"When police and politicians ignore real criminals, many times they compensate by turning everyday behavior into a crime. This helps keep the arrest statistics up."
--RE Bierce
"The law is an ass."
--Mr. Brumble, in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
"I refused to pay to paddle the river – it is a matter of principle – everyone should have the right to access water free of charge."
--Nigel Conway, after being arrested for paddling his kayak in a UK river.
Nigel Conway was treated like a criminal--a real criminal: arrested, fingerprinted, mug shots and DNA samples taken. His crime?
Paddling his kayak in a river in North Wales.
Mr Conway's ordeal is the latest controversy for North Wales police, whose chief constable Richard Brunstrom, has a habit of making headlines.
Nicknamed 'the Mad Mullah of the Traffic Taliban' for his zeal on road safety issues, he has called for the number of speed cameras to be trebled, the legalisation of hard drugs and been forced to apologise for handing out pictures of a decapitated motorcyclist without the permission of the victim's family.
Mr Brunstrom also defied Crown Prosecution Service advice by investigating claims that Tony Blair shouted 'f****** Welsh' after Labour's poor performance in the 1999 Welsh Assembly election.
 Related: * Broken in Britain: The Future of American Justice? * Brave grandma arrested after standing up to yobs Nanny State: Squeezing the Zest for Life Out of the British |
Waterway Access laws in the United Kingdom are much different than in the United States.
Arthur Roberts, spokesman for campaigners People for Proper Policing, said: 'This beggars belief. It is another example of North Wales police going too far and criminalizing innocent members of the public trying to go about their daily lives.
'Not content with making the lives of motorists a misery, it seems North Wales police are going for canoeists as well. This is a total waste of taxpayers' money.'
British cops, never there when you need them; always there if no risk is involved.
by pat
images/source:
* Canoeist arrested, held hours and DNA taken--crime? Paddling in a river
When Morons Rule the Earth
Easton, Maryland has demonstrated with alacrity how stupid Americans can be. To wit, the authorities seem unable to discern that there are some very noticeable differences between the sexes. (psst. don't tell the kids, but women have breasts).
"For only the third time in five years, Easton police have ticketed someone for going topless in public. Sean Cephus, 18, was cited June 4 when police say he was spotted without a shirt on South Street near Hanson Street. He was also cited for failing to obey a lawful order to stop for police."
He likely didn't stop because he thought them kidding.
But they were not. No, this is a serious issue in Easton, as shown by the need to arrest someone every few years or so. By golly,"Easton Police Lt. Gregory Wright said people without shirts are considered a public nuisance. He said three citations have been issued since 2003."
In an effort to partner up with law enforcement, DBKP presents to all the authorities of Easton, the following photos. They demonstrate the difference between the sexes, as well as acceptable--and nonacceptable--public dress.
THIS IS OK.
THIS IS NOT SO GOOD.
THIS MAN NEEDS TO BE ARRESTED.
by pat
Source/images:
http://www.breitbart.com
* sandstonegsd
* msnbc.media
* musicnut_2006
* madhookups
* imageshack
Smoke Nazis never declare victory.
Not content with making it an offense to puff at work or in public--and in some places, private cars and apartments--one man went to court for dropping his cigarette ash on a pavement.
Smoker Daniel Slaney ended up in court after the computer programmer, 37, was having a quick smoke as he walked to work.
In the U.K., not one, but two council wardens accused him of throwing his cigarette end away and handed him a £40 fine for littering in Sandiacre, near Nottingham.
Daniel refused to pay and told Southern Derbyshire Magistrates he always carried an old packet for his butts as he was against littering.
Magistrate Geoffrey Dennis threw out the case. He said: “This would seem to be an example of overzealous officialdom.”
Saved by the judge--this time.
But here's a prediction: it won't be the last time this happens.
Mark it down.
by Mondoreb
image: RidesAPaleHorse
Source: Well Ash just ridiculous, buddy
DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Man Throws Away Woman's Needles, Slashes Her Tires, Then Returns to Pour Sugar in Woman's Gas Tank
0 commentsOne More Heroin User Succumbs to an Urban Legend
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
A Massachusetts man got off for slashing a woman's tires, then returned 20 minutes later and was arrested for pouring sugar into her gas tank.
James Hoover got off the hook for slashing a woman's tire because the victim declined to press charges, according to a report by Officer Francis Bradley.
The officer told Hoover, 36, of 200 Parker St., Unit 11, he was lucky, and Hoover replied, "Yeah, that was dumb and I shouldn't have done it," the report said.
Hoover and the woman had argued at 200 Parker St., and police were called at 8:13 p.m. Monday. The officer escorted Hoover away from the scene, however, the victim called police 22 minutes later to say Hoover was back and he did more damage. The victim told police that after they left, Hoover returned and poured sugar into her car's gas tank. Police saw what looked like sugar caked around the gas reservoir, along with a flat tire, the report said.
Bradley arrested Hoover, and Hoover told the officer he and the victim are heroin users and the argument stemmed from him throwing away her needles, and that he wanted to get clean, the report said.
Poor Hoover can't catch a break.
First, his needles. Then, he's jailed. Finally, the effects of sugar in the gas tank are mostly rumors and hear-say.
Another heroin user succumbs to an urban legend.
Putting sugar or water in the gas tank of a vehicle can indeed cause the engine to stall -- sugar because the granules won't dissolve in gasoline and may clog the fuel filter; water because it interrupts combustion -- but neither method will produce a predictably-timed engine failure. Depending on the quantity of the foreign substance introduced, it might take minutes, hours, or even days for the stall to occur, if it occurs at all.
Hoover copped an attitude when he got to the police station, calling the officers "a joke". The police delivered their punchline by charging him with willful and malicious injury to personal property.
Hoover later calmed down and apologized.
If the perp had pour straight H20 into the woman's gas tank, he'd have accomplished the same thing as pouring the sugar--and there would have been no residue around the gas tank opening.
But Hoover seems the persistent sort.
Maybe next time.
by Mondoreb
images:
* craphound
* personal
Source:
* Man charged with pouring sugar into woman's gas tank
* urban legends
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Gave Space Shuttle Secrets to China
UPDATE: 3 More Charged with Spying
Another spy arrested.
Again, for giving secrets to China.
This time, it's "exposed trade secrets from the space shuttle, the Delta IV rocket and the C-17 military transport aircraft."
The Justice Department is reporting that former Boeing engineer Dongfan “Greg” Chung, 72, of Orange, Calif was arrested on espionage charges early this morning. The indictment contends that Chung a former Rockwell employee, and subsequently Boeing engineer sold or gave secrets concerning the Space Shuttle to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).
The press release claims that Chung was arrested without incident at his home in California.
The indictment, which apparently was finalized last Wednesday accuses Chung of eight counts of economic espionage, one count of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, one count of acting as an unregistered foreign agent without prior notification to the Attorney General, one count of obstruction of justice, and three counts of making false statements to FBI investigators.
The 72-year-old Chung was involved with the Space Shuttle up until his retirement in 2002, however he was brought back as a consultant until 2006.
The indictment alleges that he took and concealed Boeing trade secrets relating to the Space Shuttle, the C-17 military transport aircraft and the Delta IV rocket while employed on the project. Chung allegedly obtained the materials for the benefit of the PRC.
According to Thomas P. O'Brien, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, "He spied for his home country out of love for "the motherland" rather than from a desire to get rich."
If found guilty, Chung can expect to live out the rest of his days behind bars: each of the major counts carries a 15-year prison term.
He was expected to make a brief appearance in court yesterday or today.
The Chinese have made War in Space a top priority and have experimented over the last year with methods of knocking out U.S. satellites, rendering America "electronically blind" in any confrontation with the People's Republic.
At least the authorities have caught this spy.
How many are walking around free?
UPDATE: 3 others have also been charged with spying. From AFP: A US defense official, an ex-Boeing engineer and two others were charged Monday with spying for China involving sensitive military and aerospace secrets, including on the space shuttle. Will there be others? |
by Mondoreb
images:
* spylab
* realisticforgeworks
Sources:
* Boeing Engineer Charged with Giving Shuttle Secrets to the Chinese
* Orange County Man accused of being a Spy
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
David Copperfield could make more than elephants disappear. Husbands and boyfriends of attractive women also were on his list.
David Copperfield had one of his tricks revealed--and it had nothing to do with his act. The magician had a assistants scout the audience for attractive women and then would he would try to make their husbands and boyfriends disappear.
More info revealing the magician's tricks from Celebrity Cowboy:David Copperfield goes to great lengths to pick up girls after his show. So great that he actually has paperwork detailing the instructions. Basically, assistants armed with digital cameras, clipboards and other paraphernalia are instructed to be on the lookout for attractive women. Women and their guests are invited backstage, but the paperwork does offer instructions as to what to do with husbands and boyfriends.
A magician never reveals his secrets. In Copperfield's case, it's probably just as well. A crowd of angry husbands is not the best crowd for an entertainer.
It’s almost like those time share people that annoy you at malls and other places. The assistants have you the women fill out questionnaires with questions like “who did you come to Las Vegas with, husband? Boyfriend? Father? They then talk up David’s property in the Bahamas. ”
TMZ who obtained the document also obtained this letter threatening employees if they break their confidentiality agreements. Oh David, don’t you know nothing is confidential in the Internet age.
by Mondoreb
& Little Baby Ginn
Back to Front Page.
