'Dumb' American criminals attempt robbery with ‘permanent marker pen disguises’

Two hapless robbers in America, Matthew McNelly and Joey Miller, have been arrested with the "worst disguises ever" after trying to hide their faces with permanent marker pen. McNelly, 23, and Miller, 20 were arrested by armed police in Carroll, Iowa, last Friday after witnesses reported seeing two men trying to break into an apartment with fake beards and "masks" scrawled on their faces.

Police responding to a call about the attempted burglary later pulled over a car matching the alleged suspects' vehicle. When they stopped their 1994 Buick Roadmaster, bewildered police discovered the drunk hapless pair – nicknamed “dumb and dumber” – complete with makeshift disguises.

Three Cheers for Citizen Power

A murder suspect who left his car running in a Florida street couldn't get away because a woman took the keys from the ignition. Now, 28-year-old Paul Gayle is being held at the Broward County Jail on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and armed burglary.

Police say a woman walking her dog called 911 Tuesday, telling the dispatcher she heard screams from inside a home so she took the keys from the running car because she wanted police to check the vehicle.

The unidentified woman stayed on the line with the 911 operator until officers arrived and arrested Gayle. Officers found Hasting Clarke dead inside the Coconut Creek home. Authorities said Clarke and Gayle had been fighting over Clarke's former girlfriend.

Cricket forges strong bonds in friendship

In a story that illustrates how interethnic and international relations should be handled, former Indian cricketer and commentator Ravi Shastri, rushed to the side of his fellow commentator and former Pakistani cricket captain Wasim Akram when Akram's wife was rushed to hospital in Chennai in critical condition. Huma was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals on advice from doctors on board the Singapore-bound air ambulance where she received necessary intensive medical attention. Hospital sources said Huma suffered a multiple organ failure and she was put on ventilator support. The two colleagues stayed together for two hours while Akram's wife received the initial treatment she needed. In a region known for deep seated hatreds, this is a wonderful example of respect and friendship from two former masters of cricket, and a great message to the rest of the world.

Madonna the neighbour from hell

Apparently, Madonna is the "neighbour from hell" and been accused of using her New York home as a rehearsal studio. The singer has infuriated Karen George - who lives above Madonna in the apartment block overlooking Central Park - with her alleged "blaring music and stomping". George has filed a lawsuit against the 51-year-old pop star in Manhattan Supreme Court, complaining of "unreasonably high-decibel, amplified music and vibrations pouring through walls, ceilings and radiators". The lawsuit states: "Madonna and one or more of her invited guests repeatedly dance and train... to unreasonably high-decibel, amplified music, causing noise and vibration to pour through the walls, ceilings and radiators. It constantly amazes me the things that 'celebrities' will do just because they think they can.

Sam Stosur wins first WTA title

I am very happy that tennis World No. 15, fellow Australian Samantha Stosur, has won her first WTA tour title. She has been playing really well the last couple of years and deserves her win and her position in the women's game. Way to rock them Sammy!

Congratulations Ghana

Ghana held on with 10 men to beat Brazil in a penalty shoot-out to become the first African team to win the Under-20 World Cup on Friday and end a decade of South American dominance. What a wonderful result for football and for Africa. The final finished 0-0 after extra time at Cairo International Stadium, and Ghana's Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu scored the winning penalty to make it 4-3 after Brazil's Maicon missed a chance to win it at 3-2. Agyemang-Badu's confident shot uncorked wild scenes of jubilation by Ghana's players and staff, and their fans among the 68 000-strong crowd. Agyemang-Badu peeled off his shirt and thumped his chest as Brazil's dejected players fell to the ground in disbelief.

Honey, can I have one for Christmas please?!?

The Icon-A5 Light Sport Aircraft.

• Enough gas for 300 nautical miles.
• Flies at 120 m.p.h or 193 k/h.
• Seats 2.
• Has a safety parachute.
• ONLY $139,000 USD.
  
• Come on babe!
  

Jaycee's first photo

People magazine today published the first pictures taken of Jaycee Dugard since being freed from her kidnapping ordeal. After being held against her will for 18 years, much of it in a backyard hell straight out of a horror film, Jaycee wants the world to know that she is very happy to be back with my family. The photograph shows a smiling, serene looking young woman with happiness in her eyes. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be subjected to the things she endured, but I wish Jaycee and her family all the best, and hope they get the privacy they need to live as normal and productive life as possible.

The "Muumuu" bandit!

San Jose, California Police apparently need our help in identifying a man known as the "Muumuu Bandit" who has robbed at least two local businesses. The first robbery occurred on July 11th, 2009 at around 12:40pm at a Payday Loan store located in the 700 block of Story Road. One week later, on July 18th at 10:36am, the same man robbed a liquor store in the 3900 block of Snell Ave. He’s described as an unknown race male, 5’6” to 5’8” tall and weighing about 170 pounds. It’s not unusual for suspects to wear disguises when committing robberies, but this suspect’s choice of disguises is noteworthy. During both robberies, he wore a pink long sleeved gown or “muumuu” with a white and purple floral pattern on it, along with a tan-colored straw garden hat, white gloves and tan shoes. Hmmmmmmmmm!

Obama's Peace (sorry, Political) Prize

Here is an excerpt from a Reuters article that encapsulates my feelings on this subject...

The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday to President Barack Obama, the third prominent U.S. Democrat to win recently, only seemed to reinforce an impression the prize can be as much about politics as about peace.

Some observers interpreted the Nobel less than nine months into Obama's presidency, before he had had time to pursue much peace policy, as a last dagger from Europe tossed at Obama's Republican predecessor, former President George W. Bush, who was unpopular there.

Obama won a Nobel Prize???

I am thunderstruck by this award. I would have never thought of Barack Obama as a worthy recipient beforehand, as there so many others I would have believed more deserving. I do not want to denigrate what he has accomplished, because he has changed some direction for the U.S. But not enough to win a Nobel Peace Prize in my mind. It's simply too early to tell. Fine if he completes his first term and accomplishes something meaningful. But he would have had to be nominated inside the first 90 days of his presidency and to base a prize of such prestige on less than 90 days in office is farcical. He may be worth the prize at a later date, but not now. To give President Obama his due, even he says he does not deserve the recognition.

Golf and rugby to be among sports at 2016 Olympics

The International Olympic Committee voted today to bring golf to the 2016 Olympic games for the first time in more than a century. The IOC is also permitting rugby to make its first appearance at the Olympics since 1924. Rugby, which was voted in 81-8 with one abstention, received less resistance than golf, which was voted in 63-7 with two abstentions.

Some IOC members were hesitant to vote for golf due to the high costs associated with the sport, potential accessibility issues, and the fact that some clubs exclude women members, according to the Associated Press.

Tiger Woods, however, is reportedly thrilled, indicating in a taped message that he would participate in the 2016 Olympics if golf were approved. "There are millions of young golfers worldwide who would be proud to represent their country," Woods told reporters from the Presidents Cup in San Francisco. "It would be an honor for anyone who plays this game to become an Olympian."

I am totally stoked because my favourite sport, rugby, and my favourite sports team ever, The All Blacks, will be at the Olympics in Brazil. We might just have to see if we can make the trip to see the ABs win the gold medal.

Why do we give fools so much media attention?

First there was Kanye West, a total idiot and marginally talented...but we give him air time and all of a sudden we suffer the consequences. More Kanye West, when what we had seen was already too much. Now we have Jon and Kate Gosselin, two nobodies who had a really awful reality show, and we get to see and hear their inane prattlings about their divorce! Why? Nobody is interested. Who cares about drivel? When is the media going to learn that bs breeds bs? Just tell them to shut up and move on! Find something worthwhile to fill our hearts and minds so we don't become as moronic as the fools we are trying to get away from.

Reflections of Christ: A New Testament

I had the opportunity today to visit with my buddy Mark Mabry. He is an amazing photographer who has just published his second book about the life of Christ, which is beautiful and heart-warming. While spending the afternoon with him I got to view the entire large size set of photographs that were taken for the book. It was an amazing thing to see his work. My wife interviewed him the other day and this her story about that meeting ...

Oldest "Human" Skeleton Found--Disproves "Missing Link

Scientists have announced the discovery of the oldest fossil skeleton of a human ancestor. The find reveals that our forebears underwent a previously unknown stage of evolution more than a million years before Lucy, the iconic early human ancestor specimen that walked the Earth 3.2 million years ago. The centerpiece of a treasure trove of new fossils, the skeleton—assigned to a species called Ardipithecus ramidus—belonged to a small-brained, 110-pound (50-kilogram) female nicknamed "Ardi."

The fossil puts to rest the notion, popular since Darwin's time, that a chimpanzee-like missing link—resembling something between humans and today's apes—would eventually be found at the root of the human family tree. Indeed, the new evidence suggests that the study of chimpanzee anatomy and behavior—long used to infer the nature of thfossil, e earliest human ancestors—is largely irrelevant to understanding our beginnings.Welcome, cousin!

Polanski's mess

I have waited s few days until the smoke had cleared a little on Roman Polanski's arrest in Switzerland for a 32-year-old child sex charge. I listened to the French government talk rubbish about how wonderful he is and ask how the U.S. could ask for the arrest of a 'genius'. It may be an old case, but Polanski admitted the charges, then ran before he could be sentenced. He is guilty of committing serious crimes against a teenage, aged 13 years. I understand that he has paid a price and paid civil compensation, and also the victim herself wants nothing to do with the prosecution. But the Europeans are bleating to much about justice when Polanski drugged a girl with alcohol and then sexually abused her. Time for them to be quiet on this subject and acknowledge the wrong. If Polanski was not a celebrity, there would not be a sound uttered by politicians to release him and the fairness of U.S. courts.

Prayers for Samoa, the Philippines and Indonesia

My prayers and heart go out to family and friends, and the people of Samoa, who may have been hurt or injured in the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit the South pacific nation. My son-in-law and his family are from Western Samoa, and I have friends live in Western and American Samoa. May God bless you all in your efforts to minimise your losses and comfort you in your grief. Similarly my thoughts are with the Filipino and Indonesian peoples who are suffering just as much with storms, earthquakes and flooding.