I was sick of reading the horrible news stories on CNN, so I went to thesmokinggun.com in search of some comedic relief.  The following story is more amazing than funny – it’s amazing that they put this poor girl through this, and it’s amazing that they wasted tax payers’ dollars in doing so.

From thesmokinggun.com:

AUGUST 21–The next time you forget to return a couple of library books (and ignore those annoying letters about the overdue status of said volumes), think of Heidi Dalibor. The Wisconsin woman, 20, was arrested earlier this month in connection with a pair of books overdue for several months. Dalibor, who made the mistake of ignoring a court citation issued after she failed to respond to letters and phone calls from the Grafton library, was busted August 6 for failing to return copies of Janet Fitch’s best-seller “White Oleander” (a 1999 Oprah Book Club selection) and “Angels & Demons,” author Dan Brown’s precursor to “The Da Vinci Code.” According to a police report, Dalibor was apprehended at her family’s home, cuffed and stuffed in a cruiser, and booked for violating the “overdue library materials” ordinance.  Dalibor subsequently settled with the library by paying her overdue fines and reimbursing it for the cost of the two novels, which totaled around $180. Dalibor’s mother Patty said that her daughter was “a good kid” who works two jobs. She is also now the owner of the Fitch and Brown books, which Dalibor got to keep as a result of paying off her library levies.

As I recently learned there is New Kids on the Block reunion tour; however, one group you will probably not be seeing soon is Culture Club, that wonderfully odd 1980s pop group led by the ultra-colorful, ultra-fruity George O’Dowd (more commonly referred to as Boy George).  Boy was planning a 30-day United States tour to begin on July 10 (thank goodness, no unwanted surprises).  However, he was denied a visa due to charges  that accused him of “falsely imprisoning a Norwegian male escort”.  Please tell me how it would not be false to imprison another person.  Although he plead not guilty to the charges, the US government still denied the cross-dressing performer the visa.

Culture Club enjoyed their (what now seems much too long) 15 minutes of fame with songs such as Karma Chameleon.  I think there were a few other successful songs but obviously less familiar.  Yet another group that seemed good when you were about 10 years old that make you shake your head and wonder why.

Has he not been in trouble with the law before.  If memory serves, he was sentenced to community service a few years ago and seen picking up garbage?  I do recall the Broadway musical Taboo that he wrote the lyrics to and Rosie O’Donnell financed a few years ago that lasted entirely too long.  A good suggestion for any theatre group.

I suppose if you live across the Atlantic, you could catch Mr. George on his United Kingdom tour.

Two news items in one day after a drought! This one is about several parents being arrested- because their kids racked up too many unexcused absences. I am not really sure how to feel about this one. After all, parents do have a responsibility to make sure their kids are educated. But handing them over to the police? (shakes head in bewilderment). As long as this doesn’t involve criminal charges- unless they were doing something illegal with the kids- I guess it can’t hurt to scare them a little in front of a judge.

15 Fla. Parents Arrested In Connection With Children’s Unexcused Absences At School