Clipmarks | TequilaBebop's clips

Police Officers Refuse to Pay Tickets

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:04:07 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: "...Might be disciplined?"
Might? You've got to be kidding me.

No matter what the cameras say, some drivers are refusing to pay dozens of $40 speeding fines. Who? Police officers.

In the last eight months of 2007, Montgomery County's new speed cameras recorded 224 cases in which police vehicles were recorded traveling more than 10 mph over the speed limit, according to department records.

Supervisors dismissed 76 of those citations after determining the officers were responding to calls

But that left 148 who didn't have that excuse, and about two-thirds of those citations haven't been paid,

The police union says officers shouldn't pay because the citations are issued to the owner of a vehicle, in this case the county, and not to the driver.

Police Chief Thomas Manger doesn't buy that argument.

"We are not above the law," Manger said. "It is imperative that the police department hold itself to the same standards that we're holding the public to."

Manger said officers who continue to ignore citations might be disciplined.

Camera "Sees" Under Clothes

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:51:30 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

A British company has developed a camera that can detect weapons, drugs or explosives hidden under people's clothes from up to 25 meters away in what could be a breakthrough for the security industry.

The T5000 camera, created by a company called ThruVision, uses what it calls "passive imaging technology" to identify objects by the natural electromagnetic rays -- known as Terahertz or T-rays -- that they emit.

The high-powered camera can detect hidden objects from up to 80 feet away and is effective even when people are moving. It does not reveal physical body details and the screening is harmless, the company says.

While the technology may enhance detection, it may also increase concerns that Britain is becoming a surveillance society, with hundreds of thousands of closed-circuit television cameras already monitoring people countrywide every day.

signature of the wave is different, so that explosives can be distinguished from a block of clay and cocaine is different from a bag of flour.

Bikers Say: Wrong Night for a Robbery

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:08:02 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: "Yeah, he picked the wrong night I think," he said.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Two armed thieves picked the wrong night to rob a Sydney club, disturbing a meeting of 50 motorcycle bikers, who tackled and hog-tied one of the thieves until police arrived.

The Southern Cross Cruiser Club was staging its monthly meeting on Wednesday night in the club in Sydney's west when two men armed with machetes entered the club and ordered patrons to lie on the ground and surrender their money.

"I was in the middle of giving my meeting and someone ran in and said, "the place is being robbed',"

"So we ran around the roller door out the front and as this guy opened the roller door, we crash tackled him in the doorway," Jester said.

The thief managed to escape the biker's tackle, but was caught again by the bikers.

"We caught him at the fence and crash-tackled him and hog-tied him to the ground and waited for the police to get there," said Jester.

The other thief jumped over a balcony and ran into a nearby park, but was later caught by police.

Baby Slip Through Train Toilet

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 23:03:20 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: ...How often does this kind of thing happen? I read a report just like this last year. Pretty disturbing.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

A newborn baby girl survived an ignoble birth after slipping down the toilet bowl of a moving Indian train onto the tracks when a pregnant woman unexpectedly gave birth while relieving herself on Tuesday.

"My delivery was so sudden," said the Bhuri Kalbi, the mother of the infant, born two months prematurely. "I did not even realize that my child had slipped from the hole in the toilet."

Kalbi, a 33-year-old woman from a village in Rajasthan, fainted on the toilet seat after the birth for a few minutes before waking up and alerting her family.

"They stopped the train and ran on the tracks to find the baby," she said, speaking from her hospital bed in the western city of Ahmedabad.

Railway staff at a nearby station were alerted and soon found the newborn girl lying uninjured on pebbles by the track. She is now in intensive care because of her premature birth, doctors said.

Leave This Family's Mailbox Alone

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:45:31 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

Call this family the mailbox vigilantes. Fed up that their mailbox was smashed four times in two weeks, Greg Fisher and his son set up a middle-of-the-night stakeout to catch the vandals — and it worked. Four teens were caught after a high speed chase.

Greg Fisher and his 18-year-old son, Dustin, took watch at 2 a.m. Sunday and less than an hour later, a pickup truck drove past their rural home and a man with a baseball bat whacked the mailbox again.

followed the truck for more than eight miles, sometimes reaching speeds of nearly 100 mph, before he got a partial license plate number.

But it wasn't enough information to find the vehicle in state records. So Greg Fisher and his wife drove through Hatley hours later and spotted the suspects' vehicle parked at a convenience store, the family said. They parked behind it and called police, who arrested three 16-year-olds and a 19-year-old.

"This one ended peacefully, but taking the law into your own hands can have tragic results as well,"

3 Children All Born on the Same Day

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:11:49 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

A couple from Gloucester will find it easy to remember their three children's birthdays...because they were all born on January 29th.

Their son Robin was born on January 29th, 1994 and their daughter Rebecca was born on January 29th 1996.

Now, after a gap of 12 years, the couple were amazed when baby Ruby was born on January 29th this year, weighing a healthy 7lb 7oz.

Statisticians say the odds of a couple having three children all on the same date are 7.5 in a million - or 133,000 to one.

Ruby was due to be born on February 7, but doctors told mum Kim, 41, that her baby would have to be delivered by caesarian section and the only available date was the same birthday as her siblings.

Now, January 29 is certainly going to be a big celebration with three parties and three sets of presents.

Robin said: "It's a bit like Christmas without the tree, with us all getting presents on the same day."

Gray Wolf Removed from Endangered List

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:43:32 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: In Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and some of Washington and Oregon.

"It's also [a concern] among those who feel that, without [hunting] seasons, they are not going to be able to protect their livelihood, whether it's ranching or taking tourists on an elk hunt."

Clip Source: news.nationalgeographic.com

Gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains are "thriving" and no longer in need of protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, Lynn Scarlett, Deputy Secretary of the Interior, announced today.

This zone includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, the eastern thirds of Washington and Oregon,

"In 1995 and '96 the Department of Interior reintroduced 66 wolves into federal lands in the region,"

"Today the northern Rocky Mountain population totals more than 1,500 wolves."

"The wolves took the opportunity that the Fish and Wildlife Service, states, and tribes gave them and ran with it," Scarlett said. "The wolves are back."

Clip Source: news.nationalgeographic.com

"Delisting is very alarming for some conservation groups concerned about hunting and trapping laws being set," she said.

"[The wolves] are going to be monitored under a five-year plan to make sure the states do what they said they would do and ensure that the wolf population will never again be placed under the Endangered Species Act."

Seed-Protecting Doomsday Vault Opens

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:34:07 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: "The first 600 boxes—12 tons of seeds—already have arrived from 20 seed banks around the world, Norwegian Agriculture Minister Terje Riis-Johansen said. The first 75 boxes were to be carried into the vault by guests as part of the opening ceremony."

Clip Source: news.nationalgeographic.com

It's been dubbed a "Noah's Ark" for plant life and built to withstand an earthquake or a nuclear attack.

The frozen vault has the capacity to store 4.5 million seed samples from around the globe, shielding them from climate change, war, natural disasters, and other threats.

Other countries can deposit seeds for free and reserve the right to withdraw them upon need.

Clip Source: news.nationalgeographic.com

Giant air conditioning units have chilled the vault to just below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius), a temperature at which experts say many seeds could survive for a thousand years.

He expects the vault's life span to rival that of Egypt's ancient pyramids.

Other seed banks are in less protected areas. War wiped out seed banks in Iraq and Afghanistan, and one in the Philippines was flooded after a typhoon in 2006.

"My job is to keep away people who aren't supposed to be here—and guard against polar bears," vault worker Jimmy Olsen said, standing outside the entrance with a rifle slung on his shoulder.

Giant Pythons Could Inhabit 1/3 of the US

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:58:58 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: Geez. People dropping pythons that can grow that big off in the wild? I'm not afraid of snakes, but that's simply not something I want to see sitting in my yard at six in the morning when I go to work. Is it really so hard to drop it off at a shelter or something? I even know of pet shops that take in unwanted reptiles.

Clip Source: www.usatoday.com

As climate change warms the nation, giant Burmese pythons could colonize one-third of the USA, from San Francisco across the Southwest, Texas and the South and up north along the Virginia coast

The pythons can be 20 feet long and 250 pounds. They are highly adaptable to new environments.

"They are moving northward, there's no question."

Burmese pythons were introduced to the USA as part of the pet trade. The first specimens in the wild were discovered in the mid-1990s in the Florida Everglades, released by owners who no longer wanted them

By 2003, there was evidence the snakes had established breeding colonies in the wild. Florida began regulating their sale and ownership Jan. 1.

"We just learned about some that had been released in Arkansas," he says.

The Burmese python is not poisonous and not considered a danger to humans.

If you see one, don't attempt to engage it. Leave the area, note the location and notify the authorities.

Humane Society Honors Boy...

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:55:44 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: Who died saving his pets.

Clip Source: news.yahoo.com

The Humane Society of the United States, the leading US animal welfare organization, is to honor a New York boy who died last year after going back into his blazing home to rescue his pets.

The organization was to present the Circle of Compassion award on Saturday to Thomas and Maria Monahan, whose nine-year-old son Tommy was overcome by smoke last December after trying to save his pet dog, lizard and fish.

Tommy and his family initially escaped from the fire in their New York home. "But when Tommy realized that his beloved pets were still inside, he broke away from his mother and ran back into the flames," the society said.

"An avid lover of animals and nature, he did what was in his heart and tried to rescue the animals who were so dear to him," it added.

The organization did not say whether any of the animals survived the blaze.

Fury As Firms Asked: Are Your Staff LGBTs?

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:52:22 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Furious business leaders last night condemned an "intrusive" questionnaire that requires them to reveal how many gays and transsexuals they employ.

The questions include: "Is your organisation mostly owned or led by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transperson) people?" and "What is the percentage of LGBT staff in your workforce?"

It says it needs the data to monitor progress towards its goal of "maximising the diversity of its supplier base".

"I looked at my dignified and proper middle-aged secretary and thought, I'm not going to ask her if she is a lesbian, let alone a transperson. The questions are intimate, intrusive and irrelevant."

"I employ builders, plumbers and engineers because they are good at their jobs – not because of their sexual preferences."

An LDA spokesman said: "The LGBT community experiences discrimination and we seek this information as there are concerns about fair and equal access to business opportunities."

Man Kidnapped for Birthday Surprise

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:41:24 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: "My thoughts turned to my family. I kept on talking about my three boys but I don't think I mentioned my wife.

"Then they suddenly pulled off the pillowcase and said 'Happy Birthday, Sharpy'.

"I've got to pay tribute to them. This is one practical joke I'll never forget."

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

He can see the funny side now. But bank manager Tony Sharp wasn't laughing when he fell victim to a fake kidnapping devised by a friend intent on making his 40th birthday one to remember.

Mr Sharp

was waylaid after colleague Paul Jackson gave him a lift to work from his home at Goldsithney and stopped at a filling station.

he was ambushed by two guntoting figures in boiler suits and balaclavas.

A pillowcase was pulled over his head and he was driven to Penzance railway station.

But then the pillowcase was whipped off and he saw Mr Allen and the others in fits of laughter.

Mr Allen had been planning his revenge ever since his 40th birthday when Mr Sharp had a picture of him emerging from the shower almost naked blown up into a 10ft by 8ft poster which he hung from a road bridge near Mr Allen's home.

A police spokesman said: "In general we would discourage this sort of thing. It is not a good idea to go around in public with replica or toy guns and balaclavas."

12 Year Old Only Weighs 2.5 Stone

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:34:35 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: So I googled it and 1 stone = 14 pounds. So if she weighs 2 and a half stone, she only weighs 35 pounds. Did I do that right?

...Holy crap.

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Like most youngsters, 12-year-old Ellie Wiseman loves her food, especially fish fingers and chocolate.

Yet despite eating six meals a day, she weighs just two and a half stone and is too weak to walk more than 100 yards.

At 4ft tall, she has severe muscle wasting and suffers from painful deformities in her feet. However Ellie, described by her parents as a "tough cookie", still manages to attend high school and is popular with her friends and classmates.

doctors have told us they have exhausted all avenues and we just have to accept the way she is, but I don't agree.

"Whilst she is a happy girl, she does require the use of a stroller and electric wheelchair to get out and about, so she is not yet totally independent.

Mrs Wiseman said: "I have strong suspicions about the cause of her condition. My husband spent 22 years in the Army and was in the Gulf War.

"He was subjected to a lot of injections prior to going out there and worked with depleted uranium warheads. But we just don't know.

Toddler Causes Flood Damage with Toothpaste Cap

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:01:10 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop
clipper's remarks: "The damage to the house has been estimated at £4,500. The carpets in the living room and on the stairs are ruined as well as the lino flooring in the bathroom and kitchen.

The kitchen cupboards will also need replacing and the ceiling will have to be replastered.

"We've now got driers and dehumidifiers everywhere. At times it is like being in a wind tunnel. But I'm sure he didn't mean to flood the house - at least I hope he didn't."

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Like most parents Kellyann Boocock was just grateful her two-year-old son had managed to brush his teeth on his own.

But her delight turned to despair when he wedged the toothpaste lid in the plughole and turned the tap on whilst her back was turned.

"The sight that greeted me when I opened the front door was dreadful," she said yesterday. "I instantly ran upstairs and turned the tap off in the bathroom.

"I then plunged my hand into the sink and found the toothpaste cap stuck in the plughole. It suddenly dawned on me that Ben must have turned the tap back on.'

"When we came home I walked up to the front door and I could hear a strange noise. I stopped for a moment to listen and realised it was the sound of running water.

"It was awful. Water was running down the walls of the living room and kitchen ceiling had collapsed.

"When I went back downstairs after turning the tap off Ben was standing in the kitchen with water dripping down him. He said: 'Mammy, it's raining'."

A Tearless Onion?

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:56:15 GMT

clipped by: TequilaBebop

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Scientists have come up with a new version of the humble onion - that doesn't make you cry when you chop it.

Researchers believe they have managed to create the 'tearless onion' by using gene-silencing technology to dry up the enzyme that causes crying.

The team, led by Dr Colin Eady, from The New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research, say the groundbreaking onions are still in the developmental stage.

"We anticipate that the health and flavour profiles will actually be enhanced by what we've done.

"What we're hoping is that we'll essentially have a lot of the nice, sweet aromas associated with onions without that associated bitter, pungent factor."

Dr Eady added that if things progress to plan, the new version of the vegetable could become the norm in kitchens worldwide within ten years.

When we chop onions, an enzyme is released, setting off a chain of chemical reactions which result in the forming of an irritant that stimulates the eyes' lachrymal glands, releasing tears.