NEWS OF THE DAY!

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The Washington Post reports that the carjackers who set off international alarm bells by absconding with a truckload of highly radioactive cobalt-60, used in hospital radiotherapy machines, most likely had no idea what they were stealing and will die soon from exposure. The robbery occurred as the cobalt-60 was being driven from a public hospital in the border town of Tijuana to a storage facility in central Mexico. While waiting for daybreak at a gas station in the state of Hidalgo the drivers were jumped by two gunmen who beat them and stole the truck. "I believe, definitely, that the thieves did not know what they had; they were interested in the crane, in the vehicle," says Mardonio Jimenez, a physicist with Mexico's nuclear safety commission. The prospect that material that could be used in a radioactive dirty bomb had gone missing sparked an urgent two-day hunt that concluded when the material, cobalt-60, used in hospital radiotherapy machines, was found along with the stolen Volkswagen truck. The cobalt-60 was found, removed from its casing, in a rural area near the town of Hueypoxtla about 25 miles from where the truck was stolen. Jimenez suspects that curiosity got the better of the thieves and they opened the box. So far the carjackers have not been arrested, but authorities expect they will not live long. "The people who handled it will have severe problems with radiation. They will, without a doubt, die.""

In an Atlanta suburb, Kaveh Kamooneh was charged with theft for plugging his Nissan Leaf into a Chamblee Middle School 110V outlet; the same outlet one could use to charge a laptop or cellphone. The Leaf draws 1KW/hour while charging which works out to under $0.10 of electricity per hour. Mr Kamooneh charged his Leaf for less than 30 minutes, which works out to about a nickel. Sgt. Ernesto Ford, the arresting officer, pointed out, 'theft is a theft,' which was his argument for arresting Mr. Kamooneh. Considering the cost of the infraction, it does not seem a reasonable decision when considering how much this will cost the state in legal funds. Does this mean anyone charging a laptop or cell phone will be charged with theft as well?"

Sweden is taking steps to close many prisons due to lack of prisoners.  It seems they take steps for preventing crime rather than focusing on jailing people involved in criminal activities.  This year alone, four prisons and a detention center were closed. The percentage of the population in Sweden prison is significantly lower than in most other countries.  Hey US legislators, are you listening?

Norman Gurley, 30, is facing drug-related charges in Lorain County, Ohio, despite the fact that state troopers did not actually find any drugs in his possession. It seems Ohio passed a law in 2012 making it a felony to alter a vehicle to add a secret compartment with the 'intent' of using it to conceal drugs for trafficking.  Gurley is the first person arrested under the strange law.  How long do you think it will take have it declared illegal?

Wendy's employee Amy Seiber was arrested and soon became an ex-employee on Nov. 1, when a customer at the chain's Lovejoy, Ga. location called 911 on Nov. 1 and reported there was a half-smoked blunt inside her burger.  Police say when they showed up, Seiber, 32, told them the blunt belonged to her, and that she "misplaced" it inside the cheeseburger. She was arrested for possession of marijuana.  The customer told TMZ she suffered from symptoms similar to food poisoning and had to be hospitalized. She also said that Wendy's offered to pay for her medical bills, and also gave her a $50 gift certificate.

A woman who allegedly offered topless hairstyling services in northern Colorado faces criminal charges. But police say the problem isn't cutting hair without a top. It's cutting hair without a license.  Forty-six ear old Suzette Hall was arrested Wednesday night on suspicion of practicing cosmetology without a license.  Hall's former partner says she advertised $45 topless haircuts online.  According to the arrest warrant, the former partner called police about the topless styling because she "did not believe this was safe or proper."  Hall's ex-husband told police she set up shop in Loveland and offered services as "Rebel Barber." He told police she applied for "a nude license for hairstylists," but no such license exists.

An Italian vending machine selling sex toys and contraceptives has caused outrage after it was placed on a town's railway platform.  Vibrators, love balls, gels, condoms and a selection of saucy undies are among the items for sale as families go about their daily journeys in Casarsa, in north east Italy.  Now, pressure is mounting for the raunchy goods to be removed after parents complained about the effect on children.

"It is a disgrace," said Maria Tutanella, a mother-of-three. "My son saw it and pointed at a huge sex toy and said: 'Mama, what is that?'  "It was a huge black dildo is what it was - and my son is four! What madness seizes people in offices that they allow this?"  One of the parents said: "I agree with the condoms vending machine, condoms help to prevent sexual transmissible diseases and it's right that our children can use them.  But sex toys are too much for me.  The firm that owns the vending machine said it has placed other machines in many other stations without complaints.