Mewes News Bus Stop

Bus ignores war veteran, 98, at stop in North Shields (BC Local News) 

(Mr Munroe's local bus service keeps leaving him in the lurch. A bus company has apologised after a partially sighted war veteran was repeatedly ignored at a bus stop. Joseph Munroe, 98, from North Shields is registered blind, and lives alone.)

(SUBMITTED BY: @fitzman73)

Angry Father Attacked Bus Driver: Cops (NBC Connecticut) 

(A Dayville man was so angry his children missed their school bus that he hopped in his truck, chased after the bus, and attacked the driver, according to police. Richard Doyle, 51, appeared in Danielson Superior Court Friday morning on charges of third degree assault, disorderly conduct, and risk of injury to a minor. He was released on a $15,000 bond and ran away from reporters as he left the courthouse.)

Bus breakdown doesn't faze Mariners (Seattle Mariners) 

(For 10 minutes on Saturday, about half the Mariners players and training staff stood on the side of the road watching traffic fly by after their team bus broke down en route to the Ballpark at Arlington. But no worries. A few handy cab drivers later, and the group was back on the road and arrived at the park ahead of the second team bus that came later on the 25-minute trek from the team hotel in Irving.)

Bomb hoax triggers traffic jams (Times of India) 

(Pranksters triggered widespread panic on Sarjapur road close to Wipro office on Saturday morning. Fortunately, it proved to be a hoax but not before they'd inconvenienced many commuters. The trickers had stuffed a soda bottle and a beer can into a plastic cover and pushed it under the seat of a BMTC bus. The driver, who noticed the strange object, mistook it for a bomb when he saw an electric wire coming out of it.)

School bus driver who forgot child has spotty record (Herald Tribune) 

(The Sarasota school bus driver who forgot to drop off a 3-year-old boy and left him on the bus for two hours last week has a spotty performance record at work and while driving off-duty. Sandra Runck, 60, received four traffic tickets while driving on her own time between 2005 and 2007, according to traffic records.)

(BUSDRIVER NOTE: Fuck me! There really IS a Mews News!)

(Thanks @devoted2disney)

Mystery creature that nobody can identify (Xenophilius) 

(If this cute little chap looks a wee bit confused, it’s no wonder. His big wide eyes stare out at the world around him – which in turn is staring back at him. Because nobody has seen a creature quite like this one before.)

Jail or church? Some Alabama offenders will get to choose (Reuters) 

(Starting on Monday, nonviolent offenders in Bay Minette, Alabama, will get to choose whether to serve their sentence in a jail cell or a church pew. Municipal Judge Bayless E. Biles is launching "Operation Restore Our Community," intended to function not only as a diversion program but also to address jail overcrowding issues in the southwest Alabama community.)

Cougar struck by vehicle while attacking B.C. neighbourhood cat (Vancouver Sun) 

(A resident of this Vancouver Island town rammed a cougar with his car after he saw it attacking a neighbourhood cat. A cougar has been lurking around a residential neighbourhood in Port Alberni and a few people have claimed it has stalked them. The cougar has since been killed by conservation officers.)

Man who falsely claimed he was beat up for Oprah tickets pleads guilty (Chicago Tribune) 

(A Canadian man who beat himself up in May, and then pretended that he had been mugged and his tickets to Oprah’s farewell celebration stolen, pleaded guilty today to felony disorderly conduct.)

Thousands run in underwear to protest Utah laws (AP) 

(Thousands of people stripped to their underwear and ran through Salt Lake City to protest what they called the "uptight" laws of Utah. Undie Run organizer Nate Porter says the goal of the event Saturday was to organize people frustrated by the conservative nature of the state's politics.)

World's largest flashlight debuts in Germany (Toronto Sun) 

(It's as long as a VW Golf car, consumes the same amount of energy as a typical 1-litre capacity kettle, and can provide 11 years of uninterrupted illumination. The world's largest flashlight made its debut at the Lichternacht (Festival of Lights) in Solingen, Germany, Saturday, and made its way straight into the Guinness Book of Records.)

Texas kills fancy last meal requests on death row (Reuters) 

(The Texas prison system on Thursday abolished the time-honored tradition of offering an opulent last meal to condemned inmates before their executions, saying they would get standard prison fare instead.)

Hit the brakes for the West Virginia RoadKill Cook-off (MSNBC) 

(In most jurisdictions, the prospect of hitting an animal while driving down the road is enough to fill a traveler with dread. In Marlinton, W.Va., it’s an excuse to throw a party — as in the West Virginia RoadKill Cook-off and Autumn Harvest Festival, which will be held on September 24. From Dixie Deer Chili to Route 219 Turtle Soup, it’s a centerline-smorgasbord of culinary creations. It’s also Overhead Bin’s September honoree as Weird Festival of the Month.)

San Carlos man accused of taping up girlfriend during iguana argument (Naple News) 

(A San Carlos Park man is accused of duct taping his girlfriend during an altercation over their pet iguana. Lee County sheriff’s deputies say the victim and Clifton Bruce Lockhart, 55, of the 7400 block of Pebble Beach Road, have been living together for eight years. When deputies arrived to the home on Wednesday, they could hear a woman screaming from inside, according to reports. The victim was in the living room with duct tape around her arms, torso, and ankles.)

Open an account, get a free AK-47 (Toronto Sun) 

(A Florida company is giving away free AK-47s to new customers who sign up for its credit-card-processing service. MerchantService.com, based in Sarasota, isn't packing heat at its offices, though. New customers will get a voucher, to be used "towards the purchase of a firearm at any reputable gun shop where you must go through the proper background checks and waiting period that the law requires," according to the Florida blog, The Pulp.)

Irish pensioner 'died of spontaneous human combustion' (Telegraph) 

(A pensioner whose body was found totally burned died of spontaneous human combustion, a coroner has ruled. Michael Faherty, 76, was found lying face down near an open fire in his living room in Galway, Ireland. Apart from his body, investigators could find no other damage in the house.)

Woman arrested after shooting at opossum (Times Union) 

(Police in suburban Detroit say they arrested a 42-year-old woman who repeatedly shot at an opossum in a shopping center parking lot. The Oakland Press of Pontiac and the Detroit Free Press report the woman, who is homeless, was found early Tuesday with a gun in her pocket. Police in Troy say they found 11 spent shell casings on the ground and the woman told them she was aiming for the animal.)

Woman jailed after throwing a duck in Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz sentinel) 

(Authorities were called to the 700 block of 41st Avenue Saturday afternoon for reports of an intoxicated woman abusing a duck. According to a Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call that a woman was drunk and was refusing to leave a business just after 4 p.m. The caller also said the woman was throwing a duck to the ground and apparently also trying to strangle it with some sort of leash.)

Mother Disciplined After Confronting Son’s Bullies (CBS) 

(A mother who confronted two boys who bullied her 10-year-old son has been banned from her son’s Minneapolis school and even her son’s bus stop for the rest of the year. Tanya Sydney said she does not regret taking actions into her own hand to keep her son from being a victim.)

Man broke into home to do laundry (DC 101) 

(Police in Florida said a man arrested on a burglary charge allegedly broke into a home so he could do his laundry. The owner of the Bonita Springs home told Lee County sheriff's deputies he was sitting in his truck outside the vacant house Monday when he saw Robert James Luther III, 23, pry open the laundry room door and enter the domicile, the Naples News reported Thursday.)

Teacher James Bond escapes jail after caretaker sees him kissing schoolgirl (Metro) 

(The fictional James Bond might be a smooth operator, who has his wicked way with numerous glamourous women while managing to conduct vital espionage work at the same time, but his namesake doesn't appear to be a ladies' man on quite the same level. Bond, who was a teacher at Dulverton School in Somerset, was reported to police after being caught by the school caretaker in a passionate embrace with a young pupil in a classroom after lessons.)

BBC turns its back on year of Our Lord: 2,000 years of Christianity jettisoned for politically correct 'Common Era' (BBC) 

(The BBC has been accused of 'absurd political correctness' after dropping the terms BC and AD in case they offend non-Christians. The Corporation has replaced the familiar Anno Domini (the year of Our Lord) and Before Christ with the obscure terms Common Era and Before Common Era.)

Ex-cop reporting drunk told to hang up (Canoe) 

(Following a suspected drunk driver who was weaving all over the highway near Okotoks, retired Mountie Rob Laird grabbed his cellphone and dialed 911. But Laird said he was shocked when after taking his information, the RCMP dispatcher told him to hang up and stop following the suspect SUV as Laird was breaking the province's new distracted driving law.)

West Hills homeowner cited for cross on lawn (Daily News) 

(City officials said they will issue a zoning code citation to a West Hills widow who erected a 24-foot-high cross on her front lawn. After receiving complaints from neighbors, Los Angeles Building and Safety inspectors visited the home of Laly Dobener on Thursday and determined that she had violated zoning laws by erecting an unpermitted structure, officials said.)

Kevin Smith hits out at Harvey Weinstein, critics, and rightwing bigots (Guardian) 

(Kevin Smith is recounting the time he told Harvey Weinstein to shut the fuck up. "I open the curtain at the back and I see Harvey outside, talking," recalls Smith. It was the premiere of his new movie Red State at the Sundance festival and Weinstein, his former boss and mentor, had promised to attend. But instead he was checking the American football scores. "He's talking about the Jets. Loud as fuck. The opening of my movie, first seven minutes. Old Kev just would have gone, 'Harvey, shh, movie's on.' But it disgusted me so much. It doesn't get much more heartbreaking. So I fuckin' lost it, and I went out and said, 'Hey. Shut the fuck up!' And he looked at me with fuckin' hate in his eyes. And I said, 'Yeah. That's me and I'm saying it.' And he just left.")

‘Red State’ movie review, trailer: It’s scary out there (New Jersey News Room) 

(Kevin Smith's "Red State" presents a New Jerseyan's view of the middle of this great country of ours: better fly over, because it's scary out there. Finally making its way into theaters after months of other circulation and promotion, "Red State" has attracted some notable actors — John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Michael Parks — to what is billed as a horror movie.)

Kevin Smith interview: Red State, Hit Somebody, and a bad Sean Connery impression (Den of Geek) 

(For a very low budget film, there's been a lot of noise made surrounding Red State, which arrives in UK cinemas this week. That noise has come mainly from the man behind it, Mr Kevin Smith. The film itself is something of a departure for Smith, and it's also seen him challenge the manner in which movies are distributed. In short, rather than going via traditional channels, in the US at least, he's taken the film on the road, and recouped its budget in under a year.)

Will Kevin Smith’s “Red State” Galvanize Regular Moviegoers? (Indie Wire) 

(Kevin Smith’s “Red State” is finally moving from its fan-boy-style release—on digital platforms and special events—to a semi-conventional theatrical release this weekend, appearing in actual movie theaters on Sunday. The film’s unique release strategy has been documented elsewhere, but what about the film itself? Will regular old art-house moviegoers and those with a passing interest in the film’s anti-government, anti-evangelical subject matter actually pay $7-$12 to seek out the film?)

Top 5 Kevin Smith Comics! (What Culture) 

Most people know about Kevin Smith’s film making endeavours, from Clerks to the soon to be released Red State (opens in Friday in the UK) but not many are aware that he has made quite a career for himself as a comics writer, contributing for the major companies such as Marvel, DC, Oni Press and Dynamite. With characters ranging from his own Jay and Silent Bob to Daredevil, and even Batman, he has put his indelible mark on the industry to become a popular writer among fans and critics alike. What follows is my picks for his top 5 comic books. And be warned, here be spoilers……)

Finally! Anne Hathaway Spotted on the Set of the New Batman Movie in Complete 'Catwoman' Costume (Cat Ears!)(Reelz) 

(To borrow from Francis Church's classic 1897 editorial about the jolly fat man, "Yes, comic book movie fans, there is a Catwoman." Ever since it was first announced that Anne Hathaway would be playing "Selina Kyle" in Christopher Nolan's third and final Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, fans who know that name to be the civilian identity of Catwoman have been dying to know more about her role in the movie — Villain? Love interest? Frienemy? — and what the new Catwoman costume would look like. Shortly after the announcement, Nolan made a point of saying in an interview that Hathaway was playing Selina Kyle, not Catwoman, which made a lot of fans scratch their heads. Was Nolan just being coy or had he done away with the more titilating half of the character's personality to fit in with his "grounded" comic book movie world?)

Batman vs. Catwoman: Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway Suit Up on the Set of The Dark Knight Rises (E-online) 

(Batman and Catwoman are facing off on the streets. It's not much to go on, but when it comes to the highly anticipated Christopher Nolan flick The Dark Knight Rises, we'll take anything we can get our greedy little hands on. Including shots of Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway in their full Batman and Catwoman costumes!)

Cool Close-Up Picture of Batman In The Cockpit Of The Batwing for The Dark Knight Rises (Comic Book Movie) 

(From the Los Angeles set of the new Batman movie we have new close-up pictures of the Batwing with Batman in the cockpit, and new images of the tumblers.)

Britney Spears goes Batman for Birthday (Gather) 

(Britney Spears is all into parenting these days, and she recently threw a costume party to celebrate her younger son Jayden James's turning five. "We've just had a huge birthday party for him yesterday! It was Spiderman and Batman [themed], he's obsessed, so obsessed!! We have four Spiderman costumes, so all the kids at the party had on costumes!" reports ShowbizSpy. Does this mean Britney Spears herself dressed up as Catwoman or the bat-dude himself?)

The Boy Who Saved Batman Featured Guest on Cincom Expert Access Radio (Market Watch) 

(Michael Uslan, one of the highest-grossing movie producers of all time, and author of "The Boy Who Loved Batman: A Memoir," is the featured guest on "Cincom Expert Access Radio" on September 25, 2011, from 4-5 p.m. EDT. Expert Access Radio is broadcast live on 55KRC.com - The Talk Station.)

Scientists discover virus that kills all types of breast cancer ‘within seven days’ (RAW story) 

(Scientists at the Penn State College of Medicine said this week they have discovered a virus that is capable of killing all types of breast cancer "within seven days" of first introduction in a laboratory setting. The virus, known as adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2), is naturally occurring and carried by up to 80 percent of humans, but it does not cause any disease.)

Social activity among women declining, study finds (National Post) 

(When a colleague asked working mother Colleen Kleven when the last time was that she went out on a Saturday night, she had to go back 11 months in her datebook. Years later, the 52-year-old remembers that moment as her wake-up call. “I realized: ‘I’m not just on the bottom of my priority list; I’m not even on the list anymore,’” says Kleven, a public relations specialist from Sudbury, Ont.)

New study finds family dinner helps prevent kids from using drugs and alcohol (WXYZ) 

(Getting your teen to stay away from drugs maybe as simple as sitting down for a family dinner.
Researchers from Columbia University found teenagers who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week), compared to those who sit down to family dinners frequently (five to seven per week), were four times more likely to use tobacco.)

Facebook Reveals Who Doesn't Want to Be Your Friend Anymore (Fox News) 

(Want to find out who defriended you on Facebook? Yep. There’s an app for that.
Facebook made headlines and heads turn this week with yet another design overhaul. The biggest change this go-around is the introduction of the Timeline, which shows any and all activity of a user in chronological order. That exposes an unusual bit of information: Users will be able to see who has removed them from their friend list, according to technology blog Buzz Feed.)

Talking computer will change the world; promises not to kill you (Tech Republic) 

(Takeaway: IBM’s Watson computer has made a major breakthrough in human speech and is about to use it to help solve real world problems. For as long as there has been science fiction to dream up the possibility of computers and robots that could one day rival or even surpass human beings in brain power, there have been people who have worried that these machines will eventually usurp control of the planet from humans and subjugate them.)

Childhood being eroded by modern life, experts warn (Telegraph) 

(Childhood is being eroded by a “relentless diet” of advertising, addictive computer games, test-driven education and poor childcare, a powerful lobby of more than 200 experts warns today. In a letter to The Daily Telegraph, the group of academics, teachers, authors and charity leaders says children’s wellbeing and mental health is being undermined by the pressures of modern life. They urge the Government to address a culture of “too much, too soon” in Britain.)

Swedish Daycare Tests GPS Tracking Devices for Kids (Inhabitots) 

(A parent’s worst fear is having their children go missing. A daycare in Sweden is conducting an experiment to alleviate this fear- by placing GPS tracking devices on kids while they are outside of the confines of the nursery walls. The transmitters will report to a synced mobile phone, alarming teachers if a child moves out of a certain distance.)

Don't text and drive, Textercise (Inhabitots) 

(If you can exercise while playing video games, such as with the Nintendo Wii, why can't you exercise while text messaging? After all, nowadays, it seems that text messaging is the only exercise teens and young adults get anyway. That's the idea behind Textercise, an exercise program that combines text messaging with aerobics. The program has a Facebook page, but we can't seem to find an official page for it.)

New website lets strangers cheer you up (Examiner) 

(A new site is offering you the opportunity to cheer up strangers. Emotional Bag Check gives you two options: "check it" or "carry it." Either unload a problem, or help others with theirs. Having a rough day? Share a problem, provide an email address and wait for someone to contact you with a song relevant to your situation. Want to help someone? You'll learn people's problems and pick songs to cheer them up. Feel free to add a note of support.)

All Homer, All the Time? Fox May Be Considering 'Simpsons' Channel (Time) 

(It sounds like it could be one of Homer's hilarious and destined-to-fail schemes. Or it's apropos of Monty Burns, looking to profit in any possible way.Whatever your thought process, it's an attention-grabbing scheme, and one sure to capitalize on the huge audience for Fox's 22-season (and still counting) saga from Springfield.)

F.B.I. Busts LulzSec, Anonymous Suspects Across U.S. (Time) 

(It looks like the Federal Bureau of Investigation's been especially busy over the past 48 hours, because they're suddenly snatching up alleged members of hack collectives LulzSec and Anonymous across the United States. According to FoxNews.com, the F.B.I. arrested two members allegedly affiliated with LulzSec and Anonymous yesterday morning—one in San Francisco, one in Phoenix—while a third suspect was charged in Ohio.)

Explosions strike Iraq holy city, 10 dead (USA Today) 

(Back-to-back bomb blasts ripped through one of the holiest cities in Shiite Islam Sunday, killing at least 10 people in a community still reeling from a deadly bus hijacking earlier this month that left Iraq's Shiites again feeling hunted. Four explosions struck the city of Karbala over a five-minute period, government officials said, sending thick black smoke over the city. Two of the bombs targeted an Interior Ministry office that issues ID cards. Another struck near a house, shredding its walls and ceiling. And one of the explosions went off half a mile from an important gold-domed shrine.)

Exclusive: Why R.E.M. Are Calling It Quits (Rolling Stone) 

("There is a great deal of sadness, but it's really celebratory," R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills says, describing his conflicting emotions the day after he, guitarist Peter Buck and singer Michael Stipe announced they were disbanding after 31 years together. "There is sadness because I will never play on the same stage as Peter and Michael again." Yet, Mills insists, "We're doing this for good reasons, and we end up looking back at all the fun, the joy and the incredible opportunities we had.")

For lost iPhone, SFPD wants bar's surveillance video (CNET) 

(San Francisco Police have asked the owners of the bar where an Apple employee lost an unreleased iPhone for permission to review the bar's surveillance footage, CNET has learned. The request is likely part of an internal police probe into how officers assisted Apple in searching for the missing handset, a police spokesman said.)

Stadium-Size Angry Birds Game Controlled by Crowd Noise (USA Today) 

(Given their meteoric success on mobile devices so far, it's no surprise that Rovio's Angry Birds franchise is headed for bigger things. But it's possible that no one really expected those bigger things to mean a giant version of the game played by crowds at a Formula One racetrack this weekend. The big-screen version of the game, which will debut at the Formula One racetrack in Singapore, is a co-creation of Rovio, Finnish start-up Uplause Ltd., and Singapore Telecommunications, and will rely on the volume of the audience to decide just how far back the catapult is pulled before the birds launch their larger-than-life attacks on those greedy green pigs.)

Netflix-DreamWorks deal is more spin than win (CNET) 

(Is Netflix desperate to generate positive news? Sure seems that way. Someone gave The New York Times a heads up on a licensing deal that Netflix signed with DreamWorks Animation, the home of such films as "Shrek" and "How to Train Your Dragon," and the paper wrote a breathless story about the agreement.)

(Whoooah, MewesNews.com jumps off the internet and into sticker form outside of the New Beverly. Assuming LA has lax graffiti laws and I don't get any angry emails from Quentin Tarantino, thanks @motogpman2006)