Tuesday 24 November 2009

Reefers Digest Issue 3

Fair Cop? The police just aren't that popular anymore and things can only get worse after a particularly bad day for the Force which saw one Officer and one Ex-officer jailed. The first for murdering a fellow officer after a love triangle went wrong and the second for causing the deaths of a couple in Urmston after ploughing into them at high speed. I know police are people too (technically) but this cannot be good for the image.

Camel RUN!
My husband says they do a great chicken kebab, although I'm not so keen on the veggie burger. Perhaps somebody else took a dislike to the fair on offer in Rusholme's Camel One takeaway on Saturday night.

The place is popular with cabbies but the normally slow-moving chaps but on an uncharacteristic turn of speed, diving for cover when a car hurtled towards them and smashed into the shop front.

You can watch the CCTV footage on YouTube, the silver Audi A4 convertible smashes into the entrance and bounces off head on into a parked black cab, (which incidentally is where I think the £15k damage figure they're claiming came from.), then two men crawl out of the driver's side window and chip off, roughneck style. No body was seriously hurt so feel feel to laugh.

Shock News! Dirt can be good for children, say scientists!
Yes, children of the world rejoice! A new hypothesis says messy play should be encouraged, children should be allowed to get dirty. Scientists have found being too clean can impair the skin's ability to heal, killing off the skins natural bacteria the new hygiene hypothesis" holds that exposure to germs during early childhood primes the body against allergies.
Yes,  I know after all this time it's good to be proven right. The "good" people at Johnson and Johnson et al must be glued to the share prices and kaking themselves, before firing the entire marketing team, What will they do now they can't blackmail us into sterilising every surface? And just when they were about to launch their new range: "Home Hermet", the easy way keep your home and children safe from germs forever  hermetically seal your home in one giant flower-scented sack. (Ok, well maybe not, but we all know they were thinking about it)

Surprise! We're not dead!
I know many of us thought it would be the end of the world when they switched on the Large Hadron Collider and when nothing happened some of us have to admit we were a bit disappointed. Then we were told "ah well, switching it on is the easy part, we might never actually get two of the buggers to crash!" and we sat back to wait.
Well prepare yourselves, because they did it, (LHC) Engineers operating the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have smashed together proton beams in the machine for the very first time describing the step as a "great achievement" for those working on the experiment.
And look, we're not dead, no black hole, nothing, are we calm now?

The Stuff Of Nightmares
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the hospital.

Rom Houben, a Belgian man who doctors thought was in a coma for 23 years was conscious all along.
Rob was injured in a car crash in 1983 and though medical staff he had sunk irretrievably into a coma, Doctor Steven Laureys discovered in 2006 that, although Mr Houben was paralysed, his brain was working. He now communicates by using a special keyboard attached to his wheelchair.
Scarily the Doctor said the case was not unique. he believes that in about 40% of cases in which people are classified as being in a vegetative state, closer inspection reveals signs of consciousness.

It's not just the big injuries you need to worry about either.
An inquiry has been opened after Gordon Ewing, 44 from Glasgow died during a routine operation on his pinkie finger at the Victoria Infirmary in 2006.
A pathologist told the hearing the death was "intrinsically linked" to lung puncture which happened during his operation.
How the hell do you puncture someones lung when you're operating on their pinkie finger??

Football Fiasco
As the only Wigan Athletic supporter I know in Manchester I have suffered some severe ribbing after our humiliating 9-1 defeat at Spurs on Sunday. The captain Mario Melchiot said "we were embarrassed by the way we performed...we badly let down our supporters..." and as "...a gesture...to pay them back for their loyalty" the Wigan players are going to personally refund Latics fans who bought tickets for the match.
Well, barring Paul Scharner who scored our only goal...you should be embarrassed, you did let us down and you owe us more than our money back, you owe us our pride and dignity.
And as for the "unfortunate" Wigan keeper Chris Kirkland scored an own goal, I vote he be taken to Wigan town centre, tied in his shorts the the Giant Wheel outside the college and pelted with rotting produce until he learns his lesson which hopefully will be before we host Sunderland this weekend.
Harsh? Cruel and unusual punishment? Not really, I think he'd be getting off lightly when you consider Goalkeeper Ivan Banovic of Croatian team Medjimurje Cakovec's (pronunciations on a postcard please) he earned himself a yellow card when he picked up a cat that strayed on to the pitch 20 minutes into a match. He placed the meddling moggy safely near a scoreboard and the ref promptly booked him for leaving the pitch without permission.

View Links to the full stories and more on my Google Reader Page

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Reefers Digest Issue 2

The Reefers Digest is back and we’re not amused. Seems freedom and liberty, are under attack from all sides, censorship rules, smokers are the devil incarnate and even little old men are to be feared, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. What is the world coming to?

Serial Bride Admits Bigamy MEN June 22 2009
Emily Horne, 30, a former glamour model has pleaded guilty to bigamy after marrying for the fifth time.
She married Oldham man Ashley Baker at a civil ceremony at Chadderton town hall in September 2007 but neglected to mention that she was still married to her first husband, or that in marrying Baker, she had just committed bigamy for the fourth time.
Clearly this is one Bridezilla who couldn't get enough, even after being cautioned for two offences of bigamy in August 2001 and then jailed for six months in 2004 again for bigamy she went on to marry for a fifth time, to Mr Baker only telling him of her past as the pair travelled to Scotland for their honeymoon.
I have to say her excuses are a little thin, claiming she “lost touch” with her first husband, soldier Paul Rigby as he was posted abroad. Interesting that she never thought to ask the MOD how she might contact him, if only to serve divorce papers. Horne went on to marry Sean Cunningham in Leeds in 1999 and then Chris Barratt in Rotherham in 2000. In 2002 she left Mr Barratt and met her fourth husband, James Matthews, on a train.
The judge at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court said: “You are an attractive young woman and you might be described as a very predatory female.”
Generous comments under the circumstances, perhaps he’s hoping to be husband number six.

Cattle Trample Woman to Death Mike Keegan MEN June 22, 2009
A 49-year-old vet from Warrington was trampled by a herd of cows as she walked her dogs on a stretch of the Pennine Way, near the hamlet of Gayle, Hawes. North Yorkshire Police said the herd of cattle and calves became aggressive after seeing the woman's spaniel and collie-type dog as they were being walked on leads through a field.
A National Farmers' Union spokeswoman said such attacks were "very rare" and that "By and large cows are very docile and 99% of the time they ignore you ... Just occasionally, they will decide they feel threatened, particularly if you have got a dog and they have got a calf and they become over-protective. Sometimes, as seen at the weekend, they can get aggressive."
The two dogs were said to be uninjured. Now I’m not meaning to make light of this, but I have been saying for years that cows are not cute, soft eyed, docile farm animals but nasty and vicious when cornered and definitely dangerous…maybe now people will listen.

Fire Pair in 'Rude' E-Mail Storm Neal Keeling MEN June 22, 2009
How many times have you opened your e-mails to find some joker has sent you a photo-shopped picture of an obese woman in (or rather hanging out of) a bikini, or an “interesting” tattoo on chaps nether regions? You have a chuckle, perhaps send it on to friends or colleagues and go about your day. Well you might want to think twice before hitting the FWD button next time.
Two Manchester fire service officers have been suspended for allegedly sending "inappropriate" e-mails.
Community safety officer Jan Finch and watch manager Mark Sapple, were sent home on full pay last week after the digital sh*t really hit the fan. It is alleged the e-mail included a graphic image of a woman with body piercing with a humorous caption. Seems that Mrs Finch sent the e-mail to Mr Sapple who then forwarded it on to a group of people, unfortunately for him when one of those people opened the e-mail a senior officer just happened to be standing by her, saw it and decided to make a formal complaint to management. Ooops! So next time somebody sends you a dodgy picture you might want to open it, have your chuckle and delete it, oh and make sure to look over your shoulder before you do, your boss might not be amused.

Rabbit but no Ransom Deborah Linton MEN June 22, 2009
When Manchester artist Richard Charnock set up his exhibition at the Cornerhouse Gallery I doubt that the prospect of his art being kidnapped entered his mind but that’s exactly what happened. Mr Charnock had put his pet rabbit 'Bob' in an exhibit called “An Exploration into Consciousness” where visitors to the arts centre could watch Bob react to the world around him.
Is this an art gallery or a petting zoo? Seems somebody out there thinks live animals have no place in art installations and I’m inclined to agree, although I’m not sure I’d resort to kidnapping to prove my point. However, an anonymous fellow Manchester artist took matters into his own hands when, after enlisting the help of three friends, he dressed himself in a white rabbit mask and hood and armed with two carrots took a lift to the fourth floor, took Bob from his pen, placed him in a bag and left the gallery.
Since then the kidnappers have released pictures of Bob, saying they will not give him back. The anonymous artists holding Bob sent a disc to the MEN containing a statement and photographs to show that the rabbit has not been harmed. They say "We just saw a really unhappy rabbit that was really frightened. We're not animal rights campaigners but I saw something that I found really rather disturbing that I felt should not be represented as art. Bob is safe and well and has shown us he is happy with his new home. I will not be returning him. I think his owner has proved how he feels about his pet by leaving him at the gallery”
The gallery and the original owner and artist feel very differently, they say the work followed advice from the RSPCA, Manchester council and a rabbit behaviour expert. Mr Charnock said "I wanted the installation to be a nice environment for him and can tell when he is unhappy and he wasn't. He wasn't traumatised at all. If I felt he was I'd have taken him home.The rabbit is far more important than any of the artwork to me, and I just want him back. He's my pet."
Well say what you want mate, but I would’t leave any of my pets in any sort of installation at the mercy of the public, I dread to think what could happen. No buddy, I think bugs has gone to a better place.

Gangster Images 'Breached Rights' BBC News, 17 June 2009
Like most people in Manchester, I know the faces of Colin Joyce and Lee Amos all too well. The notorious pair were the leaders of the Gooch Gang, and were very publicly tried and jailed in April for 39 and 35 years respectively for the murders of Ucal Chin, 24, and 23-year-old Tyrone Gilbert.
Now the men’s relatives say they have become a target for vigilantes since posters showing how Joyce and Amos might look by the time they are freed have been displayed on billboards put up across the city.
The relatives of the gangsters believe their human rights have been breached by a police crime-fighting poster and they are being backed by Liberty, as they take action against Greater Manchester Police.
The police are claiming that the campaign was to prevent young people falling into gang crime.
Chief Constable Peter Fahy said, "We are in the business of saving lives and will do all we can to prevent young people falling victim to gun crime and gang life. The poster campaign was part of that drive…These were amongst the most dangerous men in Manchester and our communities are safer with them locked up. We used the poster campaign to drive that message home, and to let young people who may be tempted into gang violence understand the real-life consequences of such actions."
That’s all well and good, and I do agree that the families of these Gooch boys should be left in peace, however, I live on the edge of Mosside , I have family in Longsight, and Rusholme (where the Gooch gang originally came from, believe me I know plenty about the history of the gangs in my city), all areas with rising gang and crime issues, areas you would think the police would want to push that message hardest and yet I haven’t seen a single one of these billboards in my area. Seems to me this wasn’t about saving kids from gang culture at all but all about the Police celebrating a long awaited conviction at the expense of innocent family members.

…And the bad cops keeps coming

Police Fight Data Deletion Ruling BBC News 22 June 2009
Data about the criminal convictions of one million people could be deleted from police computers. The Court of Appeal court is hearing a challenge by five police forces against an Information Tribunal ruling to delete conviction data on five people after it stated that "personal information must be relevant, up to date and not excessive". The Association of Chief Police Officers estimates there are one million offenders in England and Wales for whom data would have to be deleted if the tribunal's ruling is upheld and they fear that this will have a "very significant impact" on officers' ability to carry out their duties since, they claim,"… old and minor convictions records assist detective work and the investigation of criminal offences."
Now I’m sure you think that sounds reasonable enough until you consider the kind of information the police are fighting so hard to hang onto. But the five people at the centre of this case aren’t hardened criminals or con-artists desperate to conceal a seedy past. One case, about the theft of a 99p packet of meat dated back to 1984. The person involved, who was under 18 at the time, was fined £15. A second, another petty theft from more than 25 years ago for which the individual was fined £25. A third concerned someone who was cautioned for a minor assault, serious you think? Not when the “offender” was under 14 at the time.
Under current policy, criminal records remain on the police national computer for up to 100 years, you might want to consider that next time you apply for a job.

It’s not been a good week for smokers either

Smoke Float Under Threat Chris Osuh MEN June 22, 2009
Seems they’re just not welcome at the Manchester International Festival parade. Promoters have been advertising in tobacconists and on the Internet for smokers to join the festival launch parade, however there have been loud objections and criticism from town hall chiefs and Pat Karney, NHS director of Smoke-Free Manchester.
Health Secretary Andy Burnham is being asked to stop the float of `unrepentant smokers' from entering the hour-long extravaganza, called Procession, which is being put together by Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller to showcase the city, its history, traditions and characters.
Their main objection seems to be that children will see the float and somehow make the leap that smoking is a cool and acceptable thing to do.
Now I’m thinking the protesters would do better to keep schtum and let the thing roll, I mean really what could make smoking look less appealing than a flatbed truck, festooned with crepe paper and rammed with grey faced, wheezing, coughing, phlegm hacking Mancunians, Rothmans and roll-ups gripped in yellow fingers or between stained teeth, desperately trying to keep their neps lit in the Manchester drizzle and looking like the least healthy people in the entire parade?
Personally I’d be more concerned about the the Alternative Project float, featuring the young people who hang around outside Urbis, they smoke more than tobacco on that grassy knoll you know, and they are possibly the ugliest, rudest, most belligerent bunch of Emo tossers I’ve ever had the displeasure to meet.

While we're on the subject, the Urbis Emos might want also want to consider this further assault on your right to poison your self on your own time, even if you’re mentally ill.

Smoking Ban on Psychiatric Wards Driving Habit Underground BBC News 22 June 2009 Now why would you do that? Apparently, a survey found that many staff said patients had taken to smoking in secret, with staff feeling the need to turn a blind eye, particularly when patients were very unwell. That's all you need, mentally unstable people hiding dimps and lighters all over the place and accidentally setting themselves alight because they can't smoke in their own common areas anymore.
Some staff reported feeling more like police than nurses, and others said that patients had reacted aggressively when asked to stop smoking.
Well yes I would too mate. These people have few enough pleasures and they’re locked down up to 23 hours a day, now they can’t even have a smoke in peace?
Report author Simon Lawton-Smith said the ban was “justified on health grounds”. I’m sorry, what? Health grounds? Do you really expect us to believe you care about the health of the mentally ill given the state of affairs in the NHS? Why don’t you show us how much you care and start by overhauling the entire mental health care system in this country, re-educate GPs on mental health diagnosis and treatment and put some serious money into the infrastructure and staff, then you can talk to me about your “justification”.
Vicki Nash, of the mental health charity Mind, said: “Forcing people to stop smoking abruptly on admission to hospital when they are already likely to be distressed is inappropriate and could heighten anxiety.”
No shit!! I could have told you that myself from 10 years of working in nursing homes and warehouses, you can’t just take away someones fags, not if you want to keep your limbs, and that’s before you add in any mental health issues.
Louis Appleby, the National Director for Mental Health, said “We believe that mental health staff and patients deserve the same healthier, smoke free environment as the rest of the NHS and there are no plans to change the policy”
Really? Well that’s nice but what if they liked it smokey? What ever happened to freedom of choice?

Of course in Manchester, you don’t need to take away a chaps Ciggies to wind him up, just wave a stick in his general direction and you could find yourself in a ruck. Even the old gaffers in this town are something to be reckoned with.

Man Breaks 90-Year-Old's Pelvis BBC News 22 June 2009
Alfred Young 73, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and admitted that he used 'excessive force' when he pushed 90-year-old Francesca Poka over and broke her pelvis after she brushed him with her walking stick. Mr Young, was given a six-month suspended sentence a curfew and an electronic tag for the attack on May 23rd last year.
Seems Young was having a pretty bad day, he attacked Mrs Poka after she had sat next to him on a bus from Withington. As she sat down she brushed her her stick against Mr Young. After following her off the bus in Fallowfield he shouted at her, “You want to be careful with that stick”, and then pushed her to the ground.
Mr Young denies any suggestion that he chased after her off the bus.
Mrs Poka spent six weeks at Manchester Royal Infirmary and still suffers pain.
So it’s not just the youngsters you need to be worried about.

Crocodile Causes Helicopter Crash BBC News 22 June 2009
No the croc wasn’t flying, but the pilot nearly nominated himself for a Darwin Award, he got so excited when he spotted a crocodile that he flew in for a closer look and crashed into mudflats.
The pilot only suffered minor injuries, but his passenger was seriously hurt. Now this is where it gets really weird, apparently worried that help would take sometime to arrive and concerned about his mate getting hypothermia the pilot dragged his passenger to the safety of the shore, (away from crocodiles), then buried him in the sand up to his neck in an attempt to keep him warm before using his satellite phone to alert emergency services. I would have built a fire mate, I thought you Aussies knew all about barbecue!

And Finally……
Earning a mention by surviving the curse of Dad’s Army for this long, and by ending his days in my home town of Wigan…Godspeed Old Fella
Dad's Army Veteran Dies Aged 82 BBC News June 22 2009
Actor Colin Bean, who played Private Sponge in Dad's Army for many years, has died aged 82 in Wigan Infirmary.
He spent his last years at Wickham Hall Care Home in Springfield and died at the infirmary on Saturday.
After many years in repertory, he was spotted in 1968 by his friend Jimmy Perry, one of the creators of Dad's Army, and given a part in the series.
He last appeared in public at a reunion of the Dad's Army Appreciation Society last year.

Monday 22 June 2009

Sick, Sad, World

Manchester was shocked by details revealed in court today of yet another toddler battered to death by somebody into who's care they were entrusted, a story made all the more disturbing by the ages of both the victim and the assailant.
Babysitter 'battered tot to death' (Neal Keeling, MEN, June 22, 2009)
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has appeared in court accused of punching, kicking and biting 2-year-old Demi Leigh Mahon to death leaving her with 68 different areas of injury to her body.
The boy, who had been left to look after Demi Leigh before without incident, denies murder.
Demi died two days after the attack at a flat in Eccles last year.
When Demi's mother returned home to find her daughter terribly injured and asked the boy why he hadn't called an ambulance he told her "I've not done anything......I picked her up and might have hurt her - and then she fell in the park." He also claimed the child had hit her head on a radiator and an ashtray.
Mr Bentham for the prosecution said "......whatever mental problems he may have he knew what he was doing and he knew the consequences of what he was doing."
I have to agree with him, but I also have to wonder what is going so very wrong with our children that a 15-year-old boy could not only do this to a toddler but then have the callousness to try and lie his way out of it.

Sunday 5 October 2008

Reefers Digest Issue1

Welcome to Reefers Digest, an occasional foray into the outside world and the bizarre, newsworthy things happening in it. I apologise in advance for the ranting, but not for any objectionable content, that's the whole point! Follow the links to the full stories, and visit my Google News page for more news of note.

BBC nuclear bomb script released (BBC News Oct 2008)
I've been waiting years for these! I know it sounds morbid, but ever since I was 6 and was made to watch Threads at Primary School I've had a weird fascination with nuclear war. It scares the hell out of me, I still have nightmares about that film, but the idea of what really happens to people when the threads that hold a nation, a society together are all suddenly cut just sets me thinking.
The script was "written to reassure the public the BBC was still there" by the government and the BBC in the 7o's and was to be broadcast in the event of a nuclear attack.
It includes instructions to "stay calm and stay in your own homes".
Apparently there was debate over who would read the script, personally I think Patrick Allen, the voice of the Protect and Survive series (you can actually buy these now, yes I had a copy) would be perfect. Funnily enough, they used parts of his voice over in Treads.
I think everyone should have to watch that film at some point, it really makes you appreciate what little order and peace we have. I'm not saying I'd like to go back to the Cold War, rations, draconian punishments or National Service, I don't want any more kids with guns, but a bit of a shock wouldn't be a bad thing for some of the youngsters.
Take this lot:
Brick vandals run to ground (Catherine Smyth MEN 4/10/2008)
YOUNG yobs who hurled a brick at a passing coach picked the wrong target - and ended up being run to ground.
...the bus stopped at traffic lights on the East Lancs Road, near Lowton, Wigan.
The two schoolboy yobs threw a brick from a grass bank next to the road, damaging one of the vehicle's windows.
They tried to flee but were no match for club runners Richard Stott, Greg McDermott and Rod Graham, who together with Greg's son Andrew set off in hot pursuit
At least they were caught, though I don't hold out much hope for any sort of real punishment being meted out by our woefully inadequate and antiquated justice system.
Sadly there's a lot of it about as they say, but throwing rocks is just the start, apparently it's defenceless animals next.
Boy fed zoo reptiles to crocodile (BBC News Oct 2008)
This is a 7 year old! He climbed over a security fence and went unchecked for half an hour killing a total of 13 animals.
Reports say "he was seen hurling the animals over the security fence into the crocodile enclosure. He bludgeoned some of the animals to death with stones and hurled others over the two fences surrounding the crocodile enclosure.
At one point, he tried scaling the outer enclosure himself to get to "Terry", the 11ft (3.3m) saltwater crocodile. Zoo director Rex Neindorf said many of the animals were rare or mature and would be difficult to replace."

What? Where are his parents? Where are security or the keepers? What the hell is wrong with this child? Seems he can't be prosecuted because of his age but the Zoo may well sue his parents. How about they just put the little bugger back in with "Terry" and let them settle it.
I hate to mention it but this kind of violent behaviour, the killing and torturing of animals, is a classic early sign of a budding psychopath.
Seems this youngster could have a career in art though, at least in Manchester:
Row over dead animal art (Dean Kirby MEN 4/10/2008)
"ROAD kill is on the menu at a city centre café - all in the name of art. A squashed squirrel, flat-looking pheasant, stuffed badger and dozens of dead rabbits are all part of an exhibition at the Nexus art café, in Dale Street."
In a cafe? Surely that's not hygienic. I'm a vegetarian so obviously eating near that doesn't appeal to me but I would have thought having the corpse of a mutilated animal sewn to a couch next to you while you dine would put even the most hardened carnivore off his ham sandwich.
At least if you decide to see that show you know it will be there when you show up, unlike fans of Pete Doherty and his band Babyshambles. They turned up at the Ritz...Doherty didn't and man were the Mancs pissed off. Seems Doeherty cancelled less than two hours before the doors were due to open after charging £17.50 for tickets! Some had come from as far as Scotland queuing for hours. Joanna from Salford said: "When we got here the queue was already halfway down the street. By the time they told us the show was off there were hundreds of people here." (Doherty fails to show at Ritz Daniel Nolan MEN 4/10/2008)
Oh Dear, should have stuck with Ian Brown kids, he's the only coke-addled rock-monkey for me. Still, at least the crowd didn't get nasty, no name calling, unlike the Croatian Football Fans it seems.
Remember the World Cup qualifier with England in September? Heskey was booked for a foul on Niko Kovac and was blasted with racist abuse and monkey chants by the Croatian fans. Well Fifa has fined the Croatian Football Federation £15,000 saying "Racism has no place in football. Fifa is determined to continue broadcasting this message around the globe and deploying all of the means at its disposal to eliminate this form of discrimination." Croatia were given a small fine during Euro 2008 for racist abuse from their fans during their game against Turkey, so they had form)
Heskey said "You have to let the people above deal with that and I will carry on playing my game,"
Absolutely. Heskey plays for Wigan and we're proud to have him, and believe me I know how racist some Wiganers can be too. No place for that in my world nor in my Football.
I was really looking forward to the Match yesterday, Wigan vs Middlesbrough at the JJB. Given our 2-1 win against Man City I thought we had a good chance. The form was good, but I have to say after the controversial Zaki penalty I had to wonder if the gods would be with us.
We only had one injury concern with Lee Cattermole and his dodgy but 'Boro were looking at being without Robert Huth , Andrew Taylor and Gary O'Neil.
I was really hoping we could make this a run of 5 Premier League wins and move up to 10th in the table and for the first half it looked like it could happen. Cattermole was fit and ready for action (perhaps a bit too ready with 3 fouls for the game *ahem*), Hesky was powering about the pitch and we were keeping possession. No goals, bit worrying but not an unusual occurrence, Wigan have a tendency to "save it" for a final dramatic push. Second half, more of the same, 9 shots on target overall, still no goals and I'm thinking, "well, a draw will do, that's still points", but no, NO!! An 89th minute goal, set up by Downing and just jabbed in by Aliadiere was the cruel ending to yet another game we "should have won" but didn't. Liverpool away next week and we're in 13th. Arse!

Thursday 2 October 2008

Not Again!

Secret Service Screw Up Again and Loose More Classified Data
(BBC News, 2nd October 2008)
A handheld MI5 computer thought to contain information about fighting terrorism has been stolen from a house in Greater Manchester.
The palmtop device was stolen on Sunday night by a burglar who got in through an open window of the house.

Well done people, it makes me feel so safe and secure knowing you're there, thank you MI5.

Policing By The Community

Teenager raped in market
Manchester Evening News 3rd October 2008
A RAPIST has attacked a teenager in a market. The victim was standing in Longsight Market, on Dickenson Road, when the rapist put his hand over her mouth and pulled her to the ground. Detectives have now issued CCTV footage of a man they want to question about the attack, which happened at 10.20pm on August 25.
One of us knows who he is, watch the footage and lets get this predator before it happens again.

Yes Bwoy!!


Oleg Walks Free! Graffiti artist spared jail
(Anita Howells, Manchester Evening News 30th September 2008)
A BANK worker who caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage by spraying graffiti on trains and buildings has been spared jail.
Joseph Halstead, 22, from Rusholme, daubed his signature - he signed himself Oleg - on property in Halifax, Leeds and Bristol.


and he's a local, I used to live round the corner from this guy, *hah*

A man once said to me, "you can tag anything if it holds still long enough."
I told him, "if it has to hold still, old man, you're too slow."