August 5, 2010

Don’t We Always Seem To Pass Out At The Wrong Time?

Walker, LA (AP) Livingston Parish sheriff’s deputies arrested a man who passed out while allegedly trying to break into a mobile home where an 82-year-old woman was calling 911, crowbar in hand. Deputies said 24-year-old Derrick Gauthreaux of Denham Springs was checked at a hospital Thursday, then booked into the parish jail on one count of attempted burglary.

Investigators said the woman reported an attempted break-in about 10:30 a.m. Thursday, and said she was recovering from a broken leg but had a crowbar for protection.

Chief of Operations Perry Rushing said Gauthreaux told deputies he had been released from the New Orleans jail around midnight, and records showed he’d received a summons for an open alcoholic drink about an hour before his arrest.

He remained jailed Friday in lieu of $50,000 bond. It was not clear whether he had an attorney.

Parasailing Donkey Finally Gets The Good Life

Moscow (AP) The parasailing donkey will never fly again and can look ahead to a life of luxury.

The female donkey Anapka arrived in Moscow on Wednesday after her brays of terror over a southern Russian beach last month prompted a British newspaper to step in and buy her.

A recreation company had sent Anapka up into the sky for about 30 minutes for a promotional stunt and the YouTube video of her trip made headlines around the world. Upset readers of the The Sun had urged the newspaper to rescue her.

“Our readers were deeply moved,” Sun correspondent Garry O’Shea told the Associated Press. “We were contacted by thousands of readers. They wanted us to ensure the well-being of this animal.”

Anapka traveled from her small town by the Azov Sea to the Kremlin riding school outside Moscow, where her arrival was filmed by news cameras. The donkey was quickly surrounded by reporters and onlookers eager to stroke her.

The riding school’s chief veterinarian, Arina Stepanova, said the 17-year-old donkey was tired after her journey but showed no signs of serious illness.

Her new owners, meanwhile, are reviewing different options for a new home.

Harry Redknapp, coach of England’s Tottenham Hotspur football club, has volunteered to shelter the donkey in an animal sanctuary he is opening in Hampshire, O’Shea said.

The Sun also has received numerous offers to adopt Anapka, he said.

Will It Make It Go Faster? Will It Save Me Money?

Rock Hill, SC (AP) A South Carolina woman found out fast food won’t make your car go fast.

The Herald of Rock Hill reported Thursday a 30-year-old woman made a complaint to police after she took her car to a Rock Hill mechanic last week because it would suddenly stop running. Police say a mechanic found a cheeseburger and pickle inside the car’s gas tank. The woman told officers she had no idea how it happened.

Investigators say the damage cost about $1,000 to repair.

Bear Turns Goldilocks Tale On Its Head

Laconia, NH (AP) A black bear walked into a house through an open door, ate two pears and a bunch of grapes, took a drink from the family fishbowl and grabbed a stuffed bear on its way out the door.

Mary Beth Parkinson says the bear apparently took advantage of the open outside door to get into her kitchen Tuesday in Laconia, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) north of Concord. She thinks the garage door going up scared the bear enough that it fled the house.

She says she arrived in time to save the fish.

Parkinson said her 6- and 9-year-old boys made sure the doors were locked before they went to bed.

Robber Calls To Complain About Skimpy Haul

Atlanta (AP) -- Police say a man who robbed a fast-food restaurant with a gun was so mad about the amount of loot that he called back twice to complain.

The man walked up to the drive-through window of an Atlanta Wendy’s late Saturday night, wearing a ski mask and holding a gun.

He demanded the cash drawer, grabbed it and ran away. But police say he later called the fast food restaurant to complain about the amount of cash.

Police say in one call he said that “next time there better be more than $586.”

He called again with a similar complaint.

Uhhh Ohhh... Who’s Been Watching Porn At Work?

Jakarta, Indonesia (AP) Indonesian lawmakers and journalists got a shock when an online porn video blazed across dozens of computer monitors outside the press room at Parliament.

Witnesses say it took security guards 10 minutes to shut down the computers Monday.

The touch-screen monitors are used by visitors to check the Parliament agenda and other political activities.

House Secretary-General Nining Indra said the unwanted interruption was probably caused by someone trying to access a porn site on the computer system. She said officials would use close circuit TV footage to investigate.

Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Authorities have been trying to crack down on porn ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan that starts next week.