Urban Studies Professor Claims Amnesia in Attacks on Cars

Polite British vandal guilty of damaging cars

? "Let me see now."

Jan 18 2013 

LONDON (AP) — A British professor who specializes in cities and urban life has been convicted of damaging luxury cars with graffiti that was surprisingly polite.  Neither his politeness nor his claim of being blotto from prescription drugs and alcohol made much of an impression on the Magistrate, however, who accepted his guilty plea and postponed sentencing..

Stephen Graham was found guilty Friday of using a screwdriver to scrawl inoffensive words such as "very silly," ''really wrong" and "arbitrary" into the paintwork of vehicles including a Mercedes, an Audi, and a Volvo.Prosecutors said the spree caused 18,000 pounds ($29,000) in damage.

Graham, who teaches at Newcastle University in northeast England, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Newcastle Crown Court.

Graham's lawyer said the 47-year-old academic had no recollection of his August vandalism spree. Graham previously blamed a bad reaction to alcohol, antibiotics and prescription drugs for his behavior.

Judge James Gos said he would sentence Graham next month.

Dangerous Bizzard in Iowa

Jan. 17, 2013
Cedar Rapids, IO

A heavy snow storm roared unto SW Iowa on Thursday. The storm, which created blackout conditions in some areas led to untold wrecks and a 25 vehicle pile up on an Interstate highway, as motorists were unable to see what lay ahead.  Staying in one's vehicle was not really an option because of the sub-zero temperatures at night.

Ugly Models Agency in London

Every model agency has strict criteria based on which they select their workforce, and so does the Ugly Models Agency. As the name suggests, of course, you have to be ugly. Well, ‘unusual-looking’, to be more specific. Ugly Models is one of the world’s biggest character model agencies based out of London. The bold and unique company has managed to place its models in some top assignments, including James Bond films and Marks and Spencer ads. Literally anyone can apply at Ugly Models, ranging from size 6 to 30, and 18 to 100 years old.  You just have to ugly.

One of the agencies top ugly models is shown in the photo.  His own self image is that he is tall, dark and handsome.

Living it up everyday; living it up right now

Calif. burglar was using home sauna

Jan 18 2013 

SAN ANDREAS, Calif. (AP) — Authorities in Northern California say a man arrested in nothing but a trench coat and socks after a break-in told investigators he had been using the homeowner's sauna.
Calaveras (ka-luh-VER'-is) County sheriff's deputies arrested 49-year-old Robert London this week after they responded to a report of a burglary at a home in San Andreas. He pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of burglary and possession of stolen property.

Sheriff's Sgt. Chris Hewitt says arriving deputies found the homeowner on top of a nearly naked London on the driveway.

The homeowner said he discovered London going through his kitchen cabinets and chased him out the door.

Hewitt says London told investigators he thought the house was vacant, and he had used the sauna there in the past.

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Preliminary Results from the Great Florida Snake Hunt

Python Hunters = 1,000  Captured Pythons = 21

IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES (AP) — The man known as "Alligator Ron" has a lifetime of experience in the Florida Everglades, a fleet of airboats at his disposal and knows the habitats of furry prey for large reptiles. He still couldn't lead a pack of hunters to a single Burmese python.

After 6 days of the ballyhooed Florida python hunt, scheduled from Jan. 12 to Feb. 10, only 21 pythons had been captured by a hoard of hunters.  At this rate approximately 80 pythons could be captured by the close of the contest.  But many contestants will have dropped out by then so a closer estimate might be in the 50-60 range.

While this won't make even a small dent in the python population (there are an estimated 5,000 to 180,000 Burmese pythons in the Everglades) scientists as the University of Florida are eager to capture      as many as possible to conduct research about what they eat, their reproductive habits and their life spans.  This information is essential for any program to curb their growth.  Their numbers and voracious appetites already have virtually devastated the small wildlife populations of the Everglades.

As for the hunt it is difficult for Everglades professional hunters to detect pythons, which blend perfectly with the vegetation.  For amateurs it is virtually impossible.

New Victim of Subway Attacks

Man throws woman on subway tracks in Philly

Jan 18 2013 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In what is quickly becoming a blood sport in urban subways a man has been arrested on charges he grabbed a woman by the feet and threw her onto the tracks at a Philadelphia subway station, police said. The woman managed to get off the tracks on her own and suffered only minor injuries.

Police announced the arrest Thursday, more than two days after the woman was assaulted around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at a subway station in the city's Chinatown neighborhood. The victim had been sitting on a bench when the man asked her what time the train was coming and requested a light for his cigarette, according to investigators. After she obliged and put the lighter back in her coat pocket, police said, the man grabbed her by the neck and began punching her.

In the assault, which was caught on surveillance video, the man can be seen grabbing the victim by her feet, dragging her along the platform and then throwing her on the tracks as she screamed. The suspect walked away with her cellphone, police said, but the woman was able to get back up onto the platform with only bruises and cuts.

Investigators with the city's police department and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority said they didn't release information about the attack until Thursday because they had identified the suspect by his distinctive jacket, which has one red sleeve, one aqua sleeve and a Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resorts logo on it, and didn't want to compromise the investigation by giving a description.

Philadelphia police identified the suspect as William Clark, 37, of Philadelphia; he faces charges of aggravated assault, theft and related counts.
Clark was arraigned overnight and is being held on $2 million bail.

Clark was arrested around 2:30 p.m. Thursday at a plaza near City Hall, authorities said. A SEPTA officer identified him because he was wearing the same jacket, Nestel said, which was visible under another jacket. He resisted but was arrested and the victim's cellphone was recovered, police said.
It doesn't appear the suspect knew the victim and investigators believe he may have mental health issues, Nestel said. It wasn't immediately known if he had an attorney.

Woman Mistakes Apartment Pool for Carwash

SUV plunges into California apartment pool

Jan 17 2013 

MERCED, Calif. (AP) — A California woman is OK after crashing her SUV into an apartment complex swimming pool.

Merced police say 69-year-old Pamela Gwyn was in her Chevy Blazer on a city street Wednesday when for an unknown reason she failed to make a right turn and lost control of the vehicle.
The SUV went through a wrought iron fence outside the apartment complex and continued about 50 feet before landing in the pool.

Sgt. Jay Struble says a good Samaritan, 57-year-old Craig Lafleur of Kingsburg, saw the SUV, pulled it to the edge of the pool by its roof rack and broke its back window. He then helped Gwyn out of the vehicle before it sank.

Struble told the Merced Sun Star Gwyn had no recollection of the crash.

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