moonbuggy

‘The rotting cadaver of a dead whale was floating in a west coast fjord on Wednesday, sending a foul odor over the area while officials worried it could explode at any time.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it an explosion, but it can be like an enormous fart,” said Tore Haug of the Norwegian Marine Research Institute in Bergen.

He warned emergency crews trying to tow the cadaver out of the fjord that gases built up in the dead whale’s stomach could cause a blowout.

“It would be quite unpleasant if the stomach blows up,” Haug told web site bt.no. “It’s not very nice to have rotten whale parts showering over you.”‘

‘A woman who hates spiders is crediting them with helping save her from a house fire. Danielle Vigue, 18, says she awoke early Tuesday to find spiders in her room, and started killing them. When more showed up, she says she went across the hall and got into bed with her 15-year-old sister, Lauren.

“At first there were five, they were all around the light fixture,” Danielle Vigue told The Saginaw News. “I hate spiders, they freak me out.” [..]

A few hours later, Vigue’s 48-year-old mother, Debra, and 8-year-old sister, Shelby, smelled smoke, and flames greeted the family when they opened the door to the room Danielle Vigue had earlier left.

“I will never kill another spider again,” she told WNEM-TV in Saginaw.’

‘A mother who planned to eat her placenta will have it returned to her by a hospital following a court order.

Sunrise Hospital and Medical Centre had refused to give Ms Swanson her placenta following the caesarian birth of her daughter because it was classified as contaminated biohazardous waste, Associated Press reported.

Ms Swanson initially wanted to have her placenta dried, ground into a power and packed into capsules she believes the theory that placental hormones can help control postnatal depression.

Instead of eating it, she now plans to store and eventually bury it.

“I hope this brings about a better awareness about the benefits of placenta,” Ms Swanon said. ‘

‘A 55-year-old Port Orange woman who said she killed her neighbors because their “green mothball cookies” made her sick was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, according to a judge. [..]

A short time after the shooting, Anderson was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.

During questioning, Anderson told police, “I didn’t see any blood or bullet holes in their clothing. …They are over there watching TV aren’t they? I was shooting blanks.”

Anderson also said, “They make me cookies with green mothballs in them and I get sick.’

‘Welcome to Random Acts Of Reality, a Blog based in London, England, written by an E.M.T working for the London Ambulance Service. Also, number one search result for “Womble porn”. All names have be changed to protect the guilty. This Blog was previously known as “Why I Hate Humanity” but the antipsychotic medication seems to have kicked in.’

There’s also a book out, under Creative Commons license, that you can download for free. It’s called Blood, Sweat and Tea.

‘Live rats are being trucked from central China, suffering a plague of a reported two billion rodents displaced by a flooded lake, to the south of the of country to end up in restaurant dishes, Chinese media reported.

“Recently there have been a lot of rats … Guangzhou people are rich and like to eat exotic things, so business is very good,” the China News Service quoted a vendor as saying, referring to the capital of Guangdong province.

Some vendors had asked people from a village in Hunan province, near Dongting Lake, to sell them live rats, the Beijing News said today.

“The buyers offered 6 yuan for a kilo, but as to where they will sell the rats, they would not say,” the newspaper quoted a local resident as saying, adding that villagers had to catch the rats live.’

‘A startling sight greeted a Fredericksburg woman when she returned home from picking up a newspaper early Thursday, police said. A man she didn’t know was sitting on her toilet.

The man had apparently entered her home in the 300 block of Germania Street by cutting a screen and unlocking the door, police said.

City police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the incident occurred about 5:30 a.m. The resident, who is in her 80s, had left the home for a brief time to get a paper. On her way to get the paper, Bledsoe said, the woman saw the man hanging out on the street. She had never seen him before that.

When she got home, she noticed that the bathroom door was closed. She opened the door and the man was sitting there.

Bledsoe said the woman asked the man a couple of questions, including “How long are you going to be?” but didn’t understand the man’s response because it was in Spanish.’

‘Volcanic activity on the ‘bald mountain’ towering over St Pierre, Martinique, was usually so inconsequential that no one took seriously the fresh steaming vent-holes and earth tremors during April, 1902. By early May, however, ash began to rain down continuously, and the nauseating stench of sulphur filled the air. Their homes on the mountainside made uninhabitable, more than 100 fer-de-lance snakes slithered down and invaded the mulatto quarter of St Pierre. The 6-ft long serpents killed 50 people and innumerable animals before they were finally destroyed by the town’s giant street cats. But the annihilation had only begun. On May 5, a landslide of boiling mud spilled into the sea, followed by a tsunami that killed hundreds and, three days later, May 8, Mt Pelee finally exploded, sending a murderous avalanche of white-hot lava straight toward the town. Within three minutes St Pierre was completely obliterated. Of its 30,000 population, there were only two survivors.’

‘Gov. Bill Ritter heard the shots echo in the hallway — pop, pop, pop.

Just outside his Capitol office, a man who declared “I am the emperor” had been shot and killed by a state trooper when he refused to drop his gun, authorities said. [..]

Authorities said the unidentified man — described as wearing dark pants and a white shirt — had at least two verbal confrontations with state troopers in Ritter’s security. The man had walked into the reception area of Ritter’s office and was being escorted out before he produced a gun and refused orders to put it down, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. [..]

Before he was shot, the gunman said, “I am the emperor and I’m here to take over state government,” said Evan Dreyer, the governor’s spokesman.

Police said they did not know his name or motive.’

‘A German bus driver threatened to throw a 20-year-old sales clerk off his bus in the southern town of Lindau because he said she was too sexy.

“Suddenly he stopped the bus,” the woman named Debora C told Bild newspaper.

“He opened the door and shouted at me ‘Your cleavage is distracting me every time I look into my mirror and I can’t concentrate on the traffic. If you don’t sit somewhere else, I’m going to have to throw you off the bus.””

Here’s a short video of the man driving a stolen APC through Sydney, and some of they mayhem he caused.

Followup to Man goes on rampage with tank in suburbs.

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‘Police are investigating a city councilwoman and her husband are under investigation for performing an exorcism on their 18 year old daughter.

Police have recommended the State Attorney’s Office file charges of battery and false imprisonment against Edgewater city councilwoman Debra Rogers and her husband, Daniel Rogers.

Investigators said the couple admitted they tried to exorcise the demons out of their daughter by pouring olive oil on her while they held her hands behind her back on June 27. [..]

Detective Brady said police believe this wasn’t the first time this happened. “This is bizarre, but this apparently was a normal occurrence.”

This time police found the teen’s clothes torn off in the struggle and she had bruises on her arm and knees.’

‘In the continuing adventures of the world’s tallest man, Bao Xishun, our hero shakes hands with He Pingping, who is currently aiming for a place in the Guiness Book of Records as the world’s shortest man.

The historic meeting between Bao, who stands 2.36 meters (7.9 feet) tall, and He, who only reaches 73 centimeters (2.4 feet) in height, took place in Baotou, in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday.’

Followup to World’s tallest man saves dolphin.

(1.2meg Flash video)

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‘Police in Iran are reported to have taken 14 squirrels into custody – because they are suspected of spying.

The rodents were found near the Iranian border allegedly equipped with eavesdropping devices. [..]

The IRNA said that the squirrels were kitted out by foreign intelligence services – but they were captured two weeks ago by police officers.

A Foreign Office source told Sky News: “The story is nuts.”‘

‘A man has been arrested after an armoured personnel carrier (APC) was taken on a rampage in Sydney’s western suburbs.

Mt Druitt police on patrol discovered the armoured vehicle destroying an electricity substation in Sterling Road, Minchinbury, at about 2am (AEST) today.

They followed the APC through several suburbs, including Mt Druitt, Dharruk, Emerton, Glendenning and Plumpton.

The APC left a path of destruction, bringing down a number of mobile phone towers and relay sheds, police said.

The pursuit ended in Dean Park after about 90 minutes, when the vehicle stalled as it was being driven towards another mobile phone tower.’

‘A Cape Cod man who claimed he was homophobic, racist and a habitual liar to avoid jury duty earned an angry rebuke from a judge on Monday, who referred the case to prosecutors for possible charges. [..]

On a questionnaire that all potential jurors fill out, Ellis wrote that he didn’t like homosexuals and blacks. He then echoed those sentiments in an interview with Nickerson.

“You say on your form that you’re not a fan of homosexuals,” Nickerson said.

“That I’m a racist,” Ellis interrupted.

“I’m frequently found to be a liar, too. I can’t really help it,” Ellis added.

“I’m sorry?” Nickerson said.

“I said I’m frequently found to be a liar,” Ellis replied.

“So, are you lying to me now?” Nickerson asked.

“Well, I don’t know. I might be,” was the response.’

‘Two people are expected to be charged Wednesday in connection with the bizarre 2003 case in which a pizza deliveryman died after a collar bomb attached to him exploded, CNN has learned.

Brian Wells died August 28, 2003, in Erie, Pennsylvania, after he claimed gunmen grabbed him, locked the bomb around his neck and ordered him to rob a bank. Police detained him after the robbery, and the device exploded as he waited on the pavement. A bomb squad was en route to the scene but did not arrive in time.’

The Smoking Gun has more.

‘An Indian man “mortgaged” his baby son to pay for his wife’s cremation after she died giving birth, reports said today.

Bipin Gagarai of the southeast state of Orissa said he “mortgaged” his son for 1,200 rupees ($31) because he did not have enough money to pay for the funeral.

“As he had no money to transport the body to his village and undertake funeral expenses, he handed over the baby to a childless couple who paid him 1,200 rupees,” the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

But district official Shivaji Bhuyan said Mr Gagarai had promised he would reclaim the infant once he had earned enough money to pay back the debt.’

‘They had just been wed in the castle which features in the TV series Monarch of the Glen, and their guests were waiting for them at the reception.

Not the ideal time for Mark Allerton and the former Teresa Brown to have the first blazing row of married life.

After some well-chosen insults, the newly-weds ended up grappling together in their hotel bridal suite and 33-year-old Mrs Allerton spiked her husband in the head with one of her stiletto heels.

The 40-year-old oilman staggered down to the hotel desk with blood pouring from a puncture wound, causing staff to call an ambulance.’

‘The Iraqi port city of Basra, already prey to a nasty turf war between rival militia factions, has now been gripped by a scary rumour – giant badgers are stalking the streets by night, eating humans.

The animals were allegedly released into the area by British forces.

Local farmers have caught and killed several of the beasts, but this has done nothing to dispel the rumour.

Iraqi scientists have attempted to calm things down. However, the story has spread like wildfire in the streets of the city and the villages round about.

Mushtaq Abdul-Mahdi, director of Basra’s veterinary hospital, has inspected the corpses of several badgers and tries to reassure Iraqis that the animals are not a new post-war arrival in the region. [..]

Not everybody is convinced.’

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‘A father took his life in a courtroom moments after being found guilty of assaulting his baby daughter.

Ratnasabapathy Anandakumar, 40, smuggled poison in a Coca-Cola bottle into the dock in his bag, drinking it after being convicted of brutally attacking his daughter when she was three months old.

As judge, lawyers and jurors looked on, he drank the liquid before a security guard could intervene.

He died later in hospital. It is thought to be the first time a suspect has apparently committed suicide in court.’

‘Investigators say James Coldwell, 49, robbed the Citizens Bank at 1550 Elm St. while clad in clothing adorned with tree branches held on by duct tape.

Coldwell was charged with one count of robbery after answering questions at the police station, Capt. Dick Tracy said.

Video surveillance of the Saturday morning robbery showed a thin white man leaving the bank in a shroud of tree branches, all duct-taped to his shirt and head. His short, dark hair and mustache were clearly visible between the leaves.
Bank

Tracy said police were tipped off by several anonymous callers after the footage appeared on a nightly news broadcasts.’

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‘Lara Madden is a 25-year-old porn movie actress who uses the stage name Syvette Wimberly when starring in films like “Anal Camera 19.” While Madden’s professional alias is catchy and distinctive, the name is identical to that of a former Texas high school pal of the X-rated performer. As a result, Kristen Syvette Wimberly, 25, has filed a lawsuit against Madden and the porn distributor Vivid Entertainment for the misappropriation of her name. In a June 26 complaint filed in Harris County District Court, Wimberly notes that she and Madden became friends after meeting at the beginning of ninth grade in Kingwood, Texas. That friendship, however, “ended due to conflict,” according to the lawsuit, a copy of which you’ll find below. The complaint adds that Madden (who is pictured at right) married while in high school and did not graduate with Wimberly, who lost contact with her former friend. Until recently, that is, when Wimberly discovered that, “there was a woman appearing in multiple explicit pornographic videos” using her name. Wimberly soon learned, the lawsuit reports, that the porn actress who boosted her name “was her former high school friend Lara Madden.” The porn star, Wimberly alleges, deliberately chose to use her name, despite realizing that it would cause “extreme embarrassment and unsubstantiated association with the pornography industry and other consequences.” [..]’

‘A man who told two women they were extremely beautiful was arrested on charges of harassment last week, Denver police said.

Police said 32-year-old Jeff John Hergert approached the women and “expressed interest in them.” He told each woman in two separate incidents that they were extremely beautiful and that they should consider modeling.

Hergert was arrested and is being held on two counts of harassment. He is being held on a $10,000 bond.’

‘A 5-year-old boy grabbed a rabid fox by the neck and pinned it to the ground during a family cookout, protecting six other children until his stepfather could kill the animal.

“I wanted to protect my little brother,” said Rayshun McDowell, who battled the fox in the front yard of his home Sunday in Kingstown, a town about 50 miles west of Charlotte.

The fox bit Rayshun in the leg, but the 61-pound-boy held the animal down for more than a minute. Animal control officials said Tuesday that test results confirmed the fox had rabies, which is fatal unless treated before symptoms appear. Rayshun is undergoing treatment.

“I looked out the window and Rayshun had the fox by the neck and was pushing it into the ground,” said his mother, Shinda Linder. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”‘

‘After 14 failed attempts at joining the United Nations using media campaigns and presidential appeals, Taiwan is turning to a local goth-style rock band backed by Ozzy Osbourne in its quest for membership to the world body.

The band, named ChthoniC, will travel to at least 80 cities in four countries by the end of the year, supported in part by the Taiwan government, which is providing pro-U.N. literature and a slogan-painted truck.

The band will visit Canada, Germany, Britain and the United States.’

‘A Canadian mother has frozen her eggs for use by her seven-year-old daughter, who is likely to become infertile.

Should the girl opt to use the eggs and gain regulatory approval, she would effectively have a baby that was her half-brother or sister.

Critics said the work, presented at a fertility conference in Lyon, was deeply concerning.

But the doctors from the McGill Reproductive Center, Montreal, called the donation an act of motherly love.’

‘An 11-year-old Perdido Key girl has been charged with driving under the influence after she led Orange Beach police on a high-speed chase.

Greg Duck, Orange Beach assistant police chief, said the Tuesday night chase — which was caught on a dashboard camera in a police cruiser — started about 10:30 p.m. in Orange Beach near the Florida line. It ended just inside the Gulf Shores city limits when the girl crashed and rolled the Chevy Monte Carlo she was driving. [..]

Police said the car sideswiped another vehicle during the chase, which reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. [..]

Duck said the girl told police she was on her way to pick up her sister at a concert in Orange Beach.’

(3.8meg Flash video)

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