Monday, January 30, 2012

Bus Stops - January 30



Tony Perkins: Star Wars ‘surrenders to gay empire’(Raw Story) 

(An evangelical leader is calling on his army of followers to take action against a software company for allowing same sex relationships to be represented in a new Star Wars video game. Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council — a hate group, according the the Southern Poverty Law Center — took to the radio to denounce Bioware’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game. “In a new Star Wars game, the biggest threat to the empire may be homosexual activists!” Perkins announced during his daily radio commentary. “In a galaxy not so far far away, Star Wars gamers have already gone to the dark side. The new video game, Star Wars: The Old Republic, has added a special feature: gay relationships.”)


Body was in Clearwater storage unit since 1995, police say (TBO) 

(When a manager at a Clearwater storage business told a family they were going to have to auction off the contents of a rented unit for back rent, the family said there would be just one problem: a relative's body was in storage there. The woman's body had been stored there since 1995, the family said. The strange announcement brought a swarm of investigators from the Clearwater Police Department and the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Officer to the U-Stor Self Storage, 1217 Lakeview Road.)


N.J. camel predicts Giants will win the Super Bowl (The Telegraph) 

(People use all sorts of ways to try to predict the winner of the Super Bowl: comparing regular season records, judging who looked stronger in the post-season run-up to the big game, or watching the betting lines from Las Vegas oddsmakers. But the closest thing to a sure thing may come from a camel in New Jersey.)


New Jersey Man’s Boat Turns Up In Spain Years After Nantucket Accident (CBS) 

(It looks like the tale of this fishing trip wasn’t quite over. In August 2008, Scott Douglas, of New Jersey, and his brother-in-law were fishing off Nantucket, Mass. in dangerous high seas. They were thrown from his 26-foot pleasure boat, the Queen Bee, but survived after swimming two hours to shore.)


Three Women Vying for Ownership of $1 Million Lottery Ticket (ABC) 

(A winning $1 million lottery ticket picked out of a gas station trash can has become the subject of a three-way legal battle in Arkansas. Sharon Jones was at a Super One Stop in July 2011 in Bebee, Ark., when she went to a trash bin to pick up a handful of discarded lottery tickets, as she had done many times before, according to her attorneys. A program through the lottery commission website allows people to register non-winning tickets for points that they can use to work towards prizes.)


Hercules Family Battles Sex Assault Claim Against 6-Year-Old (WWLP) 

(An East Bay dad claims a game of tag on the playground resulted in his 6-year-old son being accused of sexual assault – a decision he said was an overreaction by school officials. The parent, who asked only to be identified as Oswin, said his son was accused of brushing his best friend’s leg or groin while the two were playing on the playground at Lupine Hills Elementary in Hercules two months ago.)


18th Century mummified kitty falls out of ceiling as house is being renovated (Daily Mail) 

(Bringing old homes up to scratch is nothing out of the ordinary for property renovators Andrew and George Hartley, But this professional couple nearly jumped out their skin when greeted by their most recent form of preservation - as a mummified cat fell on them. The couple got a face full of the ancient feline as they removed ceilings from an 18th century property in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.)


Man dismembered and cooked after sex games (BZ Daily) 

(The BZ daily reported on Wednesday that the deceased, Carsten Srock, was found with his limbs expertly carved off with either an axe or large knife. The body pieces were then wrapped fastidiously in plastic bags and cling-wrap, and left to sit in the two-room flat for around three weeks. His head was found, partially cooked, by the police. Prosecutors on the case told the BZ they believe the victim was “murdered for sexual pleasure.”)


'FEAR FACTOR' Donkey Semen Makes NBC Execs Hot (TMZ) 

("Fear Factor" producers' plans to serve fresh glasses of donkey semen to contestants on the next episode had NBC execs so concerned ... they gave serious thought to killing the stunt, TMZ has learned. Sources involved in the production tell us the stomach-churning stunt was shot last summer -- but NBC honchos were having a tough time swallowing this one as the air date approached.)


Two teens send a Lego man into near space (LA Times) 

(Two Canadian high school students have successfully launched a Lego man almost 80,000 feet above sea level--high enough to capture video of the plastic toy hovering above the curvature of the Earth. Now the results of their experiment have gone viral, racking up more than 600,000 views on YouTube in just two daysand inspiring the young engineers to make their small astronaut his own Facebook page--Lego Man in Space. The Toronto Starreports that the two teens, Matthew Ho and Asad Muhammed, were inspired to do the project about a year and a half ago when Ho saw a YouTube video of MIT students who sent a balloon to near space. Ho wanted to see if he could do it too.)



Canadian dwarf-tossing contest stirs controversy (FOX News) 

(A dwarf-tossing contest scheduled for Saturday at a Windsor, Ontario bar has generated heated controversy but local authorities say there is no law to prevent it. Barry Maroon, manager of Leopard's Lounge and Broil, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. he saw no problem with the contest and even claimed he had been getting calls from little people anxious to attend. He also said any human projectiles would wear protection and would not be in any danger.)


Amherst girl freed from vending machine (WWLP) 

(A 13 year-old girl from Amherst is doing fine after firefighters helped her get her arm out of a vending machine. Amherst Fire Chief Tim Nelson told 22News that just before 3:00 P.M. Thursday, the girl had purchased a bottle of water from a vending machine at the Amherst-Pelham Regional Middle School. The bottle failed to drop from the machine, and the girl reached her arm inside to retrieve it. Her elbow became stuck, however, and she was unable to pull her arm out.)


How much was on Wash. cafĂ©'s walls? More than $10K (Seattle PI) 

(Customers at a landmark burger joint called Fat Smitty's on Washington's Olympic Peninsula have wondered for years how much money was plastered to the eatery's walls and ceiling. The answer, it turns out, was a pretty penny. The Peninsula Daily News reports (http://is.gd/7s4YNO ) that Carl "Fat Smitty" Schmidt enlisted Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts to take down the dough this weekend, including many dollar bills decorated by patrons who stuck them on the walls.)




Kevin Smith vs Adam Carolla (Perez Hilton) 

(Well, well, welll!! What do we have here?? Looks like Adam Carolla is being shady again. At least that's how Kevin Smith seems to feel! Both men were working on a pop-culture syndie pilot with Warner Bros. until Adam fell out. And according to Kevin, the way Adam bailed was totes bullshiz!)


Kevin Smith, Adam Carolla feud over syndie pilot (Variety) 

(A pilot being kept under wraps at Warner Bros. Television's Telepictures unit as a potential companion to syndie staple "TMZ" has emerged as the source of a public feud between director Kevin Smith and comedian Adam Carolla. While the untitled project was originally to have featured both in on-air roles, it is continuing in development with only Smith. The circumstances under which Carolla fell out of the project are being disputed by both sides. Carolla took to his top-rated podcast Wednesday along with his agent, James Dixon, to dissect the dissolution of a pact they characterized as a holding deal for Carolla in the mid-six-figure range. But as they described it, the day after Carolla signed the contract, Telepictures called to say the deal was off because Smith had issues with Carolla dropping out of an appearance on Smith's own podcast, which Carolla denied doing.)


Kevin Smith is Live From Behind in Toronto (The Star) 

(“My dick’s small and Bruce Willis hates my guts. What else do you want to know?” Kevin Smith begins an interview like nobody else. But then, he does everything like nobody else, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise. The master of gross-out, self-revelatory cinema and conversation is coming to Toronto this week, when Kevin Smith: Live From Behind is broadcast live from the Scotiabank Theatre at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday.)


Sundance Smith gives a boost to indie films (Irish Times) 

(Kevin Smith hasn’t gone away just yet. You may remember that – speaking in this newspaper and elsewhere – the rotund film-maker had been threatening to hang up his megaphone. It transpires that Smith has signed a deal at the Sundance Film Festival – which runs until Sunday – to “present” a series of films by independent film-makers under the title Kevin Smith and SModcast Presents.)




Pune's Rogue bus driver sent to mental hospital (Times of India) 

(Bus driver Santosh Mane, who wreaked havoc in the city on Wednesday morning killing eight people and injuring 32 after hijacking a state transport bus from Swargate, was admitted to the regional mental hospital in Yerawada on Saturday.)


Okla. college basketball players sustain minor injuries when bus clips semi en route to game (Washington Post) 

(Several members of an Oklahoma men’s college basketball team have sustained minor injuries when their bus collided with a semi-truck east of Oklahoma City. According to a statement from St. Gregory’s University officials, the accident occurred Saturday afternoon as the bus was headed to Rogers State University in Claremore for a game.)


Utah Mother Allegedly Drags Son by His Belt for Missing School Bus (ABC) 

(A Woods Cross, Utah, woman was arrested for allegedly forcing her 9-year-old son to walk alongside her car as she pulled him along by his belt and steered him toward school after he’d missed the school bus. Police said the boy could have been hit by traffic driving in the opposite direction on the two-lane road and have turned the case over to the Davis County District Attorney’s office, which will decide whether to charge the mother with child endangerment.)




Scientists Trace 'Speed Gene' to Single Horse (Fox DC) 

(Scientists believe they have a winner when tracing back the origin of the "speed gene" in Thoroughbred racehorses. The University College Dublin traced the gene back to a British mare that lived about three centuries ago in the United Kingdom, the school stated. To find the origin of the "speed gene," C type myostatin gene variant, researchers analyzed DNA from hundreds of horses including the skeletal remains of 12 Thoroughbred stallions born between 1764 and 1930. There were also 330 elite performing modern Thoroughbreds, 40 donkeys and two zebras.)


Sperm Can Be Stored In Females' Bodies For Years, Study Shows (huffington Post) 

(SSometimes babies come along at inopportune times - after sex, the human body can only delay fertilization for 3 to 5 days. But what if each woman had her own personal sperm bank? What if she could hold on to sperm until she felt ready to get pregnant? Researchers have found many females in the natural world possess the nifty ability to store sperm within their bodies for weeks and even years. In the past decade, scientists have discovered that female birds, reptiles, insects, and even whale sharks use this uncanny reproductive method. By keeping the sperm on hold, researchers say, a female can start pregnancy at her leisure.)

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Plug for Versus The World: The World's First Online Game Show

(BUS DRIVER NOTE: I got this email from fellow SIR fan Russell Lee who has just started an online game show. In their first episode they try their best at some Kev trivia. Happy to plug them and their show and thanks for the pound of meat loaf, Russ!)


Hi mate,

My name is Russell Lee, I'm the co-creator & host of Versus The World: The World's First Online Game Show, and I have a piece of Kevin related news for the MewesNews site.

Our first episode debuted on YouTube on Jan 8 with Kevin Smith as the banner subject, but we are still trying to find our audience, to perfectly honest very few people know about us, so any plug from your site would be much apperiated.

Our game is made up of Three Rounds and 75 questions. Each Round has a different subject that branches of the banner subject; for Kevin's the subjects were: General Knowledge, Clerks, and Mallrats.

About Us: Our First Series takes place over ten weeks, with six games in our Qualifing Round (Kevin Smith, Back to the Future, WWE, Kiss, Stargate, True Blood), three Semi-Finals, and the Series Final.

Two players played the game on the 8th: Colin from Scotland, and Mike from the USA, with the winner advancing to our first Semi-Final in Week 7. We're based out of Australia, and we use Skype's group video to connect with players elsewhere on the planet.

Entry is still open for our Kiss, Stargate, and True Blood games at our website, and we'll be recording our second and third episodes this weekend.

If you wish to post the three videos from our first episode, please feel free. I didn't want presume, so I haven't included the embedded links, but the link to our YouTube channel is: www.youtube.com/versusgameshow


If you have any questions, or require any graphics for your posting, please let me know and I'll get back straght away.

All the best,
Russell Lee.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Bus Stops - January 27



15 years on nothing but chicken nuggets (The SUN UK) 

(CHICKEN nugget fan Stacey Irvine has been warned they are KILLING her — because the 17-year-old has eaten practically nothing else since the age of TWO. Horrified doctors learned of the teenager's chronic 15-year addiction after she collapsed and was rushed to hospital struggling to breathe.)


Four-year-old U.S. boy pulls out marijuana at school (Reuters) 

(A four-year-old U.S. boy who announced to his teacher at school snack time that he wanted to share pulled nine bags of marijuana out of his jacket pocket, police said on Wednesday. Police in Meriden, Connecticut were called to Hanover Elementary School Tuesday afternoon after the young special needs student displayed the drugs, authorities said.)


Woman born with no arms becomes official Olympics masseuse... giving soothing rubdowns with her FEET (Daily Mail) 

(A woman born with no arms has won a role as an official masseuse for the British Paralympics team - she will be using her feet to give the world-class athletes a rub-down. Sue Kent - who was born with short limbs after her mother took morning sickness drug, Thalidomide, when she was pregnant - has been a trained massage therapist for three years. But she has always dreamed of being part of the Paralympics.)


Damage To Dummies Prompts Ride Rethink (Sky News) 

(Thorpe Park ordered experts to redesign its £20m new rollercoaster - after dummies lost limbs during tests. A life-sized church housing The Swarm ride was remodelled following dry runs that saw legs smashed off at least two dummies. The theme park issued a statement revealing other dummies were scratched during the tests, prompting "drastic measures" ahead of the ride's launch on March 15.)


Chinese Cat-Boy Can See Perfectly in the Dark (Oddity Central) 

(If you ever doubted real X-Men were among us, check out the neat super-power of Nong Youhui, a young Chinese boy who can see in total darkness. Riddick, the cool antihero played by Vin Diesel in Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi movie characters, but I never dreamed of someday reading about somebody who could actually see in the dark. The first news about a little Chinese child with cat-like eyes who could see in the dark as well as normal people see in clear daylight, first broke out in 2009. Doctors who examined little Nong Youhui said he was born with a rare condition known as luekodermia, which leaves his eyes exposed to sunlight damage, but also allow him to see clearly in the dark.)


Damage To Dummies Prompts Ride Rethink (Sky News) 

(Thorpe Park ordered experts to redesign its £20m new rollercoaster - after dummies lost limbs during tests. A life-sized church housing The Swarm ride was remodelled following dry runs that saw legs smashed off at least two dummies. The theme park issued a statement revealing other dummies were scratched during the tests, prompting "drastic measures" ahead of the ride's launch on March 15.)


'My body is a temple, and my temple needs redecorating': Joan Rivers undergoes ANOTHER cosmetic surgery operation on reality TV show (Daily Mail) 

(She is not shy about speaking about her surgery and now Joan Rivers has shown fans what happens when she goes under the knife. In the first episode of the second series of her reality TV show Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best which aired in the US last, night the Fashion Police host underwent surgery to ‘tune-up’ on her neck. Joan,78, underwent the surgery despite concerns raised by her daughter and her family.)


Strip club launches 'Alibi' aftershave to recreate scent of the office (Metro UK) 

(A range of perfumes and colognes launched by a strip club aims to recreate the scents of commonly-used excuses given by men who are trying to explain to their other halves where they have been all evening.)


Tampa Bay Lightning mascot ThunderBug performer fired (Tampa Bay News) 

(In a case of viral video and cloak-and-dagger intrigue, ThunderBug has been fired. The final offense? Inappropriate use of Silly String. The Tampa Bay Lightning mascot sprayed a Boston Bruins fan at a Jan. 17 hockey game. The fan took offense and pushed ThunderBug down. Thousands saw it on YouTube. The team did not condone ThunderBug's actions.)


Sex, bomb, electrocution by cat all part of Granite City man's extortion plot, feds say (BnD) 

(A convict with a conscience helped the feds unravel a murder-for-hire plot that involved a carjacking and electrocution by cat, according to federal court records. It also included the suspect's ex-stripper wife being used as bait. Brett L. Nash, 45, of 43 Shirlwin Drive in Granite City, was arraigned in federal court Tuesday on charges of interference of commerce by threats of violence. Charges unsealed Wednesday state he recruited an unidentified friend to "help in robbing an old man" who Nash intended to lure with his wife, carjack, hold hostage while the victim wrote checks and then murder.)


Man with two hearts survives double-sized attack (MSNBC) 

(At first there didn’t seem to be anything unusual about the man who, in 2010, reported to a Verona, Italy emergency room. He was short of breath, sweating, and had low blood pressure – cardiovascular trouble, no doubt. E.R. doctors see similar symptoms all the time.But this man was very different indeed. He had two hearts.)




Kevin Smith discusses his new AMC reality series 'Comic Book Men' (LA Times) 

(“Never in a million years did I imagine I’d have my friends on TV.” So said an animated Kevin Smith, draped in his signature blue and orange hockey jersey. The indie filmmaker has long featured characters inspired by his pals in movies such “Clerks” and “Mallrats.” Now he is getting the real versions on camera for his new AMC reality series, “Comic Book Men.” “They didn’t even want to be on TV,” Smith said. “They’re all worried about being the next Snooki or that they’ll be asked to appear on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ down the line.”)


Jason Mewes on podcasts and Kevin Smith and more in Friday's EXPOSED (LeHigh Valley Live) 

(Most fans know actor Jason Mewes as the foul-mouthed, fast-talking, woman-chasing half of stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob. Now approaching 40, Mewes says he's older and wiser than his teenage and 20-something on-screen counterpart. "Back then I could get away with more, when I was younger," Mewes said in a recent phone interview with The Express-Times. "Now I sort of have to adapt to feeling people out and I've got to realize I'm older and I can't be doing the things I was doing when I was young.")


Jersey boys open up on screen (Bakersfield.com) 

(Jay and Silent Bob are coming to Bakersfield. Movie director Kevin Smith and actor Jason Mewes, who portray the lovable Gen X misfits, will be appearing on the big screen for a special one night in-theater event, "Behind Kevin Smith," at Edwards Bakersfield 14 on Feb. 2. But before you go "Wolvie berserk style," be sure to read the following carefully to avoid getting your "snoochie boochies" in a bunch.)


Aging Clerks duo takes their weekly podcast live by Victoria Handysides (Canada East) 

(Forget the days of slangin' dimebags in front of the Quick Stop-Jay and Silent Bob are gettin' old. It might be hard for Clerks-era movie buffs to swallow, but it's been a whopping 18 years since the duo made their first on-screen appearance in Smith's cult classic film about retail slackerdom.)


Kevin Smith Launches Indie Shingle Smodcast Pictures (Comicbook Sources) 

(A year ago, Kevin Smith announced at Sundance that he wouldn’t seek traditional distribution for his horror film Red State, but instead use his podcast network Smodcast to hype the project as he and it traveled around the country for screenings and talks. Smith figured that if the film was made for his audience, why waste the money advertising when he already had their ear via podcasts and Twitter? The gamble seems to have paid off.)




Boy takes dad's car after missing the bus (News AU) 

(A 10-YEAR-OLD French boy has been apprehended by police after taking his father's car and trying to drive it to school when he missed the bus. The boy, who brought along a nine-year-old friend who also missed the bus, managed to make it more than two kilometres in his father's Renault Megane before crashing into a roadside pylon overnight, police in the southeastern town of Valence said.)


Bus driver who killed nine was 'not insane but disgruntled' (Daily Mail) 

(Pune bus driver Santosh Mane, who went berserk on Wednesday killing nine people and damaging dozens of vehicles, was not deranged but disgruntled with seniors. This is what the Pune police believe, though they are stillm awaiting the medical report about Mane's mental state. He was produced before a session court, which remanded him in police custody until February 3.)


Transpo investigates Ottawa woman’s claim she was held ‘hostage’ on bus (Ottawa Citizen) 

(OC Transpo is investigating a 19-year-old woman’s complaint that she was held “hostage” on a bus early Thursday morning after asking the driver a simple question about the route. Vicky Murray said OC Transpo — and the driver in question — owes her an apology. “I shouldn’t have to feel that my security is threatened on an OC Transpo bus,” Murray said.)


Judge puts the brakes on bus company (CNN) 

(A federal judge has ordered a Pennsylvania-based bus company to stop operations after an Albany, New York, TV station reported that the bus line had continued service in violation of a U.S. Department of Transportation order. The DOT's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on December 23 ordered Double Happyness Travel to shut down after an inspection found multiple violations, including vehicle maintenance and drug and alcohol testing rules.)


Video of Marion County school bus beating sparks outrage (Gainesville.com) 

(As a school bus loaded with 67 students headed along a foggy, narrow southwest Marion County road at daybreak a few weeks ago, seven middle school students jumped a 13-year-old, the new girl on the bus that morning. Within two minutes, the Liberty Middle School child was beaten unconscious. Though the community was concerned by the Jan. 6 attack, it wasn't until Wednesday's release of a security video, which showed the attack, did people become outraged.)


Teen steers runaway school bus to safety after driver keels over in fatal heart attack blocking the brakes (Daily Mail) 

(A driverless school bus traveling with over three dozen passengers was saved Tuesday when a 17-year-old took the wheel after its driver keeled over to a heart attack. Graceann Rumer, a senior at Calvary Christian Academy in Philadelphia had just started driving two weeks prior when she said she heard a loud noise and looked up to see her driver laying on the floor.)




Liam Neeson remains tight lipped over Batman role (Music Room) 

(The actor gave nothing away when being asked if his recent trip to the set of the Dark Knight Rises was work or pleasure. Jenny Agutter could take a leaf out of Liam Neeson’s book after the actor managed to do what she couldn’t – keep a secret about an upcoming, highly anticipated film.)




The Weird Factor That Can Screw With Your IQ (Cosmopolitan) 

(Know those mind-numbing meetings you’re forced to sit through at work? They could actually be screwing with your smarts. According to new research from Virginia Tech, working together in small groups can make some typically smart people less intelligent in the moment. To get the results, scientists gave university students IQ tests, then paired up those who had similar levels of higher-than-average intelligence, and had them solve problems as a team.)


Pork, the surprise remedy for a nosebleed (Guardian UK) 

(A new medical study recommends a method called "nasal packing with strips of cured pork" as an effective way to treat uncontrollable nosebleeds. Ian Humphreys, Sonal Saraiya, Walter Belenky and James Dworkin, at Detroit Medical Centre in Michigan, treated a girl who had a rare hereditary disorder that brings prolongued bleeding.)


Fried food heart risk 'a myth' (Telegraph UK) 

(It is a "myth" that regularly eating fried foods causes heart attacks, researchers have found, as long as you use olive oil or sunflower oil. They say there is mounting research that it is the type of oil used, and whether or not it has been used before, that really matters. The latest study, published in the British Medical Journal, found no association between the frequency of fried food consumption in Spain - where olive and sunflower oils are mostly used - and the incidence of serious heart disease.)


Crayola Katydid & Cowboy Frog Among 46 Newfound Jungle Species (Yahoo) 

(A spiny armored catfish and a cowboy frog are among 46 species that may be new to science discovered in the South American country of Suriname, researchers now reveal. The species were discovered in a scientific expedition into southwest Suriname, which holds one of the world's last pristine tropical forests.)




Netflix regains 600,000 U.S. subscribers (USA Today) 

(Netflix has regained most of the U.S. customers it had lost following an unpopular price increase, signaling that the video subscription service is healing from its self-inflected wounds.Fourth-quarter figures released Wednesday show Netflix ended December with 24.4 million subscribers in the U.S. That was up 600,000 from 23.8 million at the end of September. That means Netflix regained about three-quarters of the 800,000 it lost last summer after raising its U.S. prices by as much as 60%.)


FBI plans social network map alert mash-up application (BBC) 

(The FBI is seeking to develop an early-warning system based on material "scraped" from social networks. It says the application should provide information about possible domestic and global threats superimposed onto maps "using mash-up technology". The bureau has asked contractors to suggest possible solutions including the estimated cost. Privacy campaigners say they are concerned that the move could have implications for free speech.)


Star Wars Uncut becomes unsurprising online hit (Newslite) 

(A home-made recreation of Star Wars: A New Hope -- with fans each performing 15 second segments of the movie -- has become an unsurprisingly huge hit online. The movie, which was uploaded to YouTube on 18 January, has already been viewed more than 1.5 million times on the site. The Star Wars Uncut project began in 2009 when Casey Pugh asked thousands of internet users to contribute by recreating scenes however they wanted.)


SPhiladelphia Bar Shames Deadbeats on Facebook (Fox NY) 

(A popular bar in Philadelphia is using Facebook to shame some women it says skipped out on paying their tab. Mac's Tavern posted several still images taken from a security camera of three women, described as "middle-aged," and asked them to send in the money they owe on the check from their meal Wednesday night. In a message on its Facebook page, the tavern said it would not blow up the photos if the women settle their tab.)




Butt-injection suspect in confrontation at "Cristina" TV taping
(Sun Sentinel)
 

(South Florida’s “Toxic Tush” case took another bizarre turn Wednesday night when the person accused of helping inject concoctions of “Fix-a-Flat” and Super Glue into women’s derrieres was attacked during a taping of a talk show by an audience member. About 9:30 p.m., as Corey Eubanks appeared on the Spanish-language television show hosted by Cristina Saralegui in the program’s Doral studio, he was attacked by the mother of one of the victims, Eubank told The Miami Herald afterward.)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bus Stops - January 25, 2012



Teenager calls 911 'because she heard mother having sex with boyfriend' (Daily One) 

(A 15-year-old girl called police in the middle of the night and asked to be put in a Christian children's shelter after she heard her mother and boyfriend having sex. The teenager dialled 911 at 4am last Thursday after confronting her 35-year-old mother. The girl told police that she felt 'disrespected'.)


Malaysia Ministry seeks recordings of strange noises in sky (Asia One) 

(The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry wants to collect audio recordings of the purported strange noises in the sky heard by residents of Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. In a Sinar Harian report, Deputy Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusuf said the ministry was collecting as much "evidence" as possible on the bizarre happening so it could submit its report to the National Space Agency (Angkasa) for further investigation. "This incident is no laughing matter. We hope those who have audio or video recordings of the noises can come forward so we can investigate," said Fadillah, adding that any evidence can be sent to the Petrajaya parliamentary service centre in Jalan Astana, Kuching.)


Alaska woman, 85, uses shovel to scare off moose attacking husband (News Miner) 

(An agitated moose ran down and stomped a well-known bush pilot from Willow, but he was saved when his wife grabbed a shovel from their pickup truck and whacked the big animal until it backed off. George Murphy, 82, and his wife, Dorothea Taylor, 85, told the story of their recent moose encounter Sunday afternoon from Murphy's hospital room in Anchorage, where he is recovering from gashes to his head and left leg as well as seven broken ribs. He was in good condition Monday, a hospital spokeswoman said.)


Yee-haw! Bubba Watson buys ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ car (Yahoo Sports) 

(Watson was at the famed Barrett-Jackson automobile auction this past weekend, and picked up that gem there, which he called his "dream car," for $110,000. Now, there were plenty of General Lees, but the one there was special; called "Lee 1," it's the one that jumped the police car in "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV series' opening credits. It was totaled in the jump, but restoration brought it back to life over the course of 16 months. Autoblog calls the final price "seemingly paltry," which is really more a matter of perspective than anything else.)


Disney Decides To Let Workers Don Beards (Consumerist) 

(Disneyland employees no longer must choose before rocking a goatee and receiving a paycheck. Disney's strict theme park employee grooming code has always banned beards — it's only allowed mustaches since 2000 — but the company is overturning the rule. According to the AP, facial hair will be able to grow free on Disney employees starting Feb. 3.)


Porn stars in election bust-up (The Sun UK) 

(TWO porn stars are set to get voters' pulses racing when they face off in a mayoral race. Amandha Fox and Luana Borgia are both vying to become the civic leader in Taranto, Italy. And they are going for a political bust-up of a different kind.)


Demi Moore Seeking Treatment for Exhaustion (People) 

(Demi Moore is seeking professional help, her rep said Tuesday. "Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health," her rep said in a statement. "She looks forward to getting well and is grateful for the support of her family and friends.")


Gold Silk Cape Spun By Spiders On Display (Sky News) 

(A cape created from golden silk spun by more than a million spiders is being put on display in the UK. The hand-woven garment is being shown at London's Victoria and Albert Museum alongside the Golden Spider Silk, a four-metre long piece of brocaded fabric. It took more than four years to make the items from the silk of 1.2million female golden orb spiders, native to Madagascar.)




Kevin Smith wins deal at Sundance film festival (The Guardian) 

(Kevin Smith has signed a deal with Canadian distributor Phase 4 that will see 12 films exhibited under the Kevin Smith and SModcast Presents … banner in the US and Canada over the next three years. The SModcast stable will consist of finished works by independent film-makers, handpicked by Smith, who will tour with the films, introduce them to audiences and host Q&A sessions after the show.)


After ‘Red State’, Kevin Smith Returning to More Traditional Film Distribution Approachl (Flickcast) 

(Originally intending to auction off the rights to Red State at its Sundance premiere last year, Mr. Smith turned-tail and decided to self distribute through Smodcast Pictures instead. The film was shown in the “road show” format in select cities before receiving an official release. Smith’s sudden change of heart naturally erupted into accusations of dishonesty from some attending distributors.)




Bus Industry Says Priceline Should Pull Ad (KTVZ) 

(The American Bus Association is asking that Priceline pull an ad that shows its longtime spokesman William Shatner dying in a fiery bus explosion, saying that it believes the ad is in bad taste. The ad, which started airing Monday, is an effort by the online travel service to drum up attention for its published-price offering, which is much less well known than its name-your-own-price service.)


Manatee School Bus Driver Heroine Surfaces (Bradenton Patch) 

(About 4:30 in the afternoon of Jan. 5, Cynthia Futch was driving an empty school bus back to the barn when she saw something horrifying: A bus full of students headed in the opposite direction on State Road 64 was out of control. The bus had just rear-ended a semi, pinning the school bus driver’s legs. He couldn’t apply the brakes or work the ignition.)




'The Dark Knight Rises': Liam Neeson may reprise his 'Batman Begins' role (CS Monitor) 

(It’s long been presumed that the League of Shadows, as it was portrayed in Batman Begins, would be returning in some form in co-writer/director Christopher Nolan’s final installment in his Caped Crusader saga, The Dark Knight Rises. Rumors about how the dangerous organization will fit into the plot of the film have long been circulating, as has more solid, but still unconfirmed word about younger stars such as Josh Pence and Joey King portraying youthful versions of characters such as LoS head Ra’s al Ghul and his daughter, Talia.)




Sex No More Strenuous Than Golf, Expert Says (Science Daily) 

(Good news for heart disease and stroke patients: For most patients, it's probably safe to have sex. "For a patient who has sex with a familiar partner in a familiar setting, sexual activity generally is safe and no more strenuous than golf," said Loyola University Health System cardiologist Dr. John Moran.)


Magic mushrooms could treat depression
(TG Daily)
 

(Brain scans of people under the influence of psilocybin - the active ingredient in magic mushrooms - show that brain activity is suppressed by the drug. And, says the Imperial College London team, it enhances personal memories, meaning it could one day be used alongside psychotherapy to treat depression.)




Australian tries to sell stricken cruise ship Costa Concordia on eBay (AU News) 

("FOR sale, one cruise ship - slight damage to right-hand hull, mainly cosmetic." This was the description that an Aussie used in his "joke" bid to sell the stricken Costa Concordia cruise ship on eBay, which has been pulled from the website. With a starting price of $1, the seller warned of “some water damage to interior” of the ship and said the carpets may need to be replaced. It also stated the ship had one “careful owner” and must be collected by the buyer.)

Monday, January 23, 2012

Bus Stops - January 23, 2012



'Underworld: Awakenings' takes top box-office slot over 'Red Tails' (NY Daily News) 

(KATE BECKINSALE’S “Underworld: Awakenings” triumphed in a surprisingly close box-office battle this weekend against the World War II aerial epic “Red Tails.” “Underworld” finished in the top spot with $25.4 million in a closer-than-expected win over George Lucas’ self-funded story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the real-life American fighter pilots who battled both the Nazis and racism on the home front.)


JFK’s hearse for sale in Arizona this weekend (Yahoo) 

(The iconic white hearse that carried the body of President John F. Kennedy after his assassination in 1963 is being put up for auction during a high-profile collectible car sale in Arizona this weekend. In the hours after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, his body was driven three miles from Parkland Memorial Hospital to Dallas Love Field and Air Force One. The Arizona Republic reports that the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction held in Scottsdale this weekend will include several other vehicles from famous historical figures and celebrities.)


Woman refuses to leave toilet bowl for 2.5 years (Your Health) 

(She sat down on the toilet bowl in her master bedroom bathroom on March 25, 2009. For the next 902 days, the small, white-tiled room became Madam Leong Mee Yan's home. She ate her meals there and slept there. And no amount of cajoling from her husband would make her leave the toilet bowl.)


Fond du Lac man says wife punched, strangled by ghost (The Northwestern) 

(A Fond du Lac man was arrested after he told police a “ghost” punched and strangled his wife. Michael F. West, 41, of 281 Fond du Lac Ave., was charged Wednesday with strangulation and misdemeanors of battery, disorderly conduct and resisting or obstructing an officer. At about 8 p.m. Jan. 15, police arrived at West’s home to find the woman crying and bleeding from her nose.)


Man tells court it was dog who strangled wife (The Local) 

(The 50-year-old man was convicted of manslaughter after his wife was found strangled to death in their bathroom in DĂĽsseldorf November 2010, the SĂĽddeutsche Zeitung reported on Monday. But his conviction was overruled by a federal court which said that the fact the woman was strangled for several minutes did not necessarily on its own mean she was killed intentionally, and now the case is being heard again – complete with a witness who is an expert on dogs. )


Utah School Board Says Cougar Mascot Too Offensive To Women (The Northwestern) 

(One Utah school district believes a cougar mascot would be insensitive to women. The Canyons School District overrode the students top choice of a cougar mascot for their high school that is to be completed in 2013. Would-be Corner Canyon High School students chose the Cougars as their mascot — a name principal Mary Bailey said carries an ugly connotation that is disrespectful to women.)


Teen may never go home after sailing round the world (MSNBC) 

(Dutch sailor Laura Dekker may not return home to the Netherlands after completing her voyage around the globe. Dekker, 16, wrote on her blog that she is on course to finish her journey Saturday, becoming the youngest person to accomplish the feat solo, but bad experiences with the Dutch government could keep her from returning to her mother country.)


After doctors remove 3-inch nail from his brain US man recalls thinking X-ray was a joke (News 1130) 

(Dante Autullo thought his doctors were joking. The suburban Chicago man was sure he'd merely cut himself with a nail gun while building a shed. But they assured him the X-ray was real: A nail was lodged in the middle of his brain. Autullo was recovering Friday after undergoing surgery at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where doctors removed the 3 1/4-inch (7.62 centimetre) nail. It had come within millimeters of the part of the brain that controls motor function.)


Dog Snit Village residents finally bag new name (News 1130) 

(It was originally just a nickname established when locals noticed it was so inaccessible that only dogs would go there to relieve themselves. So the Chinese settlement got stuck with it, police and local government officials started using it and the unattractive moniker even began appearing on MAPS.)




Kevin Smith Talks About Fighting in Hockey in a Very Uncomfortable Place – Mediocre Film to be Made (The Province) 

(Hey, did you guys know there’s something called, “fair trade chocolate?” Well, it appears that there’s a connection between young boys from the Ivory Coast being sold into slavery and the harvesting of cocoa beans. This is easily the most shocking revelation to hit the world of candy since Mike and Ike’s “commitment ceremony” at a Vermont B&B back in the late 90’s. I’m going to come clean with you; I’m not exactly sure where to go with this, except to say, dibs. Dibs on the screenplay I’m writing that’s essentially, Willie Wonka meets Amistad. And yes, it’s a romantic comedy.)


Silent Bob strikes back against violence in the NHL (The Star) 

(Kevin Smith, the bad boy of movies, may be best known for his movie character Silent Bob, but when it comes to the topic of violence in hockey, he’s got a lot to say. And during a recent conversation to promote his upcoming Feb. 2 Toronto appearance at the Scotiabank Theatre in Kevin Smith: Live from Behind, he didn’t hesitate to make his feelings known.)


EPIX Presents Kevin Smith Burn in Hell (Sacramento Bee) 

(Writer/Director/Raconteur/Podcaster/Sinner (to some) and proud Jersey boy Kevin Smith returns to EPIX, bringing his unusual multi-talents in a one-man show, Kevin Smith Burn in Hell. The original comedy event premieres February 11 on the EPIX premium network. Additionally, EPIX is reaching out to Kevin Smith fans everywhere with an on demand preview beginning February 3, offering subscribers and non-subscribers an early screening of the entire special. The preview can be viewed via participating affiliated television providers' EPIX On Demand service and EPIX apps on Xbox 360 and Roku. It will also be available for streaming at EpixHD.com and the "TV Everywhere" portals of affiliated providers.)




School bus thefts mystify police in Jefferson and St. Louis counties (StL Tody) 

(When one school bus disappeared, police wondered who would steal it. Then another went missing, and another, until the total reached eight and the mystery deepened. Were they sold for scrap metal? Stripped for parts? Converted into hunting cabins? Taken out of the country?)


Mom, tearful tot tossed off bus (Windsor Star) 

(A 23-year-old stay-at-home mother said she was humiliated when a Transit Windsor driver kicked her off the bus because her son was crying, leaving her with an hour-long walk home. “It was horrible. Having to walk home, being embarrassed in front of all those people,” she said. “I was trying my hardest to get my son to stop crying.”)


Pilot avoids collision with bus on runway (NDTV) 

(The pilot of an IndiGo Airlines flight, carrying 168 passengers, had to use emergency brake while preparing for takeoff as a bus ferrying people to an Air Force plane appeared on the runway at the airport.)


5 held for seizing luxury bus (Times of India) 

(The Hadapsar police on Saturday arrested five people for allegedly stealing a luxury bus, after thrashing its owner, driver and cleaner, and looting Rs 5,000 and cell phones, all totalling over Rs 25 lakh. The incident took place between Ravi Darshan society and Mantarwadi garbage depot on the Katraj bypass road at 11.45 pm on Friday.)




Sex poses surprisingly low risk to heart patients (USA Today) 

(Good news: Sex is safe for most heart patients. If you're healthy enough to walk up two flights of stairs without chest pain or gasping for breath, you can have a love life.)




MegaUpload was a 'mega conspiracy,' Justice Department alleges (LA Times) 

(Good news: Sex is safe for most heart patients. If you're healthy enough to walk up two flights of stairs without chest pain or gasping for breath, you can have a love life.MegaUpload, one of the world's largest file-sharing websites, was shut down Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice, which accused it of violating piracy and copyright laws. In an indictment, the Justice Department alleged that MegaUpload was a "mega conspiracy" and a global criminal organization "whose members engaged in criminal copyright infringement and money laundering on a massive scale.")


Google+ hits 90 million users (Telegraph UK) 

(Larry Page, Google’s chief executive, announced the new number last night during the company’s quarterly earnings call. He said: “With Google+, we’ve shipped on average a new feature every day since we launched in June. That’s more than 200 updates in total. “I’m also pleased to announce that there are over 90 million Google+ users - well over double what I announced just a quarter ago on our earnings call. Engagement on Google+ is also growing tremendously. I have some amazing data to share there for the first time: Google+ users are very engaged with our products - over 60per cent of them engage daily, and over 80 per cent weekly.”)




Cruise ship's cook says captain ordered dinner after crash (CNN) 

(The captain of the Costa Concordia ordered dinner for himself and a woman after the ship struck rocks off Italy's coast, a cook from the ship told a Filipino television station. In an interview with GMA Network, cook Rogelio Barista said Capt. Francesco Schettino ordered dinner less than an hour after the accident.)


Costa Concordia passenger launches legal action against cruise firm (Guardian UK) 

(A British expat who was on the Costa Concordia is launching legal action against the company that owns the liner, her lawyers have said. Sandra Rodgers was on board with her adult daughter and seven-year-old twin granddaughters when the ship ran into a reef and capsized off the Tuscan island off Giglio last Friday.)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Bus Stops - January 20, 2012



'Avatar' Star Zoe Saldana TO THE RESCUE After Bloody Car Accident (TMZ) 

("Avatar" actress Zoe Saldana is one real-life badass action hero -- rushing to the aid of an elderly woman in L.A. yesterday ... after a car accident left a bloody gash on the lady's face. According to reports, 33-year-old Zoe was driving along in Culver City when she noticed the accident and jumped into action -- helping the woman out of her car and onto the sidewalk.)


Tax-Free Breast Implants: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Signs Bill Repealing Cosmetic Surgery Tax (Huffington Post) 

(Starting in July of 2013, New Jersey residents getting botox injections, breast implants, and other various nips and tucks will be able to get the procedures tax-free thanks to a bill signed today by Governor Chris Christie, New Jersey On-Line reports. The bill will gradually phase out the "cosmetic medical procedures gross receipt tax," a state tax imposed in 2004 requiring clinics to collect taxes on their procedures.)


Man arrested in Saddam Hussein statue buttock investigation (Mirror UK) 

(By now you've probably heard of Comic Book Men, AMC's new reality-based show from that other King of All Media, Kevin Smith. The series follows the staff of Smith's comic-book shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, as they debate geeky topics, appraise collectibles, record podcasts and more.A 66-year-old man has been arrested by police over claims a buttock from a statue of Saddam Hussein was illegally brought back to the UK following the Iraq War. Derbyshire Police said the man was detained today on suspicion of breaching the 2003 Iraqi Sanctions Order, which governs the importation of "Iraqi cultural property" - including items of archaeological, historical or religious importance.)


Man Marries Dead Girlfriend In Joint Funeral And Wedding Ceremony In Thailand (Huffington Post) 

(A man recently married his deceased girlfriend in a combination funeral and wedding ceremony. Chadil Deffy, also known as Deff Yingyuen, placed a ring on the finger of Sarinya "Anne" Kamsook, his girlfriend of 10 years, during the ceremony in Thailand's Surin province. The couple had planned to get married in the future, but Yingyuen wanted to focus on his studies before tying the knot, the Thai-Asean News (TAN) Network reported.)


I dump girls for a living (Sun UK) 

(THERE'S no nice way to say "it's over" but Jonathan Kiekbusch finds breaking up with a girlfriend rather easy... as long as it's someone else's. In fact, the 21-year-old is so good at delivering the bad news to an unsuspecting "other half" that he's turned PROFESSIONAL. For just a fiver plus expenses, he'll be your relationship hitman — delivering the bad news and sending an unwanted partner to Dumpsville.)


Opossum takes ride on NYC subway (USA Today) 

(Even some jaded New Yorkers thought the four-legged creature curled up near a radiator under a subway seat was pretty unusual. Startled riders abroad a Manhattan-bound train spotted the opossum around 4:30 a.m. last Friday. The New York Times (http://nyti.ms/xpHJ9f0 ) reports that finding the nocturnal creature on a subway train was rare in several ways.)


The contest: School offers prizes if kids hold it in (Brooklyn Daily) 

(A teacher at a Coney Island grammar school hands out prizes to kids who don’t take bathroom breaks as part of a controversial new policy aimed at keeping kids at their desks — and off the toilet. The new rule was put in place last Friday in a fifth grade class after a teacher told PS 90 principal Greta Hawkins that students were taking too many trips to the loo — and has parents demanding Hawkins be let go for allowing such a draconian rule in the school. “You’re going to give [our kids] bladder problems and they’re going to be wetting themselves during class,” said Luz Lozada, who has a child in the school.)


Porn industry mulls leaving LA if condoms required (Yahoo) 

(Some of the most prominent purveyors of porn say they'll start packing up their sex toys and abandoning the nation's porn capital if authorities carry through with a nascent effort to police adult film sets and order that every actor be outfitted with a condom. That effort took a serious leap forward Tuesday when the Los Angeles city council voted 9-1 to grant final approval to an ordinance that would deny film permits to producers who do not comply with the condom requirement. The measure now goes to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for approval.)


To test Intoxilyzer, FDLE paid employees to get drunk (Herald Tribune) 

(Facing the possibility of losing its key weapon against drunk drivers, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement decided it would pay some of its employees to — what else? — get drunk. So, one day in October, the state's version of the FBI shelled out $330 on Jim Beam whiskey and other booze, along with mixers and some Doritos, and invited 15 employees to headquarters to imbibe on work time.)


Mother sues Disney after comedian 'spanks her at live taping of TV show Good Luck Charlie in front of her kids' (Daily Mail) 

(A mother-of-two is suing the Disney Channel after she claims a warm-up comedian spanked and kissed her during a live taping of family comedy show 'Good Luck Charlie'. Kellie Rodriguez says she was with her children, sister-in-law and three nieces in the studio audience on December 22 when comedian Ron Pearson plucked her from the crowd to dance to the Village People's YMCA.)


Mother sues Disney after comedian 'spanks her at live taping of TV show Good Luck Charlie in front of her kids' (Daily Mail) 

(A mother-of-two is suing the Disney Channel after she claims a warm-up comedian spanked and kissed her during a live taping of family comedy show 'Good Luck Charlie'. Kellie Rodriguez says she was with her children, sister-in-law and three nieces in the studio audience on December 22 when comedian Ron Pearson plucked her from the crowd to dance to the Village People's YMCA.)




Exclusive: See the poster for Kevin Smith's AMC series (USA Today) 

(By now you've probably heard of Comic Book Men, AMC's new reality-based show from that other King of All Media, Kevin Smith. The series follows the staff of Smith's comic-book shop, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, as they debate geeky topics, appraise collectibles, record podcasts and more.)





Man took his dead mother home on bus (Guardian) 

(A man took his mother's dead body on a 30-mile bus journey after she died during a day trip they had enjoyed together. The 52-year-old man, who is thought to have learning difficulties, wanted to get his 88-year-old mother home when she died suddenly on a trip to Lancaster on Monday. The woman, who has not been identified, is believed to have died on the bus on the journey back from Lancaster to Preston. Police said the woman's death was not being treated as suspicious.)


Cons on a bus! Prisoners ride alongside passengers (WTSP) 

(Millions of Americans ride commercial buses each year, yet few are aware thousands of unescorted prisoners do as well. A 10 News investigation revealed that the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has increasingly turned to commercial buses, like Greyhound, to transfer prisoners across the country unescorted. Meanwhile, neither the passengers onboard nor the driver of the bus typically knows the passenger is serving federal time.)


Cons on a bus! Prisoners ride alongside passengers (WTSP) 

(Millions of Americans ride commercial buses each year, yet few are aware thousands of unescorted prisoners do as well. A 10 News investigation revealed that the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has increasingly turned to commercial buses, like Greyhound, to transfer prisoners across the country unescorted. Meanwhile, neither the passengers onboard nor the driver of the bus typically knows the passenger is serving federal time.)




Fox goes into battle with Batman and Superman (Guardian) 

(Thought the Joker was bad? Batman now has a bigger enemy, in the shape of Rupert Murdoch, whose Fox News – reviled by the left, but with a reach into more than 100m US households – is taking on the superhero and his DC Comics cohorts, criticising the comics for scenes including "Batman and Catwoman having sex on the rooftop, a drunken Bruce Wayne, and graphic images of blood-splattered battles with heads chopped off". On Wednesday, Fox 5 – a regional division of the network – aired a special report headlined "Relaunched comics using sex and violence to sell", which focused on DC comics' much-publicised back-to-basics revamp of its entire line last autumn (the publisher started all its comics again from issue number one with fresh creative teams in a bid to get new readers on board and tidy up decades of confusing continuity).)


“The Dark Knight Rises” toy reveals name of Batman’s flying vehicle (IFC) 

(Remember that epic flying vehicle spotted in “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer that we were all oohing and ahhing about? Well, turns out it isn’t the Batwing like most fansites were saying. It’s actually called “The Bat”. And, as it was with the recent “The Amazing Spider-Man” Mega Blocks and Pez Dispenser boxes, it was toys that gave away the big reveal.)


Christian Bale - Batman Christian Bale Breaks Up Fight Between Tramps (Contact Music) 

(Batman Begins star Christian Bale was hailed a real-life hero over the Christmas (11) holidays after stepping in to break up a fight between two homeless men in California. The actor was shopping near his home in Brentwood, Los Angeles when he spotted two vagrants engaged in a heated altercation. The war of words escalated and Bale had to swoop in and intervene. An eyewitness tells the National Enquirer, "I could not believe what I was seeing. It wasn't clear what the people were arguing about - but it soon became apparent that their conversation was heading toward a violent incident.)




Math formula may explain why serial killers kill (MSNBC) 

(Researchers have discovered that the seemingly erratic behavior of the "Rostov Ripper," a prolific serial killer active in the 1980s, conformed to the same mathematical pattern obeyed by earthquakes, avalanches, stock market crashes and many other sporadic events. The finding suggests an explanation for why serial killers kill.)


Search for the G-spot ends in anticlimax (Daily Mail UK) 

(It will come as some relief to chaps up and down the country – though perhaps not to their wives. The elusive female G-spot may not actually exist at all, according to scientists. After reviewing 100 studies conducted over the past 60 years, experts have concluded that there is no evidence for the fabled centre of female sexual pleasure after all.)




US police developing infrared body scanner to detect guns in the street (Daily Mail) 

(A device that can detect whether a suspect is carrying a weapon without needing to frisk him is being developed by police. Infrared rays will be used to scan a form of natural energy - like radiation - emitted from the body of someone concealing a gun on the street. If something is obstructing the flow of that energy, such as a weapon, the gadget will show exactly where the object is on a suspect's body.)




Red Tails: So Square It Can Barely Fly (Time) 

(Against the great odds of pervasive bigotry, a group of black pilots from the Tuskegee training program flew in World War II, shooting down German planes, bombing trains and trucks and even taking out a destroyer. They sacrificed for their country during an era when they were not allowed in officer’s clubs. Can’t you taste the cinematic potential? This is exactly the kind of story of glory-glory-hallelujah bravery and perseverance you’d expect from a filmmaker like Steven Spielberg.)




Costa Concordia: captain ‘says he tripped and fell into lifeboat’ (Telegraph) 

(The captain of the crippled Costa Concordia cruise ship, Francesco Schettino, has reportedly said the reason he was in a lifeboat while thousands of panic-stricken passengers and crew were trying to evacuate was because he “tripped” and fell into the rescue craft.Against the great odds of pervasive bigotry, a group of black pilots from the Tuskegee training program flew in World War II, shooting down German planes, bombing trains and trucks and even taking out a destroyer. They sacrificed for their country during an era when they were not allowed in officer’s clubs. Can’t you taste the cinematic potential? This is exactly the kind of story of glory-glory-hallelujah bravery and perseverance you’d expect from a filmmaker like Steven Spielberg.)


'Titanic' theme played as ship capsized (NZ Herald) 

(The theme song from the film Titanic is said to have been playing in one of Costa Concordia's restaurants as the cruise ship began to list. Yannic Sgaga and his brother Kevin told Swiss paper La Tribune de Geneve Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On from the hit 1997 film was playing when the accident happened off the Tuscan coast on Friday.)