Gooseys Gabbings-The World of Weird Bizarre and Odd News

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

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Public Spitting? Not in my town!

BEIJING — Residents were reminded again: Spitting must stop, starting now.

With the 2008 Beijing Olympics just 500 days away, officials said today they are prepared to take harsh measures against people who spit in public if appeals do not work.

"Very soon you will see action to stop spitting," Jin Dapeng, director general of Beijing's municipal health department, said. He refused to give specifics, but hinted that fines might be involved.

Residents say the habit is a reaction to Beijing's dirty, dry air.

Jin said the city has been successful in altering bad habits before, as during the SARS outbreak in 2003. "During the SARS period, people followed rules to wash their hands and they didn't spit," he said.

Bad manners have been a constant worry for Chinese officials and leaders who see the Olympics as a chance to impress the world and humanize China's remarkable re-emergence as a global power.

Goosey's Gabbings...

Those with distinct overbites and lisps could end up facing the death penalty should this continue to be a burden on China. My gut also tells me that chewing tobacco sales may take a dip overall (pun intended).

Labels: 2008 olympics, beijing, bizarre, china, crazy, dumb news, funny, odd, odd news, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, quirky, strange, weird

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Theft suspect to appear on game show

NEWARK — A St. Louisville man accused of taking more than $135,000 from elderly area residents and gambling with some of it is scheduled to be on an Ohio Lottery game show.

Timothy L. Snyder, 44, is awaiting a May trial on three theft charges and a misuse of a credit card charge for allegedly taking insurance benefits from elderly people in return for unperformed handiwork.

Snyder is scheduled to appear March 31 on the Ohio Lottery game show “Make Me Famous, Make Me Rich,” said Marie Kilbane, public information officer with the Ohio Lottery.

Snyder allegedly encouraged his victims to open joint accounts with him and cash in annuities in order to buy supplies for home repairs between March 2004 and last September. The work wasn’t completed.

Some of the money he allegedly received was used for gambling in Indiana casinos, according to a press release issued by the Ohio Department of Insurance.

Snyder could be sentenced to more than 20 years in prison if found guilty after his trial in Licking County Common Pleas Court scheduled to start May 29 in front of Judge Jon Spahr.

While awaiting his trial, Snyder is out of jail on a $5,000 bond. Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Dan Huston said there are no restrictions on Snyder’s bond that prohibit him from participating in the game show.

Kilbane said the Ohio Lottery does not do background checks on contestants, though they do check for child support and in-state withholdings.

While incarcerated Ohio gamblers aren’t eligible for the show, Kilbane said there’s nothing that prevents Snyder from playing if he’s out on bond.

Goosey's Gabbings..
Another one for the "ummmm..what?" record books. So, the guy bilks people of 135,000 and then goes and buys tickets with the money and wins an appearance on a game show to possibly win more money?

I thought that money laundering was HARD to do.

Another wonderful statement--"Does not do background checks, though they do check for child support..." Ok....so again...if I am a month behind on my support for whatever reason, I wouldn't have a prayer to be on the show, but Charles Manson can?

Labels: bizarre, crazy, dumb criminals, funny, funny news, humorous, news, odd news, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, ohio lottery, ohio news, strange, weird, weird news

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Staten Island Sign Crews--Lurn two spel!

STATEN ISLAND A very observant CBS 2 viewer stumbled upon quite an embarrassing spelling error for Staten Island traffic officials when some road sign crews apparently had a bit of trouble spelling the word "yield."

It's hard to miss, and even if you do, you'll likely stumble upon it again and again...and again. Signs posted along Midland Beach read in bright green and white paint: YEILD TO PEDESTRIANS.

The grade school error is causing a stir in the community, and passersby are finding plenty of amusement in the mistake. After all, at what age is the common adage, "I before E, except after C" taught to us?

A spokesman for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation told CBS 2: "It's an unfortunate mistake. An error was made. The signs should never have been put up."

And then, perhaps stating the obvious, the spokesperson added: "The person putting up the signs didn't notice."

Goosey's Gabbings...

So THAT's what Dan Quayle is doing these days.

Evidently road crews were so frustrated trying to get the spelling of Rudy Guiliani's name correct, they just put "Rudy-not the guy from Notre Dame."

Labels: crazy, funny, funny news, new york news, news, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, silly, staten island sign, strange

Monday, March 12, 2007

Tour De Georgia to kick off at....Waffle House?

Waffle House of Rome will serve as the breakfast host to the Yellow Jersey Club, the official hospitality venue for the Tour de Georgia, event organizers said.

The Norcross-based restaurant chain will be the official provider of the 2007 Tour de Georgia’s Start Hospitality experience at all of the race’s host cities. It marks the second consecutive year that Waffle House has partnered with the tour.

"What's great about Waffle House is that wherever the Tour travels across more than 660 miles, there's always a Waffle House near by,” said Chris Aronhalt, Managing Partner of Medalist Sports, the marketing agency licensed to operate the Tour.

"Our partnership with Waffle House has become a true Southern tradition for the Tour's staff, athletes, volunteers, media and spectators," Aronhalt said. "It is a pleasure to have them as a sponsor again this year, providing our breakfasts for the VIP hospitality at Start Line host venues."

Rome is among the Tour de Georgia host cities, serving as both a destination and starting point for two stages of the 2007 tour. The race, which comes to Rome April 17 and 18, also will touch Rockmart and Summerville before moving on farther north.

Goosey's Gabbings...

Tour officials have added that contestants normally get cups of water during the race; this year the water cups will be replaced by cups of gravy. Those who also finish the race will be greeted by a prize of a bucket of extra crispy KFC "finger lickin good" chicken.

Oddsmakers have predicted that over 1000 people will show up to start the race, but less than 50 will actually make it out of the parking lot.

Labels: bizarre, comedy, crazy, dumb news, funny, funny news, humorous, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, tour de georgia, weird

Man could face 75 years in jail for insult

A 57-year-old Swiss man has pleaded guilty in a court in Thailand to charges of insulting the king.

Oliver Jufer was arrested last December after drunkenly spray-painting several portraits of the monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

In court, Jufer pleaded guilty to five charges under Thailand's draconian lese majeste law.

He is due to be sentenced later this month, and the maximum penalty he could face is 75 years in jail.

Jufer's lawyer said the minimum sentence he faced was seven-and-a-half years.

Police reports said Jufer was drunk when the portraits were defaced on December 5th, which as the day of the King's birthday is a national holiday.

Jufer, who has lived in Thailand for more than 10 years, was recorded on surveillance cameras defacing the portraits.

Goosey's Gabbings...

...and here we thought the Swiss were so docile. Shame shame! (or something)

Another foreigner had been in trouble for defacing items in Singapore-you may remember Michael Fay, who received 4 months in jail and six cane lashings for graffiti on cars. When reached for comment about Jufer's situation, Fay made this official press statement:

"Dude...you're fucked."

Labels: bizarre, brutal crimes, crazy, funny crimes, funny news, man insults king, odd, oddball humor, oddball news, offbeat, offbeat news, strange, stupid criminals, thailand crimes, weird, weird crimes

Sunday, March 11, 2007

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

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