Harp's Blog

Jury convicts mom of lesser charges in online hoax

By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer Greg Risling, Associated Press Writer 10 mins ago

LOS ANGELES – A jury has convicted a Missouri woman of three minor offenses for her role in an Internet hoax that apparently drove a 13-year-old girl to suicide.

The Los Angeles federal court jury on Wednesday rejected felony charges of accessing a computer without authorization to inflict emotional distress on young Megan Meier.

However, the jury found defendant Lori Drew guilty of three counts of the lesser offense of accessing a computer without authorization. Each count is punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

The jurors could not reach a verdict on a conspiracy count. The disposition of that count was not immediately clear.

Prosecutors said Drew violated the MySpace terms of service by conspiring with her young daughter and a business assistant to create a fictitious profile of a teen boy on the MySpace social networking site to harass Megan.

Megan, who had been treated for depression, hanged herself with a belt in her bedroom closet in 2006 after receiving a message saying the world would be better without her.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury has convicted a Missouri mother of lesser, misdemeanor crimes in the MySpace cyber-bullying case linked to a 13-year-old girl's suicide.

The Los Angeles federal court jury on Wednesday rejected felony charges of accessing a computer without authorization to inflict emotional distress on young Megan Meier.

However, the jury found defendant Lori Drew guilty of three counts of the lesser offense of accessing a computer without authorization.

The jurors could not reach a verdict on a conspiracy count.

Prosecutors said Drew violated the MySpace terms of service by conspiring with her young daughter and a business assistant to create a fictitious profile of a teen boy on the MySpace social networking site to harass Megan.

Megan, who had been treated for depression, hanged herself in 2006 after receiving a message saying the world would be better without her.

Now a Florida guy only 19 killed him self online live for 12 hours people egged him on and called him names..Yet nobody called police or anything to help him..

 Megan Myers killed her self and because of 2 things one she had mental problems an 2 because people were pushing her into it by say mean things to her..

What has become of America and the people have we just become cold hearted non caring people..I seen on tv news that if someone is on a ledge thinking about jumping..Many the people watching yelling jump jump MY GOD... Don't people relise that there just making things worst and the person is thinking nobody cares and they want me to die so they give into the people who are pushing them into killing them selfs..

We need a new STRICK law anyone who eggs on anyone to kill them selfs should get manslaughter I think..

Look at Megan Myers Drew new she had mental problems and she and the others egged her on by telling her she was mean nobody liked her.. And that just made Megan thinking she is not wanted on this earth..So she kills her self 

I for one do not belive in killing your self If people who just take 10 minets to think about what there doing mabey they change there minds...

Most the time people kill them selfs over the crazest things like because there girl friend broke up with them or because someone like Megan Myers case made fun of her and broke her heart..

If they would just wait a few days to a week they relise just how wrong they are to let such things get to them..I had a cusion who at age 21 killed him self over a girl who broke up with him..He had lunch with his dad told him she brok up with him..He then whent home and hanged him self in the basment..

If he would of just thought about it wated a day he relise killing him self was not the answer to his little problem..

Gee if I let stuff get to me I would been dead years ago but I don't belive in taking your own life because it would not be fair to the ones who do care about you..

Just think about who you will be leaving behind and how it can mess up there lives if you kill you self...

I hope I worded this right and I hope it will help at lease one person because that be at lease one person who will still have a life to live...

 

 Officials Won't Let Santa Hand Out Candy Canes On City Street

Friday, November 21, 2008 – updated: 5:39 pm EST November 21, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- So long Santa! The jolly old elf has been banned from a Daytona Beach street.

 

Daytona Beach code enforcement officials are kicking Santa off a city sidewalk and have sent the store owner who put him there a warning.

 

The live Santa Claus has been a fixture on Beach Street for several years. He hands out candy canes outside of Sheila LaBosco's store. He bellowed, "Hoho, Hoho, Hoho" but code enforcement said, "No, No, No."

 

"They came in and said, 'We're gonna cite you for having Santa on the street,'" said LaBosco.

 

"That's unacceptable," said shopper Leslie Neese. "Santa is part of Christmas and he's been out there for seven years now taking pictures with children."

 

A city spokesperson says a review of article 18 of the city code considers Santa an animated sign and officials say LaBosco is "exploiting Santa Clause."

 

LaBosco has been told that Santa is okay to wave his way through the weekend but come Monday, she'll likely be fined if he's still out there.

 

City code officials say making an exception for Santa would not be fair to other businesses as officials consider Santa a form of solicitation, just like someone waving a sign.

Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise Thu Nov 20, 6:26 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality. The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

Dr Pepper is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc.

As many of you may not know Santa has been hit hard by this economaney thing..He has had to lay off many elfs and there are many kids who may not get much this year for Christmas ..

I sent a email asking if  the  Goverment would to give Santa some that bailout money...He should get it more than any them greedy companys..So please everyone email the Times asking to give Santa bailout money..

I emaild the times because I not know who else to email and they seem to have lots to say about Goverment in there news..We need to get this out so Santa can be helped..

So lets help Santa email the Times or email the goverment asking them to give Santa some that bailout money..

comments@whitehouse.gov

You can email the govermemt and ask if they would give some bailout money to Santa...It cost lot money to bu the milterals to make toys so come on peoples lets help Santa...

HELP SANTA!

A 13 year old girl refuses a heart transplant because the risk.

I have told mom and dad years ago if I ever need a kidney transplant or any kind transplant I do not want it...

My reson is because I have bad health I know the chances of the transplant being refused because of my imune system being low are great..

I also know that within a year to 5 years I probley would lose that transplant anyways...To me that would be a wast of life that could use it and live many more years than I could with it..

So they agreed to my wishes and I will not get any kind of a transplant because I know the chances of it not lasting in me are higher than most..

Look at Micky Manttle the baseball player he was told a transplant would not help him..And he had one and less than a year later had another one..

I use to think of him as a hero but in his own words I am scared of diying and that is why he did what he did..

So 2 lifes were taken away becuse of one mans fear of death and cowerdness...

LOOK INSIDE TO SEE BRAVE 13 YR OLD..

Kids open lemonade stand to help cat get surgery

The homemade signs says it all: Buy a drink, help my cat. Aspen Granath hopes the plea will draw enough customers to her lemonade stand on a street corner to pay for expensive surgery for her cat, Patches.

The 10-year-old and her 8-year-old brother, Skylar, opened for business a few days ago and say they plan to staff the roadside stand for about four hours a day.

A spinal cord injury left the cat partially paralyzed. The children's father said a veterinarian has recommended amputation of the leg so that Patches can have a more normal life.

The cost of the surgery, medications and other care could run as much as $700.

For thirsty passers-by, the cost of helping out is just $1 for a bottle of water and 25 cents for a packet of powdered lemonade or fruit juice.

Aspen said she'll "do this as long as it takes" because Patches is one of her favorite pets

Ok if they take the Bush Beer company over

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO GRANTS FARM???

Will it still be here or what??

Let us know please!!!

Thank You

Kids picking up trash discover hand grenade

Wed May 21, 6:50 PM ET

Three children picking up trash along a river in Hudson for community service work found much more than garbage. Charlie Thompson, 11, Maddie Roth, 10, and Demetri Roth, 8, came across a hand grenade, picked it up and headed home to show off their discovery.

On their way back Monday, they ran into a neighbor, who immediately called 911. Hudson police cordoned off the block, then determined the grenade wasn't a danger, even though it still had the firing pin inserted. Sgt. Eric Atkinson says the grenade was rusted and contained no powder.

Thompson's mother, Heidi Hansen, says the children wanted to keep the grenade for a souvenir, but police are holding it.

Hansen says the kids plan to write a story about their adventure.

___

Information from: Leader-Telegram, http://www.leadertelegram.com/

 Now they are saying this guy put road light on balloons and let the loose..That is a bunch of MARLARKY...who belives this I don't because how did he get the balloons to do all the shapes and stuff..Sorry but that is very very hard to belive...So what is the Gov.hiding this time???

I don't belive in anything till  see it with my own eyes and I have yet to see any UFO'S..so till I do I think it is something else....

Oops: N.C. station sells gas for 35 cents/gallon

Drivers were bouncing with joy yesterday after employees at the Kangaroo Express in Wilmington, N.C., accidentally sold gasoline for 35 cents a gallon.

"The trouble started about 9 a.m. [Thursday] when an attendant at the BP station punched in 35 cents instead of $3.35 for premium-grade gasoline," the Star-News reports. "The mistake wasn’t noticed until about 6 p.m., when crowds jammed the pumps and caused traffic jams on nearby roads."

The paper says Deshauna Canty filled the 28-gallon tank in her Lincoln Navigator for $9.80.

With prices well above $3 a gallon, that's a hefty discount. WECT-TV says the station lost more than $1,000 before workers realized there was a problem.

“People had been coming in all day stiffing us, not telling us nothing,” station employee Shane Weller says. “They knew something was wrong because regular gas was still $3-something a gallon, and when have you ever known premium gas to be lower than regular?”

Cat naps at US nuclear plant may catch hefty fine

By Tom DoggettThu Apr 10, 3:43 PM ET

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday may fine Florida Power & Light Co $130,000 after security officers at the company's Turkey Point nuclear power plant near Miami were found sleeping on the job.

The NRC said its investigators found that on multiple occasions from 2004 through 2006 "security officers at Turkey Point were willfully inattentive to duty or served as lookouts so other officers could sleep on duty."

An NRC inspector specifically saw on April 6, 2006, a security officer sleeping on duty while posted in a vital area of the reactor, the agency said.

In a letter to the company this week, the NRC said it "considers this matter to be a significant security concern" and sleeping security personnel "cannot be tolerated."

The company has 30 days to pay the fine or file a protest.

Dick Winn, FPL's nuclear spokesman, said the company wants to review the information the NRC has collected on the matter. He said the six security officers accused of sleeping are no longer at the plant and their actions don't reflect the professionalism of the other workers.

Winn said the company has improved the screening and testing of its security force. "We take this seriously," he said.

In January, the agency also fined FPL $208,000 for other security violations at the Turkey Point facility.

Those violations related to two events in 2004 and 2005, when security personnel disabled weapons by removing or breaking firing pins, which the NRC said would not have allowed the workers to protect the plant.

The Turkey Point power plant is located on Biscayne Bay near Homestead, about 30 miles southwest of Miami.

(Editing by Christian Wiessner)

 

Ice-cream stick ship sails for England

Tue Apr 8, 12:35 PM ET

A Viking ship made from ice-cream sticks set sail for England from the Netherlands on Tuesday.

The 15-metre (50-foot) long ship, named after the Norse god Thor, is made from 15 million recycled ice-cream sticks glued together by U.S.-born stuntman Robert McDonald, his son and more than 5,000 children.

"If you can dream it you can do it ... I want to teach children that anything is possible," McDonald said.

Badly injured as a child in a gas explosion that killed the rest of his family, he has loaded his ship with cuddly toys and plans to reach London and visit children in hospitals.

He and his crew hope to cross the Atlantic later on the ancient Viking route to North America via Iceland and Greenland.

(Reporting by Catherine Hornby; Editing by Charles Dick)

LOOK INSIDE FOR PIC

Armed police tackle 75 year old on scooter

Armed police raided an old folks' home to arrest a pensioner in a cowboy hat brandishing a plastic pistol.

Eugene Hide, 75, was arrested as he raced up and down corridors on his electric mobility scooter, reports The Sun.

Staff dialled 999 complaining he was using "threatening" behaviour.

They evacuated all 25 residents while the armed response unit was scrambled.

Police dashed in to find Eugene waving his toy shooter in the air. He was taken away for questioning before being released without charge.

The retired council worker refused to comment yesterday, but he apologised to residents for "getting a bit excited".

Friends said he was "agitated" because Rosenheath rest home in Stone, Staffs, is being closed down later this year.

Last year he was involved in a failed High Court bid to stop the council shutting it.

A friend said: "The stress of the closure must have pushed Eugene over the edge. Apparently the police screeched up armed to the teeth, jabbering into radios.

"It all seems a bit over the top, but if they had a report of an armed man they had to take it seriously."

Sgt Dave Wain, of Staffordshire Police, said: "We arrested a man who was behaving in an erratic and threatening manner towards staff and residents

LOOK INSIDE TO SEE THE VIDEO OMG IT IS REALY SOMETHING TO SEE...I LOVE THIS VIDEO'S