Bus Stops - November 10

Dozen complaints silence singing bus driver (Canoe) 

(The singing bus driver may have been silenced, but that doesn't mean his union can't sing his praises. Yves Roy, an 11-year veteran of OC Transpo, has sung his way through thousands of kilometres of Ottawa roads, often addressing his passengers as ladies and gentlemen.)

50 sent to hospitals after glass shatters on Warren Township school bus (Indy Star) 

(A Warren Township school bus accident sent 49 students to the hospital this morning but none of them had serious injuries. School district spokesman Dennis Jarrettt said a few students suffered cuts and scrapes but most were sent to Methodist Hospital as a precaution. The bus was taking students to Brookview Elementary at 8:30 a.m. when the passenger side mirror struck a utility pole on 25th Street near Mitthoefer Road, Jarrett said.)

'Miracle on Rockaway Parkway': School bus crashes into daycare centre and bursts into flames...but no one is hurt (Daily Mail) 

(Four children had a ‘miracle’ escape when a school bus crashed into their daycare centre and burst into flames. The seven-ton bus, which had minutes before dropped off dozens of children, careered through a steel gate and a brick wall and flattened the entire building. But the children who were inside were in the back - meaning the bus did not hit them.)

'Baytown dad's alleged reaction to bullying triggers criminal charge (CHRON) 

(A Baytown father who told authorities he was tired of his son being picked on has been charged with encouraging the boy to fight a fellow student at a school bus stop. Jorge A. Paredes, 30, was charged Monday with injury to a child after he allegedly urged his son to fight with a 13-year-old boy. Paredes was charged as a party to the offense, according to Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney's office. Paredes' juvenile son was charged with the same offense, Hawkins said.)

Eddie Murphy drops out as Oscars host (CNN) 

(Eddie Murphy announced Wednesday he would not host next year's Academy Awards, one day after colleague and show producer Brett Ratner quit over an anti-gay remark he made over the weekend. "I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well," said Tom Sherak, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The 84th Academy Awards program is scheduled for February 26.)

Michael Jackson's Death Bed for Sale (E Online) 

(Talk about timing. On the same day that Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson, an announcement was made that several items from the L.A. home where the late King of Pop became fatally ill will be auctioned off. So what are some of the things up for bid?)

Ashton Kutcher Apologizes for Slamming Penn State Officials for Joe Paterno Firing (FOX) 

("Two and a Half Men" star Ashton Kutcher slammed Penn State officials on Twitter for firing Joe Paterno -- before issuing an emphatic apology after he discovered why the longtime coach was dismissed. Kutcher, 33, sparked a frenzy among his more than eight million followers late Wednesday after he tweeted, "How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste.")

Maui bull freed after giant tire stuck on his head (AP) 

(A rodeo bull in Hawaii appears comfortable again after spending about 20 hours with his head stuck in a giant tire. The 800-pound bull, named Skywalker, couldn't eat or drink after he got his head lodged in the truck tire that someone dumped at the Triple L Ranch in Maui, ranch owner Paige De Ponte said. "He was uncomfortable and it took all day to get him out," she said Wednesday.)

Pippi Longstocking books deemed racist (The Local) 

(A German theologian has sparked controversy by calling Sweden's beloved Pippi Longstocking children's books racist and demanding additions to prompt parents to skip over or explain certain passages. Dr. Eske Wollrad from the the Federal Association of Evangelical Women in Germany first made her comments as a speaker at a state conference on anti-discrimination in Leipzig last weekend, stirring debate in the German media.)

Florida Prisoner Suing Over ‘Cruel And Unusual’ Soy-Based Meals (CBS) 

(A Florida inmate is suing the state’s prison system for pulling the pork from his meals. Eric Harris, a 32-year-old convicted pedophile who is serving a life sentence, suggests Lake Correctional Institution’s policy of serving a vegan diet is seriously affecting the quality of his life sentence.)

Post-Halloween candy battle brewing in Ontario community (Metro News) 

(A battle is brewing in an Oshawa, Ont., neighbourhood over candy — or the lack of it on Halloween night. A man who lives in the city east of Toronto says a letter left in his mailbox the day after Halloween took him to task for failing to shell out. Tom Ibbitson, 26, who wasn't home on Halloween night, says the letter signed by "Children of the Hood" left him feeling "pretty upset and angry.")

iSpud! Conman tricks iPad buyer with bag of potatoes (Yorksire Evening Post) 

(A CONMAN tricked a victim into buying an i-pad which turned out to be a bag of potatoes. Police in Batley are now asking people to contact them if they are approached by anyone selling electrical goods on the streets. The i-pad/potato sale happened on October 24 when a 31-year old man was tricked out of £200 when he paid for an i-pad that turned out to be a bag of potatoes.)

Cash strapped county tries to fire Santa (We interrupt) 

(When times get tough jobs get cut even if you’re Santa. Yes, Santa Claus has been let go of his holiday duties in Suffolk County, New York. Not the real Santa Claus but 83-year old David McKell who has spent the last 10-years playing the part. The World War 2 veteran was told Suffolk County couldn’t afford the $660 it costs to have him greet children on Long Island.)

'Gay' Penguins to Be Separated at Toronto Zoo (Yahoo) 

(The amorous connection between two inseparable male penguins will soon come to an end when the Toronto Zoo pairs them with females. “The males will be put in with a specific female so they have the chance to get to know one another, and if they bond, that’s what we’re looking for,” Bill Rapley, the zoo’s executive director of conservation and wildlife, told ABCNews.com. Buddy, 21, and Pedro, 10, lived in a zoo in Toledo, Ohio, before traveling to Canada to become part of the Toronto Zoo’s first African penguin exhibit in 18 years.)

Is this America's worst teacher? Middle school reading instructor, 41, 'had sex with ELEVEN teenage boys in three month period' (Daily Mail) 

(A 41-year-old teacher has been accused of having sex with 11 of her students. Prosecutors believe Cindy Clifton has been charged with more offences against under age children than any other teacher in America in the last decade. She is facing a total of 53 charges that could see her jailed for more than 60 years.)

Teachers Fired for Reporting Abuse, Lawsuit Claims (ABC) 

(Two teachers, including a former teacher of the year, are suing the Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, claiming they were fired for reporting suspected sex abuse involving the principal and a seventh grade girl. Chanell Morello and Lynn Hoffman immediately contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Miami Archdiocese after the student made Morello aware of an incident allegedly involving St. Anthony Catholic School principal Norma Kramer.)

The Dark Knight Rises Batman Fights Bane Set Video (Movie Web) 

(The Dark Knight Rises continues production in New York City, working towards a July 20, 2012 release date. We have a slew of new videos and photos from the set, which feature Christian Bale's Batman fighting Tom Hardy's Bane, a new look at Anne Hathaway in her Catwoman costume, and even more glimpses into the massive riot scenes being shot on Wall Street. Click on the videos and photos below to go deeper inside The Dark Knight Rises production.)

Batman:AC Sequel Hints: What Do They All Mean? (Comic Book Movie) 

(Okay, I got Batman:AC a few weeks ago, at 65%! Sadly, my Xbox 360 broke Saturday, so it'll be a month before it gets repaired. Now, I looked at some hints to a sequel, found some myself. So, I'm going to tell you what I think some of them mean.)

Batman Defends the Playground from Pedophiles In 'To Troll a Predator' (Comics Alliance) 

(Okay, let's say that you're a guy who owns a Batman costume. You spent a lot of money on it and it looks pretty awesome, but now that Halloween is over, you don't have a whole lot of reasons to wear it. Some people might choose to put away their Batman costume and retire from crime-fighting (at least until next October), but for you, the call of justice is to difficult to ignore.)

(BUS DRIVER NOTE: This deserves a re-post)



Methamphetamine tied to schizophrenia: What explains link? (CBS) 

(Can crystal meth cause madness? Maybe so. Heavy use of methamphetamine is associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia, Canadian researchers say. The researchers uncovered the link by examining the medical records of patients admitted to California hospitals between 1990 and 2000 for drug abuse or dependency.)

Russian Mars Moon Probe Suffers Big Failure After Launch (Yahoo) 

(A robotic Russian spacecraft that launched on a mission to the Mars moon Phobos Tuesday (Nov. 8) is apparently stuck in Earth orbit, but hope for the probe is not lost yet, according to news reports. The Phobos-Grunt spacecraft launched at 3:16 p.m. EST (2016 GMT) Tuesday and was supposed to be on its way to Phobos by now. The probe separated from its Zenit rocket properly, but its own thrusters then failed to fire in order to send the spacecraft streaking toward Mars, Russian officials said.)

College Grads Say Salary Is Less Important than Facebook Freedom at Work (Hot Hardware) 

(One in three college grads said that access to social media sites like Facebook and the ability to choose their own devices was more important to them than salary when considering a job offer. This according to a study of 2,800 college students and young professionals worldwide conducted by Cisco. More than 40% went so far as to say that they would accept less money for a job that was down with social media at work on a device of their choosing if it also included telework.)

Man threatened to blow up store over sold out Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 video game (9News) 

(Police say a man threatened to perform his own modern warfare after he learned Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was sold out at a local Best Buy. Aurora Police Det. Bob Friel says 31-year-old Lomorin Sar was arrested early Tuesday morning after he threatened the employees at the Best Buy in the 3500 block of North Salida Court.)

Supersized model describes horror after discovering her 'scary' image was used to promote dating site for men who want to cheat (Daily Mail) 

(The supersized model whose picture was unwittingly used in an advertisement for an extra-marital affairs website has spoken out about the apparent 'exploitation' of her body. Known only by the name Jacqueline, the obese model has slammed Ashley Madison and the advertising industry for 'body shaming' and promoting infidelity. Writing on Jezebel.com, the U.S. size 32 model said the photo that was used in the ad was taken years ago and then unknowingly sold to picture agencies.)

Doctor turned serial killer in World War II Paris (Yahoo) 

(Nazi-occupied Paris was a terrible place to be in the waning days of World War II, with Jews, Resistance fighters and ordinary citizens all hoping to escape. Disappearances became so common they often weren't followed up. And one man used the lawlessness for his own terrible purposes, killing perhaps as many as 150 people.)