Gooseys Gabbings-The World of Weird Bizarre and Odd News

> Gooseys Gabbings-The World of Weird Bizarre and Odd News

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Saying "Vagina" leads to Students' Suspensions

Three US students are in hot water for disobeying teachers and uttering the word "vagina" during a reading from the well-known feminist play "The Vagina Monologues" at a high school forum.

The three 16-year-old girls received a one-day suspension from John Jay High School, in New York, after refusing to agree to drop the word from their presentation last Friday.

The school, however, announced this week that it was postponing the suspension following outrage by some of the girl's peers as well as parents.

Eve Ensler, the author of "The Vagina Monologues" has meanwhile called the girls to express support and has offered to come to the school to speak on the issue.

School principal Rich Leprine said in a statement that the punishment meted out to the students was not for using the word vagina but rather for insubordination.

Goosey's Gabbings...

Officials were questioned as to why they felt use of the word vagina was inappropriate. After much deliberation, they felt that the term "taint meat" would be more appropriate.

Labels: bizarre, funny, funny news, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, students suspended, vagina monologues, weird

City fixes Misspelled Sign--After 20 years

Hagerstown, MD-The city of Hagerstown corrected a municipal spelling error Thursday, 20 years after committing it. A sign directing drivers to "Municpal Stadium" was replaced with one displaying the proper spelling, said Erik Kline, city traffic control supervisor.

The sign was erected in the mid- to late 1980s, but the error went uncorrected until The (Hagerstown) Herald-Mail brought it to City Hall's attention this week, prompted by a reader's complaint.

Kline said the longtime tolerance for the misspelled sign shouldn't reflect poorly on the western Maryland city of 38,000.

"I think it was a mistake that was made. I don't know that it necessarily makes us look bad," Kline said.

Goosey's Gabbings...
I understand next on the city's docket is to fix that pesky outdoor plumbing issue. Someone mentioned this thing called a toilet that supposedly works better, so the Mayor is looking into it with the utmost care and concern.

Officials are deciding on whether to correct a sign that mysteriously appeared on the complainant's house which states "FACK YOU"

Labels: bizarre, dumb news, funny news, hagerstown maryland, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, weird

Speeding YouTube Motorist Escapes Arrest

LONDON (AFP) - A British motorcyclist escaped prosecution on Friday, after allegedly posting a video of himself speeding at 100 mph on YouTube.

The footage shows a man speeding through traffic -- in Somerset, south-west England -- in a 30 mph zone. Jeremy Parrot was easily tracked down by police because the clip appeared to show the bike arriving back at his home address.

The popular and free website -- which was recently bought by Internet giant Google for 1.65 billion dollars (803 million pounds) -- allows users to upload video clips which other people can view.

But there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case against Parrot, said police. It is understood no charges could be brought because no date or time appeared on the video.

The police have to give notice of a traffic offense within 14 days - and could not be sure when the footage was taken.

Parrot's lawyer said his client was "delighted," and insisted there was never any realistic chance of a prosecution. "It's not very good video footage, there's no date and my client isn't admitting it's him," he added.

Goosey's Gabbings...

So, evidently the saying is true..."A good lawyer IS a bad neighbor..."

Labels: bizarre, funny, funny crimes, humorous, lawyer humor, motorist escapes arrest, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, weird, weird crimes, Youtube

First Elderly Swiss Miss Crowned in Geneva

GENEVA (AFP) - Leontine Vallade, of uncertain age, became a Miss on Saturday, winning Switzerland's first ever title of "Miss Home for the Elderly."

Vallade, who counts floral arrangements among her favourite pastimes, beat off a strong challenge from the nine other contestants aged over 70 at the Chataigners home for the elderly in Veyrier, on the outskirts of Geneva.

The jury of representatives from five retirement or nursing homes said they were won over by her charisma and smile, earning the local pensioner a free meal at a luxury restaurant and a bunch of flowers.

The exact age of the contestants, who donned their Sunday best for the occasion, was not revealed.

Olivier Rerat, a retirement home employee who organised the pageant, said it brought a buzz of excitement to the five establishments involved.

The organisers hope to repeat the event next year and broaden it to more homes.

"And if there's enough interest, we may even launch the title of 'Mr Home for the Elderly'," said Rerat, once a finalist in Mr Switzerland.

Goosey's Gabbings...
Judge: So, you've won, Leontine!
Leontine: What?
Judge: You've won!
Leontine: Yes, have some.
Judge: No, Leontine, you have WON the competition.
Leontine: Oh! I won! That's nice.
Judge: Yes, that IS nice. What would you like to have as a prize?
Leontine: Depends!
Judge: On what?
Leontine: No, I would like some depends.

Labels: bizarre, comedy, elderly swiss miss, funny, humorous, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, Swiss Miss, weird

Woman targeted in murder-for-hire (twice) found dead, Police say death not suspicious...

STUART, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities are investigating the death of a woman found dead in her home after twice being targeted by her ex-husband in murder-for-hire plots.

Marcia Hoar, 53, was found dead Wednesday in her home, but authorities have not labeled her death suspicious, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Detectives are awaiting toxicology reports to determine the cause of death.

Hoar's ex-husband, Christopher Hoar, 58, was sent to prison for 45 years after he was convicted of twice trying to hire hit men from jail to kill her in 2004 and 2005. In both cases, the alleged hit men were undercover sheriff's deputies.

In one case, Marcia Hoar posed as a corpse in a pool of blood to convince her husband the hit was carried out.

Goosey's Gabbings...

I guess the chief of police there must not believe in the saying "third time is the charm."

What I love about these stories is that the police haven't even gotten any reports back and are going public with the not "suspicious" ideology...Just like Dick Cheney's hunting trip wasn't suspicious. PULL! Whoops...

My gut tells me that Leslie Nielsen must be heading up this investigation.

Labels: bizarre, crazy, murder for hire plot, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, stuart florida, weird, weird crimes

Man Taunts Police to catch him, Surprisingly gets caught

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Toxicology results for drugs haven't been released , but police believe a man who called 911 and taunted police for about three hours Friday was "obviously high on something." Alexander Craig, 21, was being held on suspicion of vehicular eluding, DUI and resisting arrest after making about 10 calls between 8:30 and 11 p.m. Thursday and leading police on a chase. "He called 911 and said, 'I'm hammered ... come get me,"' said Sgt. Rob Kelley.

He described his car, dropped clues of where he was and even gave his name. About 20 officers were involved in the search, but could find Craig. "He said we need to try harder to find him. He said he couldn't believe he hasn't been caught yet," Kelley said. After nearly two hours, Craig found them. He pulled up in front of squad cars and drove off, running red lights, driving down the wrong side of the street and jumping medians. He was caught when his car, leaking fluids, broke down and police used a stun gun on him. Intoxicated drivers usually try to stay under the radar, Kelley said. "For somebody to call us -- that's a first in 20 years I'm aware of," he said.

Goosey's Imaginings...

I'm not sure which is worse, the fact that the guy continued to taunt the police or the fact that it took 2 hours to find him....

Labels: bizarre, crazy, funny, funny crimes, funny news, man taunts police, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, weird

Pot Farm in dorm room confiscated: Students "Surprised"

COOKEVILLE -- Marijuana was being grown -- and sometimes smoked -- in a dormitory at Tennessee Tech, and five students got arrested for it last week, police said.

It took place on the fifth floor of Marshall Hall, a floor that has been closed off and unused for some time by order of the State Fire Marshal, TTU officials said.

On Feb. 21, TTU Police Officers Charles Davis and Sgt. Buck Fowler received information alleging that students were "on the fifth floor which was closed due to a fire hazard," according to warrants on file in the case.

The officers went to investigate and say they walked past a room on that floor which had "a heavy odor of burnt marijuana" and where smoke was visible, the warrants say.

The officers peeped in and saw a young man "in the bathroom standing on a cinder block reaching for marijuana plants."

There were 10 plants, six of them in water bottles and four in cups containing soil, the officers allege.

After further investigation, the officers took warrants against five students.

Arrested in the case and charged with criminal trespassing, possession of marijuana, and manufacture of a controlled substance were the following:

* Steven Hale Apa, 18, of McEwen, Tenn.

* Travis John Bonar, 19, of Oak Ridge, Tenn.

* Lars Winston Patrick, 20, of Oak Ridge, Tenn.

* John E. Chapman, 22, of Gray, Tenn.

* William R. Hedderick, 19, of Newton, New Jersey.

Steven Hale Apa was also charged with evading arrest, according to court records.

The five were booked into the Putnam County jail and were released after posting $5,000 bond. They go to court on March 12.

At TTU, they also face disciplinary action, officials said.

The fifth floor of Marshall Hall was closed a couple of years ago because state fire inspectors said it does not have sufficient means of exit in case of fire, but the other four floors are considered safe and are occupied, TTU spokesperson Monica Greppen said.

Goosey's Imaginings...

In other news, local 7-11 stores have reported a huge decrease in sales in bean burritos from the hours of 11 PM-4 AM. Store owner calls the monetary loss "substantial".

Labels: bizarre, funny, funny news, marijuana farm, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, tennessee tech, weird

Attack on 101-year old woman caught on tape

NEW YORK - For a moment, the man in the grainy video looks like a good Samaritan holding the door open for an elderly neighbor. Then he turns and delivers three sharp punches to the 101-year-old woman's head. p>"The next thing I knew, I had a big bang on the side of my face," said Rose Morat, who suffered a fractured cheekbone and lost her purse and $33 to the mugger.

The attack was captured by a surveillance camera in the lobby of her Queens apartment building last Sunday.

"I'm quite sure that if it had happened when I was younger, I would have been after him," she said. "I'm a very strong woman. I've been that way my whole life."

Police said the same man is believed to have later attacked a second elderly woman in the neighborhood. Investigators were searching for a suspect Saturday.

"We are pulling out all the stops to find him," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said in a statement. "We want to stop him before he strikes again."

Morat said she was headed to church when she met the man in her lobby. He offered to help her make her way out, but she declined.

"I know how to handle myself," she said.

As Morat maneuvered her walker through the building's small vestibule, the man slowly put his bicycle against the wall, turned, and attacked her, the security video showed.

Her hat flew off, but she remained on her feet as the man removed her bag and felt her coat pockets.

Then, before making his escape, he punched her in the head again and shoved her to the ground.

Morat spent three days in the hospital.

The 85-year-old woman believed to be the mugger's second victim, Solange Elizee, told police she was punched and pushed to the floor outside her apartment door by a man who had initially offered to help her get home.

"I like to help old people," he said before turning violent, according to Elizee.

The man took her purse and got away with $32, police said.

Goosey's imaginings...

Nothing funny about this. Find this man, beat him within an inch of his life, and make him stay the rest of his life at Walter Reed Hospital. Seriously.

Labels: 101-year old woman attacked, bizarre, brutal crimes, funny news, odd, oddball news, sad news, strange

A dramatic "Dine and Dash" for the ages

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) -- A bizarre incident at a Waffle House led to four Lexington men being cited by police following a high-speed chase.

Devin Chenault, 21, Shawn Caldwell, 18, Robert Greer, 19, and Marcus Graves, 18, were sitting at the counter in the restaurant early Friday morning when a fight between two girls broke out. A restaurant employee flagged down nearby police officers to help break up the fight, and when the officers entered the restaurant the four men took off without paying their nearly $100 tab.

Richmond Police Chief Wanda Singleton and two detectives tried to stop the men in the parking lot, but the men hopped in a car and nearly struck the officers as they were leaving the lot, according to Richmond police.

Police chased the men at speeds reaching 100 mph before the men crashed into a pole. The men tried to run away after the crash, but were captured by authorities.

All four men were charged with alcohol intoxication. Chenault was also charged with fleeing and evading, resisting arrest and identity theft. Caldwell, the driver, faces charges of reckless driving, driving under the influence and 10 counts of wanton endangerment.

Graves and one of the police officers were treated for minor injuries at Central Baptist hospital.

“Once you take a vehicle, which is considered a deadly weapon, and try to run over officers, that’s no different than pulling a weapon and firing a shot over their heads,” said Richmond Sgt. William Reardon.

Reardon didn’t say how the men rolled up such a high tab at the restaurant, where the most expensive item on the menu is around $10.

Goosey's Imaginings..

Chief Singleton was asked why someone would do something like this. After a long pause, Singleton responded, "There's no telling what someone will do when you're all hopped up on the syrup."

They were treated for minor injuries at a hospital? Like what? Diabetic seizures?

Lawyers for the arrested men are preparing for an insanity defense, whereby the assailants had visions because of the amount of food and sugar induced at the restaurant. This has preliminarily been dubbed "The Mrs. Butterworth defense".

Labels: bizarre, comedy, dine and dash, funny, funny news, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, waffle house fight, weird

Man saves pet with "Doggie CPR"

OMAHA, Neb. - Lucy was drowning and turning blue, so Randy Gurchin recalled his Air Force training on mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

It didn't matter that Lucy is a 10-month-old English bulldog, because he and Lucy are "best buddies."

"Once you get a pet, it's truly part of your family," he said. "You just tend to do whatever it takes to save their life."

Lucy had jumped into a partly frozen lake in pursuit of ducks and geese, but the water was too cold for her.

When Gurchin edged onto the ice and pulled Lucy out of the water, she was unresponsive and her face and paws were blue.

He closed her mouth, put his mouth over her nose, breathed air into her lungs and pushed on her chest, and after about a minute she began shallow breaths.

He drove her to a veterinary clinic, where she was immersed in warm water, given injections and placed in an oxygen tent.

By Friday, a week after her ordeal, Lucy was back to normal, said Gurchin, a pilot who retired from the Air Force two years ago.

Goosey's Imaginings...

When asked to comment on the dramatic event, Lucy noted that, "she had always felt that Randy had feelings for her, but didn't know if he'd ever act on them."

(Cue Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get it on"...)

Labels: bizarre, comedy, crazy, funny, funny news, man saves dog, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, weird

Man on crusade to dispel fear of ski masks

WINSTED, Conn. - Bank robbers, terrorists and prowlers have given ski masks a bad name for years, but a Connecticut man is wearing them around town to prove that not everyone who dons one is plotting mayhem.

Kevin Lambert, 31, got the idea in 2005 after he walked out of a local package store and slipped on a ski mask for an impromptu photograph. A passerby, fearing the store had been robbed, called police. Lambert was charged with breach of peace and had to perform 15 hours of community service.

Since then, he and his friends have worn ski masks in public places in an attempt to dispel the stereotype. Lambert has even launched a Web site dedicated to “Striving to keep America Warm By Combating Ski Mask Discrimination.”

“This isn’t something I do to go out and scare people,” he said.

In some chilly circles, ski masks seem to be making a comeback.

Tom Ramos, 16, said the three-hole knit masks are retro-chic in the snowboarding community of Naugatuck.

On the slopes, sure. But in a bank?

“It’s a little out of place,” Ramos acknowledged.

Goosey's Imaginings...

I'm thinking about possibly starting a crusade to dispel fear about this man. Any takers?

In other news, an Illinois man held a press conference with Freddy Krueger to denounce the exploitation of burn victims. *Rolls Eyes*

Labels: bizarre, comedy, fear of ski masks, funny, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, ski masks, strange, weird