Death row inmate gets new trial because of tweets

The Arkansas Supreme Court said on Thursday a death row inmate deserves a new trial because one juror tweeted during court proceedings.

Erickson Dimas-Martinez, 26, was convicted of the murder of Derrick Jefferson, 17, after a robbery in 2010 following a party in northwest Arkansas.

His attorneys appealed that conviction arguing that one juror slept and another one sent tweets although the judge had instructed jurors not to communicate with anyone about the case. The judge specifically instructed jurors not to post on the Internet.

But juror Randy Franco did. According to court documents, Franco tweeted on the day that "all evidence was submitted in the sentencing phase." The juror tweeted, "Choices to be made. Hearts to be broken. We each define the great line."

Franco tweeted several times during the case. Dimas-Martinez' attorneys brought the problem to the judge's attention. The judge then questioned Franco, who admitted to tweeting.

The Arkansas Supreme Court said Thursday, "More troubling is the fact that after being questioned about whether he had tweeted during the trial, Juror 2 continued to tweet during the trial."

Dimas-Martinez' attorneys said Franco tweeted two different times while the jury was deliberating in the sentencing phase. He tweeted, "If its wisdom we seek. . . We should run to the strong tower." Franco tweeted "It's over" less than an hour before a verdict was announced.

A lower court denied Dimas-Martinez' motion for a new trial, stating he "suffered no prejudice."

source

The MLSE purchase by Rogers and BCE makes sense

Initially the sale of 75% of MLSE to Rogers and BCE was a bit of a shock but as I thought about it, it all made sense. Everyone was aware that both telecom giants would be interested in buying one of the most valuable sports assets in North America. The telecom industry has slowly been buying franchises as a form of vertical integration. Programming for TV and cable networks is the product they sell and sports is now the most valued type of program. Sports is watched live so commercials are more likely to be viewed while other programming is more likely to be PVR'd which means advertisers won't pay as much.

So why would these two rival become partners? In a bidding war to get the bigger piece of that large pie, one company would end up overpaying by a considerable amount while the other company would get nothing. The stakes were high and perhaps neither company would be totally happy in the end. The big winner would have been the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. Instead they both own a share of MLSE and pay a reasonable price. With over 160 Leafs and Raptors games plus playoffs (I'm being optimistic) there is more than enough programming for both TSN and Sportsnet. Perhaps the biggest winner is Larry Tennenbaum who increases his share to 25% and retains chairmanship of the company. But the telecom companies get what they really want which is control of the broadcast rights.

So what does it mean for Leafs and Raptors fans? Nothing. MLSE continues to be owned by a huge conglomerate. Fans will blame failures on owners that are bottom lined oriented. The Leafs, Raptors, and Blue Jays are run in the same manner. The teams are run by a management structure that is accountable to the corporation but there is no interference in the day to day operations which is the way it should be. If these businesses care only about the bottom line then they will want their teams to make the playoffs. That means more ticket sales, more ads sold during playoff games, more merchandise sold.

So now I will be able to watch these mediocre teams on my blackberry - oh boy.

Woman caught making meth inside Walmart store

Meth in a Walmart" class="wide">

Tulsa police arrest a woman for mixing chemicals to make meth inside a south Tulsa Walmart on Thursday.

Police say surveillance video shows Alisha Halfmoon had been in the store since noon. Six hours later security noticed she was acting suspicious, so they called Tulsa police.

Responding officers say she claimed she was "too broke to buy the chemicals."

“She didn’t have the money to make the purchases of the chemicals that were needed so she was taking what was needed in the bottle,” says Officer David Shelby.

“When firefighters were on the scene she made statements to them that is what she was doing, she was attempting to obtain these chemicals and was in the process of trying to manufacture meth. However, she said she was not very good at it,” says Shelby.

Not a big fan of Walmart so it wouldn't shock me one bit to run into a pathetic addict in aisle 8 cooking some meth. No wonder it took 6 hours to notice her.

source

Bad Christmas sweater week

Flashback Friday - Petula Clark

Are Blue Jays playing games with their fans again?

Its been 18 years since the Blue Jays were a premier baseball team. Since then the benchmark of success is a .500 season. In 18 years not one playoff series, not even a pennant race. But every administration has a plan for returning the team to the glory years including the current one.

When Alex Anthopolous took control of the team his plan was to rebuild the core and then spend the money to compete. We were told that 2010 was devoted to restocking the farm so veterans were moved including Roy Halladay, the best pitcher in baseball. Then we were told that the team wasn't ready to compete in 2011 and more veterans were moved to add to the core of young players. The Jays got a bit of a break when they signed Jose Bautista to a multi-year contract for a considerable discount. So the Jays played out 2011 with team salaries barely over $60 million and no improvement in the standings. Then the Jays get a huge break when MLB decides to add an extra wild car team in each league. This is huge for the Blue Jays because in a division that includes the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays, making the playoffs got just a little easier.

So now with a solid core and a shot at the playoffs what does AA do? Not a lot so far. He signs a weak hitting catcher and lets a great back up in Jose Molina sign elsewhere. AA often values draft picks more than serviceable players. Then he lets the big name free agent closers sign elsewhere and trades for Sergio Santos because he is cheap.

Meanwhile the Angels improved their chances at grabbing a playoff spot by spending $331.5 million on Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson. Did they pay too much? Sure they did. Are they better? Absolutely!

AA uses phrases like "payroll parameters" when talking about free agents. He suggests that an increase in attendance would certainly help his cause with some extra moolah.

It really becomes a chicken or egg argument: do the Jays raise the payroll and the fans will follow or do the fans fill the park and the team uses the raise in revenue to bring in the best players available?

AA economizing isn't going to motivate fans to buy tickets. They've been conned too many times before. Remember even if there had been an extra wild care team this past season the Jays would not have been in contention for the extra spot. A $60 million payroll isn't going to cut it anymore.

Islamic cleric bans women from touching bananas and cucumbers

An Islamic cleric residing in Europe said that women should not be close to bananas or cucumbers, in order to avoid any “sexual thoughts.”

The unnamed sheikh, who was featured in an article on el-Senousa news, was quoted saying that if women wish to eat these food items, a third party, preferably a male related to them such as their a father or husband, should cut the items into small pieces and serve.

He said that these fruits and vegetables “resemble the male penis” and hence could arouse women or “make them think of sex.” Bikyamasr.com cannot independently verify the accuracy of the news item at time of writing.

He also added carrots and zucchini to the list of forbidden foods for women.

The sheikh was asked how to “control” women when they are out shopping for groceries and if holding these items at the market would be bad for them. The cleric answered saying this matter is between them and God.

Answering another question about what to do if women in the family like these foods, the sheikh advised the interviewer to take the food and cut it for them in a hidden place so they cannot see it.

I just can't agree with the sheikh on this one. I think if women ate more bananas then men would be getting more head. Then I can stop having to listen to guys complain about not getting enough. As for me, I stopped eating bananas and cucumbers because I was convinced it would make me gay.

source

Twitter welcomes back Paulina Gretzky week

Rick Perry has the most disliked video on YouTube

It's not easy holding the distinction of having the most dislike video on YouTube. But this homphobic rant by Rick Perry does the trick. He shattered the record held by Rebecca Black for her lame Friday video.

Hail to the King of Parallel Parking

Woman arrested after investigation into happy ending

Police investigators have good reason to believe a 40-year-old Mount Pleasant woman was taking her massage business too far. She is facing charges of prostitution and operating a business without a license after an investigation of her alleged happy ending happenings.

Investigators learned about the operation at the Ivy Hall residence after a complaint about suspicious activity. The complainant told officers that several men had been witnessed in and out of the home of Dawn Marie McGovern.

As a part of their preliminary investigation, officers began to interview men they witnessed leaving McGovern's home. They say they were told the men paid for massages that concluded with a sex act.

The next step by Mount Pleasant investigators was to send in an undercover officer.

According to an incident report, the undercover officer made an appointment with McGovern for a massage. When he arrived, she led him to a massage table in an upstairs bedroom. When the massage began, the officer says McGovern was wearing a blue skirt and suit jacket. However, as the massage continued, the officer said McGovern began to remove articles of clothing until she was topless and wearing only a thong.

After reportedly offering the officer a sexual act to conclude her services, she was paid by the officer. Officials say McGovern accepted the cash and was then shown a police badge.

According to the report, McGovern, who operated the business under the name BMM Coastal Massage LLC, told officers she did not know what she was doing was illegal. Officers say they were told she had just lost her job and was working to pay child support.

Here I thought police undercover work was so dangerous. Cops putting their lives on the line to get real close and personal with felons. Now I found out that undercover work involves getting a hand job. What a hero, busting a 40 year old desperate woman. Can you imagine trying to get volunteers for this assignment.

source

Sam Kinison would have been 58 today

Sam Kinison was a very funny man with a real edge to him. He died way too early, 19 years ago.

Man armed with a pink dildol is arrested

Late last month, two police officers with Pennsylvania’s Plains Township Police Department were on patrol at around midnight when they spotted a man standing in the parking lot of a nightclub with his jeans on the ground.



As detailed in a criminal complaint, the officers reported that the suspect “was inserting an unknown pink object into his anus.” The police added, “The unknown male was also masturbating.” Additionally, both investigators “observed the unknown male holding his penis looking at both officers.” After trying to walk away from the patrolmen, Robert Matello, 49, stopped to chat.

Matello, the officers noted, smelled of alcohol and had red, bloodshot eyes. When Officer Michael Smith asked Matello if he was carrying a weapon, he gave an answer never previously memorialized in a police report: “Yes, I have a pink dildo,” Matello replied. At that point, Matello removed the sex toy from his pants pocket and attempted to hand it to Smith, an offer apparently declined by he officer.

Matello went on to say that he “was only pleasuring himself,” according to the complaint. And that he was “just spanking his ass.” Despite these reasonable explanations, Matello was still charged with indecent exposure, open lewdness, and public drunkenness. He is scheduled for a January 17 preliminary hearing in a Luzerne County Magisterial District Court.

source

Twitter welcomes back Paulina Gretzky week

Harry Morgan 1915-2011

Or how about Cinderella?

The Three Stooges might be the worse movie ever

But the Farrely Brothers wisely cast Kate Upton as a nun in a bikini. Totally tasteless but sure to bring in a few dollars.

Mom throws out their beer, so kids beat her up

A brother and sister are in the St. Clair County Jail charged with beating up their mother over beer.

Brittany M. Ferguson, 20, and Lindell K. Ferguson, 18, both of Fayetteville, have each been charged with multiple counts of domestic battery in connection with an incident that left their 42-year-old mother bleeding, scratched and bruised in their Fayetteville home, according to St. Clair County Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Hundelt.

According to police, they received a domestic disturbance call around 7:40 p.m. Nov. 22 in the 2100 block of South First Street in Fayetteville. When police arrived, Lindell and Brittany Ferguson had already fled the home. Their mother, whose name was not released by police, was bleeding profusely from her nose, her left eye was black and swollen and she had numerous scratches on her arm. She refused medical attention. Another adult, a 47-year-old man who also lives in the home but is not believed to be the father of Brittany and Lindell, had also been battered.

The victim told police the disturbance started because she threw out several cans of Bud Light beer from her refrigerator because her daughter, Brittany, was not of legal drinking age. The disposal of the beer angered Brittany, according to police, and she attacked her mother. Lindell joined his sister in the beating of their mother.

Don't ever get between a girl and her Bud Light. When you start drinking at 12 by the time you're 20 you are a hard core addict. If I don't get my expresso in the mornign by the tim it's 9:00 I'm a raving maniac. I'm pretty sure i would be capable of murder.

source

Twitter welcomes back Paulina Gretzky week

Hump day hottie

Kaley Cuoco

Israeli ad goes viral then gets yanked

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is canceling an ad campaign aimed at luring Israeli expatriates home that some American Jews have found offensive.

The ads, produced by Israel’s Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, attempt to convey the message that the children and families of Israeli expats will not have Israeli identities if they stay in the Diaspora. This week, the Jewish Federations of North America called the ads "insulting," and the head of the Anti-Defamation League said they were "demeaning."

If the truth be known, the majority of Israelis are secular so to suggest that Israelis are more observant Jews is nonsense.

The ad that was pulled (and no longer available of YouTube) American Jews complained about, the young daughter of Israeli expats sits with her parents while video chatting with her grandparents in Israel, who have a lighted menorah in the background. When the grandparents ask the girl what holiday it is, she says, “Christmas!” The tagline: “They will always be Israeli. Their kids won’t.”

This one is almost as bad.

Time for the NHL to place a moratorium on fighting

As you may have heard, the New York Times is doing a multi-part and multimedia package on the life and death of Derek Boogaard, the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild brawler who overdosed accidentally on a mix of alcohol and oxycodone in May.

It's a comprehensive and brutal look at life as an NHL fighter, and not without some news. The Times reports that researches found evidence of the degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE in posthumous evaluation of Boogaard. This is the 4th former NHL player discovered to have signs of CTE.

Yet there isn't any concern coming out of NHL headquarters, from the owners, team managers or the NHLPA. There isn't enough evidence to show that there is a direct correlation between blows to the head and CTE. Sure if you ignore the NFL experience.

But we are all to blame. Fans love fights and the long term impacts of those head shots never seem to concern the paying customers. Owners figure if fights get people out of their seats then it must make them money. League and team officials have been raised in a culture of violence so why would they be concerned. As for the guys who fight, well as long as they earn a paycheck they won't complain even if they hate fighting.

Look at the fight below. Those blows to the head can't be good for you. We all know that fighting serves no real purpose. They don't win you games. They totally disappear in the playoffs when the games matter the most. It kind of reminds me of cock fighting. At least if the league put a moratorium on fights while they researched the health issues of fights. But our lust for blood is too strong for the NHL to do the right thing. It might have to take a death for people to change their views. I hope it doesn't need to wait that long.

Jessica Simpson's chest is scary

Those things are larger than the medicine balls at my local gym and probably 3 times as heavy. No wonder that child is so terrified. How does she keep from toppling over.

Boyfriend refuses to pay $100 ransom - now is that love?

Deputies were called in to investigate an alleged kidnapping of 21-year-old Sarah Zombori by 57-year-old Joseph Battista. She was being held on a $100 ransom.

Battista supposedly communicated to Zombori's boyfriend that she would be killed if law enforcement was contacted, according to a Walton County Sheriff's Office press release.

Deputies were dispatched to Battista's Somerset Bridge Road home where investigators determined that Battista and Zombori were working together to obtain money from Zombori's boyfriend.

Battista said the incident "was a joke," the release said. The investigation also revealed a plant on Battista’s patio appeared to be marijuana.

At the time of arrest, Zombori resisted arrest by kicking and striking a deputy.

Battista was charged with one count of marijuana production, a third-degree felony; and two counts of making a false report of a commission of a crime, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Zombori was charged with two counts of battery of a law enforcement officer, a third-degree felony; one count of resisting a law enforcement officer with violence, a third-degree felony; and one count of making a false report of a commission of a crime, a first-degree misdemeanor.

source

Is driving into the 'Booze It & Lose It' bus count as turning yourself in?

It is not considered turning yourself in if you’re drinking and driving and you slam your car into the state’s mobile Breath Alcohol Testing lab at a DWI checkpoint, said Maj. Kevin Yarborough of the Newton Police Department.

That may come as a shock to Douglas Shane Southard, 21, of Hickory, who is accused of doing just that early Sunday morning at the intersection of US 321 Business and West Ninth St.

The lab, known as the BAT Mobile, had been stationed at the checkpoint since midnight. By about 2:45 a.m. the Newton, Hickory and Conover Police Departments, along with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, Alcohol Law Enforcement and State Highway Patrol were beginning to break down the checkpoint.

“The patrol car parked behind that BAT Mobile had been moved,” Yarborough said.

About eight people – including a magistrate, several officers and two suspects caught by the checkpoint – were still inside the mobile lab when Southard slammed his red 1989 Chevrolet Camaro into the back of the bus.

He was driving south between 35 and 40 miles per hour when he hit the lab.

Southerd didn’t say much to the officers on the scene because he was drifting in and out of consciousness. He was taken by ambulance to Catawba Valley Medical Center. There were no other injuries reported in the collision.

“In the officer’s opinion, alcohol was believed to be a contributing factor in the crash,” Yarborough said.

source

Twitter welcomes back Paulina Gretzky week

Why I hate people

Man survives 3 days on frozen Coors Light

When Clifton Vial crashed his truck into a snowdrift during a drive on a rarely-used road in a remote area of Alaska, he had only snow and a few frozen cans of Coors Light to keep him going.

Vial was stuck in the snow for three days outside of the town of Nome, approximately 700 km northwest of Anchorage. "I felt really pissed at myself," the 52-year-old said about his drive, which started on Nov. 28. "I shouldn't have been out there by myself unprepared for what I knew was possible."

To keep warm as the nights dipped as low as -28 C, he used a fleece sleeping bag liner and occasionally started the truck to run the heater. As for food, there was nothing but a few cans of beer that were frozen solid. So he ate the beer."I cut the lids off and dug it out with a knife," he said.

Vial was finally rescued when his boss realized his always punctual employee was very late and emergency crews started searching for him. Vial said he lost 16 pounds during his ordeal, but had no signs of frostbite and was otherwise healthy.

Well Cliff isn't quite the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. If you are going piling through snow drifts in Alaska then you better bring more than a six-pack of Coors Light. You might need to bring a whole 24 and maybe some beef jerky.

source

Couple caught having sex on water slide

Security personnel at a amusement park in Opoczno, Poland, ejected two tourists earlier this week after they were caught joining the "water slide-high club" at the top of one of the attractions.

Facility cameras captured the incident, allowing park attendants to meet the naughty couple with buckets of cold water at the bottom of the slide.

"The women was filmed straddling her boyfriend and starting to make love before the pair shot down the bright blue tunnel, in what must have been a breach of the water park rules.

Officials with the park escorted the man and women straight from their "tunnel of love" to the park exit, without allowing them to retrieve their clothes.

Look at those dorky bathing caps they're wearing. Maybe when they checked out the water park rules they noticed that you must wear bathing caps but it didn't specifically prohibit fornication. An easy mistake to make.

source

7 year old accused of sexual harassment for kicking a boy in the balls in a fight

Mother of child accused of sexual harassment says it was self-defense: MyFoxBOSTON.com

The mother of a Boston elementary school first-grader being investigated for possible sexual harassment for hitting another boy in the groin says her son acted in self-defense.

Mark Curran, 7, says another boy came up to him on the school bus and strangled him so he defended himself by kicking the boy.

Tasha Lynch says she anticipated a simple resolution when she contacted the school to discuss what happened. Instead of extra school work, Tynan Elementary School in South Boston informed Tasha Lynch of the sexual harassment violation.

Lynch has kept her son out of school for two weeks since the incident fearing for his safety. She says kicking the boy was wrong, but it should not be a sexual harassment issue.

This is a code of discipline by the Boston Public Schools and is not being investigated by police.

source

Twitter welcomes back Paulina Gretzky week

Didn`t know they play hockey in Turkey

Not sure if they play hockey in Turley but they sure know how to brawl. This one is as nasty of a brawl as I`ve ever seen. You can see a coule of players had to be carried off the ice. Though I did chuckle to see half the players were fighting with the hockey gloves on.

I guess you get results like this when you can vote more than once

I don`t know any Russian but if these are some results from today`s Russian election then someone has some explaining to do. If these are the precentage of votes then we have a problem. The numbers don`t seem to add up to 100%. They add up to about 147%.

Wink Martindale turns 77 today

Wink Martindale actually had a Billboard hit called A Deck of Cards in 1959




Hosting Gambit in 1974




Hosting Tic Tac Dough in 1983




Hosting Trivial Pursuit in 1993

Teen tries to burn down neighbour`s house with flaming marshmallows

An 18-year-old Auburn resident already on probation now faces prison after he pleaded guilty to arson Thursday for throwing burning marshmallows at his neighbor's house.

John Munger, of 16 Wallace Ave., pleaded guilty in Cayuga County Court to fourth-degree felony arson for throwing the blazing treats at a gas meter on the side of his neighbor's house Sept. 12. The meter was not seriously damaged, but Munger admitted there was a significant chance of severe property damage as a result of his actions.

Munger added that he was drunk at the time, but was not raising intoxication as a defense.

Munger faces one to three years in prison for both the arson and violation of probatiom.

source

Robber returns wallet after victim starts to cry

A man was robbed while he walked up the stairs of his apartment building in San Francisco's Telegraph Hill neighborhood Thursday night, but when the victim started to cry, the suspect decided to give him his wallet back, police said.

The thief wasn't totally good-hearted though-he kept the cash that was inside the wallet.., as well as the man's cellphone.

The 29-year-old victim was walking up the stairs of the building when a suspect approached from behind and demanded his belongings, police said. The victim complied, handing over his cellphone and wallet. He then broke into tears, leading the suspect to give him his wallet back while keeping the cash, according to police.

The suspect, a man in his mid to late 30s, then fled.

source

Twitter welcomes back Paulina Gretzky week