Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Three-wheeler disappears into the sunset
I'm quite confident this isn't the original upload of this video, but I've spent far too much time failing to find it.
YouTube link. LiveLeak link.
YouTube link. LiveLeak link.
Allegedly intoxicated motorist paid next-door neighbours' unintended visit
A Long Island man tried to pull into his driveway after a night out, but instead ploughed straight through the front door of his next-door neighbours' house at around 3am on Sunday.
Dallas Vadala, 20, was supposed to be parking his car in his driveway at 1 Campus Lane in Lake Ronkonkoma but instead crashed into the kitchen of 3 Campus Lane - just feet from the residents sleeping in their bedroom.
The homeowner’s girlfriend, Melissa Molloy, was jolted out of bed when Vadala made his unexpected entrance. Luckily, no one was injured in the crash. “He called out our names,” said Molloy, 26. “He said he’s sorry and said his brakes locked up.” Molloy and her boyfriend, Jamie Cosgrove, 35, saw the Hyundai Sonata in the kitchen and the dishevelled driver “freaking out.” “I didn’t think he was [drunk] at the time. He could have been,” Molloy said.
“He was freaking out. He asked if we were okay, and I told him to get his mother.” Cosgrove said that he was startled by the sound of the crash but never expected his neighbour to be parked in the kitchen. “It was a loud bang, I didn’t think a car was in the house,” Cosgrove said. “I have a dog, so I thought she hit something and it fell over and glass broke. But then the dog started going all crazy, and I knew something wasn’t right.”
YouTube link.
The couple will have to stay in a hotel until building inspectors and insurance adjusters say it’s safe to return home. “I’ve had better days, that’s for sure,” Cosgrove said. “Everybody is safe, so that’s all that’s important.” A video from the scene shows Vadala warily trying to walk in a straight line for police. Vadala was arrested and taken to the Sixth Precinct station house where he was charged with DWI.
The homeowner’s girlfriend, Melissa Molloy, was jolted out of bed when Vadala made his unexpected entrance. Luckily, no one was injured in the crash. “He called out our names,” said Molloy, 26. “He said he’s sorry and said his brakes locked up.” Molloy and her boyfriend, Jamie Cosgrove, 35, saw the Hyundai Sonata in the kitchen and the dishevelled driver “freaking out.” “I didn’t think he was [drunk] at the time. He could have been,” Molloy said.
“He was freaking out. He asked if we were okay, and I told him to get his mother.” Cosgrove said that he was startled by the sound of the crash but never expected his neighbour to be parked in the kitchen. “It was a loud bang, I didn’t think a car was in the house,” Cosgrove said. “I have a dog, so I thought she hit something and it fell over and glass broke. But then the dog started going all crazy, and I knew something wasn’t right.”
YouTube link.
The couple will have to stay in a hotel until building inspectors and insurance adjusters say it’s safe to return home. “I’ve had better days, that’s for sure,” Cosgrove said. “Everybody is safe, so that’s all that’s important.” A video from the scene shows Vadala warily trying to walk in a straight line for police. Vadala was arrested and taken to the Sixth Precinct station house where he was charged with DWI.
School reverses decision to cancel 'Nutcracker' trip despite presence of Christmas tree on stage
The Butler Elementary School PTA in Belmont, Massachusetts, have reversed an earlier decision to cancel a field trip to see "The Nutcracker" after some parents claimed it had questionable content.
The trip to see the famous ballet has been a tradition at the school for years, but apparently some felt the trip was improper because there is a Christmas tree on the stage. The issue came to a head at a PTA meeting last Tuesday night.
A source said some people were told they were being discriminatory if they supported their kids going to "The Nutcracker." Some parents of the second graders, said that they're also upset because PTA leaders secretly cancelled the field trip without telling anyone, but word spread.
PTA Co-President Barbara Bulfoni said, "In the past years there were parents complaints as 'The Nutcracker' has a religious content. I think we clarified with the parents." Some of the parents that pushed back against the decision are happy they won but are concerned it'll come up again next year. One PTA board member said they were considering stepping down over the controversy.
With news video.
The trip to see the famous ballet has been a tradition at the school for years, but apparently some felt the trip was improper because there is a Christmas tree on the stage. The issue came to a head at a PTA meeting last Tuesday night.
A source said some people were told they were being discriminatory if they supported their kids going to "The Nutcracker." Some parents of the second graders, said that they're also upset because PTA leaders secretly cancelled the field trip without telling anyone, but word spread.
PTA Co-President Barbara Bulfoni said, "In the past years there were parents complaints as 'The Nutcracker' has a religious content. I think we clarified with the parents." Some of the parents that pushed back against the decision are happy they won but are concerned it'll come up again next year. One PTA board member said they were considering stepping down over the controversy.
With news video.
Dog had impromptu swim with dolphins
If was just another day at the beach for Jackie the labrador-huntaway cross - she kept trying to catch the waves and they kept getting away - when three life-forms of a kind she had never seen before suddenly showed up.
There was no hesitation. With all the impetuousness of her 10 months, Jackie was off to join the dolphins swimming just offshore.
"I think she just wanted to know what they were," owner Arriane Christie, of Whangarei, New Zealand, said. She had been at Whangaumu Bay on the Tutukaka Coast, where she often took Jackie, for about an hour when the dolphins dropped by. "I think they were just wanting to play. Jackie was in the shallows and they came right up to her," Christie said.
YouTube link.
"I was a little bit nervous to start with because I thought one whack of their tails and she (Jackie) could be knocked out. The three dolphins swum around the area for about 40 minutes. They were a good size, probably up to two metres long. Jackie was in and out of the water, watching for when the dolphins came closer.
"When she wasn't in the water she was fully focused on them. If I walked in front of her she dodged out of the way so she could see them again," Christie said. "They (the dolphins) were messing with her a little bit, going really slow and then when she caught up they would speed up and then circle around her." By the time the dolphins swum away, Jackie was exhausted. :"She slept the rest of the day and all night," Christie said.
"I think she just wanted to know what they were," owner Arriane Christie, of Whangarei, New Zealand, said. She had been at Whangaumu Bay on the Tutukaka Coast, where she often took Jackie, for about an hour when the dolphins dropped by. "I think they were just wanting to play. Jackie was in the shallows and they came right up to her," Christie said.
YouTube link.
"I was a little bit nervous to start with because I thought one whack of their tails and she (Jackie) could be knocked out. The three dolphins swum around the area for about 40 minutes. They were a good size, probably up to two metres long. Jackie was in and out of the water, watching for when the dolphins came closer.
"When she wasn't in the water she was fully focused on them. If I walked in front of her she dodged out of the way so she could see them again," Christie said. "They (the dolphins) were messing with her a little bit, going really slow and then when she caught up they would speed up and then circle around her." By the time the dolphins swum away, Jackie was exhausted. :"She slept the rest of the day and all night," Christie said.
Chinese building destroyed by cesspool excrement explosion
A cesspool filled with excrement exploded in a central Chinese city, injuring 15 residents and toppling a building on Saturday.
Police in Zhangjiajie city, Hunan Province, believed it was an accident when a man surnamed Ding was burning waste outside his derelict house and near the cesspool at about 5pm.
Police said the fire ignited the methane emanated from the pit and caused the blast. The house has been abandoned since 2006.
The blast occurred at Dayongqiao community of Yongding District. One residential building collapsed, and four others were damaged. The injured people have been hospitalised. Local residents have been resettled elsewhere..
Police in Zhangjiajie city, Hunan Province, believed it was an accident when a man surnamed Ding was burning waste outside his derelict house and near the cesspool at about 5pm.
Police said the fire ignited the methane emanated from the pit and caused the blast. The house has been abandoned since 2006.
The blast occurred at Dayongqiao community of Yongding District. One residential building collapsed, and four others were damaged. The injured people have been hospitalised. Local residents have been resettled elsewhere..
Tree chopper could face $2 million fine for axe attack
Whoever is responsible for an axe attack on 17 trees at Clontarf Reserve in Manly, New South Wales, Australia could face a fine of AU$2 million (£1.1 million, US$1.7 million).
Police and Manly Council are investigating the crime that Manly Mayor Jean Hay called a “despicable act”.
So far they have no clues beyond a hunch that it may have been committed to improve water views. However, that theory is unlikely since nearby houses are higher uphill and command views over the top of the park’s trees. Vandalism is another possible motive.
The 16 Norfolk Island pines and single fig tree were, before the tomahawk attack, mature and healthy specimens providing shade and shelter for park users. The council believes the trees were damaged and then poisoned on Tuesday night and is using an infra-red camera to try and monitor any biological reaction to poison inside the trunks and branches.
The multi-million-dollar fine could be imposed by the Land and Environment Court, in the event of a successful prosecution. “When these sorts of things have happened in the past – it’s been to improve views, especially water views,” Cr Hay said. “Why would anyone be wanting to do it?” It is not clear yet if the trees will survive.
So far they have no clues beyond a hunch that it may have been committed to improve water views. However, that theory is unlikely since nearby houses are higher uphill and command views over the top of the park’s trees. Vandalism is another possible motive.
The 16 Norfolk Island pines and single fig tree were, before the tomahawk attack, mature and healthy specimens providing shade and shelter for park users. The council believes the trees were damaged and then poisoned on Tuesday night and is using an infra-red camera to try and monitor any biological reaction to poison inside the trunks and branches.
The multi-million-dollar fine could be imposed by the Land and Environment Court, in the event of a successful prosecution. “When these sorts of things have happened in the past – it’s been to improve views, especially water views,” Cr Hay said. “Why would anyone be wanting to do it?” It is not clear yet if the trees will survive.
Fallen pine named as Wales' tree of the year
A Scots pine in Powys has been named as Wales' tree of the year, despite being blown over earlier this year.
The Lonely Tree of Llanfyllin won the most votes from eight nominees in a national competition organised by the Woodland Trust.
The conifer has stood above the town for two centuries, but in February it blew down in a severe gale.
YouTube link.
The community launched a campaign to raise enough money to pay for covering the tree's exposed roots to keep it alive. Now the fallen giant is to represent Wales in the European Tree of the Year contest, taking place next February.
The Lonely Tree of Llanfyllin won the most votes from eight nominees in a national competition organised by the Woodland Trust.
The conifer has stood above the town for two centuries, but in February it blew down in a severe gale.
YouTube link.
The community launched a campaign to raise enough money to pay for covering the tree's exposed roots to keep it alive. Now the fallen giant is to represent Wales in the European Tree of the Year contest, taking place next February.
Glow in the dark posters humiliate dog owners who don't pick up pets' poo in winter months
A new dog fouling campaign aimed at dog walkers who don’t scoop the poop was launched on Monday following a pilot scheme that has seen a reduction of almost 50 percent in dog fouling incidents.
Over 20 land managers have joined forces with Keep Britain Tidy in a bid to reduce dog fouling in key problem areas of their towns and cities, and the campaign is based around the idea that people are more responsible when they feel they are begin watched, with incidents happening more often at night in the winter months … under the cover of darkness, hence the series of glow in the dark “We’re watching you” posters.
KBT recently conducted a campaign pilot using a new series of posters and saw an average reduction of 46% in the levels of dog fouling. The “We’re watching you” poster series are visible after dark and use innovative, cutting-edge materials, to capture enough light during the day to show for around 10 hours each night. The social experiment was the first time such a material has been used on a poster.
Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Phil Barton said: “We are delighted local authorities and land managers from across the country have signed up and are joining with us on this campaign. Our most recent research tells us that people see dog fouling as, by far, the most unacceptable and dirtiest type of litter, and the biggest concern in environmental quality. This campaign has been proven to make a difference and encourage the minority of dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets to do the right thing.”
Over 20 land managers have joined forces with Keep Britain Tidy in a bid to reduce dog fouling in key problem areas of their towns and cities, and the campaign is based around the idea that people are more responsible when they feel they are begin watched, with incidents happening more often at night in the winter months … under the cover of darkness, hence the series of glow in the dark “We’re watching you” posters.
KBT recently conducted a campaign pilot using a new series of posters and saw an average reduction of 46% in the levels of dog fouling. The “We’re watching you” poster series are visible after dark and use innovative, cutting-edge materials, to capture enough light during the day to show for around 10 hours each night. The social experiment was the first time such a material has been used on a poster.
Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Phil Barton said: “We are delighted local authorities and land managers from across the country have signed up and are joining with us on this campaign. Our most recent research tells us that people see dog fouling as, by far, the most unacceptable and dirtiest type of litter, and the biggest concern in environmental quality. This campaign has been proven to make a difference and encourage the minority of dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets to do the right thing.”
Woman unhappy about spending two nights in cells after hitting husband with magazine
A Scottish pensioner who spent two nights in custody for “biffing” her husband with a magazine has branded her prosecution “ridiculous”.
Four officers stormed into 65-year-old Irene Clark’s living room in Tayport, Fife, after a neighbour heard her and husband James arguing over what to watch on TV.
Paramedics were called to examine James, 52, who had suffered nothing more than a paper cut after the incident.
Shocked Irene, who has no previous convictions, was dragged off to the cells for 48 hours.
Now she has accused the police and Crown office of “totally over-reacting” to the minor argument in July.
Irene said: “We were watching TV on Sunday and James wanted to see some plane programme and I wanted to watch Foyle’s War.
“There was a Sunday magazine lying on the edge of the chair and it was like a swipe on the top of the head. It was open, it wasn’t even folded.” James said: “It was like what a school teacher used to do to me in maths class. We settled down to watch the TV after the matter had been resolved. It was nothing untoward but the police intervened. All I had on my head was a mark like I’d scratched a pimple. It was a paper cut really.” Irene was preparing to go to bed when the officers arrived. She said: “It was about half nine and I was in my dressing gown. The next thing we heard was ‘bang, bang, bang’ at the door. They came barging in, there were four of them. Two took James away to a bedroom and two came in with me to the living room. The policewoman said they’d had a report of a domestic incident.
“I said yes, we had an argument and I slapped him with a paper. She said ‘we’ll have to take you in now’. It was surreal. I was taken into the street and put in the van and I thought ‘Is this really happening to me?’” James said: “They sent for paramedics for me and my wife was apprehended and handcuffed. It was a total overreaction.” After a night in the cells in Cupar, Irene was taken to Dunfermline and did not appear in court until Tuesday afternoon. She said: “I was put in a cell with just a blanket and lunatics shouting and screaming next door. “You have no perception of time, it felt like forever. I was taken to Dundee on the Tuesday because it was a holiday on the Monday. I had to wait in the cells there with drug addicts and didn’t get out until 6pm.”
Meanwhile, her husband was growing increasingly worried. James said: “I was thinking, what the heck is going on? I was very concerned for her. I phoned up continuously. I did not consider myself being a victim for getting biffed over the head with a magazine after an argument over a TV programme.” Last week Irene was admonished at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting striking her husband with the magazine to his injury on July 20. Her solicitor William Boyle said: “Either the law or those applying the law have gone mad. I have defended women from domestic violence for 40 years. It is an appalling crime. But either the law or those applying the law have gone mad. It’s like Alice in Wonderland and this politically-correct madness must stop.” A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service spokesman said: “Domestic abuse is never trivial and our prosecutors take it extremely seriously - there is simply no place for it and no excuse for it.”
“There was a Sunday magazine lying on the edge of the chair and it was like a swipe on the top of the head. It was open, it wasn’t even folded.” James said: “It was like what a school teacher used to do to me in maths class. We settled down to watch the TV after the matter had been resolved. It was nothing untoward but the police intervened. All I had on my head was a mark like I’d scratched a pimple. It was a paper cut really.” Irene was preparing to go to bed when the officers arrived. She said: “It was about half nine and I was in my dressing gown. The next thing we heard was ‘bang, bang, bang’ at the door. They came barging in, there were four of them. Two took James away to a bedroom and two came in with me to the living room. The policewoman said they’d had a report of a domestic incident.
“I said yes, we had an argument and I slapped him with a paper. She said ‘we’ll have to take you in now’. It was surreal. I was taken into the street and put in the van and I thought ‘Is this really happening to me?’” James said: “They sent for paramedics for me and my wife was apprehended and handcuffed. It was a total overreaction.” After a night in the cells in Cupar, Irene was taken to Dunfermline and did not appear in court until Tuesday afternoon. She said: “I was put in a cell with just a blanket and lunatics shouting and screaming next door. “You have no perception of time, it felt like forever. I was taken to Dundee on the Tuesday because it was a holiday on the Monday. I had to wait in the cells there with drug addicts and didn’t get out until 6pm.”
Meanwhile, her husband was growing increasingly worried. James said: “I was thinking, what the heck is going on? I was very concerned for her. I phoned up continuously. I did not consider myself being a victim for getting biffed over the head with a magazine after an argument over a TV programme.” Last week Irene was admonished at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting striking her husband with the magazine to his injury on July 20. Her solicitor William Boyle said: “Either the law or those applying the law have gone mad. I have defended women from domestic violence for 40 years. It is an appalling crime. But either the law or those applying the law have gone mad. It’s like Alice in Wonderland and this politically-correct madness must stop.” A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service spokesman said: “Domestic abuse is never trivial and our prosecutors take it extremely seriously - there is simply no place for it and no excuse for it.”
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