Weird News Stories

[Keyrock]

Meanwhile, in Florida, a man was arrested for masturbating outside a convenience store while rotating in place.

 

Pretty fantastic mugshot too.

Edited August 28, 2013 by Keyrock

[Gorth]

Typical Florida.

They have a hospital called Fish Memorial... seriously (and this wing commemorates the unknown sardine) ?

 

As for the guy, somebody probably said something like you need a shrink and he heard it as shrimp.

[Walsingham]

So he has a plea date in late September? I guess he's obviously guilty, but that means he's going straight to lockup for at least a month, doesn't it?

[Raithe]

Sky News - Putin underwear painting seized by police

 

 

 

A painting of Russia's president and prime minister in women's underwear has been removed from a St Petersburg gallery by police.

The officers also seized a picture of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, his torso covered in tattoos, and two others poking fun at lawmakers who have backed legislation banning so-called gay propaganda.

 

The police service said it had taken paintings, by artist Konstantin Altunin, from the Museum of Power gallery - based in two rooms of a flat - after receiving reports they were illegal.

 

It gave no further details but Russia does have a law against insulting authorities - an offence that carries a maximum one-year prison term.

One painting showed President Vladimir Putin wearing a tight-fitting slip and brushing the hair of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is wearing knickers and a bra.

 

St Petersburg deputy Vitaly Mironov, whose face was combined with the gay rights movement's rainbow flag in one of the paintings, said the images were inappropriate and "of a distinctly pornographic character".

Russia's second city, which next week hosts world leaders at a G20 summit, was one of the first Russian cities to introduce a law banning the spread of "gay propaganda".

 

The Russian parliament has also adopted similar legislation, prompting protests from abroad and calls for a boycott of the Winter Olympics which Russia will host in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in February.

Gallery owner Alexander Donskoy said the officers had also shut down his establishment and given him no explanation for the removal of paintings from the exhibition, titled 'Leaders'.

 

"This is an (illegal) seizure," he said. "We have been given no formal documents banning us from operating and no receipt confirming our petty cash was seized."

 

 

[Raithe]

nbc news - mini-human brains grown from stem cells

 

 

The first complete living model of the developing human brain has been created in a lab dish.

Researchers grew human stem cells in an environment that encouraged them to form pea-size gobs of brain tissue, which developed into distinct brain tissues, including a cerebral cortex and retina.

 

The minibrains were used to model microcephaly, a human genetic disorder in which brain size is dramatically reduced. Though not capable of consciousness or other higher cognitive functions, the minibrains allow scientists to study aspects of the developing human brain that are difficult to model in animals. 

"The mouse brain is not always a good model system for the human brain," study researcher Jüergen Knoblich, of the Austrian Academy of Science's Institute of Molecular Biotechnology in Vienna, said at a news conference. "Our system allows us to study human-specific features of brain development."

Other groups have grown small pieces of neural tissue in the lab before, but none has been able to successfully grow tissue that contained both a cortex — the specialized outer layer of the brain — and other brain regions, Knoblich said.

 

Started with stem cells
To create the minibrains, Knoblich and his team took human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells — both types of cells with a capacity to develop into any kind of tissue — and grew the cells in conditions that allowed them to form a tissue called neuroectoderm, which develops into the nervous system. The researchers embedded fragments of the tissue in droplets of gel to create a scaffold to guide further growth. They then transferred the droplets to a spinning bioreactor that increased nutrient absorption.

 

After 15 to 20 days, the tissue formed minibrains called cerebral organoids, each enclosing a fluid-filled region, much like the cerebral ventricles that contain cerebrospinal fluid in the human brain. After 20 to 30 days, some of the organoids formed defined brain areas, including a cerebral cortex (the brain's complex outer layer); retinal tissue, the light-sensitive part of the eye; meninges, the membranes that envelope the brain; and choroid plexus, which produces the cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the brain.

 

The minibrains grew 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08-0.1 in) in diameter, and have survived in lab dishes for 10 months so far. Their size is limited, because they lack a circulatory system to provide nutrients and oxygen to their core regions. As a result, the brains could not develop the many layers seen in a real human brain, the researchers said.

 

Learning about disorders
In addition to modeling how a healthy human brain develops, the organoids can be used to model brain disorders. Knoblich and his colleagues used their minibrains to study microcephaly, a disorder not easily studied in mice because their brains are already smaller than human ones. They took skin cells from a microcephaly patient and reprogrammed them into stem cells, which they then grew into brain organoids.

 

The mini microcephaly brains grown from the patient's cells were smaller than ones grown from normal tissue, but had more neuron growth. The results suggest the brains of microcephaly patients develop neurons too early, before their brains have grown large enough. Other experiments showed the orientation in which the stem cells divide could also play a role in the disorder.

 

Biologist Gong Chen of the University of Pennsylvania, who was not involved with the research, called it "a remarkable achievement," adding, "it opens the door for many studies on the human brain using human neurons."

 

This method of growing minibrains in a lab could be used to or test medications, or to study other brain disorders. "Ultimately, we would like to move to more common disorders, like schizophrenia and autism," Knoblich said, though he added that it's premature to speculate when scientists will develop minibrains complex enough to do so. 

[ShadySands]

Did Kim Jong-un Have the ‘Excellent Horse-Like Lady’ Singer Executed?

 

 

Only one news outlet is reporting that Kim Jong-un's ex-girlfriend (and once-rumored wife) Hyon Song-wol, known for her song 'Excellent Horse-Like Lady,' was arrested and then executed along with fellow musicians earlier this month. But it's a big news outlet: Chosun Ilbo is one of South Korea's main daily papers, with a circulation of 2.3 million. That of course doesn't prove or disprove the report, but at least this is more than a Twitter rumor.

 

Chosun's story cites unnamed sources in China, who said Hyon was one of a dozen members of the Unhasu Orchestra and Wangjaesan Light Music Band who were arrested on Aug. 17, accused of filming themselves having sex, distributing the tapes in North Korea and China, and also possessing Bibles. The source said they were killed by machine gun in front of their families, who were then sent to labor camps.

 

The Chosun Ilbo article includes one bit of background detail that suggests this might (might!) be more than a whole-cloth rumor: Since Kim's father, Kim Jong-il, ordered him to stop dating Hyon, who he met a decade ago, "there have been rumors that the two were having an affair." Kim's actual wife, Ri Sol-ju, used to perform in the Unhasu Orchestra as well as Hyon. The paper notes, "Whether she had any hand in the executions is unclear."

 

Frustratingly, when dealing with news from inside the closed state, it's both impossible to fully believe anonymously sourced reports such as this one, and often impossible to obtain anything more concrete.

[ShadySands]

Excellent Horse-Like Lady???

 

 

 

for some reason my edits come out weird so sorry for the second post

[Amentep]

Its a mistranslation of the song's actual title - "A Girl In The Saddle Of A Steed", IIRC

[Gorgon]

Yes, now I want to hear the song. 

[Amentep]

The Internet leads me to believe this is it:

 

[ShadySands]

Disappointing

 

None of those women were very horse-like

[Malcador]

What a nightmare.

[ShadySands]

Also

 

Obama administration to allow recreational marijuana laws to stand

 

The Obama administration announced Thursday a limited pullback on federal enforcement of marijuana, saying it will not interfere with new state laws that permit recreational use of marijuana.

 

The Justice Department said it will not seek to veto new state laws in Colorado and Washington that legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and it will not bring federal prosecutions against dispensaries or businesses that sell small amounts of marijuana to adults.

 

A department official stressed, however, that marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and that U.S. prosecutors will continue to aggressively enforce the law against those who sell marijuana to minors and to criminal gangs that are involved in drug trafficking.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Looks like you can now light up in peace Shady.

[Keyrock]

I need to move to either Washington or Colorado.

[ShadySands]

I don't smoke but if someone offered me a brownie or something I can't say with complete confidence that I would say no

[Raithe]

An entertaining moment via 21st Century Wire - John Cleese: Syria and Alert to Threats in Europe

 

 

 

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent events in Syria and have therefore raised their security level from “Miffed” to “Peeved.”

Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to “Irritated” or even “A Bit Cross.” The English have not been “A Bit Cross” since the Blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from “Tiresome” to “A Bloody Nuisance.” The last time the British issued a “Bloody Nuisance” warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

 

The Scots have raised their threat level from “Pissed Off” to “Let’s get the Bastards.” They don’t have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

 

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from “Run” to “Hide.” The only two higher levels in France are “Collaborate” and “Surrender.” The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France ‘s white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country’s military capability.

 

Italy has increased the alert level from “Shout Loudly and Excitedly” to “Elaborate Military Posturing.” Two more levels remain: “Ineffective Combat Operations” and “Change Sides.”

 

The Germans have increased their alert state from “Disdainful Arrogance” to “Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs.” They also have two higher levels: “Invade a Neighbour” and “Lose.”

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .

 

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

 

Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from “No worries” to “She’ll be right.” Two more escalation levels remain: “Crikey! I think we’ll need to cancel the barbie this weekend!” and “The barbie is cancelled.” So far no situation has ever warranted use of the last final escalation level.

 

A final thought – ” Greece is collapsing, the Iranians are getting aggressive, and Rome is in disarray. Welcome back to 430 BC”.

 

 

[Blarghagh]

We need 300 Spartans to deal with those pesky Iranians.

[Keyrock]

Man admonishes police for weighing his crack cocaine wrong

 

 

"While weighing the narcotics on a scale at the county jail, Ames yelled from the back of my patrol car that I was doing it wrong. Ames told me . . . that I needed to press the scale button to grams," a report states. "Ames told me that the reason he knew how to separate/weigh crack cocaine and pills is because that's what he does for a living."

 

Chalk up another one for Florida.

[kgambit]

Man admonishes police for weighing his crack cocaine wrong

 

 

"While weighing the narcotics on a scale at the county jail, Ames yelled from the back of my patrol car that I was doing it wrong. Ames told me . . . that I needed to press the scale button to grams," a report states. "Ames told me that the reason he knew how to separate/weigh crack cocaine and pills is because that's what he does for a living."

 

Chalk up another one for Florida.

 

Chalk up another victory for stupidity ..... 

[josan motierre]

If you still don't think cops are out of control then how about this. a three year old has been cited for "Anti-Social Behavior" which is apparently a crime in not-so-jolly olde England: http://t.now.msn.com/caidence-leadbitter-3-cited-for-anti-social-behavior-by-police

 

Of course in the US we have crime fighting ninjas to take care of dangerous criminal like three year old girls: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/08/16/ninja-arrested-after-lurking-in-neighbors-bushes-says-he-was-trying-to-help-cops-fight-crime/

 

I think the police did the right thing there. Little kids should be shown right and wrong. It's a shame the police have to step in and be parents as well.

[Hurlshort]

 

If you still don't think cops are out of control then how about this. a three year old has been cited for "Anti-Social Behavior" which is apparently a crime in not-so-jolly olde England: http://t.now.msn.com/caidence-leadbitter-3-cited-for-anti-social-behavior-by-police

 

Of course in the US we have crime fighting ninjas to take care of dangerous criminal like three year old girls: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/08/16/ninja-arrested-after-lurking-in-neighbors-bushes-says-he-was-trying-to-help-cops-fight-crime/

 

I think the police did the right thing there. Little kids should be shown right and wrong. It's a shame the police have to step in and be parents as well.

 

 

Yes I've got to agree.  The police had to warn the parent that a citation was possible, which means the parent was probably being a douche and not taking care of their kids.  These kids were walking around jumping on plants and flowers on other peoples property.  My son does the same thing, and he gets in trouble for it.  I couldn't imagine him doing it outside of our yard either, he'd be in huge trouble.

[Walsingham]

In fairness to GD, I think he's assuming that normal people could handle the situation better. Normal British people don't go anywhere near irritating kids, least of all to admonish them.

 

I think I told you the story about us interrupting a party when it emerged that local children were patiently but unsuccessfully attempting to burn the house down. They told us that if we so much as touched them then they'd claim we'd groped them. We had to _talk_ them out of it, politely and good naturedly.

 

Actually it's just occurred to me that they've probably got a lot older now, and I should track them down, and punch them in the face.

[Raithe]

In fairness to GD, I think he's assuming that normal people could handle the situation better. Normal British people don't go anywhere near irritating kids, least of all to admonish them.

 

I think I told you the story about us interrupting a party when it emerged that local children were patiently but unsuccessfully attempting to burn the house down. They told us that if we so much as touched them then they'd claim we'd groped them. We had to _talk_ them out of it, politely and good naturedly.

 

Actually it's just occurred to me that they've probably got a lot older now, and I should track them down, and punch them in the face.

 

Of course nowadays, you hold up your phone and thank them for saying that on the record so you can put it on facebook, so if they want to try that..

[Agiel]

"Insanity... is... doing the exact... same f***ing thing... over and over and over again... expecting... s*** to change. That... is... crazy."

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/30/dunkin-donuts-racist-thai-advert-blackface

 

I myself don't find them that offensive, but It's like the ad agencies who keep coming up with these blackface ads think people will stop complaining about them and laugh if they keep at them.