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Rotating Episodes and Comedy Clips

MSM: "Army Vet Declared Dead Four Times" [02/03/12] "Jerry Miller has received four letters from the VA mourning his death and cutting off his benefits. ...]"  

MSM: "McDonald's Drops Use Of Gooey Ammonia-Based 'Pink Slime' In Hamburger Meat" [02/01/12] "McDonald's confirmed that it has eliminated the use of ammonium hydroxide — an ingredient in fertilizers, household cleaners and some roll-your-own explosives — in its hamburger meat. The company denied that its decision was influenced by a months-long campaign by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to get ammonium-hydroxide-treated meats like chicken and beef out of the U.S. food supply. But it acknowledged this week that it had stopped using the unappetizing pink goo — made from treating otherwise inedible scrap meat with the chemical — several months ago. Besides being used as a household cleaner and in fertilizers, the compound releases flammable vapors, and with the addition of certain acids, it can be turned into ammonium nitrate, a common component in homemade bombs. It's also widely used in the food industry as an anti-microbial agent in meats and as a leavener in bread and cake products. It's regulated by the U.S. Agriculture Department, which classifies it as "generally recognized as safe." McDonald's decision was first reported this week by the Daily Mail, a blaring British tabloid, which trumpeted it as a victory for fellow Brit Oliver against the monolithic U.S. food industry.  [...]"  

MSM: "Seattle Woman 'Marries' Abandoned Building" [02/01/12] "An Occupy Seattle protester "married" an abandoned warehouse on Sunday, not because of a weird fetish, but in order to protest gentrification, the Los Angeles Times reports. "I'm doing this to show the building how much I love it, how much I love community space, and how much I love this neighborhood. And I want to stop it from gentrification," Baylonia Aivaz tells KOMO-TV. The building, which protesters had occupied recently, is scheduled to be torn down and the space turned into apartments. "If corporations can have the [same] rights as people, so can buildings," continues Aivaz, who did wear a wedding dress for the festivities and described the event as a "gay marriage" ("presumably because the building had the female vibe," quips the Times). She and other Occupy Seattle protesters wanted the 107 year old warehouse to be turned into a community space to showcase artwork or provide services, but the planned demolition will move forward. (Click for five more people who married inanimate objects.) [...]"  Note: Lends a whole new delusional meaning to "building a solid future".

MSM: "Afghan Man Strangles Wife for Having Girl" [02/01/12] " An Afghan militiaman strangled his wife for giving birth to a third daughter instead of a son, according to law enforcement authorities. The 28-year-old victim was killed in her home in the northern province of Kunduz by her husband and his mother just three months after the woman had the baby, reports the Guardian. The victim's mother-in-law has been arrested, but the husband has fled. It's uncertain who will care for the couple's daughters. Two months ago, attackers in the same province poured acid over parents and three children after the parents refused to hand over their young daughter in marriage. The rejected suitor has been arrested.  [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Car Crashes Into Home During Chase and Lands on Sleeping Man" [02/01/12] [1:18]  

Sequential Circus: "The Problem with Toddler Preachers Speaking in Tongues" [01/30/12]   "... is that you can't understand a goddamn word they say! Take this toddler preacher , for example, who took the mike from his pastor father to..." [...]"  Note: Are these the same people who jam box stores on black Friday? Dumb as a stone. Related: "Kanon Tipton, 4-Year-Old Preacher, Gains YouTube Fame"  [1:04] Kanon Tipton, 4, first took the microphone at his family's church when he was just 21 months old. Two years and a few million YouTube hits later, the young preacher has developed quite a reputation. His emotional delivery, dramatic cadence and back-and-forth pacing behind the pulpit are faithful replications of the mannerisms he's seen demonstrated by other preachers. |  "Child Preachers To Be Featured On National Geographic ..."   "10 Craziest Child Preachers" [2:47]  Adult minds in childs' bodies ... More  Note: Yah Ya!  They're reincarnating and picking it up where they left off  ... they're in a loop which lasts for many lifetimes ... now, that's what I call a revival. A unique psychopathy.

UK: "Nonbelievers To Get Place To 'Worship' No One" [01/29/12] "Atheists have long criticised devout followers of faith. But now it seems Atheism is stealing from that very religious tradition by erecting a temple of worship. Author Alain de Botton announced plans to build an Atheist temple in the U.K., reports DeZeen magazine. A collaboration with Tom Greenall Architects, the structure will be built in the City of London. Dedicated to the idea of perspective, the black tower will scale 46 meters (150 ft), with each centimeter honoring earth's age of 4.6 billion years, notes Wired.  [...]" 

Satire: "Stewart: Newt Wants to Divorce Earth, Head to Moon" [01/28/12] [3:37] "Sometimes politicians make it too easy for Jon Stewart. Take Newt Gingrich. In response to accusations that he was too "grandiose" (Stewart: "Can't a guy doodle his head on Mount Rushmore without taking heat from the lamestream everyone?") Gingrich promised to ... build a moon base. "Did you start with Death Star and you got kind of reined in?" Stewart asked on last night's Daily Show. Stewart was especially flabbergasted by Gingrich's plan to make the moon a state once it had 13,000 people on it—especially since Gingrich once called the idea of statehood for Washington, DC, (pop. 600,000) "crazy." Obviously, Stewart agreed: "No one's going to take an idea like that seriously—unless you move it to the moon." So what's Gingrich up to here? Stewart thinks he knows. "Newt Gingrich did that global warming ad with Nancy Pelosi, realized the Earth is very sick, and now he wants to leave it for a younger planet." [...]"    Related: "Gingrich Promises Moon Colony by 2020"  

MSM: "Time Traveling" French Presidential Candidate Ridiculed For Normandy Claims" [01/27/12] "Hervé Morin, a French presidential candidate and former defence minister, has become a national laughing stock after he claimed he witnessed the Allied landings at Normandy in 1944, which took place 17 years before he was born. [...]"  Note: The truth is that this guy is a sequential, a reincarnated retread, who no doubt DID witness the 1944 landings .... but in the previous incarnation. Sequentials remember past lives, and they get them confused. I observe this all the time. Amusingly, he may have received votes from other sequentials if he ran for office ... but the more advanced Simultaneous incarnations view the man as nuts, not knowing either what's going on, or that they themselves were once like that, before they matured on a Higher Self level, and all the memories of the experiences already under their belt while their Higher Self was in that immature mode are 'put aside', as they would interfere with the Higher Self focus on multiple 'virgin' lives multiplexed simultaneously in the time stream, before graduating from the 3rd density galaxy game altogether .... something that will happen very soon, here, for many simultaneous mode Higher Selves, while the minions are absorbed back into the Nature Spirit path, and the intractable sequentials move on to other worlds and continue the long, slow journey toward maturation. At the local game level on Earth ... it happens during this period of time.

Satire: "The Sex-Act Morality Flow Chart" [01/27/12]  Excellent illustration of the body ID condition combined with taboos and curbs to experience.

MSM: "Man Vanquishes Robot Cop In Hand-To-Hand Combat" [01/25/12] "The ongoing Rise of the Machines to their inevitable dominance over humanity faltered last week, when a police robot tangled with a human being in hand to hand combat - and was handed a severe beating. The mechanical law officer in question had been sent into a home in Connecticut to deal with an unnamed man, reportedly a former boyfriend of a woman living there, who had arrived and refused to leave. The obstreperous ex-boyfriend - who police say had gone to sleep and was rudely awakened by the droid's entrance - dealt with the tin cop harshly, "throwing the robot out the front door", according to the local Republican-American. Fleshy colleagues of the defeated law-bot, evidently unwilling to tangle mano-a-mano with an opponent who could overpower a cutting-edge enforcement mechanoid, were compelled to use "beanbag" riot projectiles to bring him down. (In fairness to the human cops one should note that the man was reportedly armed with a shotgun.) Having been successfully beanbagged into submission, the man was subsequently cuffed and conveyed to the local cooler. The tin cop is expected to return to duty after repairs. [...]" 

Absurdities: "High School to Teams: No, You Can't Be 'Cougars'" [01/24/12] "Students at a high school near Salt Lake City will be cheering on their Chargers next season, even though they picked "Cougars" as the school mascot. It seems some well-meaning school board members overruled the results of the student vote because they thought Cougars "would be offensive to women of a certain age", reports Yahoo Sports. The school doesn't open until next fall, so there's still time for a change of heart, notes Yahoo's Cameron Smith. Nearby BYU uses  [...]"  Note: This makes absolutely no sense. Stupid retreads ....

MSM: "Violinist Interrupted By Ringtone, Gives Best Response Ever" [01/24/12] [4:35] "This video of Slovakian violinist Lukas Kmit improvising around Nokia's signature ringtone is so good, many have thought it was a sly piece of advertising for the Finnish telecommunications giant. But, as it turns out, it's 100% the real deal, with the classical fiddler - our term - interrupted mid-performance by an inconsiderant mobile phone owner before taking the tune and playing it on the violin himself. Classy, clever and ever-so-witty, it's probably the most popular YouTube video involving classical music for years. Unless you count dogs barking Star Wars' The Imperial March as classical music, in which case, since last week. It should be remembered that the Nokia ringtone - also known as Gran Vals - is actually a piece of classical music itself, originally written by Spanish classical guitarist Francisco Tarrega in 1902. As any die-hard QI viewer already knows, of course... But it's not the first time someone's taken the ubiquitous and highly-irritating ringtone and turned it into something far more beautiful - as this, the Cell Phone Waltz by harmonica virtuoso Jacob Venndt, emphatically proves.  [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "John Kerry Breaks Nose Playing Hockey" [01/24/12] "Senator John Kerry surprised a few people at the Boston Bruins Stanley Cup ceremony at the White House Monday afternoon. The 68-year-old senator had two black eyes and a swollen nose. His spokeswoman Whitney Smith told WBZ-TV Kerry broke his nose playing ice hockey recently. [...]"  Related: "Senator Mark Kirk Suffers A Stroke" "Illinois Republican Sen. Mark Kirk has suffered a serious stroke that may lead to permanent physical damage to the left side of his body, but doctors believe that Kirk will be able to return to his full Senate duties. Kirk’s office said he had checked into the hospital on Saturday and underwent surgery early Monday morning. [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "Top British TV Magician Saws Off Finger" [01/24/12] "One of the UK's most famous TV magicians was thanking the magic of modern medicine Sunday after sawing his finger off in a gruesome accident. Paul Daniels sliced off the top of his ring finger and mauled other digits when his left hand was caught in a circular saw at his home in Wargrave, southeast England. "I decided to make a 'sled' for my table saw to make it safer. I already had most of the pieces cut and started to cut a fiddly bit. Very quickly and without any warning, a piece of timber seemed to leap and pulled my left hand fingers into the teeth of the circular saw," the 73-year-old told the Henley Standard . With his radio presenter wife at work, he staggered to his car and drove in a panic to a hospital. "I must have looked a weird sight, doubled over with my face all screwed up from the pain," he said. "I had no idea what had been damaged or lost, or where I was, or anything. My head was full of the pain and the possible end of the magic." [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Missing Teen 'Froze To Death' On Way Home From Party" [01/24/12] "A teenager who went missing after a Friday night party was found "frozen to death" in a garden less than 100 yards from his home, it has been reported. Although police are treating the death as unexplained, sources quoted by the Daily Record suggested that Scott Campbell, 16, perished from the freezing temperatures in the Highland city of Inverness. A huge search was mounted for the missing teen, from Culduthel Mains, Inverness, after he failed to return home on Saturday morning. His family notified police that it was ‘out of character’ for the 16-year-old not to let them know where he was.  [...]" 

Date With Destiny:  "Indonesian Girl Eaten By Crocodile" [01/24/12] "Officials say a crocodile swallowed a girl in Indonesia as her father looked on helplessly. District official Victor Mado Waton says the 10-year-old girl was searching for turtles with her father and brother in East Nusatenggara province when a giant saltwater crocodile sprang from a river and pulled her in. Waton said Saturday that villagers found pieces of her clothing several hours later but there was no sign of her body. Waton said the girl's father was a few yards (meters) away when the crocodile attacked Thursday but there was nothing he could do. [...]"  Note: And I thought my day was rough ...

Date With Destiny: "Utah Teen Fatally Shoots 'Self' With Miniature Toy Cannon" [01/24/12] "A 14-year-old boy from Tremonton is dead after police say he accidentally shot himself with a miniature toy cannon. Tremonton Police Chief David Nance says the boy was playing with the toy in his living room about 7:30 a.m. Monday when the cannon somehow went off. The boy was struck in the face and was pronounced dead at the scene. The boy’s older brother was in the room at the time, and the boy’s father also was in the house. [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "Palestinian Woman Locked In Bathroom For 10 Years By Father" [01/24/12] "A 21-year-old Palestinian woman has told authorities she was locked in a bathroom for the past decade by her father, who let her out only in the dead of night so she could clean their house. "People are monsters," Baraa Melhem said her father would tell her, according to a social worker dealing with the case. Palestinian police said on Monday they freed Melhem from the small bathroom of a home in the West Bank city of Qalqilya on Saturday after an anonymous tip. Her father, who holds Israeli citizenship, was arrested and handed over to Israeli authorities. He is due to appear in an Israeli court on Wednesday, an Israeli police spokesman said. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Student Dies In Class On 21st Birthday After 'Giving Thanks' For "Another Year Of Life" [01/19/12] "A student at Gardner-Webb University collapsed in class and died on her 21st birthday after thanking "god" on Twitter for living another year. She was a senior majoring in religious studies.[...]"  

UK: "Liverpool Cinema-Goers Demand Refunds After Much Touted Silent Film, 'The Artist' Turns Out To Be... Silent" [01/19/12] "In something that sounds straight out of a Laurel & Hardy script, cinema-goers in Liverpool have proved to be one of the few contingents on either side of the Atlantic immune to the charms of the film The Artist. The black and white French film scooped several of the top gongs at Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles, has been nominated for BAFTAs in the UK, and is hotly tipped to take home some of the shiniest Oscars this year, too, but none of that impressed this particular crowd. The Telegraph reports that viewers demanded their money back, because they didn't realise the film was... without dialogue.  [...] The tribute to 1920s Hollywood, the black and white movie has already won three Golden Globe awards for its dazzling portrayal of the pre-talkie era. But audiences at some Odeon Cinemas are unimpressed by the homage to the "Golden Age" of silent films and a smaller-than-usual screen. Film-fan Nicola Shearer, 25, attended a screening at Odeon Liverpool One after a wave of complaints. She was asked by cinema staff if she knew "it is a silent film". English graduate Nicola, from Liverpool, said: "Of course I knew it was and I asked the usher why she wanted to know.  She then told me some people complained and asked for refunds because there is no sound and the screen is smaller. "I thought it was really funny and laughed." The film was purposely reduced to a smaller screen size to give it an authentic look of original silent films which were hugely popular from the late 19th century to the early 30s. "  

MSM: "Plane Mistakenly Warns Passengers of Crash" [01/18/12] "It's 3am and you're snoozing on an overnight flight to London when a message plays over the PA: This plane may be about to crash. That's what happened to passengers on a British Airways flight from Miami last week, before the cabin crew told everyone it had just been a mistake, the Telegraph reports. "An alarm sounded and we were told we were about to land in the sea. I thought we were going to die," said a passenger. "My wife was crying and passengers were screaming." "When we landed they were handing out letters apologizing, but it was the worst experience of my life. I don't think BA should get away with this," said another passenger. BA apologized "for causing undue concern." It's not the first time such a message has been mistakenly played on the airline. Last year, an announcement on a flight from London to Hong Kong told passengers the plane might have to "make an emergency landing on water," apparently because a pilot hit the wrong button. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Ethiopian Girl Reportedly Guarded by Lions" [01/18/12] "A 12-year-old girl who was abducted and beaten by men trying to force her into a marriage was found being guarded by three lions who apparently had chased off her captors, a policeman said Tuesday. The girl, missing for a week, had been taken by seven men who wanted to force her to marry one of them, said Sgt. Wondimu Wedajo, speaking by telephone from the provincial capital of Bita Genet, about 350 miles southwest of Addis Ababa. She was beaten repeatedly before she was found June 9 by police and relatives on the outskirts of Bita Genet, Wondimu said. She had been guarded by the lions for about half a day, he said. “They stood guard until we found her and then they just left her like a gift and went back into the forest,” Wondimu said. “If the lions had not come to her rescue, then it could have been much worse. Often these young girls are raped and severely beaten to force them to accept the marriage,” he said. [...]"  

MSM: "Aberrant TSA 'Air Marshal' Arrested in Mugging of Boston Occupier" [01/17/12] "What was a TSA air marshal doing at an Occupy camp at 3:40 on a Saturday morning, just an hour before protestors were evicted by Boston police? Stealing the iPhone of one of the camp’s prominent voices, then slapping her, apparently. TSA air marshal Adam Marshall was arrested by the Boston police department at 3:50 a.m. on Dec. 10 after he allegedly argued with members of Occupy, called some of them prostitutes, struck one of Occupy’s organizers and main tweeters in the face, grabbed her iPhone and then fled. [...]"  Related: "TSA Agents Steal $40,000 From Passenger Luggage; Sentenced To Only Five Months In Prison" "Any normal person found guilty of stealing $40,000 from, say, a bank or an employer, would likely be sentenced to at least five years of prison. But when you work for the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), you can expect to be given special legal treatment and sent on your way. The Associated Press reports that two former TSA screeners, 44-year-old Coumar Persad and 31-year-old Davon Webb, both of which worked at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, have pleaded guilty to grand larceny, obstructing governmental administration, and official misconduct, for stealing nearly $40,000 from an airport traveler's luggage. But rather than receive a normal prison sentence for such crimes, the two were sentenced to just six months in prison with five years of probation. [...]"| "TSA Official Nailed On Corruption Charges" [01/14/12]   Note:  There are 50,000 low-life losers out there, it would seem, by their behavior, who are employed by the TSA ... shills for domination and arbitrary forced compliance.

Absurdities: "North Korea To Punish Insincere Mourners" [01/14/12] "You'd better watch out, you'd better cry. You'd better pout, I'm telling you why: North Korea's punishing insincere mourners, according to the Daily NK. An anonymous source tells the Daily NK, a South Korea-based publication in opposition of the North Korean regime, that "authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn't participate in the organized gatherings" to mourn the death of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il, and to those "who did participate but didn't cry and didn't seem genuine." Newser reports that mourners who came off as insincere have already been sent to join the 200,000 other North Koreans already in labor camps. An Amnesty International report published in May 2011 paints a dark picture of what's in store at those camps -- estimates suggest that 40 percent of inmates die of malnutrition. The exact number of those to be sent to camps is unclear, reports the Daily Mail, but the paper estimates it could be in the thousands. The punishment news comes shortly after an announcement Thursday that Kim Jong Il's embalmed remains would go on permanent display in the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, the Associated Press reports, just as his father and previous North Korean leader, Kim Il Sung, was enshrined. AP notes that along with the enshrinement, a new statue and "towers to his immortality" will be erected to salute the late Supreme Leader. [...]" 

UK: "4-Foot-2 Man Paralyzed In Dwarf-Tossing Incident" Link Fixed [01/14/12] "A dwarf claims he was partially paralyzed on his birthday when a stranger lifted and heaved him onto the hard ground outside an English pub, according to The Telegraph. Gerald Henderson, the victim, blames English rugby players who attended a dwarf-tossing contest at a New Zealand bar during the World Cup for inspiring the hooligan, The Daily Mail says. While smoking a cigarette outside The White Horse in Wincanton on his 37th birthday in October, Henderson says a drunken stranger picked him up and threw him, causing him to land hard on his back, Metro says. Henderson rejoined his friends, who were shooting pool, but soon began to lose feeling in his back and legs. The 4-foot-2-inch man was dropped from three feet off the ground, according to the BBC. An exam at a nearby hospital revealed that he'd suffered nerve damage, and he was released the next day. Multiple sources report that Henderson's condition has since worsened, due in part to an existing spinal condition. Henderson claims to feel numbness in his lower back and legs. He struggles to maintain his balance, and walks with the aid of braces. For longer distances, he uses a wheelchair. The injuries derailed what he described as a promising acting career. Police have launched an investigation to find the hooded man who attacked Henderson. In the meantime, Henderson is asking for an apology from the English soccer team.  [...]"  

MSM: "Cops Bust Dad Over Burnt Biscuit Rage" [01/13/12] "Harry Woods, 43, was arrested for felony aggravated battery after attacking his 24-year-old son over a batch of baked goods left in the oven too long. [...]"  Note: Another one raised by wolves.

Absurdities: "Companies Face Fines For Not Using Non-Existent Biofuel" [01/11/12] "When the companies that supply motor fuel close the books on 2011, they will pay about $6.8 million in penalties to the Treasury because they failed to mix a special type of biofuel into their gasoline and diesel as required by law. But there was none to be had. Outside a handful of laboratories and workshops, the ingredient, cellulosic biofuel, does not exist. In 2012, the oil companies expect to pay even higher penalties for failing to blend in the fuel, which is made from wood chips or the inedible parts of plants like corncobs. Refiners were required to blend 6.6 million gallons into gasoline and diesel in 2011 and face a quota of 8.65 million gallons this year. “It belies logic,” Charles T. Drevna, the president of the National Petrochemicals and Refiners Association, said of the 2011 quota. And raising the quota for 2012 when there is no production makes even less sense, he said. Penalizing the fuel suppliers demonstrates what happens when the federal government really, really wants something that technology is not ready to provide. In fact, while it may seem harsh that the Environmental Protection Agency is penalizing them for failing to do the impossible, the agency is being lenient by the standards of the law, the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act.  [...]" 

MSM: "Dysfunctional Mayor: "Homosexuality Is Dangerous to Mental Heath" [01/11/12] "Troy Mayor Janice Daniels, while discussing mental health and suicide among members of the LGBT community, at one point suggested putting together a panel of psychologists to show that homosexuality is dangerous to your mental health. [...] "And she said, 'well, I can get a panel to testify,'" Curtis said. "Which is really horrifying, because if we're trying to prevent suicide, telling a room full of gay kids that they have a mental disease probably isn't a way to prevent suicide. Curtis said they hope to press on with plans to put on an anti-bullying and suicide prevention program some time in January or February. "We're moving on without her," Kilgore said."   Note: Another ignorant, reincarnated retread. 

MSM: "Aussie Police: 'Stolen Car' Proves To Be A Runaway" [01/10/12] "Police say a car reported stolen from an Australian shopping center parking lot has been found more than two weeks later in the closed garage of a nearby home where it had apparently rolled unaided. Police said in a statement Friday that the owner of the station wagon had reported it stolen from outside a shop in a suburb of Adelaide city on Dec. 18. The car was found parked in the home's garage Wednesday when the residents returned from vacation. Police concluded that the car's owner had failed to leave its gear in park. The car then rolled across the parking lot, across a street and then down a driveway. It then bumped under the garage door by knocking it off its tracks. The door then closed behind it. [...]"  

MSM: "Women Are A Mystery To British Physicist Hawking" [01/10/12] "When New Scientist magazine asked "Brief History of Time" author Stephen Hawking what he thinks about most, the Cambridge University professor renowned for unraveling some of the most complex questions in modern physics answered: "Women. They are a complete mystery." [...]"  Note: To him, so is the rest of the universe. He doesn't have a clue about the larger context of reality. The guy is a reincarnated retread who just sits around and speculates ... the cultural 'Einstein replacement' is just not that intelligent, listening to all his pronouncements and suppositions over the years.

Date With Destiny: "Woman Killed High-Rise Fire: Unknowingly Took Elevator To Her Death" [01/10/12] "A woman returning to her North Side apartment was killed Sunday morning when she took the elevator to her floor -- not knowing that a fire was raging in the hallway outside her unit. Shanel McCoy, 32, was "hit with a superheated blast" when elevator doors opened on the 12th floor of 3130 N. Lake Shore Dr. about 2 a.m. Sunday, Fox Chicago reports. McCoy, a marketing executive who moved to Chicago less than a year ago, was found dead in the elevator by firefighters responding to the scene.  The door to the apartment where the fire started was not closed, and the super-heated toxic gasses all got into the hallway there. The heat in there is probably 1,500 to 2,000 degrees at the ceiling. And if she was standing in the elevator, she probably got it full, right on." If the door had been closed, McCoy likely would have survived. [...] The Chicago Tribune reports that older Chicago buildings are not required to have sprinkler systems in their hallways, and the city council recently passed an extension allowing building owners to implement safety upgrades later this month. " 

MSM: "Dad Tried To Sell Son On Facebook For $20 Million" [01/10/12] "If your dad were called Saud bin Nasser Al Shahry he would sell you on Facebook for $20 million. That's what happened to a young kid from Saudi Arabia, who found himself for sale for exactly that amount in this social network. Apparently, Saud is a failed businessmen who wanted authorities to help him when a local court ruled his debt-collecting firm illegal. He asked the administration officials for financial help, but it was denied because he was older than 35. Saudi Arabia considers child trafficking an offense, so some believe this is just a publicity stunt by the father. On the other hand, the country has been repeatedly blacklisted for human trafficking covering all ages and both sexes. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "British Backpacker Electrocuted By Fridge In Thailand" [01/10/12] "Grant Harrison, 36, died on 6 January, while staying on the island of Koh Phangan, Thailand, a spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said. Friends of Harrison said he suffered a fatal shock as he reached for the drink while relaxing by the side of a pool. A friend posting under the pseudonym Lisbonlegend said Harrison had told him he was going travelling over New Year after being made redundant for the third time. He said: "He was relaxing by the pool, decided to go for a bottle of water and it cost him his life. He was a brilliant character, a fantastic friend. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Navy SEAL Shoots Himself In Head With ‘Unloaded’ Gun" [01/07/12] "A 22-year-old Navy SEAL accidentally shot himself in the head Thursday with a gun that he thought was unloaded. San Diego Police Department Officer Frank Cali said that the SEAL had been drinking with a woman at a bar. After returning to his Pacific Beach home, he had tried to convince the woman that his 9 mm pistol was safe to handle by putting it to his head and pulling the trigger. The man was later identified as Geno Clayton, the son of a local businessman. While authorities initially reported that Clayton had died in the accident, he is now on life support.  Just in the past week, Clayton had been assigned to a SEAL team after completing the SEAL training course. [...]" 

MSM: "China Claims It Has Successfully Curbed 'Excessive Entertainment' On TV" [01/06/12] "A campaign to curb "excessive entertainment" by cutting the number of racy programmes on Chinese satellite television channels has been successful, state media reported, after President Hu Jintao warned that western culture was out to attack China. The broadcast regulator ordered the cutback in entertainment programmes in October, taking particular aim at dating and talent shows, programmes featuring "emotional stories" and those of "low taste". Channels are now showing programmes that "promote traditional virtues and socialist core values", Xinhua news agency said. The regulator added it "believes that the move to cut entertainment programming is crucial in improving cultural services for the public by offering high quality programming". [...]" 

MSM: "Doomsday Rumors” Create ‘Panic’ (In Nature Spirit Minions) Across Districts In India" [01/05/12] " This is straight from Ripley’s Believe it or not. The panic gripped denizens in UP with rumors of mild tremors and ‘people turning into stone statues’ floated on Tuesday night. Hundreds of people in several districts spilled on roads with fear palpable on their face. The rumor started at around 1 am on Tuesday night. Some SMS were exchanged that sleeping people have turned into stone statues and an earthquake was expected. Soon the SMS took the shape of a rumor with constant forwarding among friends and relatives. People panicked and spilled came out on the road. The numbers swelled every moment. They started calling frantically to their relatives enquiring about their well being. With every passing moment the rumor gained ground. Similar scenes were reported in several other districts as Kanpur, Unnao, Fatehpur, Gorakhpur and others. Calls were made to police control room and the staff tried to discourage the rumor but there were no takers. Amidst this in Muslim localities some of them stated that Qayamat (Doomsday) has arrived and people thronged the mosques. Muezzins also started making announcement urging everyone to come out and pray. Soon the mosques were also fully occupied. Amidst this some enterprising tea stall owners also opened their shop and their whole stock vanished in few hours. Somehow the night passed by amidst fear and apprehension. In the morning everyone was seen discussing the same thing at office. Rumors are still doing round with people worried about the night.  [...]"  Note: It will be great to eventually say goodbye to Planet Stupid, where the more astute constitute a very small segment of the population.

Date With Destiny: "CO Driver Killed By Branch Steered Car To Safety" [01/03/12] "A Colorado man who was killed when a 3-foot tree branch flew through his windshield and impaled him in the chest was able to steer the car to safety before losing consciousness. The wife of 61-year-old James Baker-Jarvis told the Daily Camera  that her husband was able to pull the Subaru Outback over to the roadside, saving her from any injury. Baker-Jarvis died later at a hospital. [...] In Wyoming, two people were injured Saturday when debris blew off the roof of a Cheyenne Sam's Club store. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports that at least five other people were treated at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for wind-related injuries.[...]"  

Nuts and Bolts: "Israel Ultra-Orthodox Protests: Nazi Garb Sparks Outrage " [01/02/12] "Images of ultra-Orthodox Jews dressing up as Nazi concentration camp inmates during a protest drew widespread condemnation Sunday and added a new twist to a simmering battle over growing extremism inside Israel's insular ultra-Orthodox community. [...] Thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews gathered Saturday night in Jerusalem to protest what they say is a nationwide campaign directed against their lifestyle. [...]"  Note: Lifestyle? I observe that non-orthodox Jews say that 'orthodoxy' is a rigid, monolithic social structure left over from the 16th century that is transparently socially parasitic, and the non-orthodox don't like it. The rest of the article has the usual propagandistic schlock ...

UK:  "Clean-Up Father Dumped Xmas" [01/01/12] "A father-of-three asked by his wife to tidy up before Christmas managed to throw out the family’s presents by mistake. Mike James, 50, put a black bin-bag containing wrapping paper as well as gifts of Olympics’ tickets, jewellery and cash into a skip at his local recycling centre. When his shocked wife Beverly realised his mistake, James, of St Fagans, Cardiff, South Wales, rushed back to the Waungron Road centre in Cardiff, only to find it had closed for the holidays. “I felt physically sick when I realised what I’d done and my wife was in tears,” said James, a furniture store manager. He said he had returned to the centre with a friend and then telephoned the police to tell them he intended to scale its barrier to get inside. “The policeman was very sympathetic but he told me I couldn’t do that,” he added. Realizing he needed permission from Cardiff City Council to get inside, he phoned around and eventually tracked down an out-of-hours number. An on-call security guard was dispatched to the centre to open up but when he arrived the key he had turned out to be the wrong one. “I ended up climbing the barrier anyway but at least I had permission to go inside,” James said yesterday. He quickly found the skip in which he had dumped his rubbish and clambered into a sea of bin bags. He said: “I recognised the bag I had thrown away, but I wasn’t sure if I had separated the presents so I looked inside some others.” James tore open a bag containing soiled nappies and waded around the skip a little longer to ensure he had recovered everything. He then returned to the thunderous applause of his family and visitors who had arrived for a Christmas Eve meal. Among the presents recovered were irreplaceable tickets for an Olympics football fixture at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. The total value of the presents would have amounted to around £300. [...]" 

MSM: "Woman Allegedly Accuses Man With Arabic Surname Of Terrorist Plane Threat After He Ends 4-Day Fling" [01/01/12] "A 45-year-old Temple City woman is accused of providing false information to an airline in order to take revenge on a male passenger with whom she had a four-day fling. Lizet Sariol is expected to plead guilty Tuesday in a federal court. She is charged with a single felony count of conveying false and misleading information, specifically, implying that a United Airlines flight was endangered, according to a signed plea agreement filed Thursday in Los Angeles federal court. [...]"  

MSM: "Cops: Man Tried To Use $1M Bill At NC Walmart" [01/01/12] "Police say a North Carolina man insisted his million-dollar note was real when he was buying $476 worth of items at a Walmart. Investigators told the Winston-Salem Journal ( http://bit.ly/u7ZrEN ) that 53-year-old Michael Fuller tried to buy a vacuum cleaner, a microwave oven and other items. Store employees called police after his insistence that the bill was legit, and Fuller was arrested. The largest bill in circulation is $100. The government stopped making bills of up to $10,000 in 1969. Fuller was charged with attempting to obtain property by false pretense and uttering a forged instrument. He is in jail on a $17,500 bond, and it isn't clear if he has an attorney. He is scheduled to be in court Tuesday. [...]" 

MSM: "PETA Seeks Memorials to Cows Killed on Ill. Roads" [12/31/11]   "An animal rights group wants Illinois to install highway signs in memory of cattle that died when trucks hauling them flipped in two separate wrecks. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants to buy the markers, one in suburban Chicago and one northwest of Peoria. PETA's request to the Illinois Department of Transportation says the signs would pay tribute to the more than 20 head of cattle killed as a result of negligent driving in Illinois this year. Ashley Byrne of PETA says the effort is part of a national campaign to call attention to how cattle suffer in the meat industry. IDOT spokesman Josh Kauffman says the request likely will be denied. Rules require that only relatives who lost loved ones in highway crashes may request roadside memorials. [...]"  Note: But, they ARE 'relatives'! They're minions!

MSM: "Dead Man Sued After His Flying Body Parts Injured Woman" [12/31/11] "Dead men tell no tales -- but they can be sued. A state appeals court ruled that a dead man can be held responsible for the injuries his body parts caused after he was struck by a train. The Chicago Tribune reports that the court found it was "reasonably foreseeable" that the Amtrak train would kill 18-year-old Hiroyuki Joho, sending his body parts flying. In 2008, Joho was killed while running to catch a train in the pouring rain, the Tribune reports. His estate is being sued by Gayane Zokhrabov, whose leg and wrist were broken after the collision. Zokhrabov's lawyer, Leslie Rosen, argued that the case should be treated like a regular negligence case, "no different than if a train passenger had been injured after the engineer hit the brakes," according to the Tribune. [...] Complex blogger Tanya Ghahremani writes that the court's ruling offers proof that "not even death can prevent the system from biting you in the ass." Joho isn't the only dead person to be sued for causing injury. In 2010 the New York Post reported that a cop involved in the fatal shooting of Sean Bell filed a lawsuit against his estate claiming that Bell injured him with his car.[...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Driver Killed After Severed Deer Head Flies Through Windshield" [12/31/11] "An elderly motorist was killed in a freak road accident after she was hit by the severed head of a deer that was hit by another car. Rosemary Bower, 70, died after a deer's head plunged through her windshield, causing her car to careen off the road in rural Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania. Police said the deer had become airborne after being hit by another car traveling in front of her. The impact sent the deer hurtling over a car driven by Rocco Ford and Scott Elgoff. It landed on her vehicle and the impact caused the deer to be cut in half with the head and shoulders hurtling through 70 year old Bower's windshield. Mrs Bower's car continued driving until it ran off the road into a ditch in rural Reynoldsville. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there are about 1.5 million car accidents with deer each year that result in $1billion in vehicle damage. [...]"  

MSM: "Israel Wants Egypt To Return Bribes" [12/28/11] "A member of Israel's Labor Party has called on Egyptian officials to pay back Tel Aviv's bribes to Cairo during the regime of Hosni Mubarak. Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Israel gave 300 million dollars to former dictator Mubarak to change the educational materials in order to reduce tensions between Israel and Egypt, IRNA reported. He added that the money was given to the family members of Mubarak. Reports said Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, had several meetings with Israeli officials and educational experts over the project. Suzanne Mubarak led the Egyptian UN delegation in conferences relating to women and children. Mubarak was toppled in February following 18 days of demonstrations in protest against poverty, corruption and his regime's repressive measures. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Man Volunteered to Work Holiday: Killed By Gunfire" [12/27/11] "Police say a 27-year-old Surrey, B.C., man who volunteered to work Christmas Day so that his boss could enjoy the holiday has been killed by gunfire. [...]" 

Legal Case: "Grandma Says Teacher Snapped Pictures After Elementary Student Hanged Himself" [12/27/11] "A new student in elementary school who was bullied by classmates hanged himself in class and his teacher "grabbed her phone and began taking pictures" and didn't help him down until she said, "'Now that's the picture I want,'" the boy's grandmother claims in City Court.  [...] After defendant Ms. Stinger stated 'Now that's the picture I want,' she decided to place the chair back under plaintiff [J.E.'s] feet and stop him from hanging on the coat hook." The boy's grandmother says that as he was being taken to the hospital, she received a call from the school and when she arrived, "she was shown a picture of the plaintiff [J.E.] hanging from his coat." She says her grandson was hospitalized for a week, and then transferred to another school. Dowler and her grandson seek $10 million for gross negligence."  

MSM: "Man Robs Store on 'Shop With a Cop' Night" [12/27/11] "We don’t want to imply that there’s a right time to shoplift, but there’s definitely a wrong one, and that wrong one is on "Shop With a Cop" night. David Sherman, 49, tried to make off with a $79 DVD player from a Nebraska Walmart on Wednesday, apparently unaware that more than two dozen cops were in the store, WFIE 14 reports. The cops were taking 75 underprivileged kids out for a shopping trip and pictures with Santa when they spotted the less-than-stealthy Sherman running out of the store with electronics in hand. Several officers pursued him, and caught him hiding in a car in the parking lot. Sherman said he was desperate for drug money. He’s been in prison five times before, and now could be facing 10 years to 60 years for shoplifting and other charges. [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "Soldier Shot At Party Near Home Had Survived Suicide Bombing" [12/26/11] "He'd survived a suicide bombing. Now a soldier who served in Afghanistan could be paralyzed after being shot during a welcome home party Friday night in San Bernardino. Christopher Sullivan, 22, suffered wounds during the bombing attack, which killed five fellow soldiers, his family said. "He was lucky he came home," his mother, Suzanne Sullivan, told the San Bernardino Sun. "My son didn't deserve this. He served his country." Sullivan was in very serious condition, though he was expected to survive. The shooter fled the party on foot and has not been identified or located. Sullivan was on leave from the Army for the holidays and attending a party Friday night when his brother and another man began arguing over football a little before midnight, San Bernardino police Lt. Gwendolyn Waters told The Times. The gunman, in his 20s, punched Sullivan's brother, Waters said. Sullivan stepped in and the man pulled a gun from his waistband and fired at least three shots, Waters said. Two shots hit Sullivan, one in the neck and the other in the buttocks. About 30 to 40 people attended the party, which was held at the home of one of Sullivan's friends, Waters said. The shooting occurred in the side yard.  [...]" 

MSM: "BLM Nevada Stallion Castration Plans On Hold Until Court Ruling" [12/26/11] "Federal land managers have agreed to postpone their precedent-setting plan to castrate hundreds of wild stallions in eastern Nevada pending a federal court's review of the issue. [...]"  Note: That's just nuts ...

Higher Self Intervention: "Man Miraculously Escapes As Satellite Fragment Crashes Into His House" [12/26/11]   "Andrei Krivorukov got a wonderful Christmas gift today: his very own life. He saved it after a titanium ball from a Russian communication satellite crashed right into its house, escaping death by just a few feet. The Russian satellite was a Meridian, which is used for civilian and military communications. It was destroyed when a Soyuz-2 rocket exploded in midair, just a few minutes after its launch from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome—a Russian spaceport, located 500 miles north of Moscow. The catastrophe sent several pieces flying over Siberia, near the city of Tobolsk and as far as 62 miles from the city of Novosibirsk. One of them was the 11-pound titanium ball that fell through Krivorukov's roof, landing right where he was minutes before. That was when he decided to go to his yard to grab some wood for his fireplace.  [...]"  

MSM: "Passenger's Frosted Cupcakes Spark Airport Terror Alert" [12/25/11] "A woman who flew home from Las Vegas claimed an airport security officer confiscated her frosted cupcake because he thought the icing on it could be a security risk. Rebecca Hains from Peabody, Massachusetts, said a Transportation Security Administration agent at McCarran International Airport took her cupcake as she passed through security. He told her its frosting was enough like a gel to violate TSA restrictions on allowing liquids and gels onto flights to prevent them from being used as explosives. 'I just thought this was terrible logic,' Hains, a 35-year-old communications professor at Salem State University, told ABC. Hains said the agent didn't seem worried that the cupcake, which was in a jar, could actually be explosive. Instead, he was only concerned that it fit some bureaucratic definition about what was prohibited. She said he even offered to let her eat it away from the airport security area. Hains said she told the agent she had passed through security at Boston's Logan International Airport earlier in the week with two cupcakes packaged in jars, that were gifts from a student. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Woman Dies After Sleepwalking Into Lake" [12/23/11] "A 55-year-old New Jersey woman with a history of sleepwalking has drown after unconsciously walking across a train trestle near her apartment and falling into a lake, police believe. Friends and neighbors of Charlene Ferrero continue helping police in Oaklyn, N.J., piece together the strange chain of events that led to her death sometime over the weekend.  [...]"  

Satire: "Santachrist" FKN News [12/23/11] [16:00]  Note: A holiday message from Deek. Related: "Grandma Got Indefinitely Detained (A Very TSA Christmas)" [2:23] 

MSM: "Brazilian Mother Expecting Twins Gives Birth To Two-Headed Child" [12/22/11] "One mother learned her baby had two heads just moments before giving birth via Cesarean section in northern Brazil Monday morning. Doctors say the babies, which have two heads and share one body, are conjoined twins with functioning organs.  [...]"  Note: A minionesque dynamic. Nature spirit path in bodies ... not higher self incarnations. It's all minions from now on, pretty much, since time is short.

MSM: "Dad Can Keep Big Jury Award for Cop Beating" [12/20/11] "A jury properly awarded more than $101,000 to a man who testified that a Boston cop beat him up when he showed up late to return his children to the custody of his ex-wife, a federal judge ruled. [...]"  

Commentary:  "Congress Overturns Incandescent Light Bulb Ban" [12/19/11] "Congressional negotiators struck a deal Thursday that overturns the new rules that were to have banned sales of traditional incandescent light bulbs beginning next year. That agreement is tucked inside the massive 1,200-page spending bill that funds the government through the rest of this fiscal year, and which both houses of Congress will vote on Friday. Mr. Obama is expected to sign the bill, which heads off a looming government shutdown. Republicans dropped almost all of the policy restrictions they tried to attach to the bill, but won inclusion of the light bulb provision, which prevents the Obama administration from carrying through a 2007 law that would have set energy efficiency standards that effectively made the traditional light bulb obsolete. [...]"  Note: Nice to know we'll have bulbs, if nothing else.

MSM: "Thief Injured Attempting To Steal Copper Wire From School" [12/18/11] "A thief apparently looking to steal copper from equipment on the roof of a Miami-Dade school fell more than two stories, a debilitating plunge that left him unable to walk, apparently with a broken hip or leg. The hapless Spiderman was captured by security cameras at Charles Wyche Elementary School in Miami Gardens. He arrives, wearing a ski mask, and begins to arrange ropes he’s carrying for a climb up the outside wall of the school to the roof, more than two stories above. Moments later a second camera angle shows the man falling to the ground – a drop of more than 25 feet – where he begins to writhe in pain. The intruder dragged himself out on to a walkway and attempted to stand up, but immediately fell back down. He then dragged himself on his belly out of the school, pushing a pair of bolt cutters in front of him. “He was trying to get on the roof of the school to commit copper theft,” said schools police Sergeant Ivan Silva. “As you can see from the video, he’s not the most skillful burglar.” “He sustained what we believe is a significant injury,” said schools police Chief Charles Hurley. “Someone knows who he is. We’re asking the community to help us identify him.” [...]"  

MSM: "Man Stole Woman's Car During Movie Date" [12/18/11] "The 27-year-old Floridian was on a movie date last week with Sarah Bush, 35, when he asked for her car keys so that he could retrieve something from the vehicle. Bush gave him the keys and went back to watching “Immortals” (Pratt had paid for the movie tickets, while Bush shelled out for a nacho combo). However, Pratt--who had been dating Bush for two weeks--never returned to the Cobb Theater in Wesley Chapel. When Bush departed, she realized that her rented Ford Focus had been stolen. When she called Pratt, he left no doubt about the whereabouts of her wheels: “Ha ha I stole your car,” he said, according to a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office report. The vehicle, owned by Enterprise Rent-A-Car, was recovered Sunday in a Walmart parking lot after Pratt called Bush and told her where he abandoned the $13,000 vehicle. When cops caught up with Pratt Wednesday he copped to swiping the car and leaving it at the Walmart in New Port Richey. As a result, he was arrested for felony grand theft and booked into the Pasco County lockup in lieu of $5000 bond.[...]"  Note: Raised by wolves.

MSM: "Colombian Man Tried Smuggling 16 People Into US By Posing As Cheerleading Team" [12/16/11] "At least one Colombian man has nothing to cheer about today. Duastin Salazar, 28, pleaded guilty to visa fraud charges after trying to smuggle 16 people into the U.S. posing as a cheerleading squad, U.S. Immigration announced Thursday. [...]"  

MSM: "Man Awarded $10M For Segway Accident While Riding Blindfolded And Without A Helmet On Obstacle Course" [12/16/11] "A Bridgeport jury has awarded $10 million to a 23-year-old man who suffered a brain injury in a Segway accident. The jury on Wednesday determined that New Hampshire-based Segway Inc. and two employees were responsible for John Ezzo's injuries in the accident, which happened at a company demonstration of its two-wheeled vehicle at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven in September 2009. Ezzo's lawyer, Robert Adelman, says his client was riding the Segway blindfolded and without a helmet through an obstacle course set up by company workers when he fell off and injured his head. Adelman says Ezzo had to drop out of the university because of the injury and is now a handyman. Lawyers for Segway didn't immediately comment on the verdict. [...]"  

MSM: "Saudi Arabia Executes Woman Convicted Of "Sorcery" [12/13/11] "The Saudi Interior Ministry says in a statement the execution took place on Monday, but gave no details on the woman's crime. The London-based al-Hayat daily, however, quoted Abdullah al-Mohsen, chief of the religious police who arrested the woman, as saying she had tricked people into thinking she could treat illnesses, charging them $800 per session. The paper said a female investigator followed up, and the woman was arrested in April, 2009, and later convicted in a Saudi court. It did not give the woman's name, but said she was in her 60s. The beheading took to 73 the number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year.  [...]"  

MSM: "Man Takes Casino To Court After Being Told £37m Win Is 'Software Error'" [12/13/11] "A man who thought he had won a £37m jackpot on a fruit machine was sorely disappointed when casino bosses waived off the win as a “computer error” and gave him just £60 and a meal voucher instead. Swiss gambler Behar Merlaku, 26 thought his luck had changed when he got just four out of five matches and the slot machine started ringing and flashing its lights at a casino in Bregenz, Austria, telling him he had won millions. But his win turned sour when casino operators told him that it was a mistake, and he had to accept the meal voucher and £60 or leave the premises. Angry and embittered, Merlaku is now taking his case to courts, in one of the biggest ever lawsuits against Casinos Austria AG, claiming he is owed the money the machine announced he had won. Gaming operators are said to be watching the case with baited breath. The casino is blaming the people who made the software for it malfunction, whilst pointing to an Austrian law that says winnings can’t be any higher than £1.7m (2m euros). [...]" 

MSM: "Woman Says Starbuck's Has a Screw Loose" [12/13/11] "A woman with a prosthetic leg sued Starbucks, claiming its employees wouldn't let her use a restroom to fix a loose screw unless she bought something first. Janet Marx says at least one employee at the Stockton Starbuck's knew her as a regular customer when she entered on Sept. 20, to repair her prosthetic leg. As she made her way to the privacy of the restroom, Marx says, one of the two clerks on duty told her she could not use the restroom without buying something. "The clerk also said, 'I can't be nice to anyone unless they purchase an item,'" according to the complaint in San Joaquin County Court. Marx, stunned, said she turned to the other clerk on duty, who knew her and knew of her disability, but he responded that there was nothing he could do. [...]"  

MSM: "Mom Breaks Into Nearly 30 Homes After Dropping Kids Off At School" [12/13/11] "Police have charged Melissa Addison, 36, from Chesterfield, with breaking into and stealing from homes. According to a press release obtained by CBS Washington, Henrico police says these burglaries took place in the Varina area between Oct. 26 and Dec. 2. According to the report, Addison would drop her children off to school each morning and then travel to Henrico to break into homes. After her arrest, police say she confessed to 22 break-ins in Henrico County, three in Charles City County, and two in Chesterfield County. [...]" 

MSM: "Brazil: 50 Tons Of Corn Stolen From Moving Train" [12/12/11] "Police in Brazil's southeastern Sao Paulo state are investigating the theft of 50 metric tons (55 U.S. tons) of corn from a moving train. A police report says the thieves greased the train tracks, making the wheels of the 54-wagon locomotive skid and slow down before they used a tow truck with a hook to remove the corn-filled containers. The report says the theft occurred as the train traveled through a rural area about 180 miles (300 kilometers) north of the capital. The train was headed to the southeastern port of Santos with 60 metric tons (66 U.S. tons) of corn and sugar. The case is reminiscent of Wild West robberies, where bandits on horses stole from moving trains. [...]"  

MSM: "Bank Penalizes Kid With $4.85 In His Account By Charging Him $234.95 In Fees In Two Weeks" [12/11/11] "A young man left $4.85 in his TCF Bank account. TCF assessed him a $9.95 "maintenance fee" for not having enough money in his account. Then they charged him for being overdrawn by $5.10 (ten cents more than he was allowed by their rules). In less than two weeks, they'd assessed so many fees and penalties against the account holder that he owed them $229.10. All for having the temerity to have a low-balance account. The bank said it was his own fault for not having more money. Finally, they relented -- only after being contacted by a newspaper. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Man Killed By Nevada Deputy Near Own Burial Plot" [12/09/11] "A man whose wife had recently died was only a few feet away from his own tombstone in a family burial plot when he pointed a loaded gun at a deputy and was fatally shot, authorities said Thursday. David Pendleton, 77, died Wednesday at the Gardnerville Cemetery after summoning police with an anonymous report of a dead body outside a white truck, police Sgt. Jim Halsey said in a statement.  We don't know ultimately what his intent was, whether it was to shoot himself or be shot by the deputy," Halsey told The Associated Press. Pendleton's shotgun was "fully loaded and ready to be fired," he said, adding that the incident unfolded quickly and before other officers arrived. [...]"  

MSM: "Tennessee Firefighters Let Mobile Home Burn Because Couple Didn't Pay Protection Fee" [12/07/11] "A Tennessee couple has lost everything after their home burned to the ground as firefighters watched and did nothing. Vicky Bell told WPSD-TV that she called 911 when her mobile home in Obion County caught fire. Firefighters responded but did not put out the blaze because she does not subscribe to the local fire service. Bell says she could "look out my mom's trailer and see the trucks sitting at a distance." Rural residents who want fire protection can get service from the nearby town of South Fulton, but they must pay a $75-a-year fee. South Fulton Mayor David Crocker said that if the city's firefighters responded to people who didn't pay there would be no incentive for anyone to subscribe. He said firefighters will help when people are in danger, regardless of whether they have paid. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Model Walks Into Propeller, Loses Hand" [12/07/11] " A young blogger and model returning from an aerial Christmas-lights tour walked into the small plane's propeller, which severely slashed her face, arm, and hand. Lauren Scruggs' left hand was amputated at a local Dallas hospital, and the 23-year-old model has undergone several other surgeries since the accident. Scruggs appears to be responding to voice commands, but doctor aren't yet sure of the possible extent of brain damage, reports ABC News. It's unclear how the accident occurred. The FAA is investigating.  [...]"  

MSM: "FAA Chief To Step Down Following Drunken Driving Arrest" [12/07/11] "FAA administrator Randy Babbitt resigned Tuesday as head of the Federal Aviation Administration following his arrest over the weekend on charges of drunken driving. Babbitt was about halfway through a five-year term. Deputy FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will serve as acting administrator. Industry officials and lawmakers said they expect Huerta to continue in the post through next year since the White House probably will want to avoid a possible nomination fight before the presidential election. [...]"  

MSM: "Mom Shoots Kids In Welfare Office After Being Denied Food Stamps" [12/07/11] "A Texas woman who for months was unable to qualify for food stamps pulled a gun in a state welfare office and staged a seven-hour standoff with police that ended with her shooting her two children before killing herself, officials said Tuesday. The children, a 10-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, remained in critical condition Tuesday. The shooting took place at a Texas Department of Health and Human Services building in Laredo, where police said about 25 people were inside at the time. [...]"  Note: Rick Perry country. "Rick Perry Blasts Gay "Lifestyle" Note: Is fascism a life style, Rick?

UK: "German 'Bank Robber' Tries Holding Up A Branch That Closed 17 Years Ago... With A Toy Gun" [12/06/11]   "A man who tried to hold up a bank that had been closed for years has been jailed by a court in Germany. The man tried to hold up the branch in the northwestern town of Walchum in May with a toy gun and robbed a passer-by. But the branch moved years ago, with only cash machines left. After first demanding a 10,000 euro (£8,600) ransom for the woman, he forced her to withdraw 400 euros and fled. The Bild newspaper branded the man "Germany's stupidest bank robber". The 57-year-old got a seven-year jail sentence for the robbery. The building had been converted into a physiotherapist's practice after the bank had moved out. The man escaped in a stolen car which he then abandoned, but left the toy gun between the seats with his fingerprints on it, AFP reports. The court heard that the man had confessed to the crime and that he was a serial offender, having 22 previous convictions. His criminal past was taken into account in his sentencing, along with the fact that the woman he had robbed was still suffering health problems as a result, the court said.  [...]"  

MSM: "Couple Arrested By Police For Not Tipping Waitress" [12/06/11] [2:50] Note:  "Mandatory" gratuity is an oxymoron.

MSM: "Robbing Ultimate Fighting Expert Proves To Be Bad Decision" [12/06/11] "Chicago: Robbing a man who turned out to be an ultimate fighter proved to be a bad decision for a convicted felon, who is now in bad shape as he is held on bond. Police say around 11:30 p.m. Friday, Anthony Miranda, 24, walked up to a car parked at 55th Street and Kenneth Avenue, just a few blocks from Midway International Airport. Miranda asked the driver for a lighter, and the driver said he didn’t have one. Then Miranda pulled a handgun and demanded that the driver hand over his money, police said. Even after the driver complied and gave up some money, Miranda ordered him out of his car, police said. At some point, Miranda’s attention was diverted and the victim was able to grab control of the gun and the two wrestled. [...] During the fight, Miranda accidentally discharged his own gun, shooting himself in the ankle, police said. The victim — who told police he is a martial arts expert and ultimate fighter — was able to pin Miranda down until police arrived. Police arrived to find Miranda with a face full of lacerations and two black eyes. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment, police said. Miranda, a convicted felon, is charged with armed robbery and aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class X felony." 

MSM: "Flesh-Eating Banana” Fears Hit Mozambique" [12/04/11] "Rumours of flesh-eating bananas in Mozambique have sparked a plummet in the sale of the fruit, prompting the health minister Friday to reassure people of its safety. "From the work conducted by the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Trade and Industry, it was concluded that there is no record of entry of any infected banana in the country," according to a joint statement. An email and text message hoax warning people against eating bananas for the next three weeks went viral as people feared being infected by necrotising fasciitis, or skin-eating disease.  [...]" 

MSM: "Legless Man Denied Wheelchair" [12/03/11] "A man from Nyköping in eastern Sweden has been denied a power wheelchair despite having had both of his legs amputated as the local health authority remained "uncertain if the impairment was permanent". [...]"  

Explorations: "What a Dog Does When It's Cold" [12/03/11] [0:13]  Note: Very cute.

MSM: "Saudi Council: Allowing Women To Drive "Would Increase Homosexuality" [12/03/11] "Allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia would mean no more virgins and an increase in homosexuality, according to academics at Saudi Arabia’s highest religious council, Majlis al-Ifta' al-A'ala, it has been reported in the Telegraph. Produced in conjunction with Kamal Subhi, a former professor at the King Fahd University, the study into repealing the ban predicted that there would be no more virgins left in the Arab kingdom in 10 years. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world which bans women from driving. Saudi Arabia is currently considering a law for women to cover up their eyes if they are deemed too "tempting." [...]"  

UK: "Groom Admits To Wedding Day Arson At Castle" [12/03/11] "A groom has admitted starting a devastating fire at the country house where his wedding reception was held. The blaze caused £6 million worth of damage to the Peckforton Castle Hotel, near Tarporley, Cheshire, and led to almost 200 people, including 11 children, being evacuated. Max Kay, 36, of Waylands Drive, Hunts Cross, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to a charge of arson that was reckless as to whether life was endangered when he appeared at Chester Crown Court. [...]"  

MSM: "Woman's Face Erupts in Flames During Surgery" [12/03/11] "A Florida woman was airlifted to a burn center after her face erupted in flames during surgery. The 29-year-old mom of three was having cysts removed from her head when the accident occurred. Firefighters were called, but the flash fire was out by the time they arrived. It's not clear what caused the blaze, but electricity, heat, and lasers may spark flames in an operating room that are then fed by oxygen and surgical materials. The woman was being treated for burns to her face and neck, and was in stable condition. “I am in shock," her mom told the Crestview News Bulletin. "This is not what happens with a routine outpatient surgery." She said her daughter told her: "They woke me up and everyone around me was hysterical."  [...]" 

UK: "Ambulance Calls For Man Four Years After His Death" [12/02/11] "An investigation has been launched after an ambulance called at a widow's home to pick up her husband for a hospital appointment nearly four years after his death. Denise Keeley, 65, from Newark, Nottinghamshire, said she was disgusted when the ambulance arrived at her door to collect her husband George for a podiatry appointment at Newark Hospital. Mr Keeley, an engineer, died from lung cancer in February 2008 aged 72. [...] A spokeswoman from the surgery confirmed that they had booked an ambulance two weeks in advance, but for a different patient at a different address. They have apologised to Mrs Keeley and confirmed they have no records of her nor her husband."  Note: Stupid sequentials.

Africa: "Man Collapses After Hired Prostitute Turns Out To Be Daughter" [12/01/11] "A man who ordered a prostitute to his hotel room collapsed when his daughter turned up at the door. Titus Ncube from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, said the shock of seeing his 20-year-old daughter sent him to the ground. The unnamed woman reportedly fled the building. Ncube said his daughter was no longer working as a prostitute and was planning to return to school.  On hearing the news, his wife said: “If it were not for my children, I could have divorced him a long time ago.” [...]"  

MSM: "3 Facing Prison Time In $1M Toilet Paper Scam" [11/28/11] "A South Florida trio is facing up to two decades in prison after they were allegedly involved in a $1 million toilet paper scam in Palm Beach County. Federal prosecutors said the three conned elderly customers into buying unnecessary septic products, in some cases more than 70 years worth of toilet paper, CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald reported. According to the Herald, the three worked for FBK Products of West Palm Beach. They told more than a dozen of their victims that they needed the company’s special toilet paper to avoid ruining their septic tanks. They told their victims that the federal government changed regulations on toilet paper, the Herald reported. The federal government, though, does not regulate septic tank products. [...]"  

MSM: "County Sued Over Deaf Man Held 25 Days" [11/28/11] "A lawsuit claims  Adams County, Colorado ' authorities' detained a deaf man for 25 days in jail without providing a sign-language interpreter before domestic assault charges were eventually dropped.  Timothy Siaki’s lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court seeks unspecified damages and a finding that Adams County officials violated the Americans With Disabilities Act over his May 14, 2010, arrest and detention. The Denver Post reports Siaki doesn’t read or write English or read lips, but he does communicate through American Sign Language. Deputies arrested Siaki after a noise complaint at a motel where Siaki and his fiancDee were verbalizing sounds while arguing. Deputies responding to the complaint knocked down the motel-room door and tackled Siaki after he failed to respond to their commands. [...]"  

MSM: "Pakistani Woman Kills, Attempts To Cook Husband" [11/27/11] "Pakistani police on Thursday arrested a woman who had killed her husband and was attempting to cook his body parts after he planned to marry another woman without her permission. The police arrested Zainab Bibi, 32, and her nephew Zaheer, 22, in the Shah Faisal colony of Pakistan’s southern megacity Karachi, and recovered the bowl of flesh she planned to cook, said police chief for the area Nadeem Baig. “They killed Ahmed Abbas, Zainab’s husband, and chopped his body into pieces and were about to cook the flesh in a bowl,” he told AFP, adding that the knife with which they killed the man had been recovered. According to family law in the Islamic country, a man has to get permission from his first wife before his second marriage, but the law is rarely observed. [...]"  Note: Where's all that curry when you really need it?

Black Friday - Let The Games Begin, Uh, Continue: "Pepper Spraying Each Other for Video Games at Wal-Mart" [11/26/11] "This article has it all. Imagine you are in a Wal*Mart on Thanksgiving. It's 9:55 pm, and the store is set to reduce prices dramatically at ten. There's a pallet on the floor in the video game section, covered in shrink-wrap. It has new consoles for the Wii and XBox. Customers become impatient and start pushing toward the pallet. People are getting forced on top of it. Shoving and screaming ensues. Someone begins ripping and tearing at the shrink-wrap. Others push over the shelves holding video games, strewing them across the floor where they are immediately trampled. Then, a woman reaches into her purse and grabs some pepper spray, She unleashes it on the dense crowd. The Oleoresin Capsicum wafts through the store, ripping into people's throats and irritating their skin. The faces of the closest victims swell up grotesquely. And then? Shopping resumes as normal. [...]"  Note: Corporate Media Again Programs People Raised By Wolves To Battle Over Material Objects For Fun and Profit Related: "Competitive Shopping' Turns Into Chaos"  | "Girls Punching Each Other' Over Yoga Pants Sale at Victoria's Secret..."  | "Mayhem over $2 waffle maker"  |"Woman Shot, Robbed In SC After Midnight Shopping Trip To Walmart"  |"NC Police Use Pepper Spray To Break Up Melee"  |"Grandfather Smashed To Ground As He Tried To Protect Grandson From Crowd"  |"Gunfire Erupts At Mall"  You get the idea .... same kind of people as last year, or their descendants.

RT America:  "Cops Bust Open Face Of Black Friday Grandpa" [11/26/11]   [2:36] "Newman was shopping at a Wal-Mart store in Buckeye, Arizona late Thursday night along with thousands of other Americans who congregate to celebrate consumerism in a post-holiday bargain hunting binge called Black Friday. Newman says he became overwhelmed by the crowds at the Wal-Mart he was shopping at, so he attempted to lift his grandkid into the air to avoid a mob of violent shoppers. To free his hands, Newman says he placed a video game into his waistband and tried to launch the youngster out of the crowd. Police suspected the man of shoplifting, however, and took him down. Hard. [...]"  

MSM: "Students No Longer Need To Give Professor Snacks" [11/25/11] "A California university professor can no longer demand snacks from students taking his psychology classes. Sacramento State professor George Parrott has demanded snacks from his students for 39 years. Students were told of the snack demand on the first day of class. But two weeks ago he walked out of his Psychology 101 lab class because there were no snacks. University spokeswoman Kimberly Nava says members of the psychology department at California State University, Sacramento decided Parrott's decision to walk out of class was unacceptable and the dean told him to stop. [...]" 

UK: "Strange Firefighting Stories" [11/25/11] "London fire brigade releases data detailing unusual call-outs, and asks public 'to think carefully before dialling 999'. Dave Brown, the brigade's assistant commissioner for operations and mobilising, said: "You wouldn't believe some of the incidents we're called to deal with – people manage to get themselves trapped in some very weird and wonderful places – but there is a serious side to this. "These incidents are time-consuming, costly and take up the precious time of our crews who are then unavailable to attend other, potentially life-threatening, emergencies. [...]"  

MSM: "Case Dropped Against Ohio Man Seen With Rubber Ax" [11/25/11] "Akron law enforcement no longer has an ax to grind against horror artist Bill Morrison. On Monday, city prosecutors fell on their sword, dismissing their criminal case and burying the hatchet with Morrison, who was arrested and jailed in October on a charge of inducing panic. His crime: scaring a woman who saw him carrying a Halloween prop ax into an Akron bar. Since being questioned about the case by the Beacon Journal, city Prosecutor Doug Powley said he reviewed the facts and the law and determined the “situation did not warrant a criminal conviction.” He filed papers Monday afternoon dismissing the case in Akron Municipal Court. [...] Morrison was arrested Oct. 16 outside Corky’s Thomastown bar near South Arlington Street and Triplett Boulevard after a woman saw him carrying a “bloody ax” into the bar. She called 911 and told a dispatcher that a man with long, brown hair and wearing a dark green trench coat just entered the bar with “a full, long ax.” Two Akron patrolmen responded and found Morrison and his ax. While the ax looked real, with a wooden handle and silver head, Morrison, a locally famous Halloween makeup and special-effects artist, showed the officers it was a prop, with fake blood and a rubber blade. Despite the explanation, the officers charged, handcuffed and took Morrison to jail on a charge of inducing panic, a misdemeanor. At first, he thought it was a joke. “I just couldn’t believe it. I just kept saying to myself in the back of the paddy wagon, ‘This isn’t right. This isn’t right,’” he said. “I just figured they’d give the ax back and I’d be on my way.[...] " 

MSM: "Russian Anchor Off Air For Finger Gesture In Obama Story" [11/25/11] "Tatiana Limanova, an award-winning journalist and host of a news show on the REN-TV private channel, waved her middle finger when presenting a story about the APEC summit in the United States, a moment after mentioning Obama. The video went viral on the internet, with many viewers speculating the gesture had been meant to insult the U.S. president, who met his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on the sidelines of the summit. "The gesture was addressed to the members of the editing crew, there was no implication of any kind and it had no reference to the information delivered by Tatiana Limanova," a spokesman for the TV station told Interfax. Limanova thought she was reading the news off-screen by the time she raised a finger, the spokesman said. There were no details on how Limanova's duties would change after the incident. [...]"  

MSM: "Greyhound Bus Driver Leaves Passengers Stranded" [11/25/11] "Greyhound bus company is conducting an investigation after a bus driver left 45 passengers stranded for about eight hours in the middle of the night at a gas station in the state of Missouri. "It was certainly unprecedented and absolutely inexcusable," said company spokeswoman Maureen Richard, adding that the unidentified female driver, who is based in Memphis, Tennessee, was cooperating with officials. The woman was driving a route on Friday from Memphis to St. Louis, which is normally a six-hour trip. But she left the bus 150 miles from her destination, turning the journey into a roughly 16-hour ordeal for passengers. The trouble began near Sikeston, Missouri when the driver put an unruly passenger off the bus. The driver then took the bus east to Charleston, Missouri where she abandoned it on Friday evening. A Greyhound replacement driver didn't get to the bus until about eight hours after the driver walked off, the company said. Greyhound was offering full refunds, Richmond said. [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "Groom & Doom After Wedding" [11/23/11] "A Bronx groom hurled himself into the Harlem River over the weekend — just hours after exchanging marriage vows with his longtime love. Fernando Brazier, 28, took the fatal leap after leaving a suicide note for his bride, Trudian Hay, at the front desk of the Radisson Hotel in New Rochelle, where the couple and family members spent the night after celebrating their wedding. “He said [in the note] he couldn’t take it anymore, and to take care of the kids,” Brazier’s sister, Shawna Weeks, told The Post. “He left his ring in the envelope.” Police sources said Brazier’s note told Hay that he could be found at the bottom of the river, not far from a Pathmark supermarket and Dyckman Street on the Manhattan side.  [...]" 

Legal Case: "Mummified Patient Can Take Paramedics to Trial" [11/22/11] "Paramedics may be liable for forcibly hospitalizing a man who refused medical attention, a federal judge ruled, recounting an undisputed record showing emergency responders put their patient in a headlock, rammed his head 20 times into an ambulance wall and taped him up "like a mummy." Howard Travis had just undergone neck surgery at a hospital in June 2008, when he went to a grocery store on the South Side of Chicago. Feeling faint and sweating profusely, Travis sat on a store display and attracted the attention of a store manager who called 911. Once paramedics Eileen Keiper-Knapp and Todd Czarnecki arrived on the scene, however, Travis said there was nothing wrong with him and that he did not need help. Nevertheless, the paramedics picked him up by his arms and legs and forced him into the ambulance. Many of the facts of the case are undisputed, according to the court. Travis screamed at the paramedics to let him out, whereupon one of the paramedics choked him, put him in a headlock and rammed his head into the wall of the ambulance 20 times. On the way to the hospital, Czarnecki stopped the ambulance near a fire station as Keiper-Knapp claimed Travis was punching her. Travis was ultimately acquitted on charges that he criminally assaulted Keiper-Knapp. He says he never touched her and "has no idea" how she was injured. When Travis tried to get out of the ambulance, a paramedic twisted his arm and said, "I'll break this mother fucker if you don't stop." The paramedics forced Travis onto a stretcher and taped him down, using so much tape he "looked like a mummy." Then one of them beat Travis' face and punched him in the stomach. When the ambulance got to the hospital, a firefighter handcuffed Travis to the bed, and staff took blood against his will. Travis reiterated that there was nothing wrong with him and that he wanted to go home. After Travis sued the two paramedics and the city of Chicago for violating his constitutional rights, the defendants moved for summary judgment on his claims for excessive force and conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall ruled last week that both allegations should go to trial. [...]"  

MSM: "Virginia Woman Faces 50 Years Behind Bars For Decapitating Piglet" [11/22/11] "Portsmouth woman faces up to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty to beheading her boyfriend’s piglet. According to court documents, Ashley Fowler, 22, was breaking up with the piglet’s owner Zach Sawyer and wanted to play a prank first. Sawyer’s mother told the Virginian-Pilot last year that the piglet’s head freaked her out when she let her puppy outside early one morning last February and saw it staring back at her. [...]"  Note: More people raised by wolves.

Date With Destiny: "15 Eunuchs Killed In Fire At Ceremony In India" [11/22/11] "It was to be a rare moment of camaraderie and celebration for India's marginalized eunuchs. Thousands had traveled to New Delhi to participate in a ceremony to honor deceased friends and to pray for the health of all children. Then a fire erupted in a huge makeshift tent Sunday night. Panic broke out and 15 eunuchs were killed and 36 others were injured, fire officials said. The fire was likely caused by an electrical short, fire officials and witnesses said. [...]"  Note: I guess they didn't have the balls to get out in time.

Commentary: "Top Ten List Of What Not To Do In Divorce Court " [11/22/11] "Getting ready for trial in a divorce or child custody case can be a stressful time as litigants and litigators attempt to condense the details and documents of a relationship into the hours or days of a trial. If you're represented by counsel, it is your attorney's job to prepare you for trial and to deliver a concise and convincing presentation of your case to the court. That said, since judicial determinations are often based upon the behavior a party exhibited in the courtroom rather than the exhibits they offered into evidence, please consider the following helpful hints for your day in divorce or custody court: [...]"  

MSM: "That Was One Strange Job ..." [11/21/11] "A young woman fresh out of college claims a staffing firm fired her for resisting its policies, which included taking and sharing semi-nude photos of her, mandatory "training sessions" with offensive sexual contact, and forcing her to record her bowel movements and her "reading and affirming patterns." [...] She seeks punitive damages and costs for assault and battery, false imprisonment, fraud, conspiracy, privacy invasion, and intentional infliction of emotional distress." 

Date With Destiny: "79-Year-Old Miami Man, Dies After Accidentally Receiving Execution Drug " [11/20/11] "The family of a deceased Florida man is suing a Miami hospital, claiming a mixup in which he was given a medication used in executions led to his death. Richard Smith, 79, was admitted to North Shore Hospital on July 30, 2010, with shortness of breath and stomach trouble. Smith's son, Marc, told WSVN-TV that when he arrived at the hospital, a doctor informed him that his father had gone into respiratory arrest after receiving the wrong medication. The Smith family claims the nurse administered Pancuronium, a muscle relaxant, instead of the antacid Pepcid. The Daily Mail reports that Pancuronium is one of three drugs used in executions in many states, though it is also used in the operating room. Smith was resuscitated, but eventually died a month later, according to the Miami New Times. The nurse who allegedly administered the drug into Smith's IV tube, identified by the Daily Mail as Uvo Ologboride, is still working with patients, despite an investigation into the incident.  [...]"  

Natural World: "Lovely Owl: Cute/Ridiculous Animal Thing Of The Day" [11/20/11] [1:47] Note: Better than the video of a goldfish in liquid nitrogen, anyway. "For everyone that is worried about the goldfish, it survived and was perfectly fine until we fed him and a few of his friends to our turtles." 

MSM: "Police: 2 Georgia Caregivers Waterboard 89-Year-Old Woman Over Ice Cream" [11/20/11] " Police charge two caregivers at a Jonesboro facility with waterboarding an 89-year-old woman. Clayton County police said Jermeller Steed and Cicely Reed held down Anna Foley after an argument that started over ice cream. They’re said to have allegedly held down Foley in a locked shower room, flooding her face with the hand-hold shower nozzle in 2008.  According to WGCL-TV, Foley was undergoing treatment at the facility for dementia. A co-worker witnessed the event and blew the whistle. The technique slowly drowns subjects by blocking the air passages with flowing water while the subject is immobilized. The Obama administration banned waterboarding suspected terrorists in January 2009, classifying it as torture. Neither Steed nor Reed currently work at the elderly care facility. [...]"  

MSM: "Accused Florida 'Butt Injector' Appears To Have Tried Her Own Product" [11/20/11] "Investigators allege that Oneal Ron Morris, 30, used a mixture of cement, super glue, mineral oil, and “Fix-a-Flat” sealant to enhance one client’s rear end. [...]"  Note: I have no words.... the 'bowling pin' look is just so passé.

Canada: "Teens Dress As Batman To Catch Pedophiles; Cops Not Impressed" [11/19/11] "A vigilante trio of teenagers dressed up in superhero costumes have had their form of justice shut down by the RCMP after they set up sting operations to catch men wanting to have sex with teenage girls. The teenagers — dressed as Batman and the Flash — posted videos of their confrontations with men arriving at rendezvous points arranged after they posed as 15-year-old girls online. Using fake pictures they got from the Internet and going on the dating website Plenty of Fish, the teenagers started online conversations, pretended they were teenage girls and arranged to meet the men in public places like a parking lot or a restaurant. The teens then confronted the men and accused them of being pedophiles while filming the encounter. The videos were later posted on YouTube under the header “To Troll a Predator.” “You Plenty of Fish?” asked the masked Batman character in one of the videos taken at night during a confrontation with one man. [...]"  

MSM:  "Stephen Hawking: Colonization Of Outer Space Key To Human Survival" [11/19/11] "Stephen Hawking says the colonization of outer space is key to the survival of humankind, predicting it will be difficult for the world's inhabitants "to avoid disaster in the next hundred years." [...]"  Note: There is SO MUCH that Hawking seems to be oblivious to. The cultural space program is virtually dead, society is crumbling to pieces, etc. It may be logical and reasonable, but clearly it would NEVER EVER happen on here on this planet. 

MSM: "Tennessee Man, 37, Arrested For Assaulting His Mother With A Ham" [11/18/11] "A Tennessee man is facing a domestic assault charge after he allegedly struck his mother with a ham during an argument Tuesday afternoon in their home. Emanuel Cordell Kennedy, 37, was collared after his mother told cops that she was hit in the back with the thrown ham as she was walking down the hall, according to a Union City Police Department report excerpted here. In an interview with police, Kennedy claimed that he did not intend to hit his mother, 55-year-old Brenda King, with the tossed ham. King apparently was not injured by the pink missile, the size of which was not detailed by investigators. [...]" 

MSM: "Early Morning McDonald’s Menu Changeover Prompted Wisconsin Woman's Meltdown " [11/18/11] "When Shanaya Edgell arrived early yesterday morning at a McDonald’s in Janesville, Wisconsin, she was expecting to order from the fast food joint’s regular menu--Big Macs, french fries, Chicken McNuggets, and the like. Except it was around 3 AM and the restaurant had already switched over to its breakfast menu--hash browns, Egg McMuffins, hotcakes, and the like. This enraged Edgell, according to Janesville Police Department officers, since she wanted a cheeseburger. The 22-year-old--for some unexplained reason--turned on her boyfriend, biting him on the arm and tearing off his shirt. Darrell Page, 40, explained to a cop that Edgell “wanted a burger from McDonald’s,” so they drove to the restaurant--only to discover at the drive-thru window that the eatery “had stopped serving hamburgers and was now only serving breakfast.” Edgell, he added, “got upset because she did not want breakfast and only wanted a cheeseburger.” (That was just the beginning) [...]"  

MSM: "Woman Utters Line Never Previously Recorded In A Police Report" [11/18/11] "Meet Melissa Lee Williams. The West Virginia woman, 41, is facing assault and weapons charges after allegedly waving a knife at two men who declined her demands to engage in sexual conduct at a motor inn. [...]"  Note: More people raised by wolves.

MSM: "Man Finds $500,000 In Gold And Silver After Purchasing Abandoned Storage Unit At Auction" [11/17/11] "For those who haven’t caught Storage Wars on A&E, the premise of the reality show involves people bidding on abandoned storage units at auction in the hopes of discovering high dollar items after the renters of the units have defaulted on their monthly payments. American Auctioneers is the company featured in the show. At a recent AA auction, a man identified only as John, purchased an abandoned unit for $1000 in the hopes of recouping his investment and finding some treasure and turning a profit. It turns out that John hit it big, as the original owner of the contents of the storage unit apparently didn’t trust traditional security storage methods like bank safe deposit boxes, opting instead to hide his (or her) precious metals at a storage facility typical of any American city. Unfortunately, no cameras were present for the auction or to capture John when he found what amounted to a gold mine in a blue Rubbermaid container. According to reports, the container held about 16 gold Spanish coins, silver Spanish dollars, and several gold and silver bars. The estimated value of the find is around $500,000. [...]"  

MSM: "Lebanon: Politicians Throw Chairs At Each Other In Heated Debate" [11/16/11] [1:33] "Two prominent Lebanese politicians debating the unrest in neighboring Syria have exchanged blows on live television, in an indication of the deep divide between Lebanese factions over their relationship with Damascus. Pro and anti-Syrian regime demonstrations are common in Lebanon, whose politics have long been heavily influenced by Damascus, now facing increasing isolation over its bloody crackdown on protestors. The fight late Monday night broke out in a debate between anti-Syrian former legislator Mustafa Alloush and the head of the Lebanese branch of Syria's ruling Baath party Fayez Shukur. According to AFP, the two clashed over Syrian President Bashar Assad's credibility: [...]"  

MSM: "Man Allegedly Kills, Skins And Eats Bobcat While High On Meth" [11/16/11] "A Morgan Hill man has been charged with killing a bobcat -- before skinning and eating it -- while high on methamphetamine. "They [deputies] talked to the person who was on the property and they wondered why the carcass was there," explained Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Steve Lowney to NBC Bay Area. "What they found out was that, apparently the bobcat had eaten five of the roosters a day or two prior, and that the person had taken a .22 caliber rifle and shot the bobcat, and then ate the bobcat and hung it on a fence." Arnibal is facing a number of misdemeanors surrounding the incident, including charges for drug possession, carrying cockfighting gaffs and killing a bobcat. He is not, however, facing any charges for eating it.  [...]"  Note: Raised by wolves.

Canada: "Bus Driver Fired After Losing It On 'Mildly Autistic' Passenger" [11/15/11] "OC Transpo has fired the driver who was seen yelling and swearing at a passenger on a YouTube video, according to a memo released to City of Ottawa councillors and staff. The driver's tirade was caught by another passenger on the No. 96 bus heading towards Kanata, as 20-year-old Matthew Taronno, who described himself as "mildly autistic," stood at the front of the bus. Taronno said he wanted to apologize for reading a script he wrote that contained some "inappropriate language" aboard the bus. The driver, 56, was in no mood to hear it, Taronno told CBC News. Transit management told staff in the memo it completed the investigation of the incident, which has resulted in the driver being fired. [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "UK: Metal Thief" Fights For Life After Blast At Electricity Sub-Station" [11/13/11] "A man is in critical condition after being electrocuted as he tried to steal metal from an electricity substation. The victim was admitted to Birmingham's City Hospital shortly after an explosion at a substation in nearby Oldbury, West Midlands, at 3.15am yesterday. The blast, on the Granada Industrial Estate, disrupted local power supplies. It is thought to have happened after significant quantities of metal, including copper wiring, had been cut from the substation. The injured man is thought to have been rushed to hospital in a private vehicle. Police have appealed to the driver and anyone with information to come forward. [...]"  

MSM: "Girl, 10, Attacked Teacher Over Candy Seizure" [11/13/11] "A 10-year-old Florida girl is facing a felony charge for allegedly attacking her elementary school teacher and threatening the educator’s life. The assault, police report, was triggered when the teacher seized a bag of Halloween candy that the girl brought to class. According to a sheriff’s report, teacher Kelly Sanchez told investigators that she was holding the candy until the end of the day. At one point, Sanchez said, the girl “went behind her desk and took the bag of candy without her permission.” The child then began throwing pieces of candy at classmates, added Sanchez[...]"  Note: Minionesque behavior.

Quirky Signs Out And About: "Zoo Afterthought: Excuse Us As We Reshape History" [11/13/11] Related: "Control Freaks Chronic Indecision" | "Gender Conundrums" | "Railroad Engineers Trained By Wolves" | "Can’t I Get Half An Hour?" | "Control Freaks Chronic Indecision 2"  | "Control Freaks Chronic Indecision 3" | "It’s What Christians Do Best" | "Dark After Sunset" | "Y'all Come In" | "Zoo Notice" | "I Really Really Want To Be Aware" | "Private Environment" | "Twilight Zone"    

MSM: "9th Foot Washes Up in BC" [11/12/11] "Another foot missing its owner has washed ashore in southwestern British Columbia—the ninth such grim discovery in the last four years. Unlike the others, this one, found by a group of teens, was in freshwater and was in a hiking boot, not a running shoe, CBC reports. Investigators believe the foot separated naturally from the rest of the body and had probably been submerged for at least a decade. Six of the feet found previously have been identified. The foot finds may be unsettling, but they're simply the result of changes in footwear, the local coroner insists. "As shoes become more buoyant, that's the only source of remains that we're likely to find in many water-related cases," he tells the Coquitlam Now, though he doesn't explain why the bodies are there to begin with. "Then it's a case of the body just breaking down. Whatever is buoyant or encased in something buoyant—like these running shoes or hikers—will come back to the surface." [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "UK Manager Plunges To His Death At HQ 'After Hearing Of Redundancy" [11/11/11] "A senior manager plunged to his death from the top floor of Transport for London's new headquarters in front of horrified colleagues. Jack Shemtob, 53, was seen falling six storeys and landing in the lobby of TfL's offices in Greenwich. Several security guards who saw his fall in the atrium were granted leave after being left traumatised. A source claimed that the married father of two, a TfL employee for about 30 years, fell soon after human resources told him he was losing his job as part of the company's cost- cutting programme.  [...]" 

Path Experiences: "Samaritan, Does A Good Deed, Life Saved Moments Later" [11/08/11] "A Canadian man who had just helped a motorist change a tire in western Wisconsin had his good deed quickly repaid when, just minutes later, that same motorist helped to save his life. According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, Victor Giesbrecht, of Winnipeg, was driving Saturday evening on Interstate 94, about 15 kilometres east of Menomonie, when he stopped to help a motorist change a tire. Patrol Sgt. Michael Newton said that after driving off, Mr. Giesbrecht was stricken by a heart attack within a few kilometres. His wife, Ann, helped bring their pickup truck to a stop, called 911 and waved her arms for help. At about the same time, the motorists they had just helped pulled up. The Star Tribune reported Monday that one of them, Lisa Meier, of Eau Claire, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him until emergency personnel arrived. A state trooper and two Dunn County deputies took over and used an automated external defibrillator, or AED, to help Mr. Giesbrecht regain a pulse and resume breathing. Sgt. Newton said if Mr. Giesbrecht hadn't helped with the tire change, his initial rescuer may have remained stranded for too long to play a life-saving role. “If he had been a few more miles down the road and had his heart attack, it could have been a different outcome,” Sgt. Newton said. “It's an interesting turn of fate.” [...]"  

MSM: "Sandwich Arrest Stirs Debate Over Eating In Stores" [11/05/11] "It happens daily in supermarket and convenience stores nationwide - digging into a bag of chips while waiting in line, sampling a couple of grapes in the produce section, opening a bottle of milk to appease a crying child. The highly-publicized story of a pregnant Honolulu mom who was arrested last week with her husband after she ate a sandwich in a Safeway store and forgot to pay, leading to the couple's 2-year-old daughter being taken away by Child Welfare Services, has sparked a national debate on the issue. It also raised the question: Is it OK to consume food and beverages in the store before paying? The woman in Hawaii who ate the sandwich has no problem with it. I didn't know it was such a taboo thing," said Nicole Leszczynski who was charged with fourth-degree theft, a petty misdemeanor, along with her husband, Marcin. The charges have since been dropped by Safeway. "Where I grew up in a small town it's not seen as stealing for sure." [...]"  

MSM: "Florida Domino's Employees Burned Down Rival Papa John's Store" [11/02/11] [3:06] "The battle for pizza supremacy has taken a wrong turn in Florida. Two managers of a Domino's Pizza restaurant in Lake City, in north-central Florida, have been charged with burning down a rival Papa John's location. The motive? Police say one of the men admitted that he believed with his competitor out of the way, more pizza lovers would flock to his restaurant. [...]" 

MSM: "Identity Theft Case Reveals Over 300,000 Identities" [11/02/11] "A Southern California man was convicted of identity theft after authorities discovered he had obtained more than 300,000 personal profiles. While not the most authorities have seen, it's a large cache of personal information, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Brown. Robert Delgado Jr., 40, of Monterey Park was sentenced last week to eight years in prison and five years of supervised release for identify theft after authorities found an external hard drive containing individual profiles that included names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.The hard drive also contained computer images that could potentially be used to forge credit cards and driver's licenses. Before he was caught, Delgado accessed the accounts of at least 77 people, according to the sentencing document. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Man Dies Trying To Remove His Own Pacemaker" [11/02/11] "A Chicago man has died after authorities say he cut his chest to try to remove his pacemaker. The Cook County medical examiner says 47-year-old Channing Askew died Monday night at a Chicago hospital. The Chicago Tribune reports that a doctor told police that Askew apparently had tried to remove his pacemaker himself. Police say paramedics were called to a group home where Askew lived when he complained of chest pain. [...]"   

MSM: "Man Shoots Neighbor For 'Telepathically Threatening' Him" [11/02/11] "A Utah man shot and severely wounded a neighbor who he believed had been "telepathically threatening" him and his wife, according to police. Michael Selleneit, 53, is accused of opening fire on Tony Pierce at around 4:55 p.m. on Oct. 30 in their Centerville trailer park, hitting the 41-year-old victim in the back and the leg. "It was totally unprovoked. The victim was working in his yard with his back to the shooter," Lt. Paul Child, of the Centerville Police Department, told Fox 13. "There was no argument or anything that precipitated this particular event." [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Steve Jobs’ Eulogy Reveals Last Words" [11/01/11] "Writer Mona Simpson’s eulogy for her brother Steve Jobs is getting a lot of attention. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News) [...]"  Note: Jobs, who once memorably described death as "very likely the single best invention of life", departed this world with a lingering look at his family and the simple, if mysterious, observation: "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."

MSM: "Sinkhole Swallows Man, 80, As He Goes for Morning Newspaper" [11/01/11] "An 80-year-old man who went out to get his morning newspaper fell into an 8-foot sinkhole that opened up in his Long Island lawn. Michael Ciron was not seriously injured in his Sunday morning ordeal, and even boasted that he managed to hang onto the papers, according to Newsday. He yelled for his daughter, who woke up and came to his aid by calling police and firefighters to the Oceanside home. Ciron, who was wearing slippers, found himself stuck in wet, shifting sand. "It was scary down there," he told Newsday. [...]" 

MSM: "Burglar Uses His Birthday As Excuse to Not Call Cops" [11/01/11] "A burglar caught rummaging through a car pleaded with the victim not tell to authorities because it was his birthday and his mother was going to be in town, the Broward Sheriff's Office said Monday. [...]"  

MSM: "Man Reports Date As Burglar When Girlfriend Shows" [10/31/11]   "Colorado Springs police say a man's girlfriend unexpectedly came home just before another woman was due to visit, so he called police to report his new acquaintance as a burglar. Police say Gaylor had invited a woman he met online to come to his home after 3 a.m. Wednesday so they could get better acquainted, but his girlfriend came home first. Police say that when the other woman arrived, Gaylor called police and falsely reported an intrusion. 24-year-old Kevin Gaylor was cited with a misdemeanor of false reporting to authorities. [...]"  

Concepts and Practices: "Girl With Digestive Disease Denied Communion" [10/31/11] "An 8-year-old girl who suffers from a serious digestive disorder and cannot eat wheat has had her first Holy Communion declared invalid because the wafer contained no wheat, violating Roman Catholic doctrine. [...]"  Note: Belief systems and 'fences' run amok.

Date With Destiny: "Girl, 17, In Critical Condition After Getting Tangled In Noose At Haunted House" [10/31/11] "A 17-year-old girl is in a critical condition after she became tangled in a noose at a Halloween haunted house. Police said the girl, who was working as an actress at the attraction in St Louis, Missouri, was found unconscious with the prop around her neck. The girl is thought to have fallen off a bathtub at Creepyworld where she had been working for two weeks.  It is thought that members of the public may have walked past her thinking she was a scary prop. She was discovered by a colleague who was checking on the safety of employees at around 8:30pm last night. Captain Ron Arnhart of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said: 'We noticed a bathtub was there. It appears as though the individual stood up on the sides of the bathtub and for whatever reason, put their head in this noose. 'It looks like her feet may have slipped,' he told local station KTVI. 'It looks like an unfortunate accident.' A Creepyworld spokesman said: Our only concern is that she's going to be OK. That's all we care about.' The attraction, which employs 100 people, has remained open.[...]" 

UK: "British Man Phones Police After Mistaking Moon For UFO" [10/28/11] [2:43] "Hertfordshire Police have released this audio of a local man who called 999 (the UK's version of 911) after seeing what he believed to be a UFO. Moments later, the man was forced to phone back when it occurred to him that the UFO was in fact the moon. Hertfordshire Police have released a statement saying that they released the video to show how time can be wasted around Halloween with bogus calls. [...]"  

MSM: "Woman, 60, Stabs Boyfriend For Cheating During Monopoly Game" [10/28/11] "... A New Mexico woman repeatedly stabbed her boyfriend after accusing him of cheating during a Monopoly game early yesterday, according to police. ... When cops arrived at Chavez’s building, she was sitting under the porch “covered with suspected blood.” Asked if the blood was Smith’s, she answered, “Yes, I fucked him up.” [...]"  Note: And another one raised by wolves ...

MSM: "1,000 California Foster Care Homes Match Sex Offender Addresses" [10/28/11] "It seems that child welfare official failed to compare the addresses even after they were told to do so in 2008. According to the Sacramento Bee, about 600 of the highlighted offenders were considered high risk. The matching addresses involved both foster care facilities and homes, according to the Sacramento Bee. At this point eight licenses have been revoked or suspended, and an additional 36 orders have been issued barring individuals from facilities. [...]" 

UK: "Testicle Bite Woman Facing Jail" [10/26/11] "A mother of four is warned she is facing jail after admitting biting her boyfriend's testicles in a drunken fight on Tyneside. Mr. Douglas was so traumatized by his injuries that emergency services staff struggled to understand him when he dialed 999. [...]"  Note: Another one raised by wolves ...

MSM: "Stockton Homeowner Wants Police To Fix Trashed House" [10/25/11] "The San Jose Police Department stormed into a Stockton home searching for an accused killer, but they left without him, and left behind a complete mess. “I feel like a war was taken on here, and we lost,” homeowner Joann Rice told CBS13. Almost all of the windows are smashed in, there are holes in the wall, and there’s a layer of tear gas in the air so thick breathing it in makes you cough. That is the home Rice came back to after the San Jose police held a fruitless 12-hour search on Saturday for Steve Ruiz, the man accused of killing a Hells Angels member at a funeral. “He wasn’t here, he was never here and he wasn’t in the house,” she said. Rice said her daughter was an acquaintance of Ruiz, nothing more. [...]"  

MSM: "Man In Gorilla Mask And Carrying A Stun Gun Robs Taco Stand" [10/25/11] "A man wearing what appeared to be a gorilla mask and waving a stun gun robbed a taco stand early Monday in the city of La Mesa in eastern San Diego County. Police say the masked man had an accomplice in the robbery at Aliberto's Taco Shop shortly after midnight. One man entered the store and ordered a burrito, police said. While the clerk was busy fixing the burrito, the masked man entered the store and demanded money, police said. After clearing out the cash drawer, the two fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. [...]" 

MSM: "Friends Leave Man  Stuck For Nine Hours in Children's Swing" [10/25/11] "A Vallejo man was found in a child's swing Saturday morning after reportedly being stuck for about nine hours, police said. At about 6 a.m., a groundskeeper of Blue Rock Springs Park heard a man screaming when he arrived at work. He then called the police to investigate. Upon arrival, police found a 21-year-old man stuck in a child's swing, which has two leg holes. The man told police that he had been stuck in the swing since 9 p.m. Friday after he allegedly made a $100 bet with his friends. He proceeded to lube himself with laundry detergent to get into the swing, police said. The friends then reportedly left him swinging through the night. Vallejo firefighters then were called to rescue him by cutting the swing chains off. He was then transported to Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, where firefighters used a cast cutter to cut the swing off his body, firefighters said. [...]" 

Legal Case: "Lawyer Suspended for Slapping in Deposition" [10/25/11] "A South Carolina attorney who slapped a defendant in the face during a deposition was suspended for 30 days by the state Supreme Court. Richard M. Lovelace Jr. had completed a deposition of a client he was representing in a civil lawsuit. Before he deposed the defendant, Lovelace asked if anyone wanted to take a break. According to the Supreme Court opinion, the defendant "said something to the effect of 'No, let's get this crap over with.'" Lovelace stood up and pointed at the defendant's face, warning him not to speak to Lovelace in that way. The defendant then stood up and told Lovelace not to point at him. Lovelace responded by slapping him in the face. The defendant pressed criminal charges, and Lovelace pleaded no contest to assault and battery. He was ordered to pay a fine. Lovelace self-reported the incident to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel on the day it took place. The state Supreme Court suspended Lovelace for 90 days and ordered him to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.  [...]"  

Path Experiences: "B.C. Man Rescued After 10 Days In Wilderness " [10/24/11] "A 45-year-old man who was rescued Sunday morning after spending 10 days in the wilderness of B.C.'s North Shore mountains says he endured hallucinations and frostbite after accidentally veering off a trail and getting stuck in the bush. Michael St. Laurent was found Saturday afternoon in the Hanes Valley on the back side of Grouse Mountain, an area described as having dense bushes and various hiking trails. [...]" 

MSM: "Woman Allegedly Beaten With Frozen Armadillo" [10/22/11] "Dallas police are on the lookout for a man who could face assault charges for throwing a frozen armadillo at a 57-year-old woman near Dallas. The woman, My Fox Dallas-Fort Worth reports, met the man in a parking lot to purchase the armadillo carcass, which she planned to eat. During a fight over its price, he hit her with the animal in the leg and the chest, leaving bruises on her body. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas law prohibits the sale of live armadillos, but a few Texans still go after their meat.….Eating armadillos is not widespread in Texas today, although it has been popular among south- of- the-border residents for more than a hundred years. Many Texans, especially during the depression years of the 1930s, dined on the “Hoover Hog,” referring to the armadillo as “poor man’s pork.” [...]"  

MSM: "Rescheduled 'Rapture' Doesn't Happen" [10/22/11] "If you're reading this and the world isn't in the process of being annihilated around you, it means Harold Camping got it wrong again. After his original prediction that the Rapture would arrive May 21 didn't come true, the doomsday prophet decided that he had miscalculated and that Judgment Day would actually arrive on Oct. 21—today. The 90-year-old, who suffered a stroke in May, has kept a lower profile this time around. His followers—some of whom spent their life savings advertising May's apocalypse—have gradually drifted away and his daily radio program has been canceled. A Reuters reporter found him at his California home yesterday, where he answered the door in a bathrobe. "We're not having a conversation," he said with a chuckle. "There's nothing to report here." [...]"  

MSM: "Drunk French Tourists Mistaken For 'Terrorists' In Texas" [10/21/11] "Five drunken French tourists landed in a Texas jail Wednesday after breaking into a county courthouse in the middle of the night and sparking terrorism fears, officials said. Security footage showed the men wearing sombreros and playing around with a judge’s gavel before they were arrested by police, who were tipped off by the courthouse security system at around 1:30 am (0630 GMT). But since they’d left the sombreros behind as they made their way out of the building, the responding officers were worried at first that it could be some kind of terror plot. They called for a security sweep of the building and shut down neighboring streets in downtown San Antonio for several hours. Soon the local media was “breathlessly” reporting that the courthouse had been attacked, Bexar County spokeswoman Laura Jesse told AFP. Reports surfaced that two of the men were on an FBI watch list and that photos of critical infrastructure — water systems and courthouses — were found in their recreational vehicle. But after the security tapes were reviewed and the men questioned, it became pretty clear that the break-in was simply a stupid “prank,” she said. “It’s pretty entertaining at least,” Jesse said. “Usually when you think of someone trying to commit a terrorist attack it’s not with a sombrero and waving a gavel.” [...]" 

Date With Destiny: "Chinese Toddler Dies A Week After Being Hit By Cars, Ignored By Passersby" [10/21/11] [2:00] "A 2-year-old Chinese girl -- who was ignored after being hit by two cars last week, later sparking a fierce debate about the state of China's morals -- has died, a nurse at a military hospital said.Video captured by a nearby security camera showed a pair of drivers, one after the other, hitting Yue, in Foshan in Guangdong Province. More than a dozen people walked, cycled or drove past the toddler as she lay bleeding in a busy market. The girl was eventually rescued by a 58-year-old scavenger, who pulled her aside and tried to get help. [...]" 

MSM: "Inside Job: Non-Functioning Submachine Guns, Pistols Stolen From LAPD SWAT Training Site" [10/19/11] "While the weapons had been modified to fire training ammunition, the concern is that they could easily be converted back to fire live rounds. “These guns can’t be used with regular ammunition unless they’re significantly modified back,” said LAPD Commander Andy Smith. [...]"  Note: Turn volume down until brief commercial ends.

MSM: "Mark Your Calendars: End of World Coming Oct. 21, Camping Says" [10/17/11] "The radio preacher who predicted Judgment Day on May 21 has not backed down from his claims that the end of the world is near, despite the lack of a Rapture or world-devastating earthquakes leading up to the doomsday. In an announcement on his Family Radio Network website, Harold Camping stands by his earlier predictions that the world will end on Friday, Oct. 21. Originally, Camping had predicted hourly earthquakes and God's judgment on May 21, to be followed by months of torment on Earth for those individuals left behind. Using numerical codes extracted from the Bible, Camping set the date for the end of everything for Oct. 21. [...]"  Note: Yeah, the end of the civilization is coming, but no one knows precisely when the nested series of events will be. As far as Harold Camping is concerned ... he had a stroke after the first prediction. Will he explode after this one? This reincarnated retread belongs in the 19th century ... suitable for the the film Poltergeist .... walking around dressed in black, proclaiming to everyone, 'you're gonna die!' .... immortality strategies are unnecessary, Harold. Get a grip ... No ..  maybe in your next life on another world ... but first, you have a date with destiny, Harold, to be with wacks like yourself in a little bubble of reality on the astral ... you can be ... chairman of the bored .... good luck with that. I can't wait for the Mockumentary ... only a few days to go.

MSM: "Wall Street Journal Caught Buying Own Papers In Circulation Scam" [10/14/11] "One of Rupert Murdoch’s most senior European executives has resigned following inquiries by the Guardian about a circulation scam at News Corporation’s flagship newspaper, the Wall Street Journal. The Guardian found evidence that the Journal had been channeling money through European companies in order to secretly buy thousands of copies of its own paper at a knock-down rate, misleading readers and advertisers about the Journal’s true circulation. [...]"

MSM: "City Deploys Mimes to Tame Traffic" [10/13/11]   "In Venezuela’s capital, motorcyclists have been known to drive down sidewalks, and cars frequently speed through red lights. So the mayor is dealing with the problem by deploying … mimes. About 120 of them hit the streets last week in an attempt to shame drivers and pedestrians alike into behaving. “Some people get angry when we reprimand them,” one mime told the AP as she put her hands forward to signify “stop,” then pointed to a red light as a motorcyclist approached. The mimes wear brightly colored clown-like outfits and, of course, white gloves. The mayor came up with the idea after a similar plan in Bogota, Colombia, proved to be a success. But Caracas’ streets, where it’s not uncommon to see people driving in reverse or the wrong way through oncoming traffic, may be even more dangerous. “Many times, the mimes can achieve what traffic police cannot achieve using warning and sanctions in their efforts to maintain control,” says the president of a cultural organization. “Mimes, on the contrary, often achieve the same objective by employing artistic and peaceful actions.” [...]" 

Legal Case: "That Was Certainly Unexpected" [10/13/11] "A homeowner claims that after a motorist smashed a car into his house and ran away, gun-toting school district police officers showed up and choked him and broke his collarbone after handcuffing him, ignoring his statements that he lived there. James Page says he "was sitting in the den at his home" at about 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2009, when he heard "tires screeching, a loud bang," and his son screaming outside. Page says he went outside and saw that a car had smashed into his house, and the driver was fleeing. He chased him but couldn't catch him. Then things got worse. [...]"

Legal Case: "Patient Says Doc Demanded Sex for Drugs" [10/13/11] "A patient claims her psychiatrist demanded oral sex for drugs and had her sleep over at his house, where he choked and punched her in the mouth. She says the doctor referred to the choking as "foreplay". [...]" Note: Someone else raised by wolves.

MSM: "Man Disqualified For Taking Bus During Marathon" [10/13/11] "Rob Sloan boasted he'd completed an "unbelievably tough" marathon near Newcastle after crossing the finish line in third place with a personal-best time. Apparently, he didn't count the bus ride. Sloan dropped out 20 miles into the race, hitched a ride on a spectator shuttle bus and emerged from the woods near the finish line to make the podium. [...]"  

MSM: "Children to be Banned from Blowing Up Balloons, Under EU Safety Rules" [10/11/11]   "Children are to be banned from taking part in traditional holiday games, from blowing up balloons to blowing on party whistles, because of new EU safety rules that have just entered into force. [...]"

Frontiers of Mental Health: "Pastor Promotes "Geezus Ween" As Halloween Alternative" [10/10/11] "Seth Abramovitch was delighted when he ran across GeezusWeen.com, a site encouraging folks to participate in "Geezus Ween," a christian alternative to Halloween, on Oct. 31. "Geezus Ween is not, in fact, a celebration of Geezus's ween," Abramovitch notes on Gawker; even so, the whole thing "seemed just a little too good to be true." Fortunately, he was able to get the founder, Pastor Paul Ade, on the phone. Ade assures Abramovitch that Geezus Ween is in fact real, and he's hoping it will go global. The movement's Facebook page also refers to Geezus Ween as "World Evangelism Day" and predicts that it will be "one of the most effective christian outreach day [sic] ever." Instead of Halloween costumes, Geezus Ween revelers are expected to wear white tops "to symbolize Righteousness." As for what's wrong with Halloween itself, Ade tells Gawker it's "not consistent with the christian faith." [...]"  Note: Right.  

MSM: "German Fashion Designer Makes Clothes From Milk" [10/09/11] "Anke Domaske, 28, has developed a fabric called QMilch made from high concentrations of the milk protein casein -- the first man-made fiber produced entirely without chemicals. "It feels like silk and it doesn't smell -- you can wash it just like anything else," Domaske told Reuters. Made from all natural materials, the QMilch fabric is ecological but also has many health benefits, said Domaske, who also said the amino acids in the protein are antibacterial, anti-aging and can help regulate both blood circulation and body temperature. Milk fabric has been around since the 1930s but was always produced in unecological ways that used a lot of chemicals. Unlike earlier prototypes, QMilch is made almost entirely from casein. the clothes don't come with an expiry date -- during the heating process, the molecules bind in such a way that the protein won't decompose. Due to its anti-bacterial qualities, the milk fiber can also be used in medicine and makeup. Even some auto companies have looked into using the fiber for car upholstery.[...]" 

MSM: "Man Hurt In Hunt For Christmas Wreath Sues In-Laws" [10/09/11] "This Thanksgiving could be a little uncomfortable for one Michigan family after a Detroit-area man hurt in a hunt for a Christmas wreath sued his in-laws. A Michigan appeals court has overruled a trial court judge and said the lawsuit filed by Christopher Karim should go to a jury. Karim had left work early to help with Christmas decorations at the West Bloomfield home of his in-laws, Salman and Regina Konja. He was in the attic looking for a wreath when he stepped on drywall instead of plywood and fell to the garage floor. The appeals court's decision says Karim's mother-in-law had just said, "No, don't step there." The decision doesn't describe Karim's injuries. The court says a jury must decide if the hazard was "open and obvious." [...]"  Note: Looking for a wreath for December, in October ... timing is everything, as is a good flashlight and common sense.

MSM: "Police Say Man Robbed Bank, Then Went For Pizza" [10/09/11] "Arizona authorities say they have arrested a man who robbed a Yuma bank then went and spent some of the stolen money on beer and pizza at a nearby restaurant. Yuma police say 56-year-old Henry Elmer has been booked into county jail on a variety of robbery and theft-related charges. Officers responded to a robbery call at the main branch of the Wells Fargo Bank across from the Yuma Police Station around 1:30 p.m. Saturday. A man reportedly entered the bank, produced a box-cutter knife and fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police say Elmer then went to a nearby restaurant, ordered beer and a couple of slices of pizza and paid with some of the bank's money. Police say they located Elmer before the meal was served. It's unclear whether he has a lawyer, yet.  [...]" 

MSM: "Man Impersonating Cop Pulls Over Real Cop" [10/09/11] "Police say a New Mexico man pretending to be police officer pulled over a real Albuquerque Police Department detective and is facing charges. KOB-TV reports that Tyree Appleberry was given the citation Wednesday on charges of impersonating a police officer then arrested for an outstanding warrant. According to police, the 42-year-old turned on his strobe lights on his white Chevy Tahoe in an attempt to stop a driver, who turned out to be an undercover officer. But Appleberry said he was not impersonating an officer and was instead asking the driver why he was in the parking lot next to an auto auction yard where his friend works. Authorities say Appleberry had a warrant out for his arrest for failing to appear in court for a reckless driving charge.  [...]" 

Explorations: "Time Lapse Of Stop-Motion Puppeteer At Work" [10/07/11] Note: A curiosity.

MSM: "The Duchess of Alba, One Of Spain's Richest Women, Marries Her 61-Year-Old "Toy Boy"" [10/06/11] "The Duchess of Alba, one of Spain's richest women, has married civil servant Alfonso Diez Carabantes at a palace in Seville, reports the BBC. The Duchess, at 85 years old, is 24 years older than her partner. Her first wedding was in 1947 and her full name is Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva (she holds more recognized titles than any other living noble). [...]"  Note:  Check it out. Have you ever seen an uglier sequential ... they were no doubt married in one of their previous lives .... that's how it goes, for them. Related: "The Royal Lizard Emporium of the Feckless Doom" [9:17] 

Life and Living: "Misery Bear Goes to Work" [10/04/11] [2:33]  "Probably hates his job more than his life.[...]"  Related: Misery Bear's Day Off" [2:16]  Very cute ... and relaxing. | "Misery Bear: Dawn of the Ted" [3:00] "Misery Bear is getting ready for Halloween when things turn nasty. | More: "Season 1" 

UK: "Departed Are Asked To Rate Their National Health Service" [10/04/11]   "Dozens of dead people in the Lothians have been sent a questionnaire asking them how they rated their stay in hospital. The form, designed to find out how well the NHS is faring, was sent to more than 900 dead people across Scotland. Among the 33 questions it posed to the deceased were whether they felt their doctors listened to them, and what arrangements were made for them to leave the hospital. Health chiefs wanted to ask patients how good their treatment was, how long they had to wait in accident and emergency, and if the nurse knew enough about their condition. The national inpatient experience study also questioned if the toilets were clean, and whether patients were bothered by noise at night. The Scottish Government confirmed that 903 surveys were sent to dead people, including 75 in the Lothian area. A spokeswoman said a review was in place. [...]"  

Legal Case: "Mechanic Had a Screw Loose, Customer Says" [10/03/11] "A disgruntled Bridgestone mechanic purposefully left the oil drain plugs and engine mount bolts loose in a woman's car and signed his handiwork in a literal "hate" note to the company on the oil filter, the customer claims in county court. [...]"  

Legal Case: "Store Wants Payback After Big Jewelry Heist" [10/03/11] "A trio of burglars stole more than $6 million in merchandise from a jewelry store, then melted down 99 pounds of that gold in less than 24 hours and sold it through an unwitting Dallas broker for $1.6 million, the store's owners claim. [...]" 

MSM: "Consumer Activist, Wins Lawsuit Against Walmart -- Over 2 Cents" [10/03/11] "For Mary Bach, 2 cents isn't chump change. The Pennsylvania woman took Walmart to court over a two-penny discrepancy on her receipt -- and won. Bach was shopping at a Walmart in Delmont when she picked up a package of Banquet "Brown 'N Serve" sausage, listed at 98 cents, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. When the cashier rang up the the breakfast meat, the item scanned at $1. Bach says she pointed out the cashier's error and accepted a refund. But when she returned several days later and was overcharged again, Bach decided that a refund wouldn't cut it. She filed a civil suit against the retail giant -- a practice the consumer activist has made a habit. [...]"  

Natural World: " Snake is a Little Obsessive-Compulsive" Picture  [10/03/11] "I really like it when everything aligns correctly, okay? And it’s actually quite a bit easier to move between these cracks than it is on the sidewalk tiles themselves! I mean, it’s a more continuous line, for one, and it’s less bumpy and uneven for two, and I can pick every weed I find on my way for three and ok, fine, maybe I am a little compulsive. [...]"  Note: Cute.

MSM: "Man Celebrating His Birthday Gets Shot Over $10 Gift" [010/01/11] "Atlanta police are looking for a rude gift-giver who allegedly shot a man for refusing to return part of the birthday present. The victim was celebrating his birthday with friends on the restaurant patio when the gunman pulled up in a black Nissan Altima and offered the victim $10 as a gift, police say. The man returned shortly and asked for $4 back. When the birthday celebrant refused, the man went for a handgun. As the armed man returned to the patio, several party-goers tackled him. But the gun went off, hitting the birthday victim once in the abdomen, police said. The birthday victim was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The gunman got in his car and drove away. [...]"  Note: Many happy returns.

MSM: "Man Robs Same NYC Bank 3 Days in a Row: Cops" [010/01/11] "A former mental patient allegedly robbed the same bank three days in a row this week while living the high life on his stolen money, the New York Post reports. New York City police say Charles Burnett, 29, robbed the Sovereign bank of $2,200 on Monday and booked himself into the Grand Hyatt near Grand Central with his new cash. Tuesday, he repeated his performance at Sovereign for a whopping $14,000. That's when he hired a personal driver for a third robbery. Initially Burnett had the luxury SUV take him shopping at a sporting goods store, where he picked up—and paid for—a New York Giants hat and Yankees batting glove. "I thought he was a baseball player," says driver Rafael Rubio. Burnett then had Rubio drop him off at Sovereign bank, which Burnett robbed of $10,000 before being tackled by cops. Sources say the 6-foot-1, 275-pound suspect, arraigned yesterday, was released not long ago from a mental hospital in the South. [...]"  

MSM: "Gardens of Death and Other Horticultural Marvels" [010/01/11] "Extraordinary flora and fauna abound in our round-up of the globe's most unusual gardens, greenhouses and Arctic Doomsday seed vaults. The Atlas Obscura recently organized a trip to the gnarled remains of the Jardin d'Agronomie Tropicale in Paris for Obscura Day 2011. The site boasts a beautiful and overgrown expanse of wild flora and fauna and an incredible history. Inspired by the beauty and backstory of the garden we have assembled a short list of some of the Atlas Obscura's favorite unusual gardens from around the world. [...]"  

UK: "Jehovah's Witnesses Call Quitters 'Mentally Diseased'" [09/29/11] "Former Jehovah’s Witnesses—as well as some current ones—are protesting after the religion’s official magazine called those who quit the religion mentally ill. “Apostates are 'mentally diseased', and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings,” said an article in the July issue of Watchtower. Critics say the comment may break British laws on religious hatred, and police are investigating their complaints, the Independent reports.  [...]"  Note: That's rich. Another case of the pot calling the kettle black, as it were.  

MSM: "Confused When Waking Up In A Strange Room? Blame Your Competing Memories" [09/28/11] Note: A sequential could blame it on competing lives.

MSM: "Rome Weighing 'Living Statue' Ban: Reports" [09/27/11] "Culture officials in Rome are mulling a ban on "living statues", arguing that dressing up in costume and standing on the street to solicit spare change has no artistic merit, media reported Friday. "Living statues demonstrate no artistic activity, to the extent that they can't be compared to mimes, and they amount to a veritable racket," said Federico Mollicone, deputy culture chief in Rome's mayorship. The proposed ban is part of a broader bill from Mollicone's office, which aims to regulate activity on Rome's streets, reports said. Under the proposal, street musicians could have their instruments or speakers confiscated, and "deafening" music would be banned after 10:00 pm (2000 GMT), compared to the current curfew of 11:00 pm. The measure is to be debated by Rome's municipal council within two weeks, and must pass a vote before coming into force. [...]"  

"The Clinton Foundation: A New Low in Bogus Charities"  [09/26/11] Hillary and Bill Clinton have had their hands out for a while now, and there's no big surprise there. But, this is the first time I actually looked at the Clinton Foundation's extensive begging page. Not only do these two money-grubbing sequentials have no compunction about walking off with other people's stuff, but it sort of gets worse - they also want to get their mitts on the things their donors would have left to their next of kin, namely inheritances, and they're not afraid to admit it. Look, stealing is one thing, and I can respect that as that is what darksiders do, but, the thing I find utterly unforgivable is the sheer classlessness of these people. These two are even an embarrassment to the Rothschilds, Rockefellers and other old money, blue blood sequentials. Of course, they steal, too, but at least they're classier about it, and I appreciate that. I really do. To be SO classless, tasteless and tacky beyond belief is just off the charts with these two sequential reincarnated retreads, and goes to prove that although you can take the boy out of Little Rock, you cannot take the Little Rock out of the boy. On the Foundation's donor page entitled Assets you can use, they do the usual bit about "send us all the cash you have," but they shamelessly ask people to fork over everything - and I mean everything - even the deeds to their homes.   Here is the list of what they want people to fork over: Bank Account, Certificates of Deposit and Securities; Securities (this category is listed twice so they really want these bad); Retirement Plans (This entry generously states: "... you might find it beneficial to contribute all or part of these funds to the Clinton Foundation while leaving other assets to your heirs."); Life Insurance Policies (see above entry for hypocrisy); Gifts of Personal Property (They list art, jewelry, antiques and collectibles. Maybe this is to make up for the White House furniture Hillary Clinton stole but had to give back.); But the most shameless entry is this: Real Estate (You can also transfer the deed to your property to the Foundation while retaining the right to live there for your lifetime). Oh, to be a fly on the wall at the reading of the Will  ...

MSM: "Piranha Problem Takes Bite Out Of Brazilian Beach Fun" [09/26/11] "Authorities in a state in Brazil's northeast are scrambling to take the fright and the bite off the beach after piranhas sunk their teeth into about 100 beachgoers, UOL Noticias reported. The problem -- rather fearsome given piranhas' horror-movie teeth and ability to sink them into human flesh -- has been the biggest at the main beach area in Piaui state; authorities said they need to act fast to reduce a piranha overpopulation situation. Last weekend, at least 100 bathers were treated at the hospital in Jose de Freitas not far from Terezina, Piaui's capital, after being bitten on the heels or toes at the local beach. "Since they have no predators, piranhas have started attacking people on the beach," said Romildo Mafra, a local environment official. Environmental officials so far have added tilapia to the piranhas' local food chain hoping to quell some of the predators' hunger.  [...]"  

MSM: "Drunken Elk Hides Kids' Swing Set In A Tree" [09/26/11]   "An elk drunk from eating fermented apples in southern Sweden ended its binge by making off with a family's swing set and hiding it in the woods. [...]" 

Humor: "The 5 Most Popular Safety Laws (That Don't Work)" [09/26/11] "By the way, even worse than speed limits are speed bumps, the irritating, jarring humps they put in parking lots and such, intended to physically force drivers to slow down and make their CD players skip. Not only do those things not prevent accidents, but they keep ambulances from getting to emergencies, which is exactly the sort of thing you don't want happening when years of bacon sundaes and cookie-dough sandwiches finally catch up with you. The above link references a study in Boulder, Colorado that found speed bumps kill as many as 85 people for every one life they save. Holy shit! We think landmines have a better ratio. [...]"  

MSM: "Fleeing Driver Calls Police To Tell Them To Stop Chasing Him" [09/26/11] "A Park City man accused of leading police on a 30-mile chase Thursday called dispatchers during the pursuit to tell them that deputies “needed to leave him alone.” The man, 20, was driving east on U.S. Highway 40 near Strawberry Reservoir when a deputy tried to stop him for going 15 miles over the speed limit, according to Wasatch County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jared Rigby. The driver did not stop and the deputy told dispatchers he was pursuing a fleeing driver. A short time later, a dispatcher notified the deputy that the driver had called in and said “that he was not going to stop and that I needed to leave him alone,” Rigby said, reading from the deputy's report. The driver's father also called dispatchers during the chase. He told them his son had also called him and told him what was happening, Rigby said. The father said he told his son to stop, but he wouldn't listen. Duchesne County sheriff's deputies and Utah Highway Patrol troopers set up tire spikes eight miles east of Fruitland to end the chase. The driver stopped his car just short of the spikes and was taken into custody. The man's family told deputies he was having problems with his girlfriend shortly before the pursuit and was distraught. “He'd had a bad morning and wasn't stopping for the cops,” Rigby said. “It was nothing more than that.” The man was booked into the Wasatch County Jail for investigation of failure to stop for police and speeding. [...]"  

MSM: "Chinese Dog Eating Festival Banned After 600 Years Because Of Social Media Outcry " [09/24/11] "A 600-year-old dog eating festival in Qianxi, China was banned this week after a massive social media outcry called for its cancellation. Fifteen thousand dogs are slaughtered annually at the festival, which commemorates a battle fought in the town. Before the battle, an invading army killed all the dogs in the town of Qianxi to prevent being exposed by barking dogs. After capturing the town, the army ate the dog meat to celebrate. From then until the '80s, the dogs were killed immediately before being cooked and served. Then the Chinese government intervened and banned on-site butchery. But the practice began to creep back into the festival over the past few years. Pictures of carnage from the dog eating festival made their way on to the internet, incensing thousands. This year, many of them took to the internet to call for the festival to be banned. The Chinese government reacted by banning the festival. [...]"  Note:  Wow, what an existential loop, both for the people and the dogs. Now, I ate some dog in Vietnam back in the 1970's .. and it tasted like beef to me. Besides, they needed their cattle for infrastructure. I mean, it's better than putting butter on Kramer with a delusional Newman around (Seinfeld show). 

MSM: "Dalai Lama Vows To Spell Out Own Reincarnation" [09/24/11] "The Dalai Lama said Saturday if he is to be reincarnated he will leave clear written instructions about the process, but that the matter is unlikely to come up for a number of years. The Tibetan spiritual leader said in a statement that when he is "about 90" he will consult Buddhist scholars to evaluate whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue at all. He is 76. The statement came after a meeting between the Dalai Lama and the leaders of the four Tibetan Buddhist sects, the first since he transferred his political role earlier this year to an elected prime minister. [...]"  Note: Well, he IS, after all,  a sequential reincarnated retread - that's his option to present a preview of his intent, however, he won't be coming back to this world. Last I heard, he was disenchanted with the existential loop of playing the Dalai Lama, and wanted to do something else.

FKN News: "Live in Fear Die In Debt – Deek Jackson" [09/23/11]   [17:00] Note: Always amusing. 

MSM: "Indian Train Travels 980km In Wrong Direction... Without Any Rail Staff Noticing" [09/21/11] "More than a thousand furious rail passengers stormed a station office after they noticed the train they were on had gone 980km in the wrong direction. As the packed service pulled into the Indian city of Warangal people on board went berserk as they realised they were five hours away from where they should have been and no staff on board had noticed. The train departed the southern town of Tirupati heading for the eastern city of Bhubaneswar. Experts were amazed the service did not crash as it went for 600 miles on the completely wrong track. [...]"  

MSM: "Chinese Condoms Too Small For South Africans" [09/17/11]   "A South African court has blocked the government from buying 11 million Chinese condoms, saying they are too small, a newspaper reported Friday. The finance ministry had awarded a contract to a firm called Siqamba Medical, which planned to buy the Phoenurse condoms from China, the Beeld newspaper said. A rival firm, Sekunjalo Investments Corporation, turned to the High Court in Pretoria after losing the bid, arguing that their condoms were 20 percent larger than the Chinese ones. Judge Sulet Potterill blocked the deal with Siqamba, ruling that the condoms were too small, made from the wrong material, and were not approved by the World Health Organisation, the paper said. [...]" 

MSM: "New Feats For 2012 Guinness Book " [09/15/11]   "A woman with 10ft fingernails, a student who has a four-inch tongue and a Briton who owns 571 Daleks are among entries in the new Guinness Book of World Records. [...]" 

MSM: "Overweight Man, Sues White Castle Because He Can't Fit In Seats " [09/13/11]   [1:10] "A 290-pound man is suing the White Castle fast food chain because, he claims, their seats aren't built for a person of his size. Stock broker Martin Kessman took legal action last week, 2 years after complaining to the corporate office about the size of the stationary booths at White Castle's Nanuet, N.Y., location. According to the Kessman, White Castle responded with three “very condescending letters," each of which included a coupon for three free hamburgers, but "the cheese was extra," he notes in his lawsuit. White Castle also sent Kessman plans for for how they were going to modify their booths, but no adjustments had been made as of last week. Kessman's beef is unique to White Castle -- he claims to have no issue with seating at other fast-food establishments or on airplanes. [...]" 

MSM: "Senator Accused Of Shoplifting Had "Panic Attack"" [09/12/11] "Senator Mary Jo Fisher was having a panic attack when she allegedly left an Adelaide supermarket last year without paying for groceries, a court has heard. The Senator's treating psychiatrist, Brian McKenny, told the Adelaide Magistrates Court today that after hearing her testimony he was of the view that her attack was both severe and unprovoked. "I think she gave a very clear and detailed account of the physical and psychological symptoms of a panic attack," Dr McKenny said. He said such attacks could be "particularly overwhelming" when experienced for the first time. Senator Fisher is before the court accused of stealing $92.92 worth of groceries from a Foodland store in Adelaide on December 15 last year. She has pleaded not guilty to that charge and not guilty to assaulting a store security guard who tried to stop her leaving. [...]"  Note: That's got to be one of the biggest bullshit stories ever, for a politician. She had  a "panic when you get caught" kind of panic attack, wherein she got that 'deer-in-the-headlights' expression on her face, which had to have been priceless. It must be their political 'get out of jail free' pass in Adelaide.

MSM: "Burglar Found Cooking Inside Restaurant" [09/12/11] "Police arrested a Mount Prospect, Ill., man who allegedly broke into a restaurant and made himself a meal. Video surveillance of Mr. Beef and Pizza in Mount Prospect allegedly shows Hachem Gomez, 19, entering the restaurant early Saturday by breaking into the drive-through window, the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald reported. Assistant State's Attorney Robin Murphy said the video also shows Gomez damaging a cash register before stealing fries and chicken tenders from a freezer and cooking them in a microwave. There was no indication that Gomez was drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time of the burglary and the man has no criminal background, Murphy said. Gomez's bond was set at $5,000 and he is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 21. [...]" 

MSM: "Landlady Refused To Rent To Single Mom" [09/12/11] "A Wisconsin property owner is accused of violating the Fair Housing Act for allegedly refusing to rent to a woman who didn't have a man "to shovel the snow." [...]" 

MSM: "Fla. Man Shoots Self Trying To Blast Snake" [09/12/11] "A Volusia County man accidentally shot himself in the finger on Thursday while trying to kill a venomous snake on his front porch, deputies said. Investigators said a caretaker for the 75-year-old man spotted a large water moccasin on the front porch of his Astor home on Thursday afternoon. She told the man about the snake, deputies said, and he retrieved a .38 caliber Derringer handgun loaded with birdshot, venturing outside to kill it. Deputies said he fired once, missing his target. As he prepared to fire a second round, reports state, he discharged the gun accidentally. A Sheriff's Office report states the shot passed through the man's left index finger. He was taken to Halifax Hospital and was expected to recover. [...]"  

MSM: "Amputee Forced To Prove Disability" [09/12/11] "A Swedish man who lost his leg more than 10 years ago said it is "ridiculous" that he has to prove he still has trouble walking every three years. [...]" 

MSM: "Fla. Police Accuse Woman Of Vampire Attack" [09/12/11] " St. Petersburg, Fla., police arrested a woman for an alleged vampire attack. [...]"  

MSM: "Police Called After Man Butchers Cow in His Driveway" [09/11/11] "Charges may ensue for an Ogden man who startled the neighbors by butchering a cow in his driveway over the weekend. Police were called to the scene at 1:44 p.m. Sunday after the cow’s owner began harvesting the animal. A patrolman was responding to a caller who saw a cow being trailered to the home in the 2700 block of Gramercy Avenue. The caller then reported hearing the cow’s audible mooing, followed by what sounded like a gunshot, said Police Lt. Troy Burnett. Then the mooing stopped. The patrolman’s report said when he arrived at the scene a half-block above Monroe Boulevard, “the cow was in the process of losing its head,” Burnett said. The man sawing at the animal’s neck, the owner of the beef, denied shooting the cow on the premises, telling the officer the animal had been dispatched outside the city limits. The officer took the information and filed a report that will be screened by the city attorney’s office for possible charges, Burnett said. “I assume the patrolman had them make arrangements to do the butchering out of plain view,” he said.  [...]"

Legal Case: "Torture Alleged at Chain of Children's Homes" [09/08/11] "Salt Lake City - Hundreds of parents claim a group of boarding schools tortured their children: locked them in dog cages, forced them to lie in feces and eat vomit, masturbated them and denied the troubled teens any religion "except for the Mormon faith." The Utah-based World Wide Association Of Specialty Programs and Schools and its owners - Robert Lichfield, Brent Facer and Ken Kay - went to great lengths to hide the "torture," which began in the mid-1990s and continued for a decade, the 357 plaintiffs claim in Salt Lake County Court. The plaintiffs say that 59 schools and owners tied to the company "jointly promoted, advertised, and marketed defendants' residential boarding schools as a place where children with problems could get an education while receiving instruction and direction in behavior modification for emotional growth and personal development." But they say the children were subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the schools including, Cross Creek Center for Boys, Brightway Adolescent Hospital and Red Rock Springs. They say the abuses inflicted upon some children for years "could be accurately described as torture." According to the complaint, students were locked in boxes, cages and basements at the schools, denied medical and dental care, and forced "to carry heavy bags of sand around their necks or logs throughout the day over many days." They were sexually abused, "which included forced sexual relations and acts of fondling and masturbation performed on them," according to the 119-page complaint. [...]"  

MSM: "Villagers In Philippines Capture Giant One-Ton Crocodile " [09/06/11] "Villagers in the Philippines have captured a one-ton crocodile they plan to make the star of a planned ecotourism park. Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot male crocodile along a stream in Bunawan township in Agusan del Sur province after a three-week hunt. Mr Elorde said the crocodile killed a water buffalo in an attack witnessed by villagers last month and was also suspected of having killed a fisherman who went missing in July. After initial sightings, hunters set four traps, which the crocodile destroyed. They then used sturdier traps using steel cables, one of which finally caught it. About 100 people had to pull the crocodile, which weighs about 2,370lbs to a clearing where a crane lifted it into a truck. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Cops Chasing Suspect Wrong Way On Interstate Crash Head-On Into Vehicle, Killing Man" [09/05/11] "Ohio. A 63-year-old man from Point Place died in a car crash during the chaos of Saturday morning's police chase to catch the Rite Aid robbery suspect. [...] Lipp eventually made his way to southern Wood County where he stole another car and committed another store robbery. State troopers then took over the high speed pursuit on I-75 back into Toledo. The suspect tried to exit the Bancroft ramp, when he lost control and crashed into a garage ... Seven officers in total fired their guns; three from TPD, three State Troopers and one FBI agent. The chief estimates 40-50 rounds were fired. The suspect was struck multiple times and was pronounced dead on scene. Police recovered the suspect's weapon. It turns out it was a pellet gun. As with all fatal police-involved shootings, there will be an investigation headed by Toledo Police. It will then be presented to the Lucas County Grand Jury for review."  

Explorations: "Outstanding Realistic Tire Sculptures by Yong Ho Ji " [09/05/11] Note: Brilliant work, but it would be a little creepy in dimly lit areas.

MSM: "Jobless Man Finds $150K in Garden" [09/05/11] " Wayne Sabaj went into his backyard garden looking for broccoli and found $150,000 instead. The unemployed and very honest Illinois carpenter—fearing the cash packed into two duffel bags might have come from a bank robbery—alerted police to the discovery. Investigators have been unable to find the source of the cash, and have left a note in the spot where it was found. Sabaj, 49, may get to keep the money if it goes unclaimed for a year—but he says he's not holding his breath. "I don't even think I'll get it back, and even if I do, the government's just going to take a third of it back," he tells ABC. "You just can't worry about it." [...]"  

MSM: "Washington Man Causes Explosion After Igniting Gasoline-Soaked Beehive " [09/04/11] "A Lynden man dumped gasoline on a beehive that was in a tree and then ignited it Sunday night, Aug. 28, causing an explosion in the suburban neighborhood that could be seen from a few hundred feet away. The man lit the hive on fire about 8:30 p.m. in retaliation for a bee sting one of his friends got earlier that day at the house on Twin Sister Loop, said Lynden Fire Chief Gary Baar. The fire caused a large "whoosh" and singed the tree pretty badly, Baar said, but nobody was hurt. There were no flames when firefighters arrived about 10 minutes later. "No damage, except for a bunch of dead bees," Baar said. "The correct way to do that is to call a beekeeper." Firefighters explained that to the homeowner, but it doesn't appear he'll be cited. A waitress at the nearby Homestead Golf & Country Club called the fire department soon after the explosion to report it, Baar said.  [...]"  

Concepts and Practices: "City Introduces "Tax Meters" For Prostitutes" [09/01/11]   "Prostitutes in the German city of Bonn must carry a ticket purchased from a new parking meter-like machine while working the streets or face hefty fines from tax authorities in a scheme launched on Monday night. [...]"  Note: Another German innovation ... more people raised by wolves.

Shit Happens: "Man's Freak Accident With Pruning Shears" [08/31/11]   "Leroy Luetscher, 86, was working in his garden when he dropped the shears, which landed point-side down in the ground. When he went to pick them up, he fell face-down on the handle which penetrated his eye socket. Surgeons managed to save his eye. [...]"  

Concepts and Practices: "It's Only Sexist When Men Do It" [08/30/11]   [6:28] Note: Complex social issues that are part of the world of identification with the physical body and the increasing emphasis on specific gender bias. Related videos on the page. If this is all this stratum of society has to think about on an ongoing basis out there, it's pretty sad ... mid-level perspectives which completely miss the really meaningful things in life, but this is the spectrum in which these incarnations operate. Other variations occur in other cultures around the world. Related: "Everything Is Offensive" [7:04] "Racists Are Pathetic" [4:05] "Religion and Sexuality" [13:50] | "Fun With Hate Mail" [16:58] Website: That Fat Atheist  

MSM: "Adult Children’s ‘Bad Mothering’ Lawsuit Dismissed" [08/29/11] "Raised in a $1.5 million Barrington Hills, Ill., home by their attorney father, two grown children have spent the last two years pursuing a unique lawsuit against their mom for "bad mothering" that alleges damages caused when she failed to buy toys for one and sent another a birthday card he didn’t like. The alleged offenses include failing to take her daughter to a car show, telling her then 7-year-old son to buckle his seat belt or she would contact police, "haggling" over the amount to spend on party dresses and calling her daughter at midnight to ask that she return home from celebrating homecoming. Last week, at which point the court record stood about a foot tall, an Illinois appeals court dismissed the case, finding that none of the mother’s conduct was "extreme or outrageous." To rule in favor of her children, the court found, "could potentially open the floodgates to subject family childrearing to ... excessive judicial scrutiny and interference." [...]"  

  UK: "Pair Sacked For Tagging False Leg" [08/29/11] "Two workers are sacked for mistakenly tagging an offender's false leg allowing him to remove it and break a court-imposed curfew, security firm G4S reveals. [...]"  

  UK: "Rhino Horn Thieves Only Got Replicas" [08/27/11] "Replica horns are ripped from taxidermy rhinos and stolen at a Natural History Museum in Hertfordshire. [...]"

Media and Culture: "'Book of Mormon' Leads Tony Awards Nominations" [08/27/11]   "The Book of Mormon, the new musical comedy by South Park masterminds Trey Parker and Matt Stone, has been nominated for 14 awards. The show has been nominated in most top categories, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Direction, Best Choreography and Best Actor in a Musical. This sets the show up to possibly become the most celebrated Broadway show since The Producers won 12 of 15 nominations in 2001. [...]" 

MSM: "I Am So Fucked", Says Drunk Woman After Crashing Into Cars" [08/27/11] "Sometimes one sentence sums up a situation perfectly -- and Rebecca Ward, a nineteen-year-old from London, reportedly uttered it after careening into not one, not two, but three cars in a wild, sparks-filled series of crashes in Boulder. That phrase? "I am so fucked." According to the Boulder Police Department arrest report, on view below in its entirety, an officer was called to a location near 11th Street and Cascade Avenue just shy of 3 a.m. on August 24. He was soon directed to skid marks that he was able to follow for blocks -- and they led him to three damaged vehicles, as well as an extra tire and other assorted car parts that belonged to a fourth car, a Volvo. Ward was found standing beside it, looking blitzed. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Wing Walker Plunges to His Death" [08/23/11] A horrified crowd watched yesterday as a Michigan wing walker plunged to his death during an air show stunt. Todd Green fell some 200 feet at the Air National Guard Base in Selfridge near Detroit as he attempted to grab onto a helicopter hovering over the plane. "I thought it was part of the stunt," one (incredibly stupid) witness told the Detroit News. "It felt surreal. It wasn't until the ambulance came that it set in." It was "very somber," said another witness. "It's a pretty sad situation." Green was the son of legendary aerial stuntman Eddie "The Grip" Green, and had performed the helicopter transfer stunt several times.  [...]"  Note: Eddie "The Grip", huh.  

MSM: "Clowns Fight 'Creepy' Image, 'Clownism' " [08/23/11]   "Believe it or not, clowns were beloved characters for thousands of years, and their crazy antics, acrobatics and slapstick were considered important forms of social communication and, in some cases, social protest. The "clowns are creepy" meme is a new, and according to one clown, if anyone is to blame for making life sad for people who try to make us laugh, it's Stephen King. Paul Kleinberger -- who performs as Fuddi Duddy the Clown around Albany, N.Y. -- says King's 1986 novel, "It," with its evil clown character Pennywise, is blamed by most contemporary clowns for hurting their image. "Some people say that if it wasn't for Stephen King, clowns would have an easier time  [...]"  Note:  Well, they seem to be having fun in Washington D.C.

MSM: "Argument Over Loaf Of Bread Ends In Violence" Link Fixed [08/22/11] "An overnight argument over a loaf of bread ended in violence. A fight broke out around 2:30 a.m. Sunday at a home near 6th Street and Brighton in Kansas City. Police on the scene say two people stabbed each other after an argument over a loaf of bread. Both victims are expected to recover from their injuries. There is no word if the pair will face charges. [...]"  

MSM: "Mom Accused Of Trying To Sell Son" [08/22/11] " Authorities in Florida have accused a mother of trying to sell her 5-year-old son. [...]" 

Absurdities: "Rick Perry: "Evolution A Theory That's Out There" [08/19/11]   "During a stop in New Hampshire on Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry raised skepticism about the theory of evolution. "How old do I think the earth is? You know what, I don't have any idea," said the Texas governor when asked about his position on the issue by a woman and her son. "I know it's pretty old so it goes back a long long way. I'm not sure anybody actually knows completely and absolutely how long, how old the earth is."  Perry regarded evolution as "a theory that's out there" and one that's "got some gas in it." He added that in the Lone Star State both creationism and evolution are taught to students in public schools. He explained, "I figure you're smart enough to figure out which one is right." [...]" Related: "Watch: Rick Perry Really Is Even Dumber Than George Bush" [3:00] "In this video clip, Perry is asked to explain why Texas should continue spending money on abstinence programs when the state ranks third in unwed pregnancies. His answer, "Because it works," provokes laughter from the (mentally deficient ) audience. [...]"  Note: It would seem that all the 2012 presidential "candidates" are functionally defective in one way or another, promoting the status quo, now that they're all on the precipice of the collapse of the civilization, like little sequential robots with wind-up keys on their backs, aside from R. Paul.  "Former Reagan, Bush Official: Rick Perry Is 'An Idiot'" 

Date With Destiny: "Russian Mom Hears Daughter's Final Agony As She Is Eaten Alive By Bears" [08/19/11] "A Russian mother listened helplessly on a cellphone to her teenage daughter crying for help earlier this week as she was eaten alive by bears. The horrified mother of Olga Moskalyova, a 19-year-old psychologist in training, heard her daughter's desperate pleas for help after receiving a call from her daughter on a mobile phone. Moskalyova and her stepfather, Igor Tsyganenkov, were camping near a river in Russia when the mother bear attacked him. It reportedly broke his neck and smashed his skull. Having witnessed the attack, Moskalyova attempted to flee but was able to run only about 70 yards before the powerful brown bear grabbed her leg and forced her to the ground.  [...] "My daughter was such fun. She was so cheerful, friendly, and warm," Tatiana Tsyganenkov said, her words spoken in a voice diminished by grief. "She had graduated from music school, and just days before the bear attack she got her driving license.""  Note: Yeah ... those pesky bear attacks ... who knew.

MSM: "Fred Flintstone Wannabe" Uses Feet To Stop Car, Hits 4 Vehicles" [08/19/11] "Roseville Police arrested a 24-year-old man Wednesday who tried to use his feet to brake his moving car and failed, hitting four cars along the way. The Fred Flintstone wannabe, a roofer from Warren, was driving on a suspended license and was cited for Reckless Driving in the incident, in which police said he was completely sober, just “overly tired.” He “will face a judge in September, to explain his moronic decision making,” said Deputy Chief James Berlin in a statement. At about 5:45 p.m. police said witnesses saw the man stop at 11 Mile Road and Bunert to check his brakes, which had apparently failed. He drove onto northbound Groesbeck Highway, with his feet outside the car door serving as brakes. At the intersection of Groesbeck Highway and 13 Mile Road, he couldn’t stop in time to avoid running a red light, and hit two cars in the intersection. He drove off, still using his feet as brakes, and hit two more cars at the intersection of Groesbeck and Utica Road. He then stopped. Vehicle damage was minor and there were no injuries. [...]" 

Legal Case: "Starbucks Pays $75K In Suit Filed By Dwarf" [08/19/11] "The Starbucks Coffee Company has paid $75,000 to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to settle a lawsuit for unlawfully denying a reasonable accommodation to a woman with dwarfism, according to a press release. The lawsuit was filed by the commission on behalf of Elsa Sallard, who claimed she was fired from her job as a barista because she is a dwarf. According to a press release from the commission, Sallard told employers during a training that she could use a stool or stepladder to do her job. "The manager at the El Paso Starbucks location disregarded Sallard's request," the release said. "On the same day that Sallard requested the accommodation, Starbucks terminated her employment, claiming that she would pose a 'danger' to customers and employees." Commission officials said that the settlement not only compensates Sallard, but is an agreement that Starbucks will provide training in compliance with Americans With Disabilities Act. [...]"  

Date With Destiny:  "Niagara Falls Search for Woman Turns Up Man's Body" [08/16/11] "An odd footnote to the sad tale of the 19-year-old student swept over Niagara Falls on Sunday. An international search team dispatched in a helicopter to look for her body in Niagara Falls Gorge instead turned up the body of an unknown male. Authorities are working to identify him, reports KTLA. Meanwhile, more details are emerging about the tragic weekend incident: The woman, presumed drowned, was an international student from Japan. The Toronto Star talks to a witness who saw her posing on the railing for a photo moments before she fell, wearing a bright red sweatshirt and holding an umbrella. The paper notes that earlier the same day, a 27-year-old man scaled a safety wall and tumbled into Niagara River Gorge; he and a friend who went in to save him were rescued, though the man fractured his leg. [...]"  

MSM: "Mom Beats Son With Cable After Discovering He's On Facebook" [08/16/11] "The 62-year-old woman told police the boy -- his age wasn't disclosed -- had lied to her about having the page, and that she'd become angry and hit him with a computer cable inside their home. The arresting officer wrote in a report that Ricketts "stated to me that hitting a child with a cable is a common way of disciplining kids where she comes from." [...]"  Note: which apparently must be the planet Zongo ... hub of sadomasochism in the Eagle Nebula ... home of the original 'monster cable'.

Absurdities: "Anti-Piracy Lawyers Accuse Blind Man of Downloading Porn" [08/16/11] "“The sad part about this entire porn thing is it will cost more to go to a judge,” Doe says. “At the end of the day, I’ll probably settle and pay the fee to make this go away.” And he’s not alone. TorrentFreak has spoken to several people who swore their innocence but paid up just to get rid of the threat. The copyright holders and lawyers are very aware of the position these defendants are in, but they gladly take their money. With most neutral observers, however, the whole scheme should raise an eyebrow to say the least.  [...]March last year the law firm Dunlap, Grubb and Weaver imported the mass litigation “pay up or else” anti-piracy scheme to the United States, and in the month that followed they targeted nearly 100,000 people. In total, cases have been filed against more than 200,000 alleged infringers, many of which are accused of downloading and sharing adult films. A significant number of the defendants are likely to be guilty, but there’s also a lot of collateral damage. Firstly it’s unclear how accurate the evidence gathering techniques of the copyright holders are, and even when they have the correct IP-address it doesn’t necessarily follow that the account holder on file is actually the infringer. Doe 2,057 in the case of Imperial Enterprises v. Does claims to be one of these wrongfully accused persons. This May he received a letter from Comcast informing him that Imperial Enterprises had filed a lawsuit against him for illegally downloading and sharing one of their adult titles — Tokyo Cougar Creampies. To some people this title may seem inviting, but it’s not the type of content Doe 2,057 is interested in. Not least because he’s legally blind."  

US Politics: "Bachmann Pushes Corn Dog Envelope" [08/15/11] Link Fixed "And we are supposed to gaze at this action shot and simply say, “Huh. Looks like a good corn dog. That’s all I see.” [...]"    

Date With Destiny: " Stage Collapses At Indiana State Fair" [08/14/11] [0:48] "Fan video of August 13, 2011, Sugarland Concert stage collapse at Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis, IN, USA." Note: Ah, what goes through the mind ... c'est un 'test' ..... if one is still in 'OMG' mode, one has some maturing to do. It's where most are, out there. Wait until the real 'stuff' begins to happen that is outside the purview of planetary power structures.

Legal Case: "Outraged Ph.D. Sues Houston Police" [08/10/11] "A 65-year-old Ph.D. claims Houston cops falsely arrested her, searched her home without a warrant and maliciously prosecuted her after she quarreled with a "wanted criminal" who let his dog take a dump on her "well manicured lawn." Hatice Cullingford, a former NASA engineer who holds a doctorate in chemical engineering, sued Houston its police Officers T.E. Sales and F. Rodriguez in Federal Court. Cullingford claims that on August 29, 2009 "a wanted criminal from Dallas, Texas, Robert Shlemon, 26, was walking his dog with another person by Dr. Cullingford's residence. The complaint states that on the night in question, [...]"  

MSM: "Canadian Prime Minister Locks Himself In Brazilian Bathroom Until He Gets His Way" [08/10/11] On a visit to Brazil yesterday, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper locked himself in one of the foreign minister's bathrooms, protesting the Brazilian president's decision that toasts and speeches take place after her lunch with Harper, and not during the lunch, as Harper wanted. The prime minister refused to leave the bathroom until the Brazilian president gave in to his demands, the Washington Post reports. [...]"  

Explorations: "I Gave Up On My "Species" - George Carlin [08/10/11] [4:08] Note: Plenty of related videos on page. Good entertainment, as always.

"Honey-Soaked Naked Girls Were Filmed By Pastor" [08/09/11] "Using a hidden video camera, a Texas man filmed four naked, honey-drenched teenage girls while they showered at a church where he worked as a youth pastor. But statute of limitations saves Texas man, 30, from prosecution [...]"  Note: Another sexually frustrated religious delusional freak, caught with his cross down, and where else, but Texas.

Anomalies: "E. Toledo Woman Dies In Fall Into Recycling Bin" [08/09/11] "Mr. Decoster, who left for work about 3:30 a.m., returned home about 5 p.m. with a load of groceries. He didn't see his wife when he first walked in. He assumed she might be next door visiting with a neighbor, and when he walked out the front door, he saw his wife's leg sticking out of the bin, which is next to the porch. "I just happened to look to the left and, honestly, thought it was a dummy," Mr. Decoster said, pausing to breathe. "I shook her leg and called her name, and I knew she was gone." "Even though I've seen a lot of death, I can't open that can," said Mr. Decoster, who served in the Army Airborne division for three years, spending 13 months in Vietnam. "I need to put some recyclables in the can and I just can't do it. "That's not me. I'm a strong person, strong-willed, but this is hitting me pretty hard," Mr. Decoster said. [...]"  Related: See "Woman Found Dead In Own Food Barrel" [05/27/11]

Legal Case: "Man of 3,000 Faces Gets 18 Years" [08/05/11] " A man who operated a $65.8 million fraudulent tax-refund scheme using more than 2,900 false identities while living in Israel will serve 18 years in federal prison. Marvin Berkowitz pleaded guilty to directing a conspiracy to "file thousands of fraudulent state and federal income tax returns, using the names and social security numbers of federal inmates and deceased persons without their or their families' knowledge or consent," the Justice Department said. Berkowitz's scheme involved at least 58 individuals - some of whom were tricked into believing Berkowitz's activities were legal -as well as 90 different addresses and 42 bank accounts. Though he started the scheme in Chicago, Berkowitz fled to Israel in 2003 and continued the operation, filing the fraudulent returns that were then mailed to his co-conspirators in the United States for submission. [...]" 

"Warren Jeffs Convicted of Child Sex Abuse" [08/05/11] " A Texas jury made quick work of the Warren Jeffs case today, deliberating for less than four hours before finding him guilty of sexually assaulting two underage girls in his polygamist sect, reports CNN. He faces life in prison when the sentencing phase of the trial wraps up. Jeffs acted as his own attorney, and he remained silent during most of the time allotted for his closing argument. At one point, he stared at each juror individually before mumbling, "I am at peace." Prosecutors had used an audio recording of a panting Jeffs to make their case that he had sex with young "spiritual wives" in his charge. They promised more "repulsive" evidence in the sentencing phase, which could finish tomorrow. "I think it will confirm in (jurors') minds why they convicted the man and why they want to put him behind bars for a long time," said the state attorney general. [...]"  Note: A creepy guy. Related: "Warren Jeffs: Cancel Trial, or I'll Sic god on You" [07/31/11]   "Polygamist Warren Jeffs' decision to represent himself in court continues to go swimmingly: Today, he relayed a statement from god and threatened the court with biblical destruction unless it ended his trial, reports AP. "I, the Lord god of heaven, call upon the court to cease this open prosecution against my pure, holy way," Jeffs read. If it fails to do so, "I will send a scourge upon the counties of prosecutorial zeal to make humbled by sickness and death." Oddly, the judge did not immediately set him free. Instead, she warned him not to repeat his threat in front of the jury, whom she had cleared from the room before his statement. "If you call for their destruction or in any way say that they will be injured or damaged because of their service, you will be removed from the courtroom," she said. Jeffs faces life in prison if convicted on charges that he abused two underage girls at his compound in Texas. This actually isn't the first time he's played the doomsday card. [...]"   Note: Delusional individual ... permanent hospitalization due.

MSM: "Swedish Man Arrested Trying To Build Nuclear Reactor In His Kitchen" [08/04/11]   "A young man in Angelholm, in the South of Sweden, has been arrested after apparently trying to create a nuclear reactor in his kitchen. The young man's story appears in Helsingsborgs Dagblad, a Swedish language local paper in the area. The 31-year-old tells the paper that he was able to buy radioactive waste from foreign companies and picked apart the components in a smoke detector (apparently older smoke detector contain nuclear material). He believes he spent between $5,000 and $6,000 on the project in total. It was only later when the young man contacted Sweden's nuclear power agency that he realized his project was illegal. Police came to his apartment and confiscated the material. The young man was arrested but later released. [...]"  

MSM: "Cops: Woman Draws Beard On Face, Robs Bank" [08/03/11] " Both Bonnie and Clyde would be proud. Cops say a woman drew a beard on her face and wore men's clothes to rob a bank in Alabama. She allegedly told tellers at the Bank of Tuscaloosa in Cottondale she had a bomb, placed a device on the counter, and asked for money. She made off with an unknown amount of cash. Police think she might also have robbed another bank in early July. Local cops and the FBI are conducting investigations.  [...]" 

MSM: "Cops Bust Blood-Drenched Guy Biking With an Axe" [08/03/11]   "Try explaining this one to the cops: Ontario police stopped a blood-soaked man riding his bike into town carrying an ax. On the plus side, the blood was his own and there were no victims, reports the Peterborough Examiner. The suspect, Lawrence Carnrite, 41, is well-known among local police, and has a hefty criminal record—now he can add a charge of possession of a dangerous weapon to it. There's also an incident involving a crowbar, which Carnrite claims was self-defense [...]"  

MSM: "China Also Fakes These Stores: Disney, Nike, D&G, McDonald's, Starbucks And More" [08/02/11]   "Why pirate a product when you can copy an entire store? The western world was stunned recently to see the Chinese had reproduced an Apple Store to the tee at several locations. They also reproduced the interior of an IKEA. Actually there are dozens of fake stores in China. Even the most blatant rip-offs can be nearly impossible to shut down due to loose copyright laws. The latest giant Chinese imitation -- a four-story, 10,000 square foot building with a color scheme very similar to the Scandinavian giant known as Ikea  [...]"  Note: Somehow, a certain cliché comes to mind.

 Internet:  "2100 Clichés, Euphemisms, Sayings And Figures Of Speech Complete With Definitions And Explanations." [08/02/11]  As luck would have it.

  Parody: "WikiLeaks Mastercard Spoof " [08/01/11] [1:01] "Julian Assange doesn't hold back his annoyance when it comes to MasterCard. Further to his lawsuit against the company, he's also posted a spoof on YouTube. Watch WikiLeaks founder star in "For Everything Else There's MasterCard" advert. You'll be greeted with a convincing typical American male voiceover emphasising how major credit card companies and online payment companies have withheld over £9.1 million in donations to WikiLeaks. The clip breaks down the costs in running the organization, which include 40 servers and, not surprisingly, a hefty legal bill.  [...]"  

Legal Case: "Circumcision Ban Sliced From Ballot" [08/01/11] "San Francisco cannot ban male circumcision in the city and county because the proposed ballot initiative that would do so is "expressly pre-empted" by state business and professions codes, a Superior Court judge ruled. [...]"  

 Legal Case: "Louisiana Monks Can Keep Making Caskets" [08/01/11]   "An order of monks can sell handmade caskets without a Louisiana funeral home license, a federal judge ruled. [...]"  

MSM: "Pilot Treads Water For 18 Hours After Plane Crash" [07/29/11] [2:44] "A New York man was forced to tread water for a whopping 18 hours in Lake Huron after his 2-seat Cessna plane crashed into the lake. 42-year-old Michael Trapp swam in Lake Huron without a life jacket for nearly a day as he "wasn't ready to die yet," the Associated Press reports. All was fine with the flight as he crossed over Canada, but the plane's engine started to sputter over Michigan. He contacted flight officials in Lansing to tell them he was going down while the plane was at 3,000 feet, Trapp told local Fox affiliate WWNY. He crashed near Harbor Beach, 105 miles north of Detroit. "I just kept struggling and struggling," he said. He told reporters that he tried to use a credit card to reflect the sun to get the attention of nearby boats. "It's amazing what goes on in your mind when you're laying in water and you look up at the skies and watch the shooting stars and watch meteorites go round. Gives you time to realize what's important in life at that point ... Finally, at around 10:20am on Wednesday, Dean and Diane Petitpren, a couple from Grosse Pointe Farms near Detroit, saw him waving his sock in the water and took him aboard their yacht." [...]"  

"Mother Mistakes Small Gun for Cigarette Lighter, Daughter Wounded " [07/28/11] "Rachel Avila, 30, told police she and her 12-year-old daughter, both of Banning, were talking with friends in front of their mobile home in the 100 block of North Phillips Avenue when Avila found what she thought was a novelty cigarette lighter, police said. The lighter resembled a miniature firearm and it was lying on the ground, Avila told police. Avila picked it up and tried to light it by pulling the trigger, police said. The first time Avila pulled the trigger, nothing happened. The second time she pulled the trigger, a .22-caliber bullet was fired, police said. [...]"  

  Absurdities: "Grandmother Jailed After Motor Oil 'Mistaken' For Heroin By Canadian Border Guards" [07/28/11] "A Minnesota senior was jailed by Canadian border guards at a Manitoba port of entry after a jar containing some motor oil was mistaken for heroin. Janet Goodin, 66, a retired girl scout registrar and grandmother of 12, was on her way to Sprague, Man., from her home in Warroad, Minn., in April when she was questioned at the border, she told CBC News on Tuesday. The guards, with the Canada Border Services Agency, then searched her minivan and found a canning jar containing a dark liquid. A cursory test of the liquid 'convinced 'guards it was the 'illicit drug' and Goodin, who was heading to Canada to play bingo and visit her daughters, instead found herself heading to jail. She was handcuffed, arrested and charged with possession of a drug for the purpose of trafficking as well as importing a controlled substance. "I couldn't even think, I was so astounded," Goodin said. [...]" Note: Obviously, no one addresses the nature of a 'cursory test' ... they have a quota ... it's not about reality. It's about control and intimidation of the innocent.

Satire: "The Colbert Report" [07/27/11] HULU [21:40] Note: Good show... July 21, 2011.

"Five New York Nursing Schools Accused Of Robbing Students And Awarding Fake Credentials" [07/25/11] "Five nursing schools in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island are accused of taking $6 million from students and granting them certifications not recognized by the U.S. According to the New York Post, some students studied for two years and paid up to $20,000 to receive training they thought would allow them to take the New York State Nursing Board Exam. [...]"  

"Some Small-Minded Arizonans Enraged At 'Muslim' Word For Dust Storm" [07/23/11] "Yet another example of the hysterical, small-minded stupidity of the people of the great state of Arizona made it to today's New York Times. With massive, dangerous dust storms sweeping through central Arizona, the populace is obviously very worried -- about MUSLIM WORDS. The blinding waves of brown particles, the most recent of which hit Phoenix on Monday, are caused by thunderstorms that emit gusts of wind, roiling the desert landscape. Use of the term “haboob,” which is what such storms have long been called in the Middle East, has rubbed some Arizona residents the wrong way. “I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling this kind of storm a haboob,” Don Yonts, a resident of Gilbert, Ariz., wrote to The Arizona Republic after a particularly fierce, mile-high dust storm swept through the state on July 5. “How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term?" [...]"  Note:  Guess where the real boob's live? Ignorant fools think this way. It's John McCain country, so what can one expect.

"Sour 'Lemon' Driver Returns To Dealer; 'I Didn't Hit A Car Under $20K'" [07/22/11] "Unhappy that a Lafayette Road car dealer wouldn't take back the van he bought on Monday, David Cross drove "the lemon" back after the dealer closed on Tuesday and crashed it into six cars parked on the lot for sale. "I hit the first $25,000 car I could see," Cross told the Herald. "I didn't hit a car under $20,000. Then I moved a van that they wouldn't come down on the price for. I moved it with the lemon they sold me. I just held it to the floor until I couldn't move it anymore. I took out seven vehicles, including my own." Cross, a Salisbury, Mass., resident who turns 42 today, is charged with six felony counts of criminal mischief, one for each of the cars he damaged, excluding his own. He said his story began on Monday, when his wife bought a van at the Portsmouth Used Car Superstore. "It was a piece of crap," Cross said, elaborating that his mechanic looked at the van after it was purchased and found a host of problems, including an odometer that didn't work. He said an Internet search showed it had been in a wreck and his insurance agent told him he couldn't insure it with a broken odometer, so he followed his mechanic's advice to "take it back." Cross said he went back to the car dealer, asked for a refund and was told "you're stuck with it." So he began negotiating the price for another van, but a salesman wouldn't budge, he said. He said he and his wife returned home in the van they bought Monday, and he waited for her to fall asleep. He then drove back to the car dealership just before midnight and started driving into cars.[...]"  

"Sinkhole In Guatemala Opens Up In Floor Of Bedroom" [07/21/11] "Here’s something you never want to hear: “That loud booming sound is coming from inside the house!” That’s what one Inocenta Hernandez from Guatemala City learned after a sudden noise caused her to run outside, thinking there had been an explosion nearby. When she realized the problem was inside her home, she returned to find a gaping, three feet wide, 40 feet deep sinkhole beneath her bed. Hernandez, 65, was relieved that the damage was only to her house, and hadn’t harmed her grandchildren, who had been playing near the bed. This was a little too close to home, but she couldn’t have been too surprised that a sinkhole had visited her city. Guatemala City is prone to spawning giant pits, which are often caused by tropical rain storms. Sinkholes are natural depressions in the earth that can range anywhere from a few feet to hundreds of acres wide, and measure a shallow foot to 100 feet deep. A massive chasm opened up in Guatemala City back in May 2010; it swallowed up whole buildings and an intersection. [...]"   Note: This is probably due to the presence of a long-abandoned well, due to the perfectly formed tube existing. It was probably covered over and at some point the layer covering the well gave way. 

PA: "Woman In Wheelchair Charged With DUI" [07/21/11] "Police said they first received a report of a woman crawling around a yard in the mobile home park at 4:23 a.m. When they arrived, Lebo was sitting in her motorized wheelchair and appeared drunk, police said. She told the police she had crashed the wheelchair, police said. Her blood alcohol level was .16, twice the legal limit for driving, police said. Police said it is rare to charge someone in a wheelchair with DUI, but they have charged people riding bicycles, horses and lawnmowers.  [...]"  

"Malaysian Businessman Just Spent $4.8 Billion On A Yacht Made Of Solid Gold" [07/20/11] "An anonymous Malaysian businessman just spent $4.8 billion on a superyacht covered in platinum and gold, making it the most expensive yacht ever sold, according to Luxury Launches. The boat, named the History Supreme, is the work of Stuart Hughes, a British purveyor of luxury gadgets. It took three years to complete and is covered in 100,000 kilograms of precious metals, according to The Daily Mail. The master bedroom is particularly lavish; it's adorned in platinum and has wall art made of meteoric stone and the bones of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Check out the pics: [...]"  

"Woman Pays $10,000 For 'Non-Visible' Work Of Art" [07/20/11] "Amy Davidson paid $10,000 for a piece of art that exists only in the artist's mind. She said she bought it because she identifies with the philosophy that in this new world we "exchange ideas and dreams as currency." [...]"  Note: Geeze. What a fruitcake.

FL: "Toddler Crawls Out Of Minivan While Mom Robs Bank" [07/20/11]   "The woman, who is addicted to prescription pain pills, left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. She then dropped the child off at a nearby day care and drove away — presumably to buy drugs. She was soon pulled over by police. (TampaBay.com) [...]"  

NJ: "FBI: N.J. Rabbi And Wife Kidnapped Israeli To Force Divorce" [07/20/11]   "A New Jersey rabbi and his wife surrendered to the FBI on Monday on charges that they abducted an Israeli man, beat him and threatened to bury him alive if he didn't give his wife a religious divorce. [...]" 

WA: "Woman In Court For Trying To Sell Baby At Taco Bell" [07/19/11] "Heidi Knowles, also known as Heidi Gasaway, approached a woman who was eating at a Taco Bell restaurant on Thursday, handed the woman her her 3-day-old son, and offered to sell the boy for $500. The woman called 9-1-1 and investigators later found Gasaway and her son at Kay's Motel on NE Highway 99. She was arrested for outstanding warrants and booked into the Clark Co. Jail, where she is being held on $50,000 bail. [...]"  

Anomalies: "Miss Nipple Foot" [07/19/11] " Clinical findings were consistent with the diagnosis of supernumerary breast tissue, also known as pseudomamma. [...]"

"Man Arrested After Trying To Steal From ATM Using Hatchet" [07/17/11]   "A city man wearing a hat, gloves and dark glasses tried unsuccessfully — by means of a hatchet, police said — to make an unauthorized cash withdrawal early Thursday morning from the ATM inside the lobby of Taunton Federal Credit Union’s main office at 14 Church Green. A credit union employee says that trying to break into an ATM machine — especially one that’s imbedded within a wall and not a free-standing kiosk — makes "absolutely no sense." Even if one were able to somehow break into the machine, he said, the actual cash would still be physically well out of reach. (Taunton Gazette) [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "California Man Gets Sucked Into Maui Blowhole" [07/17/11] "Witnesses who watched a Northern California man get sucked into a Maui blow hole to his apparent death say that the tourist was dancing around and frolicking in the sprays of water moments before a wave knocked him down.... The blowhole, which is featured in several travel websites, was created by pounding surf that undercut and wore away a lava shelf. Every wave pushes water and air through the hole, creating an eruption similar to a geyser. The Halona Blowhole on Oahu is another popular tourist attraction. [...] Erica Meyer, whose family is vacationing with Piganelli's family, recalled thinking that it was foolish for the man to be mere inches from the blow hole's opening. "We're watching it thinking it's crazy these guys are doing that," she told the AP. Potts stood in front of the blow hole with his back to the ocean when the wave hit, Meyer said. "It was very, very fast, within a matter of seconds." That's when chaos and screaming ensued.[...]"  

Date With Destiny: "Sausage Workers Life Comes To Grinding Halt" [07/17/11] "A 26-year-old sausage factory worker suffered a grisly end when he slipped and fell feet first into a meat grinder which chewed off his legs and killed him. Father-of-four Michael Raper was trapped from the waist down for two excruciating hours after he become entangled in the huge auger at the Bar S Foods plant in Lawton, Oklahoma. Amid gruesome scenes co-workers watched in horror before frantic emergency workers managed to cut the machine in half and free him. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "48 Years Apart: Lightning Strikes Kill Dad, Son" [07/16/11] "It was in a Hammonton backyard that 54-year-old Stephen Rooney was struck by lightning at a family barbeque July 3rd as he stepped away from the crowd to light a cigar. The party host, Rooney's cousin and next door neighbor, Funzi Digerolamo, says a giant bolt shook the yard.  [...]Just before he was hit, Rooney downplayed concerns about the lightning. "He had just said that lightning doesn't strike two people in one family right before it happened, not long before it happened, he said that," neighbor Paula Weisbecker said. Lightning is not supposed to strike twice, but in this case it did. Steve Rooney's father George was also killed by lightning 48 years ago when Steve was just a 5-year-old boy. The odds of this happening to a father and son are astronomical. Everyone is stunned that a bolt of lightning could claim them both, almost 5 decades apart. [...]"  

"Carlin On Terrorism & Airport Security" [7:46] Related:"Airline Announcements" [07/15/11] [8:35] Part 2 [8:12]  

"Man Accused Of Assaulting Flight Attendant With Peanuts, Pretzels" [07/14/11] "A Sandy, Utah man is charged in U.S. District Court with assaulting a flight attendant with bags of peanuts and pretzels after he was asked to stop using an electronic cigarette aboard a flight from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City this week. Pogos Paul Sefilian, 42, became combative on Southwest Airlines Flight 188, which departed Los Angeles at 6 p.m. on Monday, according to a complaint filed in federal court on Tuesday. Sefilian started using an electronic cigarette after boarding the plane. The device uses heat to simulate smoking tobacco-filled cigarettes with a vapor that is inhaled. A flight attendant spotted Sefilian with the electronic cigarette and informed him he couldn’t use it on the plane, the complaint states. Sefilian argued with the flight attendant, but stowed the device, according to the complaint. But after takeoff, he pulled it out and became enraged when the attendant again asked him to put it away, the complaint states. Later, he threw peanuts and pretzels at the flight attendant and at the flight deck door in an apparent attempt to protest the airline’s policy banning electronic cigarettes, the complaint states. The flight attendant asked Sefilian to stop his unruly behavior, but as the flight approached Salt Lake City International Airport, Sefilian jumped up and started opening overhead containers, the complaint states. The flight attendant made six announcements for Sefilian to sit down, but he refused, instead posturing his chest out at the flight crew, according to the complaint. FBI agents arrested Sefilian once the plane landed. [...]"  Note: Minionesque behavior, and raised by wolves.

"Sisters Sue After Mourning Mom At Wrong Gravesite For 20 Years" [07/13/11] "Last summer, when the sisters complained that the gravesite had fallen into disrepair, a cemetery employee looked up the file and told them that the body of a man occupies Grave No. 103 and that their mother was actually buried about 90 feet away.  [...]"  

"Intoxicated Men Take Dead Alligator Off-Roading" [07/13/11] "Authorities say three intoxicated men stole a 14-foot flattened and preserved alligator, strapped it to a pickup truck and took it off-roading. The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus reports that 55-year-old Douglas Ward of Linden, 60-year-old Roy Griffith of Linden and 53-year-old John Sanborn of Harrison are charged with breaking and entering. The charges stem from a June 25 theft from a barn in Hartland Township, about 40 miles northwest of Detroit. Sheriff Bob Bezotte says the alligator's owner found tire tracks near his barn and followed them to a party in Deerfield Township where the men were driving their vehicles around in the mud. The men are due in Livingston County District Court July 20. [...]"  

"Rock Musician Uses Cell Phone Stickup Note In Robbery" [07/13/11]   "A musician, using a stickup note posted on his cell phone, robbed a Massachusetts pharmacy of prescription pain pills just hours before his scheduled rock concert, authorities said on Monday. [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "US 'Russian Roulette' Player Dies" [07/12/11]   "A man in the US state of Colorado has died after shooting himself in the head during a game of Russian roulette, police said. Anthony Martin, 21, and other men were drinking and playing with a gun before the incident, Pueblo Police Sgt Eric Bravo told the Pueblo Chieftain. Investigators believe he did not know the gun was loaded, Sgt Bravo said. No arrests were made. [...]"  Note: What's Roulette without the Russian?  

Anomalies: "Owl Leaves Amazing Imprint On Window" [07/12/11]   "The bird had apparently crashed into the window of Sally Arnold's Kendal home, leaving the bizarre image - complete with eyes, beak and feathers. Experts said the silhouette was left by the bird's "powder down" - a substance protecting growing feathers. Mrs Arnold said she could find no sign of the owl, so assumed it had flown off without serious injury. [...]"  

Absurdities: "One-Armed Man Was Arrested In Belarus... For Clapping" [07/12/11] [1:04] Note: Clapping is now considered a form of protest.

"Mans House Trashed Mafia Style By Thugs Hired By Mortgage Company" [07/11/11] [2:08] "A Brooksville Florida man who fell behind on his mortgage payments had his home trashed and ransacked mafia style by paid thugs hired by his mortgage company. This stunning attack on multiple Constitutional rights is apparently not important enough for the local police who have claimed this is a civil suite. The Hernando Sheriff’s Office apparently has no interest in enforcing those laws… or burglary, breaking and entering and trespassing, either. They say it is a civil matter, even though everything from the house was taken or thrown in the dumpster. The wedding dress belonging to Boudreau’s wife was even cut to shreds. [...]"  

"Jilted Husband Built Electric Chair for Wife" [07/08/11] " When Andrew Castle's wife told him she wanted a divorce, he asked her to come and talk about it in the garage—where he had built her a special electric chair. The 61-year-old British man hit his wife in the head with a rubber club, intending to knock her unconscious before putting her in the metal armchair and turning on the juice. She fought back and fled outside, where a passer-by intervened when Castle chased her. He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder, the Guardian reports. Police say that after his wife escaped, Castle tried to electrocute himself in his own contraption, and then slashed his wrists when it didn't work. "It was a distressing case. He intended to kill his wife and had set plans in place to do this," said an investigator. ''There was an electric cable and a lamp attached to that for electrocution purposes. It is rare for someone to attempt to kill their wife, or anyone, by these means." [...]" 

"Family Fined $750K for Fire That Burned Einstein Papers" [07/07/11]   "It’s safe to say that Margaret Pavese had no idea she would start a wildfire nearly twice the size of San Francisco when she left a trash fire burning in a metal barrel in 2007—a California wildfire that also burned rare papers written by Albert Einstein, the San Jose Mercury News reports. A jury found Pavese, her husband, and father-in-law guilty of negligence last week and ordered them to pay Dan Straus $750,000 for the loss of his documents. The papers were given to Straus' father, a mathematician who worked with Einstein, and included hand-written calculations on onionskin and an envelope. Pavese's father-in-law's attorney plans to seek a new trial, calling the award excessive. Pavese, a former school teacher, has already paid $200,000 to victims whose homes were damaged. [...]" 

Commentary: "A Well-Dressed Man" Steals Picasso From An Art Gallery And Escapes Into A Waiting Taxi" [07/06/11] "A "well-dressed man" walked into a San Francisco art gallery yesterday and walked out minutes later with a Picasso drawing worth $200,000. He then mysteriously disappeared into a waiting taxicab, according to Gawker (via SFGate) . The 1965 pencil drawing, "Tête de Femme (Head of a Woman)," is 10 5/8 by 8 1/4 inches, about the size of a piece of computer paper, SFGate reports. It was on display at the Weinstein Gallery in tourist-heavy Union Square, where it was hanging between a Chagall and a Dalí. The man, who is still on the loose, was described to police as a "white man about 6 feet tall, age 30 to 35, wearing a dark jacket, a white shirt, dark pants, large dark glasses and loafers with no socks." [...]"  

Natural World: "Monkeying Around, With Cameras" [07/06/11] [0:42] "Prize-winning British photographer David Slater traveled to an Indonesian island to track down a rare and endangered species: the Crested Black McCack. NBC's Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News) [...]"  Note: This is so cute, I had to put it up.

"Woman Charged After Kissing Preacher At Gay Pride Event" [07/05/11]   "The 74-year-old woman, who was charged with simple assault, says the preacher "was just waving his arms and had a Bible in one hand, up and down, and screaming at the top of his lungs, 'sodomites' and 'you're going to hell." She says she thought he needed a hug, so she gave him one.  [...]"  

Date With Destiny: "NY Motorcyclist Dies On Ride Protesting Helmet Law " [07/04/11] "Police say a motorcyclist participating in a protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York died after he flipped over the bike's handlebars and hit his head on the pavement. State troopers tell The Post-Standard of Syracuse that 55-year-old Philip A. Contos of Parish, N.Y., was driving a 1983 Harley Davidson with a group of bikers who were protesting helmet laws by not wearing helmets. Troopers say Contos hit his brakes and the motorcycle fishtailed. The bike spun out of control, and Contos toppled over the handlebars. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.[...]"  

"Toddler Falls 10 Stories—and Woman Catches Her" [07/04/11]   "A two-year-old Chinese girl left unattended fell 10 stories from her family's apartment window yesterday—and survived after being caught by a woman (Wu) passing by, state media reported today ... the toddler is in critical condition with internal bleeding and other unspecified injuries. The impact knocked Wu out and sent her crumbling to the ground along with breaking her left arm, the reports said.[...]"  

 

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