March 2009 Archives

Two mums had their babies mixed up by blundering hospital doctors and raised them as their own - for two years.

Devastated Zarema Tiasumova and Anna Androsova have finally swapped their children back after DNA tests.

But Zarema is so upset she still sits outside the other boy's house to be close to the child she brought up as her own.

Debate has erupted in internet forums after a magician in Peru 'levitated' on Friday.

Claudia Pacheco, known as 'Princess Inca' drew hundreds of fans, for the event staged in the central Plaza de Armas in Lima.

Princess Inca's levitation height was measured at 30 cm off the ground and left the gathered spectators puzzled.

But posters on YouTube and in other forums have claimed it was a hoax.

A baby was baptised by a priest with lemon cola after cold weather froze the church's taps in Norway.

A recent cold-spell in Stord, about 150 miles from the country's capital Oslo, forced church caretakers to turn off the taps so Priest Paal Dale improvised and used lemon-flavoured cola to baptise a baby.

He said the fizzy drink had gone flat and that "only the lemon smell made this unusual".

Monty Python's Life of Brian had its first showing in a seaside town last night - after a local 30-year ban was ended.

Two of its stars, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, were at the screening in Aberystwyth, West Wales, as was outgoing mayor Sue Jones-Davies - who in a bizarre coincidence is the actress who played Judith Iscariot in the 1979 film.

Feeding fish oil to cows could help in the fight against global warming.

More than a third of all methane emissions are generated by gut bacteria in farm animals.

Now Irish scientists have found that fish oil lowers production of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Man hires porn. Man found out by wife (Jacqui Smith), boss (Jacqui Smith) and MP (er, Jacqui Smith). Wife/boss/MP then makes man apologise to the world. This one's from The Mirror...

Jacqui Smith went ballistic when she found out her husband had been watching porn movies at their home - and putting them on her official expenses.

A friend said last night: "On a scale of anger from one to 10 she was a 55."

In a furious showdown the "mortified" Home Secretary threatened to sack shamed Richard Timney as her £24,000 a year parliamentary assistant.

Instead she sent him out of their family house in Redditch, Worcs, to make a humiliating public apology.

It took some nerve to video this...

This one's from TBO. To read their original story go to www.tbo.com

If you ever need an example of why drinking and dialing isn't a joke and can lead to serious repercussions, consider the case of Evon Cavett.

Tampa police say she was the woman who misused the 911 system Wednesday, calling three times to tell dispatchers that her roommate was trying to take beer away from her.

Here's a partial transcript of the 911 calls, released today by the Tampa Police Department.

Dispatcher: "What's the problem right now?"

Cavett: "Domestic violence."

Dispatcher: "What's going on?"

Cavett: "OK, there's an argument going out of control."

Dispatcher: "What are you arguing about?"

Cavett: "Beer. I'm totally embarrassed to even say that. But yeah, it's about beer."

A few minutes later, Cavett then tells the dispatcher that her roommate is trying to take a beer away and asks if police can be sent to her apartment at 712 E. Floribraska Ave.

Officers went to the apartment about 2:35 a.m. Wednesday and found Cavett drinking from a 40-ounce bottle of Bud Light and an unidentified man sitting with her. Cavett told police she had drunk six 16-ounce cans of beer but wasn't finished drinking.

She told officers she didn't call 911, although her home phone number matched the caller ID from the 911 center, police said. She then said she had called about "some kids selling drugs" outside, police said.

The man with her pointed at her, mimed a drinking motion and then mimed holding a phone receiver. The officers told her that the 911 system is for emergencies only and left.

Ten minutes later, Cavett called 911 again. Here's a partial transcript from the second call:

"Two cops just came to my apartment for no reason," Cavett said. "Nobody called them out here."

Cavett then asked for the dispatcher's name.

"I'm Operator 37," the dispatcher said.

"Operator 37? That's not a name. That's number. Honestly, I'm not trying to be funny."

Dispatcher: "Why do you want the police now?"

Cavett: "I don't call y'all for no reason."

Dispatcher: "Well, you just called 10 minutes ago about your roommate taking your beer."

Cavett: "Honestly, I don't remember that."

Cavett then starts crying.

"I can't understand you," the dispatcher said over the sobs.

A few seconds later Cavett replies," It hurts my feelings." Cavett then gets agitated and tells the dispatcher, "Look, if you're going to lock me up, come here and lock me up! You heard that?"

Dispatcher: "Yes. I did."

Cavett hangs up but calls 911 a final time. The third call is the shortest.

"Come arrest me!" Cavett shouts.

A different dispatcher says, "All right, I'll let them know."

Cavett: "Thank you. Bye."

Cavett, 43, was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors: misuse of the 911 system, obstructing an officer without violence and disorderly conduct. She was released from Orient Road Jail after posting $1,250 bail.

This one from KPTV. To read the full story go to www.kptv.com

A Washington man tried to pay a more than $200 traffic ticket by sending a plastic bag filled with coins and urine to a county billing office, deputies said.

"That's something I can't wrap my mind around," said Sgt. Phil Anderchuk, of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office. "The thought process of acting consciously -- consummating the act of urinating in a box full of coins that someone is going to receive."

The man didn't break any postal laws by mailing the combination of urine and change to the Multnomah County court, reported television station KPTV in Portland. Postal officials said it is legal to mail urine or other bodily fluids as long as they are packaged properly in a way that doesn't leak or smell. County employees said the package was wrapped tightly until it reached the courthouse mailroom and didn't smell until it was opened.

Because of a policy of only accepting up to $20 in change, court workers returned his money -- postage due.

An extraordinary video this one...

1.2 million snow geese February/March 2009 from Mike Hollingshead on Vimeo.