Monday, October 27, 2008
German police seek speeding British Muppet
German traffic police have been left looking like proper muppets by a British prankster. An Audi TT with British registration plates has been repeatedly caught speeding on roads in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth. But because continental speed cameras are set up for left-hand drive vehicles, the cameras keep missing the driver’s face.
Instead, they keep capturing clear views of a manic Muppet-like toy which the cheeky Brit has propped up on his passenger seat. But police admit they are even baffled about the identity of the muppet.
Photo from here.
The No.1 suspect is Animal – the manic drummer from The Muppet Show’s house band The Electric Mayhem. But several residents of Sesame Street are also in the frame, including the lovable monster Grover and Bert’s rubber-ducky-loving sidekick Ernie.
Now police have released one of the photographs in the hope someone will recognise the furry speed demon. A German police source said: “The number plate is not enough. We need clear evidence of who is driving the vehicle too.
Click for bigger. Many thanks Hauptkommissar Schulze!
“But because this is a British vehicle we can never get a decent picture. The driver has obviously worked this out because he has placed a large puppet in the passenger seat.
“This may be an example of the famous British sense of humour but it is still dangerous driving. The driver has been caught on camera on several occasions and the puppet is on the passenger seat every time. We suspect he positions the toy deliberately before accelerating past the camera.”
Instead, they keep capturing clear views of a manic Muppet-like toy which the cheeky Brit has propped up on his passenger seat. But police admit they are even baffled about the identity of the muppet.
Photo from here.
The No.1 suspect is Animal – the manic drummer from The Muppet Show’s house band The Electric Mayhem. But several residents of Sesame Street are also in the frame, including the lovable monster Grover and Bert’s rubber-ducky-loving sidekick Ernie.
Now police have released one of the photographs in the hope someone will recognise the furry speed demon. A German police source said: “The number plate is not enough. We need clear evidence of who is driving the vehicle too.
Click for bigger. Many thanks Hauptkommissar Schulze!
“But because this is a British vehicle we can never get a decent picture. The driver has obviously worked this out because he has placed a large puppet in the passenger seat.
“This may be an example of the famous British sense of humour but it is still dangerous driving. The driver has been caught on camera on several occasions and the puppet is on the passenger seat every time. We suspect he positions the toy deliberately before accelerating past the camera.”
Man gets arm stuck in toilet on train
A man trapped his hand in the u-bend of a TGV toilet. Firefighters cut him free after his arm became lodged in the u-bend after he tried to retrieve his mobile phone.
"He came out on a stretcher, with his hand still jammed in the toilet bowl, which they had to saw clean off," said witness Benoit Gigou.
The train was travelling from La Rochelle to Bordeaux on Sunday.
The service was delayed for two hours after the 26-year-old victim, hunting for his lost telephone, fell prey to the powerful suction system which drains the loos on board, the rail network's regional office said.
"He came out on a stretcher, with his hand still jammed in the toilet bowl, which they had to saw clean off," said witness Benoit Gigou.
The train was travelling from La Rochelle to Bordeaux on Sunday.
The service was delayed for two hours after the 26-year-old victim, hunting for his lost telephone, fell prey to the powerful suction system which drains the loos on board, the rail network's regional office said.
Firefighter uses saw for delicate operation
A Newburgh firefighter became an ad hoc surgeon Friday, called upon to use a pneumatic saw to cut a piece of steel pipe off a 73-year-old man's penis.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Newburgh campus of St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital shortly after 9 p.m. for a public service call, Assistant Chief Scott Mandoske said. Hospital personnel asked them for tools to cut off a ring. The fire department has a ring cutter used to clip wedding bands from swollen fingers, but firefighters learned that wouldn't be enough. The pipe was an inch long, an inch in diameter and made of quarter-inch-thick steel. Authorities said the pipe was apparently an erotic aid, but did not elaborate.
Medical personnel weren't able to perform typical medical procedures, such as forcing blood from one side of the penis to the other in order to pull the pipe off. The man's penis had swollen and turned purple. Mandoske said firefighters chose a "wizzer saw" for the job. The wizzer saw is an automotive tool, powered with air bottles and adopted by emergency responders who frequently deal with car crashes. Firefighters use it more commonly to saw off mufflers. This was to be a more delicate operation.
Hospital staff prepared the man, who was unidentified, by wrapping the skin and sliding a lubricated tongue depressor between the pipe and the man's penis to protect him. A doctor, nurses and a paramedic gathered in the Emergency Room as a firefighter — "one of the new guys" — prepared to begin the operation. "Just don't cut it off," the senior citizen reportedly said.
For more than 90 minutes, the firefighter sawed bit by bit into the pipe, pausing occasionally to cool the saw. The time duration was critical, Mandoske said. Hospital staff worried the man could lose his penis if blood circulation was cut off too long. The wizzer saw emptied the first bottle of air and then a second. Finally, after five air bottles, the saw clipped through the final bit of pipe, and they were able to free the man. He was apparently unharmed by the operation.
Firefighters were dispatched to the Newburgh campus of St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital shortly after 9 p.m. for a public service call, Assistant Chief Scott Mandoske said. Hospital personnel asked them for tools to cut off a ring. The fire department has a ring cutter used to clip wedding bands from swollen fingers, but firefighters learned that wouldn't be enough. The pipe was an inch long, an inch in diameter and made of quarter-inch-thick steel. Authorities said the pipe was apparently an erotic aid, but did not elaborate.
Medical personnel weren't able to perform typical medical procedures, such as forcing blood from one side of the penis to the other in order to pull the pipe off. The man's penis had swollen and turned purple. Mandoske said firefighters chose a "wizzer saw" for the job. The wizzer saw is an automotive tool, powered with air bottles and adopted by emergency responders who frequently deal with car crashes. Firefighters use it more commonly to saw off mufflers. This was to be a more delicate operation.
Hospital staff prepared the man, who was unidentified, by wrapping the skin and sliding a lubricated tongue depressor between the pipe and the man's penis to protect him. A doctor, nurses and a paramedic gathered in the Emergency Room as a firefighter — "one of the new guys" — prepared to begin the operation. "Just don't cut it off," the senior citizen reportedly said.
For more than 90 minutes, the firefighter sawed bit by bit into the pipe, pausing occasionally to cool the saw. The time duration was critical, Mandoske said. Hospital staff worried the man could lose his penis if blood circulation was cut off too long. The wizzer saw emptied the first bottle of air and then a second. Finally, after five air bottles, the saw clipped through the final bit of pipe, and they were able to free the man. He was apparently unharmed by the operation.
Hero dog risks life to save kittens from fire
An Australian dog was hailed as a hero yesterday after it risked its life to save a litter of newborn kittens from a house fire, rescuers said.
In a case which gives the lie to the saying about 'fighting like cats and dogs', the terrier cross named Leo had to be revived with oxygen and heart massage after his ordeal. Fire broke out overnight at the house in Australia's southern city of Melbourne, where he was guarding the kittens.
Fire fighters who revived Leo said he refused to leave the building and was found by them alongside the litter of kittens, despite thick smoke.
"Leo wouldn't leave the kittens and it nearly cost him his life," fire service Commander Ken Brown told reporters.
The four kittens also survived the fire and on Sunday Leo, who firefighters nicknamed 'Smoky', was again back at the house.
There's another video here.
In a case which gives the lie to the saying about 'fighting like cats and dogs', the terrier cross named Leo had to be revived with oxygen and heart massage after his ordeal. Fire broke out overnight at the house in Australia's southern city of Melbourne, where he was guarding the kittens.
Fire fighters who revived Leo said he refused to leave the building and was found by them alongside the litter of kittens, despite thick smoke.
"Leo wouldn't leave the kittens and it nearly cost him his life," fire service Commander Ken Brown told reporters.
The four kittens also survived the fire and on Sunday Leo, who firefighters nicknamed 'Smoky', was again back at the house.
There's another video here.
'Window cleaner' scoops $1m mid-day heist in Milan
Police in Milan are investigating an unusual $1m (£628,420) robbery in the heart of the Italian fashion capital.
It was, said the victim, "a masterpiece of its kind". It was certainly daring - in broad daylight and on one of Milan's swankiest shopping streets.
Staff at Pederzani's, one of the city's exclusive jewellers, thought nothing amiss when a window cleaner went to work on the plate glass display.
Dressed in regulation overalls, he propped his ladder against the window.
But then, instead of using the bucket and squeegee to clean it, he calmly unscrewed it before scooping an estimated $1m-worth of jewels into his bucket and walking off into the Friday shopping crowd.
It was, said the victim, "a masterpiece of its kind". It was certainly daring - in broad daylight and on one of Milan's swankiest shopping streets.
Staff at Pederzani's, one of the city's exclusive jewellers, thought nothing amiss when a window cleaner went to work on the plate glass display.
Dressed in regulation overalls, he propped his ladder against the window.
But then, instead of using the bucket and squeegee to clean it, he calmly unscrewed it before scooping an estimated $1m-worth of jewels into his bucket and walking off into the Friday shopping crowd.
World's heaviest man marries in Mexico - Update
The world's heaviest man has tied the knot.
Manuel Uribe, who hasn't left his bed in six years, married his longtime girlfriend Claudia Solis yesterday in northern Mexico.
Wearing a white silk shirt with a sheet wrapped around his legs, Uribe smiled as Solis, 38, walked down a flight of stairs wearing a strapless ivory dress, a tiara and hot-pink lipstick.
He later broke into tears as a notary declared the couple husband and wife in a civil ceremony attended by more than 400 guests. For the traditional first dance as newlyweds, Uribe and Solis held hands and swayed to a romantic ballad.
Uribe's mother, Orquedia Garza, said the groom steered clear of the five-tier wedding cake. "He didn't break his diet," she said. "His doctors are here and they are watching him very closely."
A flatbed truck was brought in to tow his custom-made bed decorated with a canopy, flowers and gold-trimmed bows to the wedding at a local event hall. Two police patrol cars escorted him ahead of a long line of traffic.
Manuel Uribe, who hasn't left his bed in six years, married his longtime girlfriend Claudia Solis yesterday in northern Mexico.
Wearing a white silk shirt with a sheet wrapped around his legs, Uribe smiled as Solis, 38, walked down a flight of stairs wearing a strapless ivory dress, a tiara and hot-pink lipstick.
He later broke into tears as a notary declared the couple husband and wife in a civil ceremony attended by more than 400 guests. For the traditional first dance as newlyweds, Uribe and Solis held hands and swayed to a romantic ballad.
Uribe's mother, Orquedia Garza, said the groom steered clear of the five-tier wedding cake. "He didn't break his diet," she said. "His doctors are here and they are watching him very closely."
A flatbed truck was brought in to tow his custom-made bed decorated with a canopy, flowers and gold-trimmed bows to the wedding at a local event hall. Two police patrol cars escorted him ahead of a long line of traffic.
Australian scientists say bees can count to four
Researchers have discovered that honey bees can count to four, a report said here on Sunday. A researcher from the University of Queensland put five markers inside a tunnel and placed nectar in one of them.
Honey bees placed in the tunnel flew to the marker with the food, and would still fly to the same marker stripe when the food was removed.
"We find that if you train them to the third stripe, they will look subsequently in the third stripe," researcher Mandyam Srinivasan said.
"If you train them to the fourth stripe, they will look the fourth stripe and so on. But their ability to count seems to go only up to four. They can't count beyond four.
"The more we look at these creatures that have a brain the size of a sesame seed, the more astonished we are. They really have a lot of the capacities that we so-called higher human beings possess."
The research was carried out jointly with Swedish researcher Marie Dacke.
Honey bees placed in the tunnel flew to the marker with the food, and would still fly to the same marker stripe when the food was removed.
"We find that if you train them to the third stripe, they will look subsequently in the third stripe," researcher Mandyam Srinivasan said.
"If you train them to the fourth stripe, they will look the fourth stripe and so on. But their ability to count seems to go only up to four. They can't count beyond four.
"The more we look at these creatures that have a brain the size of a sesame seed, the more astonished we are. They really have a lot of the capacities that we so-called higher human beings possess."
The research was carried out jointly with Swedish researcher Marie Dacke.
Ravens to stave off credit curse
Four extra ravens are being drafted into the Tower of London because of the financial crisis — to prevent a 350-year-old curse coming true.
King Charles II decreed there must be at least six ravens otherwise a disaster would strike the nation and the Royal Family.
And up to now, bosses have kept just one spare bird in residence to act as a “super sub”.
But with the UK facing credit crunch meltdown, they ruled an extra four must now be acquired.
Two six-month-old birds Gundolf and Hugine have just arrived and are about to complete their four-week quarantine period. Another two will be delivered next week.
Raven Master Derrick Coyle, 64, said: “I believe in the curse. It was said that if the number ever fell below six, the Tower would fall and great harm would befall the nation. We certainly feel more secure now.”
King Charles II decreed there must be at least six ravens otherwise a disaster would strike the nation and the Royal Family.
And up to now, bosses have kept just one spare bird in residence to act as a “super sub”.
But with the UK facing credit crunch meltdown, they ruled an extra four must now be acquired.
Two six-month-old birds Gundolf and Hugine have just arrived and are about to complete their four-week quarantine period. Another two will be delivered next week.
Raven Master Derrick Coyle, 64, said: “I believe in the curse. It was said that if the number ever fell below six, the Tower would fall and great harm would befall the nation. We certainly feel more secure now.”
Conman 'deserved' prison attack
A bogus workman who was beaten up in prison has been told "you deserve anything you receive" by a sheriff. Eddie Newlands, 37, from Perth, was sent to jail for 10 months on Thursday after conning a 91-year-old woman out of £5,500 of her savings.
Perth Sheriff Court heard he had been "significantly assaulted" twice in custody by inmates angry at his crime. Sheriff Margaret Gimblett said she had no sympathy and described what he had done to the pensioner as "despicable."
Newlands and another man had carried out "repairs" to Mary Hogg's house in Auchterarder between 18 and 22 July. Afterwards, they told her they needed £5,500 in cash and made her go to the bank to withdraw the money.
The pensioner's family called the police after hearing what had happened. They were told that the wrong spray had been used on the roof and that it would cost more than £4,000 to fix.
Newlands' solicitor John McLaughlin said: "He has been significantly assaulted in prison on two separate occasions. "This is the type of crime which is not looked upon favourably in custody and he realises he will have an exceptionally difficult time during his period in custody."
While passing sentence, Sheriff Gimblett replied: "You deserve anything you receive while in prison. What you did to this old lady was despicable."
Perth Sheriff Court heard he had been "significantly assaulted" twice in custody by inmates angry at his crime. Sheriff Margaret Gimblett said she had no sympathy and described what he had done to the pensioner as "despicable."
Newlands and another man had carried out "repairs" to Mary Hogg's house in Auchterarder between 18 and 22 July. Afterwards, they told her they needed £5,500 in cash and made her go to the bank to withdraw the money.
The pensioner's family called the police after hearing what had happened. They were told that the wrong spray had been used on the roof and that it would cost more than £4,000 to fix.
Newlands' solicitor John McLaughlin said: "He has been significantly assaulted in prison on two separate occasions. "This is the type of crime which is not looked upon favourably in custody and he realises he will have an exceptionally difficult time during his period in custody."
While passing sentence, Sheriff Gimblett replied: "You deserve anything you receive while in prison. What you did to this old lady was despicable."
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Dead evicted from funeral home
Even the dead can't escape foreclosure.
Five bodies and the cremated remains of 22 people were removed in the wee hours Friday from the House of Burns Memorial Chapel, a funeral home in Pontiac.
They were delivered to the Oakland County medical examiner's office for storage around 4:30 a.m., said administrator Robert Gerds.
"I've been here over 10 years. It's a first for me," he said.
At the suburban Detroit funeral home, a woman answering the phone said: "It ain't nothing baby. Just God doing his work." She declined to give her name.
Gerds said some cremated remains are from the 1990s. The county will send the bodies to another funeral home if a family member makes a claim.
Five bodies and the cremated remains of 22 people were removed in the wee hours Friday from the House of Burns Memorial Chapel, a funeral home in Pontiac.
They were delivered to the Oakland County medical examiner's office for storage around 4:30 a.m., said administrator Robert Gerds.
"I've been here over 10 years. It's a first for me," he said.
At the suburban Detroit funeral home, a woman answering the phone said: "It ain't nothing baby. Just God doing his work." She declined to give her name.
Gerds said some cremated remains are from the 1990s. The county will send the bodies to another funeral home if a family member makes a claim.
Dog beaten with hammer then buried alive
He said he was trying to put a dog out of its misery but how he went about doing it is raising questions.
"I went out and I took a hammer and hit her and I thought I'd killed her pretty good," said Hyrum Long, about his 14-year-old dog, Molly, who he said had been suffering.
"When I left, she was not making no noise or movement," he said. "(Otherwise) I would have stayed with her and made sure she was dead." Long said after striking the dog with a hammer and burying her, he and his family went to dinner. And that is when neighbors heard the dog's cries.
And what they discovered was shocking - a dog buried up to its neck and suffering from an obvious head injury. There was a pillow under the dog's head and a log on top of that. "She dug her way out," said Long.
It turned out Molly was alive and she was taken to the Oregon Humane Society to be treated for multiple injuries. However, she was so badly hurt that they ended up euthanizing her. The owners said they didn't have the money to euthanize the dog and ultimately just wanted to bury her at home. And they said they never meant to harm her.
Police say there are a lot of unanswered questions. A criminal case has been opened and possible charges include aggravated animal abuse.
With news video. There's a very unpleasant, graphic photo on this page.
"I went out and I took a hammer and hit her and I thought I'd killed her pretty good," said Hyrum Long, about his 14-year-old dog, Molly, who he said had been suffering.
"When I left, she was not making no noise or movement," he said. "(Otherwise) I would have stayed with her and made sure she was dead." Long said after striking the dog with a hammer and burying her, he and his family went to dinner. And that is when neighbors heard the dog's cries.
And what they discovered was shocking - a dog buried up to its neck and suffering from an obvious head injury. There was a pillow under the dog's head and a log on top of that. "She dug her way out," said Long.
It turned out Molly was alive and she was taken to the Oregon Humane Society to be treated for multiple injuries. However, she was so badly hurt that they ended up euthanizing her. The owners said they didn't have the money to euthanize the dog and ultimately just wanted to bury her at home. And they said they never meant to harm her.
Police say there are a lot of unanswered questions. A criminal case has been opened and possible charges include aggravated animal abuse.
With news video. There's a very unpleasant, graphic photo on this page.
Horse gets artificial leg in pioneering operation
A horse has been given an artifical limb in a pioneering operation that has saved its life.
The mare, named Riley, was intended to be put down after it was taken to an animal centre suffering from a hind leg injury four years ago.
It had a metal plate inserted into its left leg, but it eventually became contaminated, causing the bone to deteriorate.
However, rather than put it down, sanctuary staff decided to try an innovative treatment and amputated the leg and designed a prosthetic limb.
Manager Jen Reid and vets Dr Tara Timpson and Dr Ted Vlahos were so successful that Riley is now able to trot around her paddock, and even carry a rider.
A spokeswoman for the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, USA, which came up with the solution, said: "Each year, thousands of horses are put down for reasons very similar to those that necessitated the amputation of Riley's leg. Were hopeful that horses like Riley will get the word out that we don't always need to kill them," he said.
The mare, named Riley, was intended to be put down after it was taken to an animal centre suffering from a hind leg injury four years ago.
It had a metal plate inserted into its left leg, but it eventually became contaminated, causing the bone to deteriorate.
However, rather than put it down, sanctuary staff decided to try an innovative treatment and amputated the leg and designed a prosthetic limb.
Manager Jen Reid and vets Dr Tara Timpson and Dr Ted Vlahos were so successful that Riley is now able to trot around her paddock, and even carry a rider.
A spokeswoman for the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, USA, which came up with the solution, said: "Each year, thousands of horses are put down for reasons very similar to those that necessitated the amputation of Riley's leg. Were hopeful that horses like Riley will get the word out that we don't always need to kill them," he said.
British immigration minister hit by cream pie
Immigration minister Phil Woolas has become the victim of a pie-throwing protester, angry at his call to limit UK immigration.
A member of the No Borders group threw a cream pie into the minister's face while he was speaking at a debate at Manchester University.
A spokeswoman for the group said Mr Woolas had been "spouting right-wing anti-immigration policies".
The No Borders group, which campaigns against immigration controls, were angered by Mr Woolas' recent remarks, in which he said the government would not allow the UK's population to rise as high as 70 million.
A spokeswoman for No Borders said: "We threw the pie because we didn't want to engage in debate and legitimise what he was saying."
A Home Office spokeswoman said the minister declined to comment. Mr Woolas was unharmed and later rejoined the debate.
There's another video here.
A member of the No Borders group threw a cream pie into the minister's face while he was speaking at a debate at Manchester University.
A spokeswoman for the group said Mr Woolas had been "spouting right-wing anti-immigration policies".
The No Borders group, which campaigns against immigration controls, were angered by Mr Woolas' recent remarks, in which he said the government would not allow the UK's population to rise as high as 70 million.
A spokeswoman for No Borders said: "We threw the pie because we didn't want to engage in debate and legitimise what he was saying."
A Home Office spokeswoman said the minister declined to comment. Mr Woolas was unharmed and later rejoined the debate.
There's another video here.
Broomsticks banned from school halloween party
Children have been banned from bringing broomsticks to a Halloween party because of health and safety fears.
Langham Pre-school near Colchester, Essex, announced it was barring brooms from its annual Pumpkin Party on Sunday after a child was hurt last year.
The fancy-dress party has been running at the village’s community centre for more than six years and is the nursery’s main fundraiser, attracting about 100 children and their families.
But this year committee members decided to officially ban play broomsticks and devil forks for health and safety reasons.
John Smith, committee chairman and a primary school headteacher, said: “It was not a whim, it was a considered decision. Last year, a child brought a full-size broomstick and another child got hurt."
A spokesman for the Pre-school Learning Alliance added: “Banning broomsticks at a Halloween party, however well-meaning, is taking health and safety a little to the extreme.”
Langham Pre-school near Colchester, Essex, announced it was barring brooms from its annual Pumpkin Party on Sunday after a child was hurt last year.
The fancy-dress party has been running at the village’s community centre for more than six years and is the nursery’s main fundraiser, attracting about 100 children and their families.
But this year committee members decided to officially ban play broomsticks and devil forks for health and safety reasons.
John Smith, committee chairman and a primary school headteacher, said: “It was not a whim, it was a considered decision. Last year, a child brought a full-size broomstick and another child got hurt."
A spokesman for the Pre-school Learning Alliance added: “Banning broomsticks at a Halloween party, however well-meaning, is taking health and safety a little to the extreme.”
Six brothers in jail at same time
Six English brothers are in prison at the same time after one was jailed for burglary. Jason Smith, 22, from Kingsland Road, Luton, admitted six burglaries, one charge of theft from a car, taking a car and making off without payment.
At Luton Crown Court, William Noble, defending, said: "He is one of six brothers, all of whom are in custody."
Smith was jailed for four-and-a-half years. He asked for 48 crimes in Bedfordshire and 24 in Hertfordshire to be taken into consideration.
Smith, who began offending when he was 11, had committed burglaries in Luton and North Hertfordshire mainly between May and July.
Mr Noble said Smith had been addicted to heroin by the time of his 15th birthday, and all his offending was to finance his drug habit.
Judge Peter Wright told him: "Your background leaves one saddened. Life has dealt you a pretty raw hand. But there are a shocking number of crimes here."
At Luton Crown Court, William Noble, defending, said: "He is one of six brothers, all of whom are in custody."
Smith was jailed for four-and-a-half years. He asked for 48 crimes in Bedfordshire and 24 in Hertfordshire to be taken into consideration.
Smith, who began offending when he was 11, had committed burglaries in Luton and North Hertfordshire mainly between May and July.
Mr Noble said Smith had been addicted to heroin by the time of his 15th birthday, and all his offending was to finance his drug habit.
Judge Peter Wright told him: "Your background leaves one saddened. Life has dealt you a pretty raw hand. But there are a shocking number of crimes here."
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