Weird News

Muninn · Postby **Muninn** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 6:04 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Tom Flapwell @ Jun 10 2005, 02:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> That hole-digging story sounds so clicheic I hardly believe it. Maybe the reason he succeeded is that the jail didn't expect anyone to try something so overdone. </td></tr></table>  Ah, reverse psychology still work perhaps?

VisibilityMissing · Postby **VisibilityMissing** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:09 pm

We've got a future Darwin Award winner here, I can just feel it!  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Driver flips car, hurts 5, flees to make tee time, police say FIFTH AVENUE: After hitting curb near Airport Heights, auto flies into opposing traffic. By TATABOLINE BRANT Anchorage Daily News (Published: June 12, 2005) A man speeding to a golf game triggered a wild wreck Saturday on Fifth Avenue that banged up four vehicles and injured five people, and then he fled the scene on foot, police said. Juan M. Puliddo-Castaneda, 24, was arrested a short time later, six miles away, standing out front of Anchorage Golf Course on O'Malley Road and preparing for a round of golf, authorities said. "He was at the golf course getting his tee time," said Patrol Sgt. Dave Koch, one of the officers who handled the call. "I do not even have words to describe how crazy that is," Traffic Unit Lt. Nancy Reeder said glumly after learning the details of the wreck while shopping at Sam's Club with her family and relaying them by telephone to a reporter. "I have no idea why we didn't have a fatality out there this morning." The accident occurred just before noon. Police said Puliddo-Castaneda was speeding west on East Fifth Avenue in a black Mitsubishi when he lost control near Airport Heights Drive, slammed into the back of another vehicle, hit a curb and launched into the air. Two male college students in their early 20s, visiting from Mexico, were in the car with Puliddo-Castaneda and had been "begging him to slow down," Reeder said. The two men barely knew the driver, she said. The Mitsubishi sailed across the median, flipped upside down while in flight, then plowed into another vehicle going in the opposite direction. The three people in that car were from Washington state and considering moving to Alaska, Reeder said. All were hurt. The driver appeared to have the worst injuries, what looked to be compound fractures to his leg, police said. All three were wearing seatbelts. Medics took them to Alaska Regional Hospital. The passenger in the front of Puliddo-Castaneda's vehicle was held in place during the wreck by an airbag and a seatbelt, police said. The man in the back, unbelted, wasn't so lucky: he was ejected from his seat. "He pretty much rattled his spinal cord," Koch said. The man was immobilized and taken to a hospital. None of the people involved appeared to have life-threatening injuries, police said. A fourth car was also somehow damaged in the collisions. The two men in Puliddo-Castaneda's vehicle were in good enough condition to help authorities find the driver after he abandoned his car and them. The men told police they had met Puliddo-Castaneda the evening before at a bar. "They had been up drinking all night long," Reeder said. The pair said Puliddo-Castaneda was rushing to drop them off at a hostel so he could get to a golf game, Reeder said. Police do not know exactly how fast the Mitsubishi was going when the accident happened. "It takes some significant speed to go airborne across four lanes of traffic and land upside down on another vehicle," Reeder said. "Just to be able to get your vehicle airborne -- that's some speed." Officers called the golf course, gave an employee a description of the driver, and asked if they'd seen him. "And guess who they find," Reeder said. "Isn't that incredible?" Police were uncertain how he got to the South Anchorage golf course. The driver didn't say much to the officers who confronted him, according to Koch. "He said 'I think I need a lawyer.' He was right." Puliddo-Castaneda was charged with drunken driving, reckless driving, assault and leaving the scene of an accident. He was taken to Anchorage Jail with his bail set at $50,000, police said. Daily News reporter Tataboline Brant can be reached at tbrant@adn.com or 257-4321. </td></tr></table>  adn.com story photo An Anchorage police officer records the license plate number of a mangled black Mitsubishi car Saturday afternoon in the eastbound lanes of Fifth Avenue. The driver of the car was later arrested at a South Anchorage golf course on a charge of driving under the influence. Five people were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. (Photo by DARON DEAN / Anchorage Daily News)

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 1:05 am

Good grief. It's amazing no one was killed.

Bocaj Claw · Postby **Bocaj Claw** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:20 am

And they say golf isn't a violent game.

VisibilityMissing · Postby **VisibilityMissing** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:20 am

May not have been the best career move . . .  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> 'Angels' co-author charged with arson By Jeff Coen and David Heinzmann Tribune staff reporters Published June 13, 2005, 3:34 PM CDT A local author who has written books detailing famous Chicago fires has been charged with setting a fire of his own last week at St. Benedict Church on the city's North Side, authorities confirmed today. David Cowan, 41, of the 3800 block of North Ravenswood Avenue, remained in Cook County Jail this afternoon after a judge on Sunday set the man's bail at $100,000. A motive for the alleged church arson was not disclosed. Chicago police spokesman David Bayless today confirmed the author has been charged with arson in the St. Benedict case. According to some reports, Cowan had been scheduled to sign copies of his book, "Great Chicago Fires: Historic Blazes That Shaped a City" at the Printers Row Book Fair on Sunday. He is co-author of the book, "To Sleep With the Angels: The Story of a Fire," which documented the 1958 blaze that killed more than 90 children at Our Lady of the Angels School. Cowan is a former custodian at the church, in the 2200 block of West Irving Park Road, investigators said. No one was injured in the fire allegedly set about 10:40 p.m. Thursday. Investigators said Cowan admitted to police Friday he had set the fire in a storage shed on the church and school campus. The man allegedly started the blaze by using a lighter to ignite paper. He then left the structure and broke one of its windows, investigators said. Two witnesses who arrived at the church as the fire was burning saw Cowan standing near the building and chased him on foot, authorities said. The man was arrested later after he sought treatment for an unspecified injury at a local hospital. Officials said Cowan had been a suburban firefighter. Bellwood Fire Chief Andre Harvey said Cowan had worked for the west-suburban department for about seven years until December 2003. Copyright 2005, Chicago Tribune</td></tr></table>

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:53 am

I guess he wanted to start another memorable fire so he could write another book. <img src='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... ns/dry.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='dry.gif' />

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:04 am

Not exactly the best choice of vehicles...  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Cops: Boy Steals School Bus, Takes It Home June 15, 5:29 PM EDT OWEGO, N.Y. (AP) -- Police say a 15-year-old boy stole a bus from school and then led officers on a chase that ended at his home in a neighboring county. A school employee called police around to report the theft. While the initial report was being taken, the bus zipped past a Broome County sheriff's deputy on patrol. The deputy started to pursue the bus but the driver wouldn't pull over. A state trooper set up a tire deflation device in Tioga County but the bus kept going. Police say the 10-mile chase finally ended when Michael Beckett pulled into the driveway of his home in the town of Owego. Officers apprehended Beckett after he ran from the school bus. Authorities say charges are pending. Beckett was released to a parent.</td></tr></table>

Gizensha · Postby **Gizensha** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:42 am

Well, that or he should have hidden it in a field of radioactive sunflowers...

VisibilityMissing · Postby **VisibilityMissing** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 3:08 pm

Well, talking about radioactive sunflowers, how about alien visitors?  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Jun 15, 6:39 PM EDT Strange Markings Found in Indiana Field FARMLAND, Ind. (AP) -- Strange markings appeared in a field this week, but some experts say they are more likely the result of rough weather than artistic aliens. From the country road alongside the green wheat field halfway between Farmland and Parker City, 15 miles east of Muncie, the markings look like interconnected circles, arrows and other stuff of science fiction. But from above, the shapes are not geometric and look like weather damage, said Ball State University professor David Arnold, who saw a picture of the markings taken from a small airplane this week. "This looks very much like 'blow down' from thunderstorm winds and rain," Arnold told The Star Press of Muncie. "I have seen these patterns many times and feel quite confident they are weather-related." Farmland resident Michelle Slaven saw the markings from her vehicle Monday and pulled over to get a better look, standing on the roof of her truck to see. "I said, 'Oh, my God!' I'm telling you, I was so excited," she said. Roger Sugden is a founder of Independent Crop Circle Research Associates, which investigates crop circles throughout the Midwest. He said many "randomly down crops" that do not have surprising shapes do show the energy signatures of an extraordinary event. "All we know is there's some high energy that hits the field," he said. Farmer Ralph Bosworth, who owns the wheat field, was not as excited about the markings. "I sure don't know nothing about it," he said. "I'd say that's nothing but wind that's done that." 2005 The Associated Press</td></tr></table>  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> More vehicle mayhem . . .  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Jun 15, 5:48 PM EDT Cops: Boy Takes Alcohol-Induced Late Ride NILES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- A young driver took his friend's mother's car for an alcohol-induced, middle-of-the-night, trash can-smashing joyride before wrecking the vehicle and landing in the hospital with some broken bones, state police said. After he is released, the driver's case will be referred to juvenile court because he's only 12 years old. Troopers from the Michigan State Police post in Niles made the surprising discovery after freeing the youngster from the vehicle, which crashed early Tuesday in a dead end in Berrien County's Niles Township. The boy was not wearing a seat belt. "We normally don't see 12-year-olds driving, plus consuming alcohol," state police Lt. Michael Brown told the South Bend (Ind.) Tribune for a Wednesday story. The boy drove for several miles on rural roads, striking numerous trash cans and mailboxes along the way. His joyride ended when the car went down an embankment and struck some trees, Brown said. The St. Joseph River lies just beyond the stand of trees. The boy initially was taken to Lakeland Hospital in Niles but later was transferred to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, where he was listed in fair condition, Brown said. Investigators were awaiting laboratory tests to determine the boy's level of reported intoxication. "Right now, we don't know where he got the alcohol," Brown said. "We're still investigating." 2005 The Associated Press</td></tr></table>

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 1:09 am

Good grief. There seems to be quite the rash of underage drivers lately.

Tavis · Postby **Tavis** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:59 am

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (VisibilityMissing @ Jun 6 2005, 06:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> BEIJING (Reuters) - Shanghai's biggest taxi company is calling in all cabs with an unlucky four in their license plate numbers to boost students' chances in this week's college entrance exams, the China Daily reported Monday. The word for "four" in Mandarin and Cantonese sounds like the word for "die" and in Shanghainese has the added connotation of being a loser. [...] More than 8.6 million students around China would sit for the four-day test this year, the agency said.  </td></tr></table>  *edits for clarity* I think the students need not worry about that number on their taxis. If four is so bad for them, the test guarantees they're already burned.

The_Sparrow_ · Postby **The_Sparrow_** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 8:39 pm

<table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (Tavis @ Jun 18 2005, 02:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'>  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: (VisibilityMissing @ Jun 6 2005, 06:18 PM)</td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> BEIJING (Reuters) - Shanghai's biggest taxi company is calling in all cabs with an unlucky four in their license plate numbers to boost students' chances in this week's college entrance exams, the China Daily reported Monday. The word for "four" in Mandarin and Cantonese sounds like the word for "die" and in Shanghainese has the added connotation of being a loser. [...] More than 8.6 million students around China would sit for the four-day test this year, the agency said. </td></tr></table>  *edits for clarity* I think the students need not worry about that number on their taxis. If four is so bad for them, the test guarantees they're already burned.  </td></tr></table>  I remember something like that happening at my old school. The Mandarin classroom had the number 44 (s shī s) which sounds rather like die die die! (sĭ sĭ sĭ). In the end they changed the room number to 46 and now there is no longer a room 44 at all.

Zaaphod · Postby **Zaaphod** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 1:11 am

Odd critter to see in West Virginia...  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Kangaroo on the Loose Near W. Va. Town Jun 17, 10:29 AM EDT CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) -- A kangaroo has been on the loose for the last several months outside Charleston, perplexing authorities who have had problems catching it. The 3-foot kangaroo, believed to be a male, comes out mostly at night or in the early morning, officials said. He makes appearances in backyards and on the county's rural roads. "People will call in and say, 'I swear I'm not drunk or on drugs, but I just saw a kangaroo,'" state conservation officer Clyde Armstead said Thursday. The first person to report seeing the kangaroo called police one week after Christmas, saying the animal was in their yard. "The dispatcher thought someone was celebrating New Year's early," Armstead said. Some think it may belong to the owners of an exotic animal farm in a nearby town, but the owner hasn't come forward. Armstead and three police officers tried to catch the kangaroo a few nights ago after it was seen along a road. They managed to corner it, but it was too quick for them and it got away. "There was no way to catch him, it was like chasing a deer," Armstead said. "And even if we did get him, I don't know what we would have done with our bare hands. They can kick pretty hard."</td></tr></table>

VisibilityMissing · Postby **VisibilityMissing** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 9:15 pm

So, are kangaroo's migratory? The last report we had of an escaped kangaroo was in <a href='http://definecynical.mancubus.net/forum ... st&p=56305' target='_blank'>Madison, Wisconsin</a>. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>. Talk about really, really bad timing . . .  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Jun 17, 8:06 PM EDT Ketchup Stain Spat Soils Lawyer's Image LONDON (AP) -- Removing the ketchup stain from his trousers cost Richard Phillips 4 pounds ($7.30). The subsequent spat over who would pay the bill may have cost the lawyer his dignity. An e-mail exchange allegedly between Phillips and his secretary, Jenny Amner, has been forwarded around Britain's legal community, spread across the Internet and become a talking point in the British press. Several newspapers on Friday reprinted the exchange, which began with a May 25 message purportedly from Phillips, a senior associate at law firm Baker & McKenzie, to his secretary. "Hi Jenny. I went to a dry cleaners at lunch and they said it would cost 4 pounds to remove the ketchup stains. If you cd let me have the cash today, that wd be much appreciated," it said. Amner, who was off work because of her mother's death, replied in piquant style on June 3. "With reference to the e-mail below, I must apologize for not getting back to you straight away but due to my mother's sudden illness, death and funeral I have had more pressing issues than your 4 pounds," said the e-mail. "I apologize again for accidentally getting a few splashes of ketchup on your trousers. Obviously your financial need as a senior associate is greater than mine as a mere secretary." Amner sent the exchange to colleagues, who passed it on to others. Along the way, recipients added comments, many criticizing Phillips for his stinginess. Baker & McKenzie said the incident was "a private matter between two members of staff that clearly got out of hand." "We are investigating so as to resolve it as amicably as we can," it said in a statement. 2005 The Associated Press. </td></tr></table>

VisibilityMissing · Postby **VisibilityMissing** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 12:04 am

Stealth parking meters: City Hall's new revenue source . . .  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> Jun 20, 6:51 PM EDT Drivers Get Tickets After Meters Installed CHICAGO (AP) -- It sounds like the meter maid's version of a speed trap: A ticket for parking at a meter that was installed after you park your car. But that's what happened in Chicago last week, where a handful of motorists returned to their vehicles and found parking meters - and tickets - that weren't there when they parked. According to a spokeswoman for the city's revenue department it was all just an innocent mistake. The way Efrat Dallal explains it, the vehicles were parked on a stretch of roadway where the meters were temporarily removed during street construction. Then, she said, the meters were put back and the vehicles parked in front of them were ticketed. But some motorists wondered if that was the case after at least one of the tickets was apparently postdated several hours after it was placed on a car. "It really angers me," said Vince Tessitore, an attorney who found what for drivers is the equivalent of money on the sidewalk: a vacant and cost-free parking space. "The city is strict enough in its parking restrictions already," he said. "Chicago gets plenty of revenue ticketing people by legal means without having to be deceptive." Police department spokesman Dave Bayless said the department employee, whom he said is a traffic aide and not a sworn officer, said she mistakenly put the wrong date on the ticket. Whatever happened, none of those who were ticketed on that short stretch of West Illinois Street last Tuesday night will have to pay up, Dallal said. She said to avoid improper ticketing, notices will be attached to meters to alert police and others when the meters were installed. 2005 The Associated Press</td></tr></table>  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Another story of crime and limitless stupidity  <table border='0' align='center' width='95%' ><tr><td class='quotetop'>Quote: </td></tr><tr><td class='quotebody'> DNA on Burgers Links Three Men to Robbery SUFFOLK, Va. - Three men are in jail after DNA evidence from leftover burgers linked them to the robbery of a McDonald's more than a year ago, police said Monday. Marcellus L. Jones, 45, Thomas Nelson Cribbs IV, 23, and Dexter Carlos Webb, 22, are charged with armed robbery, five counts of abduction and six counts of using a firearm in a felony. Jones also was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The men allegedly ordered food and ate while waiting for the restaurant to empty on May 2, 2004. They then robbed the business at gunpoint and forced the employees in the freezer, said police spokeswoman Lt. D.J. George. Police were able to get warrants when the DNA evidence was found on the leftover portions of the burgers the robbers left behind, George said. Cribbs and Jones already were incarcerated when the warrants were served. Webb was arrested on Saturday. ___ Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, <a href='http://www.pilotonline.com' target='_blank'>http://www.pilotonline.com</a></td></tr></table>

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