Recently in oddball, weird, assorted Category

Serene Branson at KCBS/KCAL reported today on the story of a family who went to Nevada for the weekend and disappeared. I didn't catch the family's name. Apparently the mom and dad haven't shown up for work ... but their credit cards have been used on the Las Vgeas Strip.

Reportedly there are security camera images of the Mom and Dad, but their two kids have apparently vanished.

I'll find the whole story on Google news and post it here later.

Don't know if this is a Caylee Anthony case or a Runaway Bride, but interesting nonetheless.

More cutting and pasting. This time there's three sources. First, Kate Kealy, night editor, reports:

Here's the list of stories we're covering this morning from the overnight notes:

Somewhere on my desk I have a frayed, faded and much abused copy of the 1993 edition of Police Call.

I learned today from LA Observed that Gene Hughes, publisher of the magazine, died recently at age 80.

Police Call was a collection of radio frequencies used by police, fire and other government agencies. Hughes, a scanner junkie, put them together  and made the gibberish understandable to the lay person.

As much as anything I have Hughes (real name Gene Costin) to thank for my ability to tell the difference between real news and real noise.

Here's a bit from the LAO post:

Costin was 13 and living in a Los Angeles foster home in 1940 when he discovered that he could listen in on the LAPD's radios. The rest is history.

Here's a link to Wired's obit. The photo is from Wired also.

A massage parlor offering massages by "lovely Asian girls" and "professional and cute Asian girls." has run afoul of the Duarte City Council, according to a story by Nathan McIntire.

I love this paragraph from the story, which is still being edited:

Duarte Acupuncture Center is listed as an "erotic massage parlor" by an online escort listing service. Reviews from patrons posted to that site describe sexual acts that were allegedly performed there.

Well, no wonder they are in trouble ...I'll post a link to the story when it goes live.

A guy accused of stealing posters outside a Michigan movie theater had an interesting get up. he was dressed as the Joker. Seems the cops got the last laugh, making him pose for a mug shot in character. He doesn't look too happy to me though.

Here's the story from Three Rivers Mi:

THREE RIVERS -- An overzealous Joker fan was taken into custody Sunday morning after attempting to steal movie posters and other items, police said.

Spencer Taylor, 20, of Three Rivers, was arrested on felony larceny and malicious destruction of property charges after trying to steal memorabilia of the new Batman movie "The Dark Knight" at the Three Rivers 6 theater.

Taylor was dressed in  makeup resembling the "Joker."

Apparently an argument led to this. Four people were injured. One seriously. Here's the story:

WEST COVINA - The DJ at a house party was arrested early Sunday after he allegedly stabbed two people and hit two others with his car, authorities said.

Luis Perez, 23, of Baldwin Park was arrested shortly after the incident and was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, West Covina police Lt. Marcos Plebani said.

The alleged attack occurred about 2 a.m. at a house in the 1600 block of West Louisa Avenue, he said.

"He slashed one person in the back yard, then stabbed another person multiple times in the front yard," Plebani said.

A 26-year-old man was hospitalized with three stab wounds to his stomach and lower chest, said West Covina Fire Department Capt. Jim Rudroff.

The injuries were initially believed to be life threatening, however the wounded man was expected to survive after undergoing surgery, police and fire officials said. Another man suffered a superficial stab wound but did not seek treatment from fire officials.

Brian Day reports that the so-called "vampire" pre school bandit has been caught in a park in Temple City.

Our original post said:

Suspect Scott Raymond Lopez broke into Montessori Academy preschool, 1030 E. Merced Ave., ransacked it and urintated on the floor on on Thursday, July 10, 2008. Equipment was found piled up as if the burglar had intended to steal it, however nothing but food was believed to have been stolen.

We're not sure what sort of food you can steal from a pre school. I'm guessing "Teddy Grahams." Tania Chatils said it was more likely carrot sticks --since the school is a "Montessori" academy.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A police lieutenant in Daytona Beach was fired over accusations that he threatened slower emergency response times if he was not given complimentary specialty Starbucks coffee drinks.

Story here.

From Fox News 

NOVI, Mich. --  A 33-year-old Clarkston man faces two 20-year felonies after authorities say he arranged a meeting for sex with an online contact he believed was a 14-year-old girl and showed up wearing a T-shirt that read: "World's Greatest Dad."

Daniel Allen Everett was arraigned Tuesday in Novi district court on charges of child sexual abuse and using the Internet to attempt child sexual abuse.

Magistrate Andra Dudley set bond at $50,000 cash.

Meth inspections!

Worried about squatters using your failed real estate investment as a meth lab?

This guy has the answer. He's the meth inspector.

One of the latest concerns in the Northern Utah real estate marketplace is Meth-Lab contamination, and we can perform this sample testing service for you in a timely manner. The financial liabilities are real and they are stacked against whoever currently owns the property. Until the laws are changed, it is buyer beware.

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Wonkette has a copy of a letter sent by U.S. Rep. David Dreier to constituents in the 26th Congressional District.

Here's what Wonkette says:

Everybody in California's 26th congressional district got this crazy-ass ALL CAPS hand-written freakout from beloved conservative bachelor David Dreier today. You can read the second page of ALL CAPS "MUST DRILL 4 OIL AT SEA WORLD OR ISLAMO FASCISTS WILL KILL KILL KILL" in the comments of basically all blogs everywhere.

I think the reference to the second page is a joke. BTW, here's what folks in Washington think about the San Gabriel Valley: (this comes from the comments to the same post)

You East Coast Wankers have to realize with what you are dealing.

California's 26th Congressional District is way out in the San Gabriel Valley, where it's hot as hades; there are no jobs; real estate values are in the toilet, and EVERYBODY has to DRIVE to get someplace else that is more semi-habitable, e.g., L.A.

So the Fine Folks From The 26th would approve shoving a Hughes Tool Co. diamond-studded drill bit up the behind of a cherubic 9 month old baby if they thought it would bring gas prices down.

If you don't believe me, consider this: Rancho Cucamonga is one of the larger "cities" in the 26th. (I kid you not.)

And the demographics look like this:
Median Household Income: $68,968 (most of which is generated by meth labs)

8.4% are below the poverty line (that's the National poverty line. Applying California Cost of Living standards, it's more like 40%

Occupation:

17.3% blue collar (i.e., no teeth bikers who buy the meth)
70.7% white collar (tweeker lab techs)
As of 2002, there are 639,088 people in the 26th District of California.

35.4% are registered Democratic (White trash)
46.4% are registered Republican (More white trash)
5.2% are African American (Running scared from The Man)
16.7% are Asian-American (Running scared to school)
24.4% are Hispanic (Running scared from La Migra)

David Dreier is PERFECT for them.

LA Observed points to a post on Eater LA labeled as a "serious rant." Here's the gist: Some moron at the County Health Department has decided that the mustard at Philippe's is "unsanitary."

As far as I know (and I have several T-Shirts to prove it) Philippe's has been in business for 100 years -- since 1908 to be exact. County officials and city officials eat there often. So what happened? Did some health inspector not get invited to lunch with the boss and decide to take it out on the restaurant?  That's my guess.

Any attack on this fine eating establishment is an attack on all of us who love french dip and sawdust floors.

Here's the rant:

Blasphemy! From one angry French dip lover: "Who's the stupid idiot in the health department that forced the removal of the Mustard pots on the tables at Philippe!? Are they serious? A 100 year old tradition out the window because of some by-the-book bs! Seriously?! If it was good enough in 1908, it's good enough for 2008. They have a squeeze-ee bottle at the counter with little paper cups you can fill up. But really. Come on! After 100 years, NOW it's unsanitary