4104 Chinese kids named ‘Olympic Games’
June 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
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More than 4,000 children in China have been given the name Aoyun, meaning Olympic Games, in the past 15 years.
The rise in popularity of the name is seen as a sign of support for the Games being staged in August in Beijing.
Officials in charge of identity cards say that more than 92% of the 4,104 registered Aoyuns are boys.
It is not uncommon for Chinese children to be given names of common events and popular slogans - such as Defend China, Build the Nation and Space Travel.
There are 290,798 registered Civilizations.
The first surge in Aoyuns came in 1992, when China applied to host to the 2000 Games. About 680 Aoyuns were registered at the time.
In 2002 another 553 Aoyuns were named, after China was chosen to host the 2008 Games.
The BBC’s Chinese service says that in recent weeks babies have also been given names such as Hope for Sichuan, to show solidarity with earthquake victims.
NY Street-sweeper sucks up dog
June 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A NEW York dog owner reportedly watched in horror as his terrier, still on the lead, was sucked up by a street-sweeping truck and killed.
Ginger, a Boston terrier, was killed in the Bronx on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
Owner Robert Machin said he was about to put his two dogs into the car after a walk when the truck went past, AP said.
Mr Machin said he was suddenly whipped around and saw Ginger being swallowed by the sweeper’s bristles.
“I went berserk at that moment because I couldn’t believe what had occurred,” he said.
He and his friends had to chase the truck before it would stop and he could pull out the dog’s body.
The Department of Sanitation called the incident “a rare and unfortunate accident”.
God arrested for selling cocaine at church
June 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment
A MAN named God Lucky Howard has been arrested for allegedly selling cocaine near a church.
Mr Howard was charged with the delivery of cocaine near a church, a school and public housing in Tampa, Florida, after he allegedly sold drugs to undercover police, WFTS-TV reported.
Police searched Mr Howard’s home and allegedly found another 22g of cocaine and a pair of scales.
He remains behind bars on $US86,500 ($90,825) bond.
Scooby-Doo alludes police
June 26, 2008 | Leave a Comment
SCOOBY-Doo has become one of Queensland’s most wanted after giving police the slip during a reckless track invasion at the Ipswich Cup race day.
Not only did the memorably-dressed prankster evade arrest, he also failed to return the eye-catching outfit to the store from which he hired it.
Michelle Johnstone from Hidden Identity Costumes at Cleveland in Redland City said the driver’s licence the man used in the transaction turned out to be stolen.
“It was obviously a pre-meditated crime. He put a bit of planning into it,” Ms Johnstone said, pointing out he had “definitely lost his $40 bond”.
Ipswich police are also keen to hunt down Scooby-Doo following the “reckless” behaviour of the wearer.
“We’re still making enquiries into where Scooby-Doo is,” said Senior Sergeant Roger Wilson.
“We’d ask that anyone who recognises him to contact Ipswich police.”
Ipswich Turf Club general manager Brett Kitching said the man almost “got cleaned up” by the horses after sauntering on to the track at the 300m mark during the final race.
“It is a potentially life-threatening action to run on to the track,” said Mr Kitching. ”
Just a few hours earlier we had a fall involving four horses, one of which had to be destroyed. It doesn’t take much to spook a horse and the results can be life threatening.”
Two other men who piggy-backed each other on to the track in pursuit of Scooby-Doo were arrested and charged by police, and will face Ipswich Magistrate’s Court on July 14
Accused killer drank beer next to body
June 24, 2008 | 3 Comments
A PERTH man drank beer with an accused killer with a body lying nearby, and later helped retrieve the victim’s remains to remove the head, a court heard.
Trevor Forrest, 58, is a key witness in the trial of Jason Hudock, 45, who was tracked down by police in the United States last year and extradited to Perth.
Mr Hudock is accused of murdering 40-year-old Lee Anthony Maunsell in October 1999, at a shed in the semi-rural area of Bullsbrook, in the Perth Hills, where the two men lived.
Forrest has already served time in jail for being an accessary after the fact by helping Mr Hudock dispose of the body.
Giving evidence at Mr Hudock’s trial in the Perth Supreme Court today, Forrest gave few reasons under questioning as to why he had helped Mr Hudock try to cover up the killing.
He told the court he received a phone call from Mr Hudock on the night he allegedly shot Mr Maunsell.
“He said he just shot Lee,” Forrest told the court.
“Was there any other discussion on the phone?” prosecutor Michael Mischin asked.
“Nuh,” Forrest replied.
He said that when he arrived at Mr Hudock’s converted shed in Bullsbrook, the two men “just sat down and started drinking a beer”, with the dead body lying on the floor.
“We had about half a dozen cans each, I suppose, and went to bed.”
“There was no discussion that night?” Mr Mischin asked.
“No.”
After they had slept, Forrest said, they wrapped the body in carpet and took it out to a bush block to burn.
The two then went back to the body some weeks later to find a more secluded spot to hide it.
Months after the body had been moved, Forrest and a friend went back to remove the head from the skeleton, he told prosecution counsel, so that evidence from the bullets would not be found.
Mr Mischin asked why he and a friend, not the accused, were involved in removing the head, which they did using a shovel.
“Whose idea was it, that the head might be found?” Mr Mischin asked.
“Jason was a bit worried about it,” Forrest said.
“I just said I could cut the head off because he had to go to work.”
The trial continues.
By Jo Prichard
