‘Students in Canada have found a new way to fill time in between lectures – by setting each other on fire for fun.
They douse one another with deodorant spray before using matches or lighters to start the blaze, which leaves students with flames licking their bodies.
Police in Ontario said they were aware of students taking deodorants to school and using them to set each other on fire, usually for no more than a second. [..]
PC Doug Graham from Middlesex Ontario Provincial Police said: ‘This is a fairly common thing around the province. It’s certainly an issue we have to notify parents about.”
‘A 15-YEAR-old Russian boy suffered acute frostbite after riding the wing of a Boeing-737 plane on a 1300km two-hour flight.
With temperatures hitting minus 50C and the plane at a cruising speed of 900km/h, the teenager Andrei Shcherbakov collapsed onto the tarmac when the plane landed.
He had clung on for the entire flight from Perm in Russia’s Ural region to Vnukova Airport in Moscow.
His arms and legs were so severely frozen that rescuers were at first unable to remove his coat and shoes.
He was taken by ambulance to hospital where doctors are trying to save his hands.
When he awoke, Andrei told police that he had decided to run away from his alcoholic father and their home in Perm.’
‘Saddam Hussein offered to step down and go into exile one month before the invasion of Iraq, it was claimed last night.
Fearing defeat, Saddam was prepared to go peacefully in return for £500million ($1billion).
The extraordinary offer was revealed yesterday in a transcript of talks in February 2003 between George Bush and the then Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar at the President’s Texas ranch.
The White House refused to comment on the report last night.
But, if verified, it is certain to raise questions in Washington and London over whether the costly four-year war could have been averted.
Only yesterday, the Bush administration asked Congress for another £100billion to finance the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.’
‘The head of the Catholic Church in Mozambique has told the BBC he believes some European-made condoms are infected with HIV deliberately.
Maputo Archbishop Francisco Chimoio claimed some anti-retroviral drugs were also infected “in order to finish quickly the African people”.
The Catholic Church formally opposes any use of condoms, advising fidelity within marriage or sexual abstinence.
Aids activists have been angered by the remarks, one calling them “nonsense”.’
‘A plastic surgery office discriminated against a pregnant secretary who was fired after being told to suck in her belly so she wouldn’t scare away patients, government lawyers charged in an anti-discrimination lawsuit filed Wednesday. [..]
Griggle, who worked in the company’s Cranberry office, said she was fired in December 2005, two weeks after telling her supervisors she was pregnant.’
‘One Dylan Stephen Jayne of Pennsylvania filed suit against “Google Internet Search Engine Founders” in Pennsylvania Civil court, seeking the small amount of $5 billion dollars. Jayne claims that his safety is in jeopardy because of Google releasing personal information about him.
Jayne asserts that individuals looking to perform acts of terrorism could obtain his information from Google, making it more likely that he will be detained wrongfully in the future. Jayne’s statement of claim is that, “Dylan Steven Jayne, plaintiff, has a social security number that when the social security number is turned upside down in its entirety it is a scrambled code that does spell the name Google.”‘
It looks like the car ran a red light. Not the smartest thing to do.
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‘Some volunteer firefighters in Vermont have been accused of using Jaws of Life during a vandalism spree, WPTZ-TV in in Plattsburgh, N.Y., reported.
Firefighters usually use the tool to help victims of serious car crashes escape the mangled wreckage. [..]
Police said the four started the spree at the Berlin Mall and Central Vermont Hospital, pulling hubcaps and windshield wipers from cars. The four then headed to the Montpelier park and the town of Northfield, damaging pay phones and stealing street signs, police said.
Police said they got a break in the case in mid-September when someone came forward with information into the case, including that the vandalism may have been part of a dare.
Police said they aren’t sure who dared the four, and the Berlin Fire Department said it never had any involvement in the crime nor did it know the equipment had been used.’
‘They may have committed a high crime, but a former Dearborn cop and his wife are only going to be charged with a misdemeanor for allegedly smoking pot in Dearborn Heights.
Edward Sanchez, 30, and his wife, Stacy, 27, are expected to turn themselves in for arraignment on one charge each of using marijuana, according assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Maria Miller.
On April 21, 2006, Sanchez, who lives in Dearborn Heights, called 911 in a panic after he and his wife ate brownies laced with marijuana he said he took from criminal suspects.
Dearborn police allowed Sanchez to resign from his job on May 23, 2006, even though investigators said he admitted to taking the marijuana from his police car and using it to make the brownies. Dearborn police reports the Free Press obtained said Sanchez told investigators he planned to use the marijuana to train his police dog.’
Followup to Cop Avoids Charge for Pot Brownies.
‘De’Andre June told police he woke up Wednesday morning to find the charred outline of a cross burned in the lawn of his home. June now is accused of burning the cross in the lawn himself.
The 47-year-old Anoka man was charged Friday with falsely reporting a crime. He also is charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing the legal process stemming from an altercation when police arrested him Thursday afternoon on a felony warrant from Hennepin County in connection with a financial fraud case. [..]
“Inmates from the Anoka County Jail saw the news story on TV and recognized Mr. June,” said Capt. Phil Johanson of the Anoka Police Department. “(They) said that when he was in jail with them last week, he had made comments that he was going to do something like this to get sympathy from the community and the church for financial gains and otherwise.”‘
‘Nudity could be outlawed on the world’s tallest mountain complaints about the number of climbers attempting to reach its summit without clothes
Nepalese mountaineering authorities are reportedly outraged that people were ditching their clothes on Mount Everest, which is worshipped by some villagers.
President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Tshering told AP that following last year’s record by a Nepali climber, who claimed the world’s highest display of nudity while standing on the 8,850m summit in temperatures about minus 10 degrees Celsius, restrictions should be implemented.
“There should be strict regulations to discourage such attempts by climbers,” Tshering said.’
‘Two mobile homes were badly damaged by fire in Center Township, Beaver County, and a couple who lived in one of the trailers is facing charges Tuesday — even though they are also victims of the fire.
Crystal Adams, 31, and James Chandler, 33, are accused of reckless endangerment, because police say the two grabbed their pet dogs and fled the fire at Center Manor Court but left Chandler’s young son behind on Friday night.
The 4-year-old boy was treated for smoke inhalation after a firefighter ran inside and pulled him out, township Fire Chief Bill Brucker said.’
‘A rmaid who served a drunk customer a shot of disinfectant as a joke at a Melbourne nightclub made him so ill he vomited and his skin became ulcerated, a court was told today.
Melbourne Magistrates Court was told the customer drank a 30ml shot of Pine O Cleen served by barmaid Emily Craig, 22, on March 4.
He vomited in the street outside the Evolution nightclub in Prahran before an ambulance was called.
He also later developed ulcers on his skin.
Craig’s defence counsel George Balot told Magistrate Bill O’Day it was a “misguided practical joke”.’
‘A man has been arrested for allegedly downloading child porn in a first-class airport lounge in view of other passengers.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg said the 44-year-old man had been downloading child pornography in the first-class lounge at Melbourne Airport on Friday.
He was using a free access computer at a desk and was overseen by passers-by.
The commissioner said the man had IT expertise and had been able to circumvent the lounge’s computer firewalls.
His home in Naremburn, Sydney, was searched and a computer and CDs were seized.’
‘How do you keep a leader as verbally gaffe-prone as US President George W. Bush from making even more slips of the tongue?
When Mr Bush addressed the UN General Assembly today, the White House inadvertently showed exactly how – with a phonetic pronunciation guide on the teleprompter to get him past troublesome names of countries and world leaders.
The White House was left scrambling to explain after a marked-up draft of Bush’s speech popped up briefly on the UN website as he delivered his remarks, giving a rare glimpse of the special guidance he gets for major addresses.
It included phonetic spellings for French President Nicolas Sarkozy (sar-KO-zee), a friend, and Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe (moo-GAH-bee), a target of US human rights criticism.
Pronunciations were also provided for Kyrgyzstan (KEYR-geez-stan), Mauritania (moor-EH-tain-ee-a) and the Zimbabwe capital Harare (hah-RAR-ray).’
‘Supermarket staff refused to sell alcohol to a white-haired 72-year-old man – because he would not confirm he was over 21.
Check-out staff at Morrisons in West Kirby, Wirral, demanded Tony Ralls prove he was old enough to buy his two bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Mr Ralls asked to see the manager who put the wine back on the shelf.
The grandfather-of-three said he had refused to confirm he was over 21 as it was a “stupid question.”
Mr Ralls, a retired insurance firm regional manager, said he expected the store manager to resolve the situation but he was disappointed.
“I felt like saying ‘What do I look like? Are you a fool?”
‘Police caught a 15-year-old Greymouth youth driving an early-model Mitsubishi Lancer that had been lowered in a cheap and novel way. [..]
Constable Rachel Lord, of the Greymouth police, said it appeared the Lancer had been lowered by loading the boot full of rocks, rather than by the usual method of cutting the springs.
Police had responded to a complaint of dangerous driving after the car was seen swerving across State Highway 73 near Kumara, and forced it off the road, giving the driver a pink sticker, indicating it was unsafe and could not be driven. [..]
It has badly dented side-panels, no back seat and a bumper held in place by an old seatbelt.’
‘A community college instructor in Red Oak claims he was fired after he told his students that the biblical story of Adam and Eve should not be literally interpreted.
Steve Bitterman, 60, said officials at Southwestern Community College sided with a handful of students who threatened legal action over his remarks in a western civilization class Tuesday. He said he was fired Thursday.
“I’m just a little bit shocked myself that a college in good standing would back up students who insist that people who have been through college and have a master’s degree, a couple actually, have to teach that there were such things as talking snakes or lose their job,” Bitterman said.’
‘A cop has quit after his web profile on Facebook exposed him as a gun-toting pervert.
Fellow officers were stunned when they logged on to the social networking site to see 29-year-old Simon Purcell proudly brandishing an MI6 semi-automatic rifle.
The police community support officer went on to list his hobbies as “making sex toys for all the ladies” and “spying on doggers”. Other interests included “women, masturbation, any order I don’t mind.” Among his favourite films he put simply: “Porn”.’
‘This is some highlights from yesterdays OJ Simpson press conference. Jake Byrd is back and better this time standing shoulder to shoulder with OJs lawyer helping answer questions.’
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‘As a trial-court judge, Florentino V. Floro Jr. acknowledged that he regularly sought the counsel of three elves only he could see. The Supreme Court deemed him unfit to serve and fired him last year.
Case closed? Not in the Philippines, where vampires are said to prey on unwary travelers and wealthy politicians consult fortune tellers and card readers. Mr. Floro, 54 years old, has become a media celebrity. He is now wielding his new clout to campaign for the return of his job — and exact vengeance on the Supreme Court.
Helping him, he says, are his three invisible companions. “Angel” is the neutral force, he says. “Armand” is a benign influence. “Luis,” whom Mr. Floro describes as the “king of kings,” is an avenger.’
Followup to Fortune-telling judge couldn’t see it coming.
‘Snake collector Matt Wilkinson of Portland grabbed a 20-inch rattler from the highway near Maupin, and three weeks later, to impress his ex-girlfriend, he stuck the serpent in his mouth.
He was soon near death with a swollen tongue that blocked his throat. Trauma doctors at the Oregon Health and Science University saved his life.
“You can assume alcohol was involved,” he said. Actually, not just beer. It was something he called a “mixture of stupid stuff.” [..]
Wilkinson, 23, had downed a six-pack and his ex-girlfriend asked him for a beer. He handed her one, not realizing the snake was also in his hand.
“She said, ‘Get that thing out of my face,'” Wilkinson said. “I told her it was a nice snake. ‘Nothing can happen. Watch.'”‘
‘A driver of a sport utility vehicle who hit a telephone pole blamed the crash on two friends having sex in the back seat.
Joshua D. Frank, 22, pleaded guilty this week to a misdemeanor charge of failing to notify a police officer of a traffic accident. [..]
According to court documents, Frank told police that his SUV is top heavy and the backseat action made it become “tippy,” causing him to lose control.
According to the affidavit, Frank suffered a minor head injury in the crash and his friends were treated for unspecified injuries.’
‘Everybody do stupid things sometimes when they’re drunk, ok?’
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‘A Hartlepool man is facing jail after he urinated on a disabled woman who lay dying in the street.
The 27-year-old shouted “this is YouTube material” as he degraded Christine Lakinski, 50, who had fallen ill, magistrates heard. [..]
Anderson had smoked a cannabis joint and been drinking when he and two friends spotted her.
He tried to rouse her by throwing a bucket of water over her, before urinating on her and covering her with shaving foam. The incident was filmed on a mobile phone.
She was later declared dead at the scene, the cause of death being given as pancreatic failure.’
‘A man tired of burglars nearly blew off his hand when bomb-like devices he set around his house exploded in his presence instead, authorities said.
Victor Iacobescu, 50, ran to a neighbor’s house Thursday with a bloody towel wrapped around his right hand.
“Apparently, he was trying to set booby traps to get the next guy who tried to break in,” fire Lt. Maggie Murphy said.
Iacobescu had been the victim of several break-ins, she said.
The neighbor, Patrick Struble, said the explosives were “like a pipe bomb. He accidentally triggered it, and it almost blew his hand off.”‘
‘A Gold Coast teenager was struck in the face by a boat propellor when he fell out of a dinghy while baring his buttocks at people on the shore.
The 17-year-old boy from Kanimbla was one of three males travelling in a dinghy along a canal off Huon Street at Broadbeach Waters on the Gold Coast about 4pm (AEST) yesterday.
It is believed all three males stood up to bare their buttocks at a group of people at a waterfront residence, causing the vessel to become unstable, and all three fell overboard, police said. [..]
Another occupant of the boat, a 20-year-old man from Rochedale South, in Brisbane’s south, has been charged with drink driving.’
‘An Albanian fishmonger set fire to his van in a burst of anger after the national soccer team lost to the visiting Dutch side, and firefighters failed to extinguish the blaze because someone had stolen their water.
Vilson Alushi had vowed to burn his fish-delivery van if Albania failed to win against the Netherlands on Wednesday. Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a goal in injury time to end the game 1-0.
Alushi duly doused his car with gasoline in the center of the southern town of Delvine and watched indifferently as his friends alerted the firefighters, newspapers reported.
They arrived promptly on the scene and unreeled the hose, only to find it was dry. It seems that residents living near the fire station had drained the tank to help them cope with Albania’s chronic water shortage.’
This guy tells the girl to lay down, close her eyes and trust him.
I bet she won’t be doing that again. 🙂
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‘Columbiana County sheriff’s deputies said Charles Hoyle, 34, of Boardman, was socializing with friends when he made the decision that ended his life.
Chief Deputy Allen Haueter said Hoyle was with two friends behind a home on Steubenville Pike Road when he asked one of his friends if he could ride his ATV.
While Hoyle was considered legally blind, he did at one point have a driver’s license, but Haueter said that license expired in 2000.
The deputy said the men helped Hoyle onto the ATV anyway and warned him to go slow, but Hoyle didn’t listen.
“When the men put Mr. Hoyle on there, he took off, full acceleration,” said Haueter. “And they were screaming at him to hold back and stop, and they couldn’t catch up to him. Then he struck a smaller tree and he hit a larger one head-on.”‘
