And that's putting it mildly!
Security-camera footage of a woman's bizarre act triggers front-page intrigue across the U.K.
Also: 
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Video of cat tossed in trash sparks uproar
OK, as a dog person it is hard to drum sympathy for a cat. But no animal deserves the treatment this cat received at the hands of this woman.
Headlines
A couple of street sweepers made a rare find in Tennessee when they picked up a coin.
A snake slithered into a switch box outside a New York hospital, where it met its maker and caused a 10-hour power outage.
China's epic traffic jam vanishes
A team of reporters ventures into a reported 60-mile bottleneck and makes an unexpected find.
Also: The Prima Donna was a spy?
An ex-ballerina thought to be a top Nazi agent emerges as a central figure in newly declassified files.
Also: 
The Tribe That Worships Prince Philip
We all know that Prince Philip is divinely blessed with the ability to come up with the most inappropriate quips for any occasion, but according to the Tanna tribe of Vanuatu, he is simply divine:The inhabitants of Tanna, in the Vanuatu islands, off the Australian coast, believe the Queen’s husband is divine, the incarnation of a spirit who emerged from a volcano and left to marry a great lady.So, to avoid the villagers’ disappointment that the Duke of Edinburgh couldn’t show for his 89th birthday in June, an anthropology student named Marc Rayner stepped in:
It was a cult which emerged from the prince’s visit in 1974, and legend has it that the ’spirit’ will one day return in person.
Reporter Amos Roberts said: ‘It was amazing. The locals were waiting with their photographs of the prince, expecting him to appear. ‘The islanders thought the prince’s birthday was the date of a "second coming" and a party was organised in his honour. ‘Instead they got an 18-year-old Scotsman.’
In the wilds of the deep blue sea
Though in actuality the sea is green in color
A glimpse into one of the globe's most intriguing ecosystems reveals up to 40 new species.
Also: Brazil's Snake Island
The good news: Tired of overcrowded cities? A pristine and uninhabited tropical island is still available.The bad news: It’s filled with snakes.
Atlas Obscura has more on the intriguing Snake Island of Brazil:
Off the shore of Brazil, almost due south of the heart of São Paulo, is a Ilha de Queimada Grande. The island is untouched by human developers, and for very good reason. Researchers estimate that on the island live between one and five snakes per square meter. The snakes live on the many migratory birds (enough to keep the snake density remarkably high) that use the island as a resting point.
That figure might not be so terrible if the snakes were, say, 2 inches long and nonvenomous. The snakes on Queimada Grande, however, are a unique species of pit viper, the golden lancehead. The lancehead genus of snakes is responsible for 90% of Brazilian snakebite-related fatalities. The golden lanceheads that occupy Snake Island grow to well over half a meter long, and they possess a powerful fast-acting poison that melts the flesh around their bites. Golden lanceheads are so dangerous that, with the exception of some scientific outfits, the Brazilian Navy has expressly forbidden anyone from landing on the island.
The world's most beautiful lakes
A Guatemalan stunner sits at the foot of three massive conical volcanoes.
Also: Rare ‘fire tornado’ filmed in Brazil
A fire tornado caused by brush fires and strong winds has stopped motorway traffic as drivers in Brazil gawped at the rare phenomenon.
The whirlwind of flames burned through fields beside the road in the northwest city of Aracatuba in Sao Paulo state. But, as quickly as it appeared, the roaring twister fizzled down and just a smoldering line in the land remained.
The firestorm followed a drought which has led to brush fires across Brazil. Fire tornadoes, also known as fire whirls or fire devils, are rare and depend on certain air temperatures and currents to create a vertical, rotating column of air.
In 1923, a fire tornado ignited by the Great Kanto earthquake in Tokyo grew to the size of a large city and killed 38,000 people in 15 minutes. At the time most of the buildings in Japan were made from wood and fire spread from house to house, destroying the city.
The whirlwind of flames burned through fields beside the road in the northwest city of Aracatuba in Sao Paulo state. But, as quickly as it appeared, the roaring twister fizzled down and just a smoldering line in the land remained.
The firestorm followed a drought which has led to brush fires across Brazil. Fire tornadoes, also known as fire whirls or fire devils, are rare and depend on certain air temperatures and currents to create a vertical, rotating column of air.
In 1923, a fire tornado ignited by the Great Kanto earthquake in Tokyo grew to the size of a large city and killed 38,000 people in 15 minutes. At the time most of the buildings in Japan were made from wood and fire spread from house to house, destroying the city.
Drone goes rogue
A routine test flight took a startling turn this month as officials lost control of an unmanned Fire Scout.
Also: Rangers South of the Border
Elite teams have engaged in 10 quiet "missions" to keep Texans safe from Mexican drug violence.
Also: New Zealander who rode motorbike with barbecue fined $800
A New Zealand man caught riding his motorbike along Melbourne's Eastern Freeway with a barbecue strapped to his body has been fined $800 and lost his license for a month. The Melbourne Magistrates court was told Michael Wiles, 29, spotted the barbecue where it had been left for a rubbish collection and decided to pick it up and take it home.
He threaded his body through the barbecue's frame before setting off on the freeway on January 27, 2008, reaching speeds of up 75kph. But the bargain hunt came unstuck when a stunned passer-by took a photograph, which was subsequently published in the news media and led to Wiles's identity being revealed and a visit from the police.
Magistrate Lionel Winton-Smith told Wiles he has never encountered a case such as this in all his years as a magistrate. "I have seen people with perhaps bits of wood sticking out of the car, but a barbecue?" Winton-Smith said. He settled on describing the case as "ridiculous".
Wiles' lawyer argued the incident was completely out of character for his client, who had emigrated to Australia from New Zealand five months before the event. His lawyer Paul McClure told the court there had been a further setback as the barbecue turned out to be "a dud". "That's probably why it was on the side of the road," McClure said.
He threaded his body through the barbecue's frame before setting off on the freeway on January 27, 2008, reaching speeds of up 75kph. But the bargain hunt came unstuck when a stunned passer-by took a photograph, which was subsequently published in the news media and led to Wiles's identity being revealed and a visit from the police.
Magistrate Lionel Winton-Smith told Wiles he has never encountered a case such as this in all his years as a magistrate. "I have seen people with perhaps bits of wood sticking out of the car, but a barbecue?" Winton-Smith said. He settled on describing the case as "ridiculous".
Wiles' lawyer argued the incident was completely out of character for his client, who had emigrated to Australia from New Zealand five months before the event. His lawyer Paul McClure told the court there had been a further setback as the barbecue turned out to be "a dud". "That's probably why it was on the side of the road," McClure said.
Drunk man jailed after arguing with his bicycle
A drunk Stuart man was jailed after deputies say he was engaged in an "obscene argument" with his bicycle, a recently released arrest affidavit states.
Martin County Sheriff's deputies spotted Richard Bialon, 68, at around 4 a.m. on Tuesday "yelling at his bicycle" in the parking lot of a Mobil gas station in the 3900 block of South Kanner Highway.
"Customers were coming to the Mobil and were very disturbed as to the yelling and obscene argument the defendant was having with his bicycle." The affidavit didn't specify what the argument was about or whether Bialon had accused the pedal-powered vehicle of wrongdoing.
Bialon, of the 5500 block of South Kanner Highway, had been imbibing all day and was described as "very intoxicated." He was arrested on a misdemeanor disorderly intoxication charge and taken to jail.
Martin County Sheriff's deputies spotted Richard Bialon, 68, at around 4 a.m. on Tuesday "yelling at his bicycle" in the parking lot of a Mobil gas station in the 3900 block of South Kanner Highway.
"Customers were coming to the Mobil and were very disturbed as to the yelling and obscene argument the defendant was having with his bicycle." The affidavit didn't specify what the argument was about or whether Bialon had accused the pedal-powered vehicle of wrongdoing.
Bialon, of the 5500 block of South Kanner Highway, had been imbibing all day and was described as "very intoxicated." He was arrested on a misdemeanor disorderly intoxication charge and taken to jail.
Three Colombian teens dead after targeted on Facebook 'execution list'
Self Regluation never works ...
... Regulation does.
Once again, the repugican myth of self-regulation is a key part of the problem. Whether it's food safety, insurance, banking, you name it, the fantasy world that has been a key component of repugican policy since the Reagan years has repeatedly been proven to be a joke. Unfortunately consumers keep having to pay the price for bad policy. In theory the Democrats could and should start running harder against self-regulation but their cooperation over the years was critical for any of this legislation to succeed.
NY Times:
Faced with a crisis more than a decade ago in which thousands of people were sickened from salmonella in infected eggs, farmers in Britain began vaccinating their hens against the bacteria. That simple but decisive step virtually wiped out the health threat.
But when American regulators created new egg safety rules that went into effect last month, they declared that there was not enough evidence to conclude that vaccinating hens against salmonella would prevent people from getting sick. The Food and Drug Administration decided not to mandate vaccination of hens — a precaution that would cost less than a penny per a dozen eggs.
On The Job
On The Job
Despite salaries approaching six figures, companies still can't find enough trade workers.
Also: All About The Benjamins
Pay your savings account first and make it difficult to touch that cash, they say.
Also: 
In any market, these financial decisions will reward you handsomely for years to come.
Also: It's The Economy Stupid
It's The Economy Stupid
There's growing evidence that many Americans are stretching just to pay for necessities.
Also: 
Sales of new homes sink to their lowest level on record, stoking more fears for the economy.
Also: Consumers cutting corners on prescriptions to save money
From Consumer Reports:
Consumers, in a turn of the tables, have given their doctors a checkup and the diagnosis looks pretty grim: They think doctors are too cozy with big pharma, according to the 2nd annual prescription drug survey conducted by Consumer Reports National Research Center. The survey of more than 1,150 adults who currently take a prescription drug found that the vast majority object to the payments and rewards pharmaceutical companies routinely dole out to doctors because they feel these are negatively influencing how they treat patients.
In the past year, 39 percent reported taking some action to reduce costs. Some of these actions were potentially dangerous. Overall, 27 percent failed to take a drug as prescribed, for example, by not getting a prescription filled (16 percent), taking an expired medication (12 percent), or sharing a prescription with someone else to save money (4 percent).
Hindenburg spooks the market ... the Omen that is
An obscure but sometimes correct predictor of stock market crashes has flashed twice already.
Also: 
Culinary DeLites
Culinary DeLites
Add fat-free Greek yogurt to fruit, or use it as a sour cream substitute.
Also: 
Wonder Bread makes lighter meatballs, and Altoids mints punch up leg of lamb.
Also: 10 Far-Out Food Festivals
From Georgia's peaches to Maine's lobster, nearly every US state has its own prized food, and a festival to celebrate it. As delicious as these foods are, though, sometimes they can feel a little... boring. The next time you're in a culinary lull, pack your bags and follow this list to find the country's wackiest foodie fests.
These food festivals serve up a terrific sampling of regional cooking - everything from pig intestines to fruitcake - and are guaranteed to give your palate a jumpstart.
Drink water
A new study suggest the true secret to losing weight has been under our noses all the time.
Under your nose, that is, if you're the type who drinks a lot of water.
Scientists at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society this week were told that people who drank two 250ml glasses of water before each main meal ate between 75 and 90 calories during that meal.
It's a fairly simple science, according to study author Brenda Davy.
The "water diet" is most likely effective because it fills the stomach up with a zero-calorie substance.
Under your nose, that is, if you're the type who drinks a lot of water.
Scientists at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society this week were told that people who drank two 250ml glasses of water before each main meal ate between 75 and 90 calories during that meal.
It's a fairly simple science, according to study author Brenda Davy.
The "water diet" is most likely effective because it fills the stomach up with a zero-calorie substance.
In Matters Of Health
In Matters Of Health
Hip bursitis is a painful condition that occurs when the bursa, a soft sac that cushions the hip joint, becomes inflamed.
Nightmarish Hospital Visit Capped by Beating
A man who was hurt in a car crash but was misidentified as a cancer patient claims security guards at Prince George's Hospital beat him up when he tried to leave the hospital to avoid chest surgery he didn't need - "to have a potentially cancerous mass removed from his chest." He adds that one guard repeatedly called him "bitch" as he roughed him up.
And this the "OH, so great American Health Care" the wing nuts keep ranting and raving about!?
Bad Cops
Bad Cops
Oklahoma cop is charged with two counts of sexual battery, indecent exposure, kidnapping, and first degree rape by instrumentation
Investigation finds North Carolina cops withheld or distorted evidence in more than 200 cases at the expense of potentially innocent men and women
After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, cops were given hazy directives to "take back the city", and felt they could shoot to kill with impunity
Drunk shouts 'terrorists,' urinates on mosque rugs
In the latest in a spate of anti-Muslim incidents over the last two days, an intoxicated man entered a mosque in Queens on Wednesday evening and proceeded to urinate on prayer rugs, New York police officials said.
The man, identified as Omar Rivera, reportedly shouted anti-Muslim epithets and called worshippers who had gathered for evening prayer “terrorists.” One witness told the New York Post the man was “very clearly intoxicated” and had a beer bottle in his hand at the time.
“He stuck up his middle finger and cursed at everyone,” Mustapha Sadouki, who was at the mosque at the time, said. “He calls us terrorists, yet he comes into our mosque and terrorizes other people.”
Rivera has been charged with criminal trespassing.
FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko told msnbc.com that New York City has not seen a change in the number of hate crimes reported by Muslims so far this year, but every report is taken seriously.
But recent incidents — including the stabbing of a Muslim cab driver and the desecration of a California mosque — have some members of the Muslim community worried that crimes against Muslims could reach crisis levels.
“Without a significant response by mainstream political leaders, this disturbing trend will only continue to grow,” said Faiza Ali, a New York spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The man, identified as Omar Rivera, reportedly shouted anti-Muslim epithets and called worshippers who had gathered for evening prayer “terrorists.” One witness told the New York Post the man was “very clearly intoxicated” and had a beer bottle in his hand at the time.
“He stuck up his middle finger and cursed at everyone,” Mustapha Sadouki, who was at the mosque at the time, said. “He calls us terrorists, yet he comes into our mosque and terrorizes other people.”
Rivera has been charged with criminal trespassing.
FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko told msnbc.com that New York City has not seen a change in the number of hate crimes reported by Muslims so far this year, but every report is taken seriously.
But recent incidents — including the stabbing of a Muslim cab driver and the desecration of a California mosque — have some members of the Muslim community worried that crimes against Muslims could reach crisis levels.
“Without a significant response by mainstream political leaders, this disturbing trend will only continue to grow,” said Faiza Ali, a New York spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
NY cab driver stabbed by passenger who asks 'are you Muslim?'
Police say the passenger asked the driver, "Are you Muslim?" When the driver said yes the passenger pulled a knife and slashed him in the throat, arm and lip.
Looking forward to ADL's and the Weisenthal Center's statements on this.
As Peter Daou explains, hate breeds violence.
Especially wingnut hate.
Lunatic Fringe
Lunatic Fringe
Otherwise known as the Seditionists
When dealing with wingnuts ... Remember the rule:
If they accuse someone of something, then they're already guilty of it.
Former rnc chair Ken Mehlman comes out as gay
This is going over well with the wingnuts ... not
Details here. and here.
Liars and Fools
Wingnut squawking head Frank Gaffney lies that President Obama "has exhibited a sympathy for the agenda" of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Only in your deluded mind - only in your deluded mind.
Radio hatemonger Michael Savage bizarrely claims Obama "would eliminate the Marine Corps".
Not as long as you keep proving the need for the Corps - to prevent perverts like you and yours from destroying this great nation .
Mitch McConnell (reptile-Kentucky) refuses to state clearly that President Obama is a Christian.
Hell, Mitch can't state anything clearly so what is new about this?
WingNutDaily again lies that President Obama is Muslim.
And I repeat, what is new about this?
And we are supposed to believe this coming from a no-talent has-been hack, right?
Wingnut Cliff Kincaid again equates homosexuality with treason.
See Above.
Pentagon under attack
A top official says the 2008 incident was "the most significant breach of U.S. military computers ever."
Also: Marines pour resources into mental health
Even with more health professionals available, Marines are having trouble getting help.
Also: 
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
The Daily Drift
The Daily Drift
Today's horoscope says:Just when you thought you were all done, at least for now, you're asked once again to go way above and beyond the call of duty.
It doesn't mean you have to trash your plans for tonight, though.
If you play your cards right -- as you so often do -- you're easily able to tend to both your professional and personal lives, and maybe even sneak in a long nap in the middle.
Some of our readers today have been in:
Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Paris, Ile De France, France
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Bern, Bern, Switzerland
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Padova, Veneto, Italy
Roskilde, Roskilde, Denmark
as well as Ukraine, Nigeria and in cities across the United States such as Mio, San Luis Obispo, Elmhurst, Scottsville and more.
Today is:
Today is Wednesday, August 25, the 237th day of 2010.
There are 128 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holidays or celebrations are:
Kiss and Make Up Day
and
National Second Hand Wardrobe Day
Don't forget to visit our sister blog!
How the 33 Chile miners survived
The trapped men stretched two days of food for more than two weeks with extreme rationing.
Also: 
Upping the cute factor
Tinkerbell taking a bath is upping the cute factor for us today.
Oh, did I mention she's a rat.
56-year-old chimp gives birth at Manhattan zoo
Officials at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan say a 56-year-old chimpanzee who gave birth might be the oldest chimp in captivity to have a baby. Sunset Zoo officials announced on Monday that the chimp, Suzie, gave birth to a female on Aug. 18.
Zoo officials say the mother and baby are in good health. The zoo's curator, Mark Ryan, says the zoo hasn't found an older chimpanzee at any zoo who's given birth in the United States.
Suzie is the third oldest chimpanzee among zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
Zoo director Scott Shoemaker said Suzie had been taken off birth control because of medical concerns and because zoo officials didn't think she would get pregnant at her age. The zoo is conducting a public competition to name the baby.
Zoo officials say the mother and baby are in good health. The zoo's curator, Mark Ryan, says the zoo hasn't found an older chimpanzee at any zoo who's given birth in the United States.
Suzie is the third oldest chimpanzee among zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
Zoo director Scott Shoemaker said Suzie had been taken off birth control because of medical concerns and because zoo officials didn't think she would get pregnant at her age. The zoo is conducting a public competition to name the baby.
There's a news video here.
Micro Frog Found in Search for World's Lost Amphibians
Pea-Sized Frog is Old World's Smallest
The smallest frog known on the Asian, European or African continents - and one of the world's tiniest frogs - was found by a group of scientists searching for "lost amphibians." This pea-sized micro frog belongs to the species of microhylid, which, as the name suggests, is composed of miniature frogs under 15 millimeters. So why was it "lost"? And, excepting the "awww, cute!" factor, why is it important that this tiny frog has been found?Article continues: Micro Frog Found in Search for World's Lost Amphibians
Rogue alligator sightings
From North Dakota to Indiana, alligators are showing up far from their true habitats.
Also: Culinary DeLites
Culinary DeLites
These flapjack houses get creative with recipes, toppings, and fillings.
Also: 
The New 'Normal'
As the jobless rate remains near 10 percent, some wonder if it's going to be a long-term fixture.
Also: Besides adding 3.3 million jobs and boosting growth by 4.5%, what else did the stimulus do?
Maybe John Boehner could tell us more since he's criticizing the stimulus so much.
Washington Post:
Washington Post:
President Obama's much-maligned economic stimulus package added as many as 3.3 million jobs to the economy during the second quarter of this year, and may have prevented the nation from lapsing back into recession, according to a report released Tuesday by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
In its latest quarterly assessment of the act, the CBO said the stimulus lowered the unemployment rate by between 0.7 and 1.8 percentage points during the quarter ending in June and increased the number of people employed by between 1.4 million and 3.3 million. The higher figure would come close to making good on Obama's pledge that the act would save or create as many as 3.5 million jobs by the end of this year.
CNBC: tax cuts *do* add to deficit
Of course they do but who wants to get in the way of a good rant by the repugicans? As you can read inside the link, even many top repugican economic advisers going back to the Reagan years admit tax cuts add to the deficit. CNBC:
I was very encouraged to read an article last Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Voters Back Tough Steps to Reduce Budget Deficit.” What is discouraging is that some people, mostly repugican politicians, are trying to convince people that tax cuts do not contribute to the deficit. This is not only misinformation, it is dangerous misinformation.Yes, the repugican politicians are dangerous.
The misinformers’ claim is that tax cuts pay for themselves and thus do not impact the deficit negatively. They claim that lower tax rates stimulate the economy and job growth so much that you wind up with more tax revenues at lower rates than you do at higher rates. While the shrub was telling the public that tax cuts pay for themselves, his 2003 Economic Report of the President, pages 57-58, told a very different story...
UK austerity programs hit the poor the most
Surely no one thought the rich bankers who caused the financial meltdown would foot the bill, did they? Besides, poor families with kids are already too busy making ends meet to find time to voice their opposition and it's not as though they have the spare cash to throw at political parties to plead their case. If the repugicans ever steal another election we should expect to see a lot more out of them that will look much like this. Wall Street has been sending cash to the repugicans who are revving up their engines, preparing to throw more handouts and tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.
So does anyone still like Nick Clegg? Somehow he makes Blair sound honest and sincere and that's no easy task.
The Guardian:
So does anyone still like Nick Clegg? Somehow he makes Blair sound honest and sincere and that's no easy task.
The Guardian:
In a direct challenge to Treasury claims that the package of spending cuts and tax increases announced in June was fair, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said welfare cuts meant working families on the lowest incomes – particularly those with children – were the biggest losers.
The IFS said it had always been skeptical about Osborne's claim that the budget was "progressive" but added that this instant judgment had been reinforced by a study of proposed changes to housing benefit, disability allowances and tax credits due to come in between now and 2015.
Passing judgment that is likely to make uncomfortable reading for the Liberal Democrats, the IFS concluded: "Once all of the benefit cuts are considered, the tax and benefit changes announced in the emergency budget are clearly regressive as, on average, they hit the poorest households more than those in the upper middle of the income distribution in cash, let alone percentage, terms."
An Irish Ghost Story
John Bradford, a Dublin University student, was on the side of the road hitchhiking on a very dark night and in the midst of a big storm.
The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.
Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and
stopped.
John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door.... only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on.
The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him.
Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength; he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.
A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying... and wasn't drunk.
Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John , were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the
other....
Look Paddy....there's that fecking eejit that got in the car while we were pushing it!!!!'
The night was rolling on and no car went by. The storm was so strong he could hardly see a few feet ahead of him.
Suddenly, he saw a car slowly coming towards him and
stopped.
John, desperate for shelter and without thinking about it, got into the car and closed the door.... only to realize there was nobody behind the wheel and the engine wasn't on.
The car started moving slowly. John looked at the road ahead and saw a curve approaching. Scared, he started to pray, begging for his life. Then, just before the car hit the curve, a hand appeared out of nowhere through the window, and turned the wheel. John, paralyzed with terror, watched as the hand came through the window, but never touched or harmed him.
Shortly thereafter, John saw the lights of a pub appear down the road, so, gathering strength; he jumped out of the car and ran to it. Wet and out of breath, he rushed inside and started telling everybody about the horrible experience he had just had.
A silence enveloped the pub when everybody realized he was crying... and wasn't drunk.
Suddenly, the door opened, and two other people walked in from the dark and stormy night. They, like John , were also soaked and out of breath. Looking around, and seeing John Bradford sobbing at the bar, one said to the
other....
Look Paddy....there's that fecking eejit that got in the car while we were pushing it!!!!'
Swedish schoolgirls fined for bugging teachers' staff room
Two Stockholm schoolgirls have been taken to court for trying to bug their teachers during a grading conference. They were found out after one of them revealed all on Facebook.
The pair, who are in their mid-teens, came up with the idea after finding a key to the staff common room. They bought basic bugging equipment in a gadget shop, waited until the end of the school day, and planted the device in the staff room.
The girls, who attend a middle school in the capital, planned to listen in on a meeting the following day at which teachers would decide their grades. They were hoping to glean information that would enable them to get their grades improved.
The plan might have gone off without a hitch if one of the girls in her enthusiasm had not revealed all on Facebook. The girls were prosecuted for trespass and arbitrary conduct and fined 2,000 kronor ($270) each by Stockholm District Court.
The pair, who are in their mid-teens, came up with the idea after finding a key to the staff common room. They bought basic bugging equipment in a gadget shop, waited until the end of the school day, and planted the device in the staff room.
The girls, who attend a middle school in the capital, planned to listen in on a meeting the following day at which teachers would decide their grades. They were hoping to glean information that would enable them to get their grades improved.
The plan might have gone off without a hitch if one of the girls in her enthusiasm had not revealed all on Facebook. The girls were prosecuted for trespass and arbitrary conduct and fined 2,000 kronor ($270) each by Stockholm District Court.
'Fire Tornado' in Brazil
An extreme drought affecting the state of Sao Paulo, fires and strong dry winds caused a fire tornado in the Brazilian municipality of Aracatuba on Tuesday.Drunk Briton tries to row from Minorca to Majorca in stolen dinghy
A British tourist was rescued after 24 hours adrift at sea following the apparently drunken man's failed attempt to sail in a stolen dinghy from Minorca to Majorca to see a friend. The tourist, who has not been named, drifted on the waves without food and water for a day after allegedly stealing the inflatable Zodiac outside a restaurant in the port of Ciutadella, in the west of the island, on Friday.
Josep Anglada, a local fisherman, spotted him eight miles out to sea the following day - sunbathing in a pair of shorts with a makeshift sail made out of an oar and a piece of cloth. He demanded to be left alone and said in broken Spanish that he was heading to Majorca, another 35 miles away, to visit a friend, the fisherman said. Nonetheless, the fisherman raised the alarm, and coast guards rescued the castaway Briton. Authorities said on Monday that changing winds could have sent the amateur sailor the wrong way.
"He was lucky he was spotted when he was," said a spokesman for the rescue service. "The winds were changing and, without food and water, he could have come to a very sticky end. The direction he was heading when we picked him up, he'd have missed Majorca and ended up somewhere on the Spanish mainland near to Barcelona. "But, of course, the winds change constantly and, more likely than not, he'd have drifted aimlessly around the Mediterranean."
A worker at the marine club in Ciutadella, who asked not to be named, said: "We've heard the man had a few too many drinks in the port at lunchtime, saw the mountains of Majorca across the water with the clear skies, and decided to take someone else's boat to get him there. He apparently rowed out of the port. The Zodiac has a small engine but we're not sure if he didn't know how to start it or simply ran out of petrol."
Josep Anglada, a local fisherman, spotted him eight miles out to sea the following day - sunbathing in a pair of shorts with a makeshift sail made out of an oar and a piece of cloth. He demanded to be left alone and said in broken Spanish that he was heading to Majorca, another 35 miles away, to visit a friend, the fisherman said. Nonetheless, the fisherman raised the alarm, and coast guards rescued the castaway Briton. Authorities said on Monday that changing winds could have sent the amateur sailor the wrong way.
"He was lucky he was spotted when he was," said a spokesman for the rescue service. "The winds were changing and, without food and water, he could have come to a very sticky end. The direction he was heading when we picked him up, he'd have missed Majorca and ended up somewhere on the Spanish mainland near to Barcelona. "But, of course, the winds change constantly and, more likely than not, he'd have drifted aimlessly around the Mediterranean."
A worker at the marine club in Ciutadella, who asked not to be named, said: "We've heard the man had a few too many drinks in the port at lunchtime, saw the mountains of Majorca across the water with the clear skies, and decided to take someone else's boat to get him there. He apparently rowed out of the port. The Zodiac has a small engine but we're not sure if he didn't know how to start it or simply ran out of petrol."
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