Random News Stories

[Frank Cox]

Who's been eating my porridge? Who's been sleeping in my bed?

Who's been tearing up my car!!

It wasn't me, says the bear.

[Leo Enticknap]

The local radio station I was listening to en route to a service call this morning had a lot of fun with this one: now, a newspaper on the other side of the world has picked it up!

Man dresses as bear and trashes Rolls-Royce in ‘insurance scam’

Four people arrested in California for insurance fraud after making claims worth £112,272 for bear damage to their cars

James Crisp
14 November 2024 12:23pm GMT

A suspected fraudster dressed up in a bear costume before damaging cars in an insurance scam in the US.

Four people in Southern California were arrested for insurance fraud after making claims worth £112,272 for bear damage on their cars, which included a Rolls-Royce.

After viewing videos of the so-called bear trashing several cars, California insurance department officials decided the guilty animal was a human being and not an ursine invader.

The Insurance Department said: “Upon further scrutiny of the video, the investigation determined the bear was actually a person in a bear costume.”

Investigators also showed the videos to a biologist from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife who “opined it was clearly a human in a bear suit”.

Video footage of the inside of the car showed grooves in the seats and interior that suggested claw marks.

Insurance companies had paid out the claim after being told the bear entered and damaged a 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost on Jan 8 before the investigation began.

The car was parked at Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino Mountains about 60 miles north-east of Los Angeles.

The suspected fraudsters also submitted claims for damage to a 2015 Mercedes G63 AMG and a 2022 Mercedes E350, with videos of the so-called rampaging bear.

All three claims gave a matching location and the same “date of loss”. The accompanying footage suggests the allegedly staged bear attacks occurred outside the same property, on the same night, but at different times.

There are wild black bears, which – contrary to their name – can be brown in the San Bernardino Mountains, but grizzlies were hunted to extinction in the state of California in the 1920s.

Ruben Tamrazian, 26, Ararat Chirkinian, 39, and Vahe Muradkhanyan, 32, all of Glendale, and Alfiya Zuckerman, 39, of Valley Village, were arrested on charges of insurance fraud and conspiracy, NBC News reported.

A San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson said on Wednesday that charges were submitted against the four people and were under review.

Insurance Department detectives were assisted by the Glendale Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.

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[Lyle Romer]

Since humans are animals, how can any porn involving more than one person be certified vegan?

[Randy Stankey]

Then, I guess J-Lube is out...

[Leo Enticknap]

And if you're a really serious vegan, lube that has not been tested on animals.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Remember: Always use condoms, organic carrots or not. If you want to keep your diet vegan, make sure to only use vegan condoms.

[Leo Enticknap]

If the carrots are organic, that could cause some nasty infections.

[Ryan Gallagher]

vegan-themed pornographic videos

I have so many questions. lol

[Leo Enticknap]

Here.

Professor fired for making porn with wife

Dr Joe Gow, 63, claims the loss of his job at the University of Wisconsin-La Cross is a violation of his freedom of speech

Cameron Henderson. Tony Diver US Editor
Related Topics: Pornography

27 September 2024 7:34pm

A university professor has been sacked after making pornography with his wife.

Dr Joe Gow, 63, claims the loss of his job at the University of Wisconsin-La Cross is a violation of his freedom of speech.

The professor was forced to leave his post as university chancellor in December, after the institution discovered he had filmed vegan-themed pornographic videos with his wife, Carmen Wilson, and posted them online.

The former chancellor was placed on leave but continued collecting his salary as a tenured communications professor, despite posting the sex clips under the username Sexy Happy Couple.

A disciplinary panel has now unanimously voted to fire Dr Gow, arguing that his actions have damaged the university’s reputation. However, the professor has claimed that the decision breaches his constitutional right to free speech.

Mr Gow’s attorney Mark Leitner said: “We need the First Amendment precisely when the danger of stifling controversial, unpopular speech is at its highest. And that’s what we have here in this situation.”

Dr Gow and his wife have appeared in multiple publicly available pornographic videos, where they host adult film stars as guests and have sex afterwards.

The couple’s OnlyFans web page describes videos where “top adult video stars cook, converse and shoot sex scenes with a plant-powered couple”.

They have also published two books under the pseudonyms Geri and Jay Hart, titled Married with Benefits: Our Real-Life Adult Industry Adventures and Monogamy with Benefits: How Porn Enriches Our Relationship.

The university’s lawyers warned that Dr Gow’s continued employment could have a negative effect on the institution’s reputation, claiming he had used his teaching position as “marketing opportunity” to sell adult content.

“Dr Gow just doesn’t get it, or is unable to acknowledge that his conduct has been harmful to the UWL campus community and a distraction from its core mission,” said Wade Harrison, senior legal counsel for the university.

“Dr Gow has largely gotten what he wants through this process, a large media presence that continues and a great marketing opportunity for his cooking and adult content,” he added. “Enough is enough. Dr. Joe needs to go.”

In documents submitted prior to Friday’s hearing, lawyer’s argued that retaining Dr Gow on the faculty risked jeopardising the university’s finances.

“At least one donor has stated publicly that he would ‘kill’ a planned scholarship gift if Gow were not terminated,” the lawyers wrote, referring to a statement from Republican Senator Rob Hutton who put pressure on the university to fire him.

“Senator Hutton has made clear that he, a member of the legislature that provides some of the University’s funding, is opposed to Gow’s returning to teach.”

Dr Gow argued that his right to share his and his wife’s pornographic content with his wife is protected by the First Amendment.

Gow has previously maintained that he and his wife produced the pornographic content in their own time, and that neither the books nor the videos ever mentioned the university or his role as part of the faculty.

Speaking on Friday, he said he was initially drawn to Wisconsin-La Cross for its commitment to academic freedom, adding that he’s eager to return to the classroom.

“I genuinely love teaching, and I’m not ready to just retire and sit at home,” he told Wisconsin Public Radio.

He added that he’s not currently creating explicit content, but wouldn’t want to give up the right to in future.

“We certainly wouldn’t want to give up the right to be able to do that if we choose to,” he said. “We live in 2024. We have access to all kinds of material. It’s up to us to choose what we, as adults, what we want to access.”

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s Faculty Defense Fund (FIRE), who have supported Dr Gow’s legal defence, said the decision to sack the professor over making adult videos is a “major blow to academic freedom and faculty free speech rights”.

“FIRE has said time and time again: public universities cannot sacrifice the First Amendment to protect their reputations,” the foundation’s legal defence counsel Zach Greenberg said. “We’re disappointed UW caved to donors and politicians by throwing a tenured professor under the bus.”

“You may not like Joe Gow or his videos, but the principles that protect him also protect countless dissidents, freethinkers, artists, and others who speak truth to power.”

Vegan porn ??? !!!

TELEMMGLPICT000361132504_17274542400820_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.webp

Prof (on the right): "Make sure you wash those carrots real good, sweetie!"

[Frank Cox]

A long time ago (in a galaxy far away) I was in charge of designing and building a municipal dog pound. There was a special paint to go on the floor and boy was that powerful stuff. I left a couple of guys painting the floor and went to do something else. Came back in an hour or so to see how the job was progressing and both of those guys were giggling. I told them to come outside and get some air. On his way out one of them said, "Gosh, Frank, I never knew working for the town could be so much fun."

Definitely a good thing that I came back when I did.

A friend of mine ran the swimming pool. He told me that he had a guy in spray painting the pool where he could see him from his office. Working in the deep end he got slower and slower with the sprayer until he was just standing there with the paint building up around his feet and the pool manager had to go in and drag him out. Again, a good thing that he was watching.

Stuff like that can be far more hazardous that you might think and everyone got away very lucky in both of those instances.

[Leo Enticknap]

From the San Bernardino Sun:

Two men arrested after $1.5 million of marijuana found in Pinon Hills during wildfire patrol

Two men were arrested after deputies found they were in possession of more than $1.5 million of marijuana while the deputies patrolled an evacuated area of Pinon Hills on Friday, Sept. 13, amid the Bridge fire, authorities said Sunday.

The men, from Pinon Hills and Bullhead City, Ariz., were arrested on charges of conspiracy, cultivation of marijuana and transportation and sales of marijuana.

Deputies conducting security patrols around 9:21 p.m. in the 1500 block of Hollister Road — a section of Pinon Hills evacuated due to the Bridge fire — conducted a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Suburban towing a trailer with flat tires and no tail lights, according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

During the traffic stop, deputies asked about a “strong odor of cannabis” and found about 500 processed marijuana plants in the trailer of the vehicle, the sheriff’s department said.

One of the suspects drove a second vehicle behind the SUV to act as a lookout, the sheriff’s department said.

Investigators learned of another potential marijuana grow at a home in the 1700 block of Trinity Road and executed a search warrant.

During the search, investigators said they found 700 marijuana plants and 1,300 pounds of processed marijuana. In all, officials estimate they found about $1.5 million of marijuana.

Investigators ask anyone with information to contact detectives at 760-552-6800 or the anonymous We Tip hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME or wetip.com

If that house had gone up in the fire, the effects on the emergency responders fighting it would have been, shall we say, challenging...

[Frank Cox]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...open-1.7290755

1 of Saskatchewan's oldest cinemas is facing hard times

'We're still taking it day by day': owner of Orpheum Theatre in Estevan


Louise BigEagle · CBC News · Posted: Aug 16, 2024 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: August 16


The 110-year-old Orpheum Theatre is one of Saskatchewan's oldest independently owned cinemas. (Jocelyn Dougherty) One of Saskatchewan's longest-running independently owned cinemas is facing some difficulties remaining open.
The Orpheum Theatre in Estevan is having trouble filling seats. Estevan is about 200 kilometres southeast of Regina.
The 110-year-old building it isn't just a cinema — it also hosts live performances from groups like April Wine.
Jocelyn Dougherty, co-owner and operator of the Orpheum, said the theatre is important for the community.
"We create jobs, especially for teenagers. It's usually their first job. And we do attract visitors from neighbouring areas who come into the community and spend money at local businesses," Dougherty said.

Dougherty has owned the Orpheum with her husband Alan since 1998. They bought it from friends they had previously helped out at the small cinema.
She said revenue is down 60 per cent compared to 2019. She said some of the factors include the pandemic and the Hollywood writers' strike, which led to a period of fewer big movies being released.

She said more big movies are now being released, and they are hoping things will pick up in the fall and winter.

The building also needs roof repairs and new seats the original auditorium.

"We're still taking it day by day and hoping more people come back to the movies," Dougherty said.

The Orpheum Theatre opened on April 6, 1914, and has been in business ever since. (Submitted by Jocelyn Dougherty)


Wilma Mantei, president of the Estevan Arts Council, which hosts events at the Orpheum, said it has been hard getting people to concerts and other shows.

"We don't get great attendance either, but we still are doing OK," she said.

Mantei said that if the theatre closed, it would leave a hole in the community.

"They're trying really hard. The community is there, but the economy is not the greatest," she said.

Mantei said these kinds of amenities are needed in small communities looking to draw people to come live there.

"I would feel very sad [if it closed]. It would make it difficult in our community. I don't know if anybody would take over," she said.

[Leo Enticknap]

Another story about hydrogen that doesn't mention the Hindenburg!

Ukraine Reportedly Turned a Hydrogen Car Into an Improvised Hydrogen Bomb
A novel use of a hydrogen fuel cell car.

Using parts from a salvaged Toyota hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, Ukrainian fighters reportedly managed to build a tiny hydrogen bomb.

As the English-language Ukrainian outlet Euromaidan Press reports, the hydrogen fuel cell at the heart of one of Toyota's unpopular Mirai models provided the power for the small explosive that successfully forced Russian forces to retreat in the border town of Vovchansk.

As the outlet notes, the Mirai had already been wrecked prior to being taken apart to build a bomb. It ended up delivering a key advantage to the defensive forces as they fought against Russians who had reportedly disrupted the Ukrainian military's electronics.

The bomb in question ended up weighing roughly 440 pounds and was deployed on the ground both because electronics had been disrupted and because, well, it was too heavy to drop via aerial drone.

The Ukrainian military managed to maneuver the salvaged bomb using a remote-controlled ground drone right up to its Russian target at a shelled factory before going "boom." The resulting damage included "powerful blast waves, fireballs, and debris," Euromaidan reports.

To be clear, we're not talking about a literal thermonuclear "hydrogen bomb" — Ukrainian forces used plastic explosives to detonate the hydrogen gas within the car's fuel cell.

As Euromaidan Press notes, fighters in the Vovchansk region have long had to improvise weaponry given their close proximity to the Russian border, which lies less than two-and-a-half miles away.

Salvaging parts from wrecked electric vehicles to turn into both bombs and drones has apparently become commonplace in the area as the town faces delays in the delivery of Western-built bombs. Aside from the novel use of the Toyota Mirai's fuel cell, the report also notes that Vovchansk fighters have also used Tesla components to build drones — including the ground drone used to deliver the DIY hydrogen bomb.

As with everything related to this conflict, these reports about the homemade hydrogen bomb suggest that the future of modern war — be it sophisticated invasion tactics like those used by the Russians or the high-tech pseudo-guerilla warfare deployed by the Ukrainians — is being written in the former Soviet Union.

Apparently there are only around three or four hydrogen car filling stations in California, so there can't be that many in Ukraine! Under the circumstances, this is about the only possible use case for these cars, I guess.

[Randy Stankey]

Well, the solution for the urinal problem is easy! Just put flowers inside it!

That's what they did at the Historical Museum, downtown, where my ex-wife used to work. The building was a 100-year old mansion that couldn't be changed. One of the downstairs bathrooms was open to the public. It was the only one that could be used as a public restroom because of handicap access rules. There was a urinal in there even though it was supposed to be a unisex bathroom. Since it was a historic building, renovations wouldn't be allowed.

The solution was to find a flower pot that fit inside and looked nice. If you didn't pay attention closely enough, you might not even notice that the flower pot was actually a urinal.

Bonus Feature: It's easy to water the flowers! Just pull the handle!

[Leo Enticknap]

Once again, I'm going to have to beg forgiveness for stretching the "no politics" rule: this from the Daily Telegraph:

Covering up Churchill urinal in Chancellor’s office would cost £8k

Rachel Reeves is said to have quashed plans to screen historic porcelain over expense to taxpayer

Cameron Henderson, 10 August 2024 • 3:23pm

Rachel Reeves has been told it would cost £8,000 to cover up a urinal used by Winston Churchill in her private Treasury bathroom.

The Chancellor has been told she could not remove the 100-year-old urinal without listed building consent, as it is of “historic significance”. Even applying for approval to cover it up would take months and cost thousands of pounds.

An internal Treasury memo seen by the Financial Times said: “It is understood to be the only toilet remaining from the early years of the building and it is associated with Churchill. As such, both the toilet and urinal are of historic significance.”

Ms Reeves is the first female Chancellor in the Treasury’s 900-year history. She was reported to have been considering modernising the black-and-white tiled room, which also has a lavatory, ahead of Labour’s election victory on July 4.

But one ally of the Chancellor told the newspaper: “When she was told it could cost £8,000 to even apply for listed building consent from the council, she pulled the plug on it. She’s not going to waste taxpayers’ money.”

Ms Reeves has resorted to placing a temporary cover over the urinal, which is already blocked off by a glass panel, as civil servants look for a way to conceal it permanently, The Times reported.

An internal document from civil servants seen by the newspaper said it would require planning permission to “extend the glass panel upwards and/or provide a cover to the urinal”.

“This will be at least an 18-week process and cost in the region of £8,000 for the application alone,” the internal note said.

An alternative plan to frost the existing glass panel could also cost thousands as “it would have to be designed and custom-made due to the shape”, the document said.

Another low-cost solution Treasury figures were understood to be mulling was to partially obscure the offending urinal with a pot plant.

Ms Reeves embarked on her first major international trip, to New York and Toronto, this week in order to drum up investment in the UK and to meet women in finance.

The Treasury was approached for comment.

This a little less political:

You've got to be kitten! Adorable cat is born with FOUR ears thanks to a rare genetic mutation

The cat, named Audio, was taken in to the True Rescue shelter last month

By Shivali Best For Mailonline

Published: 06:58 EDT, 9 August 2024 | Updated: 06:58 EDT, 9 August 2024

The idea of a four-eared cat might sound like a creature from the lastest science fiction blockbuster.

But it has become a reality in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, where a feline has been born with four ears thanks to a rare genetic mutation.

The cat, named Audio, was taken in to the True Rescue shelter last month with his three other siblings.

Writing on its Facebook page, True Rescue explained: 'This kitten came into our shelter today with his 3 other siblings, and he has a rare genetic mutation having been born with FOUR EARS!

'The last kitten we were able to find research about that had 4 ears came from Turkey and was from 2 years ago.'

Audio was just 8-9 weeks old when he was brought in to the rescue centre after being discovered with his litter mates in Nashville, Tennessee.

In a video posted to its Facebook page, a staff member at True Rescue explained: 'They were found duct taped inside a box with no air holes, and a good samaritan was able to get them out, get them fed, and get them to us.'

Placing Audio on a table, they added: 'He has four ears!

'We have front-facing ear flaps and then rear-facing ear flaps.

'He is very sweet and very grateful not to be stuck in that box anymore.'

The photos and videos of Audio have garnered huge attention on Facebook, where animal lovers have flocked to the comments to express their delight.

'This is SOOO cool! I love genetic abnormalities, just fascinating. Glad he is doing well,' one user commented.

Another added: 'He's so precious! The ears remind me of Dobby, I think that would be a cute name for him.'

And one joked: 'Extra ears to ignore with.'

While cats with four ears are rare, they're not unheard of.

According to a study, published in the Journal of Heredity back in 1957, the feature is due to a recessive mutation that only affects the outer ear flaps (also known as pinnae), and not the inner-ear mechanism.

However, that study also found that many cats with the mutation also have smaller eyes, an undershot jaw, and were more inactive and lethargic.

In recent years, several four-eared felines have hit the headlines, including a Russian Blue named Midas who has amassed a whopping 344,000 followers on Instagram.

If only Audio had a fifth ear in the center of his forehead, he'd be good for the reference listening position, and be able to tune a room without having to spend half an hour putting up mics, and another half hour taking them down again. But there again, given that, being a domestic cat, he can hear nothing below around 220Hz and everything up to around 3.2KHz, maybe he wouldn't be the best judge of cinema sound anyways.