Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
 

WOMAN SWORE AT HER TOILET
A US woman, who was facing jail for swearing at her toilet, has been acquitted. Dawn Herb, of Pennsylvania, was charged after an off duty police officer overheard her swear at an overflowing toilet. Officer Patrick Gilman told the hearing he heard someone yell, "Are you f***ing retarded? Get me the f***ing mop." Patrolman Gilman said he then yelled, "Watch your mouth", to which the person replied, "F*** off."

Ms Herb was then charged after she admitted cursing at her toilet but District Judge Terrence Gallagher ruled she did nothing wrong. He dismissed the disorderly conduct charge which could have led to up to 90 days in jail and a £150 fine. He ruled that the language she used "may be considered by some to be offensive, vulgar and imprudent" but she was entitled to use it under the First Amendment. (Source: Ananova, Dec/07)

SAD LOSS ... A BIN
Official counselling was offered to a crime victim to help him cope with his loss - a wheelie bin. Karim Allison was sent a letter from Victim Support in Middlesbrough offering "emotional support and practical help" after he casually mentioned to a neighbourhood police officer that his bin had been stolen. Karim said, "It's ridiculous. I managed to get over the loss without counselling." Cleveland Police said the service is offered to all crime victims. Victim Support added, "We recognise it's trivial, but it proves the system works." (Source: Sunday Mirror, Aug/07)

NOW EVEN SPIDERS HAVE RIGHTS!
People could be prosecuted for being cruel to pet spiders, octopuses and restaurant lobsters under animal welfare plans being considered by the Government. The Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is investigating whether invertebrates should get the same protection under the law enjoyed by dogs, cats and horses if they are kept in captivity. Ministers are under pressure from animal campaigners, who argue that some invertebrates are capable of feeling pain.

The move follows the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act in April, which made people legally liable for the basic welfare of animals in their care and introduced new fines of up to £20,000. Despite claims that some higher invertebrates, such as octopuses, can feel pain, the law covers only creatures with a backbone such as mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. While it is illegal to mistreat a goldfish, there is nothing to stop people mistreating pet tarantulas or lobsters kept in restaurant aquariums.

Any extension of the laws could mean restaurant owners being prosecuted for mistreating lobsters or crabs on their menu. While they would still be able to boil the crustaceans alive to kill them, they would have to make sure they are kept in clean, warm uncrowded tanks up to that point. Similarly, while little boys will not be punished for pulling the legs off a back-garden spider, people with pet tarantulas will have to ensure they are kept warm and well-fed. (Source: Daily Mail, Jun/07)

ROCK ADDICTION IS DISABILITY
A heavy metal fan has been awarded sickness handouts after doctors said his addiction to music was a disability. The ruling means Roger Tullgren will pocket thousands of pounds in state benefits to help finance his 36-year obsession. His boss is also letting him play his ear-splitting music at work and giving him time off for concerts. It marks an end to Roger's 10-year bid to have his "condition", which began when he started listening to Black Sabbath in 1971, officially classified as a handicap.

Roger will get a £65 a week top up to the money he earns as a part-time restaurant dishwasher so he can buy concert tickets and CDs. And the tattooed rocker, from Hassleholm in southern Sweden, hopes it will pay his expenses for playing in his band Silverland. The Swedish Unemployment Service said, "Because heavy metal dominates so many aspects of his life, the Employment Service has agreed to pay part of Mr Tullgren's salary in disability benefits." (Source: Ananova, Jun/07)

DRUNK WOMAN FELL INTO CEMENT MIXER
A drunk Russian woman had to be pulled out of a newly-laid road after she fell into a cement mixer and then into a pool of drying asphalt. Elena Pavlovna had been walking home after a lunchtime session with pals in the town of Kemerovo. She saw her path was blocked by machinery left by workers who were taking a break from resurfacing a road and tried to step over the machinery.

But she slipped and fell into a cement mixer which had been left on and after a few minutes of being twirled around inside with the concrete mix she was "poured" out onto a pool of asphalt. As she struggled to get out of the asphalt mix she slipped further into it until only her head was sticking out.

She was pulled out by rescue workers who were called by workmen when they came back from their break. A rescue service spokesman said, "'Despite the fact that only part of her mouth was out in the open she did not shut up and kept on telling us what we should be doing. It was really annoying." (Source: Ananova, Jun/07)

FIRE SIRENS BANNED AS SAFETY RISK
Firefighters racing on 999 calls have been told to silence their sirens and drive within the speed limit because they pose a health and safety risk. Fire chiefs say the crews can only use their flashing lights and break the speed limit if there is an “immediate” threat to life. As one experienced fireman based in Sheffield said, “Even if it seems to be a minor fire, you don’t know how serious it really is until you get there. If we have to wait up to half an hour in traffic, it could have spread.”

A colleague based in Barnsley added, “It is just barmy decision-making by pen-pushers who have no real knowledge of the job we do. Next, they will be telling the police that they can only use their sirens and drive fast if they are dealing with a murder, or forbidding ambulance drivers from going flashing their lights unless their patient is minutes away from death."

The guidelines, issued to stations across South Yorkshire, say call-outs like skip blazes or car fires on “dumping grounds” are examples of incidents when normal speeds and no sirens or lights should be used. Crews have also been told to obey all traffic regulations in these cases. (Source: Daily Express, Jun/07)

COUNCIL'S SECRET TIMEBOMB
Hundreds of people who are at risk from deadly gas blasts cannot find out the degree of danger they are in because council officials fear the truth could affect house prices. The council commissioned a report to assess which houses are at risk from pockets of methane gas left in 70 disused coal mines beneath the streets of Workington, Cumbria, home to more than 30,000 people.

Methane, which occurs naturally, builds up in mine shafts and can cause catastrophic explosions if exposed to the air. Councillors spent £18,000 of taxpayers’ money to identify the areas of Workington with the greatest build-up of methane, but furious householders have been told that even though their taxes paid for the risk report they cannot read the results. The investigation took place after an elderly woman in the town’s Frostom’s estate had a lucky escape in a methane gas blast six years ago.

As a result of the explosion four houses and a school on the same street had to be demolished. The existence of the secret gas report emerged only after electrical engineer Ross Nicholson was hired by a Workington woman who was warned by the council of the “high risk” when she applied to build an extension to her home. A council spokesman said, “If we go around telling people they live in a high-risk area they will panic and we have a duty not to blight house prices.” (Source: Sunday Express, Jun/07)

Next >>>