BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Alice
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 07:11 PM

Al Franken to be declared winner of senate seat, winning by 225 votes.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/04/minnesota.senate.race/index.html

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 07:03 PM

Bill Richardson
withdraws his nomination for cabinet post.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: paula t
Date: 03 Jan 09 - 08:23 PM

Had to laugh at a News story on Ceefax yesterday. Apparently a burglar leapt out of a first floor window in terror when rushed by an angry resident - who had just returned from a New Year fancy dress party. I would have loved to see the burglar's face when confronted by "Thor - God of thunder!"

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 08:57 PM

LOL!!! John. your pellucid style has once again both enlightened and informed me. I feel so much better!! LOL!



A

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 08:39 PM

The cop dog was on an undercover assignement, secretely given to him as part of a special investigation known only to dog and the chief (or maybe it was the second in command) of the force's internal affairs department.

The cops, who may actually have been suspects in this covert investigation, have now blown the dog's cover, so that a new plan for the entire program will need to be developed.

It's all quite obvious, for anyone who'se observed Texas police beyond what's in the national newspapers. (The local media may be asked to withhold details, of course.)

John

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 07:03 PM

That is so like Texas!!! I mean, why couldn't the darn Police Dog find himself if he was so all-fired good?



A

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 06:51 PM

Doggy detective finds missing Fort Worth police canine
Friday, January 2, 2009

The Dallas Morning News

For anyone keeping score at home, here's the tally: Fort Worth police helicopter: 0, Godiva the search dog: 1.

Fort Worth police officers lost one of their own on New Years Day when Loki, a search and rescue canine, chewed through the fence of his handler's backyard and escaped into the streets of Fort Worth.

After searching for hours with a helicopter and police cruisers, Fort Worth police called in Godiva, a chocolate Labrador, from Dog Gone Detectives — a firm that specializes in finding lost pets.

Within 15 minutes, Godiva had hunted down Loki about a half mile away from the backyard where he escaped.

"Usually, it isn't that easy," said Kat Manning, the co-owner of Dog Gone Detectives. "We got on the trail. Then all of the sudden, I looked up and there he was. He was just hanging out."

Godiva, who is used only to locate pets, has an 85 percent success rate, but it usually takes several hours or even days to find missing pets, Manning said. Searches cost $300 to start and another $500 if the pet is found.

Manning donated Godiva's expertise to the Fort Worth Police Department. Media reports about the search have already helped boost business.

"We're getting pretty busy now," she said.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 11:49 AM

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A family did not realize they had an unexpected Christmas guest until a man who had been in their attic for days emerged wearing their clothes, police said.

Stanley Carter surrendered Friday after police took a dog to search the home in Plains Township, a suburb of Wilkes-Barre about 100 miles north of Philadelphia. He was charged with several counts of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass.

"When he came down from the attic, he was wearing my daughter's pants and my sweat shirt and sneakers," homeowner Stacy Ferrance said. "From what I gather, he was helping himself to my home, eating my food and stealing my clothes."

Police said the 21-year-old Carter had been staying with his friends, who are Ferrance's neighbors in a duplex. But when they told him to leave, he apparently accessed the shared attic through a trap door in a bedroom ceiling.

The friends said Carter went missing on Dec. 19 and they filed a missing person report a few days before Christmas.

Ferrance said she had heard noises but thought they were caused by her three children. She notified police on Christmas Day when cash, a laptop computer and an iPod disappeared, then called police again the next day when she found footprints in her bedroom closet, where the attic trap door is located.

Carter kept a list of everything he took, said Plains Township police Officer Michael Smith.

"When we were going through the inventory of what he did take, we found a note labeled 'Stanley's Christmas List' of all the items he had removed from the residence and donated to himself," Smith said.

(Fox)

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 09:56 AM

250 earthquakes have been rumbling Yellowstone park this week, the largest being a 3.8

This is almost double the previous high number recorded.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 08:58 AM

Chicago police have arrested a man who allegedly robbed a bank using a threatening note written on the back of his own pay cheque.

Police say 40-year-old Thomas Infante walked into the bank and gave a staff member a note saying, "Be Quick...Give your cash or I'll shoot".

He got $400 (£270), but left behind half of his note as he fled.

Detectives found the rest of the slip - complete with his name and home address - outside the bank's front doors.

Mr Infante was later arrested at his home in Cary, Illinois. If convicted of bank robbery, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 10:48 AM

They have their fingers crossed that they don't get a freak hail storm. :)

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 23 Dec 08 - 09:23 AM

Commercial electricity production began yesterday at what Sempra Energy calls the largest solar plant of its kind in North America, a unit that will power homes and businesses in Northern California for at least the next 20 years.

The 10-megawatt plant owned by Sempra subsidiary Sempra Generation covers 80 acres of desert in Boulder City, about 40 miles south of Las Vegas. It's next to a 480-megawatt gas-fired plant, also owned by Sempra Generation.


The plant was built in six months and is the first of many, said Michael Allman, Sempra Generation's chief executive.
"Our goal is to be the first company to own and operate 500 megawatts of solar power in the world," he said. "We expect that most of it will be in the Southwest."

San Diego-based Sempra said it has sold the plant's output until 2029 to San Francisco's Pacific Gas & Electric, which has about 15 million customers.

When running at peak capacity, the solar plant will power about 6,400 customers, Sempra said. Output of solar plants varies with the time of day and how brightly the sun is shining.

Overall, the 23.2 gigawatt-hours the plant is expected to generate a year will power about 3,400 customers, PG&E said.

The plant uses thin-film technology, which produces less electricity per panel than traditional silicon-based photovoltaic power but is cheaper to build.

Photovoltaic power converts light directly into electricity. Other solar technologies rely on heat from the sun to power generators.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 21 Dec 08 - 09:21 PM

Begin forwarded message:

From: No-Name
Date: December 20, 2008 2:46:21 PM EST
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Maryland Students Use Speed Cameras for Revenge


http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/26/2632.asp

Maryland Students Use Speed Cameras for Revenge
Students in Montgomery County, Maryland use fake license plates to send speed camera tickets to enemies.

Maryland plate, photo by Amy the Nurse/FlickrHigh school students in Maryland are using speed cameras as a tool to fine innocent drivers in a game, according to the Montgomery County Sentinel newspaper. Because photo enforcement devices will automatically mail out a ticket to any registered vehicle owner based solely on a photograph of a license plate, any driver could receive a ticket if someone else creates a duplicate of his license plate and drives quickly past a speed camera. The private companies that mail out the tickets often do not bother to verify whether vehicle registration information for the accused vehicle matches the photographed vehicle.

In the UK, this is known as number plate cloning, where thieves will find the license information of a vehicle similar in appearance to the one they wish to drive. They will use that information to purchase a real license plate from a private vendor using the other vehicle's numbers. This allows the "cloned" vehicle to avoid all automated punishment systems. According to the Sentinel, two Rockville, Maryland high schools call their version of cloning the "speed camera pimping game."

A speed camera is located out in front of Wootton High School, providing a convenient location for generating the false tickets. Instead of purchasing license plates, students have ready access to laser printers that can create duplicate license plates using glossy paper using readily available fonts. For example, the state name of "Maryland" appears on plates in a font similar to Garamond Number 5 Swash Italic. Once the camera flashes, the driver can quickly pull over and remove the fake paper plate. The victim will receive a $40 ticket in the mail weeks later. According to the Sentinel, students at Richard Montgomery High School have also participated, although Montgomery County officials deny having seen any evidence of faked speed camera tickets.

Source: Local teens claim pranks on countys Speed Cams (Montgomery County Sentinel (MD), 12/11/2008)

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Dec 08 - 09:44 PM

That's interesting! Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 19 Dec 08 - 09:25 PM

Solar-propelled cargo ship launches from Japan
Last Updated: Friday, December 19, 2008 | 11:06 AM ET Comments23Recommend20
CBC News

The world's first ship partially propelled by solar power took to the seas on Friday in Japan, with the aim to cut fuel costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The Auriga Leader freighter took off from a shipyard in the western city of Kobe, according to a report Friday by Agence France-Presse.

The 200-metre freighter, which weighs about 60,000 tonnes, is the world's first large vessel with a solar-based propulsion system, according to its developers, shipping line Nippon Yusen K.K. and oil distributor Nippon Oil Corp.

Solar energy has previously been used to power lighting and electricity for crew's quarters on large cargo vessels, but hadn't been used for propulsion.

The energy provided by the ship's 328 solar panels, however, is minuscule compared to the propulsion needs of the ship. The panels are capable of generating 40 kilowatts, or 0.2 per cent of the ship's energy consumption.

The companies said the installation of the panels, done at a cost of 150 million yen ($2.06 million Cdn), represents the first test of whether solar panels can be successfully used on "the harsh shipboard environment."

The panels themselves are not attached to the ship directly, but are rather installed on the ship's car-carrier, which is capable of carrying 6,400 automobiles, and then connected to the onboard 440 volt electrical network.

The companies hope having the panels on the carrier will protect them from the stresses of the ship's environment, including salt-water damage, wind pressure, and vibrations.

Nippon Yusen, Japan's largest shipping company, has set a goal of halving its fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 2010.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Dec 08 - 06:52 PM

There was a Gilligan's Island episode kind of like this. . .

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 19 Dec 08 - 06:27 PM

Three undersea cables cut: traffic greatly disturbed between Europe and Asia/Near East zone


3 cables cut this morning (Sea Me We3 partly + Sea Me We4 + FLAG)
France Telecom Marine cable ship about to depart

France Telecom observed today that 3 major underwater cables were cut: "Sea Me We 4" at 7:28am, "Sea Me We3" at 7:33am and FLAG at 8:06am.

The causes of the cut, which is located in the Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia, on sections linking Sicily to Egypt, remain unclear.

Most of the B to B traffic between Europe and Asia is rerouted through the USA.
Traffic from Europe to Algeria and Tunisia is not affected, but traffic from Europe to the Near East and Asia is interrupted to a greater or lesser extent (see country list below).
Part of the internet traffic towards Réunion is affected as well as 50% towards Jordan.
A first appraisal at 7:44 am UTC gave an estimate of the following impact on the voice traffic (in percentage of out of service capacity):

-    Saudi Arabia: 55% out of service
-    Djibouti: 71% out of service
-    Egypt: 52% out of service
-    United Arab Emirates: 68% out of service
-    India: 82% out of service
-    Lebanon: 16% out of service
-    Malaysia: 42% out of service
-    Maldives: 100% out of service
-    Pakistan: 51% out of service
-    Qatar: 73% out of service
-    Syria: 36% out of service
-    Taiwan: 39% out of service
-    Yemen: 38% out of service
-    Zambia: 62% out of service

France Telecom immediately alerted one of the two maintenance boats based in the Mediterranean area, the "Raymond Croze". This France Telecom Marine cable ship based at Seyne-sur-Mer has received its mobilization order early this afternoon and will cast off tonight at 3:00 am with 20 kilometers spare cable on board. It should be on location on Monday morning for a relief mission.
Priority will be given to the recovery of the Sea Me We4 cable, then on the Sea Me We3.
By December 25th, Sea Me We4 could be operating. By December 31st, the situation should be back to normal.

Ful story--a PDF file-- offered here.

A

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 18 Dec 08 - 09:38 AM

Fourteen city workers and one retired city worker in the western Ohio town of Piqua claimed a $207 million 12-state lottery prize Wednesday.


After five years of buying Mega Millions Lottery tickets, a group of 15 people in Ohio finally hit the jackpot.

The workers posed for pictures behind an oversized replica of the check, smiled for photographers and described their plans, which range from buying a new truck to quitting a job and traveling.

As they had done twice a week for the past five years, the group pooled their money to buy Mega Millions Lottery tickets.

Last Friday, a ticket bought at a Kroger supermarket in Piqua changed their lives. See what the winners have to say »

"I'm going to set my mom and dad up for life," said Loyal Davis, who bought the lottery ticket and then got the job of telling his co-workers they had won.

One of them was his father-in-law, Tom Hill.

"He goes, 'You won't believe it,' " Davis recalled. " 'Somebody hit the lottery at Kroger's in Piqua.' "

"You're kidding," Davis said he responded.

Then Hill asked what he would do if he won. Davis took out the ticket.

"Here you go, Tom, you're a millionaire," he recalled saying.

Hill erupted with excitement. His wife, Brenda, began crying.

Davis said he plans to continue working for the street department, where he has been employed for more than eight years.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 07:41 PM

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) — European nations on Friday dared the United States, Russia and China to follow their lead on global warming after agreeing on a plan to meet the so-called "20-20-20" targets: reducing greenhouse emissions by 20 percent and ensuring that 20 percent of energy comes from wind, sun and other renewable sources by 2020.
But activists said the plan was fatally weakened by a raft of concessions to eastern Europe and heavy industry at a time of worldwide economic crisis.

Stavros Dimas, the European environment commissioner, said the package put the 27-nation European Union on a path to a low-carbon economy.
"We are the only region in the world that is reducing emissions," Dimas said on the sidelines of a U.N. climate conference in Poznan, Poland, calling the bloc an example that others should follow.

Environmentalists said the concessions made the plan ineffective.
"The deal is a disaster, it's disgraceful," said Stephen Singer, a climate specialist for WWF International. "If the world follows the example of the EU, it is on a trajectory to disastrous climate change."

The plan increased the amount of emissions Europeans could offset by sponsoring green projects in developing countries. Armed with that opt-out, Singer said Europe's actual emissions reductions would be a mere 4 percent, not the 20 percent the EU claims.
The Brussels summit coincided with the end of a two-week, 190-nation U.N. conference in Poznan that worked on a global climate treaty to be adopted next year in Copenhagen, Denmark. The treaty would replace the expiring Kyoto Protocol, which required the EU and other industrial countries to cut carbon emissions by an average 5 percent by 2012.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 04:22 PM

There is a thread, and actually, I think she is a figure worthy of discussion and even admiration. She modeled, did a very good job, seems to have survived the various possible distractions and pitfalls along the way, and is a great focal point in the porn vs art discussion. She did quite a bit of nude and semi-nude erotic modeling.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Dec 08 - 08:03 AM

Probably not a person appropriate for mention in the main threads, but possible still remembered some some:

An Obituary -

Pinup model Bettie Page dies in L.A. at 85

updated 10:02 p.m. CT, Thurs., Dec. 11, 2008

LOS ANGELES - Bettie Page, the 1950s secretary-turned-model whose controversial photographs in skimpy attire or none at all helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died Thursday. She was 85.
Page suffered a heart attack last week in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness, her agent Mark Roesler said. Before the heart attack, Page had been hospitalized for three weeks with pneumonia.
"She captured the imagination of a generation of men and women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality," Roesler said. "She is the embodiment of beauty."

Page, who was also known as Betty, attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie that were quickly tacked up on walls in military barracks, garages and elsewhere, where they remained for years.
Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine, ...

[end quote]

I suspect that some who will not know her name still will recognize her from the photos (non risque) at the link.

I remember her well from a deck of scandalous playing cards hidden in a neighbor's garage rafters when I was about 9 - well before the 60s. (All the neighborhood boys knew where the cards were, of course.) It was several decades before I knew her name.

John

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Dec 08 - 08:54 AM

THE UK MAY NOW RESUME PARTICIPATION IN WIKIPEDIA!

IWF backs down over 'child porn' Wikipedia page

Controversial entry removed from blacklist

Juan Carlos Perez
December 10, 2008

A Wikipedia page blacklisted in the UK over child pornography concerns has been unblocked, a decision that also fully restores the ability of UK residents to edit articles on the online encyclopedia.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the nonprofit group that blacklisted the web page, announced on Tuesday that it has reversed course on the matter, although it still believes the image is potentially illegal in the UK. The image in question is of a naked and possibly underage female on the cover of a 1976 album from German rock group The Scorpions titled 'Virgin Killer'.

"In light of the length of time the image has existed and its wide availability, the decision has been taken to remove this webpage from our list," the IWF said. About 95 percent of UK ISPs, by Wikimedia's estimate, block web pages based on IWF's list.

The chain of events started on December 4, when the IWF received a report from someone objecting to the Wikipedia article about the album that featured the cover image. Upon reviewing the user's complaint, the IWF, which works with law enforcement to block and remove child pornography online, decided to blacklist this web page. ISPs that block pages based on the IWF's list then took action to shut off access to the offending Wikipedia article.

Once Wikipedia landed on the IWF blacklist, UK ISPs adopting the block began routing access to Wikipedia through a transparent proxy server. This made all UK internet users indistinguishable by IP address, making them appear to Wikipedia as the same person. This in turn triggered a Wikipedia protective mechanism against abusive editing, leading the site to prevent these users from editing, according to Wikimedia.

Wikimedia estimates that there are "tens of thousands" of UK residents who regularly edit Wikipedia articles, amounting to about 25 percent of all edits to the English version of the encyclopedia.

[end quote]

An earlier report on the "blacklisting" is at the same site: ISPs block access to 'illegal' Wikipedia page (December 8, 2008).

UK editors may resume using their blue pencils (or whatever is the Wiki equivalent).

John

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 10:19 AM

That sounds bogus.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Dec 08 - 01:29 AM

Kiss of Deaf.

Kiss of deaf: woman loses hearing in passionate pucker

SHANGHAI (AFP) - A passionate kiss ruptured a young woman's eardrum in southern China, state media reported Monday, in what has been dubbed the "kiss of deaf".

The 20-something girl from Zhuhai city in Guangdong province was treated by hospital doctors after completely losing the hearing in her left ear, the China Daily reported, citing the Guangzhou Daily.

"The kiss reduced the pressure in the mouth, pulled the eardrum out and caused the breakdown of the ear," the treating doctor, surnamed Li, was quoted as saying, adding the woman's hearing would likely recover in about two months.

The incident prompted newspapers to dispense kissing safety advice.

While kissing is normally very safe, doctors urge people to proceed with caution, the China Daily reported.

"A strong kiss may cause an imbalance in air pressure between the two inner ears and lead to a broken ear drum," said the English-language Shanghai Daily in a story headlined "Kiss of deaf".

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Nov 08 - 05:58 PM

This was sent out recently to staff members participating in a discussion forum. Interesting.

Serving the Niche
Viewing libraries through Chris Anderson's "Long Tail" lens

Library Journal, 7/15/2006

The increasingly famous "Long Tail" is essentially a modernized version of the 80/20 rule, something with which most of us have at least a passing familiarity. The rule (credited to Vilfredo Pareto, a 19th-century philosopher) hypothesized, for example, that 80 percent of the property in Italy was owned by 20 percent of its citizens. That rule is now turned on its head, Chris Anderson observed in his groundbreaking article "The Long Tail" in Wired magazine (10/05). For instance, he notes that only 20 percent of the films made this year will be released onto the mass market, and only 20 percent of those will become hits. When you and I go grocery shopping in the brick-and-mortar stores in our towns, only 20 percent of the products actually on the market will be on the shelves for us to purchase. The rest will be seen, read, and/or purchased through alternate online or niche avenues.

Since he published his article, Anderson has presented on the Long Tail at an OCLC symposium at the American Library Association's 2005 annual conference; he's been interviewed by Marylaine Block for Ex Libris; and, most recently, he has participated at a public forum held at the New York Public Library. It's clear that the Long Tail has captured the attention of the library world.

Noticing the niches

Anderson uses the Long Tail to describe the economic models of online businesses such as Amazon.com, NetFlix, and Rhapsody, which thrive on selling fewer of a larger variety of objects to more people than brick-and-mortar stores can. Librarians have taken note of Anderson's work because libraries were, in fact, among the first entities to ever serve niche markets.

When we visit virtual stores like Amazon.com, NetFlix, or Rhapsody, much more than 20 percent of the market is represented. Because online outlets do not have to grapple with the same issues that brick-and-mortar stores do (like limited shelf space, expensive overhead, and shipping for those offering downloadable products), they can afford to offer more selection than the current best-selling brands.

The rest is here.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 05:28 PM

Good news! (for a little while, at least)

Hosting firm shutdown forces botnets to relocate
Criminals affected by plug-pulling already shifting operations, says researcher

link

The shutdown Tuesday of a California-based hosting company not only knocked down spam volumes but has also put a dent in malware-spreading botnets and other criminal activity, researchers said today.

While cybercriminals will face some short-term difficulties as they are forced to relocate their operations, the relief will be only temporary for the world's Internet users, the researchers added.

McColo Corp., the San Jose-based company that was cut off from the Web by its upstream Internet providers two days ago, hosted a staggering variety of cybercriminal activity, according to researchers familiar with its operation. Other than spewing out huge quantities of spam -- by some estimates, at times up to 75% of all spam -- McColo hosted the command-and-control servers of some of the biggest botnets, hosted child pornographic sites and domains that hustled users for money by scaring them into thinking that their PCs were infected with massive amounts of malware.

Among the world's largest botnets controlled from servers hosted by McColo, researchers have counted the Sinowal, Srizbi and Rustock networks.

The hosting service even harbored the server that RSA Security Inc. found that contained more than 500,000 stolen online bank and credit card accounts.

Paul Ferguson, a network architect at Trend Micro Inc., was one of 10 security researchers who put years of work into investigating McColo and documenting its criminal activities. "The work goes back two years," said Ferguson. "We did our due diligence and went through legitimate channels" in an attempt to get McColo to change its spots. "But they just played a shell game when they did respond, maybe change an IP address on one domain. They weren't serious. So we decided it was time to shine a light on the darkness."

Ferguson joined nine other researchers to publish a paper Wednesday called "McColo: Cyber Crime USA" that detailed their findings. The paper is available on the HostExploit.com site (download PDF).

Spam levels remained significantly lower today than before McColo's shutdown -- according to IronPort, spam volumes are down about 58% Thursday from Monday's numbers.

Although the shutdown may stymie online criminal activity for a time, Ferguson and others were only cautiously optimistic.

"I completely expect the criminal operators that were 'pulling the strings' in McColo to redeploy their operations elsewhere," said Ferguson. "That's almost a given." He added that there are signs the criminals are already shifting their servers and domains to other hosting companies.

Ben Feinstein, director of operations for the counterthreat unit of SecureWorks Inc., an Atlanta-based security company, echoed Ferguson. "In the short term, this may have a positive effect in reducing online crime, but in the medium- and long-term, they'll reorganize and move to other hosting providers."

The move won't even be that hard, said Feinstein. "The real pioneers of cloud computing were these criminal organizations," he argued. "One of the features of a lot of these botnets is that they can push out updates to the bots to point them toward new command-and-control servers. So while they may lose some bots, they will be able to reconstruct their botnets."

That doesn't mean this week's takedown was for naught.

"There are two important byproducts of that [forced] redeployment," said Ferguson. "It increases the cost of doing business for them, and when they do move, we can observe and track them."

"It's definitely a positive take-away," said Feinstein. "This, and the Intercage takedown [in September] serve as examples that if you allow this kind of activity to run rampant on your network, or you're aiding and abetting criminals, there can be consequences."

Even then, however, Feinstein said there might be a dark lining to the cloud. "McColo's upstream providers were responsive in the end [to the evidence], but are you going to get that from other providers in other parts of the world? Unlikely. So big takedowns like this may get more difficult."

"I'm just taking solace in small victories," countered Ferguson. "What we have to try to do is raise the cost of doing business for these guys."

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 13 Nov 08 - 11:23 AM

The Onion suggests:

NEW YORK—Stock analysts on Wall Street fled in terror after being spooked by the rare but deadly boar market that reared its head at closing bell Monday. "I have no idea what to expect," stock analyst Christopher Mattson said. "This market is highly unpredictable—tusked and savage and covered with coarse, bristly hair. I didn't know if I should buy, sell, or shoot." Mattson said he hopes stocks will soon perform again like they did two weeks ago, when brokers were soothed by the graceful movements of a swan market

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 09 Nov 08 - 07:41 PM

Decontee Williams was so excited by Barack Obama's victory on Tuesday night that she started jumping up and down — and went into labor. Twelve hours later, Barack Jeilah was born at Phoenix Baptist Hospital to Ms. Williams and Prince Jeilah. The baby was 8 pounds 9 ounces and had a full head of hair.

In Kisumu, an area in Kenya where relatives of Barack Obama live, at least 43 children have been named after the Obamas since Election Day, including Josephine Ochieng's newborn son.
"I love Barack Obama, and I love the name," said Ms. Williams, 31, who came to the United States as a refugee from Liberia in 2003. "In Africa, we call it a blessing. That is a good name."

In the last week, Barack, Obama, Michelle, Malia and Sasha have become inspirations for first and middle names across the United States, according to news reports. But the Obama baby boom has been even more pronounced in Kenya, particularly in Kisumu, an area in the western part of the country where relatives of Mr. Obama live.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Nov 08 - 02:06 PM

Wow.

On a different topic, I was reading a list of "10 quick fixes" for security nightmares, and it included a list of scanning programs.

Fix 10: Get Extra Cleaning Help for Stubborn Infections

Sometimes even the best antivirus program misses an infection. And once a virus or Trojan horse gets in, removing it can be incredibly tough. If you suspect some nasty got past your defenses, then it's time to bring in extra help.

Many antivirus makers offer free and easy online scans through your Web browser. The scan will take time, as the scanning service will need to download large Java or ActiveX components before it can get started, but they're easy to kick off. You can run them in addition to your already-installed antivirus application for a second (or third, or fourth) opinion. Here's the lowdown on your options.

Trend Micro HouseCall: Will detect and remove malware; works with both IE and Firefox.

BitDefender Online Scanner: Detects and removes malware; requires IE.

Kaspersky Online Scanner: Detects malware, but doesn't remove it; works with IE and Firefox.

F-Secure Online Virus Scanner: Detects and removes malware; requires IE.

ESET Online Scanner: Detects and removes malware; requires IE.

The whole article is here.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 09 Nov 08 - 03:44 AM

Blinded pilot guided to safe landing by RAF

Daily Telegraph – 8 Nov 2008

A pilot who was blinded by a suspected stroke whilst flying solo at 15,000ft has said he owes his life to the RAF after it scrambled an aircraft to guide him down to safety. Jim O'Neill, 65, made seven aborted attempts at emergency landings before he finally touched down in his Cessna thanks to the RAF pilot who flew alongside him, giving constant instructions and reassurance over his radio. Mr O'Neill, who is now being treated in hospital, said: "I should not be alive. I owe my life, and those of dozens of people I could have crash-landed on, to the RAF.

………………

The drama unfolded on Friday last week when Mr O'Neill was 40 minutes into a flight from Prestwick, Glasgow, to Earls Colne, near Colchester, Essex, as he returned home from a family visit. When his vision suddenly failed, he initially thought he had been dazzled by the sun, but as he began to pass over North Yorkshire he alerted air traffic controllers, who in turn contacted RAF Linton-on-Ouse, near York. The station's controllers talked to Mr O'Neill over the radio and he told them he had a problem and "would like to get down".

Mr Gerrard intercepted Mr O'Neill's Cessna 152 Skylane within minutes, flying just 500ft away so he could give the stricken pilot precise instructions on what to do. It was a further 45 minutes before Mr O'Neill finally touched down at his eighth attempt, bouncing twice before coming to a halt at the very end of the runway, where an ambulance was waiting.

………………

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Nov 08 - 01:05 PM

I remember a Quincy, Medical Examiner episode that had a plot like that.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 08 Nov 08 - 08:38 AM

Police: 90-Year-Old Living With 3 Siblings' Bodies

(AP)
Published: November 8, 2008

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) -- Police in a Chicago suburb say a 90-year-old woman apparently has been living in a house with the bodies of three siblings -- one of whom may have been dead since the early 1980s.

Evanston police Cmdr. Tom Guenther says the bodies were found Friday after authorities were called by a senior advocate.

Autopsies were planned but Guenther said police do not suspect foul play.

The 90-year-old woman's was taken to a hospital for observation. Her identity was not released.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified the dead as Anita Bernstorff, who was last seen alive in May 2008, Frank Bernstorff, not seen alive since 2003, and Elaine Bernstorff, who was last seen alive in the early 1980s.

Anita Bernstorff was the eldest, born in 1910.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Nov 08 - 10:16 PM

Benbrook man says his bullet may have hit woman at Texas Motor Speedway

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 (Dallas Morning News)

Fort Worth police are investigating reports from a 49-year-old Benbrook man who says he may be responsible for the stray bullet that hit an Arlington woman Sunday morning at Texas Motor Speedway.

Kennith Jaramillo contacted Fort Worth police on Monday after hearing that Jill King Moss, 62, was hit in her arm by a .50-caliber bullet that pierced the roof of her RV, authorities said. Ms. Moss was taken to Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital and is expected to recover from her injuries.

Given the bullet's trajectory, Fort Worth police investigators believe the bullet came from far away.

Mr. Jaramillo told police he was target shooting five miles from Texas Motor Speedway between 10 and 11 a.m., said Lt. Paul Henderson, a Fort Worth police spokesman. Mr. Jaramillo fired five or six rounds at a berm, a mound of dirt, with his .50-caliber Vulcan single-shot rifle.

Fort Worth police took his weapon for ballistics tests. If tests confirm the bullet was fired from his weapon, Mr. Jaramillo could be charged with deadly conduct for recklessly firing a weapon, Lt. Henderson said.

Mr. Jaramillo has not been arrested or charged in the incident.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 20 Oct 08 - 11:02 AM

I've received sexual favors from a vacuum, in my youth, but she was posing as human on the outside.


A

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 12:42 PM

That guy must have been hard up.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 19 Oct 08 - 11:47 AM

Man arrested for sex act with vacuum in car wash
Associated Press
3:39 PM CDT, October 18, 2008


THOMAS TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Police say a Michigan man has been arrested after "receiving sexual favors from a vacuum" at a car wash.

The Saginaw News reports the 29-year-old Swan Creek Township man was arrested Thursday in Saginaw County's Thomas Township, about 90 miles northwest of Detroit.

Police Sgt. Gary Breidinger says a resident called to report suspicious activity at the car wash about 6:45 a.m. An officer approached on foot and caught the man in the act.

The suspect, whose name wasn't immediately released, is being held in the Saginaw County Jail.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 05:24 PM

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/10/no_one_is_laughing_harder.html

I'll post the link because you have to see this one, not just read about it. Joe Biden obviously is not offended by the SNL skit about the debate--he can't stop laughing. And you can find a link to the skit at the bottom of the Washington Post article.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 08:18 PM

That's funny, especially since my daughter and I stepped into an Israeli restaurant in New York City (mid-town Manhattan) a few years back and order hummus. It was awful (too much tahini, not enough lemon or garlic), and we resolved to head to our favorite Lebanese restaurant in Brooklyn the next time we wanted it. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: bobad
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 07:29 PM

Don't mess with our hoummus, warn Lebanese

BEIRUT (AFP) — A battle over hoummus and tabbouleh is shaping up between Lebanon and Israel -- two neighbours still technically at war -- with efforts underway to clearly identify such dishes as exclusively Lebanese.

"In our mind tabbouleh and hoummus should belong to the Lebanese just as feta cheese belongs to the Greeks," said Fadi Abboud, president of the Lebanese Industrialists Association.

"Now when hoummus is known all over the world as an Israeli Kosher dip or a Greek dip, that's not fair," he added. "This and other foods like tabbouleh are all Lebanese specialities and they should be registered as such.

He said his group is preparing to go to the European Union to register the names of certain dishes as Lebanese.

Legislation is also pending in the Lebanese parliament to protect the names of certain geographical locations specific to Lebanon so that products cannot be marketed under the name of a town or region.

"What appals me with Israel is that they are (marketing) hoummus as a traditional Israeli product when it is clearly a Lebanese product," said Ramez Abi Nader, a member of the Lebanese Industrialists Association.

"What they are doing is misleading as hoummus is an Arabic not a Hebrew word... and everyone knows that tabbouleh is Lebanese."

Hoummus is a dip made of chick peas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic while tabbouleh is a salad made with parsley, bulgur wheat, spring onions and tomatoes.

Both dishes, as well as others such as baba ghannouj, an aubergine dip, are widely popular in Israel and around the globe.

Abboud and Abi Nader said they believe Lebanon has suffered millions of dollars in losses from such dishes being marketed in various countries without being produced in Lebanon.

They said said their case was similar to the one over feta cheese in which a European Union court ruled in 2002 that feta is exclusively Greek.

They also argue that just as France and Scotland have succeeded in protecting their geographical appelation rights for sparkling wine from Champagne and Scotch whisky, so should Lebanon for some of its dishes.

Kamal Mouzawak, founder of Souk El Tayeb, a farmer's market in Beirut, said it was unthinkable that tabbouleh or hoummus could be marketed as other than Lebanese.

"When one speaks of Italy the first thing that comes to mind is pizza and pasta, when you speak about the States it's hamburger and when you speak of Lebanon it should be tabbouleh and company," Mouzawak said.

"It's important that we protect our foods because they are part of our roots," he added. "When I want to recount my origins I do so through hoummus and tabbouleh rather than a history book.

"When one speaks about hoummus, they must think of Lebanon and when they speak of Lebanon they must think of hoummus."

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 06:41 PM

Running it back up top. It's a great obit.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 12:49 PM

I'm not going to start an obituary thread, but I'm going to link to and paste this one in here. It is simply the best obit I've read in many years. I had to write them when I worked at a local weekly paper, and I've read them for decades. This one is remarkable.

link (it won't stay long, maybe a month).

John Wayne Dappen
1920 – Oct. 1, 2008

If you're reading this, my family did not take my advice and is wasting money on me rather than giving it to someone who is alive and who could really use it. I'm a realist, however, and know I'm likely to be overruled so I've written some things down. It is, after all, MY life and, for once, I want the last word.

I was born in Kansas, raised in Iowa, graduated from Grinnell College (Iowa) in 1942, and received a Ph.D. from the Institute of Paper Chemistry (Wisconsin) in 1950. Interrupting my education was World War II and, for some of those years, I worked for the Manhattan Project (Tennessee) as a cog in the machinery that built the bombs that would end the war in the Pacific.

I leave behind my wife of 63 years, Glady; three children, Ann Manes (Bob), of Jacksonville, Oregon, Alan (Sara), of Vienna, Virginia, and Andy (Jan), of Wenatchee, Washington. My eldest son, Art (Linn), preceded me in death in 2006. Besides my children I leave behind 16 grandchildren and 13 (and counting) great-grandchildren. It's ironic that Glady and I worked for many years to raise money for Planned Parenthood.

My working years were spent with Scott Paper Company and we moved quite often. I lived and worked in Pennsylvania, New York, Mexico, and Pennsylvania (again). In 1968, I was sent to Everett where I spent the remainder of my career. Here some claim I met my Peter Principle managing the pulp mill. Others say my bluntness finally caught up with me because I was quick to call a spade a spade and a bad policy a bad policy.

After retirement my worst mistake was taking that bluntness into Glady's kitchen where a little constructive criticism landed me the job of cooking for 20 years. One way to minimize that chore was volunteering with the International Executive Service Corp—an organization that sent me on three-month stints to help improve paper or pulp operations in other countries. I worked in Brazil (twice), Egypt, Slovakia, and Zimbabwe (several times).

Throughout my life I've never been much of a joiner of organizations, churches, groups, or clubs. I'm so much of a non-joiner that I won't be attending the party that has been promised for my birthday. Those who knew me and feel inclined to eat, drink, and say a few final words – good or ill-- are invited to attend.
Also save your pennies on symbolic gestures like flowers which, to me, are wasted money. If you feel compelled to give something in my memory, donate to Planned Parenthood of Western Washington or Providence Hospice Care of Snohomish County.

Kids' Addition:

It's hard to be totally forthright when writing about yourself, so we're not going to give Dad the last word. For starters, it is true our father was quick to declare what he believed or thought best—usually in an elevated voice. Nonetheless when others disagreed or acted in a way that defied his logic, he had the humor and grace to accept people's differences without bitterness or ill will. He rarely judged and he never harbored a grudge. And while he might question a person's sanity to his face, Dad did not speak poorly of others behind their backs.

Some people knew our father to be a cheapskate and he cultivated that reputation by gleaning the food sales each week, fixing possessions with tape and glue, and wearing the same clothes year after year. He earned a good income and could have matched the self-indulging purchases of his peers. Instead, he paid for the undergraduate education of all his children at expensive liberal-arts colleges. He funded the graduate education of those of us who desired it, helped financially with the education of other children, helped support the family of his missionary son, and loaned money at below-market rates so his kids could afford homes. He gave generously to charities he believed in. Our father was stingy with himself, not with others.

Dad was also scrupulously honest, even in those situations where many of us turn to white lies for help. Ask him about religion and he'd say, "I don't know if there's a God, but I also don't know of a better code of behavior than Christ's example or the Golden Rule."
At least two of us kids remember learning about the Golden Rule in Mexico after we were hauled before our father for throwing stones at the workers building a home down the road. The Rule and its principles were patiently explained. We admitted that, had our positions been reversed, we would not have wanted stones chucked at us. And then a spanking seared that lesson to memory in a way we two still remember 50 years later.

Every father has anecdotes he's remembered by and here is one of the many that always raised a laugh in our family. After the creation of a new national holiday, Dad got in a heated 'discussion' with his kids who enjoyed these 'pseudo' holidays. "We've got too many darn holidays already," he argued. "What we need is a national get-back-to-work day."

Our father believed in hard work and he did all his jobs well, whether that was making paper for Scott, cooking for his wife, or raising his kids. We, his children, admire his many sterling qualities and we laugh together over his storied quirkiness. We will miss this sometimes odd but unusually wonderful man. And while we will miss him, we needn't go far to visit him. Whether the cause is nature or nurture, our spouses comment on our own values and quirky behavior with the quip, "You're just like your father."

A birthday party to celebrate Dad's life will be held from 2 to 5 p.m., on Saturday, October 25, 2008, at the family home. We hope to see his friends and neighbors there.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 25 Sep 08 - 03:00 AM

he nudists who have frequented Eastney beach in Portsmouth for more than a century thought they were on the way out.

Qinetiq, a British defence technology company, wants to build 131 luxury apartments there, potentially leaving the nudists very unwelcome.

But help is at hand, and it has taken the form of a tiny and rather rare friend. The Dartford warbler is one of the few species of warbler to winter in Britain. And now it is has come to the nudists' rescue.

Qinetiq had received planning permission to develop its flats on Eastney beach on the condition they widen an access road leading to the land. But at a special meeting of the city council earlier this week, protesters successfully pushed the council to carry out a further environmental study to see if the flats will endanger the bird's natural habitat.

As a result, the warbler may soon discover its safest haven is in the company of naked humans.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 02:57 PM

Deltona, Florida - An angry Deltona father whacked his teenage daughter's boyfriend with a metal pipe after finding the boy naked in his daughter's room.

Authorities say Raul Colon, 45, didn't even know his daughter had a boyfriend or that the youngster had been sneaking into the home for more than a year.

When he heard noises coming from his daughter's bedroom Thursday morning and saw a stranger standing naked on the girl's bed, he swung a metal pipe. He then chased the teen out the front door and called police.

The boy was taken to the hospital where doctors closed a head wound with staples.

Colon was arrested on allegations of aggravated battery on a child and bonded out on $10,000. The State Attorney's Office will decide whether to file formal charges in the case.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 24 Sep 08 - 12:29 AM

You'd think they'd have the sense to train bus drivers about what to do with spare kids, wouldn't you? This child was lucky to encounter the kindness of strangers.

Boy, 5, dumped by school bus driver in NYC streets
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- A New York City mother wants to know why her first-grade son was left to wander the streets alone after being dropped off by a school bus driver at the end of the line.

School officials say they don't know who put 5-year-old Jaeden Vasquez on the bus Thursday -- especially since he wasn't even supposed to be on it. He lives across the street from the school in the Bronx.

His mother, Aileen Bonilla, says the school apologized but that isn't enough.

Five-year-old children aren't supposed to be let off school buses unless an adult is waiting. Jaeden says he was ordered off the bus at the last stop, two miles from his home. A stranger brought him home.

School officials say they are investigating.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 11:13 AM

From the brilliant japes at the Onion:

DAYTON, TN—A steady stream of devoted evolutionists continued to gather in this small Tennessee town today to witness what many believe is an image of Charles Darwin—author of The Origin Of Species and founder of the modern evolutionary movement—made manifest on a concrete wall in downtown Dayton.

"I brought my baby to touch the wall, so that the power of Darwin can purify her genetic makeup of undesirable inherited traits," said Darlene Freiberg, one among a growing crowd assembled here to see the mysterious stain, which appeared last Monday on one side of the Rhea County Courthouse. The building was also the location of the famed "Scopes Monkey Trial" and is widely considered one of Darwinism's holiest sites. "Forgive me, O Charles, for ever doubting your Divine Evolution. After seeing this miracle of limestone pigmentation with my own eyes, my faith in empirical reasoning will never again be tested."

Added Freiberg, "Behold the power and glory of the scientific method!"

Since witnesses first reported the unexplained marking—which appears to resemble a 19th-century male figure with a high forehead and large beard—this normally quiet town has become a hotbed of biological zealotry. Thousands of pilgrims from as far away as Berkeley's paleoanthropology department have flocked to the site to lay wreaths of flowers, light devotional candles, read aloud from Darwin's works, and otherwise pay homage to the mysterious blue-green stain.

Capitalizing on the influx of empirical believers, street vendors have sprung up across Dayton, selling evolutionary relics and artwork to the thousands of pilgrims waiting to catch a glimpse of the image. Available for sale are everything from small wooden shards alleged to be fragments of the "One True Beagle"—the research vessel on which Darwin made his legendary voyage to the Galapagos Islands—to lecture notes purportedly touched by English evolutionist Alfred Russel Wallace.

"I have never felt closer to Darwin's ideas," said zoologist Fred Granger, who waited in line for 16 hours to view the stain. "May his name be praised and his theories on natural selection echo in all the halls of naturalistic observation forever."

Despite the enthusiasm the so-called "Darwin Smudge" has generated among the evolutionary faithful, disagreement remains as to its origin. Some believe the image is actually closer to the visage of Stephen Jay Gould, longtime columnist for Natural History magazine and originator of the theory of punctuated equilibrium, and is therefore proof of rapid cladogenesis. A smaller minority contend it is the face of Carl Sagan, and should be viewed as a warning to those nonbelievers who have not yet seen his hit PBS series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

Still others have attempted to discredit the miracle entirely, claiming that there are several alternate explanations for the appearance of the unexplained discoloration.

"It's a stain on a wall, and nothing more," said the Rev. Clement McCoy, a professor at Oral Roberts University and prominent opponent of evolutionary theory. "Anything else is the delusional fantasy of a fanatical evolutionist mindset that sees only what it wishes to see in the hopes of validating a baseless, illogical belief system. I only hope these heretics see the error of their ways before our Most Powerful God smites them all in His vengeance."

...

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 02 Sep 08 - 12:41 PM

Drunk Wheelchair Driver Banned from the Roads


A German court has banned the driver of an electric wheelchair from using his vehicle for a month after he was caught twice with a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit
(Der Spiegel)

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 11:41 AM

This is a BBC story, a friend emailed it but I don't have a link:

Swedish woman in airport muddle

An elderly Swedish woman tried to get herself on board an international flight by climbing onto an unmanned luggage belt after her suitcase.

The incident happened at Stockholm's Arlanda airport.

The unnamed 78-year-old thought she was just following instructions on how to check in for her flight.

She carefully lay down on the conveyor belt and was whisked into the baggage handling bay where she was rescued by surprised staff.

"It was a bit unfortunate," said Ari Kallonen of baggage handling firm Nordic Aero. "The little old lady arrived at the airport and had to take care of herself.

"Unfortunately, she did not understand when she was given check-in instructions. She took the belt together with her bag. Luckily it wasn't a long ride - only a couple of metres."

The woman did not reportedly suffer any injuries, managing to catch her flight to Germany, police said.

The airport does provide a service, on request, to help guide elderly or vulnerable people through the departures process.

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: curmudgeon
Date: 29 Aug 08 - 06:52 AM

Man flees without his burning pants

YORK, Maine — It remains unknown if he was a liar, but on Wednesday police received a report of a man whose pants were on fire.

The man left the scene before members of the police and fire departments arrived.

"His pants were still there on the side of the road," Sgt. Steve Spofford said. "They were still smoldering."

The caller said the man was a redhead. The witness who called police said the man was out of his car and wearing boxer shorts. Then he abandoned the burning pants by the side of Old Post Road.

The man was reported to be driving a green Dodge pickup truck.

"We'd like to know what caused that," Spofford said. "I'm sure that wasn't very comfortable for a while."

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Amos
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 06:53 PM

But the batterer still battles bitter betrayal from the battering with a batten.


A

Subject: RE: BS: News of Note (was 'I Read it . . .')
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 06:01 PM

Butter makes the battery better?