Joe Biden's son was reported to be in the hospital today. They just reported that he had a mild stroke. My God, he's only 40 years old. I thought my brother was young at 52 to get a stroke.

Anyway, I know Biden lost his wife years ago and he was left with his two children. As a parent, I'd be so distraught to come close to losing my son.

Let me add, the report says he will make a "full" recovery, which is great.

TIS

While it is true that strokes are more common in the elderly, they can occur in young adults, and even in adolescents and children. "Young stroke" in medical research generally refers to patients under the age of 50.

In many patients, particularly in the 40-50 year old range, strokes are due to premature atherosclerosis, the same disease which causes heart attack and "hardening of the arteries."

These patients typically have risk factors for atherosclerosis, such as hypertension, diabetes, smoking and elevated cholesterol. Often there is a family history of stroke or heart disease at a young age.

Joe Biden had two brain anueyrisms (sp?) when he was 45. Might be a genetic thing.

Only in California? Could be. This kid was surfing down PCH on top of a BMW Evidently he's only charged with a misdemeanor (riding outside a car)while the driver is in a little more trouble.

That Malibu car surfer we told you about was no ordinary Spicoli. Turns out the teenager photographed atop the white BMW SUV cruising down Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu Wednesday morning was none other than Johnny Strange, the mountain climber known for being the youngest person to scale the highest peaks on all seven continents, sheriff's officials told LA Weekly.


Considering his climbing experience, I suppose we shouldn't be shocked that he'd try cartop surfing.






http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/city-news/malibu-car-surfer-climber/

TIS

Man fires shots outside TV station, disrobes
George Hunter / The Detroit News

Detroit -- A man fired two shots outside a television station in downtown Detroit and then began chanting and disrobing, a witness told police.

The man fired an old revolver into the air outside the West Lafayette headquarters of WDIV-Channel 4, across the street from The Detroit News building, about 2:30 p.m., according to Detroit News librarian Wayne Smith, a reserve Ferndale police officer and witness.

"He was distraught," Smith said. "He pulled out a handgun and fired two shots in the air. Then he pulled his shirt off and started chanting."

Smith said he could not discern what the man was chanting. "It sounded like 'Yah, yah, yah,'" he said.

Several squad cars arrived within minutes and took the man into custody without incident.

"The man apparently has some mental issues," said Detroit Police 2nd Deputy Chief John Roach. "He'll be taken to a crisis center."

Well he looked like he was having fun..

Cops raid wrong apartment and kill 7 year old girl.
Family grieves death of girl

Sinkhole opens up next to Lafayette Coney Island.
Oops!

Hooters' waitress files lawsuit over weight gain related job request.
Roseville

In Fla Charlie Crist is up in the polls. His leaving the GOP might just work. If so, thats a GOP seat in the senate (and a sure one) lost.

Former Mayor gets 18 months to five years in prison for probation violation.
Judge not playing around

An audible gasp erupted in the courtroom as Judge David Groner sentenced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to 18 months to five years in state prison.

Deputies rushed up to a row where Kilpatrick friends and relatives are sitting. They escorted one unidentified woman out.

"Your testimony in this court amounted to perjury," the judge told Kilpatrick. "Most compelling is that you lied to this court, continue to lie, after you pleaded guilty to lying....

"The initial 120 days incarceration did nothing to rehabilitate you."

After the gasp from the audience, Kilpatrick was ordered to sign papers. Some reporters saw his hands shaking. Groner asked Kilpatrick's lawyer, Schwartz, to assist the former mayor.

As the courtroom began to buzz, Groner raised his voice and ordered Kilpatrick to be swift.

"Sergeant could you secure the defendant please and put him in the back?" Groner said. A deputy then handcuffed Kilpatrick behind his back and led him to a side room. The former mayor kept looking over his shoulder, mouthing words toward his sister.
His attorneys vowed an immediate appeal of Groner's sentence.
Comment from Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Athina Siringas: “We always felt a department of corrections sentence was appropriate. We are pleased.”

I've always followed the Etan Patz story (a NYC 6 year old who disappeared 31 years ago walking to school). I recently read "After Etan", a book about his family's life in the aftermath of Etan's disappearance, including their victory in a civil case against the #1 suspect, who is currently serving time for molesting two other boys.

As part of his recent campaign promises, the new DA for NYC has reopened the case.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703341904575267070222203334.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5

Ferndale woman sues airlines after she was left sleeping on plane
Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News
Prominent Southfield attorney Geoffrey Fieger said today it was "really a gross abuse of a passenger" for airlines to leave a sleeping Ferndale woman locked on a plane for several hours.

Fieger filed a lawsuit against today the airlines on behalf of Ferndale resident Ginger McGuire, who flew Monday on a trip for an accounting training session that began in Detroit and ended in Philadelphia. During her travels, she was shuttled to Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., before heading to Philadelphia, where she was left stranded on the airplane after landing.

McGuire said she was exhausted from traveling and fell asleep as soon as she took her seat on the Philadelphia-bound Trans States airplane -- Trans States works in conjunction with United Airlines. She was not taking medication and did not have any alcohol to drink. She was simply tired, he said.

McGuire woke up at 3:50 a.m. and found herself alone on the 50-seat plane.
Lawsuit

I saw that on the news. How the heck did they manage that one?? And how tired was this woman that she could sleep through 50 people smacking her in the head with their carryons as they deplaned???

Fri May 28, 12:47 pm ET
NEW YORK (AFP) – New York's famed Coney Island, long fallen into a state of seedy disrepair, gets a new lease on life this weekend with the opening of 19 new rides including the hair-raising "Air Race."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg hailed a renaissance for the fairground district which had been allowed to "shrink to a shell of its former glory."

"Today, we're reversing that trend," he announced Friday. The new attractions area, dubbed Luna Park, was opening in time for the three-day Memorial Day weekend with 19 new rides from Italian amusement rides specialist Zamperla.

These include "Air Race," which simulates the 4G forces experienced by fighter pilots, "Balloon Expedition," "Electro Spin, "Mermaid Parade" and the "The Tickler" -- a twisting roller coaster of switchback curves and steep drops.

This is happening right now not very far from me on the 91 freeway. A tanker overturned on the freeway causing a huge fire and a horrible traffic jam. The 91 has been closed for hours. I knew it was really bad when I got a recorded call from the city telling me the freeway would be closed for another 12 hours.

TIS


http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_webtanker.115eb413.html

Hooters defends image...

A second waitress at Hooters restaurant in Roseville filed a weight discrimination lawsuit today against the Atlanta-based chain about two hours after company executives sought to defend its image standard at a news conference.

The latest lawsuit in Macomb County Circuit Court says Hooters fired Leanne Convery for failing to lose sufficient weight in August 2009. The suit comes less than two weeks after 20-year-old Cassie Smith filed suit against Hooters of America, claiming the restaurant placed her on weight probation.

Both are represented by the Sam Bernstein Law Firm in Farmington Hills and cite the Michigan Civil Rights Act, which bars employers from discrimination on the basis of religion, marital status, race, age, height and weight.

At 10:30 a.m. today, a Hooters executive, flanked by three Hooters waitresses, called the first lawsuit “baseless and self-serving” and said the restaurant chain has the right to uphold image standards because the waitresses are entertainers.
Press Conference

Well, it finally happened. Batman got busted. That's why I like Hollywood Blvd. Evidently, it's ok to dress-up in costume and it's okay to get tips from people, but some of the "characters" have been asking for money from tourists, making them feel threatened. That's why I love Hollywood Blvd. You'll never know what you'll see.

TIS


http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Not-Even-Batman-Gets-a-Pass-95516329.html

That picture of Batman being handcuffed is hilarious...

Is anyone following this story?? This little boy was brought to school by his stepmother a week ago. The two of them went into the school's science fair, and she even took a picture of him next to his project. She says that when she left he was walking down the hallway to his classroom.

When the bus came that afternoon, he was not on it. By the time the call was made to 911, he was missing for hours. He hasn't been seen for a week now. Did his stepmother take the picture as an alibi and then do something to him? Or did the activity from the science fair give a predator an opportunity to grab him and get away without being seen? No matter what, the chances of this little boy's survival diminish by the minute, poor baby.

http://www.nrtoday.com/ARTICLE/20100611/REGIONALNEWS/100619927/1055/RSS

SB,

I have been paying attention to that story. It certainly is strange. It's hard to imagine what could have happened since he seemed to be within the "eye" of others at all times.

I suppose everyone including (and maybe especially since she was the last one seen with him) the stepmother would be a suspect. However, FWIW, when the incident first occurred they said the stepmother had raised this boy since he was a baby. I don't know but damn, the more time that goes by the less hope I have. I pray he's ok.

TIS

I know that if I didn't call the school if my kids were out, the school would call me. As a matter of fact, they scared the heck out of me once when they called to say that my daughter wasn't there, considering I had put her on the bus that morning. Turned out that the teacher forgot that she had let her go to the bathroom right before taking attendance. Although it scared me half to death, I was glad they were that on top of it.

Why was he allowed to wonder around the school? Science Fair or no, why wasn't he supervised the entire time? Why wasn't he noticed missing from his class?

I think it's very important for parents to be involved in their child's education. But I don't think that state can or should mandate that via jail time threats. I think Worthy is overreaching. Not every issue can be solved by putting someone in jail. And Worthy (and the City of Detroit) have much more pressing criminal matters to handle.

Skip Parent-Teacher Conference and go to jail

Ridiculous. I'd skip the conferences just to make a point.

I couldn't agree more.

There are people walking around who (among other things) have put people in the ground, robbed people, committed arson, etc. Often the state/county either doesn't have the resources to go after them or has given some of them early release because of overcrowding. As every bureaucrat is wont to do, Worthy made a big stink about her budget cuts and how her people needed every dollar possible to go after serious criminals.

So to see her spending tax dollars even THINKING about a proposal to put disengaged parents in jail or fine them is pretty dumb. It's also ironic because she herself is fighting foreclosure of her primary residence. So she doesn't have much room to be preaching about non-criminal personal responsibility imo. I wonder if the prosecutor's office would get those fines as revenue...

The possibility that the former Mayor of Detroit, Kilpatrick, might be granted entry into a 90 day boot camp release program from his 18 month prison sentence has some locals peeved-including the prosecutor-but the law is the law. The judge will make the decision.

Detroit Free Press Editorial Blog
Wayne County Circuit Judge David Groner — not Prosecutor Kym Worthy — will decide whether to send Kwame Kilpatrick to boot camp and a faster parole. Whether or not you believe Kilpatrick belongs in prison — I don’t — the idea that he’s getting special treatment is crazy. For more than a decade, it’s been standard procedure for inmates with minimum sentences of no longer than three years to be considered for placement in the Special Alternative Incarceration Program, unless convicted of criminal sexual conduct or arson. Kilpatrick was convicted of a non-violent crime and sentenced to a minimum of 18 months. That makes him — on paper at least — a perfect candidate for the boot camp in Chelsea.

In Kilpatrick’s case, as in all others involving the program, the judge alone makes the call. Worthy has objected, but her job is over. We’re all in trouble if prosecutors start making decisions that should be made by sentencing judges or the State Parole Board.

Part of the confusion is due to the lousy job the media do in covering the state prison system. Last May, I attended a public hearing on the potential closing of the boot camp. I was the only journalist there. The media are now obsessed with the place because Kilpatrick might go there, but this program has been working for 20 years. It didn’t start, or change, with Kilpatrick’s prison sentence.

Inmates who complete the 90-day boot camp program are paroled for at least 18 months, with the first 30 days under intense supervision. The voluntary, military style program includes physical training, intense discipline, GED education and vocational training. Sessions on topics such as anger management and substance abuse are also included, based on individual needs assessments. Those who fail to complete the program are sent back to prison to finish their original sentence. It may not be what the doctor ordered for Kilpatrick but the department had to consider him for placement, if it wanted to treat his case in a routine manner.

There’s been way too much drama surrounding the Kilpatrick case. I live in Detroit. I’m not happy with how Kilpatrick abused his office and authority, but he doesn't need to be in prison, where he's costing taxpayers $35,000 a year instead of working to pay off his considerable debts to the city. As Patricia Caruso, the director of the Michigan Department of Corrections, has said on other occasions: The criminal justice system must distinguish between those we’re afraid of and those we’re mad at. No one need fear Kilpatrick now -- unless he owes you money.

Woman shoots herself to get doctors to treat shoulder pain.

Woman's shooting backfires
Francis X. Donnelly
The Detroit News
Shooting oneself probably isn't the best way to force doctors to treat an earlier injury.

So muses a Niles woman whose lack of health insurance prevented her from receiving treatment for a painful sprained shoulder.

Kathy Myers, 41, who shot herself in the shoulder Thursday, is now waiting to see if prosecutors will file charges against her.

Her girlfriend is livid with her. And, worst of all, doctors treated only the gunshot wound, ignoring the shoulder sprain.

"I regret it because I accomplished nothing," she said from her home Monday.
She had hoped the bullet from the .25-caliber handgun would hit a bone or artery, forcing doctors to perform surgery on her aching shoulder.

The projectile hit neither, exiting the other side of her arm.
Of course, if it had hit an artery, Myers might not have been talking Monday because she might not have been alive.
more...
West Michigan Dummy

Heads found in Southwest air cargo facility updated 4:49 p.m. CT, Thurs., June 17, 2010

Officials in Arkansas are investigating a shipment of 40 to 60 human heads found by Southwest Airlines employees at a cargo facility last week in Little Rock, the Pulaski County coroner said on Thursday.

The shipment of three separate containers was discovered last Wednesday at the facility after employees saw the package was "not labeled properly," Southwest spokeswoman Ashley Rogers said. Employees opened the box last Wednesday evening, found the heads and contacted local police, who turned the heads over to the local coroner.

That is some weird shit, Olivant. Whose heads? Are they murder victims? Maybe they donated their heads to science and the containers were on the way to a hospital.