News of the Weird Daily
Monday, January 26, 2009 [part one]
Texas's proud court system set to execute another man despite way-reasonable doubt
At trial, the county coroner concluded the time of the victim's death exactly coincided with when Larry Swearingen had access to her (25 days before the body was found), but after 4 pathologists concluded that the coroner missed this clue, and that clue, and that-other clue, etc., the coroner now agrees that the victim was killed, oh, 3 days or so before the body was found, and Swearingen has an ironclad alibi for that several-day time period, i.e., he was in jail. Texas's highest criminal court said, Doesn't matter. Said, We can only intervene on "new" evidence, and this was just a change of mind on "old" evidence. Swearingen's meeting with his Maker is tomorrow.
Austin American-Statesman
Comments 'larry_swearingen'
One industry flourishing in California: home-grown dope
In Mendocino County, north of San Francisco, they say marijuana farming may account for two-thirds of the local economy. Though it's still against federal law, the state says it's OK as long as you can plausibly claim it's for medicinal sales. Another boost for sales is because border security has been stepped up, keeping out a lot of Mexican grass. Said a DEA agent operating in Mendocino (who seems to have fallen to Stockholm Syndrome), "Nobody produces any better marijuana than we do right here." (Economics: costs $400 to grow a pound of dope, which eventually fetches $6k on the street)
MSNBC
Comments 'mendocino_dope'
Not safe for stomachs
(1) Majed al Malki, alleged world record-holder for most scorpions in his mouth at once (22).
(2) From Zambia, a baby born with part of his unformed twin inside him (which is rare but happens from time to time, except in this case the twin's foot is protruding from the healthy boy's buttocks) (which you don't want to see, but here it is)
Spiegel Online /// Daily Telegraph (London)
Comments 'scorpion_foot'
Readers' Choice: Cornered car thief turns into a goat
Well . . it says here . . in this Associated Press dispatch citing "one of Nigeria's biggest daily newspapers" that when cops caught up to the two thieves, one got away but the other species-shifted. Apparently, a lot of people in Nigeria didn't think that to be impossible. (Bonus: The cops perp-walked the goat through town)
Associated Press via Fox News
Comments 'nigerian_goat'
News Noir: Surely, you appreciate the irony of this . . .
A school bus's engine caught fire Friday morning in Boynton Beach, Fla., with 43 kids aboard. They all got out in time and moved away from the flames. Within minutes, the bus was completely incinerated, down to the skeletal frame. The kids were from the
[Ed.: Sorry 'bout this] Christa McAuliffe Middle School (named for the teacher on that 1986 Challenger space shuttle mission).
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Comments 'schoolbus_fire'
More Things to Worry About
"I couldn't believe it," said New York City transit driver Peter Williams, after Shelia Bolar bit him on the arm because she was angry that the bus he picked her up in
wasn't a hybrid.
New York Daily News
The Jurupa Unified School District in southern California may have budget problems now, but they're gonna get worse if new school board member Noreen Considine doesn't start getting addressed as (retired Navy)
Captain Considine . . because she's fixin' to
sue her colleagues for dissing her.
Press-Enterprise (Riverside)
And here's yet another guy run over, fatally,
by his own Christine-like vehicle (Greentown, Ind.).
WRTV (Indianapolis)
Comments on Things to Worry About?
Comments 'worry_090126'
People Whose Sex Lives Are Worse Than Yours
Elbert Duffy, 45, was charged with disorderly conduct at his new rooming house in Portsmouth, N.H., a month after being tossed out of his last one for having "sexual relations with a Raggedy Ann doll." (Bonus: Bad hair day!)
Portsmouth Herald
Comments 'elbert_duffy'
Your Daily Jury Duty
["In America, a person is presumed innocent until the mug shot is released"]
This fun-loving couple, Anne Freeman, 51, and Michael Hartwig, 58, has been accused of driving after having had a touch too much to drink, twice in three days (she on a Monday, he on Wednesday) in Silver Springs, Fla.
Ocala Star-Banner
Comments 'freeman_hartwig'
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