrink his waistline during his year of office with the help of fitness guru Rosemary Conley.

He currently weighs more than 16 stone and wants to lose up to three stone by next May. He is walking to many civic engagements and has changed his diet.

Coun Hall recently hit the headlines after choosing to stop the tradition of saying prayers before full council meetings, and choosing not to attend a civic service at the city's cathedral.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Lord-Mayor-s-trousers-fall-children-s-event/story-12085679-detail/story.html

Shock over man's death in cemetery

A shocked friend has paid tribute to a man found dead in a Cambridge cemetery yesterday evening.

Police were called to Histon Road Cemetery shortly before 5.30pm after reports that the body of a man had been discovered.

All entrances to the cemetery were cordoned off by officers as they investigated.

The man has been named locally as Neil Scott, who was believed to be in his mid-40s.

It is understood that his brother was at the scene shortly after his body was found and that his mother has been informed of his death.

Mr Scott was a former resident of 222 Victoria Road, a hostel for the homeless.

The cemetery is not far from the hostel, where Mr Scott was well known.

A friend, who did not wish to be named, said: "He was a really nice guy and I have known him for 20 years.

"I was in the hostel when I heard someone had been found dead in the graveyard and it was him.

"I spoke to his brother who has phoned the mother to let her know. It is just awful, awful news."

The coroner was at the scene by 7.30pm last night and Mr Scott’s death is not being treated as suspicious.

Inspector Mark Woolner said: "A number of officers and police community support officers attended and the area was cordoned off while they investigated."
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Man-found-dead-in-cemetery-19052011.htm

akatemple

10-19-11, 06:34 PM

River Phoenix Returning To The Big Screen

http://twitchfilm.com/news/RiverPhoenix.jpg

October 19, 2011

Eighteen years after the death of River Phoenix, Dutch director George Sluizer says he intends to put the star back on the big screen.

Best known as the director of the original version of The Vanishing, Sluizer was directing what proved to be Phoenix's final film when the star died of a drug related heart attack in 1993. Titled Dark Blood the picture was a drama that starred Phoenix as a sort of hermit awaiting the end of the world while living on a nuclear test site. Sluizer stashed the original footage away when Phoenix died and believes he has enough to complete the film with a bit of creative editing and by employing Phoenix's brother Joaquin to provide some voice over work.

Dutch production house Eyeworks - the people behind the hit New Kids films - have stepped in to help Sluizer finish the film and deal with legal issues surrounding it. At one point the original producers of the film attempted to sue Phoenix's family claiming they should have declared his drug use before production began, so the legalities will almost certainly be thorny..

akatemple

10-20-11, 07:50 PM

Can't you just please leave BSG alone people.

Writer hired to remake Battlestar Galactica for Bryan Singer

Oct 20, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/battlestar-galactica-300x200.jpg

With Bryan Singer’s Excalibur remake now dead, he’s looking towards another property to remake, Battlestar Galactica. Deadline (http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/bryan-singers-battlestar-galactica-gets-airborne-with-john-orloff-scripting-deal/) is now reporting that John Orloff has closed a deal to pen the script for Singer’s remake. The film is something Singer has wanted to direct for a long time, and let’s hope it turns out great. The film will be based off the original 1978 series, but nothing else is known about it just yet.

akatemple

10-23-11, 03:30 PM

I would definitely go and see this, hope it comes somewhere close to where I live. But like most good things it probably won't.

The Exorcist Play Coming

October 22, 2011

http://www.horror-movies.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/The-Exorcist.jpg (http://www.horror-movies.ca/2011/05/the-exorcist-a-stage-play/the-exorcist/)

That’s right, the Teller of Penn & Teller is said to be working on a stage-play of William Peter Blatty’s novel The Exorcist.
According to Bleeding-Cool (http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/10/21/teller-working-on-the-stage-version-of-the-exorcist/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BleedingCool+%28Bleeding+Cool+Comic+News+%26+Rumors%29), Teller is currently in London working on the stage-play which is written by John Pielmeier, the author of Agnes of God.
The site has said;
“Unlike William Friedkin’s film of The Exorcist (which isn’t anywhere near the best film of all time, just for the record), this play will “focus on the psychological aspects and questions of faith.” At least, that’s according to Ken Novice, the MD of New York’s Geffen Playhouse, where the play will premiere in July 2012. I can see that the film is at least supposed to focus on those same things, and when it works, it’s because it does.”
The stage-play is said to be powerful and not relying on green-pudding and spinning heads, however, there will be some sort of theatrical effects, but if you do go see this one don’t go expecting the movie.

akatemple

10-24-11, 10:37 PM

You only have two months to buy all the Harry Potter films

Oct 24, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/DeathlyHallows-111110-0027-300x169.jpg

Part 2 of David Yates’ Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows will be coming to home release next month, but you will only have another month to purchase the film. Warner Bros. issued a press release (via Deadline (http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/warners-pulling-harry-potter-out-of-circulation-dec-29-with-12-1b/)) stating they will remove all the theatrical versions of the Potter films on December 29. However, this shouldn’t be a problem as fans will likely buy the last film within the first few weeks of its release, and we still have the Ultimate Editions for purchase.
.

lundy1026

10-26-11, 11:24 AM

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/giant-lego-man-appears-florida-beach-214642517.html

8ft tall legoman washes up on beach?! lmao

akatemple

11-02-11, 04:13 PM

I had no idea that they were making a Wonder Woman TV series, have a feeling it will probably suck.

Wonder Woman: First Photo of Adrianne Palicki in Costume

(http://tvovermind.zap2it.com/nbc/wonder-woman/woman-photo-adrianne-palicki-costume/51691)

Friday Night Lights and Supernatural alum Adrianne Palicki snagged the lead role in the new Wonder Woman television pilot that is being shot for NBC. The pilot was written by word-smith (and Boston Legal writer) David E. Kelley. If you've been following the news about this series, then you may be concerned. The original pilot script got some pretty bad reviews (although I have seen a few decent ones lying around). This is unfortunate, because I really like Palicki and was happy that she scored the leading role in a new show after Lone Star was canceled by Fox.
Elizabeth Hurley and Cary Elwes have also been cast in the show. Hurley will be playing the lead villain, while Elwes will be playing the CEO of Themyscira Industries (the company owned by Diana Prince/Wonder Woman).
EW (http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/18/wonder-woman-adrianne-palicki-photo/) managed to snag the first photo of Palicki in her Wonder Woman costume. Take a look at it below. She looks great in the outfit, but, damn, that can't be comfortable to run around in.
http://cdn.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Adrianne-Palicki-Wonder-Woman_342.jpg (http://cdn.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Adrianne-Palicki-Wonder-Woman_342.jpg)
Wonder Woman Costume: You Hated It, So They Changed It

(http://tvovermind.zap2it.com/nbc/wonder-woman/woman-costume-hated-changed/53154)

Last week we posted a preview of the costume worn by the title character in the new NBC pilot Wonder Woman. If you spent any time on the internet that day, you probably read various reports slamming the look of the outfit. People said: "Why aren't the boots red?" "Why does the outfit look so shiny and cheap?" "This is the ugliest thing I've ever seen!" It's impossible to know whether that was just meant to be a promo photo and not the actual outfit, but now there's footage from the filming of the pilot (via Topless Robot (http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/03/breaking_they_fixed_wonder_womans_boots.php)) that clearly shows a different outfit (see the photo below). The top looks fairly similar to the original photo, but the pants and boots are noticeably different. The pants don't look like fake pleather anymore, the stars along the side are much more noticeable, and the boots are red (I'm not an expert on Wonder Woman, but apparently this fact is very important). Adrianne Palicki is also not wearing that bright red lipstick, and her makeup seems to be less costume-y than it was in the original photo.

http://cdn.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/300311wonder-woman1.jpg (http://cdn.tvovermind.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/300311wonder-woman1.jpg)

DexterRiley

11-02-11, 08:33 PM

Polar bear should replace ‘dentally defective rat’ — the beaver — as Canada’s national emblem: Senator
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/28/polar-bear-should-replace-beaver-as-canadian-national-emblem-senator-nicole-eaton/

A Canadian senator has called for a national “emblem makeover” by replacing a vegetarian rodent that defends its territory with urine with the world’s largest walking carnivore that thrives in the cold.

Referring to the beaver as a “dentally defective rat,” Nicole Eaton called on Ottawa to replace the critter as the national emblem with the polar bear, an animal she hails as strong, majestic and brave.

“It is high time that the beaver step aside as a Canadian emblem or, at the least, share the honour with the stately polar bear,” Ms. Eaton said in the Senate Thursday.

“A country’s symbols are not constant and can change over time as long as they reflect the ethos of the people and the spirit of the nation.”

The Department of Canadian Heritage has the beaver as the only animal on its list of “national emblems,” a tally that includes the maple tree, the maple leaf and maple leaf tartan.

The beaver is certainly deeply entwined in Canada’s history.

The trade of beaver pelts during European colonization was so lucrative the venerable Hudson’s Bay Company put the beaver on its coat of arms in 1678, four of them, in fact. That same year, the governor of New France suggested the beaver as a suitable emblem for the colony.

When designing the first Canadian postage stamp in 1851, Sir Sandford Fleming turned to the beaver, releasing what is known as the “Three Penny Beaver.” The beaver is also a standard on Canadian nickels.

But it was not until 1975 it attained official status as an emblem of Canada when an “act to provide for the recognition of the beaver (castor canadensis) as a symbol of the sovereignty of Canada” received Royal assent.

http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/toronto-na1028-beavervbear1.jpg?w=620&h=1258

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hHsrZ7rXiw

honeykid

11-03-11, 01:20 AM

Family claims ghosts have sex in their house

Even in the afterlife, ghosts like to get it on, according to an Ohio family who says they saw it first-hand in their living room and caught it on camera.

Don’t worry, their local station is on the story, complete with shadowy footage, Halloween music and a host speaking by the light of a single match. From Fox 8:

According to Dianne Carlisle, there is some afterlife hanky-panky going on inside her Euclid home. “It look like, like ghosts having sex in my living room! They are having sex, you can see the lady’s high heeled shoes!”

Dianne swears it’s true and she has pictures of the dirty deed, if you believe. The photos were snapped by her granddaughter, Kimora, 4, while she was playing with Dianne’s cell phone in the living room. According to Dianne, an apparition is visible showing some ghostly relations.

“I never seen anything like this,” said Dianne. “I mean, ghosts still have feelings? [They're] having sex?”

In the past, Dianne has experienced visits from the beyond. Several years ago, in fact, she claims to have seen a little girl that also appeared before her daughter, De’Onna Burnett. “I’m not playing with no ghosts, like, it was just standing there watching me,” said De’Onna.
http://blog.sfgate.com/hottopics/2011/11/02/family-claims-ghosts-have-sex-in-their-house/

honeykid

11-03-11, 10:15 PM

Wife murdered after smashing Star Wars collection

A sci-fi fanatic suffocated his wife after she smashed up his Star Wars memorabilia, a court has heard.

Rickie La-Touch, 30, was found guilty of murder after his Thai-born wife apparently damaged Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker toys worth thousands of pounds.

Pornpilai Srisroy, 28, was found dead in her bed at home in Leigh, Manchester, on 26 April, with a pillow covering her face.

After he suffocated her, Preston Crown Court was told how Mr La-Touch – also known as Mr Nehls – ran to his mother in a nearby street in an ‘agitated’ state and reported the killing.

He was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 12 years.

Mrs Srisroy died from asphyxiation, according to a post-mortem. Mr La-Touch denied murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter claiming he was a ‘henpecked’ husband.

Mr La-Touch told police that he flipped out when his wife threatened to leave him and said she would to return to Thailand.

“This is a tragic case where a young woman’s life has been taken at the hands of her husband,” said senior investigating officer Andy Tattersall, from Greater Manchester Police.

“Unfortunately, we may never know exactly what happened that morning, but I hope that La-Touche’s sentence is of some small comfort to Pornpilai’s family and friends.

“La-Touche will now also have to live the rest of his life with the awful knowledge that he is responsible for killing his wife.”
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/wife-murdered-after-smashing-star-wars-collection.html

will.15

11-04-11, 10:16 PM

Some women love to do that to guys. I knew this guy whose girlfriend threw his comic book collection on the lawn then set the sprinklers on (wouldn't have worked on mine, they are bagged and boarded). And another girl bragged how she got back at her husband by knifing up his expensive boots.

Oktober

11-05-11, 04:57 PM

I mean, you could understand it if the bloke had at least been old enough to have seen Star Wars when it had its original cinematic release. What a pillock!

akatemple

11-05-11, 09:54 PM

Not exactly news but it is silly. ;)

Where in the World Is Jennifer Lopez?

Nov 5, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/carmen_sandiego-300x132.jpg

It was only a matter of time until Hollywood would attempt to adapt Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego, and it looks as though that time is now. Deadline (http://www.deadline.com/2011/11/walden-media-and-jennifer-lopez-team-up-on-carmen-sandiego/)is reporting that Walden Media has acquired the rights to adapt the property into a live-action film. Jeniffer Lopez is attached to produce the film, and it is hoped that she will also star as the title character. Walden is hoping to turn the film into a “National Treasure meets The Thomas Crown Affair”.

Hannah Montana officially sucks

Nov 5, 2011

http://www.killerfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/mileydrac.jpg

Okay, so that joke is rather easy to make given that I’ve never liked the show. But Dread Central (http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/48575/hotel-transylvania-miley-cyrus-draculas-daughter) is reporting that Miley Cyrus has joined the cast of the upcoming 3D animated film Hotel Transylvania. Cyrus will be voicing the daughter of Dracula (Adam Sandler), Mavis. In the film, Dracula ”builds the titular resort for all manner of monsters (and their families) as a way of keeping Mavis from venturing out into the real world. Things get tricky after a regular guy (voiced by Andy Samberg) ends up at the hotel.”
Hotel Transylvania opens on September 21st, 2012.

akatemple

11-13-11, 04:57 PM

Not sure if this is worth starting a thread for but thought that SC might like to see it.

Jake Gyllenhaal Goes "Way, Way Back"

November 13th 2011

http://www.darkhorizons.com/assets/0014/0562/source10_article.jpg?1300554683

Jake Gyllenhaal is reportedly in talks for the lead role in "The Way, Way Back" for producer Kevin Walsh and Mandate Pictures reports Variety (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118045463?refCatId=13) (via The Playlist (http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jake-gyllenhaal-in-talks-to-star-in-the-way-way-back-directed-by-the-descendants-team-nat-faxon-jim-rash)).
The story follows a teenage boy who, over the course of an extraordinary summer, forms a friendship that gives him the strength to stand up to his bullying stepfather and reconnect with his mother.
The project began life years ago with a script by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash ("The Descendants") which landed on the desk of "Night at the Museum" director Shawn Levy. He was committed to direct the film for Fox Searchlight, but then the WGA strike happened.
Two years later Mandate Pictures scored it and Tom Bezucha ("Monte Carlo") became attached to helm. That version didn't take off either. Now Faxon and Rahs are directing the project themselves, while Levy will produce.

honeykid

11-17-11, 03:14 PM

Police: McD's menu change inspired attack
JANESVILLE, Wis. (UPI) -- A Wisconsin woman who allegedly attacked her boyfriend and stood on the hood of his car said she was upset about McDonald's switching to breakfast.

The Janesville Police Department said Shanaya Edgell, 22, became enraged when at the McDonald's drive-through with boyfriend Darrell Page, 40, around 3 a.m. Monday they discovered the fast food restaurant had switched over to its breakfast menu, The Smoking Gun reported Tuesday.

Page said Edgell "got upset because she did not want breakfast and only wanted a cheeseburger."

Police said Page told them he drove away from the drive-through and Edgell soon told him to "return to McDonald's so that she could get breakfast" and struck him in the face.

Edgell then allegedly started biting Page on the right arm and climbed onto the hood of his car when he pulled over during the attack.

Police spotted Edgell on the hood of the car and the suspect told them she was "upset" about the McDonald's menu change and was on the hood of the car because she was acting crazy.

Edgell was arrested on a disorderly conduct charge and jailed on $150 bond.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Food drive supports fired fairy
ST. CHARLES, Mo. (UPI) -- A resident of a Missouri town said he is organizing a food drive to show support for the Sugar Plum Fairy, who was fired by the city for cursing at a drug test.

Mike Swart of St. Charles, whose Facebook page aiming to save Laura Coppinger's job has thousands of "likes," said his food drive will focus on both traditional food donation items as well as sweets, the St. Louis (Mo.) Post-Dispatch reported Tuesday.

Coppinger, 29, who has portrayed the Sugar Plum Fairy for the past six years at the city's annual Christmas Traditions festival, was fired recently for using profanity while taking a drug test mandated for all city employees.

Swart said he is hoping the food drive will convince city officials to change their minds.

They can bring a bag of sugar, a pack of cookies, some candy -- things the Sugar Plum Fairy might endorse -- or canned goods," Swart said. "I think we should harness the passion and the excitement everybody has here and do something good with it."

Coppinger said she has been touched by the outpouring of support since her firing.

"It's very exciting to know that Sugar Plum Fairy has inspired so many people and has made people's Christmases and that people are standing up for her and for me as the actress playing her," she said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

akatemple

11-17-11, 03:17 PM

Police: McD's menu change inspired attack

I love it when people go nuts over something like a fast food restaurant changing from breakfast to lunch, I actually am constantly suprised by the stupid people in this world, love it.

DexterRiley

11-18-11, 11:18 AM

This is actually kinda awesome. The Christian Bale batman is a nice touch. (see video)

Vigilante teens pose as superheroes, confront predators

The RCMP says that a group of teenagers that ambushed men they believed to be child predators were playing a dangerous game.

Following the premise of NBC's "To Catch a Predator," three teenage boys from Chilliwack, B.C., lured a series of men to public places in the Fraser Valley and videotaped the meetings.

Each of the men targeted were tricked into believing that a 15-year-old girl would be waiting for them.

Instead, the men were greeted by teenage boys in superhero costumes who confronted them about their intentions.

In one incident, a teenage boy dressed up as Batman asked a man in a park if he was "here for the underage girl."

In another, Batman and The Flash follow a man through a fast-food restaurant, telling the other patrons that he is both "a pedophile" and a "sex offender."

The teenagers videotaped each confrontation and published them on YouTube.

They called their project "To Troll a Predator."

When police learned of what the teenagers had been up to, they immediately pointed out the inherent danger of their actions.

RCMP Cpl. Matt Van Laer said the teenagers had no way of predicting how their targets would react, including how willing potential predators might be to target real victims -- not just the fake ones they were supposed to be meeting with.

"If they (predators) go to the wrong park, or if they go to the wrong meeting zone, and/or they are in a state of arousal of some sort, they might decide to act on another child, completely unrelated," he told CTV British Columbia.

The teenagers have since pulled their videos off the Internet and apologized for their actions.

While police have not identified any of the men they targeted, they are not expecting to lay any charges against the teenagers at this point.

"They're good kids, they have told our investigators that they have made a mistake," RCMP Cpl. Tammy Hollingsworth told CTV British Columbia.

"They regret what they've done and the decisions that they've made."

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20111116/british-columbia-teens-chilliwack-vigilantes-to-troll-a-predator-videos-rcmp-111116/#ixzz1e4QL3DIJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sGi832GVbg

honeykid

11-21-11, 08:18 PM

NYC pastor delivers sexy sermons

NEW YORK (UPI) -- A New York City pastor is delivering sermons on how to keep marriages alive that feature public kissing contests during service.

Pastor Maurice Johnson of the non-denominational Winners Church in Queens gives sermons, titled "The Power and Pleasure of Romance," to highlight the importance of marriage in the African-American community, the New York Post reported Saturday.

"Some people were like, 'It seems strange to do at church,'" he said, but they thought it was very creative.

During services, held in the PS 38 gym in Rosedale, Queens, four married couples are asked to approach the pulpit. Then, accompanied by R&B music, the couples demonstrate their passion by making out for five minutes.

The congregation then chooses a winning couple by applause. The most amorous pair wins $50 to spend on a date.

"You see kissing in all kinds of contexts, but you don't necessarily see it in a marriage context," said Frantz Cochy, 39, who won the contest with his wife of 13 years, Makeetah, 36. I wasn't embarrassed, but I guess I felt a little awkward.

Johnson, 39, told The Post that showering your spouse with physical affection is a good way to strengthen a romantic partnership.

"God created a desire for love and romance," Johnson said.

"Any society that celebrates marriage, romance and love is going to be a free society," Johnson said. Public displays of affection aren't wrong. Adam and Eve were naked, and they were not ashamed.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

'Doctor' arrested for at-home augmentation

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (UPI) -- A Miami Gardens, Fla., "doctor" was arrested for allegedly injecting cement into a woman's butt, police say.

Oneal Ron Morris, a self-proclaimed doctor, is accused of injecting a mixture of cement, mineral oil and Super Glue into a woman's buttocks during a home augmentation in May, 2010, The Miami Herald reported.

The woman became sick with flu-like symptoms soon after the painful procedure and went to the hospital. Being too embarrassed to tell doctors what had happened to her, police say, she left the hospital before tests were done. She repeated this at another hospital.

"In a world where body image is in the forefront of our media, this woman, for whatever reason, thought that this was the answer and she almost lost her life,'' Miami Gardens Detective Michael Dillon said.

Several weeks later at a third hospital, doctors found the woman had been injected with chemicals, police said. The doctors called the state Health Department, which contacted the victim, who finally provided Morris' name.

It took investigators until March 2011 to track Morris to an address in North Lauderdale, but whenever they showed up, Morris was nowhere to be found.

On Friday, a Miami Gardens police officer stopped by the address once more and found Morris, who was arrested at the scene.

Morris, a transgender woman, was charged with practicing healthcare without a license and causing great bodily injury.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

And a more serious story.

Philip Morris sues Australia over cigarette law
Global tobacco firm Philip Morris said it is suing the Australian government after parliament passed a new law requiring all cigarettes to be sold in plain packages.

"We are left with no option," Philip Morris Asia (PMA) spokesperson Anne Edwards said.

"The government has passed this legislation despite being unable to demonstrate that it will be effective at reducing smoking and has ignored the widespread concerns raised in Australia and internationally regarding the serious legal issues associated with plain packaging."

Under the ground-breaking law, all tobacco products sold in Australia must be in plain packaging from December 1, 2012. The law demands all cigarettes be sold in drab olive-brown packets with large, graphic health warnings.

The government hailed the passage of the law as "one of the most momentous public health measures in Australia's history" and called on the big tobacco companies to accept the will of the parliament.

Hong Kong-based PMA said it was seeking to suspend the legislation and seek substantial compensation for the loss of the company's valuable trademarks and investments in Australia under a bilateral investment treaty with Hong Kong.

The company expects damages to amount to billions of dollars and that the legal process will take two to three years.

"We are confident that our legal arguments are very strong and that we will ultimately win this case," Edwards said.

PMA's Australian affiliate Philip Morris Limited (PML) also intends to pursue claims under domestic law before the High Court of Australia, according to the statement.

British American Tobacco Australia said earlier this month it would launch a challenge in the High Court as soon as the laws were granted royal assent.

The company will argue it is unconstitutional for the government to remove its trademarks and other intellectual property without compensation.
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Philip-Morris-sues-Australia-afp-1528686944.html?x=0

honeykid

11-24-11, 11:39 PM

Sadly, this story really did appear in a (possibly several) national papers this year. *Sigh*:(

On the road with Marlon Brando, Liz Taylor and Michael Jackson
IT sounds like one of the strangest car journeys in showbiz history.

Movie and music legends Marlon Brando, Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson are reported to have hired a car to zip across the States after planes were grounded following the 9/11 attacks on New York.

The road trip from New York to Ohio allegedly saw Brando, who weighed more than 21 stones, insist on stopping at nearly every fast-food joint along the way.
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Jackson had been in New York after performing two concerts at Madison Square Garden on September 7 and 10, 2001. He invited Dame Liz and Brando to watch.

After the Twin Towers collapsed, Jackson allegedly got a call from pals in Saudi Arabia who warned that America was under attack. The singer reportedly flew into a panic and shouted for everyone in his hotel – including Brando – to leave immediately.

According to Vanity Fair, Dame Liz, who was staying in another hotel, then joined the pair and a large entourage as they made their escape out of the stricken city.

The actor Corey Feldman, who Michael had befriended when he was a child star, said he had a row with Jacko the previous night and instead chose to stay behind.

He recalled: “Elizabeth hadn’t arrived, and 9/11 happened. But Michael was trying to get her out. He was wanting permission to fly a private jet — but everything was too surreal. And I didn’t go with him.”

An ex-employee of Jackson’s said the singer ditched the entourage in New Jersey before the three legends took to the road.

Vanity Fair’s Sam Kashner said: “Brando allegedly annoyed his companions by stopping at nearly every KFC and Burger King. One can only imagine the shock their appearance caused across the States.” However, no photos seem to have been taken on the 535-mile journey and one of Liz’s pals denied the story. She said: “Liz stayed behind and went to pray in a church, then went to Ground Zero. The airports opened and she flew home.”

The three alleged road trippers have all since died – Brando in 2004, aged 80, Jackson in 2009, aged 50, and Liz in March, aged 79.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2011/05/06/michael-jackson-joined-marlon-brando-and-dame-liz-taylor-on-road-trip-115875-23109558/

It did, however, also result in this from The Guardian.

Michael Jackson, Liz Taylor and a fast-food-fuelled Marlon Brando apparently fled by car from New York after 9/11. So what might the trip might have been like?

Marlon reached for the phone. "Wake up, Liz," he said. "Some douchebags have taken out da twin towers. We godda get oudda New Yoik." Liz groaned. The Vicodin had glued her eyes shut.

"What's the time?" she mumbled.

"Whas dat godda do wid anythin'? Jus pack yer painkillers and wake up Mickey an' da monkey. I'll swing by when I've had somethin' ta eat."

"See you in five or six hours then."

Bubbles gently groomed his best friend. "I know it's hard, Michael. But we're going to have to leave all your toys behind. There just isn't enough room for everything in Marlon's Nissan Micra."

"I'm not going anywhere without ET."

"We can get you another one in Ohio."

"We can't. Mine is the real ET. I can't leave him behind to die."

"He's just a plastic doll."

"He's not, he's not, he's not. Steven told me that if I believed enough he'd be real and I do believe enough. He's real, he's my best friend ever."

A tear welled in Bubbles's eye.

"Other than you, of course," Michael added.

Liz jabbed a syringe into Michael's arm and he slumped to the ground unconscious. "OK Bubbles," she snapped. "Carry him to the elevator. Marlon's parked up in the street outside the apartment."

"You t'ree will haffta sit in the back. Dere's no room in dis automobile. As id is, I haffta sit wid my right ass cheek on da passenger seat. And doan ead ma Variedy Bucket."

The Micra inched its way along River Drive. "Can't this thing go any faster?" Bubbles asked.

"Not wid you lot in id," Marlon growled.

"We've got to turn round," yelled Michael.

"Why?"

"I've left my nose behind."

"Never mind, sweetie," said Liz. "We can get you another in Ohio."

As they neared Interstate 80, Marlon slammed on the brakes. "I godda eat," he said. "Da satnav reckons dis is da last KFC for 11 miles. I'm gonna get me a coupla Streetwise Feasts, with extra fries."

"Suits me, Marlie darling," said Liz. "I'm down to my last seven boxes of Vikes. I'll pop into Walgreens to get my prescription renewed."

Marlon belched loudly as he sluiced down the last of the 17,986 calories with a quart of full-fat coke. "You guys sorded?" he asked.

"I can't believe it," said Liz. "The nasty little man behind the counter thought I was over 65 and tried not to charge me for my script."

"He neffa. You doan' look a day over 25."

"Twenty-five?" said Michael. "That's just so old! Can we swing by the kindergarten?"

A Chevy blocked the exit to the parking lot. Marlon wound down the window. "Move your ******* automobile."

"I can't. I'm stuck in line."

Marlon removed a Colt 45 from the side-pocket, paused to regain his breath and walked over to the Chevy. He put the gun to the driver's head and pulled the trigger. Four times.

"When I say move da ******* automobile I mean move da ******* automobile," he said, squeezing himself back into the Micra. "Was da guy deaf or what? Jesus, all dat shootin's made me hungry again. Get me another Deluxe Boneless Box, Bubbles."

"I'll get you several. That way we may get halfway to Cleveland before we need to stop again."

Liz looked hazily at the trees flashing by outside the window. Before realising they were still stationary. What the hell, she thought, crunching another box of Vicodin. For the first time all day her back wasn't killing her. "Say, Marlie," she said. "Do you remember my performance as Cleopatra? I was sensational."

"You sure were, Liz. An wad aboud me in On Da Wadderfront? Dat ******* Jimmy Dean couldna done dat."

"I don't remember anything," said Michael. "Not even being black."

Bubbles helped himself to a couple of $100 bills from Michael's satchel and got out the car.

"Where you goin?" Marlon asked.

"I'm taking the train. I can't spend another minute with you freaks."

Marlon turned round. Liz was unconscious while Michael leafed through the FAO Schwartz toy catalogue. He checked the satnav. Only another 284 KFCs to Cleveland. It was going to be a long night. But he'd survive.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/05/brando-tayor-jackson-911-car

akatemple

11-25-11, 12:43 AM

^ That is so pathetic.

honeykid

11-25-11, 11:22 AM

Ohio rejects Michigan 'hate plates'
COLUMBUS, Ohio (UPI) -- The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles said each year it rejects dozens of requests for license plates expressing distaste with the University of Michigan.

Bureau officials said they reject about 500 vanity plate requests per year, and among them are dozens of requests from Ohio State University fans for plates mocking or expressing hate for the rival Michigan school, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported Monday.

They said rejected plate requests include FMICHGN, HATEMI, KILBLU, KLMICH, UMBYTS, UMSUXS and UMH8ER.

"The beginning of football season is when people will start ordering their hate-Michigan plates," said Jamie Bryan, assistant registrar for the bureau. Requests follow fads -- when a new movie comes out, when something is in the news.

Officials said the plates are rejected under bureau policy banning "hate plates," which they define as any message expressing hatred for a person or group.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Pastor hands out $100 bills to churchgoers
DEPEW, N.Y. (UPI) -- The pastor of a New York state church said the state of the economy led him to distribute envelopes containing $100 each to churchgoers during a recent service.

The Rev. Christopher Baldwin of The Vine Wesleyan Church in Depew said his church is skipping its usual Christmas Eve request for a special offering from members and instead the envelopes of cash were distributed Sunday to church members and guests over the age of 18, The Buffalo (N.Y.) News reported Monday.

Baldwin said about $8,500 was distributed, with some families that have college-age children receiving multiple envelopes.

"As the Bible says, 'It's more blessed to give than to receive,'" Baldwin said.

He said each envelope contained a $100 bill and a note explaining the cash.

"Traditionally we have taken a special offering at Christmas Eve and we have sent it to a Christ-centered ministry. This year the needs are greater than ever in so many places, including for some of us [in] our own families," the note read. In lieu of taking a Christmas Eve offering this year, we're going to give back to you so that you can meet a need in your own life or the life or ministry of someone else.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

iPhone app leads LAPD to robbery suspect
LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- Los Angeles police say they nabbed an alleged purse snatcher last week with the help of the "Find My Phone" application on the woman's iPhone.

The alleged victim's phone was in the purse and responding officers from Wilshire Division borrowed a citizen's computer to home in on the device.

After looking around the area, the officers spotted a man matching the thief's description and detained him. Just to make sure, the Los Angeles Times said, they dialed the number of the missing phone and heard it ring in the suspect's pocket.

Jason Topper, 34, Chatsworth was placed under arrest for suspicion of armed robbery. Bail for the parolee was set at a stiff $1 million; however, he was allowed to make a phone call.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Couple give $15,000 to stranger
ST. CLOUD, Fla. (UPI) -- A Florida couple said they awarded $15,000 to a 19-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer who tracked down an iPhone thief because he "seemed to be a super kid."

The St. Cloud couple, who asked not to be named, said they read in the newspaper about how Aaron Wood used his iPhone's iCloud technology to track down the device on his iPad after it was lost during a church carnival and confront the person who had the phone, the Orlando Sentinel reported Tuesday.

The couple said they decided to do something to help Wood, who suffers from cerebral palsy.

"He seemed to be a super kid. He's a pretty sharp boy," the man said.

The man and his wife gave Wood two checks totaling $15,000.

"It isn't going to hurt us any," the man said. When we die, whatever little bit we have, somebody else is just going to throw it away, so why not use it now and help someone who needs it.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Burglar left himself logged into Facebook
NORCROSS, Ga. (UPI) -- Police in Georgia said they were searching for a burglary suspect who allegedly left himself logged into Facebook on his victim's computer.

Gwinnett County police allege Trevor Jones, 34, left his car running in the driveway of a home he burglarized near Norcross Nov. 15, and homeowner Stephanie White returned while he was still inside and took his keys and wallet, which contained his identification, from the vehicle, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday.

White drove to the end of the street and saw Jones flee with items from her home, police said.

Investigators allege Jones broke into a second home in the neighborhood later in the day and left himself logged into Facebook on the victim's computer.

White's digital camera was discovered in the second victim's home, police said.

Jones, who was on parole for a previous burglary charge, was being sought on charges of burglary, criminal trespassing and parole violation.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

akatemple

11-25-11, 11:32 AM

Burglar left himself logged into Facebook

HA HA what a dumbass, sometimes I think people just want to get caught, how else can you explain being that stupid.

honeykid

11-25-11, 07:11 PM

Rocky is top sports film
Rocky has fought off competition from Cool Runnings and Million Dollar Baby to be named the country's favourite sports film.

Sylvester Stallone's 1976 movie about underdog boxer Rocky Balboa topped a poll by Lovefilm ahead of the 1993 comedy about the Jamaican Olympic bobsleigh team and Hilary Swank's Oscar-winning turn in Million Dollar Baby.

Lovefilm editor Helen Cowley says, "With the (2012 London) Olympics on their way... sport is a hot topic - from living room to locker room. Whether it is football favourites, bobsleighing blunders or boxing Balboas we love to watch sporting heroes cross the finishing line in style."

The top five is rounded out by Raging Bull and The Wrestler, while other movies in the top 10 include The Blind Side, The Damned United and The Fighter.

http://uk.omg.yahoo.com/news/rocky-top-sports-film-161700241.html

Attenborough top national treasure
Natural history presenter Sir David Attenborough has been named Britain's greatest living national treasure - beating Stephen Fry and Sir Paul McCartney in the poll.

The veteran broadcaster, 85, also triumphed over physicist Professor Stephen Hawking and Harry Potter author JK Rowling to win the title.

Broadcaster and wit Fry was second, followed by former 007 star Sir Sean Connery, and ex-Beatle Sir Paul.

Prof Hawking was fifth, followed by World Cup winning footballer Sir Bobby Charlton, author Rowling, actress Dame Judi Dench, Welsh crooner Sir Tom Jones and Gandhi film director Lord Richard Attenborough, the brother of Sir David.

More than 4,000 people were asked to select Britain's national treasure from a shortlist, in a survey to celebrate the EuroMillions Millionaires Month.

People were asked to vote for the greatest "national living treasure", who they would like to see on a £1 million note. Sir David's image will now feature on the note, which will not be for circulation.

Meanwhile, Sir Sean Connery was named Scotland's "greatest living national treasure". The actor beat off competition from the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Billy Connolly and Sir Chris Hoy to come top of the survey.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/attenborough-top-national-treasure-000931574.html

600 staff let go after Happy Feet 2 flops
Animation sequel turns into disaster for studio after tanking at the U.S. box office
Happy Feet 2’ must have seemed like a sure thing to studio bosses.

A follow-up to the original box office hit, which nabbed the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2006, it had family appeal, an existing fan-base and - most importantly - tap-dancing penguins.

However, after unexpectedly tanking at the box office, the animation has turned into an epic disaster for Dr D Studios; the digital production company behind the film.

According to IF magazine, the Sydney-based company has been forced to lay off around 600 of its near-700-strong staff next month, just before Christmas.

‘Happy Feet 2’ is not even out in the UK yet, but it’s flopping badly in the states. It opened with a respectable-ish £13.7 million, but has only made another £5 million worldwide so far.

The big problem was the enormous budget. According to sources it went £32 million over budget to an estimated £87 million. Word is studio Warner Bros. also spent huge sums marketing the film, anticipating a huge hit.

Going up against ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1’ must also have harmed its prospects.

Dr D Studios was intended to rival Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital in New Zealand (who did the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films) but now the future of the business is extremely uncertain.

Its next project is the long-delayed ‘Fury Road’ starring Tom Hardy - a reboot of Miller’s ‘Mad Max’ franchise, said to be shooting in Namibia after Australia’s rainfall scuppered their plans of creating an arid wasteland there.

IF magazine says that there could be a chance for some staffers to join a new company set up by George Miller and producer Doug Mitchell in the New Year.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/happy-feet-2--600-staff-let-go-after-movie-flops.html

Sedai

11-30-11, 04:50 PM

WOW

From Reason.com

"Last week the parents of a Wisconsin boy sued (http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/lawsuit-filed-by-parents-of-grant-county-boy-accused-of/article_95e9d05e-10c2-11e1-bd3c-001cc4c002e0.html) Grant County District Attorney Lisa Riniker for charging their son with first-degree sexual assault, a Class B felony, after he played "butt doctor" with a 5-year-old girl. He was 6 at the time. When the boy's lawyer tried to have the charge dismissed, Riniker replied: "The legislature could have put an age restriction in the statute if it wanted to. The legislature did no such thing."
According to the complaint (http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2011-11/261455600-18135628.pdf) (PDF), the girl is "the daughter of a well-known political figure in Grant County," and her brother, who is the same age, also was involved in playing doctor but was not charged. In addition to Riniker, the lawsuit names as defendants retired Grant County Sheriff's Sgt. James Kopp and Jan Moravits, an investigator with Grant County Social Services "whose regional supervisor...is the political figure's wife's sister-in-law"—i.e., the aunt of the alleged victim.
Although the boy, now 7, is too young to be prosecuted or named in a juvenile delinquency petitition, Madison.com reports (http://host.madison.com/news/local/crime_and_courts/lawsuit-filed-by-parents-of-grant-county-boy-accused-of/article_95e9d05e-10c2-11e1-bd3c-001cc4c002e0.html), county officials are using the felony charge to force his parents into accepting "protection or services" for him. The lawsuit says that once he turns 18, he will be listed as a sex offender.
I noted a similar case in my July Reason story (http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/14/perverted-justice/singlepage) on sex offender laws."

That's right, a 6-year old by labeled as a sex offender as soon as he turns 18 - ruining his life.

akatemple

11-30-11, 05:50 PM

honeykid

12-01-11, 09:26 AM

Original Superman Comic Fetches Record Price
A copy of the first issue of Action Comics, in which Superman makes his debut, has sold for a record $2.16m (£1.4m).

The comic, graded a 9.0 for its condition, was auctioned online with a reserve price of $900,000.

The name of the seller was not disclosed but there have been claims it was Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage.

The issue was published in 1938 and originally cost just 10 cents - its sale is the first time a comic book has broken the $2m barrier.

"When we broke the record in 2010 by selling the Action Comics No 1, graded at 8.5, for £950,000 ($1.5m), I truly believed that this was a record that would stand for many years to come," said Stephen Fishler, CEO of ComicConnect.com , the site which hosted the auction, and Metropolis Collectibles.

The $2.16m comic set records when it was sold on previous occasions, fetching $86,000 (£55,000) in 1992 and $150,000 (£96,000) in 1997.

In 2000 it was stolen and believed to be lost, but was discovered in a storage shed in California in April this year.

Mr Fishler said collectors believed it would never be found, or worse, have been destroyed.

"Clearly, I was wrong. Not in my wildest imagination could I have predicted that this legendary, stolen Action Comics No 1 would be found, graded at 9.0 and break the record a year-and-a-half later," he added.

Around 100 copies of Action Comics No 1 are believed to be in existence but only a handful in good condition.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/original-superman-comic-sells-record-2m-093738985.html

Man returns money stolen decades ago
SEATTLE (UPI) -- A man who stole money from a Seattle store more than 60 years ago gave the cash back with interest, a store manager said.

Gary Lorentson, manager of the Sears store in downtown Seattle, said an elderly man came into the store around 10 a.m. Monday and gave an envelope labeled "Sears manager" to the customer service desk, KING-TV, Seattle, reported Tuesday.

Lorentson said the envelope contained a $100 bill and a note.

"During the late (forties) I stole some money from the cash register in the amount of $20-$30," the note read. I want to pay you back this money in the amount of $100 to put in your theft account.

Lorentson said the man did not identify himself.

"I think his conscience has been bothering him for the past 60 years," the manager said.

He said the money will be put toward helping needy families during the holiday season.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Christmas photos come with gun backdrops
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (UPI) -- An Arizona gun club is giving families the chance to take Christmas card photos with Santa Claus in front of firearms-themed backdrops. The Scottsdale Gun Club said families can come in during the Santa and Machine Guns event, scheduled for Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and have photos taken with jolly old St. Nick in front of backdrops ranging from an $80,000 Garwood minigun to common pistols, KSAZ-TV, Phoenix, reported Monday.

"I think it's going to be all in fun from those who support the second amendment and those who don't. Whether you're a gun advocate or not, you should have a lot of fun with it," gun club member Richard Jones said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Suspect: Fighting 'what redneck people do'
PALM CITY, Fla. (UPI) -- Police in Florida said a man arrested for allegedly brawling with his son told officers he shouldn't be arrested because "fighting is what redneck people do."

The Martin County Sheriff's Office said Mark Thomas Wach, 43, of Palm City was arrested Nov. 20 on charges, including aggravated domestic assault with a firearm and domestic battery, TCPalm.com reported Monday.

Investigators said Wach's 18-year-old son told deputies he confronted his father about 45 minutes before deputies arrived because the older man was intoxicated and shooting his pistol at the son's lawn mower in the yard of the 18-year-old's home, TCPalm.com said.

The son said he took the handgun from Wach, who left but came back a short time later with a shotgun he allegedly pointed at the younger man. The two men fought until a passing deputy noticed the altercation, investigators said.

Wach allegedly refused to comply with the deputy's demands that he stop fighting and he was shocked three times with a stun gun before being taken into custody.

Deputies said Wach did not understand why he was being arrested.

"He then stated that he shoots in the yard all the time and that fighting is what redneck people do," the arrest report states.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

honeykid

12-06-11, 08:17 PM

Are “communist” Muppets brainwashing kids?
‘The Muppets’ has been accused of brainwashing children with a liberal agenda after making its villain a rich oil baron called Tex Richman.

US TV anchor Eric Bolling, who works for Fox Business Network, said ‘The Muppets’ showed "liberal Hollywood depicting a successful businessman as evil – that's not new,” before asking Dan Gainor of the Media Research Centre if Hollywood is brainwashing children.

“Absolutely,” Gainor replied. “And they've been doing it for decades... Ultimately, what they’re telling kids is what they told you in the movie ‘The Matrix’: that mankind is a virus on poor, old Mother Earth.

“Hollywood, the left, the media, they hate the oil industry. They hate corporate America.”

According to Gainor, TV shows ‘Captain Planet and the Planeteers’, Nickelodeon’s ‘The Big Green Help’ and a recent ‘Sesame Street’ episode also promote liberal views.

Bolling later said: “We’re teaching our kids class warfare. Where are we, Communist China?”

The segment irked progressive watchdog group Media Matters, who put the clip online and it’s since gone viral.

As ridiculous as it might sound to some, this is a serious debate going on in the US, with the New York Daily News and The Huffington Post, MSNBC and The Washington Post all weighing on the topic.

The latter said in an editorial: “There’s one problem with Bolling’s rant: Environmentalism wasn’t mentioned in the movie. The Muppets save their theater because it’s a landmark and their historical home — not because they’re trying to hinder the oil industry’s progress, or save the planet.”

It’s also not the first film to be accused of brainwashing children with liberal bias.

Just last week Kyle Smith of the New York post said about Dreamworks’ ‘Happy Feet 2’: "Penguins are seen being victimized by pollution and other environmental degradations associated with the industrial age. Well played, lefties: This is Kiddie Karl Marx."

"Not only are penguins feminists... but who can forget the way the stars of ‘March of the Penguins’ (and the original ‘Happy Feet’) survived by communitarianism?

Pixar flick ‘Cars 2’ were also attacked by conservative sites for using an oil CEO for a villain, with a blogger for LonelyConservative.com writing:

“We conservatives and believers in free markets are accused of being paranoid when we say the Hollywood industry is trying to indoctrinate our children with left-wing propaganda. But now movie directors and producers are coming out and admitting what they’re doing."

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/are-communist-muppets-brainwashing-kids-.html

will.15

12-06-11, 08:31 PM

Those idiots have been saying that for years.

Rich people have always been bad guys sometimes in movies.

I was watching on one of those channels with old TV shows on Sunday Route 66 and the bad guy was a wealthy miner whose henchmen almost killed an old prospector because they wanted his claim.

Nothing new.

Scrooge was a bad guy until he was visited by angels.

I guess Chinatown is a commie movie.

honeykid

12-07-11, 10:48 AM

School's Darth Vader purchase questioned
TAMPA, Fla. (UPI) -- Florida state lawmakers are questioning a university's decision to spend $10,000 on items including statues of Darth Vader and a Stormtrooper.

State Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, said University of South Florida Polytechnic regional Chancellor Marshall Goodman's decision to spend the money on the statues of the "Star Wars" characters, as well as a statue of the titular character from E.T. and a replica of Captain Kirk's chair from Star Trek marks another example of questionable expenditures at a time when we're trying to stretch education dollars across all the various needs that we have, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Tuesday.

Dockery and state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, asked Goodman last week for an audit after he was accused of mismanaging the school's money. Dockery said Goodman has not responded to the request.

The university said the sci-fi items were purchased to "encourage inspiration beyond conventional thought" for business students.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Tires stolen off sheriff's new cruiser
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (UPI) -- A South Carolina sheriff's department said someone stole the tires off a new cruiser while it was waiting to be detailed and left it on cinder blocks.

Dorchester County sheriff's deputies said the car was left overnight Monday at Mr. Sign in Summerville so it could be detailed with law enforcement markings and shop manager Jamie Lucarelli arrived at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday to find the tires had been stolen and the car was on cinder blocks, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier, Charleston reported Wednesday.

"They jacked it up, grabbed the wheels and took off," Lucarelli said. They were brave.

Deputies said the new radial tires were valued at $1,600 total.

"It just shows nobody is immune," Sheriff's Maj. John Garrison said. If they'll take it from us, they'll take it from anybody.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Husband listed for sale on Craigslist
LOGAN, Utah (UPI) -- A Utah woman said she listed her husband for sale on Craigslist "just for fun" because of the amount of time he spends playing video games.

Alyse Baddley of Logan said her war veteran husband, Kyle, has spent so much time playing "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare," she decided to list him for sale on the Web site, The (Logan) Herald Journal reported Monday.

"I didn't see him much at all. So one day I told him: 'I am going to post you on Craigslist, you know,'" Alyse said. My mother-in-law said: 'Do it!'

Alyse said she received several responses within hours of posting "One husband to the highest bidder" on Craigslist.

"We didn't think we would get any responses at all, but we've gotten so many," Alyse said. Someone even offered a blue bag of Skittles.

Kyle, who said he finished the game within a few days, said he has enjoyed reading the responses with Alyse.

"I love my wife. She supported me when I got the game. We stayed until midnight to get the game when it first came out," he said. It's just funny.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Drunk driver called 911 on himself
MERRILL, Wis. (UPI) -- Authorities in Wisconsin said a 21-year-old man called 911 to report himself for driving drunk and ask to be taken to jail.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said the Merrill man, whose name was not released, called 911 prior to 9 p.m. Sunday and told the dispatcher he was driving drunk and wanted to be arrested, WSAW-TV, Wausau, Wis., reported Tuesday.

The man complied with the dispatcher's instructions to pull his vehicle over and he was located and arrested on a charge of first offense operating while intoxicated.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Carjackers foiled by stick shift
VALLEJO, Calif. (UPI) -- Police in California said three would-be carjackers were foiled because the vehicle they targeted had a manual transmission.

Vallejo police said the men, at least two of them armed with handguns, approached a man in front of his home around 7:10 p.m. Saturday while he was unloading groceries from his car, the Vallejo Times-Herald reported Monday.

Police said the attackers, each around 20 years old, forced the man to the ground and took the keys to his car, then fled after discovering they were unable to operate the stick shift.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

honeykid

12-09-11, 02:02 PM

Teacher sorry for revealing Santa secret
NANUET, N.Y. (UPI) -- A teacher in New York state has apologized for breaking the news to her second-graders that there is no Santa Claus, the White Plains Journal reports.

The newspaper said Leatrice Ann Eng of Pear River, who teaches at Nanuet's George W. Miller Elementary School issued her apology Wednesday, the day after she allegedly spilled the beans about Santa.

School and district officials found themselves peppered with questions after word spread that Eng had told her young students Santa did not exist and Christmas presents came from their parents. Her disclosure came after the kids told her they knew about the North Pole because that is where Santa lives.

The Journal said school officials are keeping their lips zipped.

"This matter is being discussed internally, and it would be inappropriate for me to comment further," Superintendent Mark McNeill told the newspaper last week.

Some Nanuet parents also were mum on the subject when contacted Sunday, the Journal said.

"The people who live in this town are sick and tired of hearing about it," said Maureen Nicolich, a member of the Nanuet Elementary PTA. Drop it.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Man stuck in snowdrift for three days
NOME, Alaska (UPI) -- A 52-year-old Alaska man is back home after spending three days trapped in his Toyota Tacoma when he hit a snowdrift more than 40 miles north of Nome.

Clifton Vial, 52, of Nome, said he decided to drive along a northbound road to see how far it would take him Monday night and he found himself stuck in a snowdrift more than 40 miles out of town with only tennis shoes, jeans and a $30 Sears jacket to keep himself warm, the Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News reported Monday.

Vial said he periodically turned the truck on for heat and radio, but mostly stayed warm using a fleece sleeping bag liner and bath towels wrapped around his feet and legs. He said he had nothing to eat but a few cans of Coors Light, which he consumed by removing the tops an digging the contents out with a knife.

Rescuers finally arrived Thursday with a Snickers bar and an orange soda for Vial, who was not noticed missing until he failed to show up for work Tuesday. He said his wife and daughter had been out of town.

Vial said he planned to return to work Monday.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Carjacker foiled by victim's texting
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UPI) -- Police in Missouri said an accused carjacker was arrested after a passenger exchanged text messages with a friend in a following car.

Kansas City police said Antonio Jackson, 27, of Kansas City, allegedly pointed a gun at two women who were leaving a party at the Peanut bar downtown and ordered them to get into the front seats of their Toyota Highlander when he discovered they were not carrying any cash, the Kansas City Star reported Monday.

The gunman ordered the women to take him to an ATM, but a friend leaving the party approached the vehicle before they left and asked the women if they were OK. The friend, who could not see through the tinted windows to see Jackson in the back seat, said the woman responded they were OK, but he was worried by the driver's facial expression and decided to follow the sport-utility vehicle.

The man sent a text message to the passenger asking again if the women were OK, and she responded, "No, call cops."

The man continued to follow the SUV and called 911.

Police said the driver withdrew $300 from an ATM and gave it to the carjacker before police pulled the vehicle over.

Jackson, who was found in possession of the $300 as well as a semi-automatic handgun with two live rounds of ammunition, was charged with first-degree robbery, kidnapping and two counts of armed criminal action. He was jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Occupy protester gets Wall Street job
NEW YORK (UPI) -- An Occupy Wall Street protester landed a job with a New York investment firm by holding a sign saying she was seeking "full-time employment."

Tracy Postert said she spent 15 days as part of the protest at Zuccotti Park before landing a job with John Thomas Financial Brokerage, the New York Post reported Monday.

Postert said she was on the 10th day of her protest when Wayne Kaufman, chief market analyst for the firm, spotted her sign reading, "Ph.D. Biomedical Scientist seeking full-time employment."

Kaufman took a copy of her resume and a few days later, she was called in for an interview.

"I had been unemployed for so long, I thought why not?" Postert said.

She said she accepted a position as a junior analyst evaluating medical companies as potential investments. Postert said her starting salary is near minimum wage, but she was told she could eventually make six figures with the company.

"She was ranting about Wall Street, and now she's working on Wall Street. Banks are not so bad. I hope we have opened her eyes," Chief Executive Officer Thomas Belesis said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

DexterRiley

12-09-11, 08:20 PM

^ 6 years old that is just so wrong, why isn't the victim's brother being charged. If the kid was 6 and guessing the girl was 6 or around there, that's just kids being dumbass's. I don't think that should haunt him for the rest of his life, but America's entire legal/political system is broken so who knows.

Its crazy, but once again satire site the Onion lays out teh reality that for reasons i cannot fathom "legit" news agencies walk around on eggshells over.

Nation's 10-Year-Old Boys: 'If You See Someone Raping Us, Please Call The Police'
'Doesn't Matter Who, Doesn't Matter Where,' Children Say

http://o.onionstatic.com/images/articles/article/26/26724/10Year_Olds-635.jpg
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA—In the wake of the sex abuse scandal that rocked Penn State earlier this month, a coalition of 10-year-old boys from across the nation held a press conference Saturday outside Beaver Stadium, home of college football's Nittany Lions, to remind Americans that if they see someone raping a prepubescent boy, they should contact the police immediately.

"Considering that the monstrous acts perpetrated by Jerry Sandusky went unreported for years, even after a fellow coach saw him raping a 10-year-old boy inside the facility behind me, we feel perhaps not everyone is totally clear on what to do if one witnesses such a thing," said spokesperson Joshua Pearson, who was flanked by several of his fifth-grade colleagues. "Many of you will no doubt be relieved to know the proper course of action is really quite simple: Just contact the police. Call 911, go to your local precinct, stop an officer on the street—the bottom line is, if you see one of us getting raped, notify the police, and do so as quickly as possible."

"It doesn't matter who the boy being raped is, and it doesn't matter who is doing the raping, just please, please alert law enforcement," Pearson added as the 10-year-old boys surrounding him nodded soberly. "And by the way, under no circumstances is it ever okay for an adult to rape a 10-year-old boy, so you really can't go wrong by calling the police when something like that happens."

http://o.onionstatic.com/images/articles/article/26/26724/10Year_Olds-Jump-R_jpg_600x1000_q85.jpg
This man was spotted raping a 10-year-old boy on Mar. 1, 2002. So the police should have been called on Mar. 1, 2002. Understand?

Pearson fielded several questions from reporters, such as whether it is okay, when one sees a boy being raped, to wait until after lunch before contacting police, or if it is acceptable to simply inform the rapist in a firm tone that what he is doing is wrong and then leave it at that. The 10-year-old confirmed neither course of action was adequate.

Additionally, Pearson attempted to clear up any confusion as to whether an individual should contact the police even if he or she has been personally acquainted with the rapist for many years.

"We understand the delicacy of the situation when the person committing the rape is a coworker or otherwise someone you know quite well, but as 10-year-old boys with very few ways of protecting ourselves, we still have to insist that you go to the police," Pearson said. "While we appreciate your reporting such acts to a supervisor at work or a trusted clergy member, unfortunately that may not be enough, and it is not the most responsible course of action. As the sad events at Penn State have taught us, there is no way to guarantee the highly important boy-raping information will reach the proper authorities unless you deliver it yourself."

"So, to reiterate: If you ever see a 10-year-old boy being raped—by anyone, at any time, even if it's a Sunday afternoon—it is very, very important that you go directly to the police and clearly explain what you saw, remembering to identify the person who was doing the raping," Pearson continued.

According to Pearson, even if one merely suspects he or she has seen a 10-year-old boy being raped, but is not absolutely certain, it is still a good idea to play it safe and allow police investigators to sort out the situation.

"Wouldn't you be left with egg on your face if that little boy was actually being raped and you didn't tell the police!" said Pearson, drawing a big laugh from the gathered crowd.

The nation's 10-year-olds unanimously echoed Pearson's sentiments, imploring people to contact police not only when they see prepubescent boys being raped, but, in fact, when they see anyone at all being raped, in any context.

"Certainly, if you were to see me being raped, I would want you to call the police—I'm a 10-year-old boy who couldn't possibly give my consent, or even fully grasp the horror of what was happening to me," Sioux Falls, SD resident Nick Kealey, 10, said between games of Mario Kart DS. "What's really at issue here is the act of rape itself. So, yes, if you see a 10-year-old boy like me being raped, by all means, call the police. But don't just walk on by if you see, say, a teenage girl being raped in a locker room, or even a full-grown man being raped in an alleyway. These are also situations in which you should definitely call the police, and right away."

"Seeing any person get raped at any time, even just once, is more than enough reason to contact the police," Kealey added. "I can't stress that enough."

Following Saturday's announcement, police stations around the country reported a flood of incoming phone calls.

http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/articles/nations-10yearold-boys-if-you-see-someone-raping-u,26724/

DexterRiley

12-09-11, 08:30 PM

Air Force gives Lockheed Martin millions to fix busted Lockheed Martin plane

The F-22 Raptor, the world's coolest and most pointless fighter, keeps trying to asphyxiate its pilots

http://media.salon.com/2011/10/air-force-460x307.jpg

You know how if you buy something that’s really expensive and it turns out that it’s broken you ask the company that made the thing to fix it, for free, under some sort of “warranty”? That is not how things work in defense contracting. The Air Force is giving Lockheed Martin $24 million to figure out why pilots keep passing out from lack of oxygen while flying in Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptors, the most expensive fighters ever built.

Wired’s Danger Room reports:

On no fewer than 20 occasions since 2008, Raptor pilots have reported mid-air black-outs, disorientation and other symptoms of oxygen deprivation — a.k.a., “hypoxia” — possibly related to the stealth fighter’s On-Board Oxygen Generation System, built by Honeywell.

Haha, whoops. Well, when you’re only able to spend $66.7 billion on a fleet of supermaneuverable stealth fighter aircraft, these things will happen.

Mid-air blackouts in stealth fighters seems pretty serious! It’s a good thing we don’t actually need these planes, because billion-dollar fighters are essentially pointless unless we seriously expect a full-on old-fashioned World War to break out between us and China and Russia and maybe Australia.

Congratulations to America for winning the “world’s coolest fighter plane” contest. It looked like a close race up until all the other competitors gave up 20 years ago. Maybe someone should just give the Pentagon a neat trophy so they stop building these insane things.

http://www.salon.com/2011/10/27/air_force_gives_lockheed_martin_millions_to_fix_busted_lockheed_martin_plane/singleton/

honeykid

12-10-11, 10:49 AM

Thief tries to sell woman stolen jewelry
IMMOKALEE, Fla. (UPI) -- Collier County, Fla., police say a man attempted to sell jewelry to a store manager whose home he allegedly had just burglarized.

Nathaniel Coleman, 33, walked into Marilyn's Boutique in Immokalee, Fla., Monday and approached the manager about selling several pieces of jewelry, the Naples (Fla.) Daily News reported.

As the manager looked at the jewelry, she recognized the items as her own, police said.

The woman, whose name was not reported, asked Coleman to excuse her for a moment while she went to the back of the store to call her husband to come to the store, a police report said.

The police report said deputies and the woman's husband arrived at the store at about the same time. Officers then transported the woman and Coleman to the Immokalee police station for further questioning.

Meanwhile, the woman's husband and deputies went to the victim's home where they discovered the back door forced open and the house ransacked, the report said.

Coleman was arrested and now faces charges of grand theft, dealing in stolen property and defrauding a pawnbroker.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Women's shoe heels portend austerity
ARMONK, N.Y. (UPI) -- The heels on U.S. women's shoes remain high -- as they often do during poor economic times, but an IBM official says the company's analysis portends a change.

"Usually, in an economic downturn, heels go up and stay up -- as consumers turn to more flamboyant fashions as a means of fantasy and escape," Dr. Trevor Davis, a consumer products expert with IBM Global Business Services, said in a statement. This time, something different is happening -- perhaps a mood of long term austerity is evolving among consumers sparking a desire to reduce ostentation in everyday settings.

The relationship of shoe styles to the economy has been tracked for at least 100 years. The low-heeled flapper shoes in the 1920s were replaced with high-heel pumps and platforms during the Great Depression.

During the 1970s oil crisis, the platform shoe made a comeback reversing the preference for low-heeled sandals in the late 1960s, while the low, thick heels of the 1990s "grunge" period gave way to Sex and the City -inspired stilettos following the dot-com bust at the turn of the century, Davis said.

An analysis of the last four years of social media showed discussions of increasing heel height peaked toward the end of 2009 and declined after that, but key trend-watching bloggers from 2008 to 2009 wrote consistently about heels from 5 to 8 inches. By mid-2011 they were writing about the return of the kitten heel and the perfect flat from Jimmy Choo and Louboutin.

"This is not to say that the sky-high heels have gone, rather that, as the economic downturn has worn on, they are discussed as glamwear and not for the office or shopping trip," Davis said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Toast argument lands sister in jail
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said they arrested a 21-year-old woman who allegedly attacked her sister during an argument about toast.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said Maria Victoria Acevedo, 21, of Wesley Chapel, walked into the kitchen of her home around 1:40 p.m. Sunday and became enraged when she saw her 16-year-old sister using her bread to make toast, the St. Petersburg Times reported Thursday.

Investigators said the sister apologized, but Acevedo was not satisfied and she struck the younger girl twice in the head with a 6-inch metal cooking pot, pulled her hair and slammed her head into the ground.

The sister fled into her bedroom and sent a Facebook message to a cousin asking to call for help.

The incident was witnesses by the third sister, deputies said.

Acevedo was charged with domestic battery and released from the Land O'Lakes jail without bond.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

honeykid

12-13-11, 06:29 PM

OK, forget all the bollocks about OWS, the banks, religion and everything else. Things just got serious.

Worldwide cocoa shortage to send chocolate prices soaring

Make the most of your chocolate treats this Christmas and start stock-pilling those Celebrations tins, they may not be around for much longer as experts predict that a cocoa crisis is imminent.

We will have a million-ton cocoa shortage within eight years, forcing the price of chocolate to rise significantly.

Industry insiders say the growing demand for chocolate in areas where it wasn’t previously popular means cocoa farmers need an area the size of the Ivory Coast to produce more cocoa.

Angus Kennedy, a leading British chocolatier, told The Express: “Part of the problem is the growing demand for chocolate in Asia where countries such as China are turning more towards Western tastes.”

If they do not receive more help to boost cocoa bean crops, prices will push chocolate into a delicacy price bracket and we will be forced to find less appealing chocolate substitutes in the market that “don’t melt in your mouth” says Kennedy.

This could make the price of chocolate leap as manufacturers will be forced to increase the use of nuts and other fillings to add bulk to their bars.

The topic of the looming cocoa shortage was a major issue at a recent confectionery conference, Confection Expo, in November.

Kennedy points out that the demand is not the only reason for the potential chocolate crisis but because of the lack of knowledge of how to produce the best yield of cocoa beans and look after them.

“Our ability to produce more cocoa is extremely limited at the moment and that’s because the farming practices are still archaic.”

But how will this affect the chocolate you buy on the high street?

It’s more likely that the chocolate favourites from Mars, Cadbury and Nestle will suffer. Last year London chocolatier Marc Demarquette warned: “Galaxy, Creme Eggs, every kind of £1 chocolate bar will be a thing of the past.”

While John Mason, founder of the Ghana-based Nature Conservation Research Council, forecast something much worse: “In 20 years chocolate will be like caviar. It will become so rare and so expensive that the average Joe just won’t be able to afford it.”
http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/worldwide-cocoa-shortage-to-send-chocolate-prices-soaring.html

If I don't get my chocolate, I'll be on the streets... Armed and dangerous.

akatemple

12-13-11, 07:03 PM

I love reading about the stupid really stupid stuff other people do, I think it makes me feel superior or something.
And it's a good thing I don't eat chocolate, so nothing to worry about there.

honeykid

12-13-11, 07:10 PM

Are we on the cusp of something extraordinary? It looks as if we might be.

Scientists home in on missing link of physics
GENEVA (Reuters) - International scientists said on Tuesday they had found signs of the Higgs boson, an elementary sub-atomic particle believed to have played a vital role in the creation of the universe after the Big Bang.

Peter Higgs, the 82-year-old British theoretical physicist who first proposed the existence of the particle in 1964 as the missing link of a grand theory of matter and energy, was watching the announcement on a webcast with colleagues at Edinburgh University, where he is an emeritus professor.

"I won't be going home to open a bottle of whisky to drown my sorrows, but on the other hand I won't be going home to open a bottle of champagne either," his colleague Alan Walker quoted him as saying after the announcement.

The leaders of two experiments, Atlas and CMS, revealed their findings to a packed seminar at the CERN physics research centre near Geneva, where they have tried to find traces of the elusive boson by smashing particles together at near light-speed in the Large Hadron Collider.

The experiments generated such excitement by independently reaching very similar conclusions. But the scientists were quick to warn that their results have not yet reached the level of certainty that would let them claim a discovery -- hence Higgs's caution.

Under what is known as the Standard Model of Physics, the boson is posited to have been the agent that gave mass and energy to matter after the creation of the universe 13.7 billion years ago - leading some to nickname it the "God particle."

Its discovery would fill the last remaining hole in the model. However, that does not mean it must exist, and some eminent physicists such as Stephen Hawking believe it does not.

"If the Higgs observation is confirmed ... this really will be one of the discoveries of the century," said Themis Bowcock, professor of particle physics at Britain's Liverpool University.

"Physicists will have uncovered a keystone in the makeup of the universe ... whose influence we see and feel every day of our lives."

BIG BANG CONDITIONS

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, a vast underground particle accelerator that costs 200,000 Swiss francs (138,567 pounds) an hour to run, is designed to recreate the conditions of the Big Bang to allow particles such as the Higgs boson to be found and studied.

While the boson's discovery would cement current knowledge about particles such as electrons and photons, proof that it does not exist would undermine the foundations of accepted theories of the make-up of the universe.

The particle is so short-lived that it can only be detected from the particles that it decays into. In the course of millions of collisions, the scientists are hunting for a significant excess of a particular combination of decay particles.

Although they are now converging on a particular profile for the Higgs, they will need another year's worth of such collisions to rule out a statistical fluke.

"The window for the Higgs mass gets smaller and smaller," said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer. "But please be prudent. Remember, we have not found it yet, nor have we excluded it yet. There is still Higgs hunting to be done."

Oliver Buchmueller, senior physicist on the CMS experiment, said: "It can still happen that it is a fluctuation, but all we see from both experiments is compatible with what we would expect for a Higgs signal to build up...

"But we really need the data from next year to be sure of what we're seeing."

Claire Shepherd-Themistocleus, head of the CMS Group at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, said: "We are homing in on the Higgs ...

"We have had hints today of what its mass might be and the excitement of scientists is palpable. Whether this is ultimately confirmed or we finally rule out a low-mass Higgs boson, we are on the verge of a major change in our understanding of the fundamental nature of matter."

(Reporting by Robert Evans, additional reporting by Kate Kelland in London, writing by Tom Miles; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/scientists-hone-search-missing-higgs-boson-144254211.html

honeykid

12-13-11, 07:16 PM

I'm never quite convinced by these stories, but here's another one anyway.

Punter wins £38k by betting on wrong game
A lucky punter ended up winning over £38,000 on a football accumulator bet despite picking the wrong match by mistake.

The unnamed punter from Northern Ireland placed £50 on an 11-match accumulator of matches from around Europe but thought he had lost when he saw one of his selections, Benfica, lost 1-0 to Maritimo in the Portuguese Cup.

However, he had actually selected Benfica to win a league game between the two sides the following week by mistake, and when Benfica went on to win that rematch 1-0, the punter had scored an unlikely windfall of £38,058.71.

"The customer placed the bet on the evening of 1st December, all for fixtures last weekend (3rd & 4th December)," explained Charlie McCann of Victor Chandler.

"We were surprised to see that ten of the predictions made over the weekend were correct, but there was one outstanding game for Sunday night (11th), Benfica against Maritimo in the Liga Sagres.

"We thought this was unusual and looked back to see who Benfica played on the previous weekend and it was Maritimo but in the Portugese Cup which they lost 2-1.

"We contacted the punter to let him know what we considered to be his lucky mistake and he confirmed that he thought the bet was placed for the Cup game last weekend, and not for Sunday's league game.

"His intended selection lost but by happy accident, he ended up winning £38,000 - better to be a lucky punter than a good one perhaps."
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/article/80025/

akatemple

12-13-11, 10:42 PM

Two-Snouted Cyclops Pig Born In China (PHOTO)

12/13/11

Although he may not look like it, the animal pictured below is actually a pig.
The animal, which was born at a farm owned by Xiao Jintu in China's Fujian Province (http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/884605-pig-with-two-snouts-and-cyclops-eye-born-in-rural-china), has two snouts and a cyclops eye in the middle of its head, according to Metro.
HuffPost UK reports that the strange piglet was the fifth of his litter (http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/12/one-eyed-two-snouted-cyclops-pig_n_1143104.html), and has not yet been named.
This little guy isn't the first two-snouted pig born in China (http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/884605-pig-with-two-snouts-and-cyclops-eye-born-in-rural-china), reports Metro. Bai Xuejin, who raised a two-snouted pig in Jilin province said, "We knew something was different because her head was so large we had to help when her mother gave birth."
Deformed pigs aren't the only weird animals making the news recently. In July, a fisherman in Mexico caught a pregnant shark with a cyclops fetus inside it (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/18/cyclops-shark-found-scientists_n_1017893.html) that "looks more like a happy cartoon character than a real shark."
In September, a two-headed cat from Massachusetts named "Frankenlouie" (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/two-headed-cat-frankenlouie-turns-12_n_984158.html) celebrated its twelfth birthday. He holds a Guinness World Record for being the longest-lived Janus cat (a name derived from the two-faced Roman god).
Some weird animals come in smaller, and cuter, packages. "Teeny" and "Tiny" are the names of a two-headed razorback musk turtle (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/worlds-smallest-two-headed-turtle_n_1097848.html#s478578&title=Twoheaded_animals_and) from California that's about the size of a nickel.
Some contend that putting unusual-looking animals on display is cruel. Heidi, a cross-eyed opossum from Germany (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/heidi-cross-eyed-opossum-photos-pictures_n_985001.html) which died in September, suffered from esotropia due to malnutrition earlier in life.
Regarding Heidi and other unusual animals, Edmund Haferbeck, an animal expert with Germany's branch of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told the Associated Press (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/12/cross-eyed-opossum-heidi_n_807896.html), "These animals are put on show for millions of people, but afterward they remain incurably crippled."
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/437635/PIGLET.jpg

.

honeykid

12-15-11, 07:50 PM

Group targets 'Christ in Christmas' sign
PITMAN, Pa. (UPI) -- A national group advocating separation of church and state says a Pennsylvania town's sign reading, "Keep Christ in Christmas" violates the Constitution.

Andrew Seidel, a consultant with the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Wisconsin, said a Pitman, Pa., resident complained to his group about having to pass the downtown sign located near a group of shops, every day on his way to work, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday.

Seidel said his group believes the borough is violating the U.S. Constitution by allowing the sign to promote Christmas and Christianity on public property.

"'Keep Christ in Christmas' is so blatantly an endorsement of a single religious view," he said. You can't be free to believe what you believe if the government is picking a corner, taking a side. It makes all non-adherents feel like political outsiders, and it's not OK for government to make people feel they don't belong.

The sign, which is sponsored by Catholic fraternal organization the Knights of Columbus, has been hung in downtown Pitman annually for several years.

"If you took a poll, I doubt you'd find many people against it," said Dennis Merlino, an official with the Knights of Columbus in nearby Mantua. I don't know why it is that people think that because you put up a sign, you're against everything else.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Police: Suspect asked for 'his weed back'
MIDLAND, Pa. (UPI) -- Police in Pennsylvania said a man charged with marijuana possession asked if he could "have his weed back" when he was released from custody.

Public defender Mitchell Shaheen argued unsuccessfully in Beaver County Court to have the charges dropped against his client, Devonte Davon Jeter, 19, of Midland, who was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after a bag of marijuana was found at his feet during a May 13 traffic stop, the Beaver County Times reported Tuesday.

Sheehan told the court Monday the marijuana could have belonged to any of the four men in the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. The defense attorney said his client had told officers he had intended to purchase the marijuana but had not yet made the transaction.

However, officer Bruce Clark testified Jeter had claimed ownership of the marijuana when he was released from police custody.

"Mr. Jeter asked if he could have his weed back," Clark testified.

"I don't know what else 'Can I have my weed back' can mean, other than it's his," prosecutor Kevin Kindred said.

The charges were held for court.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Study: Occasional cursing can ease pain
STAFFORDSHIRE, England (UPI) -- Occasional cursing can help relieve pain, but swearing doesn't have the same effect for those who do it often, a British study says.

The study by Keele University in Staffordshire, England, found participants who held their hands in a container of ice water and repeated a swear word could keep their hands in the water an average of 40 seconds longer than those who repeated a word other than a curse, the Des Moines (Iowa) Register reported.

But the study, published in the December American Journal of Pain, found nine of the 67 participants didn't benefit from swearing while holding their hands in the ice water.

And the study found those who swear as many as 60 times a day receive less pain relief than those who curse a few times a day. People who curse frequently do so without an emotional response, which reduces the pain-relieving effects, the study said.

"Language is known to provide emotional relief, but the effects in pain relief would be modest at best," said Steve Faux, a Drake University psychology professor. It's a cute study, but not particularly ground-breaking. I don't think the makers of Advil have anything to worry about.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Teacher suspended for hosing student
DUNEDIN, Fla. (UPI) -- A Florida school board suspended for 10 days without pay a teacher who hosed down a pre-kindergarten student who soiled his clothes.

Stephanie Wilson, 52, a teacher at Dunedin Elementary who has been teaching for 30 years, received the suspension from the Pinellas County School Board after she hosed down the student at the side of the building Oct. 28 when he soiled his diaper and pants while playing outside, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Friday.

The punishment, which will cost Wilson $3,010, was recommended by Superintendent John Stewart.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Found money produces many claimants
DULUTH, Minn. (UPI) -- A Duluth, Minn., newsman who found some cash says the ad he ran in the newspaper produced no fewer than 18 calls from folks claiming they lost money recently.

Jaime DeLage, a night editor at the Duluth News Tribune, said in a column Saturday that he placed the ad recently after finding some money in the street while walking his dogs.

"It wasn't much," he wrote, "but I live in a pretty close-to-the-bone neighborhood and I pictured some single mom dropping it while wrestling with a baby and a couple of shopping bags. So I placed the ad.

'Found: Chunk of cash. Tell me where and how much.' Boy did I get some phone calls."

DeLage said 18 people got in touch to say they had lost money in the Duluth area. One caller said their son had lost a deposit envelope with about $500 in it. Another dropped $120 outside a curling club, yet another a couple of hundred outside a Walmart. A woman said $5,000 was missing from her purse and a man said he was missing $26,000 in receipts from the Bayfront Blues Festival.

DeLage said so far none matched with the cash he found.

"I'll give it one more week," he wrote.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

honeykid

12-16-11, 08:35 AM

Meteor shower watcher drives off cliff
LOS ANGELES (UPI) -- A man trying to watch the Geminid meteor shower drove his Mustang off a cliff in the Angeles National Forest in California, officials said Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Times said the man plunged 100 feet over a hill Tuesday night. The California Highway Patrol said a helicopter search team rescued the man, who was able to walk away with minor injuries.

The best time for viewing the Geminid meteor shower, which originated in the constellation Gemini, was between 10 p.m. Tuesday and sunrise Wednesday, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

School gives belts to sagging pupils
ROCK HILL, S.C. (UPI) -- Administrators at a South Carolina high school said students caught with saggy pants will now receive loaner belts instead of written referrals.

William Cureton, an administrative assistant and assistant football coach for Northwestern High School in Rock Hill, said he came up with the idea for the loaner belts after talking to colleagues who were similarly frustrated by students whose pants sag beneath their underwear, the Rock Hill Herald reported Monday.

"We see kids with their britches hanging down all the time," Cureton said. We want to change the culture.

Cureton said school administrators have come up with a slogan for the policy, "Pull 'em up, and buckle 'em up."

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

I think we can file this one under "Don't do drugs, m'kay"

Man trashed house, thought woman trapped
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah (UPI) -- Police in Utah said a man who had taken a substance destroyed the inside of his father's home because he was convinced his girlfriend was trapped in the walls.

West Valley City police said the man, who had apparently overdosed on a substance, called for help Saturday afternoon and told officers he had heard his girlfriend calling from help from behind the walls of the home, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Monday.

Police said they found the man had destroyed the interior of the home, which belongs to his father, who was out of town at the time of the incident.

Investigators said they found the girlfriend was vacationing in Texas and was unaware of the incident.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

DexterRiley

12-23-11, 08:30 AM

Man misses mouse and shoots roommate, revealing child rapist

So much Fail can sometimes lead to goodness.

I will note that the girl involved never said she was being held against her will; legally this doesnt matter but...its odd they even left that in and even more odd the story used the word "Affair" to suggest it was consensual.

By David Edwards
Thursday, December 22, 2011

A Utah man who was trying to kill a mouse ended up shooting one roommate and getting another arrested for child rape, while a fourth roommate slept through the whole thing.

Taylorsville Police Sgt. Tracy Wyant told Deseret News that the first roommate, 27, had been trying to kill a rodent when he missed and the round went through the kitchen wall and struck a second roommate, 28.

“After the gun was fired, both the roommate and Paul heard a scream,” Wyant explained.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/12/22/man-misses-mouse-and-shoots-roommate-revealing-child-rapist/

Officers responding to the scene early Tuesday morning found a 13-year-old girl hiding in a basement closet. She told police she had been having an affair with the third roommate, 34-year-old Paul Daniel Kunzler.
During an interview, the Children’s Justice Center determined that the girl had been having sex with Kunzler over a period of four months. He was arrested on suspicion of two counts of rape of a child, three counts of sodomy of a child and three counts of sexual abuse of a child. A fourth roommate, Zach Baker, told Fox 13 that he slept through the gunfire. “I got woken up by the cops,” Baker said. “They came storming in my room, checking to make sure everybody was OK and nobody was shot or anything like that.” “I’d never seen the girl there before and I don’t know how long she’d been there,” he added. “They said she’d been hiding in a closet and that creeps me out. … I knew the guy was weird, but I didn’t expect anything like that to happen.” The roommate who was shot in the chest was taken to a local hospital, and was later upgraded from serious to stable condition, according to KSL. The roommate who fired the gun was not arrested. Charges could be possible after prosecutors review the case.

robin01

12-26-11, 12:39 AM

The clergyman, in his 50s, told medical staff at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital that the accident was definitely not due to a sex game.

honeykid

12-30-11, 12:08 PM

N.J. cop arrested for DWI after DWI class
MIDLAND PARK, N.J. (UPI) -- A Midland Park, N.J., police officer was arrested for drunken driving after consuming alcohol during a state police class on DWI arrests, authorities say.

During the Thursday class taught by the New Jersey State Police, Midland Park police officer Joseph B. Gaeta was given measured amounts of alcohol to test its affect on his physical abilities, the Midland Park Suburban News reported

After the class, Gaeta was driven home by another officer, Wyckoff police Chief Benjamin Fox said.

Once home, Gaeta, 31, got on his four-wheel all-terrain vehicle and began driving on a residential street, which authorities said is illegal.

Gaeta was attempting to make a turn when he lost control of the ATV and flipped it.

Fox said Gaeta sustained serious facial injures for which he was hospitalized. He had surgery Saturday.

Gaeta, who had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13 percent, was charged with driving while intoxicated and given several other citations related to the illegal operation of an all-terrain vehicle.

"I've honestly never run across a situation like this in 43 years," said Midland Park police Chief John Casson. I'm not sure at what point his status [with the department] could change.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Thieves steal from suspected shoplifters
OGDEN, Utah (UPI) -- Two people cited for allegedly shoplifting in Ogden, Utah, in turn discovered just minutes later they were victims of theft, police said.

Korin Vanhouten, 47 and Eldon Alexander, 36, were stopped shortly after leaving a WinCo by a police officer who suspected they left without paying for cotton swabs, makeup and batteries, the Ogden Standard-Examiner reported Friday.

The officer cited them for shoplifting.

When the pair returned to Alexander's pickup truck in the store's parking lot, they noticed someone had entered the unlocked truck and stole a stereo amplifier, a drum machine and cigarettes.

Police Lt. Tony Fox said he had never seen anything like it in his entire career.

The items the two were suspected of shoplifting were worth $26, while the worth of their stolen possessions was about $60, Fox estimated.

Police were investigating.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Diamond ring put in Salvation Army kettle
MIAMI (UPI) -- A mystery woman put a $2,000 diamond and sapphire ring, plus $50 for good measure, in a Salvation Army kettle in Miami, a spokeswoman for the charity said.

Salvation Army Capt. Linda Payton told Miami's WTVJ-TV her office got a call from the anonymous woman about 1 p.m. Friday.

"She said that she had just left something in the kettle in front of Kmart and that it was something special," Payton said.

So off to Kmart, Payton went, and she brought the kettle back to the office.

"Inside the kettle was, wrapped in a rubber band, a $50 bill and inside the $50 bill was a note, and inside the note was a ring," Payton said.

The note said: "They need more than I. Do good! A Friend."

The ring, which features two diamonds ad a sapphire, was immediately appraised at $2,000, Payton said.

Last Christmas holiday season, someone deposited a gold nugget in a Miami kettle with a note expressing a similar sentiment. The nugget sold for $4,000 at auction.

"It's just wonderful for the community, we're just the conduit, they're the ones who will receive it," Payton said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

honeykid

01-01-12, 04:14 PM

Wasn't sure that this warranted a thread of its own, so I'm putting it here and hoping those who're interested find it.

LG to sell 55in ultra-thin OLED TV
For flat-panel TVs, the choice for years has been between plasma and LCD but in the coming year there will be another choice, at least for those prepared to spend big.

LG Electronics says it is planning to sell a 55-inch set based on organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs.

The South Korean company is set to show it off at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which starts on January 10.

Samsung Electronics, LG's Korean rival, is also believed to be set to reveal a nearly market-ready OLED TV at the show.

Tim Alessi, director of home electronics development at LG's US arm, said its set will probably go on sale in the fourth quarter. The company is not revealing the price.

Paul Gagnon, an analyst at DisplaySearch, estimates that OLED sets will start out above 5,000 US dollars (£3,220).

The screen technology is in use in high-end smartphones and provides deeply saturated colours and high contrast.

However, it has been very difficult to make larger screens with consistent results. In late 2007, Sony started selling an 11in OLED TV for about 2,500 dollars (£1,610) but it never followed it up with a bigger model.

Since then, LG and Samsung have shown prototype OLED TVs at the annual CES show, but have not revealed any marketing plans.

Apart from providing improved picture quality, OLED TVs can be very thin. LG's set will be 4 millimetres thick (3/16ths of an inch) and weigh 16.5 pounds (7.5 kilograms).

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/lg-sell-55in-ultra-thin-oled-tv-183628749.html

And some silly ones.

Texas college plates stir controversy
DALLAS (UPI) -- Some Texans are complaining about the growing number of out-of-state colleges and universities being represented on the state's license plates.

A franchise agreement with My Plates made a few years ago to aggressively market specialized license plates has resulted in nearly 30 different out-of-state schools having license plates offered in Texas at a price of $55 per year or $295 for a 10-year plate, and the objects have resulted in some strong opinions being posted to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Web site, the San Antonio Express-News reported Wednesday.

"To have anything other than a Texas team or school is just plane wrong and you as legislatures and members of the department of transportation should be tarred and feathered," one Texan wrote. If for no other reason than putting out an O.U. (Oklahoma University) plate you should be ashamed.

Another poster said, "It is beyond me why we would want to allow out-of-state colleges to display on Texas License plates. Where is our state pride?"

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

N.J. officials want to know fate of skunks
AVALON, N.J. (UPI) -- New Jersey wildlife officials said they want to know what a borough mayor means when he says skunks are being put into "witness protection."

Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi declined to reveal what his borough is doing with relocated skunks after it stopped taking them to the Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area when Upper Township Mayor Richard Palumbo complained in 2009, The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.) reported Wednesday.

"Within the last year we've taken about 80 skunks off the island. We're trapping them and putting them in the witness protection program. We don't know where they're going," Pagliughi said.

However, officials with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, which controls the relocation and euthanasia of wildlife in the state, said they want to know where the skunks are going.

"They do not have a permit and they should not be removing them," said Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. They don't have the right to relocate a species. They have to talk to the Fish and Wildlife folks to assess that.

Ragonese said the borough has the right to relocate the skunks within its own borders, but the mayor has made it clear the skunks are being taken off the island.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Burglary suspect blamed the vodka
RIVERSIDE, Ill. (UPI) -- Illinois police said a burglary suspect discovered sleeping on a stranger's couch said he blacked out after drinking marshmallow vodka.

Riverside police said they chased Howard Brundage, 19, through several back yards after he broke into an apartment around 2 a.m. on Christmas morning and stole a bicycle, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday.

However, Brundage was able to evade officers until they received a call around 8 a.m. from a woman who reported a man she did not know was sleeping on her couch.

Officers said Brundage told them the last thing he remembered was drinking marshmallow-flavored vodka the previous evening. He was charged with felony residential burglary, criminal trespass to a residence and criminal damage to property.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

honeykid

01-03-12, 04:46 PM

World-first hybrid shark found off Australia
Scientists said on Tuesday that they had discovered the world's first hybrid sharks in Australian waters, a potential sign the predators were adapting to cope with climate change.

The mating of the local Australian black-tip shark with its global counterpart, the common black-tip, was an unprecedented discovery with implications for the entire shark world, said lead researcher Jess Morgan.

"It's very surprising because no one's ever seen shark hybrids before, this is not a common occurrence by any stretch of the imagination," Morgan, from the University of Queensland, told AFP.

"This is evolution in action."

Colin Simpfendorfer, a partner in Morgan's research from James Cook University, said initial studies suggested the hybrid species was relatively robust, with a number of generations discovered across 57 specimens.

The find was made during cataloguing work off Australia's east coast when Morgan said genetic testing showed certain sharks to be one species when physically they looked to be another.

The Australian black-tip is slightly smaller than its common cousin and can only live in tropical waters, but its hybrid offspring have been found 2,000 kilometres down the coast, in cooler seas.

It means the Australian black-tip could be adapting to ensure its survival as sea temperatures change because of global warming.

"If it hybridises with the common species it can effectively shift its range further south into cooler waters, so the effect of this hybridising is a range expansion," Morgan said.

"It's enabled a species restricted to the tropics to move into temperate waters."

Climate change and human fishing are some of the potential triggers being investigated by the team, with further genetic mapping also planned to examine whether it was an ancient process just discovered or a more recent phenomenon.

If the hybrid was found to be stronger than its parent species -- a literal survival of the fittest -- Simpfendorfer said it may eventually outlast its so-called pure-bred predecessors.

"We don't know whether that's the case here, but certainly we know that they are viable, they reproduce and that there are multiple generations of hybrids now that we can see from the genetic roadmap that we've generated from these animals," he said.

"Certainly it appears that they are fairly fit individuals."

The hybrids were extraorindarily abundant, accounting for up to 20 percent of black-tip populations in some areas, but Morgan said that didn't appear to be at the expense of their single-breed parents, adding to the mystery.

Simpfendorfer said the study, published late last month in Conservation Genetics, could challenge traditional ideas of how sharks had and were continuing to evolve.

"We thought we understood how species of sharks have separated, but what this is telling us is that in reality we probably don't fully understand the mechanisms that keep species of shark separate," he said.

"And in fact, this may be happening in more species than these two."
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/world-first-hybrid-shark-found-off-australia-070347259.html

Darts player blames defeat on opponent’s WAG
Paul Nicholson has become a laughing stock at the World Championship Darts after blaming his defeat on his opponent's girlfriend.

Kim Huybrechts beat Nicholson 4-1 in the last 16 of the tournament at Alexandra Palace, a result which Nicholson put solely down to the damage to his concentration caused by the crowd's raucous reaction to the presence of Dana Verhaegen.

TV cameras continually cut to the shapely Verhaegen - a world-class darts player in her own right - to show her reaction at key moments during the match, and every time her face appeared on the giant screens the inebriated crowd went crazy with a chorus of cheers and wolf whistles.

"There's only one reason why I lost that match — and she was sitting right in the front row," fumed Nicholson.

"If she had not been in that crowd, I swear to God I would have won... Trust me, the most important thing in that match was her. I wanted to win it so badly, but nobody on the planet can play in that situation.

"I've got nothing against Kim, he played better than me, but the crowd were more interested in his girlfriend than the darts."

Nicholson's complaint was rejected by the PDC, but the livid ninth seed insisted that he will no longer take any nonsense from spectators.

"I just didn't have the crowd's respect — and quite frankly, I don't want it any more," he said.

"The next time I win a tournament on television, I'm going to give them the two fingers up and I'll take the fine."
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/world-of-sport/darts-player-blames-defeat-opponent-wag-143649921.html

honeykid

01-06-12, 05:54 PM

Man arrested for stripping during 'Chipmunks' movie

Naked Chicago man ruins family screening 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
A man has been arrested for stripping off during a recent screening of family film 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked'.

Thirty-four-year-old Edward Brown removed his clothes and put on a performance of his own in front of a startled audience at a 4pm screening in Chicago.

According to The Chicago Tribune, when police arrived on the scene they found Brown sat completely nude in the front row.

At one point he allegedly turned to the audience and exposed himself.

There were 96 people, including many families with young children in the cinema, all of whom were subsequently ushered out and offered refunds.

Brown was arrested and has been charged with sexual exploitation of a child and misdemeanour disorderly conduct.

The streaker claims he was offered sex and drugs by a woman if he sat in the front of the cinema with no clothes on.

The alleged woman has yet to be found.

It's certainly shocking news... 96 people actually paid to watch 'Alvin and the Chipmunks'.

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/man-arrested-for-stripping-during--chipmunks--movie.html

The thing I like most about that story is that I didn't write that last line, but it looks like I could've. :D

honeykid

01-07-12, 04:52 AM

Nevada brothel backs Ron Paul
CARSON CITY, Nev. (UPI) -- This endorsement might leave some wondering: Prostitutes at a brothel near Carson City, Nev., endorsed Rep. Ron Paul's bid for president.

Brothel owner Dennis Hof said he polled "all the girls" at the Bunny Ranch and the majority backed Paul, the U.S. representative from Texas who placed third in Tuesday's Iowa caucuses, The Daily Caller Web site reported.

"We thought real closely about supporting [Newt] Gingrich -- because he's a cheater -- and we like cheaters," said Hof, who gained celebrity status thanks to HBO's Cathouse documentary and series featuring his business. Nevada allows counties to license brothels.

A lot of the women supported Barack Obama in 2008, but then he signed a bill allowing for human consumption of wild horses and "the girls don't want any part of Obama," Hof said.

Hof said the ranch "decided to go with the guy that's more about state's rights -- and that's Ron Paul."

During January, he said he was offering a special -- two bunnies for the price of one, the Web site said. All a client has to do is come by and say "I'm pimping for Paul."

Copyright 2012 by United Press International

Company plans Steve Jobs doll
BEIJING (UPI) -- A Chinese toy company has released preview images of its latest creation, an action figure of late Apple founder Steve Jobs who died in October.

The company, In Icons, said the 1-foot tall action figure of the former chief executive officer of Apple Inc. is expected to start shipping in February at a price of $99 each, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported Monday.

Apple, which the newspaper said also declined to comment, blocked sales of a different company's previous Steve Jobs action figure.

Copyright 2012 by United Press International

Mountain Dew mouse would have been 'jelly'
BELLEVILLE, Ill. (UPI) -- The manufacturer of Mountain Dew said an Illinois man could not have found a mouse in a can of the beverage because the rodent would have dissolved.

Pepsi Co. said in its response to a lawsuit filed by Ronald Ball in 2009 that the oil worker could not have gagged on a mouse in his can of Mountain Dew because the beverage would have dissolved the rodent into "a jelly-like substance" before it even reached the vending machine, ABC News reported Tuesday.

Samantha Unsell, an attorney for Ball, said Pepsi officials took the mouse and the evidence apparently has since been destroyed. She said Pepsi's latest legal motion to have the case dismissed is "a poor dissent."

"It doesn't say a lot about their product," Unsell said.

Lawyers for Pepsi declined to comment, ABC said.

Copyright 2012 by United Press International

Juror kicked off for Facebook request
SARASOTA, Fla. (UPI) -- A Florida man removed from a civil trial jury after sending a Facebook friend request to a defendant was "very close to going to jail," an attorney said.

Senior Circuit Judge Nancy Donnellan removed Jacob Jock of Sarasota from the jury Dec. 13, one day after he sent the Facebook request to Violetta Milerman, one of the defendants in the personal injury lawsuit from a traffic accident case, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported Monday.

Jock said he accidentally sent the request while browsing the Facebook pages of the defendants to see if he knew any of the involved parties.

Damian Mallard, an attorney in the case, said Jock was "very close to going to jail for all of this." He said Jock appears to have sent the request only 20 minutes after the judge instructed jurors not to contact anyone about the case or perform independent research online.

Jock was released with an admonishment from the judge for failing to follow her instructions.

Copyright 2012 by United Press International

honeykid

01-10-12, 08:57 AM

Seniors caught in sex sting
FORT MYERS, Fla. (UPI) -- Police in Florida say they arrested three seniors during a sting operation after receiving complaints of men participating in public acts of lewdness.

Members of the Lee County Sheriff's Office Narcotics/Vice Unit conducted the sting at Bunche Beach, near Fort Meyers.

Three men allegedly approached the undercover male detectives at separate times Friday engaging in conversations indicating they were looking for sexual activity while exposing themselves to the detectives, a release from the Lee County Sheriff's said.

Larry Dean Richardson, 62, of Deerfield, Illinois; Martin Schasel, 73, of Holland, N.Y., and James Tobin, 81, of Fort Myers, were all charged with engaging in, committing or offering lewdness, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Typewriters experience a comeback
NEW YORK (UPI) -- New York typewriter sellers said the low-tech machines are experiencing a comeback among writers who like to avoid distractions.

Paul Schweitzer, 73, whose Gramercy Typewriter Co. was founded by his father Abraham in 1932, said he started working on laser printers when typewriters fell out of fashion in the 1990s, but he has lately had many customers bringing in old typewriters to be restored, the New York Daily News reported Monday.

"They have their computers, they have their blackberries or iPads or whatever it is, but they still would like to have a typewriter. They like the idea of pressing the keys and having the words hit the paper," Schweitzer said.

Donna Brady of Brady & Kowalksi Writing Machines said she and her partner have had a lot of interest in the typewriters they sell at Brooklyn Flea.

"The more disconnected we get from other humans because of electronic devices ... the more we kind of want to get away from those gadgets," she said. A lot of people still want to be productive, but would like to get away from the screen.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

'Whatever' tops poll of annoying words
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (UPI) -- A New York state pollster said its survey of U.S. adults indicates "whatever" reigns for the third consecutive year as the most annoying word in conversation.

The Marist Poll of 1,026 adults, conducted via telephone Nov. 8-10, found 38 percent of respondents consider "whatever" to be the most annoying word used in casual conversation while 20 percent said they disliked like and 19 percent cited you know.

The pollster said 11 percent chose "just sayin'" as the most annoying and 7 percent hate hearing seriously.

Marist said "whatever" also topped the poll last year with 39 percent of the vote.

The poll had an error margin of 3 percentage points.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

Horror convention takes to the seas
DORAL, Fla. (UPI) -- Carnival Cruise Lines in Florida is selling tickets for the "Tides of Torture" cruise, billed as the world's first horror convention at sea.

Dark Star Fantasy Cruises, which is organizing the event for Carnival, said the cruise, which will take place in April and costs $699 per person, will feature stars from movies including "Machete," the Hatchet series, the Halloween series, the Hellraiser series and the Friday the 13th series, USA Today reported Friday.

The organizers said the cruise will also include movie screenings, a "scream queen" contest and a Dance of the Dead.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International