A compilation of brief news reports for Monday, June 4, 2007.

MediaCorp Radio in Singapore has been fined 15,000 Singaporean dollars (US$9,800) over an on-air stunt in March in which female guests on a radio show were asked to remove their brassieres, and pose for video that was to be posted on the station’s website and on YouTube.

The Media Development Authority said the radio show’s hosts made improper and sexually suggestive remarks about “how fast the bras were removed, as well as the color, design and cup size of the bras, and the size of the girls’ breasts.”

Sources

• AP. “Fine for Singapore radio bra stunt” — CNN, June 4, 2007
• Sapa-AFP. “Station fined for bra contest” — Independent Online (South Africa), June 4, 2007

Researchers at University of Malaya say they have developed an erectile dysfunction cure from walnut extract.

“It takes about an hour for the effects to set in and it will last for about four hours,” said Professor Dr. Kim Kah Hwi of the Faculty of Medicine Physiology.

So far, 40 volunteers have tried the Viagra alternative, called “N-Hanz”, with positive results, Kim said. To make one pill, it takes about 3.3 kilograms (about 7 pounds) of walnuts.

Sources

• Royce Cheah. “Researchers produce Viagra alternative from walnuts” — The Star (Malaysia), June 3, 2007
• “Walnut pills rival Viagra” — Herald Sun, June 4, 2007

An 8-year-old Indonesian boy died after being attacked on Saturday by a Komodo Dragon at Komodo National Park on Komodo.

The boy was attacked while making a toilet stop in a bush, a park official said. “The dragon bit his waist, tossed him and dragged him. His right leg was badly scratched,” park spokesman Heru Rudiharto said. The boy then bled to death.

Attacks by Dragons on humans are rare, though the reptiles, which can grow to a length of 3 meters (9 feet), regularly kill such prey as pigs and small deer. Komodo Dragons are an endangered and protected species, and about 2,000 of them live in the wild, mainly on Komodo and nearby Rinca island.

Sources

• AP. “Indonesian boy killed in Komodo dragon attack” — CNN, June 4, 2007
• Fred Attewill. “Boy killed in dragon attack” — Guardian Unlimited, June 4, 2007

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Saturday, November 14, 2009

The Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police have begun a statewide campaign to reduce the number of road fatalities in Illinois this year by 100. The program began last Thursday and will continue until the end of the year.

There were 1,043 road fatalities in Illinois last year, and this year officials want that figure to be at 943 or less. If successful, the state will have experienced the fewest road fatalities since 1921. Organizations and advocacy groups throughout the state are encouraging citizens to promote public awareness of unsafe driving practices, such as driving while impaired, distracted, or unbelted. In addition to saving lives, the program is also aimed at reducing the costs associated with car crashes. According to the National Safety Council, the average economic cost associated with a road fatality is $1 million.

More than 400 law enforcement agencies throughout the state are being asked to enhance operations and provide weekly activity and crash reports. The Itasca Police Department, for example, has joined the initiative and will target DUI and seat belt violations, and the Ottawa Police Department will increase enforcement of driving laws by issuing citations to violators.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A former accountant for Oral Roberts University (ORU) has filed a lawsuit against ORU and its Board of Regents claiming he was told by Richard Roberts and his wife Lindsay to “cook the books”, hiding financial wrongdoing from authorities and the public. Trent Huddleston, the accountant, has filed suit against the school and the Robertses claiming he “was improperly and unlawfully directed to perform functions and duties in violation of state and federal law in an effort by the defendants to ‘cook the books’ and hide from the appropriate authorities and the public the continued wrongdoing, improper and illegal conduct of the defendants, and in particular, of Richard and Lindsay Roberts.”

Huddleston said that nearly $123,000 in remodeling fees for their home was paid by Oral Roberts University and Oral Roberts Ministries. In addition the lawsuit alleges $4,000 was spent on a pool table for the Robertses. Previously the Roberts were accused of illegal political and financial wrongdoing, which forced the president to step down from his positison.

Last week at a meeting called by Oral Roberts, founder of the University and former faith healer, a majority of the faculty voted against allowing Richard to serve as president.

An ORU spokesman declined to comment on latest lawsuit and the faculty meeting.

In other news, Tulsa World released emails between Richard and his political adviser and sister-in-law, Stephanie Cantees. The emails given by an anonymous source, show the two plan to gain political influence using ORU students.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

German side 1. FSV Mainz 05, of the Second Bundesliga, have reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal, Germany’s equivalent of the FA Cup, for the first time in their history. They defeated Bundesliga side FC Schalke 04 by 1 – 0 on a goal from Aristide Bancé in the 88th minute. For Schalke, it was just another disappointment in an already dismal season; being elminiated from the Cup means they must improve their current Bundesliga standing to fifth – it was eighth place at the conclusion of the 22nd Matchday – to have any chance to appear in the UEFA Europa League.

Mainz got started just after the first whistle, when Markus Feulner had a shot from the left side blocked by Jefferson Farfán after eight minutes. However, Schalke began to dominate after the half-hour mark. A shot from Heiko Westermann sailed just wide of the goal in the thirty-second, and a corner kick from Mladen Kristaljic richocheted off the crossbar eight minutes later. Schalke manager Andreas Müller was unhappy with his team’s effort in the first half, however, saying “We don’t have enough power to penetrate towards the front.” Striker Kevin Kurányi was replaced by Halil Altintop at the break. An opportunity for Mainz in the sixty-eighth was stopped by keeper Manuel Neuer after an unsuccessful rescue attempt by Ivan Rakitic. Altintop had a shot fly inches wide of the post in the seventy-first. Schalke nearly gave up a penalty in the eighty-second as Rafinha made a hard and controversial tackle on Sr?an Baljak, but referee Felix Brych allowed play to continue. Finally, in the eighty-eighth, Aristide Bancé converted off of a long indirect free kick to put Mainz through to the semi-finals.