Dvorak News Blog

‘Safest’ seat discussion gets Muslim family kicked off plane

By Eideard Friday January 2, 2009

9 Comments

Daylife/AP photo by PR Newswire

AirTran officials meet the public

A Muslim family removed from an airliner Thursday after passengers became concerned about their conversation say AirTran officials refused to rebook them, even after FBI investigators cleared them of wrongdoing…

Atif Irfan said federal authorities removed eight members of his extended family and a friend after passengers heard them discussing the safest place to sit and misconstrued the nature of the conversation.

Irfan, a U.S. citizen and tax attorney, said he was “impressed with the professionalism” of the FBI agents who questioned him, but said he felt mistreated when the airline refused to book the family for a later flight…

“The FBI agents actually cleared our names,” said Inayet Sahin, Irfan’s sister-in-law. “They went on our behalf and spoke to the airlines and said, ‘There is no suspicious activity here. They are clear. Please let them get on a flight so they can go on their vacation,’ and they still refused.”

Irfan said he believes his family is owed an apology.

“Really, at the end of the day, we’re not out here looking for money. I’m an attorney. I know how the court system works. We’re basically looking for someone to say… ‘We’re apologizing for treating you as second-class citizens.’”

Air Trans tries to pass off this stupidity as the responsibility of Homeland Insecurity and the TSA. Personally, I don’t care which dimwit initiated the boorish behavior. When you get past whatever paranoia caused this family to be mistreated, you apologize and try to get their life and travels back on course – if you’re actually an airline worth doing business with.

Pita Bread Jesus

By Uncle Dave Friday January 2, 2009

11 Comments

It’s up to $64NZ with only a week to go, so get your bids in early. Don’t want to miss out. Your very soul depends on it!

Pita bread Jesus for sale on TradeMe

The TradeMe auction shows a photo of the pita bread, which broke into pieces after being put in the oven. One piece, the seller says, resembled the face of Jesus.

“I was tempted to eat it but for some reason I didn’t,” the seller says in their auction listing.

“I guess what you all want to know is whether it’s a coincidence or real apparition. I’m not really sure.”

Bus passengers dive to avoid decapitation

By Eideard Friday January 2, 2009

13 Comments

Families told of their shock after a double-decker bus had its roof ripped off when it crashed into a low bridge.

The driver of the Stagecoach bus and two passengers were taken to hospital after the collision at the Metro Bridge in The Avenue, Wallsend.

The number 40 service, which was going from Newcastle to Wallsend, is understood to have taken a wrong turn and the 14ft-high vehicle hit the bridge. The structure has a sign saying the bridge is 12ft 3in high.

The spokesman said: “Six passengers were on the bus at the time. Three were seated towards the rear of the vehicle on the upper deck, most of which was sheered off as a result of the accident. Thankfully, we understand there were only minor injuries from flying glass to three passengers. The driver was also taken to hospital suffering from shock.”

Pretty scary. And the driver had to be moving right along to remove that much sheet metal and glass.

Evil Dead: The Musical

By hhopper Thursday January 1, 2009

6 Comments

New Generation of Action Figures

By John C Dvorak Thursday January 1, 2009

23 Comments

An actual toy found in a local store.

Treasure trove in dusty locked garage

By Eideard Thursday January 1, 2009

14 Comments

A classic Bugatti car, which gathered dust in a Tyneside garage for almost 50 years, may fetch up to $4.35 million when it goes under the hammer.

Relatives of reclusive Newcastle doctor Harold Carr found the 1937 Type 57S Atalante in a garage after he died. Now the classic car, thought to be one of just 17 built, is to be sold by Bonhams in Paris next month.

Dr Carr, a former army surgeon, left the contents of a lock-up garage to his family when he died in 2007.

As well as the Bugatti, his nephew also discovered a classic Aston Martin, and a Jaguar E-type in the lock-up.

The nephew, an engineer from Newcastle, said: “We just can’t believe it. Of course we’re delighted and we’re going to make sure the money is shared out among the family. It’s a wonderful thing to leave.”

Wow!

Does thinking too much cause obesity?

By SN Thursday January 1, 2009

23 Comments

Deep thinkers!

Telegraph UK – 31 Dec 2008:

Researchers found the stress of thinking caused overeating with heavy thinkers seeking out more calories.

The research team, supervised by Dr Angelo Tremblay, measured the spontaneous food intake of 14 students after each of three tasks.

The first was relaxing in a sitting position, the second reading and summarizing a text, and finally completing a series of memory, attention, and vigilance tests on the computer.

After 45 minutes at each activity, participants were invited to eat as much as they wanted from a buffet.

The researchers had already discovered that each session of intellectual work requires only three calories more than the rest period.

However, despite the low energy cost of mental work, the students spontaneously consumed 203 more calories after summarizing a text and 253 more calories after the computer tests.

This represents a 23.6 per cent and 29.4 per cent increase, respectively,

“Caloric overcompensation following intellectual work, combined with the fact we are less physically active when doing intellectual tasks, could contribute to the obesity epidemic currently observed in industrialised countries.

“This is a factor that should not be ignored, considering that more and more people hold jobs of an intellectual nature.”

Sell your eggs for cash — and I don’t mean start a chicken farm!

By Eideard Thursday January 1, 2009

32 Comments

Daylife/Reuters Pictures

As the economy continues to tumble towards depths not seen since in decades, some women are turning to a new source to help increase their income by donating their eggs.

Courtney Smith, 26, is a wine steward at a high-end restaurant. She explained that with the economy hurting her business, she volunteered to donate her eggs, which she did about two years ago when money was very tight.

“I was paid $7,000,” Smith said. “It felt good. I mean, it feels good to have money, and I paid off a student loan”.

Smith was chosen to donate her eggs after submitting information about herself. After she was picked, she took a round of hormones for two weeks to stimulate ovulation. Several weeks later, her eggs were taken out, and she was eventually compensated; in turn, a couple received her eggs…

The agency where Smith registered said they’ve seen the number of women wanting to donate double, and they think it’s wonderful to give someone a child if they can’t produce on their own.

Kathy Benardo, runs an egg donor agency, said, ‘I don’t want people to lose sight that it is a treatment for infertility. Infertility is a disease and this is one of the most effective treatments there are.”

Smith said she has no emotional connection with her eggs. Recently, she was matched with another couple, and may be paid $8,000. She’s just one of many women who may take advantage of such a program to raise money.

It’s her own property, right? Should society interfere with selling eggs?

Happy New Year From The Wacky Folks At DU!

By Uncle Dave Thursday January 1, 2009

13 Comments

Anybody do anything interesting last night? Get arrested, dance naked on tables… that sort of thing.

Photo thanks to Kevin Berg

Paula Deen’s heart attack

By John C Dvorak Wednesday December 31, 2008

33 Comments

Yes, a huge burger served between two donuts topped with bacon and egg. Cripes. Only in America.

Found by John Ligums.

End of Year Predictions Show I

By John C Dvorak Wednesday December 31, 2008

9 Comments

Absolutely horrible predictions. Most are not predictions at all!!

click ► to listen:

Right click here and select ‘Save Link As…’ to download the mp3 file.

Cashing In On The Blago Scandal Without Being A Politician

By Uncle Dave Wednesday December 31, 2008

7 Comments

Yellowstone National Park Experiences Unprecedented Earthquake Activity… Scientists Predict Doom

By McCullough Wednesday December 31, 2008

31 Comments

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park was jostled by a host of small earthquakes for a third straight day Monday, and scientists watched closely to see whether the more than 250 tremors were a sign of something bigger to come. Swarms of small earthquakes happen frequently in Yellowstone, but it’s very unusual for so many earthquakes to happen over several days, said Robert Smith, a professor of geophysics at the University of Utah.

“They’re certainly not normal,” Smith said. “We haven’t had earthquakes in this energy or extent in many years.” Smith directs the Yellowstone Seismic Network, which operates seismic stations around the park. He said the quakes have ranged in strength from barely detectable to one of magnitude 3.8 that happened Saturday. A magnitude 4 quake is capable of producing moderate damage. “This is an active volcanic and tectonic area, and these are the kinds of things we have to pay attention to,” Smith said. “We might be seeing something precursory.

“Could it develop into a bigger fault or something related to hydrothermal activity? We don’t know. That’s what we’re there to do, to monitor it for public safety.” Smith said it’s difficult to say what might be causing the tremors. He pointed out that Yellowstone is the caldera of a volcano that last erupted 70,000 years ago. Yellowstone has had significant earthquakes as well as minor ones in recent decades. In 1959, a magnitude 7.5 quake near Hebgen Lake just west of the park triggered a landslide that killed 28 people.

Well maybe not doomed now… but eventually. Happy New Year!

Blagojevich chooses Obama successor

By McCullough Wednesday December 31, 2008

40 Comments

MSNBC– Defying U.S. Senate leaders and his own state’s lawmakers, Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Tuesday appointed former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate. Blagojevich, accused of trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder, praised the 71-year-old Burris’ integrity and asked that the corruption allegations not “taint this good and honest man.”

“The people of Illinois are entitled to have two United States senators represent them in Washington D.C.,” Blagojevich said. “As governor I am required to make this appointment.” Burris, standing at the governor’s side, said he’s eager to get to work in Washington. He said he has no connection to the charges against Blagojevich, who was arrested on Dec. 9 and accused of trying to profit from appointing Obama’s replacement.

The Democratic governor can announce Burris as his pick, but it may be an empty gesture. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, who must certify the appointment, said Tuesday he will not do so. And U.S. Senate leaders reiterated that they won’t accept anyone appointed by Blagojevich, who was arrested Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges.

If I were Burris, I wouldn’t start redecorating the office yet.

Passenger goes Berzerker on flight… beats up Flight Attendant while covered in his own Feces!

By McCullough Wednesday December 31, 2008

18 Comments

The FBI is looking into a bizarre and frightening incident aboard a commercial jet heading from Houston to Omaha last Friday involving an unstable passenger. It began with a middle-aged man leaving the plane’s lavatory covered in his own feces. “Oh, it was awful. It was worse than that.”

Stacey, from Houston, who asked that we not use her last name, says the small commuter jet had just one flight attendant in the cabin, a young man who moved the other passengers forward to empty seats and kept the unkept passenger in the back row. “I heard all of this ruckus and yelling and I kind of turned around and the poor flight attendant is on his back and the guy is like punching him and I’m like, oh my gosh. It’s almost like a scene out of a movie. There were two male passengers behind me that got up and kind of got the guy off of him. The poor steward, he’s got a black eye, his eye’s swelling. I felt sorry for him.”

The injured attendant, with help from the passengers, got the unruly passenger buckled in and calmed down for landing at Eppley Airfield. The U.S. attorney says the man was not arrested, but detained at the airport by authorities until picked up by trained professionals from a care facility in Iowa.

I hope they hosed him down first, ick!