BERLIN (Reuters) - A 21-year-old German woman who did not feel like going to work at a fast food restaurant sent her parents a text message saying she had been kidnapped.
Police in the Bavarian town of Straubing said Wednesday they had launched a massive search throughout the region for the woman who disappeared on December 23 but turned up unscathed the following morning, saying the kidnapper had set her free.
A spokesman said the woman was questioned over the Christmas holiday and admitted she made up the story because she owed a colleague 25 euros ($32.9) and did not have the money to pay her debt. She now faces a fine of up to 1,000 euros.
Police are searching for two thieves who they say spent Christmas morning brazenly stealing tens of thousands of dollars some of it earmarked for needy children from a Queens church.
Parishioners were halfway through a morning Mass yesterday at St. Mel's Roman Catholic Church on 154th Street in Flushing when, police said, the burglars breached the church sacristy, a back room in which religious objects are stored, and where this church's safe is housed. According to church leaders, two young men guarding the safe were distracted around 9:30 a.m., when the suspects caused a noisy disruption in the basement. While the church employees went to investigate, the thieves allegedly removed the safe and a gray plastic collection box that held checks and cash. No one was injured.
Yesterday, church leaders said the thieves were observed mid-heist. The criminals, they said, pretended to be technicians hired to repair the church's elevator. However, a church usher who was suspicious followed them outside and wrote down the license plate number of their white sport utility vehicle. As of last night, police had made no arrests in the heist.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/27/2006 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[1 views]
Top|| File under:
#1
St. Mel's Roman Catholic Church?
With all do respect for my ring kissing friends, that sounds like a bar.
at the church sacristy of Speak Easy to Gawd's back room where religious objects are stored and where this church's safe is housed, [according to church leaders] two young men guarding the safe were distracted around 9:30 a.m., when the suspects caused a noisy disruption in the basement. While the church employees went to investigate, the thieves allegedly removed the safe and a gray plastic collection box that held checks and cash. No one was injured.
#1
The Journals of Luis & Clark tell of the some of the company being keen to hunt a Grizzly (known only 2nd hand) but on encountering the animal "became discouraged and lost all interest".
#8
I've still got a copy of Vardis Fisher's Mountain Man - good read
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/27/2006 12:21 Comments ||
Top||
#9
I saw a film of a guy hunting Griz with a bow. The camera was behind him when he got a perfect heart shot from about 25 yards. He froze !
So would we.
#14
I once had a girlfriend who killed a wild boar with a Bowie knife. She lives in Utah now.
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/27/2006 18:25 Comments ||
Top||
#15
Many years ago while white water rafting at Glacier Park the tour guide asks all of us about wild animals we had seen in Glacier, told about a few he had seen then asked why everybody was on the trip.
One NINE YEAR OLD GIRL said this trip was her first to a civilized area and a reward for KILLING HER FIRST KODIAK BEAR!
Needless to say everybody including the tour guide quit telling stories!
(CBS) MIAMI British Prime Minister Tony Blair was confirmed to be aboard the British Airways flight that overshot the runway at Miami International Airport Tuesday evening.
Flight 209, carrying 343 passengers and crew onboard luckily had no injuries. The plane did not sustain any damage, but some runway lights were broken by the plane. The plane was making an arrival from Londons Heathrow Airport, with Blair traveling in first class.
No word yet on what caused it to slightly run off the landing area and onto the grass, said Laura Brown, a Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman. The plane, with passengers inside, was towed to the terminal on its own power without incident.
A Downing Street official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk about Blair's travel plans, said the prime minister and his family were not hurt in the mishap. He did not say where the Blair family was going, but Blair and his family have taken vacation in Bermuda before.
The pilot stopped the plane at the end of the runway because he could not see the lights to the taxiway, British Airways spokesman John Lampl said. "Apparently they're doing some resurfacing work and relighting, so the lighting was poor. Just to err on the side of caution, the captain decided to stop at the end of the runway and called the tower," Lampl said.
The taxiway lighting met FAA standards, the agency's spokeswoman said.
Heh. Gotta be the Yanks' fault. Mr Lampl (lol), how many other flights overshot due to the "poor lighting", eh?
CBS sources would not comment further as to why Blair was traveling on the plane.
UK PM riding in FC on a commercial flight? Anyone else find this a bit surprising? I admit I presumed the security arrangements for the PM would be more, um, robust than this.
#1
UK PM riding in FC on a commerical flight? Anyone else find this a bit surprising? I admit I presumed the security arrangements for the PM would be more, um, robust than this.
Weird. Was he incognito? If so something's up, if not somethings really up.
#3
UK PM riding in FC on a commerical flight? Anyone else find this a bit surprising? I admit I presumed the security arrangements for the PM would be more, um, robust than this.
Weird. Was he incognito? If so something's up, if not somethings really up.
#4
Let's hope Iran. But I suspect "climate change" optics are just as likely. It would not do to take precautions with the leader of one of the free world's only great powers. I am only surprised they did not make a show of sitting him next to the four guys named Mohammed, Abdul, Mustafa and Muhammed.
#5
Let's hope Iran. But I suspect "climate change" optics are just as likely. It would not do to take precautions with the leader of one of the free world's only great powers. I am only surprised they did not make a show of sitting him next to the four guys named Mohammed, Abdul, Mustafa and Muhammed.
#8
As far as I can tell, the "runway" part of this is a complete non-story. They were taxiing around, missed the turn, came to the "official" (but still paved) end of the runway -- oopsie. And that was it. No drama, just an extra long time to the gate.
Blair travelling on a commercial aircraft -- now that's odd. On the other hand, people do vacation in Florida, you know. Does he fly commercial when he vacations at Sharm el-Sheikh? Probably figures he's somewhat less likely to blown up in Miami.
#9
UK PM riding in FC on a commercial flight? Anyone else find this a bit surprising? I admit I presumed the security arrangements for the PM would be more, um, robust than this.
Maybe because there are other pressures? The Daily Mail's spin is:
"The Prime Minister's first-class tickets would have cost him more than £7,500 each. The flight bill for all his party would be almost £40,000 - but to pay for a week at a beachfront property similar to Gibb's would have cost about the same.
Shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling said: "Another year, another celebrity holiday. Next thing we know he'll be in Beverly Hills next to the Beckhams. Why can't he pay for his holidays in the normal way like the rest of us?"
When Mr Blair has stayed at holiday homes of other stars, he has insisted he makes a payment to charity."
#10
Well, at least he's doin' his part to reduce greenhouse gases CO2, eh? I mean, Jimmuh wanted his OWN plane to Brandeis Univ. to speak about his new book, lol!
And, yes, I know CO2 is supposedly a greenhouse gas. Just tryin' to keep up with all the changing buzzwords in the enviro community.
Posted by: BA ||
12/27/2006 14:45 Comments ||
Top||
Tue Dec 26, 11:34 AM ET - BERLIN (Reuters) - Expectant mothers in Germany are doing what they can to put off giving birth until January 1 when a generous government aid program takes effect.
The media has been filled with tips and warnings from doctors and midwives about holding off birth until January 1.
While experts have warned women to refrain from medical intervention to delay births, they acknowledge the allure of a financial incentive worth up to 25,200 euros ($33,300). "We're bracing for a siege on New Year's Day and will have a full staff on hand," said Klaus Vetter, chief doctor at Berlin's Vivantes hospital.
Worried about a shrinking population and a birth rate at a post-war low in 2005, the government in September introduced the law to encourage working couples to have children. Babies born on or after January 1 qualify for the new benefits.
Continued on Page 49
#1
Worried about a shrinking population and a birth rate at a post-war low in 2005, the government in September introduced the law to encourage working couples to have children. Babies born on or after January 1 qualify for the new benefits.
ima wondering if them girlz need seed from a Gawd?
#2
Iff I understand it correctly, in order to work this must be for every year after January 1st 2007 until further notice. PAY WOMEN TO HAVE FAMILIES = STAY HOME > MARTHA STEWART WOULD AGREE. NOW-ACLU, however, would vote agz it afore voting for it.
#3
See also PRAVDA > 1/2 of world's population will be CHINESE by Year 2057. "One child" policy hasn't worked. Couples whom want more than one child must pay HIGH, EXTRA TAXES to do so. IRONY > GERMANY has too little, CHINA has too many, ergo roughly the same solution.
#4
German mothers already get paid to stay home for the first three years after the child is born. Not just citizens, either: when we were there I got the money, too, although I, the trailing daughters (#2 was born in Frankfurt), and Mr. Wife are all American citizens. Protests availeth'd naught, the money appeared in our bank account anyway, which is how things happen in Germany.
Expect Palestinian activities to remain at low level while all huddle at home waiting for snow, rain and floods to pass over.
Extreme weather conditions continued to sweep across Israel on Wednesday, causing havoc throughout the country.
Following snowstorms in the Golan Heights, the Galilee and Hebron the previous night, on Wednesday morning snow fell in the Negev desert and later reached the central hills and Jerusalem. The Israel Metrological Service (IMS) reported that Beit Dagan saw a record of over 50 mm. of rainfall Tuesday night and Jerusalem saw 30 mm. of rainfall.
Strong winds also swept through the country Tuesday night, reaching 70 kilometers per hour. The sea was stormy, with waves reaching three meters and expected to reach five meters on Wednesday. Major roadways throughout the country were closed in places due to flash floods in lowlying areas and snowfall in higher areas, as motorists tried to make their way home while conditions worsened throughout the day.
That's just about 1.2". BFD. Even the South of California got 6" in 1 hour. I'm sure Florida and other nasty places have had worse. We've had that much (rarely) here in Tucson, a desert city. While I'd rather not drive in it, I have. No huhu.
Strong winds ... reaching 70 kilometers per hour.
Ever been in the Texas panhandle? Or Nebraska?
I guess living in a Mediterranean climate makes one a weather wimp.
Farce. They still consume. They haven't rejected the goods, the technology, the factories that produce it all, the capitalism required to finance the whole of American / Western industry, sheesh. They're just trying to skip out on the sales tax, lol. Hippy-Dippy-Doodle Fuckwits.
For Shawn Rosenmoss, the deal-breaker was a drill bit.
John Perry's worst temptation was a plumber's snake for his clogged drain.
Sarah Pelmas and Matt Eddy succumbed to the siren song of new white paint.
But aside from the occasional hardware crises, the Compact -- an ever-growing group who have vowed not to buy anything new except food, medicine and underwear -- is going strong on its first anniversary.
The Compact originated in December 2005 at a San Francisco dinner party, where guests decided to take recycling one step further and go for a year without new purchases. Consumerism, they said, is destroying the world and most of us already own far more than we need. They called themselves the Compact as a semi-joking reference to the solemn commitment of the Mayflower pilgrims, but the concept is being taken quite seriously and has quickly spread.
They've been featured in newspapers across the United States and Europe and on the "Today" show, "Good Morning America," "CBS Evening News," TV news in China and Poland, and countless shock-jock radio programs. They were offered book contracts and at least two TV reality shows, all of which they turned down because it seemed contrary to the Compact principles.
Almost 3,000 people from six continents have joined the Compact group on Yahoo, and chapters have sprung up around the globe from Alabama to New Zealand.
"It's been staggering," said Compact co-founder John Perry, who works in communications at a Silicon Valley technology company. "We never set out to start a movement or be holier-than-thou models of righteous behavior, but it's been very gratifying to see the impact."
Continued on Page 49
#1
Give them a break. They are trying to start a socialist economy
You know, an economy where nothing gets done, nothing gets produced and the good feelings sorta fade away.
The bathroom sink is the exemplar. After a year of being unable to find a snake or hire a plumber, it's what society would look and smell like under such a social system.
#2
group who have vowed not to buy anything new except food,
Pussies
Posted by: The British Compact ||
12/27/2006 14:04 Comments ||
Top||
#3
Sheesh...you can rent a damn drain snake, like I did. Manual version, $15.00 for three hours. Tool and equipment rental place down the street from me. Owner is a real prince, he'll go step by step, tell you exactly how to use it.
I don't do new stuff when I can buy used, because I'm a freelance writer and I can't &&$#@!~! afford it! It's a good thing these idjiots are middle-class, they're too *$$@#ing stupid to be poor!
#4
San Francisco: Idjits Pretend They're Above Consumerism
Wankers like this are a dime a dozen in the bay gay area; Their WORD means absolutely nothing, zip, zilch, nada, neyt, squat, zero they have no soul or character, their sole distinguishing feature is fake and have been reduced to a life of posing.
..and tonite they'll be bad mouthing America while siping Chablis at sum restaurant and congratulating themselves.
I, like others here, buy used when I can because of financial reasons. Also, I've read some VERY enlightening articles (as an engineer) which state that it takes MORE energy to recycle many objects than to make new ones. Capitalism DRIVES efficiency, and, thus, in and of itself, is "enviro-friendly". Just think if we ALL had to have our own well, our own wastewater treatment system, etc....how much concrete, steel, rebar and add'l land we'd need to support all of that.
Not that there is NOT excess in this country. But, until the economics of it all make sense, your average 'merican will buy new, thank you very much (with the exceptions of probably vehicles and homes).
Posted by: BA ||
12/27/2006 14:54 Comments ||
Top||
#6
Typical nutty SFers, making nutty proclamations and promptly breaking them when they become inconvenient.
#7
I'm reminded of a couple who were reporters for a local newspaper a while back. They made a bet for who could eat for a month on the least amount of money, figuring they could get a double "His-Hers" column out of it.
Well, she scrimped and saved, used coupons, skipped meals and went to discount food stores. By the end of the month she had kept it down to about $115.
He mooched. He knew bars that had free food if you bought a beer, public gatherings with free food, coffee, and drinks. He attended several weddings, uninvited, and ate free food for reporters in the sports boxes at games. He also made food and beer bets on the outcome of games, with insider information.
He spent about $15, mostly on beer, and gained weight, because he overate, figuring he might have to do without, but never did.
#8
But Perry has not veered once from the Compact rules. His bathroom sink has been plugged for months, and it'll stay that way until he finds a drain snake at Thrift Town.
Pure wanking, as Sgt. Mom duly noted. Rent one you maroon.
There is plenty of merit to curbing the amount of new purchases one makes. I watched one friend of mine take his overinflated .com bubble paychecks and consistently buy the latest and greatest consumer electronics, DVDs and so forth. Not knowing how to cook, he'd dine out a lot and, the corker, he even bought himself a mud track race car because, "He's alway dreamed about racing."
Well the .com bubble burst and the guy eventually ended up going through foreclosure. He walked away from years of house payments with a few grand in his pocket. I'm quite confident he cannot recall how I literally begged him to consult with a financial planned before buying an oversized house in a really, really remote location. I doubt that even today he connects his over consumption to the financial collapse he experienced.
Bottom line is that a lot of people buy all sorts of crap they really do not need. As a collecter, I can be accused of the same. Fortunately, in the last deacade or so I have carefully refined my collecting guidelines and routinely collect with quality, resale value, rarity and price increase in mind.
More importantly, the vast majority of things I buy are bought used. Not only do thrift shops and second-hand stores frequently offer incredible value, more often than not the older vintage goods they sell are far better built and more durable than any equivalent you can buy at twice to ten times the price new. Things are no longer made out of metal, wood, ceramic, glass or textiles, it's all frickin' plastic with no user serviceable parts.
So, while there is merit to what these people are spouting, their own approach is squarely in the wrong corner as to actual execution.
#9
Good thoughts Zman. I have several fifties era barely used Clues if anyone is interested. Not cheap tho. These are serious old fashioned clues, many rubidium parts.
#10
Just think if we ALL had to have our own well, our own wastewater treatment system, etc....how much concrete, steel, rebar and add'l land we'd need to support all of that
Ummm, I had a well, drilled it myself, 54 feet to the water table, and drilled 75 feet to ensure the well would never run dry.
It took a hell of a lot LESS pipe than running a line from the road, 75 feet as opposed to a quarter-mile, plus don't forget the main that has to run from wherever the reservoir is situated, down all streets and highways.
Same with septic systems, but I didn't do it myself, I hired a trencher (Person with machinery) to put in the field lines, I never had any trouble with either system, I'd have the water checked every few years, always tested pure.
Total outlay, around 2 grand, plus a pittance for the electricity to run the well pump. (Had a hand pump for emergencies, never needed it)
The article's a crock, much more efficient to "Roll your own".
Posted by: Redneck Jim ||
12/27/2006 20:05 Comments ||
Top||
#11
"It's a good thing these idjiots are middle-class, they're too *$$@#ing stupid to be poor!"
Ain't it the truth, #3 Mom.
It absolutely amazes me at how dumb people are when it comes to shopping effectively. The middle class are the worst, but quite frankly I've seen plenty of semi-poor people too who are clueless. Which may explain how they get so far into credit-card debt.
I've got a decent income - now - but I shop just like I use to back in the day. (I may indulge in a few more "things" - mostly from Amazon - but I still keep a handle on it. It never hurts to stay in practice. And it leaves me more money to support the local Food Bank, etc.)
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/27/2006 21:22 Comments ||
Top||
#12
The true image of a Socialist economy is a starving, homeless, destitute, drug-addicted, uneducated, single welfare mom wid many kids, no certainty on who their Father(s) are, and on permanent Govt assistance, ergo sexy slinky rich-looking/wearing Babes of Hollyweird + BattleStar Galactica, Cyclon Robos + Seven-of-Nine. HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, LOW TO NO GROWTH OR PRODUCTIVITY, HYPER/STAGFLATION, STAGGRESSION, + REGRESSION, SOVIET = CHICOM = now IRANIAN, ETC. WOMEN REFUSING TO HAVE BABIES = SEX FOR ANY RAESON; YOUNG MEN DYING YOUNG now YOUNGER. Obviously MORE + BIGGER + TOTALITARIAN GUBMINT IS THE ANSWER. The GOOD NEWS > RADICAL ISLAM > GOD -BASED SOCIALISTS-LEFTIES, etal. > GOD HIMSElf, not just Secularists-Govtists, DEMANDS WE ALL BE THE ABOVE.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Woman fakes kidnapping to avoid work
Police are searching for two thieves who they say spent Christmas morning brazenly stealing tens of thousands of dollars some of it earmarked for needy children from a Queens church.
(CBS) MIAMI British Prime Minister Tony Blair was confirmed to be aboard the British Airways flight that overshot the runway at Miami International Airport Tuesday evening.
