Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Mark Of The Witch (1970)
Shot in Texas in 1969 and released in 1970, MARK OF THE WITCH starts with tightly shot (hiding budget limitations) pre-credit sequence that takes us back to a 17th Century outdoor execution. A dark-haired woman accused of witchcraft named Margery of Jourdemain (Marie Santell, who displays the expected over-hammy antics) is hung after ranting and raving revenge in what resembles a dime-store recreation of the BLACK SUNDAY opening. After that, we are treated to an absurd hymn (sung by Trella Hart and written by the lead actress) which is performed over the credits.In the modern setting, Professor Mac Stuart (Robert Elston) is a brainy proffesor at a hip university. One of his cute and innocent students, Jill (Anitra Walsh) picks up an ancient “red book” at a book fair, and later brings it to the happening campus party at Professor’s Mac’s pad. After distracting the young partygoers from their beer swigging and idle chit-chat, the lights are turned down, and Jill reads an incarnation from said book. Nothing appears to have happened, but Jill is now possessed by witch Margery, and she later proves it to Mac by killing his dog, and later combusting his pet bird in a cheap parlor trick which convinces her gushing boyfriend Alan (Darryl Wells). Now in the shapely body of a sweet coed, Margery convenes her coven by doing an exotic dance in the woods, and begins to knock off some of the students in a sacrificial manner. Mac and Alan are at her mercy, but they spend the hours trying to defeat her in what leads to a climatic showdown of good against evil.
MARK OF THE WITCH is admittedly inept, but a dated, groovy attempt at the witchcraft genre that some will find amusing and fairly watchable. Though rated “GP” at the time of its release, there are a few bits of blood, but it’s mainly safe drive-in fare for the curious. Anitra Walsh is very sexy, and she pulls of the transition from naïve student to wicked witch nicely, although sometimes she comes off like a secondary character lost in a time warp on an episode of BEWITCHED. Marie Santell makes an daunting witch, even though her screen time is limited, and Robert Elston and Darryl Wells do their best at fighting evil, although their act resembles a mediocre imitation of Roger Perry’s and Michael Macready’s monster-hunting duo in the same year’s COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE. There are also some psychedelic camera effects, and the final shot reveals a twist ending.
The real surprise here is that Code Red has unearthed the long-lost camera negatives for this transfer, and the subsequent end results definitely show. Presented widescreen at 1.78:1 with anamorphic enhancement, the picture boasts bright colors and a clean image and film dirt and debris are minimal. The mono audio also comes off sharp and clean. Best yet is the fact that the camera negatives reflect a longer R-rated cut of the film (it was obviously trimmed to get that youth-friendly “GP”), so there’s now some nudity on display in the form of Anitra Walsh’s lovely bare breasts. Retromedia had previously released MARK OF THE WITCH (on a double-disc with THE BRIDES WORE BLOOD), but the transfer was taken from a well-worn theatrical print of the “GP” version; Code Red’s newer DVD release can be deemed definitive.From: http://www.dvddrive-in.com/reviews/i-m/markofthewitchdevil7074.htm
Arguments begin on how to try boy accused of killing pregnant woman
Monday, January 25, 2010
By Sadie Gurman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Twelve-year-old Jordan Brown's future rests in a courtroom. The question is which one.
Prosecutors say the fifth-grader used a 20-gauge shotgun to kill his father's pregnant fiancee as she slept in February in their farmhouse in New Beaver.
If he is tried and found delinquent in juvenile court, the state could not incarcerate him beyond his 21st birthday.
If he is tried and convicted of first-degree murder in adult court, experts say he would become the youngest person in the United States to serve a mandatory life sentence in prison without parole.
A Lawrence County judge this week will hear arguments about how to try Jordan, who was 11 when he was charged with two counts of homicide, including the killing of an unborn child.
The hearing Friday before President Judge Dominick Motto is the next step in a case that has scarred two families and captured the attention of juvenile justice experts nationwide. They say Jordan's saga highlights legal and emotional dilemmas that arise when a child is caught between juvenile and adult court.
"It is irresponsible to be sending into adult court these youth who are still growing and changing," said Jody Kent, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign for Fair Sentencing of Youth, which is monitoring the case.
"It's impossible to determine now what an 11-year-old is going to look like 20, 30, 40 years from now."
But relatives of slaying victim Kenzie Houk, 26, say that if Jordan is convicted, spending less than a decade in a juvenile detention center would not be an adequate punishment.
"We are serving a life sentence," said Deborah Houk, who is raising her daughter's two girls, Adalynn, 4, and Jenessa, 8. "We have been serving it a year and we will be serving it the rest of our lives."
Among the issues Judge Motto will consider is whether Jordan, who has been in the Edmund L. Thomas Adolescent Detention Center in Erie since shortly after the Feb. 20 slayings, is "amenable to juvenile treatment." His lawyers will seek to prove that he is, relying on such factors as his maturity level, the nature of the crime and the rehabilitation he might undergo.
One of Jordan's attorney's, Dennis A. Elisco, has said that he is developing well in the detention center. Counselors there and other witnesses will likely testify on Jordan's behalf, saying he has a "lack of propensity for violence and good character," Mr. Elisco said.
Juvenile probation officers will also likely tell the judge about the programs available through juvenile rehabilitation, he said.
The state attorney general's office will prosecute the case because Lawrence County District Attorney John Lamancusa, who took office this month, has a conflict of interest. A spokesman for the attorney general's office could not be reached for comment.
In court papers filed in an effort to move the case to juvenile court, Mr. Elisco and attorney David Acker wrote that before Jordan was charged in the killings, he had never been in detention and had no "delinquent history." They wrote that the juvenile court system has "adequate, appropriate and effective" facilities for Jordan's treatment.
"He's still a typical 12-year-old, interested in sports and what's for dinner," Mr. Elisco said. "He's still lacking the capacity to appreciate the magnitude of what's going on, but he's developing."
Ms. Houk's relatives disagree. Mrs. Houk said Jordan is charged with an adult crime and, if convicted, should "serve it like an adult."
Through Mr. Elisco, Jordan's father, Christopher Brown, declined to comment. But in letters to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jordan's relatives maintain he is innocent of the charges against him. They say he has been robbed of his childhood and they believe aspects of the criminal investigation remain incomplete.
Cyndi Wiseman, Jordan's great-aunt, said the legal process has been frustrating for family members, who attend hearings wearing bracelets embossed with messages that include, "We support Jordan." She said Mr. Brown tries to visit his son every day, as do other relatives. Juvenile detention "is a scary place" for Jordan, she said.
"Everybody tries to adjust and help as much as we can," said Ms. Wiseman, who submitted the letters to the Post-Gazette. Mr. Brown has appeared stoic while attending court hearings, but she said he remains deeply troubled by the loss of his fiance and unborn child.
"He lost a son, his life was completely changed." Ms. Wiseman said. "You can't read him by looking at him, but he holds it all in."
Prosecutors have described the crime as cold-blooded and premeditated. They say Jordan shot his future stepmother, put the shotgun back in his bedroom, got rid of the spent shell casing and rode the bus to Mohawk Elementary School with Ms. Houk's daughter, Jenessa.
Jordan's father was at work at the time. Ms. Houk's daughter, Adalynn, discovered her mother's body and ran to a group of workers trimming trees nearby.
The Houks have said Jordan was jealous of his father's fiancee, whose full-term baby was to have been named Christopher, after his father. Jordan's attorneys have denied there was any animosity.
But both families agree their lives have been irrevocably changed. Now they are bracing for a court hearing that likely will offer no solace, no matter the outcome.
From: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10025/1030869-454.stm
Arthur Davis III gets 25 years for baseball bat attack on ex-wife
Judge calls baseball bat attack ‘heinous’By Jesse Fray
January 25, 2010
A Lawrence man convicted of trying to kill his ex-wife in a brutal baseball bat attack was sentenced to more than 25 years in prison on Monday.
“This crime obviously was a heinous crime,” said Chief District Judge Robert Fairchild, before handing down the 310-month sentence.
Arthur Davis III was found guilty last month of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and contributing to a child’s misconduct. Prosecutors said he led his children in the June 16 attack, which ended with the 45-year-old victim escaping and running down the street in only her underwear for help.
Fueled by a heated child custody dispute, the attack occurred less than a week after the family learned a psychiatrist had recommended that the daughter continue living with her mother instead of with her father.
“Arthur Davis coerced, persuaded and enticed his two children to commit this atrocious crime upon their mother,” said Eve Kemple, assistant Douglas County district attorney.
The couple’s children were also charged in the attack, but the 12-year-old daughter was granted immunity for testifying against her father. The 15-year-old son entered a plea to a reduced charge of aggravated battery and was sentenced by District Judge Sally Pokorny on Friday to three years in state custody. He will serve the sentence at a state youth center, Pokorny said.
Several people from Davis’ Tai Chi class addressed Fairchild ahead of the sentencing, describing Davis as a healer.
“What happened in June has still been very hard for me to believe, because it is so completely out of character for the Art Davis that I know and care about very deeply,” said Iris Wilkerson, one of his former students.
The victim was not in court Monday, but Kemple indicated that she had addressed the court by letter.
From: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2010/jan/25/arthur-davis-iii-gets-25-years-baseball-attack-ex-/?breaking
John Caudle, 14, Kills Parents Over Chores, Say Colo. Police
Posted by Ryan Smith January 25, 2010 12:40 PM
MONTE VISTA, Colo.(CBS/AP) Chores are never a teenager's favorite way to spend a fall afternoon, but for 14-year-old John Caudle chores were the motive for murder, Colorado police say.
In an arrest affidavit, Caudle told investigators that on Oct. 26, 2009 he argued with his mother because he didn’t want to do household chores like taking out the trash or cleaning his room. Then he said he went to a gun safe, removed two .22 caliber pistols and shot his mother dead.
Caudle said he then hid in a laundry room and shot his stepfather when he
walked past a short time later.
Family members found the bodies.
After allegedly killing his parents, he spent the evening watching movies and playing on a computer.
The next morning, Caudle even drove his stepfather's truck to school, according to KUSA-TV.
His friends and teachers said that Caudle seemed "happy" the day after the murder, investigators said.
Authorities have charged Caudle as an adult in the slayings. He faces two counts of first-degree murder.
From: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/25/crimesider/entry6138969.shtml
Son Stabs Father Over FIFA 09
Andy Chalk posted on 25 January 2010 9:52 pm
An Italian man was stabbed in the throat by his 16-year-old son after the pair argued about the teenager's performance in FIFA 09.
The incident occurred after the 46-year-old man, identified only as "Fabrizio R.," offered advice to his son Mario about how to improve his performance in the EA Sports soccer game FIFA 2009, which he'd been given as a birthday gift a few days earlier. The boy didn't react well to the criticism, however, leading his father to turn off the television. In response, the teenager went straight to DEFCON 1, grabbed a 15-inch knife from the kitchen and stabbed his dad in the neck with it.
He then took the knife back into the kitchen, where he washed it in front of his mother, "Monica B.," and left it to dry. Cleaning up huge, blood-soaked knives must be a more common occurrence in Italian households than it is here in Canada, because his mother claimed she had no idea that anything was amiss until Fabrizio "stumbled into the room, clutching his throat."
"I saw Mario come back into the room, he seemed calm, he went to the sink and I noticed him washing a knife," she told the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. "Then my husband came into the room with a hand round his neck, dripping blood."
The husband survived the attack and is recovering in hospital, while the boy went to his room after the attack and was later arrested without incident. "Mario is obsessed," his mother said. "He's forever playing on his PlayStation, and we bought him FIFA 2009 because we didn't want him playing violent games."
Oh, the irony. You could cut it, as they say, with a knife.
From: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97743-Son-Stabs-Father-Over-FIFA-09
An Italian man was stabbed in the throat by his 16-year-old son after the pair argued about the teenager's performance in FIFA 09.
The incident occurred after the 46-year-old man, identified only as "Fabrizio R.," offered advice to his son Mario about how to improve his performance in the EA Sports soccer game FIFA 2009, which he'd been given as a birthday gift a few days earlier. The boy didn't react well to the criticism, however, leading his father to turn off the television. In response, the teenager went straight to DEFCON 1, grabbed a 15-inch knife from the kitchen and stabbed his dad in the neck with it.
He then took the knife back into the kitchen, where he washed it in front of his mother, "Monica B.," and left it to dry. Cleaning up huge, blood-soaked knives must be a more common occurrence in Italian households than it is here in Canada, because his mother claimed she had no idea that anything was amiss until Fabrizio "stumbled into the room, clutching his throat."
"I saw Mario come back into the room, he seemed calm, he went to the sink and I noticed him washing a knife," she told the Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. "Then my husband came into the room with a hand round his neck, dripping blood."
The husband survived the attack and is recovering in hospital, while the boy went to his room after the attack and was later arrested without incident. "Mario is obsessed," his mother said. "He's forever playing on his PlayStation, and we bought him FIFA 2009 because we didn't want him playing violent games."
Oh, the irony. You could cut it, as they say, with a knife.
From: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97743-Son-Stabs-Father-Over-FIFA-09
Wisconsin inmate loses Dungeons & Dragons fight
Associated Press
Updated: 01/25/2010 06:06:22 PM CST
MADISON, Wis. — A man serving life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide lost his legal battle Monday to play Dungeons & Dragons behind bars.
Kevin T. Singer filed a federal lawsuit against officials at Wisconsin's Waupun prison, arguing that a policy banning all Dungeons & Dragons material violated his free speech and due process rights.
Prison officials instigated the Dungeons & Dragons ban among concerns that playing the game promoted gang-related activity and was a threat to security. Singer challenged the ban but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld it as a reasonable policy.
Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures, often working together as a group, with the help of complicated rules.
Singer, 33, has been a devoted player of the fantasy role-playing game since he was a child, according to the court ruling. After the ban went into effect, prison officials confiscated dozens of Dungeons & Dragons books and magazines in his cell as well as a 96-page manuscript he had written detailing a potential scenario for the game that players could act out.
Prison officials enacted the ban in 2004 after an inmate sent an anonymous letter expressing concern about Singer and three other inmates forming a "gang" focused around playing the game.
Singer was told by prison officials that he could not keep the materials because Dungeons & Dragons "promotes fantasy role playing, competitive hostility, violence, addictive escape behaviors, and possible gambling," according to the ruling. The prison later developed a more comprehensive policy against all types of fantasy games, the court said.
The appeals court said the prison's policy was reasonable and did not violate Singer's rights.
"After all, punishment is a fundamental aspect of imprisonment, and prisons may choose to punish inmates by preventing them from participating in some of their favorite recreations," the court said.
Singer was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 after being found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of his sister's boyfriend. The man was bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer.
Department of Corrections spokesman John Dipko said the department was pleased with the decision and will continue to enforce rules that are designed to maintain a safe environment.
Singer's court-appointed attorney, W.C. Turner Herbert of North Carolina, also did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
From: http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_14264293?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Updated: 01/25/2010 06:06:22 PM CST
MADISON, Wis. — A man serving life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide lost his legal battle Monday to play Dungeons & Dragons behind bars.
Kevin T. Singer filed a federal lawsuit against officials at Wisconsin's Waupun prison, arguing that a policy banning all Dungeons & Dragons material violated his free speech and due process rights.
Prison officials instigated the Dungeons & Dragons ban among concerns that playing the game promoted gang-related activity and was a threat to security. Singer challenged the ban but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld it as a reasonable policy.
Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures, often working together as a group, with the help of complicated rules.
Singer, 33, has been a devoted player of the fantasy role-playing game since he was a child, according to the court ruling. After the ban went into effect, prison officials confiscated dozens of Dungeons & Dragons books and magazines in his cell as well as a 96-page manuscript he had written detailing a potential scenario for the game that players could act out.
Prison officials enacted the ban in 2004 after an inmate sent an anonymous letter expressing concern about Singer and three other inmates forming a "gang" focused around playing the game.
Singer was told by prison officials that he could not keep the materials because Dungeons & Dragons "promotes fantasy role playing, competitive hostility, violence, addictive escape behaviors, and possible gambling," according to the ruling. The prison later developed a more comprehensive policy against all types of fantasy games, the court said.
The appeals court said the prison's policy was reasonable and did not violate Singer's rights.
"After all, punishment is a fundamental aspect of imprisonment, and prisons may choose to punish inmates by preventing them from participating in some of their favorite recreations," the court said.
Singer was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 after being found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of his sister's boyfriend. The man was bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer.
Department of Corrections spokesman John Dipko said the department was pleased with the decision and will continue to enforce rules that are designed to maintain a safe environment.
Singer's court-appointed attorney, W.C. Turner Herbert of North Carolina, also did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
From: http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_14264293?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Akron man gets 46 years in prison for violent crime spree that included rape
By Ed Meyer
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 12:42 p.m. EST, Jan 25, 2010
A 20-year-old Akron man was sentenced today to 46 years in prison for a series of armed robberies and other violent crimes involving University of Akron students in May and early June last year, authorities said.
Davarius C. Allen, who gave police an address on Sumner Street, was convicted last week in a Summit County jury trial on eight counts of aggravated robbery, three counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of rape and a count of felonious assault, all with gun specifications.
He also was convicted of receiving stolen property for numerous items stolen during the robberies, burglaries and rapes.
Prosecutors said Allen robbed four students at gunpoint May 13 on Sherman Street. He stole their wallets and credit cards and one victim's car.
Two weeks later, Allen entered an upstairs apartment on Allyn Street and raped a female college student at gunpoint.
Allen and an alleged accomplice, Thomas Maurice Knight, 22, were arrested June 3 after police said they robbed three college students at gunpoint on Buchtel Street.
Allen was found hiding under the porch of a house on Nash Street following a police chase.
Knight, who gave police the same Sumner Street address as Allen, is scheduled for trial March 23 before Common Pleas Judge Patricia A. Cosgrove, who also handled Allen's case.
Knight is charged with multiple counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, felonious assault and accompanying gun specifications.
From: http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/82607847.html
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 12:42 p.m. EST, Jan 25, 2010
A 20-year-old Akron man was sentenced today to 46 years in prison for a series of armed robberies and other violent crimes involving University of Akron students in May and early June last year, authorities said.
Davarius C. Allen, who gave police an address on Sumner Street, was convicted last week in a Summit County jury trial on eight counts of aggravated robbery, three counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of rape and a count of felonious assault, all with gun specifications.
He also was convicted of receiving stolen property for numerous items stolen during the robberies, burglaries and rapes.
Prosecutors said Allen robbed four students at gunpoint May 13 on Sherman Street. He stole their wallets and credit cards and one victim's car.
Two weeks later, Allen entered an upstairs apartment on Allyn Street and raped a female college student at gunpoint.
Allen and an alleged accomplice, Thomas Maurice Knight, 22, were arrested June 3 after police said they robbed three college students at gunpoint on Buchtel Street.
Allen was found hiding under the porch of a house on Nash Street following a police chase.
Knight, who gave police the same Sumner Street address as Allen, is scheduled for trial March 23 before Common Pleas Judge Patricia A. Cosgrove, who also handled Allen's case.
Knight is charged with multiple counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, felonious assault and accompanying gun specifications.
From: http://www.ohio.com/news/break_news/82607847.html
Prostitute killer can't control urges, court told
Svekla's dangerous-offender hearing By TONY BLAIS, QMI Agency
January 27, 2010
EDMONTON - Convicted prostitute killer Thomas Svekla cannot control his sexual urges and acts on those impulses by violently overpowering his victims and taking advantage of them.
That's what Crown prosecutor Ashley Finlayson said Tuesday during his closing argument at Svekla's dangerous offender hearing in Court of Queen's Bench.
The hearing originated from Svekla's conviction in Peace River of sexual assault and uttering death threats stemming from an Aug. 4, 2005, attack on a woman in High Level, and Finlayson cited several other of the former mechanic's convictions, as well as unproven allegations.
"What it shows is he is taking advantage of someone that he has gotten control of so he can sexually assault them and satisfy his sexual impulses," said Finlayson.
In order to prove that Svekla, 41, is a dangerous offender, Finlayson presented as additional evidence his convictions for sexually assaulting two young girls, including one for which he got a seven-year sentence last year.
The unproven allegations include testimony that Svekla pinned a girl against a classroom wall during junior high and tried to remove her clothes during a recess break.
As well, another woman testified Svekla choked her and tried to sexually assault her when she was a teen, and a former lover told court Svekla choked her until she passed out and forced unwanted sex on her.
The High Level case involved Svekla attacking a woman he had invited to his basement suite for drinks. She testified he grabbed her by her throat and hair and began sexually assaulting her.
She also said Svekla threatened to break her neck and said he would hide her body "where nobody was going to find it."
The woman escaped and went to police after she "played dead" and then fled when Svekla turned his back.
The hearing, which began in November, also heard psychiatric evidence concluding that Svekla is a psychopath who poses a high risk of reoffending violently.
The defence, which called no evidence at the hearing, is slated to present its closing argument Wednesday.
Svekla is currently serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 17 years after being convicted of second-degree murder in June 2008 for the slaying of prostitute Theresa Innes, 36. He has appealed the conviction.
He was also found guilty of offering an indignity to a body for transporting Innes's wire-bound and wrapped remains in a hockey bag from High Level to Fort Saskatchewan.
However, Svekla was acquitted on identical charges in the 2004 death of prostitute Rachel Quinney, 19. Her mutilated, naked body was found by Svekla in a wooded farmer's field near Fort Saskatchewan in June 2004.
If he is designated a dangerous offender, Svekla would receive an indefinite prison sentence.
From: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/01/27/12627886-sun.html
Swede gives millions to German anti-Islam party
Published: 25 Jan 10 07:48 CET
Swedish far-right businessman Patrik Brinkmann has announced he will pour €5 million ($7.1 million) into the coffers of Pro NRW, an anti-Islam populist party based in Cologne, Germany.
In a Sunday report aired on Germany's public broadcaster WDR, Brinkmann said he fears Germany is becoming "too foreign" and that Sharia law will be introduced in the country.
"However, there are no, or very few, politicians who take this seriously," Brinkmann said.
"That's why I believe that a new right wing (in Germany) can not only succeed, but in five or ten years be as large as the FPÖ in Austria or the SVP in Switzerland," he added, referring to Austria's Freedom Party and the Swiss People's Party, two far-right groups which have enjoyed a certain amount of electoral success.
The millionaire, who reportedly already has ties to Germany's extreme-right NPD and DVU parties, will finance a building for Pro NRW to be used as an anti-Islam centre.
Burkhard Freier, the deputy head of the North Rhine-Westphalian branch of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Verfassungsschutz, considers Pro NRW and a related group, Pro Köln (Pro Cologne), dangerous organizations.
However, he added that Pro NRW's membership roll is so small, around 300, that it does not have much of an influence in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state.
"That's why they play up every new member, every property purchase and every event as big as they can on the internet so they can give their own adherents the feeling that 'we are somebody'," Freier said.
In 2004, Brinkmann founded the Continent Europe Foundation (Kontinent Europa Stiftelse – KES) in Sweden, a group seeking to establish a “greater European civilization” that will include Russia.
Brinkmann later caused a stir in 2008 when it was revealed he had purchased a €3.3-million villa in the Berlin suburbs, prompting fears on the part of German authorities that the home would become a base for neo-Nazi activities.
German intelligence agents view Patrik Brinkmann as a leading figure among right-wing extremists around the world.
Although Brinkmann said at the time that the purchase was “purely private”, in 2009 a statement by the foundation conformed that Brinkmann would relocate to Berlin “by 2010 at the latest” to build a “Europe-wide Internationale of nationalists”.
From: http://www.thelocal.se/24564/20100125/
Swedish far-right businessman Patrik Brinkmann has announced he will pour €5 million ($7.1 million) into the coffers of Pro NRW, an anti-Islam populist party based in Cologne, Germany.
In a Sunday report aired on Germany's public broadcaster WDR, Brinkmann said he fears Germany is becoming "too foreign" and that Sharia law will be introduced in the country.
"However, there are no, or very few, politicians who take this seriously," Brinkmann said.
"That's why I believe that a new right wing (in Germany) can not only succeed, but in five or ten years be as large as the FPÖ in Austria or the SVP in Switzerland," he added, referring to Austria's Freedom Party and the Swiss People's Party, two far-right groups which have enjoyed a certain amount of electoral success.
The millionaire, who reportedly already has ties to Germany's extreme-right NPD and DVU parties, will finance a building for Pro NRW to be used as an anti-Islam centre.
Burkhard Freier, the deputy head of the North Rhine-Westphalian branch of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the Verfassungsschutz, considers Pro NRW and a related group, Pro Köln (Pro Cologne), dangerous organizations.
However, he added that Pro NRW's membership roll is so small, around 300, that it does not have much of an influence in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state.
"That's why they play up every new member, every property purchase and every event as big as they can on the internet so they can give their own adherents the feeling that 'we are somebody'," Freier said.
In 2004, Brinkmann founded the Continent Europe Foundation (Kontinent Europa Stiftelse – KES) in Sweden, a group seeking to establish a “greater European civilization” that will include Russia.
Brinkmann later caused a stir in 2008 when it was revealed he had purchased a €3.3-million villa in the Berlin suburbs, prompting fears on the part of German authorities that the home would become a base for neo-Nazi activities.
German intelligence agents view Patrik Brinkmann as a leading figure among right-wing extremists around the world.
Although Brinkmann said at the time that the purchase was “purely private”, in 2009 a statement by the foundation conformed that Brinkmann would relocate to Berlin “by 2010 at the latest” to build a “Europe-wide Internationale of nationalists”.
From: http://www.thelocal.se/24564/20100125/
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Cannibal Apocalypse
BellaOnline's Horror Movies EditorGuest Author - Andy Boxall
Director: Antonio Margheriti (Credited as Anthony M Dawson)
Starring: John Saxon, Elizabeth Turner, John Morghen
This entry into the Italian horror sub-genre of cannibalism drags the phenomenon out of the jungles and dumps it into the urban sprawl of Atlanta, Georgia. The movie opens with a mix of stock Vietnam war footage and a Margheriti shot attack on a Vietnam village. John Saxon plays Captain Hopper who rescues fellow marines Charlie Bukowski (John Morghen) and Tony King (Tom Thompson), just as they are busy munching their way through a semi-cooked woman. As Hopper pulls them to safety, he is bitten on his arm. Back at home in Atlanta, Bukowski goes crazy, Hopper starts to crave human flesh and the police department has to clear up the resulting mess.
The big twist of Cannibal Apocalypse is that it treats cannibalism as a rabies-like virus, transferred from person to person by a bite. Pretty soon, hospital staff, nubile next door neighbours with dubious dress sense and even the lawmen are infected with a nasty case of cannibalism. Hopper and crew go on the run, ending up in a chase through the city sewer system.
Cannibal Ferox and Cannibal Holocaust are infamous for their gruesome violence against both person and animal, plus their documentary shooting style. Apocalypse is far less cruel than it’s peers, but this doesn’t mean it shies away from some gory set pieces. Witness the dismemberment of a gas station attendant with a power tool, a particularly nasty French kiss and the movies poster moment of a shotgun blast completely through the stomach of that eternal victim, John Morghen.
Speaking of Mr Morghen, he delivers his usual enthusiastic performance, bringing much-needed colour to the band of cannibals. John Saxon is also great, but doesn’t really put his heart into his role in the same way as Morghen. If there was a splatter Oscar then it would surely be given to Wallace Wilkinson who plays the police captain in charge of the investigation. He nabs all the best lines, gets to swear to his hearts content and takes the decidedly non-PC decision to send flame-thrower equipped policemen into the sewers after the ‘criminals’. Awesome!
Of course, this being an Italian production, the script is amusing for all the wrong reasons and the budget was obviously very small. Listen out for the funky saxophone drenched soundtrack, written by the fabulously named Alex Blonksteiner, too. But because it avoids the deliberate cruelty and shocking images of other cannibal movies, it should be considered one of the more accessible entries into extreme Italian cinema.
As well as the movie you will find filmographies for the major players, trailers, photo gallery and a short documentary looking at the Atlanta locations used in the film and how they are today. The standout piece however is the documentary named Cannibal Apocalypse Redux. This 50 minute feature contains talking head interviews with Morghen, Saxon and Margheriti and is a fascinating glimpse into the making of a low budget Italian genre movies. Seeing as this disc can be picked up for a very reasonable price, Redux makes it worth the price on its own.
Conclusion:
Yes, it’s gory and exploitative and if you don’t like that style of horror then you won’t like this. But if you like a bit of gristle with your Italian horror but aren’t strong stomached enough for Ferox and Holocaust, then Apocalypse represents a sensible middle ground. Those who do decide to take the plunge will be rewarded with a cool soundtrack, some really funny lines and a rare documentary to wash it down with.
From: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art40241.asp
Knife-wielding perv attacks woman, takes cell phone pictures of assault
BY John Lauinger DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, January 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
A knife-wielding man sodomized a young woman in lower Manhattan - and sadistically took pictures of her with his cell phone camera during the attack, police said.
He followed her into the elevator of a lower East Side building on Jan. 18 and confronted her at knifepoint, police said.
He then forced her into an eighth-floor stairwell, where the attack took place.
The suspect is described as about 18 to 23, with a dark complexion and an Afro. He is roughly 5-feet-9 and 200 pounds.
From: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/01/26/2010-01-26_perv_attacks_woman_takes_pix_of_assault.html
Dozens Fall Ill In Holy Water Health Scare
12:52pm UK, Monday January 25, 2010 Roddy Mansfield, Sky News Online
More than 100 Russian Orthodox believers have been hospitalised after drinking holy water in Irkutsk, Siberia.
Those affected, including 48 children, are being treated in hospital for acute intestinal pain after drinking water from wells around a local church last week.
The believers were celebrating Epiphany (Greek for "appearance", or "revelation"), which is traditionally commemorated by Orthodox Russians on January 19.
Spokesman Vladimir Salovarov said a total of 204 people required some medical treatment. However it is too early to say exactly what caused the illness.
Many Russians consider any water obtained on Epiphany to be holy. The water is typically bottled for consumption later. Tap water in most of Russia is undrinkable.
The Russian Orthodox Church is said to be one of the largest Eastern Orthodox churches in the world, second only to the Roman Catholic Church among Christian churches.
It is estimated to have 135 million followers worldwide.
From: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Holy-WaterRussian-Orthodox-Believers-Hospitalised-After-Drinking-Holy-Water/Article/201001415535110?lpos=World_News_First_Health_Article_Teaser_Region__0&lid=ARTICLE_15535110_Holy_WaterRussian_Orthodox_Believers_Hospitalised_After_Drinking_Holy_Water
Drug deal goes sour, bullets fly, undercover Memphis officers escape
By Hank Dudding Posted January 22, 2010 at midnight
An undercover Memphis police officer met a crack dealer at the trunk of a 2005 Ford for what looked to be a routine drug sale.
Nothing that followed was routine.
Within seconds, police said, the dealer and a 16-year-old boy pulled guns, demanded money and discovered the officer's recording device before firing a flurry of shots at the officer and his partner.
2009 Crime Series. The officers escaped, one playing dead in a ditch while the other diverted attention from his partner. Neither was injured.
Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin said the officers didn't shoot back because they were concerned about hitting a 11/2 -year-old baby who was in the Ford.
Three suspects, Bernard Frazier, 23; Xaviera Oliver, 27; and Michael Young, 16, face two counts each of attempted first-degree murder, along with robbery, drug and gun charges.
"It's amazing to me that you would ... bring your child to a drug deal," Godwin said. "Something's really missing here that you would do such a thing."
The baby was taken from Oliver, the child's mother, and placed in the father's custody.
"We're very fortunate that the child is safe (and) the officers, of course, are safe. And I'm glad the suspects weren't injured, at this point," Godwin said. "They're very fortunate, because in another situation fire would have been returned."
According to Godwin and police affidavits:
The officers, whose names were not released, arranged to buy drugs from Frazier in the 300 block of Howard on Wednesday afternoon.
As one officer went to the trunk of Frazier's Ford 500, Young got out of the Ford, pulled a gun and demanded "everything" from the officer. Frazier also pulled a gun.
The suspects took $125 in cash, a police handgun and two cell phones.
The officer tried to break away when Frazier discovered he was wearing a recording device.
Frazier then told the officer: "You're going to get your (expletive) blown off."
The juvenile fired at least five shots at the officers.
"It was a robbery that was set up to be a robbery from the word 'go,'" said Godwin, who said a tap on the trunk put the plan in motion.
Investigators traced the Ford's tag to Express Van and Rental in the 1900 block of Brooks. An employee there then used GPS to pinpoint the car at Elvis Presley Boulevard and Hale.
Officers found Frazier, Oliver and Young in the car eating a meal at Church's Chicken, 4360 Elvis Presley Blvd.
The officers will be off the job for at least a couple of days, Godwin said, while they undergo psychological counseling.
"We asked them to slow down just a bit," he said. "I want them to feel good about themselves and make sure there are no issues."
Frazier and Oliver are being held in Shelby County jails. Young is at Juvenile Court.
From: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jan/22/drug-deal-goes-sour-bullets-fly/?partner=popular
Texas boy, 9, hanged self in school bathroom
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted: January 22, 2010, 11:38 AM CST
A 9-year-old boy was found hanged in the bathroom of a Dallas-area elementary school in an apparent suicide, police said. Counselors were on hand Friday for students and parents.
Authorities in The Colony say the fourth-grader was found by staff at Stewart's Creek Elementary School on Thursday afternoon. Lt. Darren Brockway said that the boy "had reportedly hung himself in a bathroom" and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Autopsy results are pending.
Police in The Colony, about 20 miles north of Dallas, are investigating the circumstances of Montana Lance's death but don't expect any criminal charges. The school district confirmed the basics of the incident but declined to comment further because of privacy concerns.
A team of grief counselors met people at the school Friday. They will be available to students, parents, teachers and staff through next week, said Lewisville Independent School District spokeswoman Karen Permetti.
Some parents were concerned that they did not learn about the incident from the school, but Permetti said the facts were sketchy until about the time school let out Thursday. The school is sending a letter about the incident home with students Friday, Permetti said.
"We do want to stress to our parents to encourage their children to discuss their feelings because children all process their grief differently," Permetti said.
Suicides among young children are extremely rare. There were on average just 10 suicides a year among 10-year-olds between 1999 and 2005, according to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Early last year in suburban Chicago, a 10-year-old boy hanged himself on a restroom coat hook. In 2008, a 7-year-old boy in Austin died after being hanged by his shirt from a coat hook in a dressing room, though authorities said he might have been playing a game in which students jumped from bench to bench while trying to touch the room's ceiling.
From: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/82395437.html
Posted: January 22, 2010, 11:38 AM CST
A 9-year-old boy was found hanged in the bathroom of a Dallas-area elementary school in an apparent suicide, police said. Counselors were on hand Friday for students and parents.
Authorities in The Colony say the fourth-grader was found by staff at Stewart's Creek Elementary School on Thursday afternoon. Lt. Darren Brockway said that the boy "had reportedly hung himself in a bathroom" and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Autopsy results are pending.
Police in The Colony, about 20 miles north of Dallas, are investigating the circumstances of Montana Lance's death but don't expect any criminal charges. The school district confirmed the basics of the incident but declined to comment further because of privacy concerns.
A team of grief counselors met people at the school Friday. They will be available to students, parents, teachers and staff through next week, said Lewisville Independent School District spokeswoman Karen Permetti.
Some parents were concerned that they did not learn about the incident from the school, but Permetti said the facts were sketchy until about the time school let out Thursday. The school is sending a letter about the incident home with students Friday, Permetti said.
"We do want to stress to our parents to encourage their children to discuss their feelings because children all process their grief differently," Permetti said.
Suicides among young children are extremely rare. There were on average just 10 suicides a year among 10-year-olds between 1999 and 2005, according to statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Early last year in suburban Chicago, a 10-year-old boy hanged himself on a restroom coat hook. In 2008, a 7-year-old boy in Austin died after being hanged by his shirt from a coat hook in a dressing room, though authorities said he might have been playing a game in which students jumped from bench to bench while trying to touch the room's ceiling.
From: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/82395437.html
Man charged after leaving child after wreck
By KEN FOUNTAIN
January 22, 2010
A Beaumont man faces a charge of driving while intoxicated with a child after allegedly losing control of his pickup and leaving his 2-year-old child behind on Friday.
Jeffrey Jenkins, 36, was in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on a $10,000 bond, according to Officer Randy Stevens, a Beaumont Police Department spokesman.
Stevens said witnesses reported seeing Jenkins speeding and driving recklessly near the intersection of Detroit and Buchanan streets when his pickup swerved and flipped over onto its side.
The witnesses said Jenkins got out of the truck and ran, leaving his 2-year-old child hanging out of one of the vehicle's windows.
Passers-by cared for the child until police arrived. The child was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and returned to the care of the mother.
Police were later able to track down Jenkins and arrest him, Stevens said. He also had an outstanding warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
If convicted of the driving while intoxicated with a child charge, Jenkins faces up to two years in state jail.
From: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/82456122.html
January 22, 2010
A Beaumont man faces a charge of driving while intoxicated with a child after allegedly losing control of his pickup and leaving his 2-year-old child behind on Friday.
Jeffrey Jenkins, 36, was in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on a $10,000 bond, according to Officer Randy Stevens, a Beaumont Police Department spokesman.
Stevens said witnesses reported seeing Jenkins speeding and driving recklessly near the intersection of Detroit and Buchanan streets when his pickup swerved and flipped over onto its side.
The witnesses said Jenkins got out of the truck and ran, leaving his 2-year-old child hanging out of one of the vehicle's windows.
Passers-by cared for the child until police arrived. The child was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and returned to the care of the mother.
Police were later able to track down Jenkins and arrest him, Stevens said. He also had an outstanding warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
If convicted of the driving while intoxicated with a child charge, Jenkins faces up to two years in state jail.
From: http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/82456122.html
Monday, January 25, 2010
ManWoman – Savior of the Swastika
Covered in around 200 swastika tattoos, ManWoman welcomes pilgrims to his Swastika Museum and tries to “detoxify” the hated symbol used by Hitler.Born to a Polish immigrant mother, at the start of World War 2, ManWoman (Manny, for short) hated the swastika as much as any other westerner. But that all changed when he turned 27 and started having bizarre visions involving the symbol. During these mystical experiences, Manny appeared as a half-man half-woman (thus the weird name) surrounded by a white light that represented everything good: love, peace, god, eternity. An old man would appear and mark his neck and arms with swastikas, instructing him to reclaim the sacredness of the ancient symbol.
At the time he didn’t know much about the history of the swastika, just that it was a symbol of evil, used by the Nazis. After some thorough research he learned the crooked mark dates back to the year 4000 BC and was associated with many religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism. The Sanskrit word “svastika” means “conducive to well being”.
That’s when re realized his destiny and started a quest to make the swastika known to the world as the sacred symbol it was before being tainted by Nazis. He got his first swastika tattoo in 1969 and, over the years, gathered an inked collection of over 200.
Although there are those knocking on his door, asking to see the Swastika Museum he set up in his own home, most people still feel uncomfortable around him, associating him with the terror of the Holocaust. He is aware the war to restore the sacredness of the swastika is far from over, but he presses on.
From: http://www.odditycentral.com/category/wtf
Madhouse (1974 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaMadhouse is a 1974 British horror film directed by Jim Clark for Amicus Productions. It stars Vincent Price, Natasha Pyne, Peter Cushing, Robert Quarry, Adrienne Corri and Linda Hayden.
Plot
Price plays Paul Toombes, a horror actor whose trademark role is 'Dr. Death'. Years after a scandal ends his film career (his fiancee is murdered and Toombes ends up in an asylum, suspected but never convicted of the crime), the embittered Toombes revives his character for a television series. Cast and crew begin to die in ways that suggest scenes from Toombes's films (which are represented here by clips of Price's AIP efforts), and they all point to Toombes. Now, Toombes must find and confront the real killer, before he becomes the killer's next victim.
Premise
Based on a novel called Devilday (1969) by Angus Hall, the film is the last horror movie that Price made for American International Pictures, where he had worked consistently (mostly on Edgar Allan Poe adaptations) since 1960. Co-star Robert Quarry was being groomed to replace Price, but low-budget horror films fell out of fashion after the release of The Exorcist.
Directed by Jim Clark - Produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff, John Dark, Max Rosenberg, Milton Subotsky - Written by Angus Hall, Ken Levison, Greg Morrison - Starring Vincent Price, Peter Cushing - Music by Douglas Gamley - Cinematography Ray Parslow - Editing by Clive Smith - Release date(s) 1974 - Country United Kingdom
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhouse_(1974_film)
Homeowner charged for shooting at fleeing burglar
January 24, 2010, 2:42 pm
ROYALTON -- An Akron Road man and two Lockport residents face charges after an attempted burglary in which the homeowner allegedly fired a rifle at one of the intruders as he tried to drive away.
Anibal R. Cordero, 24, and Jenna M. Zsebhazy, 18, were jailed after they allegedly tried to enter the home of Dennis F. Cherry late Thursday morning, State Police said.
Cordero and Zsebhazy were confronted by Cherry, 63, who was holding a rifle as they entered through an open garage door of the home, just south of Bulmore Road. Cherry detained Zsebhazy, while Cordero tried to flee in a vehicle, police said.
Cherry then fired about 15 rounds at the vehicle. There were no injuries, according to police. After then running from the scene on foot, Cordero was caught in a wooded area.
Cordero and Zsebhazy each were charged with second-degree attempted burglary, a Class D felony, and taken to the Niagara County jail.
Cherry was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree criminal mischief, both Class D felonies, and second-degree menacing, a Class A misdemeanor. He was released on his own recognizance.
From: http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/933866.html?imw=Y
ROYALTON -- An Akron Road man and two Lockport residents face charges after an attempted burglary in which the homeowner allegedly fired a rifle at one of the intruders as he tried to drive away.
Anibal R. Cordero, 24, and Jenna M. Zsebhazy, 18, were jailed after they allegedly tried to enter the home of Dennis F. Cherry late Thursday morning, State Police said.
Cordero and Zsebhazy were confronted by Cherry, 63, who was holding a rifle as they entered through an open garage door of the home, just south of Bulmore Road. Cherry detained Zsebhazy, while Cordero tried to flee in a vehicle, police said.
Cherry then fired about 15 rounds at the vehicle. There were no injuries, according to police. After then running from the scene on foot, Cordero was caught in a wooded area.
Cordero and Zsebhazy each were charged with second-degree attempted burglary, a Class D felony, and taken to the Niagara County jail.
Cherry was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree criminal mischief, both Class D felonies, and second-degree menacing, a Class A misdemeanor. He was released on his own recognizance.
From: http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/933866.html?imw=Y
Menifee school officials remove dictionary over term 'oral sex'
10:56 PM PST on Thursday, January 21, 2010
By JULISSA McKINNON
The Press-Enterprise
After a parent complained about an elementary school student stumbling across "oral sex" in a classroom dictionary, Menifee Union School District officials decided to pull Merriam Webster's 10th edition from all school shelves earlier this week.
School officials will review the dictionary to decide if it should be permanently banned because of the "sexually graphic" entry, said district spokeswoman Betti Cadmus. The dictionaries were initially purchased a few years ago for fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms districtwide, according to a memo to the superintendent.
"It's just not age appropriate," said Cadmus, adding that this is the first time a book has been removed from classrooms throughout the district.
"It's hard to sit and read the dictionary, but we'll be looking to find other things of a graphic nature," Cadmus said. She explained that other dictionary entries defining human anatomy would probably not be cause for alarm.
Meanwhile, some parents are questioning the district's response and some school board members are asking why officials did not consult with them.
"Censorship in the schools, really? Pretty soon the only dictionary in the school library will be the Bert and Ernie dictionary," said Emanuel Chavez, the parent of second- and sixth-grade students. "If the kids are exposed to it, it's up to the parents to explain it to them at their level."
Board member Rita Peters questioned why one parent's complaint would lead the district to pull the dictionaries.
"If we're going to pull a book because it has something on oral sex, then every book in the library with that better be pulled," she said. "The standard needs to be consistent ... We don't need parents setting policy."
Peters said if the dictionary quarantine is setting a precedent, a committee should be formed to review all school books for age-appropriateness.
Board member Randy Freeman, an elementary school teacher and parent to four daughters in Menifee schools, said he supports the initial decision to ban the dictionary temporarily.
Freeman said it's "a prestigious dictionary that's used in the Riverside County spelling bee, but I also imagine there are words in there of concern."
From: http://www.pe.com/localnews/menifee/stories/PE_News_Local_W_sdictionary22.414bdf0.html
By JULISSA McKINNON
The Press-Enterprise
After a parent complained about an elementary school student stumbling across "oral sex" in a classroom dictionary, Menifee Union School District officials decided to pull Merriam Webster's 10th edition from all school shelves earlier this week.
School officials will review the dictionary to decide if it should be permanently banned because of the "sexually graphic" entry, said district spokeswoman Betti Cadmus. The dictionaries were initially purchased a few years ago for fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms districtwide, according to a memo to the superintendent.
"It's just not age appropriate," said Cadmus, adding that this is the first time a book has been removed from classrooms throughout the district.
"It's hard to sit and read the dictionary, but we'll be looking to find other things of a graphic nature," Cadmus said. She explained that other dictionary entries defining human anatomy would probably not be cause for alarm.
Meanwhile, some parents are questioning the district's response and some school board members are asking why officials did not consult with them.
"Censorship in the schools, really? Pretty soon the only dictionary in the school library will be the Bert and Ernie dictionary," said Emanuel Chavez, the parent of second- and sixth-grade students. "If the kids are exposed to it, it's up to the parents to explain it to them at their level."
Board member Rita Peters questioned why one parent's complaint would lead the district to pull the dictionaries.
"If we're going to pull a book because it has something on oral sex, then every book in the library with that better be pulled," she said. "The standard needs to be consistent ... We don't need parents setting policy."
Peters said if the dictionary quarantine is setting a precedent, a committee should be formed to review all school books for age-appropriateness.
Board member Randy Freeman, an elementary school teacher and parent to four daughters in Menifee schools, said he supports the initial decision to ban the dictionary temporarily.
Freeman said it's "a prestigious dictionary that's used in the Riverside County spelling bee, but I also imagine there are words in there of concern."
From: http://www.pe.com/localnews/menifee/stories/PE_News_Local_W_sdictionary22.414bdf0.html
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Story Of The Missing Sheep
January 11, 2010
When you find a Python as big as the one in the picture, all the money you spent putting up the electric fence seems worth it. No matter how great it could look in pictures and no matter how many stories you could tell about it, it is just not worth coming face to face with a monster of this size. The snake looks like it has just swallowed one of the sheep as its belly looks quite loaded.
You don’t really need an explanation on how the missing sheep story got solved but the sheep farmer will definitely have nightmares for a few weeks following the capture of the python. A python can swallow the animal, whole and later digest it at leisure. One big meal will last for weeks. The farmer is lucky the python had been taking the sheep and didn’t get close to him.
(Note: The wires are 10 inches apart.)
From: http://www.wackyowl.com/python-stuck-fence/
When you find a Python as big as the one in the picture, all the money you spent putting up the electric fence seems worth it. No matter how great it could look in pictures and no matter how many stories you could tell about it, it is just not worth coming face to face with a monster of this size. The snake looks like it has just swallowed one of the sheep as its belly looks quite loaded.
You don’t really need an explanation on how the missing sheep story got solved but the sheep farmer will definitely have nightmares for a few weeks following the capture of the python. A python can swallow the animal, whole and later digest it at leisure. One big meal will last for weeks. The farmer is lucky the python had been taking the sheep and didn’t get close to him.
(Note: The wires are 10 inches apart.)
From: http://www.wackyowl.com/python-stuck-fence/
Weird Diseases
The sheer range of diseases that affect humans is overwhelming, but it’s as infinitely interesting as it is exhausting. Whether they’re physical, mental, or both, these diseases are some of the most intriguing:
Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis (often misspelled or mispronounced as “elephantitis”) is characterized by an extreme swelling of the limbs or regions of the head and neck. This effect is caused by an excess fluid build-up in the tissues. The condition is caused by several parasites that affect the lymphatic system, all of which are transmitted by mosquitoes.
Pica
People with Pica exhibit an irrational desire to eat non-food items. This behavior can occur in pregnant women (where it is often associated with certain mineral deficiencies), but is especially prevalent in young children. Patients may eat anything, from paint and sand to animal feces.
Hypertrichosis
Hypertrichosis, sometimes called “Human Werewolf Syndrome”, is characterized by excessive hair growth. It is generally only a cosmetic problem, and though it is exceptionally rare, patients can live relatively normal lives.
Capgras Delusion
The Capgras delusion (or Capgras syndrome) is a rare disorder in which a person holds a delusion that an acquaintance (typically someone close) has been replaced with an imposter. This delusion can be so strong that they may actually attack the loved one.
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Individuals with this strange syndrome will incorrectly perceive the sizes of things: from objects, to animals, to parts of their own body. Their hands may appear enormous to them, while a horse will appear to be the size of a cat.
Exploding Head Syndrome
Typically associated with extreme fatigue or stress, individuals with Exploding Head Syndrome will hear an enormously loud noise (like an explosion or gun shot) that seems to originate from inside of their own head. The “explosion” will often occur a few hours into sleep.
Latah
“Latah” is both the name of the condition and a name for people afflicted with this condition. Latahs respond to being surprised by falling into a trance state in which they mimic the speech and actions of those around them and obey all commands given to them without thought. During these episodes, they are completely unaware of their actions.
Cotard’s Syndrome
Cotard’s Syndrome is a delusion most often present in depressed or suicidal individuals in which they believe that they are dead, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their blood and/or internal organs.
Progeria
Progeria is a fatal genetic disorder that is characterized by the appearance of rapid aging in children. They usually appear normal at birth, but soon show signs of rapid aging. Sadly, children suffering from Progeria usually die of heart disease early in adolescence.
From: http://www.weirdworm.com/10-weird-diseases/
Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis (often misspelled or mispronounced as “elephantitis”) is characterized by an extreme swelling of the limbs or regions of the head and neck. This effect is caused by an excess fluid build-up in the tissues. The condition is caused by several parasites that affect the lymphatic system, all of which are transmitted by mosquitoes.
Pica
People with Pica exhibit an irrational desire to eat non-food items. This behavior can occur in pregnant women (where it is often associated with certain mineral deficiencies), but is especially prevalent in young children. Patients may eat anything, from paint and sand to animal feces.
Hypertrichosis
Hypertrichosis, sometimes called “Human Werewolf Syndrome”, is characterized by excessive hair growth. It is generally only a cosmetic problem, and though it is exceptionally rare, patients can live relatively normal lives.
Capgras Delusion
The Capgras delusion (or Capgras syndrome) is a rare disorder in which a person holds a delusion that an acquaintance (typically someone close) has been replaced with an imposter. This delusion can be so strong that they may actually attack the loved one.
Alice in Wonderland Syndrome
Individuals with this strange syndrome will incorrectly perceive the sizes of things: from objects, to animals, to parts of their own body. Their hands may appear enormous to them, while a horse will appear to be the size of a cat.
Exploding Head Syndrome
Typically associated with extreme fatigue or stress, individuals with Exploding Head Syndrome will hear an enormously loud noise (like an explosion or gun shot) that seems to originate from inside of their own head. The “explosion” will often occur a few hours into sleep.
Latah
“Latah” is both the name of the condition and a name for people afflicted with this condition. Latahs respond to being surprised by falling into a trance state in which they mimic the speech and actions of those around them and obey all commands given to them without thought. During these episodes, they are completely unaware of their actions.
Cotard’s Syndrome
Cotard’s Syndrome is a delusion most often present in depressed or suicidal individuals in which they believe that they are dead, do not exist, are putrefying, or have lost their blood and/or internal organs.
Progeria
Progeria is a fatal genetic disorder that is characterized by the appearance of rapid aging in children. They usually appear normal at birth, but soon show signs of rapid aging. Sadly, children suffering from Progeria usually die of heart disease early in adolescence.
From: http://www.weirdworm.com/10-weird-diseases/
Man arrested for violating neighbor's dog
By LISA IRISH, The Daily CourierTuesday, January 19, 2010
A Chino Valley man was indicted on bestiality and aggravated assault charges Thursday in early disposition court after he allegedly sexually assaulted a neighbor's dog.
A case management conference is set for Gary Riley, 38, of Chino Valley at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 16 before Yavapai Superior Court Judge Thomas B. Lindberg, said Penny Cramer, administrative assistant for the Yavapai County Attorney's office.
Yavapai County Sheriff's deputies arrested Riley at his home after 5:24 p.m. on Jan. 7 after they spoke with his neighbor, Levi Federwisch.
Federwisch told deputies when he came home from work he noticed his 6-month-old female border collie Daisy missing from his fenced backyard and not inside the house.
Federwisch told deputies he looked for his dog, then came home and saw Riley sexually assaulting Daisy.
Federwisch told deputies he briefly struggled with Riley to free Daisy.
After speaking with Federwisch, deputies knocked on Riley's front door and identified themselves, but no one answered. After finding the back door ajar, deputies knocked, announced themselves again and entered Riley's home.
Deputies found Riley hiding under a bed, said Dwight D'Evelyn, spokesman for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies saw a mark on Riley's face that he said happened when a man punched him.
After deputies arrested Riley on charges of aggravated assault, they took him to their patrol vehicle, where Riley told them he'd drank 12 bottles of Budweiser beer, a violation of his parole.
Riley told deputies when he saw the dog on his property, he picked her up so he could return her; then a man started yelling and hit him without being provoked.
When the man said he was calling police, Riley told deputies he became frightened since he'd just been released from prison and was on parole.
Riley said he went inside his home, took a shower and hid under the bed.
Deputies took Riley to the Prescott substation, where he consented to a search of his body for marks.
Riley had multiple scratches and scrapes on his arms, front torso, lower back, chest abdomen and pelvic area that were consistent with a dog's claws, according to the Sheriff's Office report.
"Riley's injuries were consistent with what the owner of the dog said he had seen - Riley performing a sex act with the dog," D'Evelyn said.
Riley also consented to swabs of his mouth, which deputies submitted into evidence.
A doctor from the Chino Valley Animal Hospital examined Daisy and noted that the puppy had wounds that had happened in the past day on the interior of her vulva, according to the Sheriff's Office report.
The doctor noted Daisy was not in heat, and took swabs of her area, which deputies submitted into evidence.
Deputies booked Riley into the Camp Verde jail on charges of bestiality, aggravated assault and theft of property.
"Actually, these cases come up far more than you think they would," said Stephanie Nichols-Young, president of the Animal Defense League of Arizona. "It's very troubling."
"In some cases, smaller animals die or are horribly injured after they are violated. It is essentially rape."
From: http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&subsectionID=1&articleID=76860
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Equinox (1970)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaEquinox is a 1970 American horror film. Originally made in 1967 under the title The Equinox... A Journey into the Supernatural it was directed by Dennis Muren, and stars Edward Connell as Dave, Barbara Hewitt as Susan Turner and Frank Bonner as Jim Hudson. The plot revolves around four young friends who head into the woods to look for the lost scientist Dr. Arthur Watermann. A forest ranger watches over the teenagers, who in reality is Asmodeus. When the kids stumble upon an ancient book, Asmodeus sends a variety of monsters to retrieve the book from them at all costs. After killing Jim, Asmodeus reveals his true form: that of a winged red demon. Asmodeus proceeds to kill Jim's girlfriend and then attacks Dave and Susan. The two run away to a cemetery and destroy the demon with a cross, and his death leads to the cemetery exploding, killing Susan in the process. Although Dave is the only survivor, he sees a shadowy giant who announces him he will be dead in one year and one day, causing Dave to go crazy after that. One year and one day later we see an evil-faced Susan arriving at the hospital to visit him, and the film ends on this ominous note.
The Equinox... A Journey into the Supernatural was picked up for distribution by producer Jack H. Harris, who shot new footage for the film with Jack Woods and released it in 1970 as Equinox.
The film includes a cameo from Fritz Leiber as Dr. Watermann.
Production
While studying business at Pasadena City College, Dennis Muren spent $6500 to make Equinox, which at that time was a short science fiction film. Tonylyn Productions, a small film company, liked the film enough to distribute it. Tonylyn hired film editor Jack Woods to direct additional footage in order to make Equinox into a feature-length movie. When the feature-length Equinox was released in October 1970, Muren was credited as a producer in spite of having directed much of the film and creating the special effects himself. The movie made enough money for Muren to recoup his $6500 investment.
Directed by Dennis Muren, Jack Woods - Produced by Jack H. Harris, Dennis Muren - Written by Mark Thomas McGee, Jack Woods - Starring Edward Connell, Barbara Hewitt, Frank Bonner, Robin Christopher - Music by John Caper, Jr. - Cinematography Mike Hoover - Editing by John Joyce - Distributed by Tonylyn Productions - Release date October 1970 - Running time 80 min. - Country United States - Language English
Legacy
Equinox is assumed to have inspired Evil Dead, yet this has not been confirmed. It was seen by members of the crew of Evil Dead before production:
"I had seen Equinox at least twice in drive-ins before making Evil Dead. I don't recall having discussed it with [Evil Dead director] Sam Raimi, but the similarities are remarkable. I think they come from the low-budget nature of both films. That is, a few characters, an isolated, inexpensive location, and ambitious special effects. All in all, Equinox did inspire me to continue my goal of making movies. 'If they can do it...'" —Tom Sullivan, special effects and make-up artist for the Evil Dead movies, as quoted from the booklet included with the Criterion DVD set, "Backyard Monsters: Equinox and the Triumph of Love" by Brock Deshane.
There are also similarities to The Spiderwick Chronicles, a 2008 fantasy film adaptation of Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi's bestselling series of the same name. The 2008 film also features a scientist uncle who chronicled the details of secret creatures in a book that is sought after by an evil demon goblin. There is also a woman who is deemed insane an institutionalized because of her experiences. There is also a scene where the goblin king tries to strike a deal with one of the twins to betray his family. The same scene occurs in Equinox with one of the men.
DVD release
Equinox was released on DVD in June 2006 as release 338 in The Criterion Collection.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox_(film)
Woman kills boyfriend by sitting on him
By MyFox National From: NewsCore January 22, 2010 4:14PM
A WOMAN who weighed 136kg has pleaded guilty to killing her much smaller boyfriend - by sitting on him.
Police in Cleveland said Mia Landingham and Mikal Middleston-Bey, who have three children together, got into an argument in August.
During the altercation Landingham sat on Middleston-Bey, who weighed 54.4kg.
Landingham was sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours community service on Wednesday after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, Fox8 reported.
She was immediately released from jail.
Her attorney told said there was a long history of domestic abuse in the relationship. He asked Judge Carolyn Friedland for leniency and pointed out she has no prior criminal record.
Landingham she was sorry for squashing the father of her children.
"I just want to say that I am sincerely sorry about this situation. I wish I could take it back,” she said.
During Landingham's sentencing, her boyfriend's family spoke of the pain she has caused their family.
"I just want to let you know how much you have hurt us by taking Mikal away from us," said Sharon Phillips, the victim's step-mother.
While Middleton-Bey's family hoped Landingham would eventually be able to take part in her children's lives, they were surprised that she got no additional jail time.
"So basically you can say that I can go sit on somebody and get probation?" said one of the victim's sisters.
"I feel there wasn't no justice."
Landingham faced a maximum of five years behind bars.
From: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/woman-kills-boyfriend-by-sitting-on-him/story-e6frf7lx-1225822572923
A WOMAN who weighed 136kg has pleaded guilty to killing her much smaller boyfriend - by sitting on him.
Police in Cleveland said Mia Landingham and Mikal Middleston-Bey, who have three children together, got into an argument in August.
During the altercation Landingham sat on Middleston-Bey, who weighed 54.4kg.
Landingham was sentenced to three years probation and 100 hours community service on Wednesday after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, Fox8 reported.
She was immediately released from jail.
Her attorney told said there was a long history of domestic abuse in the relationship. He asked Judge Carolyn Friedland for leniency and pointed out she has no prior criminal record.
Landingham she was sorry for squashing the father of her children.
"I just want to say that I am sincerely sorry about this situation. I wish I could take it back,” she said.
During Landingham's sentencing, her boyfriend's family spoke of the pain she has caused their family.
"I just want to let you know how much you have hurt us by taking Mikal away from us," said Sharon Phillips, the victim's step-mother.
While Middleton-Bey's family hoped Landingham would eventually be able to take part in her children's lives, they were surprised that she got no additional jail time.
"So basically you can say that I can go sit on somebody and get probation?" said one of the victim's sisters.
"I feel there wasn't no justice."
Landingham faced a maximum of five years behind bars.
From: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/woman-kills-boyfriend-by-sitting-on-him/story-e6frf7lx-1225822572923
Ted Bundy told me to kill doctor, claims patient
By Conor Gallagher Irish Independent
Thursday January 21 2010
A HOSPITAL patient, who said dead serial killer Ted Bundy was talking to him, threatened to "torture, kill and have sex with" a doctor who was assessing him.
A knife fell out of Paul Kelly's pocket while he was waiting in a hospital's emergency department. It was confiscated and it was then arranged for him to undergo a psychiatric assessment. During the assessment Kelly told the doctor that Bundy appeared to him and told him to do things, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told yesterday.
He pleaded with her to give him a drop of her blood to drink before lunging at her with a shoelace in an attempt to strangle her. Defence counsel Sean Gillane said his client was not mentally ill as defined by psychiatric medicine, but added: "There are other aspects of the mind and psyche that are not so amenable to treatment."
Kelly (24), of Liscairn Gardens, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Dr Katherine McGee and possession of a knife at St James's Hospital, Dublin, on January 19 2009.
Torture
The court was told that during the assessment Dr McGee asked Kelly about his interests. He replied that he liked to "torture, kill and have sex with young beautiful women like you".
Kelly said he was interested in Ted Bundy. He tried to sit closer to the doctor and she asked him to move back. He replied: "Okay, I can still hurt you from here."
He also claimed Bundy was beside him. The doctor later said she thought this was a fantasy rather than a hallucination. When she refused to tell Kelly where she lived, he told her he could find out.
"Ted's talking to me now, he wants me to strangle you," he told Dr McGee before lunging at her with an outstretched shoelace.
She fled the room and called security who ejected him. He was later arrested and interviewed by gardai.
When they asked why he threatened to kill Dr McGee, he replied: "I didn't threaten to kill her, I tried to kill her. I can't explain why, I'd just love it."
Mr Gillane said his client had virtually no education, had become addicted to cannabis and alcohol as a teenager, and was homeless at the time of his arrest.
Judge Tony Hunt remanded Kelly in custody and will finalise sentencing next month.
From: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ted-bundy-told-me-to-kill-doctor-claims-patient-2024494.html
Thursday January 21 2010
A HOSPITAL patient, who said dead serial killer Ted Bundy was talking to him, threatened to "torture, kill and have sex with" a doctor who was assessing him.
A knife fell out of Paul Kelly's pocket while he was waiting in a hospital's emergency department. It was confiscated and it was then arranged for him to undergo a psychiatric assessment. During the assessment Kelly told the doctor that Bundy appeared to him and told him to do things, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told yesterday.
He pleaded with her to give him a drop of her blood to drink before lunging at her with a shoelace in an attempt to strangle her. Defence counsel Sean Gillane said his client was not mentally ill as defined by psychiatric medicine, but added: "There are other aspects of the mind and psyche that are not so amenable to treatment."
Kelly (24), of Liscairn Gardens, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill Dr Katherine McGee and possession of a knife at St James's Hospital, Dublin, on January 19 2009.
Torture
The court was told that during the assessment Dr McGee asked Kelly about his interests. He replied that he liked to "torture, kill and have sex with young beautiful women like you".
Kelly said he was interested in Ted Bundy. He tried to sit closer to the doctor and she asked him to move back. He replied: "Okay, I can still hurt you from here."
He also claimed Bundy was beside him. The doctor later said she thought this was a fantasy rather than a hallucination. When she refused to tell Kelly where she lived, he told her he could find out.
"Ted's talking to me now, he wants me to strangle you," he told Dr McGee before lunging at her with an outstretched shoelace.
She fled the room and called security who ejected him. He was later arrested and interviewed by gardai.
When they asked why he threatened to kill Dr McGee, he replied: "I didn't threaten to kill her, I tried to kill her. I can't explain why, I'd just love it."
Mr Gillane said his client had virtually no education, had become addicted to cannabis and alcohol as a teenager, and was homeless at the time of his arrest.
Judge Tony Hunt remanded Kelly in custody and will finalise sentencing next month.
From: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ted-bundy-told-me-to-kill-doctor-claims-patient-2024494.html
Exhibition gives first peek at restored masterpiece 'Metropolis'
Published: 21 Jan 10 11:13 CETFilm lovers can catch a preview of the restored German silent film legend “Metropolis” at a new exhibition in Berlin beginning on Thursday – one month ahead of the film’s debut at the Berlin International Festival.
"The Complete Metropolis" will be held at the Deutsche Kinemathek museum for film and television at Potsdamer Platz, where many of the Berlinale red carpet events take place.
"It will be sort of a Making Of," said curator Kristina Jaspers.
Cinemaphiles can glimpse the 30 minutes of extra footage found in an Argentinean archive in 2008, some 200 set photos, as well as pieces of the city set itself, many of which were built in Berlin's Babelsberg film studio. Also on display will be the film's screenplay and original music score.
“Metropolis” depicts a dystopian, futuristic city full of skyscrapers and airplanes divided into two worlds. Above ground the rich live in luxury, while subterranean workers toil to serve the upper class. It has been credited with inspiring George Lucas's C-3PO from the "Star Wars" films and the set from Ridley Scott's "Bladerunner."
When the 1927 science fiction film directed by Fritz Lang was completed, it was the most expensive film ever made, costing some 7 million Reichsmarks and including the work of thousands of people. Despite its colossal scale, the film was considered a flop and cut drastically before being released in the US.
The shorter version of the film was restored in 2001 and became the first movie to be recognised as a UNESCO World Documentary Heritage. But the original 16mm version was found last year at the film museum Museo del Cine in Buenos Aires.
This version, some 30 minutes longer, has now been painstakingly restored by Wiesbaden-based film preservation institute the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation.
It premieres at a gala Berlinale event that will also be beamed onto screens at the Brandenburg gate for the public on February 12.
“The Complete Metropolis" runs until April 25, 2010.
From: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100121-24721.html
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"He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches."
"Being is substance and life; life manifests by movement; movement is perpetuated by equilibrium; equilibrium is therefore the law of immortality.
"The doctrine of equality!... But there exists no more poisonous poison: for it seems to be preached by justice itself, while it is the end of justice.... "Equality for equals, inequality for unequals" that would be the true voice of justice: and, what follows from it, "Never make equal what is unequal."
