Passengers were kicked off an airplane for speaking Russian, according to ABC 10 News. In all, six people, including a business owner, accountant, and teacher, were removed from the flight because the stewardesses “were intimidated by us speaking a different language,” Dmitry Bitman and wife Sana told reporters.

The incident occurred aboard a Spirit Airlines flight to Las Vegas. The group were going to an anniversary party last week when, 10 minutes after getting to their seats, they were removed from the plane.

Bitman said he and others were discussing the party in their native Russian tongue when a worker aboard the flight approached and said, “This row needs to get up and leave now.”

“It was humiliating to be treated that way,” Sana Bitman said.

The passengers kicked off the airplane for speaking Russian said they were given no warnings by the airline before removal. In a cell phone video of the event, 10 News noted, a worker tells the group “You didn’t hear it.”

Sana responded, “There was no announcement.”

Spirit Airlines has not issued a statement or returned 10 News’ request for comment, but the Bitmans said they were issued a refund by the airline. That didn’t get them to Vegas on time, however, and they ended up missing the anniversary party.

The group is now seeking legal counsel. Attorney Daniel Petrov told 10 News that it was illegal to discriminate under these circumstances. “They [passengers] were kicked off the plane for speaking Russian. It’s that simple. It’s illegal.”

Given recent Spirit Airlines headlines, it’s surprising they even issued a refund after refusing one to a dying Marine in May 2012. That incident gave way to a Facebook protest that rapidly shot up to 25,000 likes.

Spirit Airlines has also tried to hide fees from customers in order to win their business. Most notably the company fought against a rule requiring them to include all taxes and fees in advertised ticket pricing. Essentially the airline prefers to say a one-way fair is $67 and then throw in an additional $60 in charges at the time of checkout.

The results: just read through the sea of one-star reviews over at Skytrax, the web’s largest airline review site. As of this writing, 1,165 reviews, and most are none-too-flattering. And Spirit? They don’t really care what you think:

What’s your Spirit Airlines experience? Should the passengers kicked off the airplane for speaking Russian be allowed to sue?

[Image via Ivan Cholakov / Shutterstock.com]

Passengers Kicked Off Airplane For Speaking Russian is a post from: The Inquisitr

Madison, WI – If you take a little trip up north, you might spot the infamous “Thong Cape Scooter Man,” an anonymous menace to public decency who cannot be captured because he’s technically not breaking any real laws.

The “Thong Cape Scooter Man” expresses himself by riding around town on a scooter completely nude save for a thong and a short zebra-print cape.

This unlikely super hero has sparked numerous calls to police, most recently after he was spotted at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School while children walked to the bus after school.

Though he didn’t do anything lewd aside from simply drive by, parents and staff were disturbed by the sight of him.

Police dropped by the 56-year-old man’s house, but admitted that he technically hadn’t broken any laws.

“He said he exercised poor judgment by going by the school at that time of day, it was unintentional and he just happened to be traveling through the area,” police spokesman Joel DeSpain said.

The “Thong Cape Scooter Man” was intentionally not identified by name, and told the sergeant that his trips around town are well-documented on social media. The sergeant familiarized himself with the Madison phenomenon by checking him out on YouTube.

Police did their due diligence, checking with the city attorney’s office to see if he had broken any laws. He hadn’t.

“The sergeant told the school staff Thong Cape Scooter Man was free to ride on,” DeSpain said.

You can check out a video of a couple Madisonites chasing down the “Thong Cape Scooter Man” below:

‘Thong Cape Scooter Man’ Menace Largely Ignored By Madison Police [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Suffolk, VA – Here in America, pulling down your pants and showing your butt to a school bus full of young children is generally frowned upon. But that, nor common sense, didn’t stop 34-year-old Lisa Grant from doing it.

Grant will be catching up on some sleep behind bars for the next few months after the Virginia mom mooned a school bus full of 45 children, Fox News reports.

She was actually aiming for the bus driver.

Grant admits that she had a very nasty tiff with the bus driver who had sent a note home explaining that Grant’s son was a bit unruly on the bus lately. A school spokesperson called the note a “warning.”

But Grant wasn’t going to take the warning lying down — or standing up, as it turns out. She is accused of showing her derriere in the school bus’ general direction last November, though she denies that she mooned the driver.

Presumably, there are 45 witnesses who said otherwise.

“I did not moon the bus. I did not flash,” she said. “I take full responsibility for my actions, for my disorderly conduct, for my arguing with her. I take full responsibility for that, but she also deserves the same thing I got.”

According to the Associated Press, Grant was convicted this week of disorderly conduct and sentenced to six months in jail, with five months of her sentence suspended. She worked out a deal to serve her time on the weekends.

She did not elaborate on why the bus driver deserved the same thing she got.

Check out video of the “mom moons school bus” story below (includes footage of the original incident):

Mom Moons School Bus, Courts Don’t Find It Humorous [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A so-called bowling shoe law is being proposed to help protect alleys from slip and fall lawsuits.

Since it is now illegal for folks to smoke inside bowling alleys, some people decide to take a quick cigarette break outside while wearing the rental shoes. Since smokers will sneak out for a puff regardless of the weather, they often return to the lanes with very wet feet.

According to the New York Daily News, the combination of wax floors and slippery shoes often cause people to take a tumble. As a result, they often file lawsuits against these businesses.

The proposed legislation would require bowling alleys to post signs that ask patrons to not step outside while wearing rental shoes. This would prevent them from being liable for any injuries that may occur on the lanes.

New York State Senator Patrick Gallivan New York State Assemblyman Robin Schimminger are sponsoring the bill. They hope the legislation will cut down on the number of lawsuits these establishments face from bowlers looking to collect some cash from a slip and fall.

Schimminger explained:

“We have legislation that puts warnings on cigarette packages, so there are many laws that that provide for warnings to people to do what is common sense. There may be people who will look up and see the warning sign, and they just might be reminded that it is unsafe with these particular type of shoes that are designed to to slide to begin with.”

The Associated Press reports that bowling shoe lawsuits have increased substantially since smoking inside alleys became illegal. Although most people know not to get bowling shoes wet, the number of businesses getting sued has prompted Gallivan and Schimminger to take action.

Under the proposed law, anyone ignores the signs cannot sue the bowling alley if they accidentally take a stumble while going for the spare. Although Gallivan said the law might seem more than a little silly, apparently some people need to be reminded of things others see as common sense.

“Some things that might seem small to others, might be of significance to another group,” he added.

What do you think of the proposed bowling shoe law?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Bowling Shoe Law Will Protect Alleys From Lawsuits [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Syracuse, NY – Don’t ever get between James Palmieri and his quiet time in the bathroom. Roommate David Utt found that out in the most disgusting way imaginable when he discovered that Palmieri had defecated in his car after simply asking him to turn the fan on.

Your worst “roommate from hell” experience has nothing on Palmieri. Back in March, the 59-year-old was suffering from severe diarrhea in the apartment he shared with 62-year-old Utt, who simply asked Palmieri to turn on the bathroom fan so he wouldn’t stink up the house.

“Thanks for the sympathy,” Palmieri snapped back, then threatening to “crap all over the house, the bathroom and my [Utt's] car.”

Shortly after, Palmieri donned his pajama bottoms and went outside. Utt immediately knew something was up because Palmieri doesn’t smoke.

Utt later discovered that Palmieri had defecated in his car, after following a trail of human excrement leading from the bathroom and down the hallway.

“He clearly did this deliberately,” Utt said.

But at least Palmieri is good for his word. Utt’s ’97 Lincoln was filled with Palmieri’s excrement, “on the leather seats.”

Utt, needing to make a doctor’s appointment, had no choice but to drive the feces-laden vehicle. When he came home, he gave Palmieri an ultimatum, to which he responded “How does it feel to be sh** on?”

Palmieri was charged with second-degree harassment and fourth-degree criminal mischief, and declined to give his version of events to the press. He has since moved out.

What would you do if you had a roommate defecate in your car? Leave us your worst “roommate from hell” story in the comments below.

[Image via: FussyPony / Shutterstock]

Man Defecates In Car After Roommate Asks Him To Turn Bathroom Fan On is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Facebook rape post targeted at Chad Lesko of Toledo, Ohio, attempted to reveal Lesko as the rapist of four victims — three girls and his young son.

According to the Toledo Free Press, the post launched May 20, and in the days since, the ever tuned-in, just, and reliable Facebook community have done their due diligence in first investigating the claims before forwarding them on to peers.

Actually, that’s not what happened at all. They shared it 26,000 times in 48 hours without a single one of them doing the least bit of research into the accusation.

Lesko told the Toledo Free Press that he believed the account of the poster, Nicole Mccarthy, belonged to the mother of his son, who was lashing out at him because he couldn’t afford to send her as much in child support this month.

“Mccarthy” sent a message to TFP stating that police had come to her and others’ doors to say that Lesko was wanted for rape. “I did want [sic] I had to do because I thought it was true. I am sorry for the false accusations but I thought it was true.”

The account appeared to have been taken down shortly after sending the message.

Toledo Police Sergeant Joe Heffernan said he believed the Facebook rape post accusation to be false and confirmed he was not aware of any active rape or sexual imposition cases against Lesko.

The viral post read: “If You See This Man, His Name is Chad Michael Lesko, He is Wanted by Toledo Police for 4 Counts of RAPE He Raped 3 Little Girls and His own son. Please Like and Share and Get the Word out. NO ONE MESS WITH HIM!!!!”

Lesko said he believed his son’s mother was behind the Facebook rape post because when he broke the news to her about his coming up short on financial support for the month, “She told me, ‘I’m gonna get you back for this,’ and ever since then it’s been hell.”

“Monique” was the name of Lesko’s ex-girlfriend, and in a recent radio interview with Toledo’s Andrew Z in the Morning, she admitted to being responsible for the post, but said it was only to warn her friends and family (even though the actual post says to “like” and “share,” but whatever).

When pressed on why she did it, Monique said, “Because I didn’t know what I was going to get myself in to. I wasn’t expecting it being that many [shares]. I’m sorry, but I admit it. I didn’t know it was going to get this far. I never knew I was going to get that much attention. I didn’t want that much attention. I just want all this to drop and be gone.”

(Good luck with that.)

The Facebook rape post finally came down on Wednesday, but not before amassing more than 30,000 shares.

To the 30,000+ who participated: seriously, people, has this phony baloney Facebook fallacy or maybe this one not painted a clear enough picture yet? Repeat after us: “Not everything someone asks you to share is true.” Don’t be idiots.

In Lesko’s case, he can take legal action, but as far as criminal charges, Monique is off the hook. Apparently, it’s not a crime to start rumors against someone.

What do you think should happen to the guilty party in the case of the Facebook rape post?

[Image via ShutterStock]

Facebook Rape Post Accuses Innocent Man, Goes Viral is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Florida man was attacked with a garden gnome during a recent domestic dispute.

The ordeal began when 47-year-old waitress Lisa Buckley got into an altercation with her unidentified neighbor. Authorities explained that Buckley allegedly threw all sorts of things around her residence during the argument.

According UPI, the fight didn’t end there. The situation got entirely out of hand when Buckley grabbed a garden gnome dressed in New Orleans Saints gear and cracked her neighbor over the head. Police reports state the man then began bleeding out of his left ear.

The waitress reportedly fled the scene of the crime after hitting her neighbor with the gnome. She was gone by the time authorities arrived at the residence.

Although the neighbor suffered minor injuries during his scuffle with Buckley, he declined medical attention.

As strange as it may sound, the man had more contact with his neighbor the following day.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Buckley sent a text message to the man asking him to drop the charges against her. He received a handful of messages and phone calls from his neighbor throughout the day.

Apparently her neighbor wasn’t willing to forgive and forget. According to The Smoking Gun, Buckley was arrested on Tuesday and charged with domestic battery and harassing a victim. She was booked at the Pinellas County Jail and released on $5,000 bail.

This isn’t the first time a Florida woman has used an unusual item to attack someone during a domestic dispute. The Inquisitr reported last year about a woman who assaulted her ex-boyfriend with his own prosthetic leg.

The incident began when the man turned over some harassing text messages to police. The ex-girlfriend and two unidentified men showed up take the former couple’s son. A fight soon broke out, resulting in the man getting assaulted with the prosthetic leg.

What do you think about the man who was attacked with a garden gnome?

Florida Man Attacked With Garden Gnome During Dispute is a post from: The Inquisitr

There’s many sights to see in San Francisco, but we’re betting the most popular this week isn’t the animals at the San Francisco zoo, but the public masturbator at a local bus stop.

On Wednesday morning a very excited and determined man simply known as the Pacific Heights Masturbator took his masturbation act on the road. To what we sure was the absolute delight of a local bus stop crowd, the excited man started to reveal himself and masturbate for a crowd gathered at a nearby bus stop.

This wasn’t an exclusive show just for one crowd. According to a report, before the man wound up near a bus stop, the 35-year-old unidentified man was chased off of the premises of Pacific Medical Center in the affluent area of Pacific Heights. Upon his performance the man was “asked to leave” and then the police were called in case they wanted to restrain him. However, the man had already moved on to his next location. Proving that he wouldn’t be deterred by being chased away from the hospital, the man then took to the nearby bus stop to continue.

According to a news report, when the man arrived at the bus stop he “continued masturbating in front of people waiting for the bus.” It is unknown whether or not the man received screams, scoffs of dismay or applause while he was performing the act at the bus stop, but we do know that he was arrested by the police who finally caught up to his act. The official charge is suspicion of indecent exposure. In addition he was arrested for a slew of outstanding warrants as well.

Hopefully the Pacific Heights Masturbator doesn’t have an opening act, or else Pacific Heights may never be the same.

What would you do if you encountered the Pacific Heights Masturbator? Sound off here.

[Image credit: Gemenacom / Shutterstock]

Pacific Heights Masturbator Takes Performance To San Francisco For Onlookers is a post from: The Inquisitr

Shoplifter John Casey has a rather unique reason for stealing a £12 beef roast from his local supermarket: It reminded him of his dead grandmother.

He was caught on camera last October stealing beef, and was summarily arrested for theft. The 51-year-old denied any wrongdoing, saying that he was rather moving the meat out of his line of sight because it was giving him “flashbacks” about his grandmother, who passed away when he was still a child.

Tried over two days by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court, the unemployed father of eight’s case cost taxpayers an estimated £20,000. He was found guilty in less than an hour by the deliberating jury.

The presiding judge acknowledged that the case was unusual. “Ordinarily this is a case that would be dealt with in the lower court but he has elected trial,” he said. “He has the right to be tried by a jury and he has been.”

The judge mostly let Casey off with only a conditional two year discharge, but extended an ominous warning:

“You have caused a huge amount of unnecessary expense to be incurred by electing trial and you have got no means from which you can cover the costs of this expensive trial.

“If you come in front of me again I will be a lot less sympathetic.”

Casey’s odd behavior was explained by his attorneys as a result of his struggles with depression and anxiety, for which he takes medication.

The case was wrapped up pretty quickly, but the best part is that the trial is full of awesome one-liners like:

“It will be up to you to judge how the meat effected his state of mind.”

“After I picked the meat up and was walking around the shop it was the blood in the bag that was bringing it on.”

“The blood in the bag was bringing it on, it was like I was there, like it was living it. The more I was looking at the blood, the more it was real, surreal.”

“The defendant accepts placing the joint of beef in his bag deliberately.”

Sound off! Does it make sense that John Casey stole beef because of his grandmother?

[Image via: Gregory Gerber / Shutterstock]

Man Stole Beef That Reminded Him Of Dead Grandmother is a post from: The Inquisitr

The mayor of town in the UK recently rammed his car into the front doors of a grocery store.

St. Edmundsbury, UK Mayor Terry Buckle accidentally drove his car through the main entrance of a Tesco Express on Tuesday afternoon. The 73-year-old man somehow managed to miss the customers who were near the front of the store at the time of the incident.

According to the International Business Times, no injuries were reported at the scene of the accident. However, Buckle was taken to an area hospital for treatment. His family said he was “all right” following the accident.

“He’s home now. He’s fine, and he had an X-ray on his neck, and he’s just a bit sore. He’s gone to bed with some tablets,” the mayor’s wife told the East Anglian Daily Times.

It’s believed that Mayor Buckle, a former bus-driving instructor, may have caused his car to lurch forward as he attempted to secure a parking space near the front of the location. The automatic doors reportedly opened as the car made its way into the store.

“We’ll be working as quickly as possible to get the front of the store repaired and back to normal. We wish the driver a speedy recovery and are relieved that none of our other customers or colleagues were hut during this incident,” a spokesperson for Tesco explained.

Although the mayor caused a bit of damage when he rammed his car into the store, the location is still open for business while repairs are being made.

“Someone has done it before, but that time it was in the middle of the night so there wasn’t any risk to anyone,” the individual explained.

Although it was probably a very scary scenario, at least no one was injured when the St. Edmundsbury mayor accidentally rammed his car into the front of the grocery store.

[Image via JuliusKielaitis / Shutterstock.com]

Mayor Accidentally Rams Car Into Grocery Store [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Erica Nigrelli, a Texas high school teacher, was 36 weeks pregnant when her heart stopped beating, causing her to collapse inside a co-worker’s classroom at Elkins High School.

That’s when the school nurse, her assistant, and the school’s athletic trainer sprang into action and began to administer CPR. The trio of lifesavers also used a defibrillator to jumpstart Nigrelli’s heart.

“I wasn’t scared … I knew what I had to do and my team was incredible,” said school nurse Jennifer Longoria.

Trainer June Tomlin added that she “got the scissors and cut off [Nigrelli's] shirt.”

Assistant Maxine Reeves said Nigrelli’s husband Nathan was “freaking out” (understandably so), saying, “Save my wife, save my wife.”

Their efforts managed to keep Nigrelli alive long enough for paramedics to arrive, but baby Elayna would need to be taken immediately via emergency C-section.

When doctors made the call to proceed, Nigrelli’s heart was still not beating, resulting in the postmortem delivery.

“There were two lives hanging in the balance the whole time,” said Nathan Nigrelli, who in one day went from being a husband and expecting father to almost losing wife and daughter.

Despite the stress levels, Nathan did manage to call 911. “My wife is having a seizure,” he said in comments reported by KHOU. “She’s on the floor … Oh my God! She’s pregnant and she’s foaming. Unresponsive.”

According to Click2Houston, which first reported on the story, Erica was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in which the heart muscle thickens. Erica Nigrelli later explained, “Nine times out of 10 most people die from the initial collapse … It was literally a ticking time bomb.”

The child is now three months old and weighs nine pounds. Doctors expect her to be taken off oxygen as soon as next week.

Missouri City, Texas, the town where Elkins is located, honored Longoria, Tomlin, and Reeves, at a city council meeting on Monday night.

“Thankful is not a strong enough word for what they’ve done for us,” Erica said. Here’s baby Elayna:

It wasn’t clear what technique was used to bring Erica Nigrelli back from death, but, earlier this month, an Australian man who suffered cardiac arrest was resuscitated thanks to a method using both a mechanical CPR machine performing chest compressions and a portable heart-lung machine keeping oxygen and blood flowing within the body. The man was technically dead 40 minutes before life was restored.

Do you think what happened to Erica Nigrelli was modern tech, modern miracle, or a little of both?

[Image via Facebook]

Erica Nigrelli Dies Before Giving Birth, Comes Back To Life is a post from: The Inquisitr

A green gown-wearing bank robber is raising some eyebrows in Stuart, Iowa. The bare-faced robber didn’t bother to wear a mask during the late afternoon robbery on Monday.

Instead, she selected a distinctive green dress with a very sheer skirt that pretty much exposes everything from the waist down.

As the Stuart police statement dryly noted: “The dress that she is wearing is bright green and would have been noticed.”

And the whole episode was caught on surveillance camera.

I guess our leggy bank robber was going for the Eva Longoria visits Cannes look — no, not the first dress, where Longoria lifted her skirt too high to reveal that she was going commando.

I’m talking about the second one that the Desperate Housewives alum tweeted to prove that she’d remembered her underpants for the next night’s outing. Her sheer skirt was black, not green, and it was probably a lot more expensive, but it’s the same basic idea — see-through all the way up.

Anyway, the Stuart, IA police department responded to the call from the First State Bank, but the robber had already escaped with an undisclosed amount of money. A witness told police that the green gown-wearing robber climbed into the trunk of a dark sedan that an accomplice drove away from the scene.

Now, we all realize that bank robbers can be really bad guys — or, perhaps, really bad gals — but even the local press can’t report this one with a straight face.

Des Moines Register blogger Regina Zilbermints couldn’t resist this title for her article: “Nice dress! Bank robber wows in green floor-length gown.”

I’m not sure that “wows” is the word I’d use. I feel like I’m seeing way more of the bank robber’s legs than I usually care to.

But it’s a change from gangsters lost in the 90s who reveal their underwear by wearing old school saggy pants.

There’s a rumor floating around that the green gown-wearing bank robber may have been nabbed, but there’s no official statement yet.

[surveillance photo of green gown bank robber by Stuart Police Department via Facebook]

[bank robbery note photo by Robynrg via Shutterstock]

Green Gown Bank Robber Goes A Little Too Sheer in Bare-Faced Robbery [Photo] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A James Bond watch sold at a garage sale has been set for auction, and, according to representatives of Christie’s auction house, it’s expected to fetch as much as $91,000.

The Breitling Top Time Watch was used to detect nuclear weapons during the famous underwater sequences of Thunderball, the fourth entry in the popular film franchise.

It was worn by the quintessential 007 himself, Sean Connery. Metro News noted that the watch was thought to have come from someone who worked on the film at Pinewood Stuidos.

In an official statement, Christie’s wrote, “It was the first watch to be modified by the famous Q Branch and is equipped with a ‘Geiger counter’ which in the film detects the emission of nuclear radiation. Made by Breitling in 1962 it was adapted by the James Bond art department and was the only example produced for the movie. This is a great opportunity for collectors to acquire a unique piece of James Bond memorabilia.”

The auction is slated for South Kensington, London, on June 26, so, if you’ve got the extra capital, there isn’t much time to waste.

The James Bond watch sold at garage sale isn’t the only low-dollar purchase to likely fetch big bucks. In January, an 1865 baseball card was picked off for less than $100. It was expected to go for six figures.

In March of this year, a “ding” bowl from China’s Northern Song Dynasty (about 1,000 years old) sold for $3 and was later auctioned by Sotheby’s for $2.2 million.

By comparison that makes the Breitling look pretty pathetic, but you never know how these things might turn out either. With the close 007 connection, the timepiece/world-saver could end up fetching a lot more than its $91,000 estimate. (Or less.)

Moral of the story: next time you want to buy a lottery ticket, go to a garage sale instead. As for Thunderball, here’s the opening title sequence in case you haven’t had a chance to check it out:

What do you think the James Bond watch sold at garage sale will end up going for? How much would you pay?

James Bond Watch Sold At Garage Sale, Expecting $91K At Auction is a post from: The Inquisitr

Pasadena, CA – Margit Arrobio’s Powerball ticket could have earned her $360 million in lottery winnings … had she bought it an hour earlier.

This tragic story is brought to you by: Cruel and twisted fate.

Margit Arrobio’s Powerball ticket was a welcome piece of exciting news when she discovered that she had all of the winning numbers for a $360 million jackpot, but before she could plan a vacation in Aruba and quit her job, she discovered that she had purchased the ticket an hour after the deadline and wouldn’t be getting any money for the worthless ticket.

“I called my gas station where I bought the ticket and I said, ‘I don’t get it. I have every number and yet they say there’s no winner,’” Arrobio recalled.

The person at the gas station asked her when she had purchased her ticket, one of five hopefuls, and she said 8pm. The attendant then told her that she had unfortunately bought it one full hour after the numbers had been announced.

Even worse, the Powerball jackpot shot up to a record $590.5 million just a few days later.

There has only been one reported winner, an individual from Florida, who will be taking home the entire jackpot by themselves.

Arrobio said that she was at first shocked, and the painfully disappointed.

Since the chances of winning the lottery are already so slim to none that it’s barely even worth playing, I’d just stop buying tickets if I were Arrobio. She came too close to the sun and got burned in this case, and sadly, this is the closest she’s ever likely to come.

Poor gal.

What do you think of Margit Arrobio’s Powerball story? Should the lottery grant her part of the pot, even though she was an hour late? Sound off!

[Image via: Anne Kitzman / Shutterstock]

Margit Arrobio’s Powerball Ticket Was A Winner, But Bought An Hour Too Late is a post from: The Inquisitr

Topless women in public are now okay in New York City according to the NYPD after a topless activist named Holly Van Voast filed a lawsuit.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, political activism by topless women in public is all the rage nowadays.

Topless women protested Mattel’s opening of the Barbie Dreamhouse Experience. Another topless woman dressed as the pope shaved her pubic hair in the shape of a cross and threw condoms during a parade.

Topless activist Holly Van Voast sued the NYPD for supposedly violating her constitutional right to bare her breasts in public. Holly Van Voast has been arrested 10 times for public indecency while posing as the “topless paparazzo” Harvey Van Toast.

Holly Van Voast’s last “protest” included strolling through St. Patrick’s Cathedral while topless. For this incident, the NYPD hauled her off to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation. She’s also done “performance art” at a Manhattan elementary school.

Apparently, over 20 years ago the New York state Court of Appeals ruled women can legally bare their breasts in public for non-commercial purposes. But topless women or men can be charged with indecency for lewd acts, including masturbation and other sexual acts. Being bottomless is apparently not considered a lewd act in of itself.

In response to the Holly Van Voast lawsuit over topless women in public, the NYPD commanders have been issuing morning notices for 10 days straight reminding police officers that women can go topless in New York city streets. The NYPD memo on topless women in public states police “shall not enforce any section of law, including penal law sections 245.00 (public lewdness) and 245.01 (exposure of a person) against female individuals who are simply exposing their breasts in public.”

Do you think New York should allow topless women in public?

Topless Women, Public Nudity Okay By NYPD After Holly Van Voast Lawsuit is a post from: The Inquisitr

Don Walling dropped the ring when proposing on the Brooklyn Bridge.

The story begins with celebrating Don Walling’s 29th birthday at a restaurant near to the Brooklyn Bridge. He then invited the entire family to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Suddenly, he went to one knew and that’s when everything went wrong.

Going on live TV, Don Walling explained how he dropped the proposal ring on the Brooklyn Bridge:

“I got on a knee, said, ‘Will you marry me?’, opened the box, and it flew out. I watched it fall through a crack in the bridge — right between the planks.”

Although, Don Walling blames the box for dropping the ring:

“I didn’t drop the ring,” Walling said. “It fell out of the box. I didn’t drop it. There was no handling. We should really contact the makers of the box and get a better box made. That’s the whole problem here.”

The would be groom then clambered onto the Brooklyn Bridge’s superstructure while looking for the ring. Watcher thought Don Walling was getting ready to commit suicide and yelled at him not to jump.

Eventually, the police showed up and joined in the ruckus. But when they realized what Don Walling was up to, they actually stopped traffic until the man could find his proposal ring. The ring was only damaged a little after being run over a car. The platinum band had a “love ding” in it, but the diamonds were intact.

All in all, it makes for an unforgettable story. And, apparently, people will never let Don Walling forget it either. This story actually took place in 2009, but now people are using the Internet to resurrect it.

What do you think about Don Walling dropping the ring when proposing on the Brooklyn Bridge?

Don Walling Drops Ring When Proposing On Brooklyn Bridge is a post from: The Inquisitr

A supposed Saudi cleric has warned against women using air conditioning, calling the modern convenience “immoral” when used by women in the absence of their husbands.

The cleric was identified on Twitter as Abul Ala, and he claims to be a Salafist-Wahhabist cleric. Salafist-Wahhabists are ultra-conservative Sunni Muslims from Saudi Arabia and frequently issue fatwas. For that reason, we’ll play softball with this supposed cleric.

Anyway, Abul Ala supposedly decreed that ”turning on the cooler ventilator is prohibited for women in the absence of their husbands” because “the woman’s act is very dangerous, and may bring about immorality in the society. When she turns the cooler on, someone may notice her presence home, and this might bring about immorality.”

Iran-based Al-Alam news reported the story, and noted that Salafist-Wahhabists ”have a distorted reading of Islam” and furthermore, that their rulings are “incompatible with common sense.”

That’s from Iran’s state-run media, so that should give you some indication as to where the Salafist-Wahhabists fall in the Muslim food chain.

These types of bizarre decrees are common from the sect as well.

In April, one such cleric called Skeikh Yasit al-Aklawni posted a video to YouTube claiming that the rape of non-Sunni and non-Muslim women is totally fine by Koran standards.

He claimed: “Legitimate fatwa for Muslims waging war against Mr. Assad and trying to put in place a Sharia government to capture and have sex with Alawites and other non-Sunni, non-Muslim women.”

Interestingly, Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh, the senior religious authority in Saudi Arabia, has actually cautioned against the use of Twitter, which was how Abul Ala was identified.

He said that any Saudi who uses Twitter “has lost this world and his afterlife,” so if Abul Ala has been using the microblog, we’ve got a genuine religious disagreement on our hands. How air conditioning is forbidden and Twitter is allowed, well … we’re confused, to say the least.

What do you think? Is the Saudi cleric’s warning against women using air conditioning legitimate?

[Image via: GSPhotography / Shutterstock]

Saudi Cleric Bans Women From Using ‘Immoral’ AC is a post from: The Inquisitr

Boulder, CO – Though the title pretty much says it all, a female college student on mushrooms stripped naked and required rescue from the Third Flatiron over the weekend.

Taylor Powers, a 21-year-old University of Colorado student, was rescued on Sunday afternoon by Boulder rangers, Sheriff’s deputies, and other assorted personnel, all comprising a team of 35 gawkers rescue officials.

While hiking and climbing the Third Flatiron, Powers consumed mushrooms, stripped off all her clothes, and engaged in a fight with two other students she was with.

A 911 call was placed regarding a female hiker who was “high on mushrooms and in distress.”

The 35 man-strong rescue team responded to Chautauqua Park, after which a park ranger located Powers and discovered that the confused undergrad had “removed all of her clothing as was being restrained” by two male companions.

Rescuers handcuffed the unruly Powers, who struggled even as she was placed in a rescue basket.

She was cited for unlawful consumption of a controlled substance, and was transported to a Boulder hospital where she was treated before being released last night. Authorities are considering further charges against the other two students involved.

According to The Smoking Gun, Powers is a communications major. She did not comment on her weekend adventures on her Facebook page, which shows that she is an avid hiker and skier.

Also, am I the only one who finds it funny that 35 dudes showed up to corral a nude female college student on a bad trip? Sound off!

[Image via: Facebook]

Female College Student Does Shrooms, Gets Naked, Requires Rescue From Colorado Mountain is a post from: The Inquisitr

Is a naked scooter ride performance art if you carry a cross? Is it still streaking if you’re a naked guy carrying a sex doll while being chased by an equally naked woman?

These are the questions that residents of Beijing, China have had to ask themselves over the last few weeks after a series of bizarre streaking incidents were captured on camera.

The blow-up doll streaking chase occurred on April 10. EChina Cities published a whole blurry portfolio of the event, so feel free to check it out if you’re not offended by public nudity or really bad, really out-of-focus night shots.

On at least a couple of more recent occasions, a man has been seen riding naked on Beijing’s mean streets carrying a very large wooden cross.

The “Wingjing Streaker” received a nickname, and people began to ask exactly who he was and what he wanted to prove.

The problem of streaking and public nudity is apparently a burning issue out there in China. Last year, the South China Morning Post pondered another streaker who took off his clothes to promote a book: “Streaking has become an accepted attention grabber. How did it come to be regarded as such?”

On Friday, a graduate of the Central Academy for Fine Arts in Beijing came forward to take the credit for the Wingjing Streaker’s recent appearances. According to Kotaku, Li Binyuan is the artistic mind behind the stunts. They said that he confessed to streaking at least 10 times since March — but that he’d only been caught on camera six times.

Li confided that he’d gotten bored with his work and was looking for something fun. The  streaking which included the naked scooter runs was his method of breaking a creative block.

“Every time I finish a run, I always check online to see what people online are saying about me,” he explained. “The internet creates such a wonderful way to interact, and I really want to see what others think of this thing I’m doing.”

Oh Hey, It’s a Naked Man on a Scooter, Carrying a Crucifix … Art or rubbish… You decide… (I have)…kotaku.com/oh-hey-its-a-n…

— Peter Scott (@petescott) May 18, 2013

Hey, it’s probably a better piece of art than the upcoming One Direction documentary.

“Harry was filmed riding Niall’s scooter naked but it won’t be in the movie because its PG” twitter.com/rypycupcake/st…

— SmilewithNiall (@rypycupcake) May 18, 2013

In 2010, Li did a performance piece where he brushed his teeth and shaved on the subway.

Mm-kay. Let’s all agree that the naked scooter with cross run is considerably more creative.

[Beijing night photo by Scott Meltzer via Wikimedia Commons]

Naked Scooter Ride With Cross May Be ‘Wingjing Streaker’s’ Art Project is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Ferris wheel record was broken over the weekend by a manager of Chicago’s Navy Pier, according to a report from ABC News.

Clinton Shepherd rode for more than two days, setting a new record at 48 hours, eight minutes, and 25 seconds.

If you’re wondering how he was able to use the bathroom, brush his teeth, etc., we’re betting that he probably used the one five-minute break that Guinness World Records allowed each hour to take care of the necessities. It was not known on Monday whether he took advantage of each one of those breaks, but they were available to him.

As for how he spent his time during the two-day-period, Shepherd watched James Bond and Batman movies and played hours of video games, while tweeting the experience to his followers. (He was not allowed to sleep during the experience.)

While there have been quite a few crazy world records set in the last few months — the man who played Qbert for 85 straight hours and the 58-hour kiss set by a Thai couple to name just two — what makes this one special is that it brought the Ferris wheel world record home to the place where the ride was invented.

That’s right. The first Ferris wheel was built more than 120 years ago in Chicago to mark the World’s Columbian Exposition. Prior to Clinton Shepherd’s big weekend accomplishment, the record was a paltry 30 hours and 35 seconds, set by Robbie “The Intern” Gibson of 104.9 Virgin Radio.

That accomplishment, which Shepherd shattered by 18 hours, took place at the Capital Ex in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on July 25, 2012, according to the Guinness World Records website.

Shepherd didn’t have much to say after stepping off the wheel, simply calling it “an overwhelming experience.” Here’s the new record holder prior to the event:

What do you think of Clinton Shepherd and his new Ferris wheel world record? Care to challenge him?

[Image via ShutterStock]

Ferris Wheel World Record Broken In Chicago is a post from: The Inquisitr

A McDonalds broken glass lawsuit has reportedly been filed by gospel singer Jacqueline Simpson, 52, who alleged voice complications after digging in to a piece of her chicken sandwich and biting into a shard “bigger than a penny.”

On Sunday evening, the only reports available were from The Daily Mail, The New York Post, and Gawker. Since the Boston Marathon bombing and a few other tabloid-esque reports via Mail and Post, we advise you to take this story quizzically for now. With that said, here’s the info we’ve got so far.

Simpson, a gospel singer and a clerk with the Attorney General’s office, filed suit late last week for an incident that allegedly occurred in 2010 at a Broadway McDonalds. “Now when I sing, I have a hoarse, rattly voice … I still sing alto, but I can’t sing soprano like I used to,” Simpson was reported as saying.

The McDonalds broken glass accusations are hardly the first time the golden arches have had to deal with angry customer lawsuits. In October 2012, The Inquisitr reported on 25-year-old Myika Darbeau, who filed a suit against the restaurant for injuries she sustained in a fight she initiated with an employee.

Rewind a few more months to March 2012, and Shelley Lynn, a former prostitute and employee of the Las Vegas Chicken Ranch brothel, filed on grounds that her brief tenure as a McDonalds employee led to her life in the world’s oldest profession.

In the latter case, Lynn maintained that her husband forced her into the sex trade because the pay at McDonalds was so bad.

As for Simpson, she may have a legitimate case if, in fact, she did bite into that glass shard. Not only has the incident allegedly altered her singing career, but it’s also provided some on-the-job annoyance in her role with the Attorney General’s office.

“I have to make a lot of calls for work, and I have to tell people that I’m not a man,” Simpson said. “Before, that never happened.”

What do you think of the McDonalds broken glass lawsuit — justified, and if so, how much would you award Simpson?

[Image via TonyV3112 / Shutterstock.com]

McDonalds Broken Glass Incident: Gospel Singer Reportedly Suing For Ruined Voice is a post from: The Inquisitr

A dead man recently woke up during his own funeral in Zimbabwe.

Brighton Dama Zanthe had been feeling extremely unwell when he reportedly died at his home. He was laid to rest inside a coffin as his family made funeral arrangements.

However, the dead man began waking up as family members made their way past the casket during his funeral. One person reportedly saw the 34-year-old man’s legs twitching and quickly alerted others. When relatives realized he was still alive, they summoned an ambulance to the scene.

“I was the first to notice Zanthe’s moving legs as I was in the queue to view his body. This shocked me. We called an ambulance immediately. It’s a miracle and people are still in disbelief,” Lot Gaka explained.

The dead man woke up shortly before his body was scheduled to be transported to a funeral parlor. He was soon taken to an area hospital where he was placed on life support. After two days of treatment and observation, doctors finally allowed Zanthe to return home.

The man explained that he doesn’t have any recollection of dying or coming back to life. He said he remembers waking up inside the hospital, but nothing else. Zanthe believes that he’s been given a second chance at life.

“Everything is history to me. What I can only confirm is that people gathered at my house to mourn but I was given another chance and I am alive. I feel okay now,” the former dead man said.

Although you’d think this sort of thing wouldn’t happen too often, The Inquisitr reported last year about a Brazilian man who showed up alive and well for his funeral. After hearing rumors that he had been killed, Gilberto Marcos decided to pay a visit to the ceremony. Several people reportedly fainted when he walked through the door.

In March of this year, a dead prostitute in Zimbabwe woke up shortly after being placed inside a casket. When one of her clients told authorities that she passed away during sex, they quickly loaded her body into a coffin. The woman soon woke up and accused everyone of trying to kill her.

What would you do if you saw a dead man wake up during his own funeral?

Dead Man Wakes Up During His Own Funeral In Zimbabwe is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hunstanton, Norfolk – A widower is accused of assaulting a traffic cop after the latter took down plate information on the hearse containing the man’s deceased wife.

Rena Page died at the age of 64 from cancer. The funeral parade briefly parked four cars, including the hearse containing Rena’s body, on a single yellow line outside of her home as they waited for the cortege to move along.

As 66-year-old grieving widower Mac Page prepared to leave, he noticed a traffic warden taking details of the processions cars down. Mac approached the officer, explaining “that’s my wife in that hearse” and asking what he was doing.

The traffic cop explained: “I’m just doing my job.”

After that, details are pretty sketchy, but something must have gone down. At least that’s according to the traffic cop, who apparently reported Mac for assault days later. When the Page family found out, they were understandably incensed.

“He didn’t show me any compassion at all,” Mac recalled of the traffic warden.

Rena’s 39-year-old son, Matthew, was similarly displeased with the traffic warden’s conduct.

“There was a total lack of respect. They wonder why they get a bad name,” he said. “I cannot believe someone could be so insensitive.”

A spokesman for West Norfolk Council said that although the warden took down some information, no tickets had been issued. They also refused to apologize.

Still, the reported assault is now being investigated by police.

What do you think? Should the traffic cop have shown some leniency toward the grieving family? Would you blame Mac Page for assaulting the officer? Sound off!

[Image via: ronfromyork / Shutterstock]

Widower Assaults Traffic Cop For Ticketing Hearse Containing Wife is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kobe, Japan – We’ve heard some strange crime stories this week, but a suspect turning himself in because he actually wanted prison food? That’s a cherry on top of an eventful week.

On May 12, a 32-year-old suspected thief turned himself in to the Nagata Ward Precinct in Kobe. His name withheld, he turned himself in because he wanted ”to eat the tasty food Nagata Precinct serves prisoners in its holding cells.”

He confessed at 11:40am. Just in time for lunch.

He is currently being held on suspicion of stealing a wallet containing 8,000 yen from a parked scooter. We’re not sure how bail works in Japan, but we’re guessing he’s staying put either way.

Now to the burning question: What makes Nagata Precinct food so good that criminals just turn themselves in for t?

According to RocketNews24, the boxed meals are called “kamben,” and are ordered from local bento shops. The ingredients are the same as in any other bento in Japan, with meals including grilled salmon, dumplings, eggs, stir-fried veggies, and rice.

Kamben have a reputation for being pretty bland, but flavor and quality differ from precinct to precinct, since all meals are locally sourced. Nagata must put a bit of extra love in their kamben or something.

And this wasn’t the only time this has happened, either. In 2009, police arrested a man who refused to cover his bill at an Internet cafe. They discovered that he had priors, and he confessed he wanted to be arrested so he could eat the precinct’s delicious kamben.

In a cruel twist of fate, the suspected thief was actually moved to the Awaji City station because Nagata was filled to capacity. We can’t speak to the quality of their kamben.

[Image via: Abendstrom / Wikimedia Commons]

Criminal Turns Himself In, Craves ‘Tasty’ Prison Food is a post from: The Inquisitr

Brooklyn, NY – King’s County Bar will be hosting its very first “Smallest Penis Contest” this summer.

On July 20, owners are hoping that New York’s smallest sausage kings will turn out in force to compete for the dubious honor. They posted an ad to Craiglist, where they say they are seeking “less endowed men.”

Through the “Smallest Penis Contest,” King’s County Bar is hoping to prove that “good things can come in small packages.” They write that the contest will be “pageant style” and will involve “talent, evening wear, and swimsuit elements.”

They say that the winner will be selected by a “small member expert panel.” We’ll let you fill in the blanks there.

The brave souls entering the competition have to be 21 or older, and have to be present for the day of the shaming contest. The ad states that contestants ”should be comfortable getting hosed down while wearing only skimpy underwear.”

Well, drinks would help.

So what do you get for having the smallest penis in Brooklyn? A crown. The title. And a cash prize (though we don’t know how much).

Doesn’t sound like much, does it? Perfect! It should reflect what is in the winner’s pants. Some people can never get ahead.

And to make sure there isn’t any funny stuff, the bar will be providing you with your underwear.

What do you think of the King’s County Bar’s “Smallest Penis Contest?” Do you think it will be a success? Would you have the stones to compete in such a competition? Sound off! And if you want more details, you can email the bar owners at SPB.Brooklyn@gmail.com.

[Image via: juliasv / Shutterstock]

‘Smallest Penis Contest’ To Be Held In Brooklyn Bar is a post from: The Inquisitr

Roadkill accessories are apparently all the rage in the fashion world.

A London artist and taxidermist is transforming dead animals in expensive items for the rich and famous to wear. If you’re thinking about picking up an accessory for yourself, then you might want to bring plenty of money. These pieces will easily set you back upwards of $700.

Reid Peppard is responsible for turning ordinary everyday roadkill into the sort of fashion accessories that people actually want to buy. Her collection includes pieces made from foxes, birds, mice, and whatever else happens to be on the road at the time.

The artist said she has used the dead animals to make everything from headbands to combs to purses. Her creations also include a fair amount of pricey jewelry.

Peppard explained that people tend to react positive to his accessories despite the fact that they were once roadkill. She also assures everyone that no animals were intentionally killed for his items. However, that doesn’t prevent some people from getting offended by the pieces.

“Of course, part of the problem with making artwork that is rather confrontational in its nature is that not everyone is a fan,” the artist explained.

She added, “Some people have a hard time getting their head around the fact that my work might be more ethically sound than the leather shoes they’re wearing.”

While some people might have problems with roadkill fashion accessories, Peppard has quite a few familiar faces among her clients. The artist’s fans include Ozzy Osbourne, Lady Gaga, and Jude Law.

Peppard has released three collections, each one with a separate theme. The designer has tackled vermin, park life, and pet themes in the past. Some of her creations include a bracelet made from squirrel tail, a coin purse fashioned from a dead rat, and hair combs that were once pigeon wings.

“Designed for both men and women, these pieces are anatomically precise artifacts, links to the scavengers, hoarders and predators that inspire my work,” she explained.

To see some of Peppard’s work, be sure to stop by the New York Daily News. Would you wear fashion accessories made from roadkill?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Roadkill Accessories Are The Latest Fashion Trend is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Taiwanese man reportedly cut off his own penis during a fight with his girlfriend.

The intoxicated man was apparently so angry with the woman that he took a pair of his scissors to his genitalia. Quite a bit of his penis was removed during the incident.

According to Rocket News 24, the problem began when the man decided to drink continuously throughout the day. When his girlfriend started complaining about the amount of alcohol he was consuming, a pretty nasty argument quickly erupted.

Unfortunately for all involved, the situation didn’t end once his penis was removed. The man reportedly rushed into the bathroom, tossed it into the toilet, and flushed the penis away.

By the time the man’s girlfriend could get him to a hospital, he had slipped into a coma. Doctors said the drunk man lost a lot of blood when he cut off his penis with the scissors.

Although he was unconscious for quite a while after arriving at the hospital for treatment, he later emerged from the coma. Doctors expect him to make a full recovery.

The Huffington Post reports that the man still has around an inch-and-a-half of his penis remaining. Although he can still urinate, doctors believe the situation could have been corrected had he not flushed the it down the toilet. Surgeons said they may have been able to reattach what the intoxicated man had removed.

As strange as it may sound, autopeotomy isn’t as uncommon as many may believe. The Inquisitr reported last summer about a man who used an X-Acto knife to slice off his penis. The severed member was later recovered so doctors could attempt to reattach it with surgery.

In March of 2013, a Malaysian man allegedly cut off his father’s penis before doing the same thing to himself. The 40-year-old man was reportedly under the influence of religious practices he stumbled across on the internet.

What do you think about the man who cut off his own penis during a fight with his girlfriend?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Man Cuts Off His Own Penis During Fight With Girlfriend is a post from: The Inquisitr

Google Maps has reunited a Chinese man kidnapped more than 23 years ago with his birth family. Luo Gang, 28, was taken close to his school at age five. According to Gawker, Luo was abandoned around the Fujian province, where he was taken in and raised by his adoptive parents in Sanming.

His only memory of the place where he was from was that it had two bridges. Armed with this sparse amount of information, Luo posted to a website dedicated to helping reunite families with their missing children. A tipster on the site responded with info about a Sichuan family, who lost their son 23 years prior, and from there, Luo used Google Maps to examine the geography.

After an extensive search, he found the two bridges, which he’d stored in his memories for close to a quarter of a century. UPI noted that the bridges were located in Sichuan’s Linshui county.

His biological parents had since adopted a daughter, but unlike with the case of Cleveland’s Michelle Knight, they’d never given up the search for their little boy. His father and mother, Huang Qingyong and Dai Jianfang, informed him that his birth name had been Huang Jun.

Dai, Luo’s mother, said she “felt heartbroken” after her son was taken. “I couldn’t eat or sleep and I cried every day thinking my son was missing and didn’t have enough food or clothes out there.”

Luo said he was “overjoyed” to be reunited with his parents after so long.

The length between time of abduction and reunion brings to mind recent events in the US when three women missing for about a decade (including Knight) escaped the house in Cleveland where they were being held prisoners.

However, this case was a little less harrowing in the sense that during the time Luo was missing, his adoptive family loved him as their own.

Still, he was always aware of his past life. “Everyday before I went to bed, I forced myself to relive the life spent in my old home … So I wouldn’t forget,” Luo told a Fujian news outlet.

And without Google Maps, the reunion would have likely never happened, at least not this soon. Awesome.

Google Maps Reunites Kidnapping Victim With Family After 23 Years is a post from: The Inquisitr

Have you ever heard of the “sneaky nuts” prank? Western Australia’s Minister for Education Peter Collier has.

Collier is both embarrassed and profusely sorry as he admits he has learned a valuable lesson in social networking: Never “like” something unless you know exactly what it is.

To wit, Collier “liked” a Facebook photo without noticing that it showed a teenage prankster with his testicles exposed.

Hence, “sneaky nuts.”

Collier said that he clicked the “like” button on the photo because he thought it was just an innocent snap of the 16-year-old in 2011. He said that he was completely unaware that the teen was playing the popular “sneaky nuts” prank, a trend which began with a character on Australian comedian Chris Lilley’s TV show Angry Boys, reports azcentral.com.

The show featured the character ruining group photos by discreetly exposing his privates.

For Collier, the real fallout began recently when the teenager started bragging that the Australian Minister for Education had liked a picture on Facebook in which he was exposing himself.

The then-teen bragged about it on Twitter, which attracted the attention of the media.

Collier, completely embarrassed, has since apologized for “liking” the teen’s photo.

“At first glance it appeared to be a harmless picture,” Collier said of the incident. “It was a silly mistake on my part. I only became aware of the actual content of the photo when shown by a journalist today.

“This obviously highlights the pitfalls of social media. I apologize if I caused any offense,” he concluded.

Do you think Peter Collier should be forgiven for his “sneaky nuts” incident?

[Image via: Mr. Lightman / Shuttrerstock]

‘Sneaky Nuts’ Facebook Pic Gets Australian Pol In Trouble is a post from: The Inquisitr

Do you need caffeine in the morning, but hate the taste of coffee after you brush your teeth? Well, soon there could be a toothbrush for that.

Colgate-Palmolive recently filed a patent application for a toothbrush that can deliver a dose of chemicals to the user. While a number of medicines could be distributed to the toothbrusher, the idea appears to have taken off in the direction of caffeine.

In the application, the company explains that a chemical-dispensing toothbrush could have many uses that can “invoke a sensory response” during use.

Illustrations of the concept show tongue cleaners on the back of the brush’s head, which indicate what chemical or medicine the toothbrush contains.

While the prospect of brushing with a caffeinated toothbrush is enough to sell the concept on most coffee addicts, the concept has wider uses. The brush could be used to dispense a painkiller, a cooling sensation, or even a warming sensation. It can also dispense flavors, like apple and mint.

Also interesting, the chemical-dispensing toothbrush will have a “diet” option, meaning a patch that would include an appetite suppressant.

But even if the patent is approved by the US patent office and Colgate-Palmolive goes on to release the sensory toothbrush, the company could run into issues with the FDA over a caffeine toothbrush.

The FDA announced in late April their plans to investigate the safety of added caffeine, particularly what the impact is of “new and easy sources.” The investigation focuses on caffeine’s impact on the health of children and adolescents.

The news of a caffeine toothbrush patent application also comes the week after Wrigley’s Alert Energy Caffeine Gum was pulled from store shelves. The company explained that the halt in production is temporary while the FDA conducts its investigation into the safety of caffeine.

It is likely that Colgate-Palmolive’s toothbrush laced with caffeine will face the same scrutiny.

[Image via ShutterStock]

Your Toothbrush Could Soon Dispense Caffeine is a post from: The Inquisitr

A teen girl bit her boyfriend’s penis this week after he refused to have sex with her.

Nineteen-year-old Krystle Harrison was in bed with 24-year-old boyfriend Jeffrey Wilkinson when he rejected her advanced.

According to a police report, Wilkinson told Krystle “several times that he did not want to partake” in any sexual acts.

Not willing to take no for an answer, Krystle grabbed her boyfriend by the penis and bit him on his genitals.

Realizing that his girlfriend is a bag full of crazy, Jeffrey pushed her away and then fled the couple’s shared home in Bradenton, Florida.

Krystle followed her boyfriend out of the home, slapped him in the face, and then spit on him.

Krystle was taken into custody and charged with domestic battery. Jeffrey told police that he did not want to press charges.

Harrison and Wilkinson have a child together.

As we head into the weekend, we can’t help but wonder why so many strange penis stories are surfacing. As our own Kim LaCapria reported today, a man was arrested after he rubbed his penis on a pepperoni inside a supermarket.

With that being written, have a happy Friday and keep it in your pants … for your own safety.

Teen Girl Bites Boyfriends Penis After He Refuses To Have Sex is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kennewick, WA – It’s one thing to have your car stolen, but to go to work anyway only to have your pilfered vehicle roll up to the drive thru window you’re working, well … let’s just say that falls under the umbrella of “you can’t make this stuff up.”

To wit, Virginia Maiden of Kennewick was floored when her stolen SUV rolled up to the window she was working at McDonald’s to place an order.

Maiden had noticed on Tuesday that her SUV was gone as she left her apartment to start a typical weekday. “She was so confused, didn’t know what was going on, it was just gone,” one of the McDonald’s assistant managers told ABC of the theft.

Instead of calling in with the extremely understandable “my car was stolen” excuse, Maiden hitched a ride to work, later noticing a very familiar looking vehicle pulling up to the window.

Suspicious of the SUV that had pulled to the window, Maiden peeked inside and noticed a McDonald’s visor in the dashboard. That was her car, alright.

“You would think whoever stole the car would say, ‘I’m not going to go to McDonald’s because the owner works there,’” said the manager.

The alleged car thief placed an order for an ice cream, but when Maiden discovered that the SUV was hers, she told the woman at the window that the ice cream machine was broken and that she would need to pull ahead and wait.

“Obviously, the machine wasn’t broken. It was a decoy to stall them till the cops came,” the manager said.

Maiden called 911, and officers made it just in time to arrest the suspect. There were also stolen items and clothing from JC Penney and Sears in the SUV, the police said. The woman has not yet been charged.

“What if she [Maiden] was off? What if she was on a break and not at the window? What if she looked away …  It was meant to be,” continued the manager, who wanted to remain anonymous. ”It was at the right time and the right moment.”

So if your car is ever stolen, make sure you go to work anyway. Just in case.

[Image via: Tomasz Bidermann, Shutterstock]

McDonald’s Employee Spots Own Stolen Car While Working The Drive Thru is a post from: The Inquisitr

A woman in Wisconsin saved her husbands life in an odd way. Gerre Ninnemann was tackled by a bear as he attempted to save his dog from an impeding attack. As the bear bit into the man’s leg, his wife took action.

Marie Ninnemann found her husband’s shotgun in the basement, but it wasn’t loaded. Marie attempted to load the gun but couldn’t figure out the process. Thinking quickly on her feet, Marie ran outside and smashed the butt of the shotgun into the bear’s head.

Pointing the unloaded gun at the bear, the couple backtracked into their home.

Not prepared to flee from its human meal, the bear proceeded to circle the couple,s home while looking at the couple through several windows located around the house.

Eventually, a responding deputy found and killed the one-year-old bear with a single shot.

While Gerre Ninneman suffered from several vite marks to his waist, leg, and head, he is expected to make a full recovery. Gerre required staples for some of his wounds but is expected to make a full recovery.

The couple’s dog was also safe thanks to Marie’s quick and courageous thinking.

To err on the side of caution, authorities are checking the bear (not pictured) for rabies. Despite their ability to attack, bears in the area typically stay away from humans and homes. In fact, over the last several decades, only a few bear attacks have been reported.

So what’s next for the couple? Gerre plans to teach his wife how to properly load his shotgun.

Could you club a bear on the head to protect your loved ones?

Wife Can’t Load Gun, Clubs Bear With Weapon As It Attacks Her Husband is a post from: The Inquisitr

Honolulu, HI – A teacher’s homemade lunch may get her fired, even at the expense of her health.

Carissa Lee O’Connell is (or possibly was by now) a teacher’s aide at a Honolulu preschool and may lose her job over her homemade lunches. Her husband started preparing her organic lunches months ago to help her nasal allergies, which improved.

But the problem is, apparently, that she consumed her lunch regularly in front of students, which the school is none too happy about. They verbally warned her in April and put another in writing recently which explained that she would be fired if she continued to eat in front of kids.

O’Connell is allowed to eat her homemade lunch during a break or after kids have a nap, but lunch time has a specific purpose: To provide a family-like setting where teachers take questions about the food provided.

In a warning letter, the policy is explained in a bit more detail: “Staff who choose not to eat the meals provided, may eat their own food during their break or after the meal service for the children is completed.”

But O’Connell says that only leaves her ten minutes to scarf down her organic grub, and that just isn’t enough.

“Definitely upsetting because I really enjoy being with the kids, having fun and seeing them every day,” she said. “They’re making me eat my lunch away from everybody else just because my director feels uncomfortable about the situation.”

Her husband also believes that she is being unfairly discriminated against.

“So in other words, her tax dollars can go into a program that (children) are being fed with, but she can be ostracized for eating a certain way to maintain her health,” he said. “She’s got a choice to either keep her job, or keep her health. That’s just a horrible choice for anybody to have to make.”

O’Connell was prepared to return to work as of Wednesday but expected to be fired after sharing her story with local news.

What do you think? Should a teacher’s homemade lunch get her fired? Sound off!

[Image via: Dragon Images / Shutterstock]

Teacher’s Homemade Lunch May Get Her Fired is a post from: The Inquisitr

When you gotta go, you gotta go. Best excuse for bailing on a crash scene goes to Carlos Baca, who just had to leave after some bad Chinese food.

According to Off The Beat with Will Greenlee, Baca got into a traffic accident early in the morning of May 6. When a police officer responded to the scene, the man whose vehicle was backed into by Baca explained what had happened, and that Baca in his red pick-up left the scene in a hurry.

So, you know, classic hit-and-run scenario, right? Hardly.

The 27-year-old later returned to the scene, and was identified by the man as the individual who crashed into him. Baca, for his part, apologized for his hasty departure and explained that he was literally about to poop his pants.

“Baca reported he left briefly because he had ‘bad’ Chinese food and did not want to defecate in his pants,” said the affidavit. “Baca apologized for leaving, but believed he had no choice, as he was on the verge of defecating in his pants.”

I can only imagine how the officer on the scene managed to keep a straight face through that explanation.

Despite Baca’s honesty and intention, he actually was driving without a license. He apologized for that too, but the officer had to arrest him for it because, you know, that’s illegal.

It’s a misdemeanor charge, but it’s still extra hassle he could have avoided if he would have made a pit-stop back at home during his dumping adventures to pick it up.

What do you think? Is “bad Chinese food” a good excuse to leave the scene of a traffic accident? Sound off!

[Image via: Big Pants Production / Shutterstock]

Carlos Baca: ‘Bad Chinese Food, Call Of Nature Made Me Leave Crash Scene’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Japanese chef killed over a meal in Germany may have died of a brain hemorrhage, and police are working to put together an account of events that led to the violent and ultimately fatal beating of 57-year-old Miki Nozawa.

Initial reports from German tabloid Bild-Zeitung indicate the chef killed over a meal was a well-regarded specialist in Japanese-Italian fusion food.

Nozawa died Monday despite doctors’ efforts to save his life after the attack, and a trouble picture of the chef’s last hours began to emerge.

According to German police, the attack occurred on the German island of Sylt. Nozawa had served two men, aged 36 and 50, described as “laborers” in press accounts.

The chef killed over the meal reportedly served the two men, who haven’t been identified in media reports, a dish of beef and fried noodles — and the pair didn’t care for their meals.

What happened next was unpleasant but not entirely uncommon in restaurant settings. The two dissatisfied diners left the restaurant without paying their bills, but also without any sort of violence.

However, the chef killed over a meal had the unfortunate luck to run into the dine-and-dash duo later the same evening at a local hotspot, and Christian Post reports:

“That appeared to be the end of the incident, however, later that night the Japanese chef met the pair again at a local table dancing bar, and their argument continued and escalated significantly … A fight is said to have ensued and the chef was said to have taken a blow to the head. He was rushed to the hospital and according to local reports he suffered brain injuries and internal bleeding.”

A cause of death for the chef killed over a meal has not been established definitively, and the two men believed to have been involved were taken into custody but later released for lack of evidence. Both are reportedly answering questions on a voluntary basis.

Chef Killed Over Meal In Germany is a post from: The Inquisitr

If a childcare center loses your son, what’s the first thing you want? If you answered “a discount” then you might want to consider enrolling your child with the Helping Hands Network.

An Australian mother is furious after staff of the Helping Hands childcare center lost her 5-year-old son and only offered her a $7 discount in a futile attempt to apologize.

The mother asked to remain anonymous when speaking to The Gold Coast Bulletin, and admitted that her son was missing for at least one hour after he wandered away from the after-school care group between activities.

It’s not like her son just wandered into the next park, either. The mom says that her boy managed to cross nine roads in his journey, two of which were ramps to the Gold Coast’s busy Pacific Motorway, and was ultimately found about two kilometers away from the school.

He was picked up by another mother.

The police then called the young boy’s mother, who said that Helping Hands staff didn’t even know that her son was missing in the first place.

Police brought her son back to her, and she decided to confront Helping Hands herself. The regional manager of the childcare center called her to apologize, and said that she wouldn’t be billed the $7 for childcare for the afternoon her son went missing.

What a relief, right?

It was probably just the worst case of foot-in-mouth on the manager’s part, but the operations manager did say that a few employees were punished and an internal review was to take place.

”The regulatory authority has also conducted its own investigation and Helping Hands is working with them on finalizing this,” she said. ”We understand the very real concern of the parents involved and are working hard to ensure this incident is not repeated.”

[Image via: Sanit Fuangnakhon, Shutterstock]

Childcare Center Loses Son, Says Mom Doesn’t Have To Pay That Day is a post from: The Inquisitr

Evan Mathis, NFL player, pees on IRS building: yes, you read that correctly. Not only did the Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman relieve himself on Internal Revenue Service property, but he also posted a pic of it on Instagram.

The little sprinkle happened Wednesday on the same day that NBC News reported interim commissioner of the IRS Steven Miller would be forced to resign amid incompetence and misconduct in unfairly targeting conservative groups with greater financial scrutiny.

The IRS scandal has been a black eye for President Barack Obama’s second term, and it did little to bridge the gap between parties in an increasingly partisan Washington.

With that said, Evan Mathis did what millions of Americans — Democrats, Republicans, and now, especially, Tea Party members — have longed to do.

Along with the bold, brave, and somewhat immature imagery, Mathis posted a simple two-word caption: “Audit this.” Classy. And funny.

Philly.com reported that DCFanaticsBlog speculated an apology would be on the way tweeting, “Evan Mathis will be apologizing later today. Count on that,” to which Mathis responded, “How high are we counting?”

(Looks like the IRS may have to wait a little longer if they plan on a mea culpa any time soon.)

You’ve got to hand it to Mathis on this. He’s taking a bold step in the very public, permanent online world, by lashing out against the government body with the most potential to make one’s life a living hell.

“NFL player pees on building” isn’t a headline you can forget very easily, and it’s likely the NFL will respond with one of its famous fines as a result of the crude gesture. There’s also the possibility that the IRS could next shift unfair scrutiny to wise-guy offensive linemen now that conservative groups are off the table.

Either way, Mr. Evan Mathis — NFL player, who pees on IRS property — we salute you for having the guts to do it. What do you think — too disrespectful or perfectly understandable?

Evan Mathis, NFL Player, Pees On The IRS, Literally is a post from: The Inquisitr

A bowler shot himself in the leg at a bowling at a bowling alley in Florida this week.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Someone finally pushed Walter over the edge during league play. But no, this was not a Dude related incident. According to WFLX, a man who was bowling with a gun in his pocket accidentally shot himself in the leg.

Witnesses said that the weapon fired after the man accidentally hit his bowling ball against his pocket. The weapon fired, scaring everyone at the Florida bowling alley, and the man fell to the ground in pain and embarrassment.

A witness said: “The ball hit him in the leg, which triggered the revolver.”

The man was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. His injuries are not considered life threatening, and the bowling alley is not pressing charges. Jupiter Police Officer Adam Brown said that noted that it is legal in Florida to carry a concealed weapon and that the man wouldn’t be facing any state charges.

There isn’t a video available of the bowler shooting himself in the leg at Jupiter Lanes but here’s a clip from The Big Lebowski which demonstrates why it is not a good idea to bring a weapon to the bowling alley.

Bowler Shoots Himself In The Leg At Florida Bowling Alley is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Maserati smashed by a bitter customer’s hired goons to protest poor service? It happened, and we have the hilarious video evidence linked below. According to various reports in Asian media, an angry Chinese businessman in Qingdao, China — identified only as Wang — decided he’d had enough hassles with the $420,000 Maserati Quattroporte supercar that he bought in 2011.

Wang’s story is that he took the car back to the dealer for various repairs, as you normally do during that pesky break-in period when you first acquire a new performance vehicle. The dealer did the repair with used parts but billed him for new ones.

And, to add insult to injury, the so-called mechanics also scratched the paint.

Really. Talk about your first world problems.

According to the South China Post, the dissatisfied customer tired of debating the matter with the dealership. Instead, he parked the car outside the Qingdao Exhibition Center Tuesday and hired sledgehammer-wielding muscle to beat the living you-know-what out of his erstwhile vehicle.

It was a high-priced piece of performance art, but the Maserati smash-up got a lot of attention from people attending the show. You can see from the video posted on Live Leak and YouTube that the men actually had a bit of trouble putting a dent in the Maserati Quattroporte.

I mean, it looks like a pretty tough vehicle to me. But eventually, with determination, the men did manage to thoroughly trash it.

The dealership hasn’t commented.

Apparently, the expensive protest was a copycat performance. In 2011, in the same city, a car owner unhappy with his Lamborghini Gallardo had his sports car trashed on World Consumer Rights Day.

Are you starting to get the idea that maybe Chinese billionaires are just a little too well-compensated?

If the Live Leak video is overloaded, then try it here:

I’m not sure I would even smash a Ford Pinto that got on my nerves. I’d just quietly sell it for scrap and blow my hundred bucks on beer.

If you were really, really mad, would you smash a Maserati Quattroporte?

Maserati Smashed To Protest Poor Service, Dude Trashes His Own $420K Car [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

An overnight supermarket feast has landed a Kentucky man behind bars.

Police arrested Trevor Runyon after the store manager discovered him inside a supermarket outside of Louisville. The man reportedly spent all night inside the location eating a wide variety of items he found on shelves.

The ValuMarket manager said he discovered 57 cans of Redi-Whip inside a garbage can when he opened the store on Monday morning. He later discovered Runyon hiding out in the ceiling of the store. Authorities soon arrived at the scene to place the suspect under arrest.

In addition to working his way through dozens of Redi-Whip cans, he consumed an entire birthday cake, some shrimp, and six steaks. He also smoked several cigarettes and drank quite a few beers during his overnight supermarket feast.

However, Runyon didn’t stop at food. After he accidentally used the bathroom on himself, the suspect snagged some clean clothes from the store to replace the ones he had soiled. Once the party had come to an end, the man climbed into the ceiling and fell asleep.

Officer Michael Huffman told WAVE-TV that surveillance footage from the store shows Runyon sneaking inside the building just before it closed for business on Sunday. The store manager believes that the suspect managed to hid from employees while they were shutting down for the evening.

As strange as it may sound, this isn’t the first time someone from Kentucky has been discovered inside the ceiling of an area retailer. The manager of Roses department store in Lexington discovered someone inside the ceiling. The suspect fell through the ceiling and into the store. Although he was injured, he still tried to get away from officers.

“This is very uncommon for something like this to occur at one o’clock in the afternoon. This is primarily the type of crime we would see usually in the early morning hours,” police explained.

What do you think about the man who enjoyed an overnight supermarket feast in Kentukcy?

[Image via Shutterstock]

Overnight Supermarket Feast Lands Kentucky Man In Jail is a post from: The Inquisitr

So, that man who fled zombies by stealing a strawberry truck — zombies hate strawberries, don’t ya know — accepted a plea deal Monday from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office in California. Jerimiah Clyde Hartline, 29, first soared to internet fame in April by getting busted in the stolen truck that he swerved all over Interstate 15, causing multiple crashes that hurt at least six people, three of them seriously.

Hartline reportedly hid in the truck in Tennessee and took a ride cross-country to California with the strawberries. When the 18-wheeler stopped at a checkpoint outside Temucula, where the driver had stepped out to sign some paperwork, Hartline took the wheel.

To save fuel, big rig drivers often leave their motors running during brief stops — which makes theft of the large vehicles a little bit too convenient if you happen to be on the run from the zombie apocalypse.

Unfortunately, our zombie-fearing thief didn’t seem to know how to drive the heavily loaded truck, and he ended up jackknifing and blocking all four traffic lanes. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) noted that Hartline claimed that he was performing evasive maneuvers to escape the zombies.

Be that as it may, he faced multiple theft, assault with a deadly weapon (the strawberry truck), and hit and run charges as a result of the zombie-fleeing spree. On Monday, he agreed to a plea deal where Riverside County would dismiss four other charges, including reckless driving.

He’ll plead guilty to three counts of causing great bodily injury. He faced a possible sentence of over 12 years without the deal. With it, he’ll serve five years or less.

A judge will hand down the sentence on June 24. At that time, we’ll be told the ultimate sentence for the man who fled zombies.

[zombie photo by Andreas Gradin via Shutterstock]

Man Who Fled Zombies In Big Rig Highway Theft Pleads Guilty [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Mayan pyramid was bulldozed for roadfill gravel, according to a shocking report today from Belize News reporter Jules Vasquez. The site of Nohmul main temple and ceremonial grounds was thought to be around 2,300 years old. Made of limestone brick, it had withstood hurricane winds and the sands of time — but it couldn’t withstand the excavators and bulldozers that attacked the site last week.

“[W]hat the Maya built with stone tools and manual labour ages ago is being demolished with heavy equipment, because these contractors are too lazy to find a proper quarry,” Vasquez wrote.

He traveled to the disgraceful scene, where nothing remains but the very core of the once-huge pyramid, with two archeologists. Dr. Allan Moore and Dr. John Morris were clearly in shock.

It is illegal in Belize to destroy pre-Colombian structures. Moore said that if he had known in time, he would have brought in the police to halt the bulldozers.

Morris told Vasquez: “This is Noh Mul…one of the largest sites in Belize. It is incredible that someone would actually have the gall to destroy this building out here. There is no way that one can say that they did not know.”

An Associated Press report added that Belize Institute of Archaeology head Dr. Jaime Awe said that he was “sickened” by the pointless destruction.

And it isn’t the first incident of this kind. In 2003, a Mayan mound in Benque Viejo, Belize was mostly destroyed in a single day, by a property owner who claimed that he’d gotten the go ahead to build on the site.

“Archaeological terrorism is probably too strong a description in this case, but in terms of what was lost when a Benque Viejo del Carmen property owner pushed a bulldozer through a Mayan mound, few other words come to mind,” wrote News Channel 5 reporter Patrick Jones at the time.

According to Maya Studies, Nohmul means “great mound” or “great hill.” The Mayan complex was a major ceremonial center localted on the crest of a ridge. It is — or was — “the highest landmark in the Orange Walk/Corozal area.”

Unfortunately, the bulldozed Mayan pyramid is now mostly gravel.

[pyramid at Lamanai, Belize photo by Elaine Radford]

Mayan Pyramid Bulldozed For Roadfill Gravel Near Orange Walk, Belize is a post from: The Inquisitr

A mummified body in Santa Fe, NM was discovered last week in horrifying conditions. The remains have since been identified as the Chicana activist, teacher, writer, and publisher Barbara or Bobbi Salinas-Norman. But questions remain as to how the once-vital 70-year-old could have been forgotten and left to mummify in her condo for what friends now say could be more than a year.

The body was first discovered by her brother-in-law Louis Ponce. He told The Santa Fe New Mexican that he and his wife, Salinas’ sister, went to Santa Fe last week to check on Bobbi. He had previously attempted to visit two years earlier.

On that occasion, she refused to answer the phone and wouldn’t come to the door until Ponce called the police. She then came out to talk to Ponce but didn’t allow him inside.

It’s a familiar pattern if you’ve ever known a hoarder. But hindsight is twenty twenty. She seemed OK, and Ponce tried to keep in touch with letters and phone calls.

She never responded but the letters were not returned. Finally, he realized that he would need to go physically to check on her again.

Ponce didn’t call police because he found the door unlocked. “Wow, the smell was awful,” he told The New Mexican. “I never knew anybody could be that filthy.”  Then he got a real shock when he found her dessicated body.

Why didn’t anyone catch on sooner? Her power had been cut off for nonpayment, and the condo was in foreclosure. Her water may have been cut off as well, since when she was still alive, she reportedly washed up at the public library.

An angry neighbor said that he complained about the smell from Bobbi Salinas-Norman’s unit in November. No one followed up, and the police said that she was likely dead since at least October, if not before.

Santa Fe spokeswoman Celina Westervelt told KOAT that, “This woman look[ed] like a mummy, essentially. All of her skin was dried out. You could see the skeleton underneath. There were no body fluids anymore.”

Ponce said that Salinas-Norman had become a hoarder and started behaving oddly about 10 years ago. But no one guessed that  the former activist would isolate herself to such a degree that New Mexican authorities would one day be analyzing her mummified body.

[compulsive hoarding photo by "Grap" via Wikimedia Commons]

Mummified Body In New Mexico Is Chicana Author Who Could Have Been Dead Over A Year is a post from: The Inquisitr

Hampton, VA – A woman recently flushed a $22K anniversary ring right down the toilet last Friday (May 10).

The unidentified lady, who is from Richmond, was visiting friends in the area when the incident took place. The woman explained that she had removed her ring while washing her hands in the bathroom. She told reportedly knocked the ring into the toilet that was already flushing as she was drying off the counter.

A professional plumber was soon called to the Hampton residence to retrieve the diamond anniversary ring. Although he spent quite a bit of time pumping raw sewage from the septic system, he was unable to locate the pricey possession.

The woman called the Hampton Public Works on Monday and told them about the $22K ring that she had accidentally flushed down the toilet. The workers accepted the mission and set up filters to catch the item.

On Tuesday, the woman was informed that employees made managed to local the anniversary ring. Staff involved with retrieving the missing ring were given $25 gift cards courtesy of an employee rewards program.

The unidentified woman was also extremely grateful to the workers who found the ring. She penned a letter to the City of Hampton praising them for a job well done.

“We cannot express enough gratitude to everyone who had a role in recovering this very special ring to us. It’s not only the monetary value of the ring, but also the sentimental value that could not be replaced. Please do anything and everything you can to acknowledge their dedication, honesty and hard work,” she wrote.

This isn’t the only missing ring story to pop up in recent months. The Inquisitr reported last August that a garbage man in New York helped a lady find her missing ring. Gary Gaddist volunteered to dig through quite a bit of trash in an effort to find the missing possession. He called his decision to help the woman a “love thing.”

What do you think about the woman who flushed a $22K anniversary ring down the toilet?

[Image via Shutterstock]

$22K Ring Flushed Down Toilet is a post from: The Inquisitr

Witches theses days may have it easier than when they were burned at the stake, but, in Swaziland, if a witch flies a broomstick higher than 150 meters (492 feet) in the air, she is subject to arrest and a fine of R500 000 (about $55,000 USD).

Civil Aviation Authority marketing and corporate affairs director Sabelo Dlamini told Swaziland’s The Star Early Edition, “A witch on a broomstick should not fly above the (150m) limit.”

Dlamini’s unexpected response was in answer to a question from the Swazi press who were inquiring about the arrest of Hunter Shongwe for operating a remote controlled drone equipped with a video camera. Shongwe was using the drone to conduct a private investigation.

It’s a funny story on its surface but also a little shocking. In Swaziland, witchcraft is still taken seriously.

Illnesses is often considered a curse, and witch doctors pay an annual tax of $1.15. Last year, a member of the Swazi parliament argued that the tax should be raised to help the country deal with its growing debt.

A recent effort to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS by circumcising men in Swaziland failed partially in part to the common belief that body parts could be used by witches for dark purposes:

“Criminals are known to seek ‘strengthening’ potions made with human body parts. Killings associated with ‘ritual murder’ routinely correspond with national elections. Victims, usually children or older people, are found with body parts missing.”

Swazi men were worried that their foreskins might end up in the wrong hands and end up being used against them.

In April, a Mambane man used his family’s strong belief in witchcraft as a defense in a trial for killing his aunt after discovering a black robe in her house.

If there’s any good news beyond the headline, it is that Swazi witches who don’t fly higher than 150 meters will not be penalized.

Photo Credit: Karen Roe

It’s Illegal For Witches To Fly Broomsticks Above 150 Meters In Swaziland is a post from: The Inquisitr

Having a hard time finding a job? You wouldn’t be if you applied at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and if you happened to be a goat.

The international hub decided recently to ditch lawnmowers while replacing them with a herd of 25 four-legged grass eaters.

The airport is borrowing the goats from a local restaurant as part of its new vegetation-management program.

A partner for the restaurant tells the Chicago Tribune that the goats were originally bought on a whim to make room on the menu for goat burgers. Eventually, the restaurant owners realized that the goats were the “perfect lawn mowers,” especially in hard to reach and rocky areas of the airport.

Goats sure are hungry little creatures, and therefore they are expected to clear 250 square feet of grassy area every single day.

The goats will be specifically useful on hilly areas near creeks and streams. The goats will also clear roadways that are covered with thick brush.

Fences will be used to keep the goats off runways, and they will have a “keeper” on hand who will ensure they are staying on course and eating when they are suppose to be chowing down.

According to the city’s Aviation Commissioner:

“The embankments cause wear and tear on our machinery and are difficult for our team members to reach. It’s not like mowing your lawn. We’re utilizing natural resources more efficiently.”

The goats involved with the Chicago O’Hare International Airport project will not be turned into burgers anytime soon. After the spring and summer months are over, they will return to their farm, be kept safe, and then return in spring 2014.

We always knew there would be a day when lawnmowers would run on plants and water. This just wasn’t what we expected.

Do you think using goats to mow the grass at Chicago O’Hare is a smart decision?

Chicago O’Hare Airport Hires Goats, Ditches Lawnmowers is a post from: The Inquisitr

When a giant building is about to be exploded by construction workers, people will turn out just to watch it fall. But what happens when the building simply isn’t ready to go?

A team in Redbank, Australia learned the hard way recently that not every silo will go out with a big blast.

After applying the normal amount of explosives, the workers on-site pressed the big red button and watched as the building’s structure shift, fell part way, and then just stuck to its foundation.

The silo sat in place looking more like the leaning down of Pisa than a pile of rubble.

Realizing that applying more explosives might not be safe, the ground workers instead brought in excavators to push the building over.

At the end of the day, the building did fall to the ground. Unfortunately, it was all a bit anticlimactic.

Watch closely, and you’ll notice one of the excavator operators was quick to scurry away from the building as it finally toppled to the ground.

Now, if only we could find a way to use those same excavators to topple every 9/11 truther who comments on a building collapse on YouTube with venomous US hating force we would be in business.

No word yet on whether or not the explosives guy lost his job. We have a feeling the embarrassment he felt at the hands of his co-workers was probably punishment enough.

What did you think of the big building collapse mishap? I actually enjoyed watching the excavators scramble for safety.

Giant Silo Mocks Attempts At Knocking It Down With Explosives [Viral Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dallas school dress code may be amended soon to disallow tucked-in shirts. Though they wouldn’t come right out and say it, the idea is that if a shirt isn’t tucked in, a child with obesity will appear slimmer … or something.

Dallas ISD trustees are considering dropping the tucked-in shirt requirement of the school dress code because it can highlight overweight children’s physiques in a negative way. MSN notes that the word “overweight” never was actually used in the official language. Rather “body type that was different” and “fluffy” were used.

“For a middle-school student, it could be a self-esteem issue if they are made to tuck in their shirt because if they wear it loose, their healthiness might not show as much,” said Board President Lew Blackburn.

Though the Dallas Observer notes that trustees actually have a hugely important decision to make regarding who to keep and who to fire among their principals (which they have delayed twice already) they had a very complex discussion about the dress code, which covered leggings (they are not pants) shirts (no mid-drifts, ladies) and earrings on boys.

“They should be banned,” Bernadette Nutall decided. “Boys should not be wearing earrings.”

“What about the gauges?” Adam Medrano asked. “A lot of kids have the gauges where they’re stretching their ear.”

No gauges.

Luckily, freshman board member Dan Micciche admitted that he didn’t understand why they were spending so much time talking about the Dallas schools’ dress code.

“I can’t believe that this is actually a (board) policy. … I just think it’s way too detailed,” he said, advocating letting the administration decide dress code policy.

But still, that conversation happened. Welcome to state-level bureaucracy, Mr. Micciche.

[Image via: sunabesyou, Shutterstock]

Dallas School Dress Code May Ban Tucked-In Shirts Over Obesity Concerns is a post from: The Inquisitr

Alvin Cote of Saskatoon, Canada had a bit of a reputation. During his time as a homeless alcoholic, he racked up 843 public drunkenness charges before dying last month at the age of 59.

Cote was one of the most recognizable residents in Saskatoon, according to the Edmonton Journal. His local fame was such that many in the city, including the police officers that often arrested him, are now mourning his loss.

Beat cop Derek Chesney recalls being saddened after hearing the news having seen Cote almost every day for five years.

“It’s not often that you can arrest somebody on multiple occasions and end up being friends with them. But such was the case with Alvin,” Chesney wrote on his blog.

He even confessed to crying when he wrote an online tribute for Cote.

“You realize that people can fall through the cracks,” he said. “And just as much as a good person can have a bad day, things can happen to people in their lives where they end up going on a path that perhaps they didn’t choose.”

Not too much is known about Alvin Cote, Saskatoon’s “town drunk,” but what little that is has him hailing from the Cote First Nation in the Kamsack area. According to Chesney, who could probably be considered the closes thing Cote has to a biographer, he was taken to a residential school as a child, where he was abused for years.

Though Cote never talked about it, Chesney believes it was that abuse that set him on his self-destructive path. He has a sister in Saskatoon who tried to look after him for a time, but his alcoholism caused too much trouble.

Chesney hopes that the bench in the police lobby that Cote would sit on for hours will be give a plaque with his name on it, and moved into the new police station.

“He was a fighter. He was a survivor. And he’ll be remembered,” said Chesney.

You can read the much longer obituary for Alvin Cote, Saskatoon’s “town drunk,” here There’s also a longer piece written on him during his life here.

Alvin Cote, Saskatoon ‘Town Drunk,’ Mourned Even By Cops is a post from: The Inquisitr