Examining Humanity

One Million Moms Against Ellen Degeneres - J.C. Penney Keeping Her as Spokeswoman

2012-02-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

Ellen is ecstatic that the group One Million Moms failed to accomplish their goal – to get others to back them in the ban of shopping at JCPenney stores after they hired Ellen DeGeneres to be their spokeswoman.

One Million Moms has not only failed in their goal, but have given more people the incentive to shop at the department store.

Three million viewers behind the viewing of the Ellen show simply wouldn’t let up against the conservative group that wanted to have Ellen fired.

During her daytime talk show that aired Wednesday, DeGeneres states the court’s decision of Proposition 8 was a ‘step in the right direction’. She follows by making comments about the group and its criticism of her JCPenney deal. She says, ‘I’d like to talk about it because my haters are my motivators.’

DeGeneres states, ‘They wanted to get me fired, and I’m proud and happy to say that JCPenney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson. Which is great news for me because I also need some new crew socks. I’m really going to clean up with this discount.’

Ellen read part of the statement in which One Million Moms accused JCPenney was jumping on the ‘pro-gay bandwagon,’ but DeGeneres states, ‘Being gay or pro-gay isn’t a bandwagon. You don’t get a free ride anywhere. There’s no music and occasionally we’ll sing ‘We Are Family’, but that’s about it.’

DeGeneres disputes the idea that JCPenney is losing customers because of her spokeswoman position, and it appears that way as the supporters behind Ellen being spokeswoman are writing on the page. Ellen reads a few comments and continues, ‘I usually don’t talk about stuff like this on my show but I really want to thank everyone who is supporting me. Here are the values I stand for: I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need.’

To view the video, go here.

Way to go, JCPenney! Nice choice, as Ellen stands for everything all of us should stand for and believe in. I, personally, will shop there more now. Ellen; keep on truckin', babe! You're a good person, an honest human being and bless you for being who you are. JCPenney is lucky to have you.

One Million Moms: Thanks for pushing Ellen into the limelight so JCPenney now has many more followers. Mission accomplished. :)

Ed Bassmaster Pulls Off a Bush Man Prank

2012-02-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

Ed Bassmaster changes into his Bush Man costume to pull off a great prank on those around him. The reactions of those walking past are pretty good.

Funny Sonic Drive-Thru Prank

2012-02-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

Two hungry fellows go through the Sonic drive-thru line, ordering their meal in a song.

Kitten Born With Two Faces

2012-02-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

A kitten was born with two faces in Port Charlotte, Florida. The mother has taken to the kitten, or kittens as the case may be. The owners are now faced with higher vet bills, as the kitten is probably facing some surgeries. The couple turned to Craig's List to get some support and help as to how to deal with the abnormal pet, however they received some rather disturbing comments.

Would you put a kitten down if it was born with two faces?

Hoarder Kept Her Mother's Remains in a Storage Unit for 17 Years

2012-01-29T13:13:00.000-08:00

After nearly 17 years, a hoarder is found to have placed her mother’s body in a Florida storage unit.

The remains of Ann Bunch were found on Thursday, in Clearwater, west of Tampa. The 95 year old had passed away of three heart attacks and a paralyzing stroke in 1994. The mother was set to be buried in Alabama in a blue coffin that was made for her by a grandson.

The funeral never took place. Bunch’s daughter, Bobbie Barnett Hancock, could not afford the expense of transferring the body.

“My mom was terribly embarrassed about not being able to do it herself and basically swore me to secrecy,” Rebecca Fancher tells WTSP 10 News.

Fancher could not afford to pay for the storage unit and the items inside were going to be heading for the auction. That’s how authorities discovered the body. Fancher is not expected to be held accountable.

Fancher’s ex-husband states that Hancock’s habit of hoarding was to blame as to why she didn’t let anyone know about her mother’s remains.

Fancher states her mom was born at the start of the Depression in 1929 and grew up poor in Alabama. This has led her to her ‘compulsion’ to hold onto things after she obtained them.

Hancock’s home, which she shared with her daughter, was declared uninhabitable in 2010, states the Tampa Bay Times. It was found to be filled with trash and was infested with bugs and animals.

As for Bunch, her remains have been taken to a chapel where they are being kept until arrangements can be made for them to be buried or cremated.

Brother Eats Cocaine to Save Older Sibling - Dies of Overdose

2012-01-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

A young man agreed to eat a stash of cocaine that was hidden in his older brother’s buttocks, and later died of an overdose.

Deangelo Mitchell is seen in a video inside the police car, begging his younger brother to eat the drug, because he couldn’t “get no more strikes.”

The 23-year-old and his younger brother, Wayne, were pulled over by police due to a busted tail light on November 30, in North Charleston.

The two were handcuffed and placed into the back of a squad car. The video shows Deangelo in a panic over the arrest and begging his brother to help.

“Eat that sh*t, so I can get out,” he asks of his brother in the video. “One of us gotta do it and you the only one that don’t have any strikes… You my little brother…I’m gonna get life.”

The 20-year-old finally gives in. Deangelo can be seen removing something from behind him, down his pants, then Wayne leans down and eats the drug.

Wayne is heard saying, “I love you bro,” after eating the narcotic. A short time later, he was dead. Deangelo told police that his little brother ate about an ounce of cocaine.

Deangelo was later charged with drug trafficking and posted a $50,000 bond. Cops reviewed the video from the car, and when a toxicology report confirmed Wayne had died of an acute cocaine toxicity, Deangelo was rearrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

In The Bluebell Woods by InTheBluebellWoods on Etsy

2012-01-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

For beautiful artwork for the garden area or the wedding that may be coming up in your life, visit In The Bluebell Woods by InTheBluebellWoods on Etsy. Beautiful artwork done by a friend of mine who is an artist by trade. Joni creates delicate, intricate art in the painting of dolls as cake toppers, ring holder pillows, decorations and more.

Pennsylvania Grandmother Claims She Didn't Know She Was Growing Marijuana

2012-01-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

In Uniontown Pennsylvania, a grandmother claims she is no marijuana grower but simply a woman who wanted to grow a plant that looked pretty next to her tomatoes.

A jury in Fayette County found 67 year old Alberta Kelley not guilty of drug possession and manufacturing charges on Wednesday, after she explained that she had basically tossed a small handful of seeds into her garden after a bearded stranger gave them to her.

The Connellsville police had charged Kelley last year when they received a tip about Kelley’s garden. Investigators claim they found seven well-cultivated, four-foot marijuana plants behind her home.

Kelley claimed she had no idea what she was growing. She states she’d been given the seeds by a stranger in a pointy hat who informed her they were flower seeds. Kelley tells WTAE-TV that to her, ‘weeds are weeds.’

Ahem - hint: Beware of the man in a pointy hat handing you seeds. That could be a clue that something is up. If a little green Rumplestiltskin looking man hands you seeds, that's a different story. Plant those suckers as fast as you can, stand back and see what grows just out of curiosity.

How many of you would have planted seeds that a strange man in a pointy hat handed you? Especially in today's world. Has humanity really lost all consciousness of what it is we need to be wary of? Trusting people is a good thing, but there are times that red flag has to extend.

Now the 1% Are Pooping out Gold

2012-01-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

Watching a show last night, it came to mind that people are actually throwing money down the toilet – literally and figuratively. The show was entitled “Ten Best Meals” or ten most expensive meals or something along those lines.

Now, watching people shove caviar down their throats is enough to make me gag. Call me a typical girl that was raised on southern cooking and all, but there is something wrong with eating fish eggs. It doesn’t look appetizing nor like something I could shove down my throat, even on a bet.

The show continued to display the various expensive meals one could eat, if they had the money and the urge to do so. Caviar was one of the expensive meals they examined, however there was a restaurant in California that had hired some fancy schmancy chef to come in and do the dirty work. He is considered a food genius of sorts. Funny thing is, during the whole show, they never once got a glimpse of him. Everyone in the restaurant simply claimed that even when he isn’t there, the spirit of his genius is. I’m definitely in the wrong business.

The show moves on, describing the luscious food this chef prepares for customers. The basis of the “genius” element was that it takes about six hours for all of the food to come. I guess when you’re surrounded by that type of money, you have nothing better to do with your life than to sit and wait for various tidbits of food to be thrown onto a plate that cost you a fortune.

Now I am talking, ‘tidbits’ of food. Granted, the food just keeps on coming, for hours apparently, however the plates are filled with tiny morsels you could eat without opening your mouth. Simply squish them in between the tiny gaps in your teeth. The staff at the restaurant suggests you get up, walk through their garden or go about your merry way on the grounds for a while, since the eating experience takes so long. Why? Why is it that we would want to spend that kind of money on six hours worth of shoving teeny bits of food into our mouths? Can’t they just serve up the meal and get it over with? The staff even claims you can’t hardly get a table there, since it’s always full. First, they had about five tables in the place and yes, if someone ahead of you spends a complete day, nibbling crumbs placed fancily on a plate, then yes, it would never be empty.

I had to giggle though, when it came to some fancy desserts. They were scrumptious looking and there were plenty to choose from. What made me laugh was not the desserts – I love a good dessert as well as anybody, but the fact that one of the desserts on the menu was a ‘gold flake coated cake’. Now, call me simple, but really?

Has it gotten to the point that we are eating gold? Why would you do that? What does it do to your body? There were sheets of gold flake they were covering this cake with! Now, I decorate cakes, as anyone who reads this blog can attest to, but I have yet to order gold flake sheets to coat a cake. I certainly would not allow my family to eat the sheets if I had. I contemplated the idea of shoving gold flakes into my mouth and couldn’t get past the lips actually.

The second thought that hit me is if I ever get to the point where I have so much money that I can flush it down the toilet, please let me have the good sense to know I should give some away or help someone in need. These people are eating the stuff, going home and digesting. All of that money is being flushed down the toilet, without a second thought. I know toilet paper costs are rising and are ridiculous, but really?

When we poop out gold, we are in a whole new ballgame in terms of financial stability. Then they can’t figure out why there are protesters out on Wall Street, complaining the wealth should be shared. I have decided that maybe I need to create a sign and head on out to the streets with this one. If they’re crapping it out, maybe we need to rethink our economical system. The middle class, all the way down to the poverty stricken are sick of getting crapped on and they’re spending time crapping it out, flushing it, never to share a flake.

I investigated more ways people eat gold. It’s truly unbelievable. Here are a few:

The Blackstone Steakhouse, in Long Island, incorporates gold leaf into a chicken dinner, complete with mashed potatoes. The chicken is roasted in a brick oven and served with pureed sweet potatoes, covered with 24K gold leaf before serving.

It is a college party favorite – Goldschlager, an Italian cinnamon schnapps that is famous for having small flakes of gold floating in the alcoholic beverage. The volume of gold is less than 0.1 grams per 750 ml in a bottle, with an alcohol content of 40%.

When in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, you have to try out a sushi roll that is the most indulgent fish treat on the planet. Dubbed the High Roll-er, the undersea treat contains Kobe beef, lobster and black truffles, topped off with – what else? – 24-carat gold leaf.

When you feel like dropping an easy $1,000 and you’re in the mood for a killer bagel, the New York Westin is open for business. Chef Frank Tujague creates one of the most expensive bakery delights in the industry – slathering these tasty toasted bread rounds with white truffle cream cheese and a special Riesling, Goji berry, served along with gold-leaf jelly. At least the proceeds head down the right track – they are giving the money earned from the bejeweled bagels to the culinary school scholarship fund.

I know we’ve all eaten some amazing ice cream sundae’s in our lifetime, but New York’s Serendipity has topped them all. They are serving up a chocolate sundae covered in 23-karat gold leaf, suffused with gold dragets and of course, served with an 18-karat gold spoon that you are allowed to stuff in your pocket and take home with you. It’s definitely not a Dairy Queen sundae, selling at a record-breaking $1,000 per shot.

An entrepreneur in Manila, Angelito Araneta Jr., has come up with the idea of selling chocolate cake covered with 24K gold leaves. Now while this idea isn’t new, apparently, after watching the show last night, he plans on adding a shinier touch to the already expense laden project by adding small diamonds that are worth $2,500 per piece. The cake marketing is aimed towards men intending to propose to their girlfriends. You might as well just hand her the $20K and save her a trip to the dentist after snacking on the jewels.

A British couple covered their wedding cake in edible gold leaf and how they got the whole thing for 50 pounds is beyond belief. There is no description of how they served up the shiny art piece for that little.

Now we jet inside the Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace for a glass of rose champagne. This isn’t just any champagne. The 3-liter bottle costs $2,995, to cover the cost of the 24 gold infused bubbly.

The Emirates Palace doesn’t just stop at champagne. The creator of the bubbly also sells a $25 cup of cappuccino that comes topped with 24 karat gold dust sprinkles instead of the traditional cinnamon.

Harvested from a 100 year old sturgeon in Iran’s area of the Caspian Sea, imitation caviar is on the market. Since it’s imitation, you wouldn’t dream the cost would be that high, however the packaging is gold and runs $49,000. You do get the caviar with that too.

What are we doing? I don’t think we are in Kansas any more, Toto. I’m also looking at my stainless steel spoons and wondering if they might be able to serve as a dinner treat.

Woman Digs up Carrot to Find it Wearing Her Long Lost Wedding Ring

2012-01-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

A Swedish woman pulled up a carrot from her vegetable patch, to find it was wearing the wedding ring she lost in 1995.

Lena Pahlsson, from Dalarna, central Sweden, gave up on finding the ring encrusted with seven diamonds after it went missing from the kitchen counter seventeen years ago. At the time Lena and her husband Ola had searched for the ring, which she had designed herself, checking behind appliances and beneath the floor boards before she finally gave up.

But as Lena pulled up the last of this year’s carrots, she noticed that one had something attached to it.

Ola told the local newspaper that their daughter, Anna was home at the time and she heard an almighty scream from the garden. Anna thought her mother had been hurt and rushed outside to help her.

Instead, she found Lena sitting on a chair looking shocked.

Ola added, “It was Lena’s wedding ring that was missing since 1995 after Lena’s annual Christmas baking. It had surfaced, wrapped around a carrot. Quite amazing.”

The family has now come up with a theory as to how the ring could have ended up attached to a carrot.

They believe their sheep, which is often fed kitchen scraps somehow gobbled it up and its manure was spread over the vegetable patch.

Unfortunately, Lena hasn’t been able to wear the ring yet, as her fingers have grown over the past 17 years. It now has to be re-sized to fit properly. She claims, “We are now keeping it in a safe place.”

Good Morning and Welcome to 2012!

2012-01-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone survived the holidays! Hopefully, they were the best ever for all of you. Now that they're over, it's time to get down to business once more.

With good thoughts of the New Year, let's hope we find more world peace, prosperity and generosity. Some believe that the new year means the world will end. Others believe it will end, but only by ending the way the world is now - the world as we know it will end. A new world, with less "darkness" and negativity will appear, making the rock we live on a much better existence for all. That's the thought I'm sticking to.

New Year's resolutions -

I have never been one to make resolutions. It seems that once I make them, they are never kept anyway. I do strive to change things to become a better person, however I guess the losing weight, saving money, etc. is something that I just can't get behind because it never seems to work out.

How many have New Year's resolutions? How many of you are going to stick to them?

I guess having a resolution is a great way to set a goal for yourself and that can never be a bad thing. I'm starting out the New Year with a fresh new start in my home, but won't be taking it further than that. I painted, placed new carpet and am now waiting on a couch we ordered. I can't wait due to the fact that my living space is in shambles, hence the reason I haven't written on here for a few days.

My Toolie bird is sitting in the kitchen. My artwork is laying all over the house, waiting to be placed back on those freshly painted walls. My dogs are getting a bit bored, since they are placed behind a gate and can't come in to the living room. White paint on brown dogs just doesn't go over well.

I do still have a black cat up for grabs if anyone is interested. She came to us, starving to death, and now that we've nursed her back to health, she needs a home. She's a sweetheart and will make someone a very good companion. She still acts and looks like a kitten.

So, onward we go, writing once more. I am going to be adding plenty of content on here as quickly as I can and do apologize for the missed days. Holidays are hell.

Hope everyone had a great holiday experience and is looking forward to a wonderful New Year!

Oh, yes...Go Ducks!!!!!!!!!!!

Houston Man Pays Off 58 Year Old Traffic Ticket

2011-12-29T03:58:00.000-08:00

I do believe this must be the oldest parking ticket around…

A Houston man paid an old parking ticket that he received 58 years ago, wanting to clear his conscience. The ticket cost was $1. He felt he needed to pay what he owed.

Dale Crawford received the ticket on February 3, 1953. He was inducted into the Army on that date and left his 1946 Nash at a parking meter at the induction station. When his dad was late retrieving the car, it was ticketed.

Houston Mayer, Annise Parker states she’ll personally accept Crawford’s payment and thanked him for being a great example for others who owe debts to the city.

SPILL Will Happen Thanks to Generous Donations

2011-12-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all of those who donated to a worthy cause! SPILL will now take form, thanks to the generous donations of those who gave money to the efforts of Leigh Fondakowski and Reeva Wortel who wish to return to the gulf area where the oil spill has affected so many. Through the generous donations, they can continue their interviews to put into a play, spreading the word of this atrocity. Thank you so much for donating! Leigh and Reeva are talented artists who are going to put on a play worth watching.

SPILL

2011-12-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

Leigh Fondakowski and Reeva Wortel are so close to their goal to complete SPILL. Fondakowski, a playwright with plays such as "The Laramie Project", and "The People's Temple" under her belt, would like to return to the gulf where the oil spill has permeated more than is known, without any hope of help to those who live and work in the area. Leigh and partner Reeva Wortel, artist, are hopeful they can return to the gulf where they can finish interviewing folks to bring the play "SPILL" to the stage as it should be. This artistic work is true of Leigh's past work in hosting interviews of people involved, bringing it to life on stage with the inclusion of the interviews. Here is her latest message:

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL.
Leigh Fondakowski has sent you a message.

	From:	Leigh Fondakowski
	Date:	Dec 26, 2011 03:48 pm
	Subject:	The homestretch!
	Message:	Dear Supporters, We are just $565 away from reaching our fundraising goal of $10,070 for SPILL: a play and art installation. Thank you to all of you for your generous support. We have only 4 days left to raise the rest of our goal. Please forward this link to anyone who you think might be interested! We hope you are all having a wonderful holiday! Best regards, Leigh and Reeva

To view and respond to this message online, click here: http://www.usaprojects.org/notification/147783
Thank you,
- The USA Projects Team

Balloon Wishes Sent Through Air to Santa & Were Received

2011-12-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

In Auburn, Washington, a little girl’s Christmas dreams will come true. The five year old from suburban Seattle sent off a letter to Santa via two pink balloons. The letter ended up, not in Santa’s hands, but in hands that are just as wonderful.

A 17,000 acre Laytonville California ranch owner received Helen Cardenas note, written in Spanish. The couple asked a ranch hand to translate and the wish of a tea set, shoes and pants, with doll was the girl’s dream. Her mother was out of work and money was tight this season.

After translation, the ranch called the phone number that was written on the letter, along with the address. The family who found the letter drove straight to the mall and purchased the wishes on the list. They plan to ship them on Friday.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

On this Christmas Eve, I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, health, happiness and love in your life. We can live broke and poor, but without love, health and happiness, we have nothing. Merry Christmas and may the little joys of life fill your heart with gladness.

During the holidays, we need to remember the small things we can do to help others. We can change the world through one small act of kindness each day. Those that receive an act of kindness are more apt to pay it forward and help others. Remember the children who may not have food to eat, the elderly that may need a chore done or a meal cooked for them, the animals that are on the streets starving, cold and without anyone to care for them.

Make this Christmas the best holiday you've ever had by opening your heart to someone else through a bit of love, caring and a simple thing like a hug. Smiles go for miles in a person's life - smile at a stranger today. You might just make their whole life seem brighter, happier and meaningful.

To all of you, wishes of happiness go out, along with blessings of fulfillment and joy. Be safe if you are traveling. Take a moment to speak to those in your life and imagine what it would be like without them. Nobody lives forever, so make it a Christmas like it was your last. Be remembered as a loving, caring, kind soul that everybody loved. Picture how those around you will see you when you are long gone. Make every moment of every day count for something.

Take care, God bless and have a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and great New Year!

Random Acts of Kindness All Over the USA

2011-12-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

An amazing “pay it forward” angel story is a tale that comes from DeWitt, New York. Genea Coston was walking into the local Kmart on Wednesday to pay off the $60 she had left on her Christmas layaway order when she received a phone call. The store was calling her to inform her that her layaway was ready to be picked up.

“An angel just paid your layaway,” the manager told her.

Coston, a resident of Syracuse, has children who are 10 years old, 22 months and 5 months, ran to the layaway counter and found out it was true. The Elmo chair and table set and the infant Jolly Jumper were paid off and ready to go home with her. Tears streamed down her face. “God is good,” she said. Coston had just missed her anonymous angel.

Jennifer Irizarry, the manager, told Coston that the person who paid off the layaway was probably still in the store, and that Coston had probably walked past the donor. Coston started saying “thank you” to anyone nearby.

This Christmas at Kmarts and other stores across the USA, people are paying off the layaway accounts of strangers. News reports indicate that the trend started in mid-December in Michigan. It has taken a strong hold locally as well. Strangers are coming forward in droves and are paying off balances of others at the store, Irizarry said.

“It’s all different people,” Irizarry said. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

Irizarry has talked to many of the angelic donors at the store to get a sense of why they decided to do the act of kindness. “They like this because it directly impacts the immediate area and it goes to families,” Irizarry said.

It’s not just DeWitt either. At the chain’s Mattydale store on Saturday, an older couple paid off several layaways before going onto the store floor and handing out $100 bills, said Rhoel Zapanta, Mattydale store manager.

What typically happens is that someone will ask the manager to pay off the layaway of someone, Zapanta said. The donor and manager check for layaways that are behind in payments and in danger of being put back on the sales floor. They also ask for people who have purchased toys or baby clothes that are on layaway.

“The stipulation is it has to be toys,” Irizarry said.

And it has spread from layaway, said Joy Vogt, who works in the human resources department at Kmart. People are walking up to shoppers with a cart full of toys at the checkout line and pay for the toys, Vogt said. Seeing the toys means that the buyer is Christmas shopping for a family, Irizarry said.

The donors wish to remain anonymous. “We call them our angels. We don’t know what else to call them,” Irizarry said.

The reason Kmarts are being singled out for secret Santa fun is because it’s one of the few large discount chains that still offer layaway purchases, Salima Yala, Kmart’s division vice president for layaway, told The Associated Press.

A spokesperson for Walmart said the company, by popular demand, brought back layaway plans this year for toys and electronics after eliminating them for everything except fine jewelry in 2006. The program ran from October 17 through last Friday.

“We are seeing random acts of kindness from customers across the country who have anonymously paid off others’ layaway items,” the spokesperson said.

As Christmas Day gets closer, the number of donations at the layaway desk is increasing, Irizarry said. “It’s happening daily,” she states. “ Every single day. I’ve been here 20 years and never seen anything like this. It’s crazy. It’s beautiful.”

When Coston was asked what she was going to do with the $60 she had saved, tears welled up again in her eyes. “I have to give back to someone who doesn’t have it,” Coston said.

Kindness Keeps the World Going

2011-12-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

You will definitely share this. 'Nuf said.

Breaking News: Frosty the Snowman Kidnapped!

2011-12-21T04:06:00.000-08:00

It took a while to stop laughing so I could write this one –

Francis Frostman has been kidnapped or snow-napped or whatever you would call it. A decorative snowman has been stolen from his post on the verandah at the Murley family’s home in Eaglehawk a little over a week ago.

He has hung in the spot for two years and was just re-hung for another Christmas season. But this year, he won’t have a Merry Christmas. He won’t be seeing his family any more. He was nabbed.

His abusive captors don’t stop at simply kidnapping though. They shove the frostman’s kidnapping in the family’s face – they send pictures of Francis playing pool with them, hanging out drinking beer, riding a motorbike, go-kart racing and the like. How cruel.

The owner, Sarah Murley, claim her four children were missing Francis and wanted him home for Christmas.

“Saturday night, he went out dancing and did a piano duet with someone at the local pub,” Sarah says. “It sounds like he’s having a great time, which is all very well, but the kids are missing him. We just want him home before Christmas. We’re worried he might melt.”

She said it was likely the jokers knew the family or knew of Francis’ routine.

The Murleys even made a video to persuade the captors to return the partying snowman.

Murley said the kidnappers seem to feel sorry for the captive decoration. He was the only decoration on the house, and they are treating him to some good times.

“He’s been having a great time compared to being locked up in a box in our shed for 11 months out of the year.”

You just can't make stuff like this up...I can't believe this story made it into the papers!

Couple Arrested in Gainesville After Falling Asleep in Burglarized Home

2011-12-16T11:02:00.000-08:00

A couple, now known as "professionally stupid", broke into a home in Gainesville, Georgia, ransacked the house, then fell asleep in the owner's bed.

Jeff Kemp, a retired officer, drove to his parents home to feed their cat. His parents had been relocated to a nursing home. Upon arrival, he noticed what is normally an empty driveway, to now have a Lexus sedan parked in the gravel area. Kemp called police immediately.

Police arrived to wake up the couple, still fast asleep in the bed. April Lynn Morris and Kenneth Dwayne Lee woke to find the police standing over them. Morris, a quick thinker, proceeded to inform the officers that she and Lee were renting the home with the option to buy.

The home was torn up, leaving Jeff's dad's sock thrown about, drawers open and the closet in shambles. In the remains, the burglar's shoes, watch and cell phone lie around the room, in neat order upon the nightstand.

The couple have been arrested on burglary charges, the cat was fed and all is good - except for the home of the Kemp's. A good tidying up and burning of the sheets should take care of that as well.

Word to the wise: if you ever wish to burglarize a home, ensure you drink up plenty of java before the job. Falling asleep on the job isn't exactly a wise decision.

Italian Cat Inherits 13.4 Million

2011-12-15T07:20:00.000-08:00

The world’s richest cat has made its way into the news. Since the death of his 94 year old mistress last month, Tommaso, a four year old once stray cat from Rome, has become the richest cat in the world.

The property consists of flats and houses worth an estimated 10 million pounds, are scattered from Milan in the north to Calabria in the south.

The handwritten will was signed on November 26, 2009. Tommaso’s owner gave her lawyers the task of finding an animal lover that would ensure the well-being of the cat. The lawyers have looked into several organizations without any adequate guarantees that the cat would be taken care of properly. In the meantime, the woman met a fellow cat lover – named Stefania – in a park. Stefania states that sometimes she would go to the house so her cat could play with Tommaso.

As the owner became increasingly frail, Stefania, the nurse, began to take care of her.

“She needed someone to help her move around, shower and eat. I looked after her until the end, “ she said.

Under Italian law, animals cannot inherit directly. But they can be beneficiaries if a suitable trustee is found. The elderly widow decided to entrust the cat and its fortune to Stefania.

Tommaso’s trustee, who is now looking after him in an undisclosed address outside of Rome, stated she had no idea that the signora had such wealth.

But the fortune pales by comparison with that of Gunther IV, an Alsatian who inherited from his father, Gunter III, the pet of a German countess. According to the Pet Gazette, he is worth around $372 million.

The richest cat was previously thought to be Blackie, who was left 9 million pounds by his reclusive British owner in 1988.

Okay, I am a true animal lover, in every sense of the word, but what the hell is a cat going to do with that much money? Understandable to leave the cat a million - to ensure it's well being for whoever cares for it after the owners death. But how many hungry children would the rest of that money feed after the owner passes?

Woman Caught Making Meth in Middle of Walmart

2011-12-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

Now, while we’ve seen and heard almost everything in terms of tales coming from Walmart stores, I do believe this one tops them all.

In Tulsa Oklahoma, a woman was arrested last week for trying to make methamphetamine inside the store. It says “allegedly”, but give me a break – if she was caught red-handed, don’t you think that means she pretty much did do the crime? Otherwise, her disheveled hair and sad but pathetic face wouldn’t be sitting in a mug shot. Okay, so she “allegedly” did it. There, I said it. It’s out there for the rest of the article. Place “allegedly” into each charge she is facing and we will call it good in terms of legalities.

According to a CBS affiliate, security personnel called 911 to report that a woman had gathered the ingredients, including chemical drain cleaner and lithium. She was shopping for these items throughout the store and then – this is where it is mind boggling – was seen mixing the ingredients on a store shelf. The woman wasn’t just in and out to grab the items she needed – she was in the store for SIX hours – making herself right to home while she fixated on her habit.

Police allege (there’s that word again) that Alisha Greta Halfmoon, 45, mixed two containers of sulfuric acid, and that one officer felt a burning sensation on his hand after touching some of it. Police did not find pseudoephedrine, a cold medication to make meth. Oh, please.

Halfmoon hasn’t been formally charged in the case. She is opening up items in the store for six hours and brewing up some concoction in the store that burns hands, even if it isn’t any type of dope to fry that half a brain cell she has left in that feeble mind of hers and they don’t charge her? Yet a woman that is eighty some odd years old can’t walk through security at an airport even though it’s a colostomy bag attached to her leg without being stripped, fondled and then released without any cause? The woman was either crafting some type of dope or some type of explosive or harmful substance. There should be some type of charge in there. Maybe it’s just everyday behavior in a Walmart any more, so people don’t consider it being out of the ordinary.

Two days before her arrest, the television station reports that she had been bailed out of jail in a drug case. Previous charges against her include possession of meth and using a forged prescription to obtain drugs. I feel a very big “duh” coming on.

Dobbey the Reindeer Goes Out for a Day on the Town

2011-12-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

Dobbey the reindeer climbs into the back of her eccentric owner’s rented cab for a day of shopping. Yes, reindeer.

Dobbey the reindeer has spent the day out and about with her owner, Gordon Elliot, with hopes of picking up a gift or two.

Elliott placed his pet into the cab for a trip around town, which left shoppers ogling when he pulled over on High Street.

Dobbey climbed out of the vehicle to accompany him on his shopping spree. The pensioner hand-reared the eight-year-old from birth and takes the pet out and about on the bus, train and even to the local pub.

People stare at the two as they make their way around downtown, North London.

Getting the reindeer in and out of the cab is a feat, however when the door is opened, the reindeer jumps right in. Walks around the streets of London are nothing new for the pair. Stopping at the burger bar or pub is a nice treat for Dobbey.

Dobbey loves people and is always on his best behavior for their downtown travels. When Dobbey was a baby, he couldn’t feed from his mother so Gordon bottle fed the infant, placing him in a cardboard box in the kitchen during naps.

The bond grew stronger between the two, so now Dobbey walks around with his friend like a dog. Gordon has 12 reindeer on his farm.

“If I call his name, he comes over and loves going out and about with me. The only problem is for about three weeks during rutting season is when I have to stay well away, the rest of the year he is as gentle as a little lamb.”

At Christmas, Elliott take Dobbey on visits to local schools, nurseries and to Santa’s grotto. On Christmas morning, Elliott dresses up like Father Christmas and takes Dobbey through the town to see the children and raises money.”

“I even take him to church on Christmas morning and everyone loves seeing him,” states Elliott. “Lots of people stop to take photos,” Elliott said. Mr. Elliot also has pet camels, an emu, donkeys, sheep and wallabies. He keeps his animals in a six acre field that also houses a two-acre wooded area.

The reindeer have a special diet of carrots, greenery, grass and small amounts of bread.

“My wife, Marion, thinks I’m crazy,” he added.

HE DRAGGED HIS HORSE BEHIND HIS A.T.V ... MAKE HIM PAY THE LEGAL PRICE!! - The Petition Site

2011-12-10T19:36:00.000-08:00

What kind of sick person is this one? How could you do this? Please, read the article and sign the petition! This cruel vile maniac drug his horse behind his ATV because the horse kept escaping his pen. He wanted to show the horse his anger...the horse had to be put to sleep, as he drug him down a paved road and then placed him on a rope and tied him to a tree. A neighbor happened to see the horse in his suffering condition and phoned the police. Please sign this petition to make this man pay for what he did to this animal!

HE DRAGGED HIS HORSE BEHIND HIS A.T.V ... MAKE HIM PAY THE LEGAL PRICE!! - The Petition Site

Mama Perry's Making a Toilet Cake!

2011-12-10T13:30:00.000-08:00

For fun and a new way of making a cake that will get their attention, follow Mama Perry in "Making a Toilet Cake", with step by step instructions of how it is made. Unique, fun and a bit sick, Mama Perry is creating a toilet cake for her son in law who has just graduated school and is now a plumber.

Great cake for this situation! Complete with Baby Ruth bars floating in the center blue gel. How strange is that?

Meet Mama Perry at: Mama Perry's Good Eats