Outwalk the Grim Reaper, Man steals Woman’s car during date, and Cat’s with Thumbs

             Good Morning Humboldt County!

It’s another day in paradise and your invited to stop in and have a cup of coffee. Take a seat and make yourself comfortable. I have a trio of tales for you this morning to start your day. Enjoy:

Walk 3 mph or faster to outpace the Grim Reaper, scientists say

Seniors who walk briskly may be able to delay death, essentially outrunning the Grim Reaper, a new study suggests.

Australian researchers with a wry sense of humor say they have calculated the average walking speed of the specter of death -- and it’s about 2 miles per hour. Walk faster than that and you may outrun the Grim Reaper, too, they argue in a new study published in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal.

              Cops: Man Stole Woman's Car During Movie Date

The 27-year-old Floridian was on a movie date last week with Sarah Bush, 35, when he asked for her car keys so that he could retrieve something from the vehicle. Bush gave him the keys and went back to watching “Immortals” (Pratt had paid for the movie tickets, while Bush shelled out for a nacho combo).

However, Pratt--who had been dating Bush for two weeks--never returned to the Cobb Theater in Wesley Chapel. When Bush departed, she realized that her rented Ford Focus had been stolen. When she called Pratt, he left no doubt about the whereabouts of her wheels: “Ha ha I stole your car,” he said, according to a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office report.

See what cats with thumbs can do…

Cat with thumbs tops TBS review of the funniest commercials of 2011

What do a cat with opposable thumbs, a Sasquatch, and a pug with supersized strength have in common (aside from the fact that, as far as anyone knows, they’re all mythical)?

They’re all part of the commercials that were voted as this year's funniest on Turner Broadcasting System’s annual  “Funniest Commercials of the Year” special, which debuted Wednesday night.

Time to walk on down the road…

American public to Congress: Get out. All of you…

My last T-S column (12/11) Scroll down, or click link on left side of page:

 PAB Award: What Congress deserves for Christmas -

Apparently the pollsters agree with me when I said we had the worst Congress ever last week. Compare my column with the following:

“The American electorate is primed to throw out record numbers of incumbents in the 2012 election, according to new polling from the Pew Research Center.

Everywhere you look in the numbers, which were released this morning, you see political land mines for incumbents.

Sixty seven percent say they want to see most Members of Congress voted out in 2012, the highest that number has ever been in Pew polling. And, while people are more favorably inclined to see their own Member re-elected, (50 percent yes/33 percent no) those numbers still match historic lows.

The Pew data also suggests that incumbents can’t hope to be saved by simply blaming the institutional problems of Congress.” (news source)

New trial in bizarre murder case, Woman gets $6.1 million from unclaimed property, Survey asks ‘If you could rape someone, who would it be?

                 Good Morning Humboldt County!

I’m glad to see you made it this morning. It’s cold outside. C’mon in and have a cup of hot steaming coffee and relax for a little bit. I’ve collected three stories to stimulate your senses as you sip the gourmet brew we’re having today.  

Author Michael Peterson wins new trial in bizarre murder case

Michael Peterson, the best-selling author whose 2003 murder conviction in the death of his wife inspired the movie "The Staircase Murders," has been granted a new trial.

Peterson's motion for a new trial was granted Wednesday based on new evidence suggesting that the original investigation was botched and a bizarre alternative theory that has drawn support from scientific experts: the possibility that an owl killed Kathleen Peterson in Durham, N.C., in 2001.

Missouri woman gets $6.1 million from unclaimed property

The holidays this year will be especially memorable for a Kansas City woman who has received a state record $6.1 million from a Missouri unclaimed property fund consisting of a single security.

The Missouri state treasurer maintains some $600 million of unclaimed property, most of it cash from bank accounts, the contents of safe deposit boxes, stocks and bonds, according to the treasurer's office. The average payout is about $300.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                                         

Frat Survey Asks: ‘If You Could Rape Someone, Who Would it Be?’

The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Vermont (slogan: "Building Balanced Men") is suspended and under investigation by campus police, because they allegedly circulated a quiz among their members that included the following question: "If you could rape anyone who would it be?"

Greeeeat question, guys. How could you possibly be expected to be molded into a well-balanced man without first telling your closest scros who you'd most like to rape? Rape on, scrah. [burlingtonfreepress.com, Screengrab via sigep.org]

Time to walk on down the road…

Temporary delay saves Eureka Mail Processing Center and local jobs until May 2012 – then what?

(editor’s note: I’ve corrected the address below for mailing in comments)

What’s the future hold for the Eureka USPS Processing Center? Will it be shut down? Local jobs lost?

The U.S. Postal Service agreed to delay the closing of 252 mail processing centers and 3,700 local post offices until mid-May yesterday.

There will be a public meeting addressing the challenges the Eureka USPS Processing Center faces when this delay is over.

The meeting is set for Today December 15th at 6:00 p.m. at the Wharfinger Building in Eureka.

 Closing Mail Processing Centers, like ours in Eureka, and cutting service is a penny wise and pound foolish. Reducing the scope and quality of service will not restore the Postal Service to health. What will, is for Congress to act to address the insane 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. This act required the Postal Service to pre-fund employees retirement/health benefits 75 years in advance but make payment within 10 years at the tune of 5.5 billion dollars.

Postal Service customers need and deserve first-class service. The Postal Service is
critical to our economy - delivering mail, medicine and packages on time and at
an affordable price, without a dime of taxpayer money.
The Postal Service is the only federal agency to be mandated this pre-funding. No other public agency or
private sector has this requirement. Currently, the Civil Service Retirement System is over funded 50-75 billion. The Federal Employees Retirement System is over funded by 7 billion. The Postal Service would not be recording a deficit if Congress did not impose this unrealistic law. If the Postal Service ignores YOUR comments and letters, here is what to expect:

• It goes against the purpose of the Post Office and is in violation of the law
• It is at the request of large mailers who stand to benefit
• The proposal is a rate increase since local overnight delivery will now be at
  It is at the request of large mailers who stand to benefit
• The proposal is a rate increase since local overnight delivery will now be at
express rates
• Workers, their families and communities will be devastated by the loss/transfer
of jobs
• Veterans returning from wars will have fewer opportunities for living wage jobs
• Checks, other income, and critical time-sensitive documents will be delayed
• Senior Citizens and Veterans medications will be delayed
• Mortgage and other bill payments could be delayed causing late charges or worse
• Election results could be negatively affected by the delay in mail
• Small local businesses and non-profits will see further delay in their local mailings
• The delay in service problems will be even greater for those in rural areas.
• The Postal Service willfully failed to notify all the affected communities of the proposal

This is your Service mandated by law, to provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities.

For more information about the meeting, or the service you may lose someday contact Mike Hetticher, president of Eureka Local 1056

at 707-616-5265

Let the Postal Service hear your VOICE!!!
Send your comments and letters to:
Manager, Consumer and Industry contact

San Francisco District - P.O. Box 193000

San Francisco, Ca. 94188.

Dec 31st is the deadline for letters

VW of the future, Immigration crackdowns snares Americans, and a Chinese artist’s portraits of corruption

       Good Morning Humboldt County!

As the day dawns a Bluejay can be seen on the lower limb of the young Redwood Tree across from my front porch. C’mon in and pull up a seat and have a cup of coffee with me. I’ve selected three stories to start your day. 

Volkswagen's Delivery Vehicle of the Future

 Volkswagen Group Research and the German postal service teamed up to envision what the (far into the) future postal-delivery vehicle could look like. They came up with the Volkswagen eT! delivery vehicle, with autonomous driving capabilities and a passenger side "drive stick."

                    Immigration crackdown also snares Americans

A growing number of United States citizens have been detained under Obama administration programs intended to detect illegal immigrants who are arrested by local police.

In a spate of recent cases across the country, American citizens have been confined in local jails after federal immigration agents, acting on flawed information from Department of Homeland Security databases, instructed the police to hold them for investigation and possible deportation.

Photo - An American college student, Romy Campos, was sent to a California jail on an immigration detainer.

Americans said their vehement protests that they were citizens went unheard by local police and jailers for days, with no communication with federal immigration agents to clarify the situation. Any case where an American is held, even briefly, for immigration investigation is a potential wrongful arrest because immigration agents lack legal authority to detain citizens.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Americans should have their own hall of Shame for politicians!

      Chinese artist's portraits of corruption

Zhang came up with the idea of creating his “hall of shame” as early as March 2009, during China’s National People’s Congress, the annual meeting of Communist Party officials.  It was then that he learned that 3,000 officials had been convicted for corruption in the previous year alone. “I was shocked at the numbers, I did not realize there were so many,” Zhang told NBC News during a recent visit to his studio.  “China is in such a transition period, those corruption issues also should be witnessed in a historic context.”

Time to walk on down the road…

Why is someone who is feeling great 'on cloud nine'?

The answer is…

Types of clouds are numbered according to the altitudes they attain, with nine being the highest cloud

If someone is said to be on cloud nine, that person is floating well above worldly cares.

US calls for ban on in-car phone use ... even with Bluetooth

I think banning in-car phone use is a GREAT IDEA. There was actually a time in this country when people drove cars without having a phone in them. 

The government's transportation safety experts recommended Tuesday to ban all American drivers from using portable electronic devices — including cell phones, even if you use a hands-free device.

The recommendation, which isn't binding but which is likely to influence the decisions of Congress and state legislatures in writing  new safety laws, makes only two exceptions: You could still use GPS navigation devices, and you could use your cell phone in an emergency.

Besides calling for government action, the NTSB also urged consumer electronics manufacturers to figure out a way to "disable the functions of portable electronic devices within reach of the driver when a vehicle is in motion" while at the same time allowing the driver to make a call in an emergency.

Spokesmen for the Consumer Electronics Association and CTIA—The Wireless Association did not immediately return calls for comment on whether such a device is possible .

"No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life," Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said at a news conference in Washington.

Safety advocates have long called for such a ban to reduce the phenomenon of distracted driving, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says killed 3,092 people in 2010.

The HTSA reported last week that about 20 percent of all drivers and 50 percent of drivers 21 to 24 years old admit to having texted while driving. Overall, more than three-quarters of drivers say they are willing to answer calls on all, most or some trips.

"People continue to make bad decisions about driving distracted — but what's clear from all of the information we have is that driver distraction continues to be a major problem," NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said last week in reporting the numbers.

But similar studies linking cellphone use to poor driving have been challenged, most recently by researchers at Wayne State University in Detroit, who concluded last month that some earlier studies were seriously flawed.

The report, published in the journal Epidemiology, examined to earlier studies that examined crashes in which cellphone records showed that the driver had used a cellphone. Those studies "likely overestimated the relative risk for cell phone conversations," the researchers said, because they improperly assumed that the drivers were actually in motion when they were on the phone — in other words, they didn't factor in such so-called part-time driving.

Abstract: Cell Phone Use and Crash Risk: Evidence for Positive Bias

Only 10 states ban handheld devices right now, and 35 ban texting while driving.

The recommendation comes following the NTSB's investigation of an August 2010 accident in Gray's Summit, Mo., involving a pickup truck, two school buses and several other vehicles.

The accident was blamed on the 19-year-old driver of the pickup, who sent or received 11 texts in the 11 minutes before the pileup, which killed two people and injured 38 others.

"That finding raises a red flag to all of us on the highways," Hersman said.

Full NTSB report on 2010 Missouri crash

The NTSB recommendation wouldn't cover GPS devices, but — if it eventually becomes law — it would ban using your phone for any reason, even with a Bluetooth headset or speakers. The only exception would be to call 911 in an emergency.

(News source)

A $13 million dollar cat, psychedelic geckos among 200 new species discovered in Vietnam, and a stray dog saves an abandoned baby

      Good Morning Humboldt County! 

 It’s great to be back home. C’mon inside and have a cup of coffee with me. Grab a seat and let me start your day with a few animal stories.  

     Former stray cat inherits $13 million

It's hard to imagine an heir more indifferent to his huge inheritance than Tommaso. The 4-year-old Italian black cat -- a former stray on the streets of Rome -- is apparently now the richest cat in the world, according to the International Business Times. Tommaso inherited an estate worth $13 million when its owner, Maria Assunta, died two weeks ago at the age of 94, The Telegraph reported. Assunta was the widow of a property tycoon, and had no children or living relatives.

Other famously wealthy pets: Tommaso is the latest in a long line of pets that became millionaires upon the death of their wealthy owners.

Leona Helmsley's Maltese, Trouble, was probably the most famously wealthy pet when his owner died in 2007, leaving $12 million to the dog. The dog itself passed away in June, at the age of 12, and the money reverted to the Helmsley Charitable Trust, The Street reported.

Other rich animals include Alexander McQueen's dogs ($82,000) and Michael Jackson's chimp, Bubbles ($1 million). Oprah Winfrey's dogs are set to inherit $30 million, according to Woman's Day.

However, none are as wealthy as an Alsatian dog named Gunther IV, who inherited a fortune worth about $372 million from a German countess, according to The Guardian.

Psychedelic gecko one of 200 new species discovered in South East Asia

A psychedelic gecko (photo right) recently discovered in Hon Khoai island, Ca Mau province, in southern Vietnam.

HANOI, Vietnam — A psychedelic gecko and a monkey with an "Elvis" hairdo are among 208 new species described last year by scientists in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia, a conservation group announced Monday.

The animals were discovered in a biodiverse region that is threatened by habitat loss, deforestation, climate change and overdevelopment, the WWF said in a report.

The newly described species include a "psychedelic gecko" in southern Vietnam and a nose-less monkey in a remote province of Myanmar that looks like it wears a pompadour.

 Stray dog saves abandoned baby from death

A stray dog saved an abandoned baby from certain death in freezing temperatures in Romania. The hound stood guarding the child and barking and howling in a public park until it alerted passers-by to investigate.

They heard the child's cries and found the baby girl hidden in a plastic bag under a picnic table. The baby is recovering in hospital - and the maternity unit has adopted the stray dog. Doctors say the newborn would most likely have died from hypothermia very quickly unless the stray dog hadn't discovered her.The umbilical cord was still attached. She was taken to a hospital from Oradea in Arad county.

Dr. Gheorghe Tirla said: "It is a normal baby-girl of three kilos. She was lucky with that dog or she could have frozen to death. "She hadn't even had the umbilical cord severed but everything turned out fine and she is now recovering." The baby is going to be placed in an orphanage, reports the National newspaper. Police are trying to find the mother of the baby.

Time to walk on down the road…

As It Stands: PAB Award: What Congress deserves for Christmas

          

                 By Dave Stancliff/for the Times-Standard
  Welcome to the first annual As It Stands contest for Politicians Acting Badly (the PAB award). This year we have a lot of candidates to choose from. Based upon most Americans disgust with them, members of the current Congress, have to be considered the frontrunners for this special citation.
   Still, we can’t overlook the likes of ex- Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and his cell phone shannigans, or Rep. Spencer Bachus’s (R-AL) inside trading behavior which recently came under fire in a 60 Minutes report. 
   This year’s long shots for the award are: Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) who in the heat of a political debate in August crossed the line when he said being associated with President Obama would be similar to touching a “tar baby.”  Another contender is ex-Congressman David Wu who resigned amid allegations he engaged in "aggressive and unwanted sexual behavior." He also came under fire for possible mental health issues after he mailed a picture of himself in a tiger costume to his staff.
  Here we go. Are you ready? Pass the envelope please... (tense pause). This year’s winner of the PAB Award is…the 112th U.S. Congress!
  Santa will leave rocks for every member of Congress this Christmas. The normally jolly old elf is as sick of partisan politics as most Americans.
Congress' supercommittee conceded ignominious defeat in November, setting the stage for another new low. Even for them. Neither side shows the spirit of the season.
 Our lawmakers are a pack of Scrooges stealing holiday cheer. None of them are comfortable about automatic cuts going into place if they don‘t come up with a plan. Yet the no-compromise committee, formerly known as the supercommittee, threw up their hands in defeat in time for the holidays.
  Political divisions over taxes and spending have cast a cloud of uncertainty over the U.S. economy while Greece, Italy, Spain and other European countries are reeling from a spreading debt crisis and recession worries.
  Congress continues to act as if they don’t care if their approval rating in the polls is well below 20 percent. It’s amazing to me. It’s as if  our elected officials don’t understand there will be an accounting when they’re up for re-election.
   Based on accounts provided by officials familiar with the talks, it appears that weeks of private negotiations did nothing to alter a fundamental divide between the two political parties.
   "Despite our inability to bridge the committee's significant differences, we end this process united in our belief that the nation's fiscal crisis must be addressed and that we cannot leave it for the next generation to solve," the panel's two co-chairs, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Tex., said in a recent AP report.
  Don’t feel alone if this statement makes you want to vomit. Have you ever heard a bigger bunch of baloney? United in their belief? They’re not united enough to decide when to take a coffee break let alone solve problems for future generations!
  Has there ever been a worse Congress? I can see political historians comparing it with some in the 1880s, but unless someone proves otherwise, our current Congress must be considered the worst of the worst. Thus the PAB Award.
  I know what Americans want for Christmas. A Congress that can balance the budget. A Congress that is proactive about stimulating jobs in this down economy and passes bills with real teeth. A congress that doesn’t enrich its members with inside stock trading. A Congress committed to doing what the American people really want. A Congress that doesn’t appear to the rest of the world as a bunch of greedy partisan clowns.

  I don’t think those are unrealistic expectations. When our lawmakers took their oaths of office they promised to serve their constituents. That means they should represent the voters wishes and not those ideological demigods who demand partisan pledges that prevent compromise.
   The good news during these holidays is that things can change. Americans are rising up across the country demanding real change. I can’t wait until this time next year. I suspect we’ll elect a more responsive group of lawmakers who’d like to avoid getting my PAB award.
  As It Stands, for Christmas this year, members of Congress deserve a rock signifying their stubbornness, and they should also receive a pink slip from their constituents.  

This column has been picked up by the following websites:

#1 Politics Daily #2 Silobreaker #3 David Wu News #4 Global Associated News 

I’m heading down the road for a few days – see ya soon

Time for a holiday blog break. Places to go and people to see who live outside of Humboldt County.

Please feel free to go over the archives on the left side of the page to see past posts and columns.

Peace…

Cop found drunk in car, ‘Mockupy’ set flooded by protestors, and blinded by truck lights in Japan

          Good Morning Humboldt County!

Looks like another beautiful day in the neighborhood. C’mon inside on this chilly Fall morning and have a cup of hot coffee with me. I’ve selected several stories to jump start your day. Grab a seat, relax, and enjoy:

Florida cop found drunk in squad car

You know things are wacky in Florida when news of criminality continues to be about the cops rather than the robbers. The latest Keystone Kops-like episode came when an off-duty cop was discovered passed out and drunk in his patrol car, the Miami-Dade, Fla., police department told local media.

And it gets worse: Instead of being cuffed and booked, Fernando Villa, 32, was allowed to go home after signing a form promising he would appear in court, the Miami Herald reported. The DUI incident is the latest in a string of embarrassments to hit Miami-area law enforcement.

'Mockupy': Protesters flood into supposed TV set replicating Occupy camp

Dozens of protesters from Occupy Wall Street converged overnight Thursday on another park in New York City – where they say a television set for an upcoming “Law & Order” episode replicating their Occupy Wall Street camp has been set up, according to various reports on Twitter, a live video stream and a demonstrator.

“Light, camera, ACTION! Everybody head to Foley Square. Bring y(ou)r headshots and make y(ou)rself at home! See you at midnite! #Mockupy #D9,” read a tweet sent out from the OccupyWallSt Twitter account.

 

Japanese “light trucks” banned from highway for being too bright

These popular vehicles in Japan have given new meaning to the term, "blinded by the light." But Japanese authorities are putting the brakes on so-called "light trucks," citing the danger posed to other drivers.

There's huge competition amongst the "light truck" community in Japan's car culture. And if you've never heard of light trucks before, they're basically what they sound like: trucks decked out in intricate designs of brightly colored lights. Some light-truck enthusiasts spend hundreds of thousands of dollars decking out their vehicles. According to the Daily Mail, the trucks use up so much electricity that some are fitted with extra generators under the chassis and can only be powered up for about 20 minutes before overheating. You can check out a more extensive gallery of light truck photos by clicking here.

Time to walk on down the road…

Senate approves indefinite detention and torture of Americans

A sad day for Americans…

The terrifying legislation that allows for Americans to be arrested, detained indefinitely, tortured and interrogated — without charge or trial — passed through the Senate on Thursday with an overwhelming support from 93 percent of lawmakers.

The irony to me is the morons agreed to something finally, and when they did, it involved taking away Americans rights.

Only seven members of the US Senate voted against the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday, despite urging from the ACLU and concerned citizens across the country that the affects of the legislation would be detrimental to the civil rights and liberties of everyone in America. Under the bill, Americans can be held by the US military for terrorism-related charges and detained without trial indefinitely.

Wake up America! We’re quietly losing more rights as these bastards slipped this bill through without any fanfare.

Additionally, another amendment within the text of the legislation reapproved waterboarding and other “advanced interrogation techniques” that are currently outlawed. "The bill is an historic threat to American citizens,” Christopher Anders of the ACLU tells the Associated Press. For the biggest supporters of the bill, however, history necessitates that Americans must sacrifice their security for freedom.

Why hasn’t someone made that nut Graham resign? He doesn’t believe in American ideals. He’s just another chick-hawk SOB that has a perverted streak when it comes to dealing with people.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a backer of the legislation, says current laws protecting Americans are too lax. Rather, says the senator, anyone suspected of terrorism "should not be read their Miranda Rights. They should not be given a lawyer."

Graham adds that suspected terrorists, “should be held humanely in military custody and interrogated about why they joined al-Qaeda and what they were going to do to all of us,” although other legislation in the bill isn’t exactly humane. Waterboarding, sleep-deprivation and other methods outlawed in the 2005 Anti-Torture Act will be added to a top-secret list of approved interrogation techniques that could be used on suspects, American or other.

I think we need to waterboard some some politicians until they start serving the people who put them in there!

Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte said last week that "terrorists shouldn't be able to view all of our interrogation practices online,” and Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) added during debate this week, "When a member of Al Qaeda or a similar associated terrorist group, I want . . . them to be terrified about what's going to happen to them in American custody.”

"I want them not to know what's going to happen,” added the senator and former presidential candidate. Not only won’t they know their gruesome future, but they wouldn’t know their own rights — that’s because they won’t have any. "We need the authority to hold those individuals in military custody so we aren't reading them Miranda rights," adds Kelly.

You just have to be someone suspected of supporting terrorists to lose all of your rights as an American. Does anyone recall the Salem Witch hunt trials? Seems history is repeating itself.

While lawmakers rallied with overwhelming support to approve the legislation against terrorists, it can also be applied to anyone, including American citizens, who are even suspected of terrorist-ties. President Barack Obama has pledged in the past that he would veto the legislation if it made through Congress, and a White House official told the AP on Thursday that that threat still stands.

Don’t hold out any hope that Obama will keep his word…he’s a proven political creature that does what’s best for himself and his cronies.

As Obama is faced with a country on the brink of economic collapse so close to Election Day, however, a change of heart couldn’t be out of the question — the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 comes at a price-tag of nearly $30 billion below what Obama had asked for. (source)

New ‘Hangover cure,’ An abandoned fiberglass cow, and Contortionist makes a flexible calendar

              Good Morning Humboldt County!

It’s another day in paradise and the coffees on. C’mon in and have a cup with me. Pick a seat and relax while I share several stories to start your day.

It’s a strange world out there with lots of unique people and products. Enjoy:

“Hangover cure” approved for sale by FDA

The FDA has approved a new "hangover cure" product that could be available on U.S. store shelves as early as next month.

The "Alka-Seltzer like tablet" is not an actual new ingredient, but rather a potent combination of caffeine, aspirin and an antacid. ABC News reports that the product, called "Blowfish," is already available at the Ricky's pharmaceutical chain in New York City and is scheduled to be introduced nationally in January. "It's the only over-the-counter drug that's specifically hangover related," Blowfish creator Brenna Haysom told ABC News. "The [Food and Drug Administration] has specifically said our formula is effective for treating hangover symptoms."

'Moo-ve' that trailer! St. Paul impounds fiberglass cow

It's quite the sight to see inside the St. Paul impound lot. A trailer carrying a large fiberglass cow has been sitting in the lot for the past couple of weeks.

The trailer and cow had been parked on the 1400 block of E. Como Boulevard for such a long period of time that police considered it abandoned. Police took it to the impound lot on November 18. Authorities say the trailer had no registration. Someone went to the lot to claim the trailer, but the person couldn't prove ownership. The person who can prove ownership will have to pay more than $600 in towing and storage fees.

 Want A More Flexible Schedule In 2012?

Then do I have the calendar for you.
25 year old Russian contortionist "Zlata" has just released a calendar featuring her in 12 of her most eye- (and spine-) popping poses. From cooking in the kitchen with one leg behind her head, to getting off a bus with, er, one leg behind her head, the spry former-gymnast has tied herself in knots to produce something to please her legions of fans.

More facts about Zlata, with many more examples of her art, can be found here, courtesy of the Daily Mail.

Time to walk on down the road…

A nostaligic look at some of the weirdest collectibles of the 1970s

Every generation has its own cultural icons that grow into collectibles over time. Yet the 1970s were a stranger time than most, and some of the artifacts of that decade are indeed bizarre.

There are, of course, the legions of Star Wars-related items that remain in demand. ... More

If you happen to have one of those Boba Fett dolls that came free with UPC symbols, you may be able to add an extra $2,000 to your bank account (especially if it's the version with a spring-loaded missile).

There were also fads a-plenty, such as the mood ring, a plastic, heat-activated bauble that would change colors, allegedly in sync with the wearer's emotions. The rings are still sold by various makers, but cognoscenti, we are told, have ways of telling an authentic '70s artifact.

Taste wasn't always an issue when it came to flash-in-the-pan fads of that decade. Amid the sexual revolution and a growing gay rights movement, advertising executive Harvey Rosenberg brought America Gay Bob, a doll that hit stores in 1977 and created buzz -- and denouncements -- as "the world's first openly gay doll."

Dressed in tight jeans and a flannel shirt, Bob differed from Barbie's pal Ken in one striking way: The doll was anatomically correct. Today, the dolls appear regularly on auction sites such as eBay. Remember Cowmumble? 

How about Trolls before they were associated with the internet!

source

Obama Invokes Cold-War Law to Unmask Chinese Telecom Spyware

The U.S. is invoking Cold War-era national-security powers to force telecommunication companies including AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. to divulge confidential information about their networks in a hunt for Chinese cyber-spying.

In a survey distributed in April, the U.S. Commerce Department asked for a detailed accounting of foreign-made hardware and software on the companies’ networks. It also asked about security-related incidents such as the discovery of “unauthorized electronic hardware” or suspicious equipment that can duplicate or redirect data, according to a copy of the survey reviewed by Bloomberg News.

The survey represents “very high-level” concern that China and other countries may be using their growing export sectors to develop built-in spying capabilities in U.S. networks, said a senior U.S. intelligence official who asked not to be named because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the matter.

“This is beyond vague suspicions,” said Richard Falkenrath, a senior fellow in the Council on Foreign Relations Cyberconflict and Cybersecurity Initiative. “Congress is now looking at this as well, and they’re doing so based on very specific material provided them in a classified setting” by the National Security Agency, he said.

The survey went to dozens of telecommunications companies, software makers and information-security companies, including some foreign firms, according to James Lewis, a cyber-security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, or CSIS, in Washington. Lewis said AT&T and Verizon Communications were among the companies that received it.

Several of the companies were hesitant to cooperate because they had learned the Commerce Department unit handling the survey had itself been hacked by the Chinese in 2006, creating the possibility that company data provided might become known to the Chinese, according to a former government official familiar with the discussions.

The Commerce Department refused a request by the companies for specific protocols to protect the data, according to the former official, who declined to be identified because the discussions were confidential.

In July, Greg Schaffer of the Department of Homeland Security testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that the department knew of instances of foreign-made components seeded with cyber-spying technology. He declined to provide further details.

The Commerce Department survey also reflected U.S. intelligence community concerns over discounting and loan packages offered by foreign manufacturers.

It asks companies to list makers of telecommunications equipment that offer the steepest discounts. Other questions ask what information or other conditions manufacturers require in exchange for sales or leasing, including knowledge of physical access procedures for entering buildings.

Lewis of the CSIS said U.S. officials suspect the Chinese government is subsidizing the discounts to give U.S. companies incentives to buy Chinese-made network equipment.

“Huawei says they’re doing this and it’s completely legitimate, and it’s just us competing in the market,” Lewis said. “The other possibility is that they are doing it because they have an intelligence motive.”

--Editors: Andrew Dunn, Mary Romano

To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Riley in Washington at michaelriley@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at mhytha@bloomberg.net

Couple on welfare living the high life, Mom denied food stamps shoots children, and freeloading at hotel breakfast buffets

         Good Morning Humboldt County!

Welcome to this mornings hard times post. The recession has affected most Americans in one way or the other. The results range from welfare cheaters to desperate mothers killing their children and themselves, to simple freeloading.

Grab a cup of hot coffee, take a seat, and make yourself comfortable. It’s a tough world out there. 

Feds: Couple claimed welfare, lived in $1.2M home

A Seattle chiropractor and his wife live in a $1.2 million waterfront home and have spent the past eight years flying to Moscow, Paris, Israel, Turkey, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. All the while, federal authorities say, the couple was collecting more than $100,000 in welfare.

Now, the U.S. attorney's office is suing David Silverstein and Lyudmila Shimonova, accusing them of filing false claims and demanding that the couple pay back more than $135,000 in federal housing assistance since 2003. Prosecutors are also seeking tens of thousands of dollars in fines.

Officials: Mom who shot her 2 kids was denied food stamps

A mother who shot and critically injured her two children and then killed herself had for months tried unsuccessfully to qualify for food stamps, Texas welfare officials said.

The woman, identified as Rachelle Grimmer, 38, first applied for food stamps in July but was denied because she didn't turn in enough information, Texas Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Stephanie Goodman told The Associated Press Tuesday.            

Photo - Officials say Rachelle Grimmer, 38, pulled a gun and staged a seven-hour standoff with police that ended with her shooting her two children in the Texas Health and Human Services building in Laredo, above.

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Freeloading at the hotel breakfast buffet

Most people have heard the adage “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” But apparently it is not true for breakfast – at some hotels at least.

What started out as a simple complimentary cup of coffee and a doughnut has transformed into a kind of one-upmanship, said Chris Quilty, director of hotel operations for Hersha Hospitality Management, which owns and operates about 80 properties nationwide, representing all the major U.S. brands. About 70 of them offer free breakfast. There's anecdotal evidence to suggest that it's not just paying guests who enjoy this perk; it's not uncommon, say hotel experts and staff, to see people walk in from the street and serve themselves at the buffet.

“If you are savvy and need something to eat, it’s an easy thing to do,” said Bobby Bowers, senior vice president of operations for STR, a hotel research company. STR does not track how many non-guests take advantage of free breakfasts, but “I don’t doubt that it occurs,” Bowers said. “I would say it’s probably more of a problem now because economic times are tough.” But nine out of 10 times staff won’t say anything unless the person is a regular offender or “looks tough and dirty,” he said.

Time to walk on down the road…

iPAD addiction gets Alec Baldwin booted off American Airlines flight

I guess it’s just a matter of priorities for one TV star. Play game on iPAD or get kicked off airplane – No brainer! Winning! 

In a statement to NBC News, Alec Baldwin's rep Matthew Hiltzik explained what went down:

"Alec was asked to leave the flight for playing 'Words with Friends' on his iPad, while parked at the gate. Alec is so in love with 'Words with Friends' that he would risk getting thrown off a flight to play. He's already been re-booked on another American Airlines flight."

Halliburton accused of destroying evidence after Gulf spill, Earth’s twin discovered? Mugger gets beat up by victim

      Good Morning Humboldt County!

 Nice to see you could stop by today. C’mon in and grab a cup of hot coffee and check out the following stories I’ve gathered for your entertainment and education. Enjoy:

BP accuses Halliburton of destroying evidence following Gulf spill

BP has accused Halliburton of destroying damaging evidence about the quality of its cement slurry that went into drilling the oil well that blew out last year and caused the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

In a court filing, the oil company alleged that Halliburton did inadequate cement work. BP also asked a federal judge to punish the oilfield services company. The accusation raises the stakes ahead of a trial, expected in late February, to assign blame and damages for the April 2010 blowout of the Macondo well, which triggered the spill. Citing recent depositions and Halliburton's own documents, BP said Halliburton "intentionally" destroyed the results of slurry testing for the well, in part to "eliminate any risk that this evidence would be used against it at trial."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Could there be a race of aliens living on this planet?

A 'major milestone' in search for Earth's twin

NASA's planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has confirmed the discovery of its first alien world in its host star's habitable zone — that just-right range of distances that could allow liquid water to exist — and found more than 1,000 new exoplanet candidates, researchers announced Monday.

The new finds bring the Kepler space telescope's total haul to 2,326 potential planets in its first 16 months of operation. These discoveries, if confirmed, would quadruple the current tally of worlds known to exist beyond our solar system, which recently topped 700.

  Mugger left bloodied after attempt on MMA fighter

A convicted felon decided to mug an MMA fighter on the Southwest Side of Chicago, police say, and ended up paying a steep price. Police did not release the victim's name but said he was able to ward off Anthony Miranda, 24, who ended up with two black eyes and a gunshot wound to the ankle after a tussle.

The victim was sitting in his parked car near 55th St. and Kenneth when Anthony Miranda, 24, walked up to the car asking for a lighter, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.When the victim did not have one, Miranda pulled out a handgun and demanded money, police officials said. He then demanded the victim get out of the car. At some point, the victim was able to grab control of the gun while Miranda's attention was diverted. The two men wrestled on the ground and during the fight, Miranda accidentally discharged his gun, shooting himself in the ankle, police said. The victim was able to pin down Miranda until police arrived and later told officials he was a martial arts expert and ultimate fighting champion.

Time to walk on down the road…

Once upon a time no one wanted to be skinny in America

  

More Vintage photos like this here.

Kids digging for gold, Post Office woes, and smelling neuroticism

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

12% of the world’s gold comes from Mali, and 20% of the workers are children.

     Good Morning Humboldt County!

Welcome to my little corner of the world. Step right in and find a confortable seat. I have hot coffee on so don’t hesitate to grab a cup. Here’s some stories to start your day:

 

Digging for gold, children work in harsh conditions, paid with bags of dirt

Mali is Africa’s third largest gold producer. Artisanal mines rely on heavy human labor and little mechanization.  People throughout West Africa are flocking to work in the primitive pits.“Globally, we’ve seen an increase with the number of artisanal gold miners because of the rise of gold prices, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to better living conditions,” said Juliane Kippenberg who helped author a forthcoming Human Rights Watch report on Mali’s mines. The skyrocketing price of gold has led to a rush on the precious metal in the United States and throughout the world, but some of the mining that’s helping feed the world’s craving involves child labor and a dangerous process involving mercury.

Cash-strapped US Post Office to slow first-class delivery service

Unprecedented cuts by the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service will slow first-class delivery next spring and, for the first time in 40 years, eliminate the chance for stamped letters to arrive the next day.

The cuts would close roughly 250 of the nearly 500 mail processing centers across the country (Eureka, California is one of those facilities that will be closed) as early as next March. Because the consolidations would typically lengthen the distance mail travels from post office to processing center, the agency would also lower delivery standards for first-class mail that have been in place since 1971.

          People can smell your neuroticism

Getting to know someone usually requires at least a little conversation. But a new study suggests you can get a hint of an individual's personality through his or her scent alone.

Participants in the study assessed, with some degree of accuracy, how outgoing, anxious or dominant people were after only taking a whiff of their clothes. The study is the first to test whether personality traits can be discerned through body odor.

Time to walk on down the road…