The Man In The Moon - Tom Tancin

Tom Tancin is a young man who has managed to write an enthralling novel that is equally worthy of comparison of skill to many older authors in the same field.
'The Man in the Moon' is a serial killer mystery which introduces us to Detective Lyndsey Scott - a lifelike character with her own personal 'problems' - keeping her 'real' for the reader. She has been asked to help in solving murders - 12 so far - all by the same killer who has used various methods for killing his victims. The killer also chooses from a variety of victims - boys, girls, couples - which ensures that there is little chance of getting bored with the basic premise of the story as it rolls along at a very good pace - 8 more bodies pile up before anything can be solved.
The author manages to keep the reader on a good paced roller coaster of suspense throughout - with 'personal life' bits of Lyndsey Scott thrown in for good measure so the reader becomes 'involved'.
Tom Tancin has done very well here - introducing a likeable 'real' character whom I am looking forward to seeing more of in following novels - continuing to solve the unsolvable.

Crime Snippets........

More police in schools...........
Andrew Adonis (what a name!) has called for more police to be stationed in schools in a bid to cut down on violent crime amongst young people.
Ed Balls (another great name!) has said teachers will be given the authority to search for drink, drugs, cigarettes and stolen property.
'Adonis - Balls fight to stop crime.......' nah - too obvious - make up your own ones for this - headlines ain't my thing!
The one phrase that got me in this article is:
'He said police officers were not regarded as outsiders in schools.' (Adonis).
Isn't that just a very sad reflection on modern society?!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/jul/29/police.schools?gusrc=rss&feed=uknews

Fly - tipping...............
Oh yes! Apparently there is not enough crime in this country going on that Crimestoppers UK have this on their website.
Maybe if the councils did not have so many rules, regulations and policies that they must uphold 'no matter what' - then this would not be so much of a problem.
It costs over £5 per item to have an item taken away (NOT domestic rubbish). If it is a chest of drawers they charge for the frame and each drawer separately.
There are no concessions for the elderly or those on benefits.
So I wonder why this is such a big problem then??!!!
http://cms.crimestoppers-uk.org/in-your-area/south-west/west-country/campaigns/fly-tipping

Police to force drunks to clean up after themselves............
OK - let me know how that one goes! Apart from the obvious one of giving someone who is drunk a potential weapon - I just want to see the CCTV of a drunk cleaning up after themselves and how many actually attempt it!
Oh and congrats to Torbay Council for providing A - yes A - bucket and mop!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1039543/Police-plan-force-drunks-clean-mess-Torquay-streets-mops.html

Remains found on Brady and Hindley's old burial ground.......
Could the remains of Keith Bennett have been found at last?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/29/ukcrime2?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Snippets from the last couple of days...........

There comes a time when everyone must realise that it is time to go............
and that time has come for Gordon Brown (PM) amidst new headlines that ten ministers are prepared to quit to force him out. Backbenchers have called for him to step down. Voters have called for him to step down. Yet he still appears to be wandering around in his own little world believing he can somehow magically pull this off and continue as PM! I think it is time he took his head out his ass and smelt the coffee and the roses - and actually asks himself whether he cares about the Labour party or not. As one former adviser said:
"..........If Brown goes voluntarily we only lose by 50 seats; if he stays, we lose by 150; and if he is forced out, we lose by 250."
He has a choice - he can step down and say that it was for the future of the party that in light of recent speculation and stories that he is stepping down ......... or he can stay - be ousted - lose the Labour party everything and become known as one of the worst PM's in modern times.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jul/29/gordonbrown.labour1?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Stolen UK Passports..............
'The Foreign Office admitted a serious breach of security when a van carrying the new passports destined for British embassies overseas was hijacked a short distance from the factory that made them.'
Well - that's big of them! Oh - the robbers got the the vignettes too!
Not even saying anything else - there is too much damage can be done with these and for it to be allowed to happen is incomprehensible!
What the hell was the driver doing stopping for a newspaper and why were these documents obviously not in a secure van? Yet another way of cost-cutting that could end up costing lives in so many ways.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/29/ukcrime1?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

All is to be fair in love and war............
and in domestic abuse cases in this case. All I can say is - about time - it took them till 1990 to make it illegal for a man to rape his wife (conjugal rights) - so not surprising it took them this long for this to happen - but hey - at least they got there!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/29/law.ukcrime?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Baby in mortuary freezer for 21 years is to be buried at last.......
The father believes a vaccination given to the baby at 4 months old was a contributor - the official cause was put down as cot death. For the last 21 years the father has refused to sign a death certificate so the council have taken it out of his hands so that the baby can be laid to rest.
This is such a tough one to comment on - my heart saying one thing and my head another - so I am not going to except to say read the clip and see what you think!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mortuary-baby-to-be-buried-21-years-on-879209.html

Killing in the name of Islam is acceptable.......

That is according to one third of British Muslim students.

Ok so it can be argued that this survey was not taken by ALL Muslim students - but it is still pretty damning all the same.

I have no problem with their personal beliefs in women wearing veils - men and women mixing freely together is wrong (Muslim I must add here) and other personal stuff.

I DO mind when so many believe that wherever they are it is ok to kill in the name of Islam and that 40% want to see the introduction of Sharia Law in Britain!
I would not go to a Muslim country and demand that Christian laws should be introduced or that any other Christian beliefs should. I would expect the right to be able to practice my religion peacefully as is allowed here for any religion by the majority of people - and if it was not I would leave.

To ask for Sharia Law to be introduced and a worldwide Islamic government based on Sharia law is alarming to say the least.

Many countries accommodate different religions and allow peaceful practice of those religions - it is called tolerance and understanding.

However when it comes to wanting to change the laws of the country or introduce a new law such as Sharia - it is too extreme and too much. Like I said - would Islamic countries allow our law to be incorporated or are we expected to respect their laws and their way of life if we visit/live in these places?

'When in Rome..........' obviously springs to mind and although I agree that tolerance should be a good factor - this is taking tolerance too far to just lying down and dying.

Yes this is just a survey of university students - still damning and still alarming when these people are supposed to be some of the ones leading the way for the future.

Let us just hope that the British government cares more about Britain and the UK to never allow this instead of doing what they normally do and roll over and play dead to keep the minority happy and forget about the majority.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1038953/Killing-Islam-acceptable--view-British-Muslim-students.html

Snippets - all sorts.........

Panic at 30,000 ft..........
Over 2 drunk women returning from a package holiday!
Refused more alcohol because they were already drunk - they of course had some in their hand luggage. They fought with flight attendants and then tried to open the emergency exit at 30,000ft for some 'air'!
Air cabin crew got plastic cuffs on them and made an emergency landing in Germany where the women were arrested and removed from the plane.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/27/theairlineindustry.drugsandalcohol?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Licking an officer is not a good idea........
As one guy is finding out who licked an officer whilst being searched and now faces an assault charge on top of a public intoxication charge.
To be fair - as it says in the clip - it can spread diseases.
What is not fair is how the officer was named - and how another officer stated how much stick he has been taking! Well geeeee not that letting the world know who he is leaves him open for more!!??!!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5908047.html

He shot the mower - but he did not shoot the............
Ok ok too sad so I'll stop now!
However - this guy - a little pissed - in both senses of the word - shot his mower for not starting. He is now charged with felony possession of a short-barreled shotgun/rifle and misdemeanor disorderly conduct while armed - which could mean an $11,000 fine and more than 6 yrs in prison!
Too many lines about shooting inanimate objects and exes coming to mind so just gonna post the link! ;)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080726/ap_on_fe_st/odd_mower_madness;_ylt=AmBqzqdIWsg26lvYy7vO1FWs0NUE

I'll Be Watching You - M. William Phelps

I have been a fan of M. William Phelps for some time now - as should anyone be that enjoys true crime.
I'll Be Watching You is based around the crimes of Ned Snelgrove - a sociopath determined to outdo his 'hero' Ted Bundy.
This novel is done so well. Being based around true facts - authors can sometimes turn a novel into more of a true crime factual reading and lose a good story. Although remaining true to the facts of this case - the author takes the reader on a journey through the complete thing - not just the crimes and the trial - but also the victims - those left behind - those who find the victims - in short it is 'complete' - nothing is lost. You feel for the victims and those others left behind. You hate Snelgrove - his lies uncovered before your eyes.
From turning the first page I was thoroughly hooked - the writing fluent - easy to read - so so hard to put down. Most importantly - you feel like you know the whole story - that no stone has been left unturned.

Simply put - M. William Phelps has done it again!

Snippets - crime

Escapee spammer in murder-suicide............
Having had the help of his wife to escape - both of their bodies and their 3-yr-old daughter's body were found in a SUV - along with a teenager who had been shot in the neck and a baby (unhurt).
U.S. Attorney Troy Eid says it all:

"What a nightmare, and such a coward," U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said. "Davidson imposed the 'death penalty' on family members for his own crime."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25840140/

5-yr-old investigated for sex crimes
No - I did not get the age incorrect or mean 15 instead of 5. A 5-yr-old is believed to responsible for sexual assault concerning two 4-yr-olds.
What can anyone say about this? At 5 yrs old you look at the parents and say 'WTF?'
When it comes to kids committing crimes - even the best parents can be stunned by their teenage darlings being involved in something they genuinely had no idea about. Kids go out - get led into things they know is wrong - peer pressure can get to the best of them. Most will however stop at anything relating to abuse/sex-crimes.
But a 5-yr-old - there is something seriously wrong. It could be the parents and I truly dread to think how their family is run if they are connected to this child's behaviour. It could be that the child is himself being abused and is portraying the same behaviour on to others. The child is apparently still with his parents - unless this has been updated since.
A message runs at the bottom of this news story that every parent should heed - take notice of what your kids tell you - and teach them appropriately as to what is acceptable and what is not.
http://www.myfoxkc.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7060387&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1

Child care centre investigated after child slips out.......
Apparently the child had asked to use the bathroom and slipped out a fire door - crossed 2 busy roads - bough a drink at a service station and was found in nearby Hooters parking lot where an employee found him (thank God) and called the police.
I understand fully that the law requires fire exit doors to remain unlocked. It is the same here. What I do not understand is why the damn doors were not alarmed so that any opening could be detected - especially in a day care centre.
The poor father of the child went to pick up his son to find he was not there - I bet that man never prayed so much in his life! I bet he is also finding new care provision for the child too along with the rest of the parents there - I know I would be.
http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_Kid_escapes_0724.84c372f2.html

10-yr-old slashes woman.........
for refusing to give him a cigarette or should I say from trying to stop them from taking a lit cigarette from her mouth.
'The area surrounding the station is very isolated, which is a problem.' (Jason Grant - district manager for Thornton Heath and Selhurst.)
NO - that is not the problem. We should be able to walk anywhere without fear of being attacked. Let's hope if this kid is caught that he is not able to use that as a defence - but hey ho - he'll only get a smack on the wrist anyway and told to run along and play!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1038520/Knife-thug-aged-TEN-slashed-woman-refused-cigarette.html

Funny wedding names............

Drilling - Cousin .... sayin nuffin!

Speedy - Zieper ........bet it was on honeymoon at least!

Rump - Orefice ............ ohhhhhhhh I could lose my page if I comment on this one - use yer imaginations and multiply by at least 20!

Stoker - Dailey ......... not sure why he should have a prob with that!

Hunt - Kapture ........and it werked!

Busch - Hacker...... erm - maybe they should try Brazil for a honeymoon!

Long - Wiwi ....... lucky gal!

Fillerup - Standing ............. do I really NEED to say a damn thing to this one?!

Little - Gay .........hmmmmmm good cover!

Crime snippets - bizarre and serious..........

You will get caught pretty damn quick if you leave ID behind.......
Yep - another one - it seems these days if robbers/burglars aren't falling asleep on the job they are leaving ID behind - in this case a bank robber who wrote his demand notice on the back of one of his own personal checks!
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7030786&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Shoplifter leaves daughter behind..........
I don't even know what to say to this one! After stealing cosmetics at a store in Germany - a security alarm went off as the woman was leaving the store and she ran off - leaving her 6 yr old daughter behind.
The father of the child turned up to report his daughter missing - at least someone cared about her huh!
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2937486.html?menu=news.quirkies

Commit a crime and post it on the internet.... real smart!!!

Beaten and kicked for eating and drinking water........
Tanesha Anderson - 20 - beat and kicked a 3 yr old and 4 yr old (her boyfriend's children) and coerced a 10 yr old she was looking after to do the same. Apparently they had sneaked food and water.

Injuries include a lacerated liver, swollen spleen and kidneys and bruising to her face for the 3 yr old - the 4 yr old suffered bruises.
There is a special hell in hell for people like this I believe - till then I hope she lives that hell on earth first in the most severe way.
http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/2008/07/kc-woman-accuse.html

Morons come in pairs too...............
A couple (woman 19 - guy 24) - trying to buy marijuana were robbed. They called the police - gave details of how much cash was in the purse (a considerable amount apparently) - and that it was to buy drugs with! They then gave their own details and......were promptly arrested. The police must have been thinking 'it can't be THIS easy!' I am beginning to wonder myself whether the 19 and 24 are their ages or their IQ levels!
http://www.kansas.com/news/updates/story/470954.html

More snippets.....

You're not paranoid - they really are watching you.....
and anyone they feel like so it would seem!
Over 1400 spying operations instigated every day last year by councils - for things such as checking that someone lives in the correct catchment area for a school; 3,000 people having phone and email records checked for the investigation of suspected dog fouling and littering; suspected faith healers and on and on.
After all - this is what the anti-terror laws were brought in for?
There were extreme fears that this part of the anti-terror laws would be abused in order to create a more Big Brother society where apparently any council worker has the right to request phone records and details of sites visited for reasons not covered by the Bill. Those fears seem to have been justified!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1037331/Snoopers-spying-1-400-times-day.html

True bravery - Marine to receive George Cross............
Yes I am a supporter of armed services - here and the States and other allies!
This time it happens to be one of our guys - a Royal Marine who threw himself on to an exploding grenade to protect the lives of his colleagues and yes he survived - all limbs intact!
Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher - 24 - you truly are a hero!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/23/military.afghanistan?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Darwin's jailed for just over 6 years each.........
Canoe man and his lying scheming wife who tried to use coercion as a defence that is!
What a cow! She deceived her own sons for years and other family members so that herself and her husband could claim on a £250,000 insurance benefit.
Yes - I realise he is as guilty as she is for deceiving family and friends too - but as a mother - how can you go and tell your kids their father is dead knowing full well he is not! How can you cause your kids that much heartache for the sake of money and continuously lie to them year after year and then have the audacity to try the 'he made me do it' defence in court!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/23/ukcrime?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Snippets general.........

Gang attacks police after a litter warning.......
Kicked, beaten, bitten by a gang of schoolchildren.
A colleague races to his aid and is pulled to the ground and kicked as several older men and women joined in.
More than 30 people were involved at one point in a shopping mall in North End.
"It is the behaviour. It is unbelievable... that someone could bite another human being like that. They were acting like animals, but I hate using the term 'animals' because animals would not do that. They have a reason for doing something."
Yep - ain't this country grand!!!!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/child-gang-attacks-police-after-litter-warning-871818.html

Hydration diet woman awarded £810,000 damages....
I am actually torn on this one as to who is most at fault.
A woman that claims to be a nutritional therapist and life coach actually giving the advice to drink an extra 4 pints of water a day and cut out as much salt as possible from the diet - or a grown woman who had tried other diets that had not worked but surely should have known that cutting out all sodium in your system is dangerous?
Ok that may sound presumptuous and bitchy and I do feel for the lady for the outcome and suffering she will have to endure. The money will ease a little but it is not going to give her her life back as it was. I do know however I am far from being the only one thinking 'surely she should have known better.' On the other hand I do know that it is natural to put your trust in someone that has qualifications and sounds like they know what they are talking about.
I also think that anyone that claims to be a nutritional therapist and gives this kind of advice should have to pay damages - esp as she has a diploma in natural nutrition - but we have all heard how easy some diplomas are to come by - or in some cases come 'buy' after revelations a few months ago about people buying their qualifications.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hydration-diet-woman-awarded-163810000-damages-874864.html

Pubs facing new restrictions in government bid to stop dangerous drinking......
But it is not as though the government sent out any kind of misguided messages to anyone by allowing '24 hour opening' for those establishments willing to do it - is it?!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pubs-face-tough-laws-to-stop-dangerous-drinking-874860.html

Failures found in mental health inquiry.........
I am not exactly sure what they expected to find when so much funding has been taken away from mental health services to be used in other services and departments of the NHS - oh - but no government would take money from one dept and use it on another or for to fund other things - would they? I feel a sense of deja vu!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jul/23/mentalhealth.prisonsandprobation1?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

If fonts were people........

For the slightly nerdy aspect in all of us - this is pretty damn funny!
Wingdings is just hilarious!
Takes a few seconds to load but worth it!
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1823766

Mixture of snippets..........

Orders to prosecute knife offenders being ignored........
Well - it seems as though no one can win! The government eventually decided to get tough on knife crime - police are giving cautions rather than automatic prosecution - so the government will no doubt have something more to whine about and shift blame to anywhere but themselves and the courts.
I do still hold on to what I said in a previous entry here though - in that if you are caught carrying a knife (or any weapon) and you do not have a valid reason - it is therefore appropriate to assume that you could use it in the furtherance of a crime - whatever the nature of the crime is.
There are others that naturally have a different opinion - which I respect completely - however - the softly softly approach has to stop somewhere!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4368795.ece

Blair's 'farewell tour' cost taxpayers more than £750,000........
Well of course there is nothing else going on in the country that the money could have been used for is there???!!!
"A leaked memo from Mr Blair's advisers revealed plans for him to be seen at 'iconic sites' as he prepared to leave office, playing up his status as a world statesman."
Why can I suddenly hear the song 'You're So Vain' resonating???!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1037247/Revealed-Blairs-farewell-tour-cost-taxpayers-700-000.html

Villagers forced to take their rubbish one-and- a half miles to be collected.......
What is it that our council tax is used to pay for - rubbish collection services are supposed to be part of the fee??
There have been other stories of council's threatening to refuse collection and even fine families that do not appropriately recycle their rubbish!
A 85 yr old cancer patient and his wife who has arthritis had their rubbish left uncollected because they could not push/drag their wheelie bin 100 yds. On contacting the council they were told 'they had a policy to stick to.'
Funnily enough - maybe on finding out it would be reported in the newspaper (who knows?!) a solution was found where their rubbish would be collected from their doorstep until a permanent solution be found!
Calls have been rejected for a review of the situation until September.
This is far from being the only case or area - yet they wonder why fly-tipping is such a problem!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1037214/Cancer-patient-85-forced-travel-half-MILES-bins-out.html

YouTube Ranting divorcee wins £350,000 from multi-millionaire hubby.......
Her video trying to humiliate her hubby about their sex life and relatives got more hits than she did pounds. She had signed a pre-nup agreement.
In a still from the video on the link provided she reminds me of some other gold-digging bint - ermmmmm what's her name - Heather Mills - the wide eyes - anger - crazed look does not mix well when trying to do a 'woe is me' speech!
Maybe one day these people will learn - tact - diplomacy and not acting like a spoilt brat that has had it's sweets taken away will win a hell of a lot more sympathy than raving on like a wild banshee!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1037211/Ranting-YouTube-divorcee-wins-just-350-000-multi-millionaire-ex-husband.html

Other snippets........

The Government interferes too much in education...
and is therefore undermining qualifications.
Nooooo I am not ranting on about it again - it is someone else this time - a Cambridge exam chief!
One day maybe the Government will realise to leave the education of children in the country and the standards of education to the educators - instead of interfering and changing their minds on so many things. They have - after all -stopped and started more times than an old Ford on certain requirements - and dumbing everything down to make it look as though every child in the country gets good exam rates.
This article is actually more to do with A Levels - but states similar points to my own in a previous blog entry - just in a more edumacated way.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/jul/22/alevels.gcses?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

The pot calling the kettle ....????
A group of backbench MPs - cross party - have accused the MoD of moving large sums of money from one part of it's budget to hide cost overruns.
'Systematic weakness' in ordering weapons systems is also included in the report.
Apparently moving part of one budget to another is 'not acceptable'.
Well......... after all - no government or political party would ever do anything like that to make something as inane as ID cards work - would they??!!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jul/22/defence.military?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Glorification clause limits free speech...
This is a very interesting article in how innocent and personal opinion can lead to lives being wrecked. Another example of knee-jerk reaction politics causing more problems than there were previously and assurances made by ministers that works of fact or fiction - i.e. free speech - would not be vulnerable to prosecution - proving to be assurances that not many can afford to trust.
Most people are sensible - and do not write to incite racial hatred - applaud terrorism or anything along those lines - but when a student can be held in custody for 6 days for downloading an al Qaida document from a website - there is something seriously wrong.
I - like many others - look at many things out of curiosity - wanting to try to know both sides of a situation. Does this mean if I download a file on terrorism I am going to have a SWAT team at my door - turning the place over looking for explosives or instructions on how to make one? Sound a bit far-fetched? Maybe after reading this article it will not be as far-fetched as it sounds!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/22/terrorism.uksecurity?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

This is so beautiful and sweet - bravery and love from a dying 8-yr-old.......
A little boy with leukaemia wanted to marry his school sweetheart. He had been told he had weeks to live. The parents arranged the 'wedding' after this wonderful child proposed. The mayor made his limousine available (good on ya!). They had the reception and even a stand-in vicar and a certificate. He died the day after.
How beautiful is it to see something like this in a world that seems so full of sadness and hate at times. The 'bride' will always know as she grows that a brave and wonderful boy loved her and will be able to take that love with her wherever life takes her.
My heart is with all those that remain - and happy for them too as they will always remember a child that showed so much strength and love till his dying day.
God now has one very special angel with him.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2443562/Dying-eight-year-old-marries-his-school-sweetheart.html

Crime Snippets.............

Sleepy head
It never ceases to amaze me how many criminals are caught asleep at the scene of the crime in burglaries.
Here we have a guy breaking into a vehicle and being found asleep in it after trying to remove the radio.
Great quote from this one,"We read him his Miranda rights and asked him if he wanted to remain silent. Then we woke him up." Gotta love it!
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rios-police-car-2094794-loomis-placentia

More sleepy heads...........
AND they effectively left a trail of crumbs this time - in the shape of pillows and backpacks - nice big crumbs! AND both - yes BOTH were found asleep!
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080721/D922DSOG2.html

Search warrants sealed.........
Nancy Cooper vanished from her home on July 12 - her body found a couple of days later.
Her friend had reported her missing - her husband had not! (Is the volume loud enough to speak to everyone yet!!)
Ok so that may sound like guilty till proven innocent - but Nancy's parents won a petition for emergency temporary of Nancy's children citing domestic violence, infidelity and mental instability after her body was found. (The volume is so loud my ears are about to bleed - how are yours doing???!!!!)
It is quite unusual for search warrants to be sealed after evidence has been collected - but not unheard of. Judge Donald Stephens said, "the release of this information will jeopardize the right of the State to prosecute a defendant or the right of the defendant to a fair trial or will undermine an ongoing or future investigation."
I agree with the sealing for the simple reason the volume is loud enough already in this case - more added tempo and bass is not needed!
http://www.charlotte.com/breaking_news/story/722131.html

Pool company president charged in boy's death........
A 6yr old boy's arm was trapped in the suction of a drain pump - causing the boy to drown.
The president of the pool company is said to have "recklessly caused the death" of the child by failing to ensure mandated safety devices were installed in the pool.
It is nice to see a company being taken to task over shoddy workmanship and/or cost-cutting - leading to serious injury or in this and many other cases - death of a consumer/customer.
The family are filing the lawsuit and I wish them all the luck in the world.
Funnily enough - the company's warehouse was destroyed by a fire - cause - as yet - unknown - the president being arrested 3 days later!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25785345/

The 'Wasp' knife is coming to Britain........

So of course everyone and their mother is getting into a furore about it.
It IS a highly dangerous weapon - used primarily by hunters - a frozen ball of gas is shot from the tip at the press of a button - instantly balloons to the size of a basketball - freezing internal organs.
Not pretty - neither is the demo video on You Tube with a guy using it on a watermelon.

So now we get to the usual 'the internet makes it easier to buy weapons like this'. (The internet is to blame for everything near enough don'tcha know!)
Yes it does - and at only £200 a throw (pun not intended) it is very easy to buy. £200 is far from being seen as a lot of money - even for teenagers.

So how do they intend to stop the spread?
More community policing? Well - that would certainly help - but we have to be able to get them out from behind desks and stop the stupid amount of paperwork your everyday copper has to do for each call - whether a crime or not.
Larger and tougher sentences for crimes - especially those carried out by youths?
Again this would help - I blethered on about this in one of my previous entries a few days ago - 'If you create a f**k you society - don't be surprised when it says 'f**k you' back!'
For too long now youths have been caught committing crimes - going to court and effectively being told they are naughty boys and girls but they will be given another chance. I know one of these 'naughty boys' - he appeared in court for the 47th time recently - his crimes range from shoplifting - to assault - to being in possession of an illegal weapon (a gun in this case) - and he is yet to see the inside of a juvenile detention centre. He is far from being the only one!
Can you imagine how much it must suck to be a policeman arresting someone like him - all the paperwork - the processing - but knowing he will go to court the next day - bailed to appear at a later date and then given another smack on the wrist?!

Give them proper sentences for dangerous crimes - too many now know they can get away with just about anything. How many more dead teenagers or in fact dead anybody is it going to take before something is actually done!
Stop putting 20 yr olds in juvenile centres! They are NOT juveniles - they are adults!
If they took the adults out of prisons for things like not paying their council tax or for arguing over a hedge (yep!) - they would not have the prison spaces they require in total - but they would have a few thousand available! Community sentences are there for a reason - but then again - it would be difficult to actually find a 'community' in Britain right now - but they should still be used effectively.

For too long now children have been given adult's rights when not emotionally or mentally capable of fully understanding the responsibilities those rights entail. They have been taught - through inaction of the courts and the government that they can act how they want and that there will be little/no consequences.
Adult rights and responsibilities have been taken away from adults - parents and teachers and many others - in case the little darlings get upset.
They don't get upset - they learn how to say 'f**k you - I don't have to do as you say!'

I am not going into sentencing here too much for crimes for any age group as it is all a joke - but one of the major problems here right now is youth crime - particularly knife crime - from our little brigades of 'I can do as I want'.

It is about time the courts act as they should be acting and give these people the sentences they deserve. Three years for killing someone with a knife is NOT long enough - when that person will be out of prison within a year and a half in most cases. (This is one sentence being served by a 20 yr old in a youth detention centre as shown on a recent documentary here.)
Repeat offences should carry longer sentencing - not just for knife crime - for any crime.
We are taught from being young children that for every action there is a consequence - good action=good consequence - bad action=bad consequence. As parents we are expected to pass that down to our children - and most of us do!
The laws of the country are there to show there is a consequence if you commit a crime.
The courts are supposed to be there to make sure the law is applied appropriately.
It's about time they did their job.

The government have some front in going on the warpath against knife crime now when so many youngsters have lost their lives this year already - but I guess better late than never!

License weapons - make it an offense to carry unlicensed weapons - a proper offense - not a smack on the wrist. If you are carrying a weapon and it is not for legal purposes then it is fair to assume you are going to use that weapon for illegal ones.

This country is rapidly slipping back into the dark ages - where there is little/no sense of community; respect is not required; education means nothing; the judicial system is seen as nothing more than a farce. 'Cavemen' wander the streets - except now the cavemen carry more offensive and dangerous weapons than a club - and will use those weapons to get what they want or to harm/kill you even if you look at them the wrong way!

Some country to be proud of huh?! Yet people wonder why I want to get out of it and out of Europe altogether so bad!

Best baseball headline............

Ok - so I am not a fan of baseball - but this is one of the best headlines I have seen in a good while............

Who needs Viagra???

When you can have FROG JUICE!!!!

Oh yes - guaranteed if you have a low sex drive - and you can get this speciality in local markets in Lima, Peru.
It also apparently heals stuff such as bronchitis and asthma - but who the hell cares about those when this could make a guy go for hours???!!!!

All you have to do is go to an appropriate stall - pick your frogs from a tank.
Watch as the vendor bangs them against a table to kill them and peels the skin off them.
She adds the now nekkid and dead frogs to the blender with hot white bean broth, honey, aloe vera and a generous portion of Maca (nooooooooo not the Beatle!) - a south American plant known known for it's erotic powers! (Yes I really can find this much useless crap!)
Then you can watch as the froggies are blended with the rest of it - and there ya go - a nice warm glass of froggy broth!
I personally think if you manage to get a boner after watching this - you should seriously consider getting some help! ;)

Sunday smilers................

Okay - it's 03:20 and I'm bored! Body clock screwed up from working hours - so you lot get to suffer whatever the heck weird and wonderful things I have managed to come across this fine Sunday morning!!!

HA!!!!! So this is what Michael Jackson used!!!!

Incest repellant? Back off daddyo!

'Bring your favorite Mexican?? Lemme think about that one - ohhhhhhhhhhh Speedy Gonzales - where are you?????

Well - if it's gentle???........................

This cracked me up - 'Sorry I forgot Valentines day - but now I know I can bury you properly!!!' Soooooooooo romantic!!!

Oh yes! They'll even take care of those pesky babies too!

2 kids per adult entree? And free too! Yum!

Is she sure it was the dentist?

Well gee! I wonder how much they charged her to maker her forget something she never knew she had in the first place?!

Hmmmmmmmmm the intruder was in the mirror!!??!!??

Don't ya just wanna know what the reply was??!!!

I wanna know how he asked the duck in the first place?!

Just when ya think people can not get any dumber!

Give a man a remote and the sports channels and see what happens??!!!

ME ME PICK MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I have my own DR WHO travel music too!

Too easy - but I'm gonna do it anyway - Britney, Amy - come here dears - I have something to show you!

Damn! A bit tough on the cat huh!

And to finish off.......................

Not saying a damn thing!!!!!

Snippets.............

Facebook posting sends man to prison
In a world now where you DO have to be more and more careful what you post online - free-speech not being quite as 'free' as one thinks - esp here in England - I do have to say that this guy deserved it!
He did not write anything libellous - he did not post kiddie porn. But he did appear in a picture on there portraying him as an unrepentant scumbag.
I do not even think that he should not have been partying - although I do condemn drunk drivers to the fullest. It is the outfit he was wearing that shows him as an unrepentant scumbag.
However - this does also show how careful one has to be these days even on personal pages and how the prosecutors came across this when on Facebook - you can not see someone's profile unless you are a friend or a friend-of-a-friend. Just goes to show - collecting 'friends' you do not know can be detrimental - especially if potential employers, police and other services are using these social networking sites to gain more insight into someone's life!
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/18/facebook.evidence.ap/index.html

Man pepper-sprayed his 1 yr old daughter
I hear many saying, 'WTF??!!!'.
Breaking down the door at the mother's apartment he threatened the mother - beat her and sprayed the little girl in the face. He is now facing 12 felony counts.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people - male and female - in custody disputes or bitter arguments are prepared to hurt - and in extreme cases - kill their child/children just to try and get the 'upper hand' and hurt the other parent more. Children are a blessing and should be treated as such. Nobody deserves to be abused or attacked - but to harm a child for revenge or egotistical purposes is simply another form of the 'power trip'. Some power trip!!!!
http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/25633879.html?location_refer=Homepage:latestNews:4

9 year old's call to 911 - 'My dad stabbed my mom with a sword'
Right after writing the snippet above I came across this story - gut wrenching and tear jerking. Reading the transcript of the call from this 9 yr old trying to be the calm big sister going to the little girl she is - but also knowing that those little children have now been forced to grow up far too quickly and in no way any child should be.
http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_9882311

Nutrition and health...............

After an exhaustive review of the research literature, here's the final word
on nutrition and health:
1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than
us.
4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart
attacks than us.
5. Germans drink beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer
heart attacks than us.

CONCLUSION:
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you, but the Government is trying to correct the problem.

Ad for today...........

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If you create a f**k you society - don't be surprised when it says 'f**k you' back!

So - we have the government here whining about the lack of respect from today's teenagers - how they have little or no respect for anyone else or themselves - especially in relation to the rise in knife crime here in the last few months!

What exactly did the government expect?!
In the last few years here (good old England!!!!) it has all been about children's rights - that they should have more freedom and rights and be treat more like adults!

Now don't get me wrong - I agree children should have rights and be respected - I was very happy when the cane and other forms of punishment were removed from schools. I was ecstatic when child abuse became a more talked about thing rather than kept completely hidden. I was happy to see a number of child help lines emerging for help with drug problems and/or just general teenage/childhood angst problems.
I do not believe children should have to live in a 'seen but not heard' society.
I do however believe children should be allowed to remain children whilst they can - like I have said many times before - the big bad world of adulthood will bite them on the ass sooner and harder than they think.
It is not all about the loss of sweetness and innocence in making a child grow too quickly. It is a loss of control, of moral teachings, of respect for themselves and others when boundaries are continually pushed further and further away until they are virtually non-existent.

Let's start with the education system. Who the heck would want to be a teacher these days??!! So many rights have been taken away from teachers it now seems like a 'scary' occupation rather than one people used to do in order to be able to genuinely help children. Now if they try to command any respect in the classroom even by shouting too loudly they are at risk of being taken to court if one of the little darlings gets upset.
They have been told that now - they should be their pupils friends; that they cannot correct work with a red pen because it looks too aggressive and may upset the child (poor darlings!)
Homework is given on printed sheets to 'fill in the gaps'. Textbooks are non-existent near enough. School reports are no longer marked A-F - because again - it is classed as too harsh.

GCSE's are dumbed down so much they are now a national and international joke! If I was at school now I could do an English GCSE but get awarded 3 if I pass all three parts - or 2 if I only pass 2 - yada yada. A drama exam used to hold 5 parts to it 4 years ago and therefore again - a GCSE for each part. Hell by the reckoning of the stuff they get passes for now I would have walked away with approx 24 passes! (Yes I was a smart ass at school!) It has been proven by many shows on TV here - sending smart kids from today - back to the 50's 60's 70's and 80's - and a couple managed a pass in one or 2 subjects - but were tired with the work that they had to do for themselves in order to obtain the grades.
A recently written article displays how bad this has got - which I provided a link for in a previous blog entry - but here it is again:
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/eon0711td.html
A child was given marks for writing 'f**k off' on an examination paper - one of the reasons given for the marks - 'it would have been wicked to give it a zero.'
The other reasons were apparently they could string 2 words together and spell them correctly - read the whole article - it is not very long and the writer makes some very valid points.
If this does not shock as to how sad the education system is here - nothing will.
In the days of O levels (yeah yeah I know - break out the violins - hovis bread music and 4 guys sitting around doing the 'when I were a lad' sketch!) you had to pass all three parts of the exam in order to get the one O level. Classes were grouped into O level and CSE groups - and if those that sat the CSE obtained a high enough grade - they were awarded an O level.
Now it is one for all - high achievers in with low achievers - so everyone is on the same standard - again - so no-one feels put down at being in the CSE group.
The groups were there for various reasons - so high achievers could get more done - being one of them. The CSE groups were not full of low achievers - they also had many pupils that could not handle the stress of an O level group but they knew that they could still be awarded the O level if their pass rate was high enough - therefore they could study at a pace suitable to their needs.
We have a government moaning over the drop out rates at Universities which is leading to a lack of highly skilled people in specific trades - science - medicine etc.
There is one simple reason for this - Universities are the one educational establishment the Government could not get their hands on and make them 'dumb down' the work required for completion of a degree. Therefore a student goes to University - and cannot handle the work - either in volume or complexity - because of the lack of standard education in schools and colleges. It really is not that hard to figure out why the drop out rates are so high - that and student loans!

We have a lot of children leaving school with the attitude of they can do no wrong. No - I am not saying all children are like this - far from it - it is always the minority trouble makers which make it look bad for the majority - although there is little can be said for the education system here now other than disastrous.

So much publicity was given here as to how children have more rights and freedoms - but in the wrong way. Teachers with no rights to obtain respect in the classroom. Parents having rights taken away from them more and more in very serious issues such as the morning after pill (abortion pill) but still held accountable for other health issues and general welfare of the child - while the children are in a classroom being taught what sperm tastes like!
Sadly there are parents at fault too - too many with the attitude of 'what's the point of trying to punish your child when they get away with it at school.'
I am lucky - my kids are in a good primary school - my oldest 2 being deaf went through a different kind of education system rather than the normal state school run. I am actually scared for my 2nd youngest going to High School this year - even though I did research the school thoroughly and it is a very good one.
I am not afraid to punish my kids by taking games away from them or extra chores or whatever - even if it does make me barbaric (see a previous entry for this!)
I talk to my kids about different things they see and read about - good and bad - I hug them - tell them I love them - and they trust me to know I will be there - will be fair but will also not be afraid of telling them if they do something wrong. I am not afraid to shout at them - mine is going to be far from the only raised voice they hear in a lifetime. I control and monitor internet access - the youngest are not allowed chat clients. We have fun together and we have serious times together too.
The thing I love about my children the most is the unconditional love and respect I get from them because they know it is freely given to them. I am proud to say I can take my kids anywhere and the 2nd time will not be to apologise for their behaviour the first time.
My kids are kids and retain an innocence about them - even the oldest ones - although it is hard letting them go bit by bit as they get older and they find their own way in life - I know I have done what I can to teach them right from wrong. I'm one proud mom in knowing my kids do not have a 'f**k you' attitude to anyone else or themselves.
My kids know one thing that I have told them always - if you know in your own heart that you have done your best - then that is good enough.
They are not angels and I am not the perfect mom - but we do good!

Too many kids now believe they can do no wrong. They see celebrities doing hard drugs and no punishment given. They see friends being taken to court after being caught committing a crime - and no punishment given. On the rare occasion a punishment is given - the sentences are ridiculous. The police force is laughed at and mocked by many teenage street gangs because they know that even when arrested that they will go to court and little will happen.

The education system is a farce - the police mocked because they do their jobs very well - but for little or no result. The judicial system is the biggest farce of all - a system that is supposed to help keep the moral fabric of a society together - but does not.
The Government announced a crack down on knife crime - and was rewarded with 4 deaths by stabbing in 23 hours! If that does not speak volumes to them - little will.

Kids need boundaries - they need to see if they overstep those boundaries that there is a consequence. Kids that did not have boundaries or have to show respect in the home - always had those boundaries set at school and had to show respect there - so if a child was let down in some way - there was always somewhere else as a fallback.
Now there is nowhere except the home - and with a more materialistic society amongst children as to who has the most expensive trainers or whatever - stress on parents for day to day things - that children do sometimes take a back seat even in the best of families. A judicial system that is a shambles and no respect for those in any position of authority - it is fair to say this country and any hope of a bright future and our youngsters leading the way went to the dogs long ago.

So now that the little darlings know they can do what they want when they want thanks to our so-called Government - why then are the Government so surprised that when someone is allowed to say 'f**k you' long enough as a child - that they carry this attitude into adulthood?
Hell - you could put the whole of of the Government into Colombia and they would still not be able to wake up and smell the coffee!

The World's Worst Historical Disasters - Chris McNab

This is the non-fiction book I have been reading this week.

This book is a small chronicle of disasters (about 70) that have affected mankind - from ancient times right up to 2004 and the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

All kinds of disasters are covered in this book - with a few facts on each - the effect of each one and the number of people who died/affected by them.

Disasters covered include:
Natural Disasters - whether climatological, geological or originate in famine and disease.
Social and technological disasters.
Manmade disasters.

Each account gives a detailed perspective of the run-up to the disaster - the cause and the aftermath and each one is accompanied by photography/illustration and a basic fact box.

This book is not meant to be in depth. It gives the basic facts in a very concise manner without being boring and may even prompt the reader to search for more information for themselves - which I have done with a few. It is nicely presented and well enough done to not be boring if you do not want to have to read a whole book on a subject.

A little humor..........

Okay - in rant mode about a couple of things on the news and stuff the last couple of days - soooooooooo before getting into rant mode and boring the living crap out of everyone - found something that brought a smirk to the old gal's face!
5 New Firefox Features That You Probably Did Not Know About. (click on the pics to be able to view them properly!)

Now - how many wish these were REALLY available???!!!

The guy that did these has his own blog - which in parts is pretty funny - you can also - obviously - access these pics here too!!!
http://www.collegehumor.com/virginmobile

Priceless..............

Funny Banned Commercial Priceless Mastercard - video powered by Metacafe

Heheheheh

Okay - it is not nice when someone falls asleep when having sex I guess!
Falling asleep twice even worse!
But this guy got so angry he and doused the woman's van with lighter fluid and said he would do the same to her.

Now that is NOT the part I am going 'heheheheh' at.
Was not even saying that at the part of the woman falling asleep TWICE during sex.

Nope - the bit that got me was the guys name - Gregory Smallwood!
Oh yes - childish I know and the niggle in the back of my mind is saying 'please tell me this is a made-up story!'
But still - little things and all that..........
Or will that now have to change to 'little things will not keep the woman from snoring!'
http://www.local12.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=f326fb7b-58f9-465f-bbd3-6cffa2914525

Ad for the day...........

Okay I admit it - I was a fan of MacGyver!!!

Macgyver Debit Mastercard Cool Commercial - video powered by Metacafe

Snippets from the last couple of days...

The Goat was arrested, the Mercedes-Benz assaulted and the dog went along for the ride!!!!!
Not a lot else I can say about that!
http://www.winknews.com/news/weird/24068709.html

Human teeth found during arrest.
Timothy Placko was found with a lot of bizarre objects - including human teeth. He has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon!
http://www.cbs12.com/news/police_4708438___article.html/spotted_women.html

A cup of tea and a chat?
Well - that's what this German housewife was hoping for when she invited a friend around - till 30 hours later - yes 30 - she saw no option but to call the police to get her friend to leave.
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2920807.html?menu=news.quirkies

Robbery with a cheese grater!
After being forced to leave a bar after unsuccessfully attempting to rob it - and dropping his cheeses grater -James Plante Jr. did manage to rob a nearby gas station a couple of minutes later. He now faces felony counts of robbery and attempted robbery!
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2008/07/08/news/lake_county/doc58ab1508722e48f38625747f007e8813.txt

Ad for today........Mr Bombastic Jeans

Bombastic Jeans Commercial - video powered by Metacafe

Dead Men Don't Bite - Andrew Towning.

This is Andrew Towning's second book - 'The Constantine Legacy' being his first that introduced the world to Jake Dillon - who returns here.
The plot line is good and packed - involving covert operations in Cuba, the wreck of a WW2 Nazi U-boat, gold bullion and the Spear of Destiny - one of it's many associations being with Hitler.

The first thing I noticed about this book from the beginning was how easy-going it is to read and therefore easy to get into. It is written in a good descriptive manner without being overly so and therefore none of the story is lost or wasted. The same can be said of the interplay between the characters - casual and convincing without being forced. General, everyday observations between and of the characters themselves is also very good throughout. It is very easy to picture scenes and characters in your mind as you are reading - almost like watching a movie.

Jake Dillon is an instantly likeable character - assertive without being aggressive unless needs be. It is nice to see the main character being written without having to be a 'rambo/schwarzenegger' clone.
The heroes and villains in this story are all written spectacularly well - something that can be lacking in a lot of action cliffhangers that tend to revolve on one main character and the remaining ones being rather weakly written in - this is most definitely not the case here.

It is obvious research has been done before and during writing which makes the storyline all the greater and gives it the added strength needed when involving anything historical such as the Spear of Destiny.

I have to admit that I do not read a lot of this genre - even though I could sometimes be described as a devourer of books - both fiction and non-fiction - so I was a little apprehensive as to whether I would be able to enjoy it as much as I wanted to. I have read a couple - which have tended to go on to be documentaries - rather than fiction novels and involve too many facts and the story gets lost along the way. I am pleased to say that did not happen here.

I picked the book up and was very comfortable with it immediately and soon in full recline on my favorite armchair reading avidly. I wanted to turn the pages - I wanted to see what was happening and how it would play out - and oh how I cursed the phone when it rang for work!

I look for 3 qualities in any book I read and this certainly had all of them.
A good story line with good, interesting characters.
A book that is easy to get into but hard to put down.
Something that makes me want more!

This book covered all 3 easily and yes - I shall be back for more!

Ad for the day........

Oh this could apply to so many teams and leagues!!

The Rivalry Lives On - video powered by Metacafe

Excuses excuses; 911 non-emergency;bananas; the dog shot itself; Russian blogger sentenced for spouting off;

Well - speeding is a crime - and here are some of the (real) excuses Kitsap County cops have received for speeding!
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jul/05/excuses-excuses-trying-get-out-traffic-tickets/

After making non-emergency calls (not even going into how stupid doing something like that is) - Estanislao Vallejo Lopez was arrested. Apparently jsil records list him as a pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates - I may be missing something here but could not see any sign of him on their site!
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jul/05/man-arrested-after-repeatedly-calling-911-non-emer/?news

A thief made off with some bananas - $40,000 worth - that's a whole lot of potassium!
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2008/07/06/Thief_makes_off_with_40000_in_bananas/UPI-91511215357208/

A man who shot and killed a small terrier apparently initially told police that the dog had shot itself in the head while playing with the .357 pistol! Strangely enough he was not believed and arrested.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9809141

Bear in mind that this did take place in Russia - a man found out that free speech does not prevail there - after spouting off about the police and saying the police force could be cleaned up by ceremoniously burning officers twice a day in public. Okay - not the cleverest thing to say - but it is a blog - we all spout off from time to time! Free speech campaigners are going to have a field day with this one!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080707/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_russia_blogger;_ylt=AhSLtZq08_un2GqPKlQR_x.s0NUE

Todays ad.........

Budlight - video powered by Metacafe

Links............

Some links for the stuff that has made the silly sections/wtf sections of news sites in the last few days - some older.

Drunk in charge of a lawnmower
http://www.thelocal.se/12860/20080705/?Doh

Faking heart attacks to avoid bills
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/strange/news-article.aspx?storyid=113034&catid=82

Cocaine found in underwear after a routine traffic stop
http://seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080705/NEWS/80705005

'Reliable' Fed-ex deliver 200 pound marijuana delivery to wrong place - intended recipient fed-up after being arrested!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/bizarre/5873206.html

Dog sex tapes lead to arrests (this is an older one from June - but it still has the WTF factor about it!)
http://newsok.com/article/3262499?topten_check=yes

Think twice before soliciting a prostitute - it could cost you your car!
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/apr/23/solicitations-can-cost-car/

Had to be this one - I love Seinfeld..........

Seinfeld & Superman -3 - video powered by Metacafe

Zoe Garcia

Will there be any justice for the death of this little girl?
Her sister received an 18 year sentence - suspended - if she serves 6 years in a youth offenders correctional facility!
A trial date has yet to be set for the boyfriend Lamar Roberts.

“It (the sentence) was very fair,” said Trujillo’s father, James Henry, who lives in Limon. “She did goof off and make a mistake.”
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/UPDATES02/80702023/1002/NEWS01

A little girl is kicked and beaten to death - and of course a video game (Mortal Kombat this time) is to blame - and the father says, 'she did goof off and make a mistake!'

Play wrestling between kids is normal - if someone gets accidentally hurt - that IS goofing off and making a mistake.
Punched and kicked to death IS NOT goofing off and making a mistake.

These teenagers involved here are more than old enough to know the difference between right and wrong - to know that video games are not real - and to know that any violent action towards another human being is wrong.
It is not misadventure - it is not goofing off - it is not an accident - they kept kicking and beating till the child did not get up.

If half of the statements made by neighbours are true and were reported to the Department of Social Services as stated on the link below - then why the hell was something not done to help protect these children?
http://pysih.com/2007/12/20/heather-trujillo-and-lamar-roberts/

We constantly have it drummed into us in most of the western world - that we should report signs of abuse - especially when as extreme as these - that we could save a child's life - and yes these neighbours tried. They did what was right and all they could do - an their pleas for help for these children were ignored. Hopefully the remaining children will be placed with people who can love and care for them properly.

Do I have a right to bleat and cast stones?
Maybe! Maybe not!
But I do have some insight in having had to try and help others deal with the mess left behind in situations such as this.
I also know the difference between people that use movies/games/past childhood experiences as an excuse - and those that are affected by them for real.
The sheer fact that both took part in the killing of this child and then so willing to lie about it and blame the other clearly shows that the 'game' is an excuse.
I have dealt with people who have reported abuse - and it has been ignored - and a child has died - wondering if they could have done more - when they really could not have. They were there to give food - to talk to and they acted responsibly in reporting to Social Services.
I have dealt with the family members left behind. All the more heartbreaking as they get older and trying to understand why this happened to their sister/loved one.

As a parent myself - with children aged 8-18 - I have a tough time sometimes too. I am a single mom and provide for my children alone. I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination - show me a parent that is!
I do not believe the internet is a bad and wicked place or that video games are bad and wicked either.
I DO believe it is my responsibility as a parent to ensure my children know right from wrong; reality from pretend; respect for themselves and for others and that as children to enjoy their childhood and remain children whilst they can because the big bad world of adulthood will bite them on the ass soon enough.
My younger children are not allowed to use the internet alone - and are not allowed chat clients.
My older children are obviously allowed a bit more freedom - but if I see they are having a problem - whether it turns out to be a simple argument with a friend - I talk to them first - and if I become very concerned in that the mood is not shifting then I will snoop at the conversations on their laptops.
My youngest had a problem after playing a game on his PS2 - I took the game away till I was able to make it clear that it is a game - it is not real - and know he understood the concept of the game and the responsibility in playing it and not carrying it over to real life - primarily just from using questions of 'right and wrong'.
I do not accept rude behaviour from my kids (my angelbrats) in any form - like I tell them - I know they know better because I raise them!
I am lucky - I am involved with my kids and they talk to me about all sorts of things. I do not allow them to grow too fast - heck I made my daughter wait till she was 16 earlier this year to be allowed to get her ears pierced - and no I am not a prude - far from it! I even occasionally whup their ass in various games - gives us a chance to muck about together!
I also screw up and get things wrong - nobody is perfect - but I know it is my responsibility as a parent to do my very best to ensure my kids grow to become responsible, contributing members of society with respect for others as well as themselves - and with 2 deaf teenagers (1 with mild autism) and 2 younger children - it can be hard going doing it alone. Letting go bit by bit is hard for any parent - but I trust in what I have taught them and what they have learned about themselves and other people. I do not leave my oldest children in charge of my youngest. They are not called angelbrats for no reason - all kids are more than capable of being angels one minute and brats the next. My oldest children are also entitled to their own lives and do not need the responsibility of being part-time parents/carers.

I have seen so many situations arise where lack of decent parenting seems to be a root cause. Older children forced to become part-time carers. Parents not giving a crap as to what their kids do when out and about/online/playing games. Other parents telling their little 'angels' they can do no wrong and giving them some cash to get them out the way.
Parents in bad conditions through circumstance and left to deal with it alone and getting caught up through no fault of their own.
But......... if you see bruises on your younger children - you have surely got to ask why? (as in the case of Zoe and her younger siblings.)
When Social Services get a call from neighbours with such grievous concerns - it should be followed up - maybe then this beautiful little girl would still be alive.

So many red flags in this case - yet the bull was allowed to win - with only one sign of a distraction (the neighbours) being ignored.