Bus Stops - September 15

Bus Drivers' Union Wants More Protections Following Two Bronx Assaults ‎(New York 1) 

(The union for city bus drivers is demanding better protection in the wake of the second assault on a driver on the same Bronx route in less than three months. NY1's Transit reporter Tina Redwine filed the following report. Bus driver Maria Hogan, seen above right, said Wednesday she does not know how she will go back to driving after being attacked this weekend by a passenger on the Bx9 route.)

Argentines Play Blame Game for Fatal Bus-Train Collision ‎(Latino Fox News) 

(The finger-pointing among Argentines has begun in the wake of the deadly car and train accident that killed 11 and badly hurt 200 others on Tuesday. A brief clip from a police security video that was initially released after Tuesday's crash shows the bus driver clearly ignoring flashing lights and a ringing bell as he maneuvers around a partially lowered wooden barrier that automatically drops when trains are nearby. But a longer view of the same police video shows a series of problems preceded the tragedy.)

Bus company asks Mormons to leave passengers alone ‎(Guardian UK) 

(A bus company is asking the Mormon church to stop its missionaries trying to convert passengers using its services. Stagecoach is taking action following complaints from passengers and drivers in Lancaster. Rick Seymour was travelling on the 2A bus service from Lancaster to Morecambe last Tuesday afternoon, and heard a conversation between three young men.)

China minibus carrying 66 school children stopped by police ‎(Telegraph) 

(Police in China's Hebei Province were shocked to find dozens of school children packed into a bus that was only licenced to carry eight people. The bus had been modified to pack in as many children as possible, with four benches replacing the seats. The children and their teachers were forced to abandon their journey as 12 police vans were dispatched to take the pupils home safely.)

Nude photos uproar: FBI hunts Scarlett Johansson 'hacker' (SMH) 

(Leaked photos of naked film beauty Scarlett Johansson have sparked an FBI probe into allegations high-profile Hollywood celebrities have fallen victim to tabloid-style phone hackings. The Johansson photos, apparently taken by the actress, were published on US gossip websites today after they appeared on the internet. There were also reports of a hacked picture of Justin Timberlake, taken by actress Mila Kunis.)

Man bites off chunk of foe's eyebrow during fight (MSNBC) 

(A 29-year-old man is behind bars on suspicion of biting off a chunk of a man's eyebrow, chewing it up and spitting it out, police said Wednesday. Buena Park police Cpl. Andy Luong said officers went to Kaiser Permanente in Anaheim about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday regarding an assault investigation. Officers found a 41-year-old Placentia man who was being treated for a bite — described as being the size of an egg — over his right eyebrow.)

Amish men jailed for not displaying buggy safety signs (Reuters) 

(Eight members of a traditional Amish sect were behind bars on Tuesday after refusing to pay fines for failure to display orange-red safety triangles on their horse-drawn buggies. The eight were being held in the Graves County Jail, serving sentences ranging between three and 10 days for failing to pay the fines on religious grounds.)

Japan's corpse hotel (National Post) 

(Across from a noodle shop in a Yokohama suburb, Hisayoshi Teramura's inn looks much like any other small lodging that dots the port city. Occasionally, it's even mistaken for a love hotel by couples hankering for some time beneath the sheets. But Mr. Teramura's place is neither a love nest nor a pit stop for tired travellers. The white-and-grey tiled building is a corpse hotel, its 18 deceased guests tucked up in refrigerated coffins.)

LaGrange man blown up trying to burn ex-girlfriend's body (AjC) 

(An explosive south Fulton County fire was apparently started last month by a man trying to burn his ex-girlfriend’s body, officials told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.)

"ILVTOFU" plate request misinterpreted by TN (The Tennessean) 

(A Murfreesboro woman wanted her new Tennessee license plates to make a statement about her vegetarian beliefs. The state of Tennessee read something else into her request. According to a press release now circulating from the People for the Ethical Treament of Animals, Whitney Calk’s request for a personalized license plate has been rejected by the Tennessee Department of Revenue, Taxpayer and Vehicle Services on the grounds of “vulgarity.”)

Some Residents Up In Arms After Ruidoso Mayor Bans Guns (KVIA) 

(Before entering a village building, Ruidoso Mayor Ray Alborn says citizens must leave their guns at the door. Signs are posted throughout Ruidoso, stating the mayor's executive order prohibiting anyone from entering a village building with a firearm. But residents are firing back, arguing the move is unconstitutional.)

Women accused of Arby's art theft (Johnson City Press) 

(You may expect to hear about art theft from the Louvre or the Guggenheim or the Museum of Modern Art, but Arby’s? Two women from Erwin were charged Tuesday with stealing $1,200 worth of art work from a Johnson City Arby’s restaurant.)

University of Iowa warns art lovers about penis exhibit at gallery (Desmoines Register) 

(The University of Iowa is posting warning signs at an art gallery to alert the public about a controversial exhibit. A collection of decorated plaster castings of a late pornography star’s penis is on display in the U of I’s Studio Arts Building. The exhibit is the work of master of fine arts student Emily Moran Barwick, 27.)

Miniskirt ban at San Jose school also applies to cheerleader uniforms (Mercury News) 

(Here's a chant guaranteed to dampen the next pep rally: The new miniskirts for San Jose's Piedmont Hills High cheerleading squad are too R-I-S-Q-U-E! Intent on cracking down on miniskirts, the high school's principal has decided the cheer squad's new uniforms also have no place in school. Instead, said Principal Traci Williams, the cheerleaders must cover up with sweats to wear their uniforms during school.)

Drunken man tried to pull his tooth with pliers, cops say (Sun Sentinel) 

(Francisco Rojas' wife told 911 dispatchers her 49-year-old husband was "drunk and in the garage trying to pull his tooth out with a pair of pliers," reports Will Greenlee in his Off the Beat blog for TCPalm.com in Stuart. Nothing like liquid courage before attempting self-surgery.)

Woman Calls in Bomb Threat So Relatives Won't Fly Before 9/11: Feds (NBC New York) 

(Federal prosecutors have charged a Long Island woman for calling in a fake bomb threat to a Southwest Airlines flight because she didn't want her mother and brother to fly close to the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The criminal complaint says airport police in Tucson, Ariz. received an anonymous call from a woman on Sept. 10 saying she overheard her boyfriend and others discussing a plot to bomb Southwest Airlines Flight 2475 that day.)

Missing 5 Years, Colo. Cat Is Found on NYC Street (Fox New York) 

(Animal care officials say a calico cat named Willow who wandered off from a Colorado home five years ago has been found on a Manhattan street. How she traveled more than 1,600 miles is a mystery.)

Flaming Lips' Six-Hour Song Sounds Like 'Velvet Underground Meets Super Mario Brothers' (Rolling Stone) 

(Psychedelic rockers the Flaming Lips have spent the better part of two decades embracing high concept gimmicks – car stereo symphonies! Four-CD sets designed to be played on four stereos simultaneously! – but their latest project, a six-hour composition intended to accompany a strobe light toy, may be their wildest project yet.)

Kevin Smith Celebrated on DVD, BD (IGN) 

(It's Kevin Smith overload with the announcements of various Shout! Factory releases celebrating the funnyman behind the camera. Known for his films such as Clerks and Chasing Amy – as well as occasionally getting kicked off of Southwest Airlines flights for being portly – the man has defined an era of comedy on film. Poking fun at the hubbub that was the result of the airline scandal, Too Fat for 40, a comedy special filmed at the Count Basie Theatre in Smith's hometown of Red Bank, New Jersey, will be headed to DVD and Blu-ray on October 18, 2011.)

Red State Review (List UK) 

(Outspoken filmmaker Kevin Smith hit a creative and commercial low with his last studio-backed production, the Bruce Willis-starring flop Cop Out, but before that film was even released Smith had shifted focus to this long-gestating personal project. Red State defies categorisation, but could, for some of its lean running time, be described as a political horror movie. Having independently raised funds, Smith shot the film entirely on digital cameras to allow for the quickest possible turnaround. The result is an uneven and often unpleasant film that leaves a bitter aftertaste, but despite its flaws suggests Smith has rediscovered his creative mojo, and is not beyond challenging himself yet.)

Jay and not-so-Silent Bob in town Dec. 11 (Winnipeg Free Press) 

(It looks like Silent Bob is finally going to do some talking — Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes are bringing their Jay and Silent Bob Get Old tour to Western Canada this winter, with a planned stop in Winnipeg at the Burton Cummings Theatre on Dec. 11. Tickets are set to go on sale Friday, according to the tour’s Facebook listing, but ticket prices weren’t immediately announced Wednesday.)

Red State: the most interesting indie film of the year so far? (Den of Geek) 

(“Take twelve actors to a house and chop ‘em up.” It’s a filmmaking adage that screenwriting instructor Robert McKee once used to describe Quentin Tarantino’s low-budget debut Reservoir Dogs, and it’s a template that writers and directors have repeatedly used before and since, from George Romero’s Night Of The Living Dead to Eli Roth’s Cabin Fever.)

Nestor Carbonell Talks ‘Dark Knight Rises’; New Bane Rumors Surface (Screen Rant) 

(News on The Dark Knight Rises has slowed down considerably since the flood of set photos and videos dried up after the production left the streets of Pittsburgh – but today we have some new updates to share about Chris Nolan’s end to the Batman trilogy.)

Coheed And Cambria Premiere ‘Batman: Arkham City’ Song ‘Deranged’ (Banana 1015) 

(One of the many talented contributors to the soundtrack for the new Batman video game are Coheed And Cambria. Despite a rough year, the band doesn’t seem to have lost any steam on the new track ‘Deranged’ — check it out here. Coheed and Cambria have gotten a lot of attention this year, unfortunately all for the wrong reasons. Perhaps the most press the band has ever received came when bassist Michael Todd was arrested for armed robbery prior to their opening gig for Soundgarden in Boston. The band swiftly replaced Todd, and while remaining sympathetic of his plight, have wasted no time in moving forward as a band.)

Comic Review: Batman & Robin #1 (What Culture) 

(First point on the agenda: If you like Batman You-Must-Buy-This-Book. The second point is why. Since his debut in 2006, Batmans biological son – Damian has been in my opinion, one of the biggest breakthrough characters in mainstream comics of the past decade. Any issue he has appeared in (especially after he officially took up the mantle of Robin) is a joy to read, the concept and execution of his character under the recent handful of different writers has always hit the nail on the head. He is a breathe of fresh air for old Batman fans & new readers alike. Under the hands of writer Peter J. Tomasi, I sense this trend will continue for a very long time.)

Batman battles burglars in Lowestoft (Crime Stoppers) 

(The caped crusader is part of a campaign by independent charity Crimestoppers to get Lowestoft people to tell what they know about burglary and who’s handling stolen goods in their communities. And, like Batman, callers won’t be identified. It’s what you know, not who you are, is the message from the masked hero. More than 20,000 homes in Lowestoft are being sent postcards over the next few months as part of the Suffolk Crimestoppers campaign to help cut burglaries in the town.)

Batman Still Batilicious (Seatle PI) 

(Batman has had many incarnations including Michael Keaton, George Clooney and Christian Bale, but for TV fans from the swingin’ sixties, Adam West is still the best! For two sensational seasons from 1966 to 1968, Adam West spread his wings as Batman, with sidekick Burt Ward as Robin. The campy crime-fighting duo defended Gotham City with BAM! & POW! panache.)

Double Standard (Strathmore Standard) 

(Who is the better superhero? Batman wins hands down. Really, there is only one word that needs to be said when attempting to win this argument, batmobile. Check mate.First, Batman is brilliant and considered by many to be the greatest detective in the world. With his mind, and supercomputer in the Batcave, he has been able to solve many pending issues for Gotham City, from seemingly random attacks by the Joker to the toughest riddles of The Riddler.)

Fear Of Antidepressants Leads People To Shun Treatment (NPR) 

(Antidepressants are the second-most-prescribed drug in the U.S., making them seem about as common as Pez candy. Yet many people won't tell their primary care doctor that they're suffering symptoms of depression because they're afraid they'll be prescribed antidepressants, according to some new research. And the people who are suffering the most are the ones least likely ask for help.)

New social network matches people based on gut bacteria (Mother Nature Network) 

(Finding love on the Internet can be an arduous process. Though many Internet dating sites claim to have their own unique algorithms for aiding you in the search, the truth is that choosing a mate among thousands of online profiles often comes down to little more than a gut feeling. Now there's a new social network that has succumbed to that concept completely — in the most literal way possible.)

Hitchhiking snails fly from ocean to ocean (Xenophilius) 

(Perhaps horn snails stick to the legs or feathers of passing shorebirds. Beth King – Smithsonian scientists and colleagues report that snails successfully crossed Central America, long considered an impenetrable barrier to marine organisms, twice in the past million years—both times probably by flying across Mexico, stuck to the legs or riding on the bellies of shorebirds and introducing new genes that contribute to the marine biodiversity on each coast.)

Are yours crusty or wet? The truth behind eye boogers (MSNBC) 

(Some of the evidence of a night's sleep are visible when you lift your head off the pillow -- bed head, morning breath, dried-up drool, and eye boogers.
And while the cause of most of these sleep remnants is fairly obvious, the reason behind those sometimes-sticky, sometimes-crusty gobs of crud that can dot the lashes or cling to the corners of the eye is less clear. Why do our peepers churn out this gunk at night and what's in the stuff? For answers to these important questions, Body Odd turned to an eye expert.)

Can Windows 8 save the PC from extinction? (CNN) 

(There's no question that Microsoft got the message: Mobile devices and tablets are the future of computing. Here's the next quandary: Is Windows 8 enough to salvage the PC, or is it too late? Love it or hate it, Microsoft made a bold bet with its radically redesigned, re-engineered Windows 8. It rejected Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) chairman Steve Jobs' declaration in March that the post-PC era has begun.)

Facebook unveils a Twitter-like subscribe feature (CNET) 

(Just a day after announcing sweeping changes to friends lists, Facebook has announced another new feature, called the subscribe button. Facebook users will soon see a new "Subscribe" option on some other people's profiles. When clicking the button on a friend's profile, users will have the option of subscribing to all, most, or only important updates the other person posts to the site. Those updates will show up in the user's news feed.)

YouTube adds a built-in video editor (CNET) 

(In an effort to make it easier for YouTube users to make changes to their videos after uploading them, YouTube is rolling out a brand new video editor. No, this isn't the standalone video editor meant for splicing together clips from multiple videos that's been available in the service's TestTube labs since last year.)

36 Light-Years Away, the Most Earthlike World Yet? (Time) 

(From the very start of the modern planet-hunting era a decade and a half ago, the pioneers in this astronomical subspecialty were up front about saying it wasn't about astronomy; it was about biology. Their colleagues might be happy probing to the edge of the cosmos looking for exotic things like black holes and quasars and dark matter. But the planet hunters were ultimately looking for life on distant worlds.)

Remote Controls Aren't Toys: Lithium Batteries Prove Deadly to Kids (Time) 

(For something so small, the quarter-sized remote control battery that 1-year-old Emmett Rauch swallowed a year ago has caused big problems. Emmett has spent 19 weeks in a hospital ICU. He's had 14 surgeries and been subjected to general anesthesia 21 times. On Tuesday, he was in the hospital again due to battery-related lung complications, but his mother, Karla Rauch, took a moment to speak about what he's endured because she'd like to spare other families the same sort of suffering. “Our goal is to help save lives,” says Rauch, who lives in Phoenix.)

Seizures May Have Led to Casey Anthony's Lies (Time) 

(Cindy and George Anthony sat down for their first interview since their estranged daughter's dramatic acquittal of murder – and suggested that medical problems may have contributed to her erratic behavior during the disappearance of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony. In the opening half of a widely publicized two-part interview with Dr. Phil, which aired on CBS Tuesday night, Cindy Anthony said a history of seizures and other conditions could have led to the lies Casey Anthony told at the time.)

6 die in China ax attack (CNN) 

(A man hacked six people to death with an ax in central China Wednesday, authorities said. The attack took place in Gongyi city in Henan province when a 30-year-old man, Wang Hongbin, allegedly began hacking people on the street, according to the International Information Office. Police have Wang in custody.)

'Gumby' surrenders after bungled robbery attempt (New York Post) 

(A man who attempted to rob a San Diego 7-Eleven store dressed in a full-body Gumby costume handed himself in Tuesday, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Jacob Kiss, 19, who dressed as the famous claymation character during the stunt, surrendered voluntarily Tuesday with alleged 19-year-old accomplice Jason Giramma.)

Accomplice In 'Gumby' Robbery Attempt Speaks Out (10 News) 

(The accomplice of the man accused of trying to rob a local 7-Eleven dressed as "Gumby" told a radio program on Wednesday something different from what he told police. 10News has learned the two men gave their statements to police on Tuesday and admitted that they had a weapon when they entered the 7-Eleven in Rancho Penasquitos.)

Phone hacking: 7/7 disaster victim's mother to sue NoW publisher (Guardian) 

(The mother of a victim of the 2005 London terrorist attacks is suing Rupert Murdoch's media empire after she was told by police that her son's mobile phone is likely to have been targeted by a private investigator working for the News of the World. Sheila Henry filed a high court writ this week against the paper's owner, News Group Newspapers, alleging that journalists at the tabloid, which closed in July, hacked into a mobile belonging to Christian Small, 28, on the day he was killed by a bomb blast on the London Underground.)

Amy Winehouse's 28th Birthday Marked with Song Launch (People) 

(Wednesday would have been the 28th birthday of Amy Winehouse. To mark the day, the song "Body and Soul" – which Winehouse recorded as a duet with Tony Bennett a few months before she was found found dead on July 23 – is being released, with proceeds from sale going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation established by her family, "to support charities and organisations undertaking charitable activities in both the United Kingdom and abroad who help, support, or care for young people," according to a statement.)