Iran bans makeup on women, abnormal music
30 DecWomen wearing makeup, abnormal music and unruly children? Sounds like fun to me actually. Hmm, I wonder if makeup for MEN is allowed?
Iran’s state television to ban makeup for women
Thomas Erdbrink, Washington Post Foreign Service | December 2, 2009
TEHRAN — Iran’s state television will ban makeup for women, “abnormal” music and unruly children, an Iranian newspaper reported Wednesday.
The broadcaster’s top manager, Ezzatollah Zarghami, told his managers that female presenters wearing makeup are to be taken off air, saying the wearing of makeup was against the law — even though millions of women in this country use it. He said there “should be no insulting of family elders by children.”
“Lowering and refining of music is among our plans,” Zarghami also told his managers. His comments were reported in the Ettemaad newspaper.
Iran’s state television is under heavy criticism from both supporters and opponents of the government, who say its programs are relatively dull and don’t appeal to the nation’s urban middle class. Viewers are increasingly turning to foreign-based Farsi-language satellite channels, some of them financially backed by the United States and Britain.
A member of parliament recently said that the elite Revolutionary Guards are using new equipment to block transmissions of foreign channels. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently said he was not satisfied with state television’s performance.
Christmas wrapping paper prank
29 DecPranks are good. This is a nice one that took great effort. The thoroughness is impressive and the toilet paper-genius.
High School suspends Santa
24 Dec
Bah Humbug. High School rules are frick-dack-ducking draconian these days. Link to video.
Student Santa gets suspended
Katherine Scott | abclocal.go.com | December 23, 2009 | WPVI
A Delaware County teenager has created a new realm of debate, over what is appropriate attire at school. He donned a big red suit, went to class, and got suspended over it.
18-year-old Michael Hance said he wanted to spread holiday cheer by dressing up as Santa at school, though he admits he was warned otherwise. So when he walked into Strath Haven High Tuesday morning as Old St. Nick he found himself square on the school’s naughty list.
Donning the famous red suit he bought just for the occasion Michael thought Santa Claus was coming to Strath Haven High but instead he was quickly sent home even though he says the school permitted costumes for Student Council members.
“There were elves and reindeer and they didn’t get suspended.”
Random acts of kindness at Philly Diner
24 DecThis is a nice story.
Magic at the Aramingo Diner
www.philly.com | Friday, December 11, 2009
Last Saturday, Dec. 5th, something startling and wonderful happened at The Aramingo Diner in Port Richmond.
The 52-year-old landmark restaurant at 3356 Aramingo Ave. is open 24 hours a day, so it’s always a-bustle. But the place really hops during weekend breakfast and lunch time. Last Saturday was no different, and both wings of the diner – the booth area and the bigger dining room – were lively.
The manager on duty, Linda (who asked that I not mention her last name here, for reasons I can’t get into but let’s just say everything worked out okay…), tells me that a couple in their 30s paid their check at the register, then asked the cashier to let them secretly pay the check of another couple in the dining room – a couple they didn’t know.
“They just wanted to do it,” she said. “They thought it would be a nice thing to do.”
When the unsuspecting patrons went to pay their check, they were floored to find out that strangers had picked up their tab. So they asked the cashier to let them pay another table’s check, also anonymously.
When that table’s patrons approached the register, they, too, decided to pay the favor forward for yet another table of unsuspecting strangers.
You know where this is going, right?
Samaritan helps empty bus stuck on train tracks
23 DecA variety of media is available to us and that’s good, because none of the online newspaper stories I saw about this incident mentioned the heroic, selfless actions of John Masinick. (I’m guessing at the spelling of his name.) In case the link dies let me tell you what he did.
Snowy blizzard night, he’s driving along and sees a NJ Transit bus stuck on the train tracks, and the red lights flashing that indicate a train is coming. He got out of his vehicle, got on to the bus and persuaded the reluctant passengers and driver, who didn’t see the red flashing lights to evacuate IMMEDIATELY. Once some of the passengers looked out the window and saw the lights of the oncoming train they moved swiftly. By the time the commuter train hit the bus, crumpling it nearly in half, all of the passengers were safely off the bus.
Right before the collision another NJ Transit bus had come along, witnessing the crash and providing warm, snow refuge for the evacuated passengers.
I hope Santa is good to you Mr. John Masinick.
Train Hits Bus Stuck in Snow,
N.J. Transit bus service suspended for the night
www.nbcphiladelphia.comm | By TERESA MASTERSON | Dec 19, 200
A New Jersey Transit train struck a New Jersey Transit bus Saturday after the bus became stuck on the snow-covered train tracks in Pennsauken.
The 25 passengers were evacuated before the Atlantic City line train hit it at about 7:30 p.m., says N.J. Transit spokesman Dan Stessel. A train engineer had minor injuries from the crash.
A new bus picked up the bus riders. The 38 train passengers were to get a ride on another train once the damaged bus could be removed from the crossing.
Officials were urging motorists to stay inside. Speed limits on some major roadways were reduced.
At 9 p.m. NJ Transit announced it was suspending bus service for the night. Buses were to stop after their current runs were completed.
Salvation Army red kettles stolen in Charlotte NC
22 DecThe really creepy part of this story is that the kettles were stolen, giving bad guys a license to steal more money. This incidnet has been a blessing in disguise. The people of Charlotte have opened their hearts and pocketbooks to make up for this loss. The largest contribution coming from the firefighters of Charlotte who donated $6,000.
13 Salvation Army Kettles Stolen In Charlotte Salvation Army Says About $4,000 Held In Kettles
December 12, 2009 | www.wxii12.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police in Charlotte said 13 Salvation Army donation kettles were stolen at gunpoint late Friday night.
Police said two armed men covering their faces entered the business at 4300 Stuart Andrew Blvd. just after 10 p.m.
Two employees were held at gunpoint while the property was taken, police said.
Jim Price, of the Salvation Army, said the kettles held an estimated total of $4,000.
The men fled in an older model green Jeep Cherokee, police said. No shots were fired and there were no injuries.
The first man was described as black, 5 feet 10 inches tall with average build and wearing a black hoodie and a black bandanna with skulls on it around his face. Police said he was also wearing sunglasses and gloves, and he was armed with a small revolver.
The second man was also armed with a gun and was described as black, about 6 feet 4 inches tall, 240 pounds and wearing a black hoodie, black bandanna and sunglasses.
Farewell composer Vic Mizzy
21 DecAs 2009 winds down I want to remember some people whose passing I hadn’t noted yet.
In this 2004 photo released by Johathan Wolfson shows Vic Mizzy at his home in the Bel Air area of Los Angeles. The Brooklyn-born songwriter who wrote the catchy theme songs to The Addams Family and Green Acres, but also dozens of #1 pop hits has passed away in Los Angeles Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. He was 93. (AP Photo/Micah Smith)
Americans of all ages are familiar with Mister Mizzy’s wonderful work. Not only was he a gifted composer he was a shrewd business man. A rare combo of talents for sure. He lived to a ripe old age living in Bel Air, not bad for a Brooklyn boy. I’m sure he is missed by fans, friends and family. For more on Vic Mizzy including some of his other infectious and cheery tunes go to www.vicmizzy.com.
He wrote Addams Family, Green Acres theme songs
www.winnipegfreepress.com | Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Vic Mizzy, a songwriter who composed the catchy themes for the 1960s TV comedies The Addams Family and Green Acres, has died. He was 93.
Mizzy died Saturday at his home in Bel Air, his manager Jonathan Wolfson said. He said he didn’t know the cause of death.
He wrote songs that were recorded by Dean Martin, Doris Day, Perry Como and Billie Holiday in the ’40s and ’50s. His hits included Pretty Kitty Blue Eyes, My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time, and With a Hey and a Hi and a Ho-Ho-Ho.
But his most famous work was the theme to The Addams Family, a tune accented by finger snaps and opening with the cleverly quirky lyrics: “They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky: the Addams family.”
Mizzy sang the song himself and overdubbed it three times to give the impression of multiple vocalists. He also directed the title sequence where he asked actors who played members of the Addams family to snap their fingers in a bored way.
The enduring tune is often heard during sports games to rally the home team.
“He was smart enough to demand to own the song, which was unheard of at the time. So any time you go to a Lakers game and they play that song, he made money,” Wolfson said.
He is survived by a brother, daughter and two grandchildren.
– The Associated Press
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 21, 2009
Cop pulls gun in middle of DC snowball fight
20 DecI was first alerted to this by eyewitness, Mr Rev Dr DJ Booger X. The video clip is great. Hey Mr Hummer, you need to lighten up and maybe see someone about that PTSD.
Snowball fight takes dangerous turn when police officer draws gun
By Matt Zapotosky | Washington Post Staff Writer | December 20, 2009
The snowball fight is a time honored ritual, a return to childhood innocence. But as any kid with tell you, a glob of ice in the eye can ruin the fun.
During Washington’s record-breaking snowstorm on Saturday, a massive snowball fight was taking place at the corner of 14th and U streets that had grown men and women laughing and hurling fresh-fallen snow at one another in the middle of the street. Good-natured, wintertime fun, according to participants.
Then a D.C. police officer happened by, and the event — filmed by amateurs and a local television station — suddenly became more serious.
Videos and photos show a D.C. police detective unholstering his gun (and admitting to it) during a confrontation with a group of snowball fighters. The video is making the rounds on the Internet and national TV stations. The detective, who authorities have not identified, on one such video says: “Yes I did,” apparently referring to the fact that he drew his gun, “because I got hit with snowballs.”
D.C. police have said they are investigating the incident. Assistant Chief Pete Newsham, who leads the department’s investigative services bureau, has said the detective in question “was armed but never pulls his weapon.” Photos and videos posted online appear to contradict that, though none show the detective pointing his gun at anyone.
Pranky Christmas Decoration
18 DecI got this from my correspondent in Memphis, Tom. His email is quoted below the image.
Greg sends along this DIY FYI:
“Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.
First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.
Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn’t realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn’t take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard.”
Nepalese Animal Sacrifice Festival
17 DecApparently Nepalese Hindus are OK with slaughtering animals. Who knew?
What do you think of this story? Is that your cultural imperialism acting up again? As one participant says “it would be immoral to go against tradition.” In that one snippet he pretty much summed up the wide wide world of wacky religious views. Truly, at their core, all religious views are a bit wacky.
Hard hearted as I am I am glad the media coverage I’ve found has been, um, more suggestive than illustrative of what must be unimaginable carnage, blood lust and horror.
Link that may or may not work to an AP video.
Nepalese butchers laud mass animal sacrifice
By Deepesh Shrestha (AFP) – Nov 25, 2009
BARIYAPUR, Nepal — Kabir Jung Rana is a Nepalese bank clerk by profession, but this week he took a break to butcher buffalo at the world’s biggest animal sacrifice.
Worshippers travelled long distances, many coming from neighbouring India, to attend the Gadhimai festival which is held every five years in southern Nepal to appease the Hindu goddess of power.
“It is not an easy task to kill the animals but once I entered the slaughtering field with my sword I felt blessed with some kind of divine power and that kept me going,” Rana told AFP after the two-day event ended on Wednesday.
“I slaughtered around 20 buffalo in 2004. This time I managed to behead about 70. I wish the sacrifice has not ended.”
On Tuesday 250 sword-wielding butchers slaughtered around 20,000 buffalo, while the following day hundreds of thousands of people offered smaller animals to Gadhimai.
Priests said at least 150,000 goats, roosters, ducks and pigeons were sacrificed at the temple, and thousands more were killed in surrounding fields.
Cries of passion misunderstood, lead to assault
16 DecHa ha ha ha ha ha! Gladly there was not a tragic end to this story. Would have been funnier if they all barged in singing “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
Oops! Noisy Sex Mistaken for Attack
A Torrington man learns to carry extra protection
By ALEX ZURITA | Fri, Jul 3, 2009 |Â Associated Press / NBC Los Angeles
There are screams of pain, and then, well screams of passion. Four teens in Torrington, Connecticut learned the difference the hard way – when they allegedly beat up a man who was there for a little lovin’.
A 16-year-old girl was in a room of her home when she heard the 34-year-old woman she lives with scream. Rather than call the cops, she corralled some friends.
Then she — armed with a baseball bat and the four members of her crew – politely knocked on a bedroom door to be let into the room from which the screams were coming.
The group then proceeded to beat up the 25-year-old male who was causing the ruckus.
They assumed that that he was assaulting the woman and thought they should save her.
Well, she didn’t need saving, and probably did not want to be interrupted. The couple was having sex when the teens interrupted.
The teenage girl was charged with assault and carrying a dangerous weapon. The only adult accused in the attack, Dilyen Langdeau, 19, was charged with third-degree assault and conspiracy to commit assault.
Two other 17-year-old boys were arraigned in the case in Bantam Superior Court on Wednesday.
The youths were initially held on $100,000 bond, according to the Waterbury Republican-American.
The man’s injuries were not life-threatening. But it goes to show you, that you should always practice safe sex and carry protection — like a medieval shield to deflect some blows for ill-timed Good Samaritans.