January 19, 2012

Beyonce Inspires Name For Fly With Gold Booty

Canberra, Australia (AP) A newly discovered horse fly in Australia was so “bootylicious” with its golden-haired bum, there was only one name worthy of its beauty: Beyonce.

Previously published results from Bryan Lessard, a 24-year-old researcher at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, were recently announced on the species that had been sitting in a fly collection since it was captured in 1981 - the same year pop diva Beyonce was born.

He says he wanted to pay respect to the insect’s beauty by naming it Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae.

Lessard said Beyonce would be “in the nature history books forever” and that the fly now bearing her name is “pretty bootylicious” with its golden backside.

“Bootylicious” was the title of a song by Beyonce’s previous group, Destiny’s Child.

It’s unknown if the rare species is a bloodsucker like many female horse flies. Lessard says he was unable to find any live specimens when he went looking in 2010 in northeast Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands, where it was captured three decades ago. However, at least one member of the public has alerted him that he was recently bitten by what’s locally called the “gold bum fly.”

Lessard says he hasn’t heard from Beyonce, who recently gave birth to her first child, but he is a fan and hopes she will take his scientific gesture as a compliment. He also said the name was picked to help draw attention to the importance of his field and the need for more researchers to catalog and study insects.

Out Of Room, Man Gives Up 94 Hamsters

Lawrence, MA (AP) A Massachusetts man has turned over 94 hamsters to a local animal shelter, telling officials he was running out of room in his apartment.

The director of the shelter says the rodents were well cared for and will make nice pets.

Shelter director Mike Keiley tells the Eagle-Tribune that the hamsters’ owner, whom he didn’t identify, stopped by this month and said he had a lot of hamsters to surrender.

A Lawrence animal control officer says the man was “overwhelmed” when officials came to get the hamsters Friday, and initially wanted to keep a few. But she says he changed his mind.

Officials say the man started keeping the hamsters about five years ago.

Japanese Police Nab Inmate In Tighty Whitey Jailbreak

Tokyo (AP) A manhunt that riveted Japan ended Friday when police captured a Chinese convict who bolted from a Hiroshima penitentiary clad only in his underwear in the country’s first prison break in more than two decades.

Police found Li Guolin, who was serving a 23-year sentence for attempted murder, near an elementary school in the southern Japan city on Friday.

Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, broke into programming to show police taking him into custody. He wore a heavy jacket and ski cap pulled down over his face. NHK said he had a knife when he was arrested.

Li is suspected of breaking into a apartment to steal clothes after he jumped the prison walls on Wednesday. According to the Japanese media, he also stole a beer while he was there‚ police reportedly found his DNA on a can he left behind.

Hiroshima police confirmed his arrest, but had no further comment. Officials said it was the first prison break from a Japanese penitentiary since 1989.

The government’s top spokesman apologized for the escape and vowed tougher measures to keep inmates from breaking out. Li managed to climb over a wall inside the prison campus and then use scaffolding to get over the 16-foot (5-meter) outer wall, which was under construction for repairs. Sensors on the wall were turned off because of the repair work.

“We apologize for causing serious safety concerns to the neighbors,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said. “We’ll make sure that prisons and related institutions take steps so that they will never repeat the same mistake.”

Li, believed to be the leader of a gang of burglars, was convicted in 2005 for shooting at a police officer and stealing a squad car. Nearly 800 officers had been assigned to the hunt for Li, who had been jailed for shooting at an officer and stealing a squad car in 2005.

The escape was the first ever from the Hiroshima prison. A corrections official with the Justice Ministry said the last escape by an inmate from within a Japanese prison was in 1989.

Li escaped by ducking out of an outdoor exercise session.

Li was sent to the Hiroshima prison in 2008.

Police Ticket Boy After Toy Motorcycle Hits SUV

Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (AP) Police in this border city repented Thursday over ticketing a 6-year-old boy for reckless driving, driving without a license and not having his vehicle registered after he drove his miniature motorcycle into an SUV.

The boy’s mother, Karla Noriega, said police impounded the miniature gasoline-powered motorbike that her son got for Christmas after he crashed into an SUV on Dec. 27.

Noriega decided to go to the media and make the case public after finding out she would have to pay what she called a “ridiculous” $183 in fines to recover the toy motorbike.

City council Secretary Hector Arceluz said Thursday that authorities had dropped the fines, released the motorbike and would punish the police officers for having acted improperly.

Noriega’s son Gael was happy to get his minibike back, but said it no longer works after the accident.

Man Arrested For Playing Too Much Cowbell

Oshkosh, WI (AP) Demonstrators calling for the recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker learned there really is such a thing as too much cowbell.

Oshkosh police arrested a 26-year-old Appleton man on Thursday after he kept playing a cowbell and shaking it in an officer’s face when he and other protesters were told to be quiet.

The Oshkosh Northwestern reports that when the officer tried to take the cowbell, the man pushed the officer. A 25-year-old Appleton woman then hit the officer in the back with her picket sign while the man was being handcuffed.

Both were taken to the Winnebago County Jail. Police will recommend that the man be charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and the woman be charged with disorderly conduct and battery to an officer.

Farmer’s Stolen Rabbits Returned; Only Roger Is Missing

Portland, OR (AP) Portland police say more than a dozen rabbits reported stolen the night before a rabbit-cooking class have been returned by bunny advocates who had been caring for them.

Members of the volunteer group Rabbit Advocates say they’re trying to buy the bunnies so they can live as pets.

Police say 18 rabbits belonging to farmer Levi Cole disappeared on Jan. 7.

Cole says the theft occurred the night before he taught a class on raising, slaughtering and cooking rabbits.

Cole is an instructor for the Portland Meat Collective.

He believes the theft was politically motivated. Police have no suspects.

Rabbit Advocates board member Erin Ford says the bunnies were dumped anonymously at the home of a volunteer.

Police Lt. Robert King said 17 rabbits were picked up Friday from the advocates’ lawyer’s office.

King says police are still looking for one small, gray rabbit named Roger.

Ford says she believes he’s still in foster care.