English doctors save man's life with shot of alcohol

When Ronald Aldom developed ventricular tachychardia, or an unusual heart rhythm, doctors decided to treat it a little unconventionally.

Doctors gave a shot of neat alcohol, or pure ethanol, via a catheter through the blood vessel in the groin that connects to the heart, BBC News reported.

For Aldom, 77, from Portishead in England, the ethanol triggered a “controlled heart attack,” and actually killed the part of his heart muscle that was problematic, according to BBC News.

Doctors decided to try this approach after several unsuccessful conventional treatments. “Ethanol ablation” as it is called, has only been done a handful of times in the United Kingdom.

The procedure saved Aldom’s life, making his heart beat regularly again.

“He wasn’t going to leave the hospital unless something was done,” said Dr. Tom Johnson, a cardiologist at the Bristol Heart Institute. “There was no other option.”

Johnson said Aldom is doing “much better,” and he’s out of the hospital.

Culled from FOXNEWS

Cameroonian bags 3yrs in prison for texting 'I'm in love with you' to another man

Roger Mbede


A Cameroon appeals court upheld a sentence against a man convicted of homosexuality for texting his male friend to say, "I'm very much in love with you."

Roger Mbede, a university student, was arrested in March last year after the man who received the message tipped off authorities, Human Rights Watch said.

Read more: Amnesty: Malawi suspends anti-gay laws

A court sentenced Mbede to three years in prison at the time after he was beaten to coerce a confession, according to the group.

In July, after more than a year in detention, Mbede was released as his case went through the appeals process, the rights group said in a statement.The appeals court issued its ruling Monday.

Opinion: 'Why Nigeria's anti-gay bill sickens me'

"The appeals court decision ... is a blow to key human rights principles, including the right to privacy, the right to equality, and the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment," said Neela Ghoshal, a researcher at Human Rights Watch.

"The decision sends a warning to LGBT Cameroonians that they risk beatings, arrests, and imprisonment simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity."

Read more: Nigerian senate passes anti-gay bill, defying British aid threat

Homosexuality is illegal in most African countries, where sodomy laws were introduced during colonialism.

Cameroon's sentences for homosexual acts vary between six months to five years, the rights group said, citing justice ministry records.

Authorities in the west African nation were not immediately available for comment.

A series of countries have criminalized homosexuality, but prosecutions are rare.

In Uganda, homosexual acts are punishable by 14 years to life, but lawmakers are trying to introduce a bill that toughens the law.

A handful of nations issue a death penalty for consensual same-sex relations, including Nigeria, Sudan, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Iran, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.

Culled from CNN

Soldiers hunt for elephant that killed 4 people in Nepal

A killer elephant is being hunted by Nepalese soldiers today after it strayed into villages and killed four people in three months.

The rogue wild elephant walked into a thatched house in Gardi village adjoining Chitwan National Park, 50 miles south of Kathmandu, pulled a couple in their 60s from their bed and trampled them to death, said Shiva Ram Gelal, assistant district administrator from Bharatpur, the nearest city.

Nepal has about 300 elephants, including around 100 domesticated adults which take tourists on jungle rides in the country's many safari resorts.

Most are found on the sub-equatorial plains of the southern Terai, where contact with humans is a regular problem.

The same animal killed two other villagers within the last three months, park officials said.

'We have given orders to the army to shoot the elephant that has gone mad,' Gelal told Reuters.

'Soldiers are now searching for it.'

Nepal has about 300 elephants, including more than 100 domesticated ones which are used by hotels and national parks to take tourists on jungle rides to watch wild animals like one-horned Asian rhinoceroses and Bengal tigers.

Elephants are protected by law and anyone convicted of killing one faces up to 15 years in jail, but Gelal said the Local Administration Act - a Nepali law - allowed authorities to kill the animal if it was responsible for the loss of human life.

Recent elephant poaching incidents have led an WWF expert to warn that the species could face localised extinctions if it continues.

She said of the threats to animals such as elephants, rhinos and tigers: 'These are iconic species, they are being exploited and it's illegal and should be stopped.'

Species with high value to illegal traders had seen dramatic declines in recent years, including forest elephants in parts of the Congo basin, Asian elephant, Sumatran rhino and Javan rhino.
Culled from MAIL ONLINE

Health of Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, critical after stroke

Talabani


Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has suffered a stroke and is being treated in hospital, officials and media say.

A statement on his website said he was admitted on Monday night suffering from "fatigue and tiredness". His medical team is trying to stabilise him.

Mr Talabani has struggled with his health in recent years and has often been treated abroad, analysts say.

A veteran of the Kurdish guerrilla movement, Mr Talabani, 79, is Iraq's first president from the ethnic group.

The statement said Mr Talabani's efforts to forge a consensus in Iraq and the "consequent fatigue and tiredness" had led to a "health emergency".

A spokesman for Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Ali al-Moussawi, told AP that doctors were deciding whether to continue treating him in Baghdad or to fly him abroad for medical care.

Mr Maliki is said to be at the hospital.

The president underwent heart surgery in the US in 2008, and was treated for dehydration and exhaustion in Jordan in 2007.

Mr Talabani has lived through decades of conflict with the central government and other Kurdish groups, including a period in exile, before the fall of Saddam Hussein.

He took over the mainly ceremonial presidency in the years after the 2003 invasion, and has often used the position to mediate between sectarian and ethnic groups.

Recently he brokered a deal between Baghdad and Kurdish groups to end a standoff on disputed areas on the border with the Kurdish self-rule area.

Mr Talabani and Mr Maliki were said to have met on Monday, and agreed to invite a Kurdish delegation to Baghdad for further talks.
Culled from BBC

Doctor commits suicide after parents objected to his relationship with fellow medic

A heartbroken doctor killed himself over a romance with another medic — because his parents objected to 'cultural differences' between the pair.

India-born Dr Madhu Honnaiah, 33, swallowed drugs from Singleton Hospital in Swansea where he worked after splitting with fiancée Dr Emma Wrighton.

An inquest heard his parents had objected to his engagement to British-born Dr Wrighton, 32, who had refused to have a Hindhu wedding.

Anaesthetist Dr Honnaiah was alone when he injected himself with two drugs used in surgery seven months after their split.

The inquest heard Dr Honnaiah had begun a relationship with fellow doctor Dr Wrighton in 2008 while working in Liverpool.

Dr Wrighton then got a job in Australia but the pair stayed in touch — and moved in together when she returned to Britain.

The two doctors got engaged in 2010, though Dr Honnaiah didn't inform his parents.

Investigating officer PC Huw Evans told the inquest that Dr Honnaiah was wary of telling his parents about the relationship because of their 'cultural beliefs.'

He said: 'During a visit to Britain from India, his parents learned of the relationship and said they weren't happy about it.

'It was said his parents wanted him to marry someone from his caste or from the Bangalore area of India where he grew up.'



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The inquest heard Dr Honnaiah suggested a Hindu wedding to his fiancée, but she wouldn't agree because a wedding date had already been set aside.

The couple broke up in September 2010 and Dr Honnaiah moved to Swansea in January 2011.[

'After the breakdown of his relationship, concerns about Dr Honnaiah's state of mind were raised by his colleagues,' PC Evans said.
Culled from MAIL ONLINE

Judge, His Family Beheaded in Ukraine

Volodymyr Trofimov


Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating the grisly murder of a judge and three family members, who were beheaded in the city of Kharkiv.

Kharkiv Judge Volodymyr Trofimov, 58, his wife, son and the son's girlfriend were found dead in Trofimov's apartment on Saturday. All the bodies had been decapitated and the heads were missing, according to prosecutors and the police.

A prosecutor's spokesman said Monday that investigators believe Trofimov's killing could be connected to his job, because the murder took place on Dec. 15, which is Judge's Day in Ukraine.

Investigators also think the killing could have been the result of a robbery, because some belongings are missing from the apartment, or a contract murder.

No further details were available Monday.
Culled from ABC NEWS

Prison rape: Alabama female inmates narrate their ordeal

New measures are being implemented in the US to tackle rape and sexual assault in prison. But in Alabama, one women's prison has gained a notorious reputation for being unsafe.

Tutwiler prison stands next to US Highway 231, in the town of Wetumpka. Behind the barbed wire is a series of stone-coloured single-storey buildings.

This is Alabama's maximum security facility for women - a place where stories of rape and sexual assault are legion.

On a Sunday morning, Robert Chancey joins a queue of relatives waiting to visit the inmates. He has come to see Monica Washington, his cousin. Toddling along beside Robert, is Monica's little girl - growing tall and strong while her mother serves 20 years for robbery.


The guard told her when he took her in the room what he wanted to do to her”

Robert Chancey Cousin of Monica Washington

Away from the prison, Robert explains how Monica got pregnant. "She was raped in prison. She had the baby by one of the guards."

Robert learned about the attack during a prison visit when Monica was already two months pregnant.

"The guard told her when he took her in the room what he wanted to do to her and she said 'No'. He told her: 'Who do you think they're going to believe - you or me?' So she proceeded just to do what he wanted her to do."

Robert says his cousin was too frightened to report the rape, but prison gossip meant she could not hide the pregnancy - or how it happened - for long.

A Montgomery-based NGO, Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), investigated events at Tutwiler. Charlotte Morrison - an EJI lawyer representing Washington - says there are other cases involving the prison's staff.

"We know of numerous pregnancies, including three since 2009. We interviewed over 50 women at Tutwiler - what we found was really disturbing.

"Every single woman we interviewed had been either sexually assaulted, sexually harassed or had witnessed another female inmate being sexually harassed or sexually assaulted."

But this is not about one institution in one southern state. The United States is the most incarcerated nation on earth - more than two million inmates are behind bars in federal and state prisons, and local jails.

A recent survey by the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated 9.6% of former inmates at state prisons across the US reported one or more incidents of sexual victimisation during their most recent period of incarceration. About 5.4% of former state prisoners reported an incident involving another inmate, and 5.3% reported an incident involving staff. The US Congress has taken action, and the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) came into force last August. It sets out how prisons and jails should investigate and respond to complaints, how inmates should be able to report abuse, and recommends prisoners be guarded by same-sex staff where possible.

The Alabama Department of Corrections says it is working towards compliance with the PREA standards, but would not allow the BBC to visit any of its facilities.

At Florida's Turner Guilford Knight correctional facility, one of five jails run by the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, many of the PREA recommendations are being implemented. Staff are trained by Just Detention International (JDI) - an American NGO which has campaigned on prison rape for decades.

On arrival at a Miami-Dade jail, prisoners are advised on how they can keep safe and they have access to a 24-hour hotline. Calls go through to a local rape treatment centre and to Mujer, an NGO where the phone is answered by Ana Obregon.

"In October I had about 18 calls," she says. "The majority are from individuals or by friends of individuals who are identifying as gay - all of them have been men. There's a lot of unwanted touching going on. I have had two who have reported rape."

Campaigners believe that being able to report an assault to an outside organisation - like Mujer - is critical. But the prison context is complex, and the reporting system is open to abuse.

"Since the beginning of this year we have yet to experience an alleged assault we've been able to substantiate," says Marydell Guevara, assistant director of Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department.

"Prisoners may gamble with chips and candy bars. Let's say I was on the losing end, and I owe you five candy bars. Well, I'm going to get on the rape hotline and say: 'My cellmate Jo has sexually assaulted me.'

"They know what our protocol is - we come in, do a full investigation and in the interim, we separate them. So sometimes prisoners use it as a tactic to get someone moved out of their cell."

But this does not invalidate the system, she says. "I'd rather have 100 false reports than have one real one that we miss."
Culled from BBC

Man defends his sexual relations with donkey, says it's his constitutional right

Carlos Romero


A Florida man accused of having sex with a miniature donkey named Doodle is protected by the United States Constitution, his lawyers say.

In a motion obtained by Ocala.com and filed with Marion County court, Carlos Romero's attorneys argue that the state's anti-bestiality law deprives Romero of his "personal liberty and autonomy when it comes to private intimate activities."

Romero's lawyers said the statute violate's their client's due process rights and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.

The 32-year-old previously rejected a plea deal that would have required a year of probation, a $200 fine, a psychosexual evaluation and possible treatment, STD testing, no contact with children in a school setting, no ownership or possession of any mammals and revocation of his license to work in horse racing.

The accusations stem from an August incident in which a witness reportedly saw Romero with his pants down “up against the rear of the donkey," according to the Smoking Gun.

Romero reportedly stepped away from the donkey and pulled up his pants when he saw the witness.

But, when Marion County detectives questioned him about the incident, he allegedly admitted that, when the donkey is in heat, he will stand behind her, scratch her withers and masturbate. He says he "likes the way her fur feels on his privates," according to WSTP-TV.

GeekoSystem writes that Romero's lawyers deserve credit for fighting for their client.
Culled from HUFF POST

How mother and daughter had group sex with men for money

Jessica and Monica
A mother and daughter in Tampa, Fla., have a unique way of expressing family togetherness -- by creating a pornography site and shooting sex scenes together.

Jessica and Monica

The duo -- known collectively as "The Sexxxtons" -- like many porn performers, don't give out their last names. Jessica, the mom, and Monica, the daughter, have been creating kinky content for their self-titled website for the past year and have just released a DVD.


In order to confirm the Sexxxtons are really related and not just claiming that as a marketing gimmick, The Huffington Post reviewed both women's driver's licenses, and their private Facebook pages, as well as private family photos going back 20 years.

Although mother and daughter have sex in the same room at the same time -- often with the same male or female partner -- they insist that their encounters are not incestuous. For legal and personal reasons, they don't actually touch each other during sex scenes.


"We don't have a problem doing two-on-one," Jessica, 56, explained to The Huffington Post. "We will have sex with one man, but not interact with each other."

Monica, 22, said the kinky choreography is a lot more difficult than her mom makes it sound.

"It's not easy to do," she told HuffPost. "Our lips never touch and that can be a problem when filming."

Those precautions, the Sexxxtons said, are what keeps their scenes from legally being incestuous, even if experts like Beverly Hills-based psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman, who has never treated the Sexxxtons, considers their activities to be "emotional incest."Monica acknowledges the mother-daughter porn is enjoyable. "I enjoy the sex and I enjoy being with my mom," she said. "During the scenes, I think about how we're going to be filthy rich."

Money was a factor in deciding to start the family business. Three years ago, Monica said the family -- including her younger brother -- were about to get evicted from their home. She looked at her options, and decided to become a dancer and also get into porn.

"I've always been an exhibitionist and sex just oozed out of me," she said, adding that she lost her virginity at the age of 12. "It was my idea. I dropped out of school in ninth grade and figured this was a good way to earn money."

Monica worked as a dancer and got her mom into doing porn first before she did it herself. Jessica agreed to her daughter's suggestion, saying they've always been open with each other.

"The money was part of the reason, but so was fun, and having sex with hot guys," Jessica said, adding that she prefers her new job to her old career, bartending, for one simple reason: "You don't have to get dressed to go to work."

For the most part, the Sexxxtons only have sex in the same room when on camera, but Jessica said they did do a threesome with one of her boyfriends one night. "We were talking about sex and it happened. We all had a good time," she said.

Monica has no plans to have a child of her own, but she and Jessica agree that if she had a child who wanted to go into the family business at a legal age, they'd allow it.

There are limits though: No animals and Monica doesn't want to film scenes with her younger brother. "He's a virgin and I don't want his first sex experience to be with someone who is just doing it for money and isn't into him," she said.

Family-oriented porn can be a fairly common fantasy scenario, but it is rare to have real family members work together in scenes.

In 1998, "Three Brothers," a gay porn film, featured three real-life brothers, Vince, Shane and Hal Rockland, in a sex scene with an unrelated male but they didn't have sex with each other.

In addition, the Milton twins, Cali Marie and Cherish, have done scenes together since 2004, usually not touching. In 2008, porn star Elli Foxx filmed a scene with her mother, Desi, for a film called "Wanna F*** My Daughter Gotta F*** Me First 2."

According to an interview they did with Howard Stern, they made sure to stay 10 feet apart while filming.

Monica may see filming sex scenes with her mother as a ticket to the big time, but adult film historian Bill Margold doubts they will be able to parlay their notoriety to mainstream porn.

"The adult industry is not that stupid," Margold told HuffPost. "They have enough problems without creating on-camera incest."
Culled from HUFF POST

Boko Haram: 1,000 Nigerians flee to Republic of Niger after attack

More than 1,000 Nigerians have fled to neighbouring Niger after six people were killed in an attack on their village blamed on Islamist group Boko Haram, the United Nations said Thursday.

The 1,042 refugees crossed the northern border into the Niger region of Diffa after the November 30 attack, and have been taken in by families in two villages near the regional capital, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a bulletin.

A teacher in the village confirmed the attack to local media. He said the attackers told villagers they were looking for “politicians” and “coldly killed” six people, including a police officer, after the victims were unable to recite verses of the Koran.

A security source said Niger’s army has deployed reinforcements along its border with Nigeria, a focus of worry for Nigerien authorities who have often assured they are taking measures to stop Boko Haram’s activities from spilling over into Niger.

Violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria — a country roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south — is believed to have left some 3,000 people dead there since 2009, including killings by the security forces.
Culled from VANGUARD

Washington commences issuing of same-sex marriage licenses

Pete-e Petersen (left), 85, and Jane Abbott Lighty, 77, have been a couple for 35 years


Shortly after the clock struck midnight, two Seattle women legitimized their 35-year love affair early Thursday by becoming the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in King County, Washington.

The two women met on a blind date in 1977, when homosexuality was highly taboo and gay people socialized privately in homes, never in public.

Now Pete-e Petersen is 85, and Jane Abbott Lighty is 77, and they have lived to see the world transformed.

In the twilight of their lives, they thought they would die without being legally married, though they had a church wedding in 2005. But Washington voters approved Referendum 74, legalizing same-sex marriage, last month, allowing the first licenses to be issued on Thursday.

"Oh, my goodness!" Lighty said. "We've been together 35 years and seen all kinds of change."It's been a long journey," Petersen said. "We're so excited to know we'll get a license and then get married on Sunday."

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire and Secretary of State Sam Reed certified Referendum 74 on Wednesday, surrounded by the marriage equality bill's supporters.

"This is a very important and historic day in the great state of Washington. For many years now, we've said, 'One more step. One more step.' This is our last step," Gregoire said. "To the couples that are here today that will finally be treated with the equality they've deserved for many years, congratulations to each of you."

This year has been historic on many levels for the marriage equality movement.

High court takes no action yet on same-sex marriage appeals

After years of saying no at the ballot box, American voters for the first time said yes to same-sex marriage this fall in Washington, Maryland and Maine. Voters in Minnesota rejected a measure that would have banned same-sex marriage.

Those approvals contrast with the 38 states that have passed bans on marriages between people of the same sex, mostly by amending their constitutions to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

In six states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York -- and the District of Columbia, gays and lesbians have previously won marriage rights because of actions taken by judges or legislators, not voters.

A milestone also occurred this year in the nation's executive branch: President Barack Obama became the first president to openly support same-sex marriage.

These political trends emerged as a majority of Americans say they support legally recognizing same-sex marriage at a time when the public demonstrates increasing comfort with gays and lesbians, according to a CNN/ORC International survey in June.

With 162 years between them, Petersen and Lighty can recall the dark days of being gay in America.
Culled from CNN

Smokers in Washignton celebrate as govt. legalizes marijuana

The crowds of happy people lighting joints under Seattle's Space Needle early Thursday morning with nary a police officer in sight bespoke the new reality: Marijuana is legal under Washington state law.

Hundreds gathered at Seattle Center for a New Year's Eve-style countdown to 12 a.m., when the legalization measure passed by voters last month took effect. When the clock struck, they cheered and sparked up in unison.

A few dozen people gathered on a sidewalk outside the north Seattle headquarters of the annual Hempfest celebration and did the same, offering joints to reporters and blowing smoke into television news cameras.

"I feel like a kid in a candy store!" shouted Hempfest volunteer Darby Hageman. "It's all becoming real now!"

Washington and Colorado became the first states to vote to decriminalize and regulate the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana by adults over 21. Both measures call for setting up state licensing schemes for pot growers, processors and retail stores. Colorado's law is set to take effect by Jan. 5.

Technically, Washington's new marijuana law still forbids smoking pot in public, which remains punishable by a fine, like drinking in public. But pot fans wanted a party, and Seattle police weren't about to write them any tickets.

In another sweeping change for Washington, Gov. Chris Gregoire on Wednesday signed into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage. The state joins several others that allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.

The mood was festive in Seattle as dozens of gay and lesbian couples got in line to pick up marriage licenses at the King County auditor's office early Thursday.

King County and Thurston County announced they would open their auditors' offices shortly after midnight Wednesday to accommodate those who wanted to be among the first to get their licenses.

Kelly Middleton and her partner Amanda Dollente got in line at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Hours later, as the line grew, volunteers distributed roses and a group of men and women serenaded the waiting line to the tune of "Going to the Chapel."

Because the state has a three-day waiting period, the earliest that weddings can take place is Sunday.

In dealing with marijuana, the Seattle Police Department told its 1,300 officers on Wednesday, just before legalization took hold, that until further notice they shall not issue citations for public marijuana use.

Officers will be advising people not to smoke in public, police spokesman Jonah Spangenthal-Lee wrote on the SPD Blotter. "The police department believes that, under state law, you may responsibly get baked, order some pizzas and enjoy a 'Lord of the Rings' marathon in the privacy of your own home, if you want to."

He offered a catchy new directive referring to the film The Big Lebowski, popular with many marijuana fans: "The Dude abides, and says 'take it inside!'"

"This is a big day because all our lives we've been living under the iron curtain of prohibition," said Hempfest director Vivian McPeak. "The whole world sees that prohibition just took a body blow."

Washington's new law decriminalizes possession of up to an ounce for those over 21, but for now selling marijuana remains illegal. I-502 gives the state a year to come up with a system of state-licensed growers, processors and retail stores, with the marijuana taxed 25 percent at each stage. Analysts have estimated that a legal pot market could bring Washington hundreds of millions of dollars a year in new tax revenue for schools, health care and basic government functions.

But marijuana remains illegal under federal law. That means federal agents can still arrest people for it, and it's banned from federal properties, including military bases and national parks.

The Justice Department has not said whether it will sue to try to block the regulatory schemes in Washington and Colorado from taking effect.

"The department's responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged," said a statement issued Wednesday by the Seattle U.S. attorney's office. "Neither states nor the executive branch can nullify a statute passed by Congress" — a non-issue, since the measures passed in Washington and Colorado don't "nullify" federal law, which federal agents remain free to enforce.

The legal question is whether the establishment of a regulated marijuana market would "frustrate the purpose" of the federal pot prohibition, and many constitutional law scholars say it very likely would.

That leaves the political question of whether the administration wants to try to block the regulatory system, even though it would remain legal to possess up to an ounce of marijuana.

Alison Holcomb is the drug policy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and served as the campaign manager for New Approach Washington, which led the legalization drive. She said the voters clearly showed they're done with marijuana prohibition.

"New Approach Washington sponsors and the ACLU look forward to working with state and federal officials and to ensure the law is fully and fairly implemented," she said.
Culled from FOX NEWS

Naked protesters disrupt final vote to uphold nudity ban in San Fransisco

A ban on nudity in San Francisco was given final approval by the city’s Board of Supervisors Tuesday in a raucous meeting at which several people stripped naked in board chambers.

The ordinance, which will prohibit nudity on city streets, sidewalks, plazas and other public spaces, was initially passed 6-5 during the board’s Nov. 20 meeting and was approved again Tuesday afternoon by the same vote.

Supervisor Jane Kim initially gave the legislation a seventh vote of support but later rescinded her vote, saying she had been distracted and accidentally voted yes.Supervisors John Avalos, David Campos, Eric Mar and Christina Olague were the other four supervisors to oppose the ban.

Several men and women stripped down after the first vote Tuesday afternoon and began yelling at the supervisors. They were led out of board chambers by sheriff’s deputies, who draped blankets over them since public nudity is not allowed at City Hall.One protester was taken into custody for resisting arrest, according to Christina DiEdoardo, the attorney representing the group of nudists.

Once the legislation is signed by Mayor Ed Lee, who has expressed support for it, it will take effect on Feb. 1.

It allows exceptions for street fairs, parades and other permitted public events and does not apply to children under 5 years old.Opponents of the ban have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the legislation on constitutional grounds, and that case is still pending in court.

Violators of the ordinance would face initial fines of $100 that would increase for additional offenses.
Culled from CBS News

Judge shocked after defendant asks for marijuana in courtroom

Mitchell


A drug defendant stunned an Ohio court by asking if he could have one more joint while haggling over the period during which he would give up marijuana.

Damaine Mitchell, 19, wanted Hamilton County Common Pleas judge Melba Marsh to allow him a final indulgence before he attempted to refrain from using the drug - but she said no.

He was in court on Wednesday, charged with trafficking in marijuana - Mitchell is accused of selling it on June 12 in the car park of a Westwood shop.

Mitchell made no secret of his love of the drug - when the judge said she would offer him a deal which would stop him going to jail and would erase the crime from his record, in return for him giving up marijuana for a certain time period, he found it tough to accept.

'That’s going to be hard for me to do, to be honest with you,' said Mitchell.

The judge told him he had to stop taking the drug until April, when he would be drug tested to see if he had lived up to his end of the bargain.

'That’s going to be a challenge,' Mitchell argued. 'I like smoking weed. I have been smoking weed since I was like 10 years old.'

Marsh then began to shorten the period, asking if Mitchell would stop until Easter, even Valentine's Day. 'I won't want to,' replied the defendant.
Culled from MAIL ONLINE

Marijuana dealer donates proceeds to hurricane victims

A marijuana dealer in Brooklyn, N.Y., who donated half of his proceeds made over two days last week to victims of Hurricane Sandy told HuffPost Crime on the condition of anonymity, that he didn't care about the implications of turning drug money into supplies for victims in the Rockaways, N.Y., some of whom are still without power. He just wanted to help out, and raised $700 for the cause.

"Look, there are probably some people down there [in the Rockaways] who want some marijuana -- but that's not going to clothe and feed them," he said. "So in order for me to help, I needed to turn what I do into something concrete that I could give to them."

The college-educated weed dealer said he saw the devastation in Breezy Point -- where some 80 homes flooded and burned to the ground -- and decided it was time to make some green for the victims. He alerted his clientele last Monday that he would be donating, and the calls started coming in.

He's no Pablo Escobar, but the dealer claims he did make $1,400 in those two days, amounting to $700 that will go toward hot meals, diapers, formula, clean water and other supplies that people on the Rockaway Peninsula still desperately need. HuffPost crime confirmed that he bought 50 wool blankets that will likely go to residents who are still without power.

"Yes, I made a little extra money for myself those two days," he told HuffPost Crime. "But [my clients] are getting something they'd already get anyway. I was going to work regardless, and now I felt like I was doing it with purpose ... I'm not doing what I do in order to get rich or create some super marijuana empire. I'm trying to help, and this is my job."

When he's not operating Nuggets for the Needy, the Brooklyn dealer says he's been throwing on boots and helping to transport relief goods -- and not the THC kind -- around south Brooklyn and Queens.

Organizations such as Lava Girl Surf and Rockaway Beach Club have erected impromptu relief centers and are literally peddling much-needed items to affected areas. More than 1,000 volunteers helped clean out homes and deliver supplies over the weekend for those two organizations alone, according to Lava Girl Surf's Facebook page.

Meanwhile, residents of the Rockaway Peninsula are still suffering, some still without electricity and many looking for answers after Sandy and a subsequent Nor'easter destroyed their homes.

For those who'd like to help out in Sandy's aftermath, there are plenty of options. People across New York and New Jersey still need supplies, and The Huffington Post has compiled a list of drop-off centers and charities for anyone who wants to assist.
Culled from HUFF POST

Court jails Reggae musician over Indian hemp

An Ado-Ekiti Federal High Court in South-Western Nigeria on Thursday, sentenced a reggae musician, Ademayowa Fabamise, to three months imprisonment for possession of Indian Hemp.

Justice Adamu Hobon sentenced the convict, who had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge, without an option of fine.

"I have carefully looked at the facts presented before me by the prosecution and the plea of guilt by the convict, I hereby find him guilty and convict him as charged," Hobon said.

Iliya Waji, the prosecutor, had earlier told the court that the convict conspired with one Babatunde Apanisi to deal in 150 grammes of Cannabis Sativa on September 1, 2012, at Ilesa Street, Oye-Ekiti, in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti.

The prosecutor tendered to the court a Certificate of Test Analysis, packing of substance form, a request for scientific gauge form, and a drug analysis report confirming the substance to be Indian Hemp.

He also tendered the confessional statement of the convict and a bulk of the substance concealed in a blue polythene bag. Waji said that the offence contravened Section14 of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) Act Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Layi Obisesan, the Counsel to the convict, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy. Obisesan said that the convict, a father to a three month-old baby, was honest to have admitted guilt
Culled from DAILYTIMES

Attempted murder: Woman who stabbed husband said 'Jesus' and 'Mary' sent her

Tammi Estep


A woman who allegedly stabbed her husband said she did it after, "Jesus and Mary told me to kill him because he is Satan's spawn!" according to a police report.

Police in South Carolina released new details from the Nov. 9 attack, which landed 36-year-old Tammi Estep behind bars and her husband in the hospital, The Smoking Gun reports.

Horry County Police deputies were called to Estep's residence at approximately 6:45 a.m. on the day of the incident. When they arrived, Estep told officers that "She was sent to save the world," according to a police report.

Estep's son told officers that his mother stabbed his father, 43, WPDE reports.

Police transported Estep to the Seacoast MecLeod Hospital, where she was medically cleared to be transferred to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center.

Estep remains in custody with no bail set, according to the county website. She is charged with attempted murder.
Culled from HUFF POST

Thai Govt intercepts 600 venomous cobras worth $16,500 in transit

Thai authorities have seized a pickup truck full of deadly cobras at a checkpoint in the country’s central region. They believe the snakes came from Malaysia and were destined for a third country for use in traditional medicine or human consumption.

Thai Customs chief Benja Louicharoen said Tuesday that officials found 600 cobras worth about 500,000 baht ($16,500) in mesh bags inside plastic baskets in the truck.Officials arrested the Thai driver after the suspicious vehicle was stopped 210 kilometers (130 miles) south of Bangkok.

Benja said the man confessed that he was delivering the snakes to northeast Thailand where they were to be smuggled over the border into Laos.

Thailand is a major transit country for illegal wildlife trafficking in Asia.
Culled from NATIONAL POST

Arizona woman attempts killing husband for letting Obama win

Holly Solomon


An Arizona woman, in despair at the re-election of Democratic President Barack Obama, ran down her husband with the family car in suburban Phoenix on Saturday because he failed to vote in the election, police said on Monday.

Holly Solomon, 28, was arrested after running over husband Daniel Solomon following a wild chase that left him pinned underneath the vehicle.Daniel Solomon, 36, was in critical condition at a local hospital, but is expected to survive, Gilbert police spokesman Sergeant Jesse Sanger said.

Police said Daniel Solomon told them his wife became angry over his “lack of voter participation” in last Tuesday’s presidential election and believed her family would face hardship as a result of Obama winning another term.

Witnesses reported the argument broke out on Saturday morning in a parking lot and escalated. Mrs Solomon then chased her husband around the lot with the car, yelling at him as he tried to hide behind a light pole, police said. He was struck after attempting to flee to a nearby street.

Obama won the national election with 332 electoral votes compared with 206 for Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Arizona’s 11 electoral votes were won by Romney.
Culled from NATIONAL POST

How 5-yr-old girl crashed an helicopter, killing five people on board

Sydney Stewart


A federal accident report says a billionaire food-services company owner let his 5-year-old daughter sit on his lap in his helicopter's co-pilot seat and she apparently caused a 2010 crash near Phoenix that killed five people by kicking the flight controls.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the crash that killed Services Group of America owner Thomas J. Stewart for nearly three years before releasing its report Wednesday.

The report says it's "highly likely" the little girl, Sydney, suddenly pushed down on a control and either Stewart or his company pilot then quickly pulled up. That made the rotor blades bend and strike the tail boom.

The conclusion is being disputed by the lawyer for the pilot's family and by Stewart's privately held company. SGA moved to Arizona from Seattle in 2006.

Culled from FOXNEWS