Where Can You Train for a Naked Bike Race?

Cyclist arrested while training for naked bike race, police say

By Vincent Tuss, Star Tribune

July 20, 2009 - 10:39 AM

A Minneapolis man who was cited Thursday for indecent exposure told officers that he was training for a naked bicycle race.

Johann Scott Scrimshire, 42, was arrested about 6 a.m. near Calhoun Parkway after a 911 call about a man on a bicycle exposing himself to walkers and joggers.

The officers who responded said Scrimshire told them he was training for a bike race on the West Coast in which participants ride nude, said Sgt. William Palmer, a Minneapolis police spokesman.

The officers said Scrimshire was wearing a skirt-like garment or a pair of shorts with the crotch area removed, Palmer said.

"It clearly looked intentional," he said.

Scrimshire posted $50 cash bail at the Hennepin County jail on Thursday and was released at about 11 a.m., according to jail records. He is scheduled to appear in Hennepin County District Court on July 30.

Reached by phone Thursday night, Scrimshire said, "The charges are ridiculous, and the facts will come out in court."

Scrimshire is an attorney. A search of Minnesota records for disciplined lawyers found no record that Scrimshire has ever been publicly disciplined.

Palmer said police had received a similar report in the area 10 days earlier but they were not sure it was related to this case.

"If you go to a park, you shouldn't expect to be faced with this kind of behavior," Palmer said.

What to Do With a Worthless Dead Shark?

Dead shark dumped in Miami street after unsuccessful attempt to peddle it to fish markets for $10.

Jul 22 2009



A City of Miami Crime Scene Investigator photographs a dead shark shark that was discovered in the middle of NW 5th Ave. in Miami late Tuesday evening, July 21, 2009 after two men tried, unsuccessfully to sell it to several fish markets. The men apparently carried the five or six-foot-long fish around on the city's Metromover downtown train, prompting calls to police. Wildlife officials later determined the animal was a nurse shark.

News footage Tuesday night showed the dead animal in the street with police officers and cruisers nearby. Two stations reported that a pair of men had tried to sell the animal to at least three fish markets for around $10.

Rob Orta, an employee at Casablanca Fish Market, told television station WSVN that the men offered his business the shark.

"But we don't buy sharks off the street," Orta told the station. "You don't know where that shark's been or for how long.

Wildlife officials later determined the animal was a nurse shark. The case could result in misdemeanor charges of improper killing and disposal of an animal and selling a shark without a license.

One resident of the area where the shark was dumped said he didn't know what was going on at first.

"It was a relief that it was a shark," said Keith Smith. "When I first saw it, I thought it was a body because of all the shootings that have been going on. Dead sharks we get all the time."

Is It Southwest Airlines or Just Bad Karma?

Scorpion stings passenger on Phoenix-to -Indianapolis flight


Only a few days ago on this blog we published a story about a SW Airlines flight from Nashville to Baltimore that sprung a hole in its roof at 30,000 feet, enabling some passengers to look up into an unobstructed view of the universe. A few passengers were thrilled by the prospect of sudden death, others not so much. Now comes the following account of a family of poisonous scorpions that hitched a ride from Phoenix to Indianapolis and bit a passenger for good measure just before arrival. Are these two seemingly unrelated incidents due to pure chance or something more sinister?

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southwest Airlines says an Arizona man was stung by a scorpion that hitched a ride on his carry-on luggage and delivered its sting just before his flight landed.

Forty-four-year-old Douglas Herbstsommer of Gilbert, Ariz., wasn't seriously injured Sunday when he was stung by a venomous Arizona bark scorpion while going through his luggage.

He was treated at Indianapolis International Airport.

Southwest spokeswoman Marilee McInnis says the Arizona bark scorpion and five baby scorpions hitched a ride from Phoenix to Indianapolis aboard Herbstsommer's luggage.

The scorpions were killed after the flight landed, in a naked display of vengeance, and the jetliner was fumigated as a precaution. Bark scorpions are venomous, but their sting rarely causes death, except maybe their own.

Housing Trends in the New Downsized Economy: Small Is Beautiful

July 21, 2009

Tiny Houses Battle Rising Housing Costs

Thirty six years ago, E.F.Schumacher, a British economist, published a small book a titled: "Small Is Beautiful." In it Schumacher made the argument for ending the trend towards bigger and bigger everything. He was ahead of his time and his ideas about minimizing the material world we live in were treated as interesting and novel curiosities, but unrealistic.

The recent meltdown of the U.S. financial system, the virtual free fall of housing prices, the loss of employment for millions, and the crippling of the retirement portfolios of most Americans, has brought about a renewed interest in things small; from cars, to boats, to vacation cruises, and to houses.

After decades of steady increases in average house sizes, a precipitous drop in size has begun to catch the interest of the buyer of modest means: the so-called tiny house. For a couple, accustomed to living in a 2200 sq.ft. townhouse, adjusting to a new home with less than 90 sq. ft. can be a bit of a shock. But soon there may not be affordable alternatives.

The two tiny houses pictured above include a minimalist 65 sq. ft. house on the left, while the house on the right is more than a third larger at 89 sq. ft.

Prices shown do not include land.

Well Isn't That Just Peachy - He's Sorry. Wants to Be A Role Model? Yeah, Sure. For Whom, the Cosa Nostra?

Rihanna and Chris Before Beating>>>>>>>>>>>>

Rihanna After Facial by Chris

Chris Brown apologizes for Rihanna beating

Jul 20 2009

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY - AP Entertainment Writer

Chris Brown on Monday publicly apologized for the beating of Rihanna, saying in a two-minute video that he's still seeking help and wants to live his life as a role model.

Brown released the video on his Web site apologizing to fans and saying he is sad and ashamed of his conduct. He also tells viewers that he has repeatedly apologized to Rihanna.

Brown was arrested Feb. 8, hours after he fought with his then-girlfriend in a rented sports car after a pre-Grammy party. According to a police affidavit, Brown tried to push the 21-year-old Barbados-born singer from the car and repeatedly hit her and choked her.

He left the scene and later turned himself in to authorities during the Grammy Awards, where he and Rihanna were slated to perform. He was later charged with assault likely to cause great bodily harm and making criminal threats. He pleaded guilty to the felony assault charge last month and faces sentencing Aug. 5.

Connecticut Man Puts Legal Training to Bad Use - His Own

Law student at U. Connecticut ran international drug operation


John Belanger, who appeared to be a rising 3L at the University of Connecticut, will likely be deferring his third year of law school. He has some bigger legal issues to deal with.

Belanger, 27, was arrested last week for his role in running an international drug ring.

Federal authorities have charged more than 45 people nationwide over their alleged roles in an international drug-smuggling operation that moved $1 billion worth of marijuana.

The two-year investigation exposed a pipeline moving thousands of pounds of marijuana each month from the north country to numerous U.S. cities, including Boston, New York and Miami, prosecutors said. The crime syndicate is alleged to have moved the marijuana, which came from Canada through the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation in Franklin County and near Churubusco in Clinton County, over the past four years..

Zachary Gouchie, 24, of Montreal, Edward Kener, 31, of Weston, Fla., and John Belanger, 27, of Hartford, Conn., were accused of recruiting people and directing the movement of the marijuana along the East Coast.

Given that this started four years ago, it looks like Belanger decided to go to law school in order to give legal advice to his drug cartel. Those with knowledge of Belanger tell us about his exploits at UConn and his special interest in American Indian law.

The DEA seized $6 million in cash, more than 5,000 pounds of marijuana and 55 pounds of cocaine last week. According to the DEA press release, Belanger, along with others, is being charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, conspiracy to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments:

In addition to acting as a courier himself, BELANGER was responsible for recruiting, employing, and coordinating couriers, who typically used rental vehicles and traveled in tandem with "blocking" vehicles which scouted ahead for law enforcement, communicated potential problems to couriers, and intentionally violated traffic laws to protect couriers. The organization transported the marijuana in heat-sealed bags inside large duffle bags labeled with a number and customer identification or destination.

How did he have time to study?

Apparently, he made time to focus on his important classes.

UConn Law offers a unique course on "American Indian Law", which Mr. Belanger took, and apparently used to help navigate the transport of narcotics across Native American lands. He literally stuck around after class to ask the professor questions on the jurisdiction of federal authorities over native american lands. Now that's putting your law school education to good use!!

But Belanger had time for fun too. At the school's charity auction, he bid on and won some sort of "Dean for a Day" prize. One wonders if he bought it with drug money.

We bet the Dean is also pondering that question.

Italian Black Bear Attacks Man in New Jersey For Deli Sandwich

Man says bear mugged him for his Italian sandwich



Jul 2, 2009


A northwestern New Jersey man who lives in a rural area told police he was mugged in his driveway by an Italian black bear. Henry Rouwendal explained to authorities that while he was packing his car last Friday he suddenly was hit from behind and knocked to the ground. He said the culprit was a black bear who did not harm him at first but only grabbed an Italian sandwich he was eating.

Rouwendal said it was an expensive, Deli sandwich, so he fought back, kicking the bear in the snout and throat to try to prevent it from chewing or swallowing his sandwich. "I was hungry and I wanted that sandwich for myself," said Rouwendal.

The bear wouldn't give up either and in the ensuing struggle for the sandwich Rouwendal sustained two black eyes and other lacerations and bruises.

Rouwendal acknowledged he was no match for the bear, which was able to make off with the sandwich, pausing only long enough to scrape off the lettuce, onions and tomatoes, keeping the bread, salami and other meats. "He clearly was not a vegetarian bear," said the victim.

Vernon Township police chief, Edgar Thermostat, said it's the first time a bear has attacked a person in the rural community in more than 25 years. Rouwendal tried to file charges against the bear, for assault and battery, and theft, but authorities said there are no laws preventing bears from assaulting or stealing from a person.

He also indicated he did not think the bear was Italian and that Rouwendal's claim was based on his conjecture that the bear was attracted to his sandwich because it was Italian style. Rouwendal also hinted that the Mafia might be behind the attack, using the bear because there are no laws against bears stealing. He told authorities he intended to contact his state representative about making state criminal laws applicable to Italian bears, so they could be prosecuted like any other criminal.

Based on Rouwendal's description, a police artist produced an image of the bear that mugged him. Police asked anyone seeing the thieving bear to call them immediately and hide all Italian meats, cheeses and breads until the bear can be apprehended. They said the bear is unarmed but is considered dangerous, as shown by the photo of Rouwendal above.

The state Environmental Protection Department so far has classified it as an "incident" and not an attack.