A Royal Mail worker has been ordered to pay 31 London congestion charge bills even though he has not visited the city since 1981. David Timothy, 47, from Brecon in Powys, said the charges, currently standing at £2,480, dated back to a five-month period in 2004. But he said had only owned the car identified in the bills for a year. (i.e. since 2005)
Regulator, Transport for London (TFL), said it was possible a technical hitch was to blame and it was investigating.
Mr Timothy said all 31 congestion charge bills, which could rise to a total of more than £4,000 if they remain unpaid, were delivered last week. "They all had photographs showing the car driving along various well-known routes such as London Bridge," he added.
"The bills date back to a five-month period in 2004, but I can't believe that TFL didn't pick up that I'd only owned the car for a year."
Mr Timothy said he had sent a copy of his log book to TFL which proved how long he had owned his Ford Fiesta. He said he was not the owner of the car in 2004 and was reluctant to pay the bills.
"I wouldn't mind, but I haven't been to London since I toured with Talgarth male voice choir 25 years ago," added Mr Timothy.
TFL said 120,000 vehicles a day passed through the congestion charge zone and it issued about 4,600 penalty notices a day. A spokesman said information about offending vehicles came from the DVLA.
"It's possible the information held at the DVLA was incorrect, but Mr Timothy took the right step in contacting us and now we're investigating the outstanding penalty notices," he said.
This however pales into insignificance at the US diplomatic staff in London who ran up unpaid congestion charge fees of £271,000 in the first 6 months of 2006 .
again picture blogger's being an arse ........... grrrrrrrrr
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Evil gun totin' 6 year old
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Missouri mother is angry that her first-grader was suspended from school over a plastic toy gun.
"I asked her, 'You're going to suspend my son for 10 days for this? He cannot harm a soul with this,'" said Danielle Womack, whose son, Tawann Caskey, was suspended from Milton Moore Elementary School in Kansas City.
Tawann was suspended over a 2-inch plastic squirt gun.
"She told me it's a weapon, a little girl saw it and reported to a teacher that he had a weapon," Womack said.
According to Kansas City, Mo., School District policy, the squirt gun is a simulated weapon and a class IV, which is the most serious school offense. Principals claim to have no discretion in cases like Tawaan's. It is an automatic 10-day suspension.
"We ask our principals for safety of students and staff, and we do follow the code of conduct and do not give exceptions to Class IV offenses. We take it very seriously," the school district's Phyllis Budesheim said.
The incident will stay on Tawann's permanent school record. But Womack said her son does not understand why he's not in school.
"I think this could have been resolved in a different way. It's wrong to bring it school, but come on, he's 6 years old. This would not hurt a soul," Womack said.
The school district said it is all policy -- one that the school told students and parents about at the start of the year. "We regret that this happened. My feeling is that by not giving any exceptions, this young man will not bring a toy gun to school again," Budesheim said.
The school district said that the incident should be a reminder to parents to check their children's backpacks before they go to school. Womack will state her case before a school district hearing Wednesday morning.
Bizarre ritual
What religion would have a man licking a woman's feet at Wal-Mart?
Police in Perry, Ga., are investigating a report of a man who claimed he was performing a religious ritual at Wal-Mart. A woman said that he kissed her feet.
Perry police Capt. Heath Dykes said an 80-year-old woman was shopping at Wal-Mart when she "stumbled upon" the floor of the curtain aisle, according to The Charlotte Observer.
She told police that she apologized for stepping on the man's finger, at which point he responded by saying he was participating in a religious ritual and needed her help, the paper reported.
The Observer reported that the woman said she was alarmed, so she complied when the man told her to stand on his hands and spit. He then allegedly began to lick the shopper's feet.
A security officer at Wal-Mart happened upon the "religious ritual" and confronted the man, who the security guard said resembled the photo of a man who had done the same type of "ritual" in another Wal-Mart.
The man told the officer that he was performing a ritual and then ran off, the guard said.
The guard said that the woman, who was not harmed, "was really embarrassed," the paper reported. "It was so bizarre," Dykes said.
He said that police are trying to find what code section applies, in order to file charges.
"We've entitled it public indecency at this time but we haven't had a chance to do the research on whether it would fall under any criminal act. It's definitely bizarre," Dykes told the Observer.
Police in Perry, Ga., are investigating a report of a man who claimed he was performing a religious ritual at Wal-Mart. A woman said that he kissed her feet.
Perry police Capt. Heath Dykes said an 80-year-old woman was shopping at Wal-Mart when she "stumbled upon" the floor of the curtain aisle, according to The Charlotte Observer.
She told police that she apologized for stepping on the man's finger, at which point he responded by saying he was participating in a religious ritual and needed her help, the paper reported.
The Observer reported that the woman said she was alarmed, so she complied when the man told her to stand on his hands and spit. He then allegedly began to lick the shopper's feet.
A security officer at Wal-Mart happened upon the "religious ritual" and confronted the man, who the security guard said resembled the photo of a man who had done the same type of "ritual" in another Wal-Mart.
The man told the officer that he was performing a ritual and then ran off, the guard said.
The guard said that the woman, who was not harmed, "was really embarrassed," the paper reported. "It was so bizarre," Dykes said.
He said that police are trying to find what code section applies, in order to file charges.
"We've entitled it public indecency at this time but we haven't had a chance to do the research on whether it would fall under any criminal act. It's definitely bizarre," Dykes told the Observer.
Saturn has a new ring and laughs at Uranus jokes
LOS ANGELES - Saturn's majestic ring system, visible through backyard telescopes, just got a little more crowded with the discovery of a faint, new ring encircling the giant planet, scientists said Tuesday.
The international Cassini spacecraft beamed back images this week showing the new ring, located inside the outermost E ring. The new ring crosses the orbits of the Saturn moons Janus and Epimetheus, leading scientists to believe tiny particles from the lunar surfaces gave rise to the ring.
Saturn has seven major rings named A through G, although they are not arrayed in alphabetical order. The planet has about a half dozen smaller, unnamed arcs, but the latest discovery is unique because it is the farthest, said Jeff Cuzzi, a NASA planetary ring expert on the Cassini mission.
Scientists are interested in Saturn's rings because they are a model of the disk of gas and dust that initially surrounded the sun. Studying them could yield important clues about how the planets formed from that disc 4.5 billion years ago.
The international Cassini spacecraft beamed back images this week showing the new ring, located inside the outermost E ring. The new ring crosses the orbits of the Saturn moons Janus and Epimetheus, leading scientists to believe tiny particles from the lunar surfaces gave rise to the ring.
Saturn has seven major rings named A through G, although they are not arrayed in alphabetical order. The planet has about a half dozen smaller, unnamed arcs, but the latest discovery is unique because it is the farthest, said Jeff Cuzzi, a NASA planetary ring expert on the Cassini mission.
Scientists are interested in Saturn's rings because they are a model of the disk of gas and dust that initially surrounded the sun. Studying them could yield important clues about how the planets formed from that disc 4.5 billion years ago.
Man jumps off bridge to save $20
PALMETTO, Fla. -- A man who jumped off a bridge after a $20 bill said that's a lot of money when you're broke. Mark Giorgio jumped off a bridge on U.S. Highway 41 into the Manatee River, falling more than 40 feet into the water, just to get his $20 bill back.
Giorgio, 47, said he is homeless and was counting his money as he walked across the bridge when the bill slipped out of his hand.
Giorgio was taken to shore by a passing Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boat.
Police officers arrived at the scene after someone called to say they saw a man jump.
Giorgio suffered a couple of cuts and refused medical treatment. He was not arrested.
Giorgio, 47, said he is homeless and was counting his money as he walked across the bridge when the bill slipped out of his hand.
Giorgio was taken to shore by a passing Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission boat.
Police officers arrived at the scene after someone called to say they saw a man jump.
Giorgio suffered a couple of cuts and refused medical treatment. He was not arrested.
Mince argument
A woman who tipped a pot of mince over her mother's head in a row about how it should be cooked has escaped being jailed for attacking emergency staff.
Lisa Devers, 19, from Muthill, Perthshire, called 999 for help fearing her mother, Patricia Hilton, could have been burned by the minced meat. When paramedics arrived, Devers flew into a rage, the court heard.
At Perth Sheriff Court, Ms Devers, who admitted the assault on 26 February, received 120 hours' community service. The court heard the incident happened when the mother and daughter went home after drinking.
Fiscal depute John Malpas said: "An argument ensued regarding food preparation." Devers then attacked her mother as the row moved onto phone use.
Mr Malpas said: "During the course of the incident a pot of mince had been thrown over a person in the house and it was thought it might have burned that person."
Devers then struggled violently with police officers who arrived at the house with ambulance staff. She admitted attacking her mother, resisting two police officers and assaulting a paramedic and an ambulance technician.
Solicitor Peter Keen, defending, said the incident started as a minor domestic fight, adding: "There was no need for the ambulance, because although the mince had been thrown it wasn't hot mince."
Sheriff Michael Fletcher said: "Courts are here to protect paramedics who are called to the scene of incidents like this."
Lisa Devers, 19, from Muthill, Perthshire, called 999 for help fearing her mother, Patricia Hilton, could have been burned by the minced meat. When paramedics arrived, Devers flew into a rage, the court heard.
At Perth Sheriff Court, Ms Devers, who admitted the assault on 26 February, received 120 hours' community service. The court heard the incident happened when the mother and daughter went home after drinking.
Fiscal depute John Malpas said: "An argument ensued regarding food preparation." Devers then attacked her mother as the row moved onto phone use.
Mr Malpas said: "During the course of the incident a pot of mince had been thrown over a person in the house and it was thought it might have burned that person."
Devers then struggled violently with police officers who arrived at the house with ambulance staff. She admitted attacking her mother, resisting two police officers and assaulting a paramedic and an ambulance technician.
Solicitor Peter Keen, defending, said the incident started as a minor domestic fight, adding: "There was no need for the ambulance, because although the mince had been thrown it wasn't hot mince."
Sheriff Michael Fletcher said: "Courts are here to protect paramedics who are called to the scene of incidents like this."
D for Dumb Dawg
A Nottingham man says his pet dog's penchant for ladies' underwear left the animal needing emergency surgery. Cliff Hall of Stapleford said his pedigree Bull Mastiff Deefer has eaten around 10 pairs of knickers in the past 12 months.
But the latest two pairs, belonging to Mr Hall's daughter Stacey, 15, became lodged in the dog's small intestine. The dog could not drink, eat or move properly and a vet had to remove the blockage at a cost of more than £1,000.
Mr Hall, said: "He's had a bit of a penchant for them in the past, this isn't the first time he's eaten a pair. If people have left them on the bathroom floor when they have had a bath he will typically wander in afterwards and steal them. Normally they go straight through him but on this occasion it agitated his intestine and left him in a bit of a state."
He said that the dog's strange habits had prompted the family to take out pet insurance, which covered the cost of the operation.
The dog had to stay at the vets for several days but has now been given a full bill of health.
Mr Hall added: "We've got a new house rule that underwear goes into the washing machine where Deefer can't get at it."
But the latest two pairs, belonging to Mr Hall's daughter Stacey, 15, became lodged in the dog's small intestine. The dog could not drink, eat or move properly and a vet had to remove the blockage at a cost of more than £1,000.
Mr Hall, said: "He's had a bit of a penchant for them in the past, this isn't the first time he's eaten a pair. If people have left them on the bathroom floor when they have had a bath he will typically wander in afterwards and steal them. Normally they go straight through him but on this occasion it agitated his intestine and left him in a bit of a state."
He said that the dog's strange habits had prompted the family to take out pet insurance, which covered the cost of the operation.
The dog had to stay at the vets for several days but has now been given a full bill of health.
Mr Hall added: "We've got a new house rule that underwear goes into the washing machine where Deefer can't get at it."
3.3 million year old found
The 3.3-million-year-old fossilised remains of a human-like child have been unearthed in Ethiopia's Dikika region. The female Australopithecus afarensis bones are from the same species as an adult skeleton found in 1974 which was nicknamed "Lucy".
Scientists are thrilled with the find, reported in the journal Nature. They believe the near-complete remains offer a remarkable opportunity to study growth and development in an important extinct human ancestor. The juvenile Australopithecus afarensis remains vanishingly rare.
The skeleton was first identified in 2000, locked inside a block of sandstone. It has taken five years of painstaking work to free the bones.
"The Dikika fossil is now revealing many secrets about Australopithecus afarensis and other early hominins, because the fossil evidence was not there," said dig leader Zeresenay Alemseged, of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.
The find consists of the whole skull, the entire torso and important parts of the upper and lower limbs. CT scans reveal unerupted teeth still in the jaw, a detail that makes scientists think the individual may have been about three years old when she died.
203 year old seeds germinated
Seeds which have been stored away since the time of George III have been persuaded into new life. Scientists from the Millennium Seed Bank, operated by the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, have induced seeds from three species to germinate.They had been brought to Britain from South Africa by a Dutch merchant in 1803, and were found in a notebook stored in the National Archives.
Given this history, the team said it was surprised by their success. "They had been kept under pretty poor conditions," said Matt Daws, a seed ecologist with the Millennium Seed Bank, which is located at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex. They'd been in a ship for a year, certainly for months, coming back from the Cape; then they'd been kept in the Tower of London for a number of years. Only in the last 10 years have they been in controlled conditions. So I didn't expect any of them to germinate," he told the BBC News website, "and the three that did really are tough seeds."
The three successes are a legume, Liparia villosa, and two species not yet identified, one a protea and the other an acacia. The Liparia did particularly well, with 16 out of the 25 seeds progressing into plants.
The acacia was a different proposition. "We only had two seeds to work with, and one of them turned out to have been eaten inside by an insect," recalled Dr Daws. "What that means is we didn't have many options - it was a shot in the dark as to whether we'd be able to get things to work."
The Cape region is regularly visited by fire, which is a signal to germinate. So scientists mimicked the effects of fire by chipping off the hard coats of some seeds, and bubbling smoke over others. Even with this detailed preparation, 29 of the 32 species represented declined to germinate.
These are not the oldest seeds ever tempted into life. Four years ago scientists in the US germinated lotus seeds which had been carbon-dated as 500 years old; more recently, an Israeli team claimed to have grown a date palm from a 2,000 year old seed.
They were originally taken on board the Prussian ship Henriette by Jan Teerlin
k, a merchant bringing silk and tea from Java and China, as the ship stopped off at the Cape of Good Hope on its way back to Europe.On the way back the Henriette was captured by the British navy; and Teerlink's possessions, including his notebook, passed to the High Court of Admiralty, and then to the Tower. Why he carried the seeds and why he put them between the pages of his notebook are unknown.
When the plants are older, the Kew scientists plan to make genetic and genomic analyses, and compare the old plants with modern-day equivalents, perhaps showing how Cape species have changed and adapted over the last two centuries.
Panda-monium
A drunken Chinese tourist says he bit a panda who attacked him after he jumped into a zoo enclosure to "hug" the bear.
Zhang Xinyan, 35, had drunk four draught beers before deciding to enter the Beijing Zoo pen belonging to six-year-old male panda Gu Gu.
The startled Gu Gu bit both legs of his intruder, who responded by biting "the panda on its back", Mr Zhang was quoted by state media as saying.
Mr Zhang said he had not realised pandas could be violent.
He told the Beijing Morning Post that he had come to the Chinese capital "only to see the pandas".
"The seven-hour train ride was exhausting, and I drank bottles of beer when I arrived then had a nap," he added.
The newspaper said Mr Zhang had a "sudden urge" to touch Gu Gu with his hand, so he jumped over the waist-high railing into the enclosure.
Zhang Xinyan, 35, had drunk four draught beers before deciding to enter the Beijing Zoo pen belonging to six-year-old male panda Gu Gu.
The startled Gu Gu bit both legs of his intruder, who responded by biting "the panda on its back", Mr Zhang was quoted by state media as saying.
Mr Zhang said he had not realised pandas could be violent.
He told the Beijing Morning Post that he had come to the Chinese capital "only to see the pandas".
"The seven-hour train ride was exhausting, and I drank bottles of beer when I arrived then had a nap," he added.
The newspaper said Mr Zhang had a "sudden urge" to touch Gu Gu with his hand, so he jumped over the waist-high railing into the enclosure.
Big brother ,UK
Britain's growing surveillance society has taken another twist. Not content with CCTV cameras on every street corner recording citizens' every move, the town of Middlesborough has fitted some of its cameras with loudspeakers, so wrongdoers can be dressed down publicly as they indulge in anti-social behaviour.
The Daily Mail, reporting "Big Brother is shouting at you", says seven of the town's 158 cameras have been fitted with the speakers. So far, the mayor's office behind the "experiment" claims that it has halted crimes from litter dropping to street assault. One operative claims that a voice warning broke up a brawl, with the opponents scarpering in different directions.
The operators have a restricted list of phrases: The Mail lists "Warning - you are being monitored by CCTV - Warning - you are in an alcohol-free zone, please refrain from drinking" and "Warning - your behaviour is being monitored by CCTV. It is being recorded and the police are attending" as specialities, though they add "thank you" when their targets return to the path of righteousness.
The Daily Mail, reporting "Big Brother is shouting at you", says seven of the town's 158 cameras have been fitted with the speakers. So far, the mayor's office behind the "experiment" claims that it has halted crimes from litter dropping to street assault. One operative claims that a voice warning broke up a brawl, with the opponents scarpering in different directions.
The operators have a restricted list of phrases: The Mail lists "Warning - you are being monitored by CCTV - Warning - you are in an alcohol-free zone, please refrain from drinking" and "Warning - your behaviour is being monitored by CCTV. It is being recorded and the police are attending" as specialities, though they add "thank you" when their targets return to the path of righteousness.
Anyone seen Jerusalem ?
JERUSALEM - Something always gets lost in translation, but usually not an entire city.
"Jerusalem. There is no such city!" the Jerusalem municipality said in the English-language version of a sightseeing brochure it had published originally in Hebrew.
The correct translation: "Jerusalem. There is no city like it!"
Carrying a photograph of the brochure, Israel's Maariv newspaper said on Wednesday tens of thousands of flyers had been distributed before city hall realised its mistake.
"Jerusalem. There is no such city!" the Jerusalem municipality said in the English-language version of a sightseeing brochure it had published originally in Hebrew.
The correct translation: "Jerusalem. There is no city like it!"
Carrying a photograph of the brochure, Israel's Maariv newspaper said on Wednesday tens of thousands of flyers had been distributed before city hall realised its mistake.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
He-Brew
New York: A company that started out as a joke celebrates 10 years in business.
Founder Jeremy Cowan says that starting out, he and his friends just thought it would be fun for Jews to have their own beer and brewed up something called "He-Brew". Ten years later, with two million bottles sold, it's not a joke anymore.
Cowan says he likes the beer, but wouldn't want to abandon the inside joke that started it all, the punch line being "don't pass out, pass over."
Founder Jeremy Cowan says that starting out, he and his friends just thought it would be fun for Jews to have their own beer and brewed up something called "He-Brew". Ten years later, with two million bottles sold, it's not a joke anymore.
Cowan says he likes the beer, but wouldn't want to abandon the inside joke that started it all, the punch line being "don't pass out, pass over."
Heli-lifter
An Austrian strongman has set a new world record after a 1.8 tonne helicopter landed on his back.
Franz Muellner supported the machine for almost a minute after it landed on his shoulders to secure his place in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The record attempt was part of the Vienna Worlds Records Day held in the Austrian capital's Prater park.
Other world records broken included the maximum number of straws that can be held at any one time in the mouth.
Marco Hort managed to fit 264 straws in his mouth to beat his old record of 259.
Arrrr 'tis talk like a prat day
"Avast, me maties! Today be th' International Talk Like a Pirate Day!
Fer today only, ye lubbers no worthy 'nough t' enjoy th' noble vocation o' Pirate can join th' ranks!
Firs' ye'll need t' lern t' talk like a pirate, then find yer pirate name, an' finally sling back some grog. Be smart aboot it, fer today's th' day ninjas fear...ever'one's a pirate! Arrrr!"
Fer today only, ye lubbers no worthy 'nough t' enjoy th' noble vocation o' Pirate can join th' ranks!
Firs' ye'll need t' lern t' talk like a pirate, then find yer pirate name, an' finally sling back some grog. Be smart aboot it, fer today's th' day ninjas fear...ever'one's a pirate! Arrrr!"
Blind drunk
Trading standards officers have warned people not to buy "dangerous" illegal vodka being sold in the Flintshire area, Wales.The "Kremlin" vodka contains up to 16 times the permitted amount of methanol and could lead to blindness if drunk.
Flintshire council trading standards said the vodka had been circulating in north west England but several empty bottles had been found on Deeside.
Officers warned people to seek medical advice if they have drunk the vodka. An investigation is under way into where the vodka has been produced.
Trading standards officers warned consumption of the vodka could lead to abdominal pain, drowsiness, dizziness and even blindness.
Council trading standards manager Ron Hughes said: "We haven't found the vodka in Flintshire but we have found some empty bottles in the Flintshire area.
"It could have been manufactured anywhere - it is labelled as Russian but that's probably incorrect. It's being sold on the black market but it is possible that it may be found on licensed premises. If anyone comes across the vodka, we would ask them to ensure it's not consumed and to notify trading standards. If it's consumed, people should seek medical advice and go to their doctor."
Not my cup of tea
An elderly man used a cup of tea to scare off two intruders who had forced their way into his Teesside home.
The pair entered the bungalow in Repton Avenue, Roseworth, Stockton, threatened the pensioner and his wife with extreme violence, and demanded cash.
While one ransacked the bedroom, the husband tried to raise the alarm by throwing a cup of tea at the window.
The window did not break, but the action scared off the intruders who fled empty-handed.
A police spokesman said that while no money was stolen this was a heartless and callous attack on two elderly pensioners, and appealed for anyone with any information to contact them.
The pair entered the bungalow in Repton Avenue, Roseworth, Stockton, threatened the pensioner and his wife with extreme violence, and demanded cash.
While one ransacked the bedroom, the husband tried to raise the alarm by throwing a cup of tea at the window.
The window did not break, but the action scared off the intruders who fled empty-handed.
A police spokesman said that while no money was stolen this was a heartless and callous attack on two elderly pensioners, and appealed for anyone with any information to contact them.
Reunited
JERUSALEM -- For six decades, Hilda Shlick thought her brother Simon perished in the Holocaust with several other relatives.
But thanks to some online investigating by her grandkids, Shlick has been reunited with the brother she last saw in 1941.
The family was living in Romania back then, and they were separated when the Nazis invaded. Shlick, 10 years old at the time, and a sister managed to escape, while the others stayed behind.
The rest of the family -- parents Henia and Benzion, and brothers Simon, Mark, Karol and Eddie -- stayed in Romania, finding refuge in a basement.
Shlick now lives in Israel, and during a chat this summer, her grandsons learned enough to hit the Internet and start their search. They started a search using the database of Holocaust victims at Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial. That search ended with the discovery of brother Simon Glasberg living in Canada. He flew to Israel where, despite the 65 years of separation, he recognized his sister immediately.
It turns out that another brother also lives in Canada. He's too ill to go to Israel, but has a son who lives there -- a half-hour away from his long lost aunt.
The fate of one sister, Pepi, remains unknown. She disappeared and is presumed to have been killed by the Nazis. Simon Glasberg, his brothers and parents emigrated to Canada after the war ended. Shlick and her sister moved to Estonia, where Bertha died in 1970.
Hilda Glasberg (now Hilda Schlick) was born in 1931 in Chernowitz, Romania.
Yad Vashem spokeswoman Estee Yaari said this was only the second known case of living siblings discovering each other through the database.
This coffee tastes great !
AKRON, Ohio -- There will be no trial for an Ohio postal worker accused of urinating in his co-workers' coffee.
Thomas Shaheen admitted Monday that he put urine in the break room coffee pot at the Wolf Ledges, Ohio, post office branch earlier this year. Shaheen was sentenced to six months in a jail work release program.
He was also ordered to pay his co-workers $1,200 to reimburse them for the video camera they rented to help capture him in the act. Shaheen told his former co-workers during his sentencing that he was sorry for what he did.
"I just wanted to tell you I'm really sorry," said Shaheen. "I don't know what came over me. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. I'm really sorry, I just want to get my life over, get my life going again."
But before he apologized and was sentenced, some of the postal employees he worked with at the transportation maintenance shop gave Shaheen a piece of their minds.
"He not only watched us drink the coffee but the majority of the shop, his own friends and fellow workers, about 20 of us all together, he would sit in the same room with people and watch them drink his sick little brew and think nothing of it," said postal worker Jene Jackson.
Postal workers said Shaheen poured urine in the coffee pot several times in a four- to six-month period. Employees said Shaheen was jealous of some of his peers who had certain work privileges.
"Some guys would go out in the morning and deliver trucks out to the stations, which a lot of guys would prefer doing that, and then he would stay and he would get upset about that," said one worker.
Former co-worker Jim Jackson said, "Everybody's got their own idea on the matter, it was a pretty disgusting ordeal, but it's done. I do feel for his family, we didn't deserve it and his family definitely didn't deserve what he's put them through."
Thomas Shaheen admitted Monday that he put urine in the break room coffee pot at the Wolf Ledges, Ohio, post office branch earlier this year. Shaheen was sentenced to six months in a jail work release program.
He was also ordered to pay his co-workers $1,200 to reimburse them for the video camera they rented to help capture him in the act. Shaheen told his former co-workers during his sentencing that he was sorry for what he did.
"I just wanted to tell you I'm really sorry," said Shaheen. "I don't know what came over me. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me. I'm really sorry, I just want to get my life over, get my life going again."
But before he apologized and was sentenced, some of the postal employees he worked with at the transportation maintenance shop gave Shaheen a piece of their minds.
"He not only watched us drink the coffee but the majority of the shop, his own friends and fellow workers, about 20 of us all together, he would sit in the same room with people and watch them drink his sick little brew and think nothing of it," said postal worker Jene Jackson.
Postal workers said Shaheen poured urine in the coffee pot several times in a four- to six-month period. Employees said Shaheen was jealous of some of his peers who had certain work privileges.
"Some guys would go out in the morning and deliver trucks out to the stations, which a lot of guys would prefer doing that, and then he would stay and he would get upset about that," said one worker.
Former co-worker Jim Jackson said, "Everybody's got their own idea on the matter, it was a pretty disgusting ordeal, but it's done. I do feel for his family, we didn't deserve it and his family definitely didn't deserve what he's put them through."
ABCexy
MONROE, N.Y. The A-B-C's were rated X.
School officials apologized to parents after an X-rated font was used on a third-grade spelling packet handed out to parents.
The font showed male and female stick figures in provocative poses to form the letters of the alphabet.
Officials with the Monroe-Woodbury School District in Orange County apologized last week after parents at Pine Tree Elementary School were given the spelling packet at an open house.
Administrators said the teacher did not use the font intentionally.
Monroe is about 45 miles northwest of New York City.
School officials apologized to parents after an X-rated font was used on a third-grade spelling packet handed out to parents.
The font showed male and female stick figures in provocative poses to form the letters of the alphabet.
Officials with the Monroe-Woodbury School District in Orange County apologized last week after parents at Pine Tree Elementary School were given the spelling packet at an open house.
Administrators said the teacher did not use the font intentionally.
Monroe is about 45 miles northwest of New York City.
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