What's in the News

Desperate robber hides $2000 in his bottom
May 9, 2008 - 4:41PM

When it came to stashing his stolen cash, bank robber Michael Linn chose a very dark and unusual place... up his bottom.

The money will be destroyed.

Well!!! I should hope so!!

That was a crappy place to try to hide money.   
 

What you never saw Papillion?  Besides ain't that where you get your lesson plans? 

14000 RMB up the piyan? 

On a more serious, sadder note.....Pig-headed stupidity and cruelty are not limited to any one nation.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/05/12/asia/AS-GEN-Myanmar-US-Military.php

It's been over a week since Myanmar (Burma) suffered from a direct cyclone strike, killing several thousands in the coastal regions, and leaving many more without homes or clean water or food.  Estimates are that the death toll will reach around 100,000.  Some even put the possible toll at 216,000.

What does their government do?  It forbids foreigners from coming in to aid the survivors. Then it goes ahead and holds a referendum on a point in their constitution.

Yes, well, that's what military junta's do. They're not out to take care of their people. They don't care a jot for the victims of a natural disaster. They do not much care for a bunch of volounteer foreigners coming to the rescue.
And what can this glorious world do about it? This wonderful world where you can find organizations with such ostentatious names as the United Nations? Nothing. Bugger all. Oh yes, I forgot, they can threaten with sanctions...that'll have those tyrants in uniforms quivering in their boots...NOT!

The Goodyear Blimp was floating in the skies above Jinan today.

Actually, that would be one of the Goodyear Blimps.  There is a fleet.  They fly up and down the coast of California where I live and often overnight at the airport about a half-mile from my house.  They're really noisy, which I never expected.  Why would a blimp be in Jinan?

The ole blimp was here in Wuhan 2 weeks ago - perfect timing for me as I was giving my marketing class a lecture on promotions as he took off over my campus - great example

 5 university staff linked to bribes
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-14 07:11

Five people in charge of university admissions in Hunan province are allegedly involved in a corruption case, only weeks ahead of the national college entrance examination, the Oriental Outlook weekly said Tuesday.

Ma Lihuang, a section chief who oversees student recruitment and employment at Xiangnan University, was recently "taken away" by members of the procuratorate in Changsha, a likely sign of an impending prosecution.

He is accused of having abused his power in selling university places for personal gain, the weekly, which is affiliated to the Xinhua News Agency, said.

Zhou Xianghui, a section chief of Hengyang Normal University and three section chiefs of three other universities in the same province are also accused of the same offense.

The three and their universities were not named.

Ma has been described as a "star worker" for his "outstanding contributions" to the university, Wang Xiaocheng, deputy head of the Xiangnan University, was quoted as saying.

"He (Ma) has the admission power and therefore holds the purse strings. He wields much power," Wang said.

Ma is alleged to have sold places to unqualified students, those who know they will score lower than other students in the entrance examination.

A student who declined to be named, was quoted as saying that after two consecutive failed attempts to qualify for a university place, he managed to gain a place at Xiangnan University after his family gave Ma an unspecified sum of money.

The Oriental Outlook report said the exposure of Ma and Zhou might be just the "tip of the iceberg". It mentioned another alleged corruption case involving more than 20 people connected with education in the province.

Guo Jianguo, an official with the Hunan provincial education department, said policy loop-holes must be addressed to weed out the corrupt.

"The practice to allow universities to enroll students with comparatively lower qualifications must be stopped," Guo said.

The college entrance examination will be held from June 6-8. In Hunan, about 600,000 students will sit for it, a record high.

Last year, 520,000 students took the examination. The enrollment rate is forecast to be about 60 percent.

Why would a blimp be in Jinan?

I think it's a tire promotion. It came to my town last year. If you bought a set of premium Goodyear tires, you were entered in a raffle and raffle winners were given blimp rides around the city and lake. They sold a lot of tires to the black Audi set that week.

Nice to see they know what's important in life.

****

Australian fined for buckling in beer, not child

Associated Press Tue May 13, 2:57 PM ET

DARWIN, Australia - An Australian man has been fined after buckling in a case of beer with a seat belt but leaving a 5-year-old child to sit on the car's floor, police said Tuesday.

Constable Wayne Burnett said he was "shocked and appalled" when he pulled over the unregistered car Friday in the central Australian town of Alice Springs.

The 30-can beer case was strapped in between two adults sitting in the back seat of the car. The child was also in back, but on the car's floor.

"The child was sitting in the lump in the center, unrestrained," Burnett told reporters Tuesday.

"I haven't ever seen something like this before," he said. "This is the first time that the beer has taken priority over a child."

The driver was fined 750 Australian dollars — about $710 — for driving an unregistered and uninsured vehicle and for failing to ensure a child was wearing a safety belt.

    Wow man, groovy flowers.   

****

 Japanese city finds opium poppies grown for festival

AFP Wed May 14, 1:47 AM ET

TOKYO (AFP) - A Japanese city has been forced to destroy thousands of flowers grown for a local festival after a police officer noticed they were illegal opium poppies, an official said Wednesday.

About 100 officials were mobilised in Shimotsuma City north of Tokyo to pluck and burn the one-hectare (2.47-acre) field of lilac-coloured papaver setigerum poppies, according to the city official.

The flowers were grown by volunteers using seeds imported from abroad, she said, adding that the city was checking how the seeds had got into the country.

"A small number of them had been spotted since a few years ago but nobody ever realised they are a banned type. We are so surprised," she said.

The Shimotsuma flower festival draws 2,000-3,000 visitors every year, according to the city.

I think they've finally solved the energy crises and saved us all. 

****

Solar bra brings conservation closer to the heart

Reuters Wed May 14, 10:31 AM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - Ladies, take your battle for the environment a little closer to your heart with a solar-powered bra that can generate enough electric energy to charge a mobile phone or an iPod.

Lingerie maker Triumph International Japan Ltd unveiled its environmentally friendly, and green colored, "Solar Power Bra" on Wednesday in Tokyo which features a solar panel worn around the stomach.

The panel requires light to generate electricity and the concept bra will not be in stores anytime soon, said Triumph spokeswoman Yoshiko Masuda, as "people usually can not go outside without wearing clothes over it."

But it does send the message of how lingerie could possibly save the planet, Masuda said, adding that the bra should not be washed or sunned on a rainy day to avoid damaging it.

Being eco-friendly is now fashionable in Japan, and the "Solar Energy Bra" follows the company's other green-themed undergarments that include a bra that turns into a reusable shopping bag and one that featured metal chopsticks to promote the use of reusable chopsticks.

"It is very comfortable and I can really feel involved in eco-friendly efforts as well," model Yuko Ishida said.

(Reporting by Takanori Isshiki; Writing by Yoko Kubota; editing by Miral Fahmy)

The itialians had created a solar powered jacket for those same reasons, but I kind of like the bra idea better. It could have some interesting conontations for some of these young ladies working in the offices. they could use them to recharge many different types of batteries.