Family searches for mother's burial spot
By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Loved ones who buried Okenetta Piper on April 1 said they were shocked when they couldn't find the spot where she was laid to rest on a recent visit to Southland Memorial Park in Grand Prairie.
Piper's daughter and son-in-law came back on Mother's Day to mark her grave with flowers until the headstone was ready but said they weren't sure where to place them.
"All of the sudden it's like she's not here no more," said Reshard Bradford, son-in-law. "She's out here, but now she's not out here. She's supposed to be in 443, but no one knows what 443 is."
While they said they knew the approximate spot where she was buried, they had no clue where the spot was exactly and said the cemetery owner wasn't helpful.
"I couldn't even grieve...I'm just lost," said daughter Lazener Miller.
They made numerous attempts to contact the owner but said they had not heard anything back.
When News 8 showed up at the cemetery, the owner said he didn't understand why they were upset.
"Well, we'll show them," he said. "We've got maps. There's no problem with that. They should come to our office."
However, the family said they had already tried that, which the owner denied.
The family said Piper's final resting spot still remains unknown, and they don't understand why the owner of the cemetery hasn't been more helpful.
"She's not resting," Miller said.
TWW'S CRAZY NEWS STORIES
Moderator: S2k Moderators
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Washingtonians love their game of tag...
By Deborah Zabarenko
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The dark suit is impeccable, the hair conservatively cut, the shoes a refined statement of solidity. But the outfit isn't complete for a Washington insider without an identity tag or two -- or more.
While some know this city as "the capital of the free world," its denizens recognize it as Tagtown.
Virtually everyone in downtown Washington wears some kind of credential during working hours. For some, it may be a simple pass that unlocks a garage or an office security door. But for those who work with the sprawling U.S. federal bureaucracy, it is literally a badge of honor.
There are tags for Congress, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department, the Treasury, the Justice Department, the Supreme Court, individual trials, museum openings and even some news conferences.
And instead of taking off the tags when the workday is done, as people elsewhere might do, Washingtonians tend to keep them on, especially if they hint at a close relationship to power.
Anthropologist Edward Smith recalls that when he worked as a White House speechwriter, there was a rule against wearing the White House tag after work. He also recalled it was widely flouted.
The willingness to be labeled fits with the Washington mindset, said Smith, a professor at American University and a third-generation Washingtonian.
"People wear these things as if they were bars on their uniform," Smith said. "I think that some people, particularly young people, want that extra patina of prestige. In Washington, you are much more recognized as a position than as a personality."
NO TAGS FOR THE PREZ
Some wear the tag with discretion, hidden in a wallet or inside a jacket, furtively pulling it out just long enough to gain entry. But for convenience, especially for those compelled to move around town to different agencies, tags are often worn on lanyards around the neck, where they click together like a shuffled pack of playing cards.
The only ones who don't need to wear a tag are those whose faces are so famous they function as their own identity check. You won't see the president with a lanyard around his neck, and most members of Congress wouldn't dream of flashing a tag, though they are supposed to wear a security pin.
This turned out to be a problem when one congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney, switched hairstyles and was stopped at the entrance to a congressional building by a security guard who didn't recognize her with her new "'do."
There was what is known in Washington as "an altercation" and McKinney, a Georgia Democrat in the House of Representatives, wound up apologizing.
Capitol Hill is one of the more low-tech operations for tag inspection. The Justice Department puts untagged visitors through an air lock as their belongings are X-rayed.
At the White House, you flash the tag out on Pennsylvania Avenue and a uniformed guard buzzes you through a locked gate and then into a guardhouse. You put any bags on a conveyor belt, swipe your tag and enter a code before going through a turnstile. The mystery is how take-out food gets through.
The Pentagon is more imposing, with separate entrances for those with badges and those without, and a hierarchy of different badges telling who's allowed to go where, when.
Why are Washingtonians so willing to be tagged? Maybe they're just made to feel different.
In other cities, people watch the morning news mainly for news. In Washington, more than one household watches to gauge the weather: if the reporter on the White House lawn looks cold, your kindergarten kid will too, so add an extra sweater.
By Deborah Zabarenko
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The dark suit is impeccable, the hair conservatively cut, the shoes a refined statement of solidity. But the outfit isn't complete for a Washington insider without an identity tag or two -- or more.
While some know this city as "the capital of the free world," its denizens recognize it as Tagtown.
Virtually everyone in downtown Washington wears some kind of credential during working hours. For some, it may be a simple pass that unlocks a garage or an office security door. But for those who work with the sprawling U.S. federal bureaucracy, it is literally a badge of honor.
There are tags for Congress, the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department, the Treasury, the Justice Department, the Supreme Court, individual trials, museum openings and even some news conferences.
And instead of taking off the tags when the workday is done, as people elsewhere might do, Washingtonians tend to keep them on, especially if they hint at a close relationship to power.
Anthropologist Edward Smith recalls that when he worked as a White House speechwriter, there was a rule against wearing the White House tag after work. He also recalled it was widely flouted.
The willingness to be labeled fits with the Washington mindset, said Smith, a professor at American University and a third-generation Washingtonian.
"People wear these things as if they were bars on their uniform," Smith said. "I think that some people, particularly young people, want that extra patina of prestige. In Washington, you are much more recognized as a position than as a personality."
NO TAGS FOR THE PREZ
Some wear the tag with discretion, hidden in a wallet or inside a jacket, furtively pulling it out just long enough to gain entry. But for convenience, especially for those compelled to move around town to different agencies, tags are often worn on lanyards around the neck, where they click together like a shuffled pack of playing cards.
The only ones who don't need to wear a tag are those whose faces are so famous they function as their own identity check. You won't see the president with a lanyard around his neck, and most members of Congress wouldn't dream of flashing a tag, though they are supposed to wear a security pin.
This turned out to be a problem when one congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney, switched hairstyles and was stopped at the entrance to a congressional building by a security guard who didn't recognize her with her new "'do."
There was what is known in Washington as "an altercation" and McKinney, a Georgia Democrat in the House of Representatives, wound up apologizing.
Capitol Hill is one of the more low-tech operations for tag inspection. The Justice Department puts untagged visitors through an air lock as their belongings are X-rayed.
At the White House, you flash the tag out on Pennsylvania Avenue and a uniformed guard buzzes you through a locked gate and then into a guardhouse. You put any bags on a conveyor belt, swipe your tag and enter a code before going through a turnstile. The mystery is how take-out food gets through.
The Pentagon is more imposing, with separate entrances for those with badges and those without, and a hierarchy of different badges telling who's allowed to go where, when.
Why are Washingtonians so willing to be tagged? Maybe they're just made to feel different.
In other cities, people watch the morning news mainly for news. In Washington, more than one household watches to gauge the weather: if the reporter on the White House lawn looks cold, your kindergarten kid will too, so add an extra sweater.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Boy mauled by dogs to have face reconstructed
HOUSTON, Texas (DallasNews.com/AP) - A 4-year-old Kenyan boy who was mauled by dogs after he was abandoned on a trash heap at birth went into surgery Thursday for the first of a series of procedures to reconstruct his face.
Part of the operation will rebuild Daniel Wachira's jaw with one of his ribs. Doctors also plan to take muscle from Daniel's shoulder to form a cheek.
"Everything is going as planned so far," said Sherri Green, spokeswoman for Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. The first surgery was expected to last about 11 hours.
The boy's legal guardians, Larry and Frances Jones, said they approached the procedure with "underlying apprehension."
"We want him to look normal, and at the same time, we know that there will be lots and lots of difficult days ahead," said Larry Jones, 65.
The couple learned about Daniel through the Christian relief organization Feed the Children, which they founded in 1979.
Daniel had been abandoned at birth and left on a trash heap in Nairobi, where dogs nearly mauled him to death before a passer-by spotted the child and took him to a hospital. When he was eight months old, he was moved to a Nairobi orphanage that was run by Feed the Children.
"There has got to be something special about a child that was three minutes from death and a woman just happened along and heard him cry," Jones said.
The couple took Daniel into their Oklahoma City home two months ago to begin his surgeries.
Jones described Daniel, who speaks English and Swahili, as very friendly and "an extremely sharp kid."
Plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Boutros and other doctors at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital were donating their services, Green said.
Thursday's surgery was to be the first of four major procedures Daniel will need over the next 10 to 12 years to complete his facial reconstruction.
The boy has no jaw or ear on the left side of his face, his "skin is just slick," and his left eye and the left sides of his nose and mouth sag, Jones said. He said doctors hope to fashion a new ear for the boy out of another rib in about three years.
Doctors have "told him they are going to make his face look better, but he really doesn't understand what that means," Jones said.
Daniel will likely be at the hospital for seven to 10 days and then live in Houston through June for follow up visits with doctors.
HOUSTON, Texas (DallasNews.com/AP) - A 4-year-old Kenyan boy who was mauled by dogs after he was abandoned on a trash heap at birth went into surgery Thursday for the first of a series of procedures to reconstruct his face.
Part of the operation will rebuild Daniel Wachira's jaw with one of his ribs. Doctors also plan to take muscle from Daniel's shoulder to form a cheek.
"Everything is going as planned so far," said Sherri Green, spokeswoman for Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital. The first surgery was expected to last about 11 hours.
The boy's legal guardians, Larry and Frances Jones, said they approached the procedure with "underlying apprehension."
"We want him to look normal, and at the same time, we know that there will be lots and lots of difficult days ahead," said Larry Jones, 65.
The couple learned about Daniel through the Christian relief organization Feed the Children, which they founded in 1979.
Daniel had been abandoned at birth and left on a trash heap in Nairobi, where dogs nearly mauled him to death before a passer-by spotted the child and took him to a hospital. When he was eight months old, he was moved to a Nairobi orphanage that was run by Feed the Children.
"There has got to be something special about a child that was three minutes from death and a woman just happened along and heard him cry," Jones said.
The couple took Daniel into their Oklahoma City home two months ago to begin his surgeries.
Jones described Daniel, who speaks English and Swahili, as very friendly and "an extremely sharp kid."
Plastic surgeon Dr. Sean Boutros and other doctors at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital were donating their services, Green said.
Thursday's surgery was to be the first of four major procedures Daniel will need over the next 10 to 12 years to complete his facial reconstruction.
The boy has no jaw or ear on the left side of his face, his "skin is just slick," and his left eye and the left sides of his nose and mouth sag, Jones said. He said doctors hope to fashion a new ear for the boy out of another rib in about three years.
Doctors have "told him they are going to make his face look better, but he really doesn't understand what that means," Jones said.
Daniel will likely be at the hospital for seven to 10 days and then live in Houston through June for follow up visits with doctors.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Man injured after truck strikes portable toilet
OAK POINT, Texas (DallasNews.com) - Nature called at an unfortunate moment for a construction worker in Oak Point on Thursday.
While working on a new subdivision in the small Denton County town just south of Highway 380, the unnamed man ducked into a portable toilet outside a home under construction along Niles Court.
Within moments, the wide load of a tractor trailer turning onto Niles from Woodridge Drive struck the portable toilet and knocked it over.
The victim was taken to Denton Regional Medical Center, but his name and the extent of his injuries have not been released. The portable toilet sustained moderate damage.
Police said they don’t anticipate filing any charges against the driver of the tractor trailer.
OAK POINT, Texas (DallasNews.com) - Nature called at an unfortunate moment for a construction worker in Oak Point on Thursday.
While working on a new subdivision in the small Denton County town just south of Highway 380, the unnamed man ducked into a portable toilet outside a home under construction along Niles Court.
Within moments, the wide load of a tractor trailer turning onto Niles from Woodridge Drive struck the portable toilet and knocked it over.
The victim was taken to Denton Regional Medical Center, but his name and the extent of his injuries have not been released. The portable toilet sustained moderate damage.
Police said they don’t anticipate filing any charges against the driver of the tractor trailer.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Gene experts say we are not entirely human
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - We may not be entirely human, gene experts said on Thursday after studying the DNA of hundreds of different kinds of bacteria in the human gut.
Bacteria are so important to key functions such as digestion and the immune system that we may be truly symbiotic organisms -- relying on one another for life itself, the scientists write in Friday's issue of the journal Science.
Their findings suggest that studying bacteria native to our bodies may provide important clues to disease, nutrition, obesity and how well drugs will work in individuals, said the team at The Institute for Genomic Research, commonly known as TIGR, in Maryland.
"We are somehow like an amalgam, a mix of bacteria and human cells. There are some estimates that say 90 percent of the cells on our body are actually bacteria," Steven Gill, a molecular biologist formerly at TIGR and now at the State University of New York in Buffalo, said in a telephone interview.
"We're entirely dependent on this microbial population for our well-being. A shift within this population, often leading to the absence or presence of beneficial microbes, can trigger defects in metabolism and development of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease."
Scientists have long known that at least 50 percent of human faeces, and often more, is made up of bacteria from the gut. Bacteria start to colonise the intestines and colon shortly after birth, and adults carry up to 100 trillion microbes, representing more than 1,000 different species.
They are not just freeloading. They help humans to digest much of what we eat, including some vitamins, sugars, and fibre. They also synthesise vitamins that people cannot.
"Humans have evolved for million of years with these bacteria. And they provide essential functions," Gill said.
GERM SURPRISE
Gill and his team sequenced the DNA in faeces donated by three adults. They found a surprising amount of it came from bacteria.
They compared the gene sequences to those from known bacteria and to the human genome and found this so-called colon microbiome -- the entire sum of genetic material from microbes in the lower gut -- includes more than 60,000 genes.
That is twice as many as found in the human genome.
"Of all the DNA sequences in that material, only 1 to 5 percent of it was not bacterial," Gill said.
"We were surprised."
They also found a surprising number of Archaea, also known as archaebacteria, which are genetically distinct from bacteria but which are also one-celled organisms often found in extreme environments such as hot springs.
The donors were healthy adults. None had taken antibiotics for a year, as these drugs are known to disturb the bacteria in the body.
Gill said his team hopes now to make a comparison of the gut bacteria from different people.
"The ideal study would be to compare 20 people, 30 people from different ethnic backgrounds, different diets, drinkers, smokers, and so on, because I think there are going to be distinct differences," Gill said.
These bacteria almost certainly help break down drugs that people take and studying the effects of different populations of the microbes might provide clues to treating different people with various medications.
The next study will focus on the bacteria in the mouth, Gill said. There are at least 800 species in the mouth and maybe more, Gill said.
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - We may not be entirely human, gene experts said on Thursday after studying the DNA of hundreds of different kinds of bacteria in the human gut.
Bacteria are so important to key functions such as digestion and the immune system that we may be truly symbiotic organisms -- relying on one another for life itself, the scientists write in Friday's issue of the journal Science.
Their findings suggest that studying bacteria native to our bodies may provide important clues to disease, nutrition, obesity and how well drugs will work in individuals, said the team at The Institute for Genomic Research, commonly known as TIGR, in Maryland.
"We are somehow like an amalgam, a mix of bacteria and human cells. There are some estimates that say 90 percent of the cells on our body are actually bacteria," Steven Gill, a molecular biologist formerly at TIGR and now at the State University of New York in Buffalo, said in a telephone interview.
"We're entirely dependent on this microbial population for our well-being. A shift within this population, often leading to the absence or presence of beneficial microbes, can trigger defects in metabolism and development of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease."
Scientists have long known that at least 50 percent of human faeces, and often more, is made up of bacteria from the gut. Bacteria start to colonise the intestines and colon shortly after birth, and adults carry up to 100 trillion microbes, representing more than 1,000 different species.
They are not just freeloading. They help humans to digest much of what we eat, including some vitamins, sugars, and fibre. They also synthesise vitamins that people cannot.
"Humans have evolved for million of years with these bacteria. And they provide essential functions," Gill said.
GERM SURPRISE
Gill and his team sequenced the DNA in faeces donated by three adults. They found a surprising amount of it came from bacteria.
They compared the gene sequences to those from known bacteria and to the human genome and found this so-called colon microbiome -- the entire sum of genetic material from microbes in the lower gut -- includes more than 60,000 genes.
That is twice as many as found in the human genome.
"Of all the DNA sequences in that material, only 1 to 5 percent of it was not bacterial," Gill said.
"We were surprised."
They also found a surprising number of Archaea, also known as archaebacteria, which are genetically distinct from bacteria but which are also one-celled organisms often found in extreme environments such as hot springs.
The donors were healthy adults. None had taken antibiotics for a year, as these drugs are known to disturb the bacteria in the body.
Gill said his team hopes now to make a comparison of the gut bacteria from different people.
"The ideal study would be to compare 20 people, 30 people from different ethnic backgrounds, different diets, drinkers, smokers, and so on, because I think there are going to be distinct differences," Gill said.
These bacteria almost certainly help break down drugs that people take and studying the effects of different populations of the microbes might provide clues to treating different people with various medications.
The next study will focus on the bacteria in the mouth, Gill said. There are at least 800 species in the mouth and maybe more, Gill said.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Sheep, frog, and disgraced MP sing for England
By Michael Holden
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Singing sheep, a "crazy" cartoon frog and a disgraced former MP -- the English may not lift the trophy but when it comes to the World Cup pop charts, they're hard to beat.
As 32 teams limber up for the start of the tournament in Germany next week, at least as many artists, from well-known acts to the downright weird, will begin a frenzied battle of their own to be number one.
For music fans or those wanting to avoid the month-long frenzy surrounding the football, there's little chance of escape.
"Certainly the top 20 or 30 (in the charts) could be populated by at least 10 or 12 of these particular tracks when the World Cup gets under way" said Gennaro Castaldo from music retailer HMV.
Football-inspired pop songs have long been a British tradition since the England squad, led by legendary defender Bobby Moore, went to number one during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico with their song "Back Home".
Band New Order then made the format credible with music fans in 1990 with their chart-topping hit "World In Motion", which featured a rap by winger John Barnes.
That was followed by "Three Lions", penned by well-known comedy duo Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, which became an anthem for fans, topping the charts in both 1996 and 1998.
FRANKLY BIZARRE
But this time round, the dizzying array of singles varies from the official Football Association-approved track by indie band Embrace, to long-forgotten stars, ageing comedians and the frankly bizarre.
"Everyone's having a go whether they've got a well-known profile or they are just some local band hoping to make it into the charts and get 15 minutes of fame," Castaldo told Reuters.
The media have also jumped on the patriotic bandwagon with newspapers and radio stations lending their support to some of the various acts.
So, the Tonedef Allstars, featuring Geoff Hurst who scored a hat-trick in England's only World Cup triumph in 1966, are backed by The Sun for their "Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Juergen Klinsmann" song.
Virgin Radio has adopted punk group Sham 69's "Hurry Up England", a re-working of the band's hit from the 1970s, while presenters at the Talk Sport radio station are releasing their own single "We're England".
"It wouldn't have happened 20 years ago," Castaldo said.
"You've got two features to this whole World Cup thing. Essentially it's become about the fans themselves and their passionate aspirations for team and country.
"But you've also got the media who increasingly want to align themselves to the World Cup and they are looking for a track or a product that will allow them to do it."
"BAARMY" SONGS
However it is the odd songs that really stand out.
The Cumbria Tourist Board have recorded a flock of sheep -- the "Baarmy sheep" -- from the picturesque Lake District, "baa-ing" to the tune of the classic anthem "Land of Hope and Glory" (http://www.golakes.co.uk/worldcupsheep).
Neil Hamilton, a former Conservative Party MP who became a minor media celebrity after becoming embroiled in a "cash for questions" scandal, has produced a duet with his formidable wife Christine.
Crazy Frog, an animated character used in TV adverts to sell mobile phone ringtones, has produced a cover of rock band Queen's "We Are The Champions".
And unknown double act Edd Holloway and Ben Goodridge are hoping to latch onto the nation's fears over injured star striker Wayne Rooney with "We Can't Smile Without Roo" -- a reworking of Barry Manilow's 1978 hit "Can't Smile Without You".
However, bookmakers predict that it will be the Tonedef Allstars who will triumph when all the singles are finally released. Their offering -- based on the theme tune from the BBC's World War Two comedy classic "Dad's Army" -- has the sing-along qualities that spark fans' imaginations, they believe.
"But I think if England start looking as if they've got a really good chance then it could be 'Three Lions,' as nostalgia comes back in," a spokesman for William Hill said.
Those dreading the month-long hype that surrounds the World Cup might just be hoping England do badly.
"If the team don't do too well and are eliminated earlier than anticipated, then all these releases and energy might come to nought," Castaldo said.
But he warned: "You'd imagine in four years time, if England are in the next World Cup, you'll probably have twice as many potential entries."
By Michael Holden
LONDON, England (Reuters) - Singing sheep, a "crazy" cartoon frog and a disgraced former MP -- the English may not lift the trophy but when it comes to the World Cup pop charts, they're hard to beat.
As 32 teams limber up for the start of the tournament in Germany next week, at least as many artists, from well-known acts to the downright weird, will begin a frenzied battle of their own to be number one.
For music fans or those wanting to avoid the month-long frenzy surrounding the football, there's little chance of escape.
"Certainly the top 20 or 30 (in the charts) could be populated by at least 10 or 12 of these particular tracks when the World Cup gets under way" said Gennaro Castaldo from music retailer HMV.
Football-inspired pop songs have long been a British tradition since the England squad, led by legendary defender Bobby Moore, went to number one during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico with their song "Back Home".
Band New Order then made the format credible with music fans in 1990 with their chart-topping hit "World In Motion", which featured a rap by winger John Barnes.
That was followed by "Three Lions", penned by well-known comedy duo Frank Skinner and David Baddiel, which became an anthem for fans, topping the charts in both 1996 and 1998.
FRANKLY BIZARRE
But this time round, the dizzying array of singles varies from the official Football Association-approved track by indie band Embrace, to long-forgotten stars, ageing comedians and the frankly bizarre.
"Everyone's having a go whether they've got a well-known profile or they are just some local band hoping to make it into the charts and get 15 minutes of fame," Castaldo told Reuters.
The media have also jumped on the patriotic bandwagon with newspapers and radio stations lending their support to some of the various acts.
So, the Tonedef Allstars, featuring Geoff Hurst who scored a hat-trick in England's only World Cup triumph in 1966, are backed by The Sun for their "Who Do You Think You Are Kidding, Juergen Klinsmann" song.
Virgin Radio has adopted punk group Sham 69's "Hurry Up England", a re-working of the band's hit from the 1970s, while presenters at the Talk Sport radio station are releasing their own single "We're England".
"It wouldn't have happened 20 years ago," Castaldo said.
"You've got two features to this whole World Cup thing. Essentially it's become about the fans themselves and their passionate aspirations for team and country.
"But you've also got the media who increasingly want to align themselves to the World Cup and they are looking for a track or a product that will allow them to do it."
"BAARMY" SONGS
However it is the odd songs that really stand out.
The Cumbria Tourist Board have recorded a flock of sheep -- the "Baarmy sheep" -- from the picturesque Lake District, "baa-ing" to the tune of the classic anthem "Land of Hope and Glory" (http://www.golakes.co.uk/worldcupsheep).
Neil Hamilton, a former Conservative Party MP who became a minor media celebrity after becoming embroiled in a "cash for questions" scandal, has produced a duet with his formidable wife Christine.
Crazy Frog, an animated character used in TV adverts to sell mobile phone ringtones, has produced a cover of rock band Queen's "We Are The Champions".
And unknown double act Edd Holloway and Ben Goodridge are hoping to latch onto the nation's fears over injured star striker Wayne Rooney with "We Can't Smile Without Roo" -- a reworking of Barry Manilow's 1978 hit "Can't Smile Without You".
However, bookmakers predict that it will be the Tonedef Allstars who will triumph when all the singles are finally released. Their offering -- based on the theme tune from the BBC's World War Two comedy classic "Dad's Army" -- has the sing-along qualities that spark fans' imaginations, they believe.
"But I think if England start looking as if they've got a really good chance then it could be 'Three Lions,' as nostalgia comes back in," a spokesman for William Hill said.
Those dreading the month-long hype that surrounds the World Cup might just be hoping England do badly.
"If the team don't do too well and are eliminated earlier than anticipated, then all these releases and energy might come to nought," Castaldo said.
But he warned: "You'd imagine in four years time, if England are in the next World Cup, you'll probably have twice as many potential entries."
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Teen accused of spiking rival's drink surrenders
HURST, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A teenager accused of spiking a fellow theater student's drink with bleach because she wanted the lead role in a school play surrendered to authorities.
Katherine A. Smith, 18, turned herself in Wednesday, more than a week after a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was charged with tampering with a consumer product, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and was released on $2,500 bail.
A message left Thursday at Smith's home seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Smith is accused of putting bleach in Mountain Dew and then handing the drink to a 15-year-old in February, a day after the opening of L.D. Bell High School's production of "Ha!" — a trio of one-act comedies. Test results confirmed that the drink contained components of bleach, according to police reports.
The 15-year-old noticed the odor and told an assistant principal, who contacted police. Police said Wednesday that the investigation took more than three months because of problems with testing the drink.
Smith was placed in an alternative school after she was questioned in the incident and did not participate in prom or graduation, said Hurst-Euless-Bedford district spokeswoman Judy Ramos.
HURST, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A teenager accused of spiking a fellow theater student's drink with bleach because she wanted the lead role in a school play surrendered to authorities.
Katherine A. Smith, 18, turned herself in Wednesday, more than a week after a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was charged with tampering with a consumer product, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and was released on $2,500 bail.
A message left Thursday at Smith's home seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Smith is accused of putting bleach in Mountain Dew and then handing the drink to a 15-year-old in February, a day after the opening of L.D. Bell High School's production of "Ha!" — a trio of one-act comedies. Test results confirmed that the drink contained components of bleach, according to police reports.
The 15-year-old noticed the odor and told an assistant principal, who contacted police. Police said Wednesday that the investigation took more than three months because of problems with testing the drink.
Smith was placed in an alternative school after she was questioned in the incident and did not participate in prom or graduation, said Hurst-Euless-Bedford district spokeswoman Judy Ramos.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
More complaints of missing graves arise
By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - After a News 8 story, more families came forward who said their loved ones were buried at a cemetery in Grand Prairie, but they too can't find them.
The Rodriguez family said they buried their father at Southland Memorial Park 11 months ago and captured the day on tape. While they said they thought they knew the exact spot where he was laid to rest, they now said they are unable to find where he was buried.
"We don't know where he's at," said son Chris Rodriguez.
Deborah Whittington said she believes her father ended up in a roadway after he was buried at the cemetery.
"I just wanted to see my dad rest in peace wherever he is," she said.
Two women who buried their sister at the cemetery said they also were unable to find her burial site.
"I don't even come here anymore because it's kind of pointless if you can't find the gravesite," said sister Shelby Record.
Many of the families were shocked to find that there were others in the exact same dilemma.
"We're not alone in this, but something needs to be done" Whittington said.
Several families came together after seeing the News 8 story that aired Wednesday about the distraught family searching for the gravesite of Okenetta Piper.
"You don't know where and they can't tell you," said Reshard Bradford, Piper's son-in-law.
While News 8 talked to Piper's daughter and son-in-law, the cemetery owner showed up.
"You don't talk to me," said Bill Strong, the owner. "I said take your camera and go outside."
However when more families showed up at the cemetery Thursday, they demanded more answers from Strong.
"Don't try to run now," Rodriguez said. "You didn't want to talk to us on the phone."
Strong called the police.
"You took all of our money [and] now you want to burn off," Rodriguez said. "You don't want to talk. You took all our money. You buried people on top of our people."
Southland Memorial Park was investigated several times before according to the Texas Department of Banking. The agency regulates perpetual care cemeteries like this one.
"I don't know what we have to do, but we do need to ban together whatever it is," Whittington said. "We need to stop him from doing this again. This is ridiculous."
By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - After a News 8 story, more families came forward who said their loved ones were buried at a cemetery in Grand Prairie, but they too can't find them.
The Rodriguez family said they buried their father at Southland Memorial Park 11 months ago and captured the day on tape. While they said they thought they knew the exact spot where he was laid to rest, they now said they are unable to find where he was buried.
"We don't know where he's at," said son Chris Rodriguez.
Deborah Whittington said she believes her father ended up in a roadway after he was buried at the cemetery.
"I just wanted to see my dad rest in peace wherever he is," she said.
Two women who buried their sister at the cemetery said they also were unable to find her burial site.
"I don't even come here anymore because it's kind of pointless if you can't find the gravesite," said sister Shelby Record.
Many of the families were shocked to find that there were others in the exact same dilemma.
"We're not alone in this, but something needs to be done" Whittington said.
Several families came together after seeing the News 8 story that aired Wednesday about the distraught family searching for the gravesite of Okenetta Piper.
"You don't know where and they can't tell you," said Reshard Bradford, Piper's son-in-law.
While News 8 talked to Piper's daughter and son-in-law, the cemetery owner showed up.
"You don't talk to me," said Bill Strong, the owner. "I said take your camera and go outside."
However when more families showed up at the cemetery Thursday, they demanded more answers from Strong.
"Don't try to run now," Rodriguez said. "You didn't want to talk to us on the phone."
Strong called the police.
"You took all of our money [and] now you want to burn off," Rodriguez said. "You don't want to talk. You took all our money. You buried people on top of our people."
Southland Memorial Park was investigated several times before according to the Texas Department of Banking. The agency regulates perpetual care cemeteries like this one.
"I don't know what we have to do, but we do need to ban together whatever it is," Whittington said. "We need to stop him from doing this again. This is ridiculous."
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Zambia sentences Briton to hard gardening
LUSAKA, Zambia (Reuters) - A Zambian magistrate has sentenced a British businessman to 15 days of tending flowers at the immigration department for overstaying his visa, a local newspaper said on Friday.
Charles Long was arrested in Lusaka and taken before the Lusaka magistrate's court, which passed the unusual sentence.
"Long will slash (cut) the lawn and tend flowers at the immigration offices and after that he will be deported," Immigration Department spokesman Mulako Mbangweta was quoted as saying by the privately owned Post newspaper.
Long, who said he was in Zambia to pursue business contacts, appeared resigned to his sentence.
"I feel nothing, I am happy (because) it is better than being inside prison," Long told the Post.
_____________________________________________________________
He also has to watch a marathon of "P. Allen Smith Gardening" segments they taped.
LUSAKA, Zambia (Reuters) - A Zambian magistrate has sentenced a British businessman to 15 days of tending flowers at the immigration department for overstaying his visa, a local newspaper said on Friday.
Charles Long was arrested in Lusaka and taken before the Lusaka magistrate's court, which passed the unusual sentence.
"Long will slash (cut) the lawn and tend flowers at the immigration offices and after that he will be deported," Immigration Department spokesman Mulako Mbangweta was quoted as saying by the privately owned Post newspaper.
Long, who said he was in Zambia to pursue business contacts, appeared resigned to his sentence.
"I feel nothing, I am happy (because) it is better than being inside prison," Long told the Post.
_____________________________________________________________
He also has to watch a marathon of "P. Allen Smith Gardening" segments they taped.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Baby boom shows Australians do it for their country
CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) - Australia is in the grip of a baby boom, figures showed on Friday, after the government urged couples to do their patriotic duty and "have one for your country".
Australia recorded 261,400 births in 2005, the highest number since 1992, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said, pushing the national population up to almost 20.5 million.
The baby boom came after Treasurer Peter Costello urged Australian couples two years ago to have more children, saying they should have "one for mum, one for dad and one for the country".
"It was a light-hearted way of making a serious point, and I am delighted that at least some families have been taking up the challenge," Costello said on Friday.
The government has identified Australia's low fertility rate and ageing population as a key issue.
A government study has warned that the number of people aged 65 or older is set to double by 2042 and the number aged 85 or more would quadruple, while the number of working-age Australians will remain stable.
Costello has urged Australians to have more children, and for older people to remain in the workforce beyond the usual retirement age of 65, to counter what he says is Australia's demographic destiny.
In 2004, Costello introduced a A$3,000 (1,200 pound) baby bonus, which is paid to the parents of each new-born child, which will rise to A$4,000 from July this year and A$5,000 from July 2008.
The government has also introduced tax breaks to help parents who leave work to look after children, and a range of extra family payments.
CANBERRA, Australia (Reuters) - Australia is in the grip of a baby boom, figures showed on Friday, after the government urged couples to do their patriotic duty and "have one for your country".
Australia recorded 261,400 births in 2005, the highest number since 1992, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said, pushing the national population up to almost 20.5 million.
The baby boom came after Treasurer Peter Costello urged Australian couples two years ago to have more children, saying they should have "one for mum, one for dad and one for the country".
"It was a light-hearted way of making a serious point, and I am delighted that at least some families have been taking up the challenge," Costello said on Friday.
The government has identified Australia's low fertility rate and ageing population as a key issue.
A government study has warned that the number of people aged 65 or older is set to double by 2042 and the number aged 85 or more would quadruple, while the number of working-age Australians will remain stable.
Costello has urged Australians to have more children, and for older people to remain in the workforce beyond the usual retirement age of 65, to counter what he says is Australia's demographic destiny.
In 2004, Costello introduced a A$3,000 (1,200 pound) baby bonus, which is paid to the parents of each new-born child, which will rise to A$4,000 from July this year and A$5,000 from July 2008.
The government has also introduced tax breaks to help parents who leave work to look after children, and a range of extra family payments.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
China goes easy on poor, first-time prostitutes
SHANGHAI, China (Reuters) - China will hand out relatively lenient punishment to poor first-time prostitutes in the country's booming east under updated laws on sex for sale, state media reported on Friday.
The new laws would apply in Jiangsu, which borders Shanghai to the south, where prostitutes driven into the trade by poverty would get smaller fines and lesser prison sentences.
"They will be detained for less than five days and fined less than 500 yuan (33 pounds)," the Shanghai Daily quoted Jiangsu police as saying, as opposed to 10 to 15 days and a maximum fine of 5,000 yuan for persistent offenders.
The new laws follow regulations issued in February ordering owners of karaoke clubs and discos -- notorious haunts for prostitution and drugs -- to install cameras and windows into back rooms.
Prostitution was virtually wiped out in the years after the Communist Party swept into power in 1949, but along with pornography and other perceived western vices has staged a comeback in the wake of reforms over the last three decades.
SHANGHAI, China (Reuters) - China will hand out relatively lenient punishment to poor first-time prostitutes in the country's booming east under updated laws on sex for sale, state media reported on Friday.
The new laws would apply in Jiangsu, which borders Shanghai to the south, where prostitutes driven into the trade by poverty would get smaller fines and lesser prison sentences.
"They will be detained for less than five days and fined less than 500 yuan (33 pounds)," the Shanghai Daily quoted Jiangsu police as saying, as opposed to 10 to 15 days and a maximum fine of 5,000 yuan for persistent offenders.
The new laws follow regulations issued in February ordering owners of karaoke clubs and discos -- notorious haunts for prostitution and drugs -- to install cameras and windows into back rooms.
Prostitution was virtually wiped out in the years after the Communist Party swept into power in 1949, but along with pornography and other perceived western vices has staged a comeback in the wake of reforms over the last three decades.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
French rooster needs special visa to get into Romania
BUCHAREST, France (Reuters) - France fans will need a special document if they want to bring their traditional rooster to this month's rugby test against Romania.
French supporters usually take their mascot to internationals and sometime even throw the bird on to the pitch.
"The rooster can't get into the country without a health certificate," a spokesman for the anti bird flu commission said.
"The bird flu which has hit Romania means we have to tighten security measures."
France play Romania on June 17 in Bucharest.
BUCHAREST, France (Reuters) - France fans will need a special document if they want to bring their traditional rooster to this month's rugby test against Romania.
French supporters usually take their mascot to internationals and sometime even throw the bird on to the pitch.
"The rooster can't get into the country without a health certificate," a spokesman for the anti bird flu commission said.
"The bird flu which has hit Romania means we have to tighten security measures."
France play Romania on June 17 in Bucharest.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Beijing raises the bar on free bus rides
BEIJING, China (Reuters) - Chinese children are getting taller, forcing the Beijing city government to raise the height limit for free bus rides and other perks by 10 cm (4 ins), state media said on Friday.
"Because of the growth in height, China's 360 million children have run into problems of buying tickets," Xinhua news agency said.
The average height of Chinese children had risen about 2.3 to 3 cm every decade for the past half-century, Xinhua said, quoting the Beijing Municipal Children's Studies Institute, thanks to improved nutrition and health care.
Regulations adopted in 1949, when the Communists came to power, originally stated that any child both below 7 years of age and below 1.1 metres was eligible for free bus rides, free entry to parks and theatres and free school lunches.
Xinhua said the average height of a Chinese 5-year-old was currently 1.2 metres, meaning a lot of children aged between 5 and 7 felt they were being short changed.
Now the height limit stands at 1.2 metres in Beijing and at 1.3 metres in the northeastern province of Liaoning and in Zhengzhou, the capital of central Henan province.
_____________________________________________________________
(Walks in the bathroom, spray-paints the 1 inch mark, then writes) "You must be at least this high to ride the ride."
BEIJING, China (Reuters) - Chinese children are getting taller, forcing the Beijing city government to raise the height limit for free bus rides and other perks by 10 cm (4 ins), state media said on Friday.
"Because of the growth in height, China's 360 million children have run into problems of buying tickets," Xinhua news agency said.
The average height of Chinese children had risen about 2.3 to 3 cm every decade for the past half-century, Xinhua said, quoting the Beijing Municipal Children's Studies Institute, thanks to improved nutrition and health care.
Regulations adopted in 1949, when the Communists came to power, originally stated that any child both below 7 years of age and below 1.1 metres was eligible for free bus rides, free entry to parks and theatres and free school lunches.
Xinhua said the average height of a Chinese 5-year-old was currently 1.2 metres, meaning a lot of children aged between 5 and 7 felt they were being short changed.
Now the height limit stands at 1.2 metres in Beijing and at 1.3 metres in the northeastern province of Liaoning and in Zhengzhou, the capital of central Henan province.
_____________________________________________________________
(Walks in the bathroom, spray-paints the 1 inch mark, then writes) "You must be at least this high to ride the ride."
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Fans bid for handbag that made rugby player cry
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - New Zealand rugby fans are bidding thousands of dollars for the chance to own the handbag that reduced a burly All Blacks player to tears.
In one of the more bizarre off-field sporting incidents, former New Zealand captain Tana Umaga tangled with Hurricanes club team mate Chris Masoe in a nightclub after losing the prestigious Super 14 tournament final last Saturday.
Masoe, who has played two tests for New Zealand, tripped over a man's feet in the Jolly Poacher bar in Christchurch early last Sunday and then hit the unidentified man in retaliation.
Umaga, one of New Zealand's greatest players who played 74 tests for the All Blacks, stepped in to break up the scuffle, picking up a woman's handbag and hitting Masoe twice over the head.
Rugby players are among the toughest in sport, regularly ignoring the pain of dislocations, head cuts and other aches and sprains but being hit with a handbag was too much for a tired and emotional Masoe.
The hefty 1.83 m, 106 kg Samoan-born forward dissolved into tears, New Zealand media reported this week.
Adding to the indignity, rugby officials fined him NZ$3,000 (1,000 pounds) after an inquiry into the incident but let Umaga off because he was trying to calm things down.
The unidentified woman who owns the small black handbag has put it up for sale, as well as a broken cell phone that was inside it.
The Trade Me Web site (http://www.trademe.co.nz) had received 71 bids for the handbag and phone by Friday, the latest offering NZ$5,500.
"Is there any guarantee hitting someone with this will make them cry?" one potential bidder asked on the Web site.
"Does it come with any makeup included? Do you have any matching belts or shoes?" asked another.
($1=NZ$1.57)
_____________________________________________________________
Oh, quit your cryin', David Hasselhoff!
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - New Zealand rugby fans are bidding thousands of dollars for the chance to own the handbag that reduced a burly All Blacks player to tears.
In one of the more bizarre off-field sporting incidents, former New Zealand captain Tana Umaga tangled with Hurricanes club team mate Chris Masoe in a nightclub after losing the prestigious Super 14 tournament final last Saturday.
Masoe, who has played two tests for New Zealand, tripped over a man's feet in the Jolly Poacher bar in Christchurch early last Sunday and then hit the unidentified man in retaliation.
Umaga, one of New Zealand's greatest players who played 74 tests for the All Blacks, stepped in to break up the scuffle, picking up a woman's handbag and hitting Masoe twice over the head.
Rugby players are among the toughest in sport, regularly ignoring the pain of dislocations, head cuts and other aches and sprains but being hit with a handbag was too much for a tired and emotional Masoe.
The hefty 1.83 m, 106 kg Samoan-born forward dissolved into tears, New Zealand media reported this week.
Adding to the indignity, rugby officials fined him NZ$3,000 (1,000 pounds) after an inquiry into the incident but let Umaga off because he was trying to calm things down.
The unidentified woman who owns the small black handbag has put it up for sale, as well as a broken cell phone that was inside it.
The Trade Me Web site (http://www.trademe.co.nz) had received 71 bids for the handbag and phone by Friday, the latest offering NZ$5,500.
"Is there any guarantee hitting someone with this will make them cry?" one potential bidder asked on the Web site.
"Does it come with any makeup included? Do you have any matching belts or shoes?" asked another.
($1=NZ$1.57)
_____________________________________________________________
Oh, quit your cryin', David Hasselhoff!
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Red-faced Canadian politician returns kids' money
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) - Some children in Canada are so well-off and so keen on current affairs that they donate thousands of dollars to politicians -- at least, that's what one contender for the leadership of the opposition Liberal Party seems to believe.
Former Immigration Minister Joe Volpe hit the spotlight this week after it emerged that a pair of 11-year-old twins and their 14-year-old brother had each donated C$5,400 ($4,900) to his leadership campaign.
The parents of the children -- who also donated C$5,400 to Volpe's campaign -- are related to the chairman of generic drug maker Apotex Inc. In total, five former and current executives of the firm and 15 of their family members handed over
C$108,000.
Thursday, Volpe ordered that five donations from people under 18 be given back.
"All the donations were in complete compliance with the law but the perception was not good and that's why they were returned," said Volpe spokesman Corey Hobbs.
The opposition New Democrats are demanding a probe to determine whether Volpe was trying to circumvent the Elections Act, which says companies cannot donate to leadership campaigns and limits individual contributions to C$5,400.
The Liberals lost power in the January 23 election amid allegations they presided over a kick-back scheme to illegally fund their national election campaigns in Quebec.
"The Liberal Party is like an egg-sucking dog ... they dig under the fence to get at that money and they just can't be cured. With an egg-sucking dog, all you can do is put them down," said New Democrat legislator Pat Martin.
The news that Volpe had taken money from such young donors made him the target of much mockery.
"Apparently all across the land, teenagers with a few hundred grand to burn are asking themselves: 'Do I buy a new sports car or support a long-shot for the Liberal leadership? Ferrari or Volpe?'" wrote Ottawa Sun columnist Greg Weston.
Although there is no lower age limit for making donations, handing over money on behalf of someone else is prohibited.
Last October, when the Liberals were in power, Volpe was embarrassed when it transpired he spent C$138 on pizza for two at an Italian restaurant and charged it to his expenses.
By David Ljunggren
OTTAWA, Canada (Reuters) - Some children in Canada are so well-off and so keen on current affairs that they donate thousands of dollars to politicians -- at least, that's what one contender for the leadership of the opposition Liberal Party seems to believe.
Former Immigration Minister Joe Volpe hit the spotlight this week after it emerged that a pair of 11-year-old twins and their 14-year-old brother had each donated C$5,400 ($4,900) to his leadership campaign.
The parents of the children -- who also donated C$5,400 to Volpe's campaign -- are related to the chairman of generic drug maker Apotex Inc. In total, five former and current executives of the firm and 15 of their family members handed over
C$108,000.
Thursday, Volpe ordered that five donations from people under 18 be given back.
"All the donations were in complete compliance with the law but the perception was not good and that's why they were returned," said Volpe spokesman Corey Hobbs.
The opposition New Democrats are demanding a probe to determine whether Volpe was trying to circumvent the Elections Act, which says companies cannot donate to leadership campaigns and limits individual contributions to C$5,400.
The Liberals lost power in the January 23 election amid allegations they presided over a kick-back scheme to illegally fund their national election campaigns in Quebec.
"The Liberal Party is like an egg-sucking dog ... they dig under the fence to get at that money and they just can't be cured. With an egg-sucking dog, all you can do is put them down," said New Democrat legislator Pat Martin.
The news that Volpe had taken money from such young donors made him the target of much mockery.
"Apparently all across the land, teenagers with a few hundred grand to burn are asking themselves: 'Do I buy a new sports car or support a long-shot for the Liberal leadership? Ferrari or Volpe?'" wrote Ottawa Sun columnist Greg Weston.
Although there is no lower age limit for making donations, handing over money on behalf of someone else is prohibited.
Last October, when the Liberals were in power, Volpe was embarrassed when it transpired he spent C$138 on pizza for two at an Italian restaurant and charged it to his expenses.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Just plain Bill is banned in Hollywood name game
By Arthur Spiegelman
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Reuters) - If you have ever wondered what's in a name, consider: Brooklyn, Moxie Crimefighter, Bluebell Madonna, Suri, Phinneaus, Apple and, debuting just last week, Shiloh.
All these are names that celebrities have bestowed upon their newborns in their quest for the unusual, outlandish or off-the-wall. Consider plain Bill boring and banned.
The experts say it is only a matter of time before the latest trendy new names spread to the general public. For example, ordinary people in the Bronx could start naming their children Brooklyn -- a name British soccer star David Beckham and his ex-Spice Girl wife Victoria chose for their son.
Although some name experts think the public might embrace Brooklyn as a first name, they might not jump at the name another former Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell, gave her daughter -- Bluebell Madonna.
Shortly before the birth, Halliwell told a British magazine she saw bluebells everywhere and took that as a sign. As for the name Madonna, she explained it this way: "No one else has the name except the Virgin and the singer, who I adore."
It might take a few years to see if the name Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave their new daughter -- Shiloh -- when she was born Saturday catches on with the general public.
A GIRL CALLED MESSIAH
Paul JJ Payack, the head of Global Language Monitor, which monitors word and name usage, says Shiloh is unusual in several ways: it is the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War, a male name and means Messiah.
"This is, indeed, a very unusual trend, where the baby's name is seen as just another Hollywood adornment," Payack said.
"Having children has become a fad, and as will any fad emanating from Hollywood, self-augmentation, adornment and going to the extreme are going to be present," he said.
Pam Satran, co-author of the bestselling baby naming book "Beyond Jason & Jennifer," says that for years bland names were the order of the day, but not any more. In fact, the next edition of her book will be titled, "Beyond Jason & Jennifer, Madison & Montana" to recognize the first name revolution.
"Twenty years ago celebrity baby names were pretty simple. It was Kate, Kate, Max, Max. Now celebrities are trying to outdo celebrities," she said.
In the 1950s, if a celebrity had an unusual name he or she would change it something simple and socially acceptable like Ken or Debbie.
As the decades passed, new fads included using boys' names for girls, like Drew, Cameron and Stockard. Then came the place names: Madison, Brooklyn, Paris and now, Shiloh.
"These days if you have an ordinary name in Hollywood you change it to a weird one. The more distinctive your name is the better. There's a whole issue of image and branding out there," Satran said.
She added, "Celebrities are very much aware of the power of their image."
And with that in mind, here are some example of what celebrities have recently called their children: Julia Roberts, Hazel and Phinneaus; Gwyneth Paltrow, Moses and Apple; Jason Lee, Pilot Inspektor; Joely Fisher, True Harlow; and Nicolas Cage: Kal-el.
According to the Social Security Administration the 10 most popular male names of the 2000s so far are Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Andrew, Christopher, Joseph, Daniel, Nicholas and Ethan.
For girls they are Emily, Madison, Hannah, Emma, Ashley, Abigail, Alexis, Olivia, Samantha and Sarah.
Or to sum up in a single word: BORING.
By Arthur Spiegelman
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Reuters) - If you have ever wondered what's in a name, consider: Brooklyn, Moxie Crimefighter, Bluebell Madonna, Suri, Phinneaus, Apple and, debuting just last week, Shiloh.
All these are names that celebrities have bestowed upon their newborns in their quest for the unusual, outlandish or off-the-wall. Consider plain Bill boring and banned.
The experts say it is only a matter of time before the latest trendy new names spread to the general public. For example, ordinary people in the Bronx could start naming their children Brooklyn -- a name British soccer star David Beckham and his ex-Spice Girl wife Victoria chose for their son.
Although some name experts think the public might embrace Brooklyn as a first name, they might not jump at the name another former Spice Girl, Geri Halliwell, gave her daughter -- Bluebell Madonna.
Shortly before the birth, Halliwell told a British magazine she saw bluebells everywhere and took that as a sign. As for the name Madonna, she explained it this way: "No one else has the name except the Virgin and the singer, who I adore."
It might take a few years to see if the name Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave their new daughter -- Shiloh -- when she was born Saturday catches on with the general public.
A GIRL CALLED MESSIAH
Paul JJ Payack, the head of Global Language Monitor, which monitors word and name usage, says Shiloh is unusual in several ways: it is the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War, a male name and means Messiah.
"This is, indeed, a very unusual trend, where the baby's name is seen as just another Hollywood adornment," Payack said.
"Having children has become a fad, and as will any fad emanating from Hollywood, self-augmentation, adornment and going to the extreme are going to be present," he said.
Pam Satran, co-author of the bestselling baby naming book "Beyond Jason & Jennifer," says that for years bland names were the order of the day, but not any more. In fact, the next edition of her book will be titled, "Beyond Jason & Jennifer, Madison & Montana" to recognize the first name revolution.
"Twenty years ago celebrity baby names were pretty simple. It was Kate, Kate, Max, Max. Now celebrities are trying to outdo celebrities," she said.
In the 1950s, if a celebrity had an unusual name he or she would change it something simple and socially acceptable like Ken or Debbie.
As the decades passed, new fads included using boys' names for girls, like Drew, Cameron and Stockard. Then came the place names: Madison, Brooklyn, Paris and now, Shiloh.
"These days if you have an ordinary name in Hollywood you change it to a weird one. The more distinctive your name is the better. There's a whole issue of image and branding out there," Satran said.
She added, "Celebrities are very much aware of the power of their image."
And with that in mind, here are some example of what celebrities have recently called their children: Julia Roberts, Hazel and Phinneaus; Gwyneth Paltrow, Moses and Apple; Jason Lee, Pilot Inspektor; Joely Fisher, True Harlow; and Nicolas Cage: Kal-el.
According to the Social Security Administration the 10 most popular male names of the 2000s so far are Jacob, Michael, Joshua, Matthew, Andrew, Christopher, Joseph, Daniel, Nicholas and Ethan.
For girls they are Emily, Madison, Hannah, Emma, Ashley, Abigail, Alexis, Olivia, Samantha and Sarah.
Or to sum up in a single word: BORING.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Man leaves $28,000 on restaurant toilet
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - A tax collector in the southern Austrian city of Graz accidentally left $28,000 in cash in a black attache case he placed on top of a toilet in the men's room of a local restaurant Thursday, police said.
By the time he realized it was missing and went back, the cash was gone, authorities said.
As of Friday, no one had turned up with the money, prompting police in the city 120 miles south of Vienna to issue an appeal for its return.
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - A tax collector in the southern Austrian city of Graz accidentally left $28,000 in cash in a black attache case he placed on top of a toilet in the men's room of a local restaurant Thursday, police said.
By the time he realized it was missing and went back, the cash was gone, authorities said.
As of Friday, no one had turned up with the money, prompting police in the city 120 miles south of Vienna to issue an appeal for its return.
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Student-released fowl close school
FORT KENT, Maine (AP) - Six high school seniors in Fort Kent were charged with criminal trespass and criminal mischief after a class prank went awry and ended up shutting down the school.
The six boys ordered 10 goslings and 45 chicks from an Indiana company and then set them loose in Community High School early Thursday morning, school officials said.
The pranksters put the birds in the school gym, in classrooms, in lockers, in offices and into a drawer of a teacher's desk, said Principal Tim Doak. But the animals left their mark on floors, chairs and tables, forcing administrators to cancel school Thursday and Friday to clean up the mess.
The school will expect full restitution for cleanup costs, which are expected to run into the thousands of dollars, said Sandra Bernstein, superintendent of School Administrative District 27. The canceled days will be added to the end of the school year.
"It's comical when you start thinking of chickens in your school, but it's just another chapter in the book of school administration," Doak said.
A teacher discovered the intruders before 6 a.m. after entering the building and hearing the birds running around the hallways, Bernstein said. When students arrived, they were taken to the school gym, which had been sterilized, before being sent home.
A crew of about 10 was enlisted to clean and disinfect all surfaces where the birds left a mess — about 70 percent of the school. The birds pose a public safety hazard because of salmonella bacteria, Bernstein said.
"It's not funny when it's a public health risk," she said. "Salmonella is a very dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness, particularly with anyone vulnerable or with immune system problems."
The animals, none of which were harmed, were boxed up and taken to the police chief's house, where they were expected to stay until they find new homes.
A court date has not been set and the incident is still under investigation, said Fort Kent Police Chief Kenneth Michaud.
___
Information from: Bangor Daily News
FORT KENT, Maine (AP) - Six high school seniors in Fort Kent were charged with criminal trespass and criminal mischief after a class prank went awry and ended up shutting down the school.
The six boys ordered 10 goslings and 45 chicks from an Indiana company and then set them loose in Community High School early Thursday morning, school officials said.
The pranksters put the birds in the school gym, in classrooms, in lockers, in offices and into a drawer of a teacher's desk, said Principal Tim Doak. But the animals left their mark on floors, chairs and tables, forcing administrators to cancel school Thursday and Friday to clean up the mess.
The school will expect full restitution for cleanup costs, which are expected to run into the thousands of dollars, said Sandra Bernstein, superintendent of School Administrative District 27. The canceled days will be added to the end of the school year.
"It's comical when you start thinking of chickens in your school, but it's just another chapter in the book of school administration," Doak said.
A teacher discovered the intruders before 6 a.m. after entering the building and hearing the birds running around the hallways, Bernstein said. When students arrived, they were taken to the school gym, which had been sterilized, before being sent home.
A crew of about 10 was enlisted to clean and disinfect all surfaces where the birds left a mess — about 70 percent of the school. The birds pose a public safety hazard because of salmonella bacteria, Bernstein said.
"It's not funny when it's a public health risk," she said. "Salmonella is a very dangerous bacteria that can cause serious illness, particularly with anyone vulnerable or with immune system problems."
The animals, none of which were harmed, were boxed up and taken to the police chief's house, where they were expected to stay until they find new homes.
A court date has not been set and the incident is still under investigation, said Fort Kent Police Chief Kenneth Michaud.
___
Information from: Bangor Daily News
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Duck X-ray reveals 'alien head'
CORDELIA, Calif. (AP) - The International Bird Rescue Research Center in Cordelia plans to raise funds with an unusual duck X-ray. The bird came in with a broken wing, but when Marie Travers, assistant manager of the center, radiographed the duck, she was stunned to see a very clear image of what appeared to be the face, or head, of an extraterrestrial alien in the bird's stomach.
"Marie looked at it and all she could say was 'unbelievable,'" said Karen Benzel, public affairs director for the rescue center, which has been rescuing sick and injured birds for more than three decades.
Unfortunately, the duck died quickly and quietly of its injuries.
Initial reports from the center claimed the cause of the alien face was never determined, but Benzel said she was still awaiting results of a necropsy.
Either way, the center has come up with a way to turn its alien encounter into a fundraiser for the center. It will auction off the X-ray on eBay.
The one-of-a-kind image, which measures 17-by-14 inches, will be sold along with a certificate of authenticity. All proceeds will go toward funding the center's rehabilitation programs.
The auction begins Sunday.
___
Information from: The Reporter
CORDELIA, Calif. (AP) - The International Bird Rescue Research Center in Cordelia plans to raise funds with an unusual duck X-ray. The bird came in with a broken wing, but when Marie Travers, assistant manager of the center, radiographed the duck, she was stunned to see a very clear image of what appeared to be the face, or head, of an extraterrestrial alien in the bird's stomach.
"Marie looked at it and all she could say was 'unbelievable,'" said Karen Benzel, public affairs director for the rescue center, which has been rescuing sick and injured birds for more than three decades.
Unfortunately, the duck died quickly and quietly of its injuries.
Initial reports from the center claimed the cause of the alien face was never determined, but Benzel said she was still awaiting results of a necropsy.
Either way, the center has come up with a way to turn its alien encounter into a fundraiser for the center. It will auction off the X-ray on eBay.
The one-of-a-kind image, which measures 17-by-14 inches, will be sold along with a certificate of authenticity. All proceeds will go toward funding the center's rehabilitation programs.
The auction begins Sunday.
___
Information from: The Reporter
0 likes
-
TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Clerk says scanty attire was distraction
HAUSER, Ore. (AP) - Well, she LOOKED 21 anyway, maybe older, and what's more the clerk at the small store in this Coos County town says he was much distracted by what he called the young lady's scanty attire. So distracted, he said, that he didn't see the "Minor until 2007" stamped on her driver's license. She got the six-pack, and store owner David Cardwell got a $1,320 fine. The clerk had to pay $750.
Cardwell is hollering "Entrapment," "Draconian" and more.
Rather than pay, Cardwell says, he will take the alternative and close the store for a week. He says it doesn't make than much in a week in any case.
His clerk had been stung by an Oregon Liquor Control Commission decoy sent to test for underage sales.
His two clerks will be jobless until June 7.
Cardwell is not denying his employee erred, but says it was hardly fair.
"This young woman was dressed in very provocative clothing more suited for the bedroom," Cardwell said in a letter to the OLCC. "I would not allow my daughter to leave the house dressed in such a way."
He says the law should target clerks and servers, not the owners.
"We feel we did everything right," Cardwell wrote. "We trained (our clerk) correctly. We tested him correctly."
But Gary Francis, the local OLCC agent who coordinates the stings and hires the decoys, isn't persuaded.
"Maybe he should have been looking at her driver's license," Francis said of the clerk. "It was a straight-up deal. By the numbers. No trickery at all."
He said the decoy was dressed in a tank top, attire many woman her age wear.
People who serve or sell alcohol in Oregon are required to card anyone who looks 26 years old or younger, Francis said. He wants the decoys to look like 18-, 19- or 20-year-olds, not a 40-year-old.
"We are out there to see who is doing their job and who is not," he said.
He said female decoys can't wear makeup or doctor their hair to look older.
"This guy wasn't paying attention," Francis said. "If he would have looked at that young lady's ID, he would have seen the big red box on her ID that said she was a minor until 2007.
"DMV makes it easy. But if you don't use the tools that the state provides, then you deserve to get caught."
Cardwell disagrees.
"They're baiting. They're disguising. They're camouflaging them. They are trying to create a situation and trying to induce someone into taking the bait."
The store had never been similarly fined before.
"There's a first time for everything," said Francis.
___
Information from: The World
HAUSER, Ore. (AP) - Well, she LOOKED 21 anyway, maybe older, and what's more the clerk at the small store in this Coos County town says he was much distracted by what he called the young lady's scanty attire. So distracted, he said, that he didn't see the "Minor until 2007" stamped on her driver's license. She got the six-pack, and store owner David Cardwell got a $1,320 fine. The clerk had to pay $750.
Cardwell is hollering "Entrapment," "Draconian" and more.
Rather than pay, Cardwell says, he will take the alternative and close the store for a week. He says it doesn't make than much in a week in any case.
His clerk had been stung by an Oregon Liquor Control Commission decoy sent to test for underage sales.
His two clerks will be jobless until June 7.
Cardwell is not denying his employee erred, but says it was hardly fair.
"This young woman was dressed in very provocative clothing more suited for the bedroom," Cardwell said in a letter to the OLCC. "I would not allow my daughter to leave the house dressed in such a way."
He says the law should target clerks and servers, not the owners.
"We feel we did everything right," Cardwell wrote. "We trained (our clerk) correctly. We tested him correctly."
But Gary Francis, the local OLCC agent who coordinates the stings and hires the decoys, isn't persuaded.
"Maybe he should have been looking at her driver's license," Francis said of the clerk. "It was a straight-up deal. By the numbers. No trickery at all."
He said the decoy was dressed in a tank top, attire many woman her age wear.
People who serve or sell alcohol in Oregon are required to card anyone who looks 26 years old or younger, Francis said. He wants the decoys to look like 18-, 19- or 20-year-olds, not a 40-year-old.
"We are out there to see who is doing their job and who is not," he said.
He said female decoys can't wear makeup or doctor their hair to look older.
"This guy wasn't paying attention," Francis said. "If he would have looked at that young lady's ID, he would have seen the big red box on her ID that said she was a minor until 2007.
"DMV makes it easy. But if you don't use the tools that the state provides, then you deserve to get caught."
Cardwell disagrees.
"They're baiting. They're disguising. They're camouflaging them. They are trying to create a situation and trying to induce someone into taking the bait."
The store had never been similarly fined before.
"There's a first time for everything," said Francis.
___
Information from: The World
0 likes
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests