What is a major news story from your part of the world?

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/02/04/loc_ky...

On Tuesday, a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives team of 20 began work at the site of a $1 million fire in Florence, Kentucky. This is the 12th activation of a team this fiscal year and the 568th since its inception in 1978.

Local - Developer wants to construct 2,000 home development north of town.
Area - Scott Peterson trial moved from Modesto to Bay area. (I live near Modesto)
State - The Governator Arnold trying to get support for bond measure to help with Cali budget crisis.

Last fall, a bug was found planted in the mayor's office of Philadelphia. The FBI has admitted that they planted it, but will not say anything else. To this day, it's believed that the mayor continues to be under investigation...but for what?

Measure 30 (which would have raised income tax in Oregon) was voted down yesterday.

NEWS: Hartford Dubious About Bridge Repair
Wilder -- State transportation officials last night said a project to shore up two unsafe bridges here is less than eight years away from starting -- a remark met with skepticism by a selectboard and town manager who say they've been let down too many times.

John Kerry winning the primary here in Missouri.
The fight against Southwest Missouri State University from changing their name to Missouri University since the University of Missouri-Columbia is also known as Missouri University.

And then there's the Janet Jackson thing.

Columbia, MO (where I live) is in Boone County too.

Maybe they were both named after Daniel Boone?

The Superbowl Halftime Show- Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake and Kid Rock specifically.

Major news story was the Dr. who put someone else's blood in his arm (I'm not sure how he did it) so he wouldn't be identified in a sexual assault. It worked at first. He was finally caught and is facing deportation out of Canada He was also convicted of molesting his step-daughter-a real 'class act'

The Patriots won the Superbowl.
Slightly less locally, Edwards won the South Carolina primary, and is in a healthy second place nationally.

I saw an episode of Law & Order (SVU, I believe) that seems to be similar to what you're talking about. On the show, the doctor was having an affair and got the other woman pregnant. He was denying it was his child and refused to help support it. They were going to do a DNA test and he knew he'd be the father, so he put a patient's blood in his arm. He cut his arm open and inserted a plastic tube (about the size of a vein) into his arm. Well, he made a big mistake. The patient that he got the blood from had raped someone, so when they put the "doctor's" DNA sample into the computer, it came back that he had raped someone. At the time, it seemed like something like that could never happen, but since then I've heard of people doing stuff like that. Crazy people in this world!

In the quality press - continuing controversy over a report that says that Tony Blair (prime minister) is not responsible for the 'sexing up' of another report which claimed that Iraq was full of WMD's and therefore it was okay to go to war.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3458541.stm

In the regular tabloids - Big breasted 'celebrity' - Jordan. Claims to have had an affair with David Beckham the captain of the England Football Team
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004052125,00...

These are the two things the UK is interested in right now.

There have been a lot of fires around here.. a lot of lives of adults and children.. gone.
http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/2816493/deta...
http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/2817775/deta...
http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/2814134/deta...
Locally, not a whole lot is going on besides that.

Elections, Janet Jacksons boob, and a missing girl in Florida

Signing day is today
Keep checking our area college signing page and our local signees page throughout the day for an updates list of the 2004 freshman collegiate football class.
Meanwhile, check out our Super 75 database to see where the top high school athletes might sign. [ More ]

sadly this was the major headline in the local paper!!!!!!!! thus the reason we don't receive the local paper!

A pop-star's-pastie.

Major news on BBC Oxford: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/346...

Major news on BBC South Yorkshire: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire...

So did I. Every time they checked his blood it came up as being old blood and then they figured out why.

Why are they calling it a pasty? It was obviously made of metal and not even covering her nipple.

Of course you're right ... it was more of a metal shield than a proper pasty. But I couldn't resist the alliteration.

Martin says auditor-general will look at CSL

CTV.ca News Staff

The auditor general has been asked to review dealings with Canada Steamship Lines and the federal government, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Wednesday.

He also promised to post any future dealings between the company and the government on a website.

But he again dodged efforts by the opposition to personally confirm how much business was transacted between CSL and the government over a roughly 10-year period.

Grant Hill, acting leader of the Conservative Party, the official opposition, noted if Auditor General Sheila Fraser were to review the matter, the answer likely wouldn't come until fall.

A federal election call is expected this spring.

"That doesn't smell like transparency. That smells like something else."

Martin tried to pass the issue off as an attack on Fraser's integrity.

But the offering of future openness didn't stop opposition politicians from all parties to use the House of Commons' Question Period to continue to attack on the CSL issue for the second straight day.

However, the attacks appeared to be losing steam.

At one point, Hill, acting leader of the Conservative Party, yelled, "why doesn't he simply do that - telephone the boys?"

When he entered cabinet, Martin had CSL put into a blind trust.

Last summer, he gave the company to his sons. Hill was referring to them.

Jacques Saada, leader of the Government in the House of Commons, said to do so would violate conflict of interest rules.

Records released last week show the holding company received more than $160 million in government money between 1993 and 2002. That's about 1,000 times more than the $137,000 the Liberal government previously reported.

Martin has said he knew right away that the first figure offered last year was wrong.

"For 15 years, the Prime Minister has been telling Canadians for 15 years that he wasn't involved in the running of his own steamship company. Why did he later admit he had 12 meetings with the ethics counsellor?" asked Peter MacKay, the former Progressive Conservative leader.

"That number later rose to 33," he said, noting Martin seemed to know the $137,000 figure was wrong.

"If he was adhering to the blind trust rules, how did he know?"

Saada would only say the tables and other related information are on his website.

Any mistakes made were of an "administrative nature," he said.

CTV Newsnet's Mike Duffy noted Saada has become Martin's main defender on this issue in the House of Commons.

The opposition was following a standard tactic by concentrating on one issue where Martin could be vulnerable, he said.

But when the opposition gets into arcane bits like how contract numbers were rounded, "it's certainly going to put us to sleep in the journalism group, I don't know how it will play with the general public," he said.


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNew...

Right now, the "Janet Flash" and that poor missing girl from Florida.

Police Question Suspect In Filmed Abduction

POSTED: 9:15 a.m. EST February 4, 2004
UPDATED: 8:11 p.m. EST February 4, 2004

SARASOTA, Fla. -- A suspect was being questioned Wednesday in the disappearance of an 11-year-old girl who was apparently kidnapped while walking home from a friend's house, authorities said. The girl's whereabouts were not immediately known.

Video



Caught On Tape: Girl Abducted
Mother Makes Plea For Daughter's Return





Joseph Smith, 37, was in custody on unrelated charges that officials did not specify. His car, a Buick Century station wagon, was being searched by investigators in a search for clues in the disappearance of Carlie Brucia, whose apparent abduction was captured by a car wash surveillance camera.

Dozens of FBI agents have been chasing as many as 200 leads in the search for Brucia. A business was offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for her disappearance.

Sheriff Bill Bockwell said investigators were led to Smith after a tip was phoned in by a citizen.

Even NASA has been involved in the search for the girl. The FBI has been working with the space agency to enhance images from a surveillance camera that captured the child's abduction.

Investigators in Sarasota County, Fla., say Brucia was taking a shortcut behind a closed car wash Sunday night while on her way home from a friend's house.

The pictures were captured by a surveillance camera at a Sarasota car wash Sunday. The sixth-grader is seen on the car wash's videotape being led away by a white man in his late 20s or early 30s. The tape shows the man speaking to her for a few seconds before grabbing her by the arm. Brucia does not appear to know him.

Investigators say the man has tattoos on both forearms and is wearing a mechanic's shirt with a name patch on the breast.
Carlie, who is about 5 feet tall and 120 pounds, has blond hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a red top and blue jeans, and carrying a pink backpack.

Law enforcement officers are pledging to find Carlie.

"We fear for her safety. On behalf of Carlie's family, I'd like to make a plea to the man who took her away or to anyone who knows of her whereabouts. Please bring Carlie home. Carlie if you can see or hear this, please know that we will stop at nothing to find you," Maj. Kevin Gooding of the Sarasota County sheriff's office said. "And most of all, Carlie, do not give up."

There was one specific lead Gooding discussed. It was a clue from a caller in Kissimmee, Fla., who says he saw a man struggling with a girl in a parking lot Tuesday. That has police on the lookout for a green, four-door Honda or Nissan.

He said officials received information from the Kissimmee Police Department that the incident happened at 5:50 a.m. Tuesday and that the the man allegedly "seized" a car.

The witness said a man and a female were struggling near the car and that the female fit Carlie's description.

"They struggled and the female ran away from the male. The male tried to grab her to bring her back," Gooding said.

The witness wasn't sure about what he saw, but he then went home and saw the Amber Alert on TV and realized that struggle could be related to the Amber Alert.

The FBI is working with Sarasota officials on the case.

"We have agents working all of the leads that are generated here so that we can thoroughly and aggressively follow up on these leads," Carl Whitehead, of the FBI, said.

Whitehead said profilers are working on the case.

Carlie's mother has made an emotional appeal for the child's return.

Susan Schorpen begged, "Please release Carlie. Please give me my baby."

The girl's father is imploring anyonewith information to come forward.

At a news conference earlier, an officer with the Sarasota County sheriff's office told the little girl to run for help if she could.

Anyone with information is asked to call (888) 838-AMBER.

"Sarah McLachlan will perform Sunday at the
Grammy Awards"

Yeah, this guy pulled this off a few years ago but he's back in the news now because he got out of prison and came back to his old stomping ground.He tried everything he could to force his two girls to visit him in prison. People around here are ready to lynch him.

Gees, I couldn't believe we saw that on video. What are the chances for that kid, now, I wonder. (Not real good ) it just made me hurt for her poor parents.

I didn't remember it being old blood. Anyhow, that guy was a real sicko. To go that far just so you don't have to support a kid and so your wife won't find out about the kid. That's so fudgeed up.

What was he in prison for?

The driver is still missing, almost a week later

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/01/26/Tampabay/Restaur...

Government corruption, bird flu, the implementation of a five-day workweek, and our neighbors 70 km to the north:

National Intelligence Service
http://www.nis.go.kr/eng/index.shtml

The Korea Herald
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr

I miss my quaint Canadian news - thanks for the update. I also miss my quaint Canadian prime minister. Paul Martin, ugh.

Tina was voted off Survivor.

Right now they are just making a big deal about the 4-6 inches of snow we're getting right now. I'm fixin to go horseback riding in it.

Good link! I've added it to my favorites, thanks!

Sydney is stopped in its tracks
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/3... - this is just round the corner from where I work. It even made it into the national media!

That public restroom is cool.. we don't have anything like that here.. except for at parks. It's not a pay toilet, is it? Are they very clean? Who maintains them?

I don't think you pay at this one - although some of these type are pay for use. As far as cleaning, the point is that they are totally self-maintaining - that's the reason behind the "superloo" tag. It has an entirely automated cleaning mechanism, that includes completely disinfecting all surfaces in between uses!

They have a suspect in custody but havent found Carlie. The step dad went to the home and came out talking to her friends like they (FBI) think she is dead, it appears that way. No telling what they found in the house.

That is too cool. All public restrooms should clean themselves! Is it provided by the city? Or do business owners buy them to put on their own property?

I totally forgot that he is our Prime Minister now, and I'm ashamed of that.

Are you Canadian?

National News: Democratic Primary, Janet Jacksons Exposure, Florida Abduction
Local News: Police Standoff ending in Suicide, Teenage girl murdered by boyfriend, Two people killed when cars flipped off highway due to snow buildup on guardrails

Yup, that was my thought too. I wish they'd give the parents a crack at him-I'll bet he'd talk in a hurry! It doesn't get easier to hear about things like that. There's so many now, you'd think we'd get hardened to it but that doesn't happen.

Yes, I spent my first 23 years in Montreal.

Er, Michael Howard called for Tony Blair to resign over the lack of evidence of WOMD. 10 pensioners died in a fire in a resedential home near Glasgow. That's pretty much all I can remember right now....it is 2am!

See for yourself

http://www.ktuu.com

19 cockle pickers died.

Maxine Carr is likely to be released within days.

In this case, it's provided by the city. Some businesses also use them, for example, at petrol (gas) stations, etc.

I had half a mind to do a survey about Maxine Carr, but wasn't sure whether enough people here would be familiar with the case.

They're brilliant!!

we just love to store our (U.S.) nuclear waste around here--it's called the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP is one of the dept. of energy's babies) We are also the home on the nuclear bomb--New Mexico is where it all started in Los Alamos. The "Trinity Site" where the first nuclear bomb was exploded is about 180 miles from where I live now. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the cancers and unknown diseases that occur in New Mexico (USA) are from the radiation exposure and lingering radiation in our state. It's a scary world and has been for many decades over here.

Janet's breast. I really don't care. I am all up for breasts on TV... I don't think that it should be the most important thing out there espesically with POLITCIAL and other IMPORTANT stuff happening

The case was covered in the States - I've seen CNN and Fox News coverage of it. Plus it's the kind of case that elicits a response even just from a link to the story. I say go for it.

I looked it up and that's what this dentist did-put a tube in his arm with someone else's blood. He drugged the women in his dentist 's chair before he sexually assaulted them. He committed the rapes 4 yrs ago but he's back in the news now because he's fighting extradition out of Canada. He thought he'd just start another business and all would be forgiven. It didn't quite work out that way.He's now out of work.

Oh, that's terrible. I hate to hear stories like that. I just don't understand how someone could do something like that to another human being. What a sicko!

"It's Still Winter"

"Teenagers use cling film and crisp packets instead of condoms"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3473415.stm

Gagliano's use of government funds to line the pockets of certain companies that donated money to his party at election time. Now our Prime Minister (who was the finance minister at the time) is having us believe that he was unaware of this money pouring out of the coffers!
SCANDALOUS!!

http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/MSN/2004/02/12/martin_...

He's obviously stepped on someone's toes and they want him out of the way so they'll find some kind of conspiracy charge and get him arrested or something - I've seen this happen.

The Giant Panda, Hua Mei, was just sent back to China after being born and raised in the US for the last 4 1/2 years.

dunno

Gas leak forces evacuation near Lafitte 2/28/2004, 10:34 p.m. CT
About 80 people were evacuated from their homes south of here after a gas well head blew up on Saturday afternoon, the state police said.

Louisiana, Times-Picayune, nola.com

stupid Martha Stewart, stupid Bush (Jeb and GW), Catholics have to provide birth control