: "Police called to a mass brawl found an army of Santas punching and kicking each other.
Officers had to use batons and CS spray to quell the fight in the centre of Newtown, Powys.
Four were hurt and there were five arrests.
The battle of the Santas followed a 21/2-mile charity run involving more than 4,000 people dressed as Father Christmas. Some of them are believed to have overindulged in alcohol after crossing the finishing line.
The fun run is expected to benefit up to 200 charities and it is hoped that it will exceed last year's total raised of 80,000.
Organisers believe they have broken their own world record for having the most number of Santas in the same place. Last year a mere 3,200 took part.
PC Gareth Slaymaker, community safety officer for North Powys, said: ' Behaviour like this justifies the reluctance by the police to
extend the licensing hours for public houses and bars for this type of event'. "
Dec 10, 2004
Dec 8, 2004
$1M gift to boost study of animal rights law
heraldsun.com: Bob Barker's $1M gift to boost ...
BY MICHAEL PETROCELLI : The Herald-Sun
mpetrocelli@heraldsun.com
Dec 6, 2004 : 10:46 pm ET
DURHAM -- Duke Law School has a new $1 million endowment fund, but it didn't have to guess the price of a dinette set to win the money.
Bob Barker, the octogenarian host of daytime television's long-running game show "The Price is Right," chose Duke to receive one in a series of gifts he is making to top law schools to promote the teaching of animal rights law.
Barker, a longtime animal advocate who ends his show by reminding viewers to have their pets spayed and neutered, recently gave similar gifts to the law schools at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and the University of California at Los Angeles.
But Duke won't have to start its animal rights law program from scratch.
Professor William Reppy, who does pro bono work for animal rights causes, has been teaching a class on animal law in alternating years. The endowment, he said, should allow him to teach the course every year.
Duke's animal law program encompasses a number of issues, including cruelty to animals, veterinary malpractice and laws prohibiting people from hoarding large numbers of pets, Reppy said.
The school also plans to use the Bob Barker Endowment Fund for the Study of Animal Rights Law to establish an animal law clinic, where students can earn credit working on animal rights-related litigation.
According to Duke officials, Reppy already has been involved in the state's passage of a law, unique in the United States, that allows individuals and outside organizations to seek injunctions against people who violate the state's animal cruelty laws.
Reppy noted that Duke already draws interest from prospective students interested in animal law. It is poised to become a national leader in the field, he added.
"We've got a head start," he said.
Thomas Hadzor, the law school's associate dean for external relations, said Barker's representatives had approached Duke with the offer -- a scenario he called "one of those development officer dreams."
Although he has never spoken directly to Barker, Hadzor surmised that the host might have included Duke in his plans because of its existing animal law program, or simply because he wanted to endow a program at a top-flight law school in the Southeast.
"I never asked why, because I didn't want to scare him off," he said.
Barker, who was taping back-to-back episodes of his show Monday, could not be reached for an interview. However, he recently told The New York Times that he hopes his gifts would create a cadre of lawyers steeped in animal rights and animal cruelty issues.
"The laws are not stringent enough, and unfortunately, the laws that we do have are not necessarily enforced," Barker told the Times. "If we can get more and more young lawyers to be aware of this, then if they're involved in a case that involves animals, they'll know what to do.
"If they become judges, that's wonderful," he said, "they're making decisions. And some of these lawyers are going to become politicians."
BY MICHAEL PETROCELLI : The Herald-Sun
mpetrocelli@heraldsun.com
Dec 6, 2004 : 10:46 pm ET
DURHAM -- Duke Law School has a new $1 million endowment fund, but it didn't have to guess the price of a dinette set to win the money.
Bob Barker, the octogenarian host of daytime television's long-running game show "The Price is Right," chose Duke to receive one in a series of gifts he is making to top law schools to promote the teaching of animal rights law.
Barker, a longtime animal advocate who ends his show by reminding viewers to have their pets spayed and neutered, recently gave similar gifts to the law schools at Harvard, Stanford, Columbia and the University of California at Los Angeles.
But Duke won't have to start its animal rights law program from scratch.
Professor William Reppy, who does pro bono work for animal rights causes, has been teaching a class on animal law in alternating years. The endowment, he said, should allow him to teach the course every year.
Duke's animal law program encompasses a number of issues, including cruelty to animals, veterinary malpractice and laws prohibiting people from hoarding large numbers of pets, Reppy said.
The school also plans to use the Bob Barker Endowment Fund for the Study of Animal Rights Law to establish an animal law clinic, where students can earn credit working on animal rights-related litigation.
According to Duke officials, Reppy already has been involved in the state's passage of a law, unique in the United States, that allows individuals and outside organizations to seek injunctions against people who violate the state's animal cruelty laws.
Reppy noted that Duke already draws interest from prospective students interested in animal law. It is poised to become a national leader in the field, he added.
"We've got a head start," he said.
Thomas Hadzor, the law school's associate dean for external relations, said Barker's representatives had approached Duke with the offer -- a scenario he called "one of those development officer dreams."
Although he has never spoken directly to Barker, Hadzor surmised that the host might have included Duke in his plans because of its existing animal law program, or simply because he wanted to endow a program at a top-flight law school in the Southeast.
"I never asked why, because I didn't want to scare him off," he said.
Barker, who was taping back-to-back episodes of his show Monday, could not be reached for an interview. However, he recently told The New York Times that he hopes his gifts would create a cadre of lawyers steeped in animal rights and animal cruelty issues.
"The laws are not stringent enough, and unfortunately, the laws that we do have are not necessarily enforced," Barker told the Times. "If we can get more and more young lawyers to be aware of this, then if they're involved in a case that involves animals, they'll know what to do.
"If they become judges, that's wonderful," he said, "they're making decisions. And some of these lawyers are going to become politicians."
Dec 3, 2004
South Korean parents can preserve their child's umbilical cord
Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.com: "SEOUL (Reuters) - Forget desktop photographs of your children.
Doting South Korean parents can preserve their child's umbilical cord in acrylic resin to make a personal seal or even have it gold plated.
In this Confucian society where family values are highly prized, suppliers also offer services for parents to have traditional Korean calligraphy brushes made from their child's hair.
Shim Jae-cheol of U&I Impression said the firm had gold-plated about 80 to 100 umbilical cords a month since starting business in August, with prices ranging from 80,000 won to 100,000 won ($76 to $96). It also offers mail order.
South Korean law allows parents to keep the umbilical cord of their children, although sales to a third party would be illegal.
Another supplier, Agamo, which makes calligraphy brushes made from human hair and preserves umbilical cords in personal seals, hopes to branch out to Japan.
'The company got the idea from mothers just storing umbilical cords and navels in an album or what-not,' said Suk Tae-jin of Agamo.
Keeping children's umbilical cords and making calligraphy brushes from their hair have long been a long tradition in Korea."
Doting South Korean parents can preserve their child's umbilical cord in acrylic resin to make a personal seal or even have it gold plated.
In this Confucian society where family values are highly prized, suppliers also offer services for parents to have traditional Korean calligraphy brushes made from their child's hair.
Shim Jae-cheol of U&I Impression said the firm had gold-plated about 80 to 100 umbilical cords a month since starting business in August, with prices ranging from 80,000 won to 100,000 won ($76 to $96). It also offers mail order.
South Korean law allows parents to keep the umbilical cord of their children, although sales to a third party would be illegal.
Another supplier, Agamo, which makes calligraphy brushes made from human hair and preserves umbilical cords in personal seals, hopes to branch out to Japan.
'The company got the idea from mothers just storing umbilical cords and navels in an album or what-not,' said Suk Tae-jin of Agamo.
Keeping children's umbilical cords and making calligraphy brushes from their hair have long been a long tradition in Korea."
Dec 2, 2004
Blind car thief strikes again
IOL: Blind car thief strikes again
Bucharest - Romanian police have arrested a blind man for stealing a car and crashing into a tree for the second time in one month.
Alin Prica, 24, managed to drive the stolen car 40km before crashing into a tree, according to reports.
Prica allegedly stole the car with another blind pal and a sighted friend in the passenger seat telling him which direction to drive.
A police spokesperson said: "He drove the car after instructions from his friend who could see.
"But again the journey ended with a crash. We were astonished for the second time in a month by this same man."
Earlier this month, Prica, from Izvoare, in south-west Romania, stole a car and managed to drive it for almost two kilometres by himself before smashing into a tree and knocking himself out.
"I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do anything I wanted - despite my handicap. I only crashed because I was not sure of the way home," he said at the time.
Police said they would not press charges against the two teenagers who helped but have taken Prica in for questioning.
Bucharest - Romanian police have arrested a blind man for stealing a car and crashing into a tree for the second time in one month.
Alin Prica, 24, managed to drive the stolen car 40km before crashing into a tree, according to reports.
Prica allegedly stole the car with another blind pal and a sighted friend in the passenger seat telling him which direction to drive.
A police spokesperson said: "He drove the car after instructions from his friend who could see.
"But again the journey ended with a crash. We were astonished for the second time in a month by this same man."
Earlier this month, Prica, from Izvoare, in south-west Romania, stole a car and managed to drive it for almost two kilometres by himself before smashing into a tree and knocking himself out.
"I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do anything I wanted - despite my handicap. I only crashed because I was not sure of the way home," he said at the time.
Police said they would not press charges against the two teenagers who helped but have taken Prica in for questioning.
Nov 30, 2004
And they said nothing good came of nuclear weapons testing !
My Way News: "LOS ANGELES (AP) - Godzilla received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, 50 years after he stomped onto movie screens and hours before the premiere of his latest film, 'Godzilla: Final Wars.'
Producer Shogo Tomiyama appeared at a ceremony outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where the 2,271st star is located.
'I'm here representing Godzilla. Unfortunately, he cannot speak English,' he said. 'We're very excited he is being honored in America.'
On screen, the fire-breathing sea creature was spawned by nuclear weapons testing. He made his appearance in Japanese theaters in November 1954 - while the United States was conducting nuclear tests in the South Pacific.
A version starring Raymond Burr made it to theaters in the United States two years later."
Producer Shogo Tomiyama appeared at a ceremony outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where the 2,271st star is located.
'I'm here representing Godzilla. Unfortunately, he cannot speak English,' he said. 'We're very excited he is being honored in America.'
On screen, the fire-breathing sea creature was spawned by nuclear weapons testing. He made his appearance in Japanese theaters in November 1954 - while the United States was conducting nuclear tests in the South Pacific.
A version starring Raymond Burr made it to theaters in the United States two years later."
JAPAN:Schools to tighten up against players who have had their eyebrows shaved
Mainichi Interactive - Top News: "High school baseball players told to stop shaving eyebrows
The Japan High School Baseball Federation has taken the unusual step of telling schools to tighten up against players who have had their eyebrows shaved or those wearing shabby clothes.The latest trend among schoolboys to shave their eyebrows has already created a stir among education officials who are outraged over the fashion.
Officials of the high school baseball federation on Friday decided to warn member schools to take action against student players with shaved eyebrows or those wearing clothes considered too rough.
'This is probably the first time for us to give instructions over the appearance of student players,' one of the officials said.
Some high schools have already banned their students from shaving their eyebrows.
The federation's warning says that student players must realize that they represent their schools as baseball club members. (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Nov. 28, 2004)"
The Japan High School Baseball Federation has taken the unusual step of telling schools to tighten up against players who have had their eyebrows shaved or those wearing shabby clothes.The latest trend among schoolboys to shave their eyebrows has already created a stir among education officials who are outraged over the fashion.
Officials of the high school baseball federation on Friday decided to warn member schools to take action against student players with shaved eyebrows or those wearing clothes considered too rough.
'This is probably the first time for us to give instructions over the appearance of student players,' one of the officials said.
Some high schools have already banned their students from shaving their eyebrows.
The federation's warning says that student players must realize that they represent their schools as baseball club members. (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Nov. 28, 2004)"
Nov 27, 2004
Are you Kidding?
Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.com
BERLIN (Reuters) - Thieves have stolen scantily clad garden gnomes from a gnome peepshow in an eastern German amusement park, park manager Frank Ullrich said on Thursday.
"The gnomes display naked body parts -- the same ones you'd expect to see in a human peep show," Ullrich said of his missing stars.
The adults-only attraction at Dwarf-Park Trusetal, where visitors peep through keyholes to see the saucy German miniatures in compromising poses, was smashed open early on Thursday morning.
Ullrich said he feared the gnomes would not be traced.
"I doubt they're standing in someone's garden, they'll have to have been hidden inside."
BERLIN (Reuters) - Thieves have stolen scantily clad garden gnomes from a gnome peepshow in an eastern German amusement park, park manager Frank Ullrich said on Thursday.
"The gnomes display naked body parts -- the same ones you'd expect to see in a human peep show," Ullrich said of his missing stars.
The adults-only attraction at Dwarf-Park Trusetal, where visitors peep through keyholes to see the saucy German miniatures in compromising poses, was smashed open early on Thursday morning.
Ullrich said he feared the gnomes would not be traced.
"I doubt they're standing in someone's garden, they'll have to have been hidden inside."
Adults keep out
FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Fla. Libraries Ban Adults From Kids' Section
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orange County Library System (search) is barring "unaccompanied" adults from lingering in the children's areas of its 14 branches, a policy that is among the first of its kind in the nation.
As of Nov. 1, adults without children may select items in the children's section, but they cannot read books or loiter in the department, said Marilyn Hoffman, community-relations coordinator.
Adults may visit the teen-oriented "Club Central" section of the downtown library with their kids, but they may enter only with a librarian if they are alone.
Officials with the Association for Library Service to Children (search) said many libraries limit adults' use of computers or bathrooms in their children's departments, but Orange County's policy could be the first in the nation to restrict adults' presence the areas.
"It's not a common trend, but I think it's going to become more common," said Cynthia Richey, the association's immediate past president. "It's, in part, a pre-emptive move."
Hoffman said a specific incident did not lead the county's library board of directors to enact the rules. But Orlando police arrested a man in August after a 15-year-old girl said he tried to molest her at the downtown library. Earlier, the February rape of a girl in a Philadelphia library bathroom underscored the issue of library safety.
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orange County Library System (search) is barring "unaccompanied" adults from lingering in the children's areas of its 14 branches, a policy that is among the first of its kind in the nation.
As of Nov. 1, adults without children may select items in the children's section, but they cannot read books or loiter in the department, said Marilyn Hoffman, community-relations coordinator.
Adults may visit the teen-oriented "Club Central" section of the downtown library with their kids, but they may enter only with a librarian if they are alone.
Officials with the Association for Library Service to Children (search) said many libraries limit adults' use of computers or bathrooms in their children's departments, but Orange County's policy could be the first in the nation to restrict adults' presence the areas.
"It's not a common trend, but I think it's going to become more common," said Cynthia Richey, the association's immediate past president. "It's, in part, a pre-emptive move."
Hoffman said a specific incident did not lead the county's library board of directors to enact the rules. But Orlando police arrested a man in August after a 15-year-old girl said he tried to molest her at the downtown library. Earlier, the February rape of a girl in a Philadelphia library bathroom underscored the issue of library safety.
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