In Other News

[Uncle Sparky]

Maybe he could be the new White House pet... or Secretary of War?

[Broken_Erika]

From booze to black belts: Virginia's drunk raccoon suspected in karate shop break-in

A raccoon that broke into a Virginia store and joyfully drank its way through the liquor aisle is now suspected of a wider crime spree, officials say.
A Hanover animal control officer suspects the stripe-tailed mammal also broke into a nearby karate studio and then raided the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for snacks.
"Supposedly, this is the third break-in he's had," said Officer Samantha Martin.
The raccoon, now nicknamed the "trashed panda", was first discovered passed out in the bathroom of the Ashland liquor store two days after Thanksgiving. After sobering up, the unlikely outlaw was released back into the wild.

A new study found the masked mammals known for rummaging rubbish bins for easy food, are evolving and getting comfortable around humans.
Ms Martin says it's only a matter of time before the masked bandit strikes the shopping centre again.
"This is not the first time he's been in one of the buildings," she told the county government's official podcast, Hear in Hanover, on Thursday.
"He was in the karate studio. I think he got into the DMV [and] ate some of their snacks one time," she said.
She later added that there is a chance the earlier break-ins could have been perpetrated by a different raccoon - but officials have identified him as their prime suspect.

Raccoons are known for breaking into peoples garbage cans, leading to the nickname "trash panda".
The county has been selling shirts with the logo "trashed panda" and has raised a whopping $207,000 (£155,000) as of Friday. The money will be used to renovate the shelter, and add to its capacity, Ms Martin said.
Officials say the little Kung Fu trash panda was living his best life when he was detained in the liquor store and kept his spirits up even after being placed in the county kennel.
"I just set him in there, [and] let him kinda relax for a few hours. The sun was beating on him so he was feeling good," Ms Martin said, adding that he was released about one mile away from the shopping complex. "He didn't do anything wrong. He was just having a good time."
The story has gone viral, which Ms Martin says is because it is so "relatable".
"Everybody's been there," she says. "Everybody's had a few extra and passed out by the toilet, and hopes somebody can come get you the next morning."
"I hope he learned his lesson," she said, before adding that there's a good chance he might be found committing another heist soon.
"He'll be back. He's not a dummy."

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y2271q20lo

[Bereta_Eder]

EU's economy saved!
Greek nominated as the block's top official of finance

https://www.euractiv.com/news/greece-hails-eurogroup-win-as-eu-funds-scandals-weigh-on-government/

(yes we invented irony)

[Uncle Sparky]

You should be able to blow off one hand and one leg,
So they can have a hook and a peg.

[BeBMan]

Porch pirates should talk like good old real pirates.

[Broken_Erika]

Meet the World's Unluckiest — Not to Mention Entitled — Porch Pirate

This teenager swiped a booby-trapped package that showered him with glitter, and then he tripped over a sprinkler in his haste to flee and injured his wrist. If you're wondering why no lawyer will agree to represent him, we can explain …

"I got hurt on the job — in my first few minutes, actually — and can't find a lawyer anywhere to take my case." That was how my conversation began with 17-year-old "Beau," who was calling from Charleston, S.C.

"Well, Beau, what kind of job do you have, and how were you injured?"

"Mr. Beaver, you will figure it out sooner or later, so I might as well be upfront. This was to be a weekend job as a porch pirate, working for a guy who runs a crew. A box I picked up exploded, spraying pink glitter everywhere — like what would happen in a gender reveal — and then a loud alarm sounded.

"In my hurry to get away, I tripped over a sprinkler head on the front lawn, fell and fractured my right wrist.

"I want to file a workers' compensation claim and also sue the homeowner who rigged this booby-trapped package, but when I try to speak with an attorney, everyone laughs at me."

I thought, "Yeah, I would, too!" But why would a porch pirate, also known as a thief, from the South be calling me?
Morally satisfying, entertaining videos

We've all seen — on the news and other websites — videos of a porch pirate swiping a package and walking away with a look of great satisfaction on their face, and then BOOM! The package explodes, covering the thief in brightly colored powdered dye or glitter. Next, we hear the creep swearing loudly.

There are hundreds of these videos that are morally satisfying, especially to anyone who has been the victim of a porch pirate.

Unfortunately, many are AI-generated, but everyone I've spoken to enjoys watching the instant karma that's delivered.

Now, going into business as a porch pirate requires only two things: a vehicle and being morally bankrupt. But what if you don't have reliable transportation that enables a quick getaway and still have dreams of financial independence through theft?

You go to work for someone who has both.

As Beau explained, "I met a guy who hires people to steal packages. The process was very smooth, very professional." This is how Beau described it:

The "employer" had one vehicle follow actual delivery drivers and report the addresses where parcels were delivered.

Wearing high-visibility safety vests, Beau and his cohorts were driven to those addresses, where they placed a business card for a tree trimming company on the porch near the recently delivered package, took a photo of it to make the process appear legit, then they would grab the package and leave. (The boss wanted a photo to keep all the Beaus from ripping him off.)

Not only did Beau share a photo of this event, he had an actual video — from walking up to the porch to when he fell.

"This was my first house," he said. "I was nervous, and instead of selecting the photo option on my phone, I accidentally pushed the button for video." (He also mistakenly picked up a package that had already been sitting on the porch, not the one that had just been delivered.)

He played it for me. I almost fell out of my chair, laughing.
Why was this South Carolina teen reaching out to a lawyer in California?

Beau explained that he did not tell his father what "the job" was, only that he fell and needed to speak with an attorney.

"My dad reads your Kiplinger column, and you interviewed a lawyer there some time ago, so we thought you might be able to put us in touch with someone."

Even if I could, I would not.
Could a homeowner actually be held liable in this case?

Every law student in America can tell you about the 1971 Iowa Supreme Court case Katko v. Briney.

The Brineys owned an unoccupied farmhouse that had been repeatedly vandalized and burglarized. They set up a loaded shotgun trap in a bedroom, set to fire when the door was opened, aimed to hit an intruder in the legs. No warning signs were posted.

Katko broke into the house to steal antique bottles and jars and was severely injured when he triggered the trap.

After pleading guilty, he sued the Brineys for actual and punitive damages and was awarded $30,000. The Brineys had to sell much of their farm to satisfy the judgment.

I remember to this day the outrage of students in Professor Ogren's torts class at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. How could any lawyer help to reward this thief? How could a state Supreme Court validate the judgment?

This case is still precedent for the proposition that courts do not approve of potentially deadly booby traps, placing human safety over the value of property.

The law generally permits the use of deadly force only when a person is present and faces an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm. Booby traps, by definition, operate when the owner is likely not present, removing the possibility of a human judgment call on the necessity of force.

Clearly, our genius Beau tripped over a sprinkler head — which was not part of the booby trap — and the glitter did not cause injury. Juries and judges would think, "The kid got what he deserved" — and that is why no lawyer playing with a full deck would take his case.

Has any homeowner been prosecuted or sued for an exploding "bait" package of glitter or dye? I could find no cases, anywhere, over the past several years.

That said, it isn't recommended that you booby-trap your packages.
My advice to Beau

I thanked Beau for his call, telling him that he was far luckier than he realized.

"You were about to embark on a path that could lead to state prison. Think of the fractured wrist as the luckiest break of your life. Get an education, or a trade, steer clear of creeps who dangle quick-money schemes before your eyes. Also, tell your family the truth and about our conversation."

He promised to do so. I think he will.

https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/why-this-porch-pirate-cant-get-a-lawyer?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us

[SlowwHand]

[Dauphin]

Didn't want to let facts get in the way of a fanciful story.

[pchang]

You know that the car would also shorten, right?

[Dauphin]

Ye English bastaaards

[Uncle Sparky]

Besides, 'Scot' is a Sassanach word.

[Dauphin]

Then why do they still call their whiskey that?

It's more about not calling people 'Scotch', due to historical connotations. Most Scots (or Brits and Irish more generally) will just call the drink 'whisky' or 'whiskey' if Irish / American derivative. 'Scotch' only really used in marketing to accommodate certain foreign markets.


Of course it's not the only slur word not used as a slur in the original post I was commenting on.

[Broken_Erika]

Turnip Prize winner for 2025 announced at ceremony



The winner of the coveted 2025 Turnip Prize has been announced.
Organised by a Somerset pub each year, the Turnip Prize is awarded to the person who has created a very bad artwork using the least amount of effort possible. It is a parody of the world-famous Turner Prize.
At a special ceremony at The New Inn in Wedmore, Somerset, the prestigious art award was given to 69-year-old Ali Can for his piece entitled Bitter & Twisted, which consists of a crushed can of beer.
"It's a great honour to receive the fantastic prize and I look forward to being pedaled around all of the media studios to air my story," said Mr Can.

This was the 27th time the Turnip Prize had been presented. The winner takes home a turnip impaled on a rusty six inch nail in a block of wood as a trophy and a blue plaque.
The event began in response to Tracey Emin's My Bed being shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1999.
This was not the first time Mr Can had entered the competition and he said his winning piece had been inspired by past injustices.
"Whilst on a bike ride, I was contemplating on what to enter and remembering I was robbed in the 2022 Turnip Prize final by some geezer from London," he said.
"I'm a little 'bitter n twisted' that the 2022 blue plaque left the village, so that's the reason behind my entry," he added.

Turnip Prize organiser Trevor Prideaux said he was "delighted with the lack of effort taken to create this work", which was one of 69 entries.
He said: "It's fantastic that Ali Can has won. He clearly has what it takes to be recognised in modern art circles and will be remembered in art history for no time at all.
"I believe that over the last 27 years the artists entering Turnip Prize have created by far better works than Alex Farquharson and The Tate Britain Gallery could ever wish to exhibit."
Organisers auctioned off the chance to be a judge at this year's event as a way of raising money for charity.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypqr4xzlro

[Broken_Erika]

Well, yes.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_(adjective)

Scotch is an adjective in English, meaning "of or from Scotland". Many Scots dislike the term Scotch and some consider it offensive.

Then why do they still call their whiskey that?

[SlowwHand]

Scottish