Saturday, July 04, 2009
New Jersey Leads the Way
Mother, daughter arrested in Hamden- The New Haven Register - Serving Greater New Haven, CT: "An apparent road rage incident in the center lane of Whitney Avenue near Thornton Street led to the arrest of two women Thursday night.
Capt. Ronald Smith said that police responded to a fight in progress at 7:45 p.m. Police learned that a car operated by Rebecca Huelsman, 19, of 210 Wolcott S., Apt. 3A, New Haven, allegedly rammed another motor vehicle. The vehicle that was struck was occupied by a husband and wife and their two children, ages 6 and 2.
According to Smith, Huelsman allegedly threw a milk shake into the family’s vehicle and then pulled the front passenger, the wife, out of the vehicle by her hair. Huelsman then allegedly punched the woman several times in the face causing injuries, Smith said. The woman, whose name is not being released, was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital by ambulance. The husband and children were not injured."
Capt. Ronald Smith said that police responded to a fight in progress at 7:45 p.m. Police learned that a car operated by Rebecca Huelsman, 19, of 210 Wolcott S., Apt. 3A, New Haven, allegedly rammed another motor vehicle. The vehicle that was struck was occupied by a husband and wife and their two children, ages 6 and 2.
According to Smith, Huelsman allegedly threw a milk shake into the family’s vehicle and then pulled the front passenger, the wife, out of the vehicle by her hair. Huelsman then allegedly punched the woman several times in the face causing injuries, Smith said. The woman, whose name is not being released, was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital by ambulance. The husband and children were not injured."
I Blame Nicolas Cage
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Archives' many missing items - Yahoo! News: "National Archives visitors know they'll find the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights in the main building's magnificent rotunda in Washington. But they won't find the patent file for the Wright Brothers' Flying Machine or the maps for the first atomic bomb missions anywhere in the Archives inventory.
Many historical items the Archives once possessed are missing, . . . ."
Many historical items the Archives once possessed are missing, . . . ."
On This July 4, Pause to Remember the NASA Chimps
Nasa chimps earn Florida comforts after taking a punishing step for Mankind - Times Online: "“When the astronauts came back from their space missions they received ticker-tape parades and were rightfully considered heroes. But the chimps were forgotten and relegated along with their descendants to biomedical research laboratories,” Jen Feuerstein, the sanctuary director, said.
As America marks the 40th anniversary of man’s first footsteps on the Moon, Marty and friends rely solely on charity to support their retirement. Nasa and the US Government have never donated a penny towards Save the Chimps’ annual $4 million (�2.5 million) budget. But astronauts have — among them Bob Crippen, 71, who piloted the first orbital test flight of the space shuttle in 1981, commanded three subsequent shuttle missions and served as a director of Nasa’s shuttle programme in the 1990s."
As America marks the 40th anniversary of man’s first footsteps on the Moon, Marty and friends rely solely on charity to support their retirement. Nasa and the US Government have never donated a penny towards Save the Chimps’ annual $4 million (�2.5 million) budget. But astronauts have — among them Bob Crippen, 71, who piloted the first orbital test flight of the space shuttle in 1981, commanded three subsequent shuttle missions and served as a director of Nasa’s shuttle programme in the 1990s."
America's Strangest Monument?
American Stonehenge: Monumental Instructions for the Post-Apocalypse: "The strangest monument in America looms over a barren knoll in northeastern Georgia. Five massive slabs of polished granite rise out of the earth in a star pattern. The rocks are each 16 feet tall, with four of them weighing more than 20 tons apiece. Together they support a 25,000-pound capstone. Approaching the edifice, it's hard not to think immediately of England's Stonehenge or possibly the ominous monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Built in 1980, these pale gray rocks are quietly awaiting the end of the world as we know it.
Called the Georgia Guidestones, the monument is a mystery—nobody knows exactly who commissioned it or why. The only clues to its origin are on a nearby plaque on the ground—which gives the dimensions and explains a series of intricate notches and holes that correspond to the movements of the sun and stars—and the 'guides' themselves, directives carved into the rocks."
Called the Georgia Guidestones, the monument is a mystery—nobody knows exactly who commissioned it or why. The only clues to its origin are on a nearby plaque on the ground—which gives the dimensions and explains a series of intricate notches and holes that correspond to the movements of the sun and stars—and the 'guides' themselves, directives carved into the rocks."
Friday, July 03, 2009
Brazil Leads the Way
Guards nab pigeon smuggling cell phone into Brazilian prison -- Newsday.com: "Prison guards foiled a new attempt to smuggle a cell phone into a Brazilian prison by carrier pigeon — this one wearing a tiny backpack — and said Friday that the practice is becoming almost commonplace."
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Hat tip to Jeff Segal.
Paging Mongo
Two Mexican Midget Wrestlers Killed by Fake Prostitutes - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com: "Mexican authorities say two professional wrestlers found dead in a low-rent hotel in the capital may have been drugged to death by female robbers.
Autopsies are being performed on the two midget wrestlers, one of whom went by the name 'La Parkita' — or 'Little Death' — and wore a skeleton costume in the ring. The other was known as 'Espectrito Jr.'"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Autopsies are being performed on the two midget wrestlers, one of whom went by the name 'La Parkita' — or 'Little Death' — and wore a skeleton costume in the ring. The other was known as 'Espectrito Jr.'"
Hat tip to Art Scott.
Really, Now, They Gotta be Kidding
Boborci. Kurtzman. Kane. VIEWMASTER. Movie. -- Ain't It Cool News: The best in movie, TV, DVD, and comic book news.: "FRINGE writer/co-producer Brad Caleb Kane is developing a VIEWMASTER movie for DreamWorks."
Colorado Leads the Way
Colorado company offers banana coffins : 24 Hour Breaking News : The Buffalo News: "Casket makers catering to natural burials have offered biodegradable coffins made of such materials as recycled newspapers or cardboard. Ecoffins USA, based in Montrose, Colo., is selling caskets made of banana sheaves.
They take six months to two years to biodegrade."
Link via Jake Murdock.
They take six months to two years to biodegrade."
Link via Jake Murdock.
Jaws 6 -- The Swamp
Bull sharks take to Louisiana swamp - WAFB Channel 9, Baton Rouge, LA |: "HENDERSON, LA (WAFB) - Bass, catfish, and perch make for a great fish fry down on the bayou, but lately, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has found sharks in inland waters of the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp.
Most people have a preconceived notion that sharks are found in the ocean. While that's certainly true, sharks are also being found among the beautiful cypress trees in the waters of the Atchafalaya. 'Well, I guess this is a swamp, shark that lives in the swamp,' said Mike Walker with Wildlife and Fisheries. 'You could call it a swamp shark.'"
Most people have a preconceived notion that sharks are found in the ocean. While that's certainly true, sharks are also being found among the beautiful cypress trees in the waters of the Atchafalaya. 'Well, I guess this is a swamp, shark that lives in the swamp,' said Mike Walker with Wildlife and Fisheries. 'You could call it a swamp shark.'"
Maybe a Distinctive Style Isn't Such a Good Thing
Dear Garry. I've decided to end it all: The full stop that trapped a killer | Mail Online: "A veteran of more than 300 investigations into crimes ranging from extortion to murder, Olsson is one of the leading experts in a still emerging field known as 'forensic linguistics'.
His skill lies in identifying a suspect's 'linguistic fingerprint' - the distinctive use of language which makes each of us unique, whether we are writing letters, emails or mobile phone texts.
Thanks to Olsson and his colleaues and their work, police no longer have to depend on a crooked 'c' or a missing 'm' on a suspect's typewriter to establish whether they have written an incriminating document.
Even in today's high-tech culture, when villains use seemingly identical computers and mobiles in pursuit of their crimes, these modern-day Sherlock Holmeses can still track them down - simply through their choice of words, spacing and punctuation."
His skill lies in identifying a suspect's 'linguistic fingerprint' - the distinctive use of language which makes each of us unique, whether we are writing letters, emails or mobile phone texts.
Thanks to Olsson and his colleaues and their work, police no longer have to depend on a crooked 'c' or a missing 'm' on a suspect's typewriter to establish whether they have written an incriminating document.
Even in today's high-tech culture, when villains use seemingly identical computers and mobiles in pursuit of their crimes, these modern-day Sherlock Holmeses can still track them down - simply through their choice of words, spacing and punctuation."
Deadly Dames -- Edited by Gary Lovisi
From its beautiful Maguire cover to entertaining contents, this anthology is a hardboiled treat. The title tells you all you need to know about the stories, and a deadlier bunch of women you probably haven't met in a while. So I've read the stories by Ed Gorman, Wayne Dundee (a new Joe Hannibal), Vin Packer, Pearce Hansen, Gary Lovisi, and C. J. Henderson, and I can tell you that you shouldn't expect the women in the stories to be all the same. Sure, they're deadly, but in different ways. The spy in Henderson's story is a femme fatale for sure, but not exactly in the Cain sense. Others are fatal in their own ways. It's a lot of fun to see how the writers work things out and how the different styles lead to stories of all kinds, from the all-action-all-the-time story by Henderson to the hardboiled Dundee to the contemplative Gorman. If you like noir, you'll find it here, but there's plenty more besides. Check it out.
Once Again, Texas Leads the Way
TVNEWSDAY - Leno Wins Right To Web Name For His New Show: "Television host Jay Leno has won control of a Web address using the name of his new show.
The U.N.'s World Intellectual Property Organization says current owner Guadalupe Zambrano of Katy, Texas, will have to transfer the domain name — thejaylenoshow.com — to the comedian.
The agency says Zambrano failed to demonstrate he had a legitimate reason for registering the address five years ago while Leno was still hosting 'The Tonight Show.'"
The U.N.'s World Intellectual Property Organization says current owner Guadalupe Zambrano of Katy, Texas, will have to transfer the domain name — thejaylenoshow.com — to the comedian.
The agency says Zambrano failed to demonstrate he had a legitimate reason for registering the address five years ago while Leno was still hosting 'The Tonight Show.'"
Banjo Jones, Take Note
Three new dinosaurs found in western Queensland | The Courier-Mail: "A VICIOUS meat-eating dinosaur, bigger, faster and more terrifying than velociraptor made famous in Jurassic Park, once roamed the plains of Queensland.
The bones of Australovenator Wintonensis, nicknamed 'Banjo' by paleantologists, are among the remains of three new species found in the outback near Winton."
The bones of Australovenator Wintonensis, nicknamed 'Banjo' by paleantologists, are among the remains of three new species found in the outback near Winton."
Forgotten Books: PAGODA -- James Atlee Phillips
If you think The Green Wound, a Gold Medal book also issued as The Green Wound Contract, was the first of Philip Atlee's books about Joe Gall, you're wrong by 12 or 13 years. The first one was Pagoda, published in hardback by Macmillan in 1951 and in paperback by Bantam in 1952. Obviously this one was intended as a standalone book, and technically it's not part of the series. It's not even told in first person like the rest of the Gall books. But Gall's the same hardboiled guy, and Atlee writes about him very well, no matter how he's handling the narration. There's the same terse style, the same swift flow of the story.As you can see from the back cover, this is Joe Gall's backstory. It's set in Burma, and Gall's a flyer. If you've read the series books, you no doubt recall Gall's many references to flying over "the hump" in Burma. Here's the story of some of those experiences. Atlee does the setting very well indeed, as he did in all the Gall books. If you liked the series, you'll like Pagoda. If you like good hardboiled writing, you'll probably like Pagoda. Dated? Sure, in the same way that Hammett and Chandler are dated, which is to say only in the details. Check it out.
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