Kelowna: DeHart fundraiser back by popular demand She’s baaack! Maxine DeHart announced Tuesday she will host the 13th annual Drive-Thru Breakfast at the Ramada Hotel in support of the United Way on Sept. 30. The announcement marked a reversal from what DeHart said she believed was the final drive-thru fundraiser last year. 9/2/2010 6:08:30 AM
And all that jazz...Pentastic Jazz Festival A variety of jazz stylings is on the menu for the 14th annual Pentastic Jazz Festival happening Sept. 10 – 12. Dubbed as “The Best Jazz Party in the Northwest” it features 13 bands, among them a pair of local bands, the Offramp Jazz Quintet and The Cactus Jazz Band. 9/2/2010 5:53:12 AM
Wenatchee, Wash.: Hiker shoots self in butt on Blewett Pass A hiker on Blewett Pass shot himself in the butt when he put a handgun in his back pocket. The Chelan County sheriff's office says the 52-year-old Snohomish man had moved his handgun from its holster to his back pocket to see if that position would be more comfortable. (Ed: Now he knows.) 9/1/2010 6:31:36 PM
Son of boxing promoter Arum missing in Cascades Nearly two dozen mountaineers and park rangers are searching for the son of Hall of Fame boxing promoter Bob Arum, who's been missing since a weekend camping trip in Washington state. John Arum was expected to arrive home Sunday after climbing Storm King, a rugged mountain peak about a seven-hour drive from Seattle. 9/1/2010 5:24:17 PM
When Texting Becomes an Addiction We seem to be slaves to technology these days. We have our blackberries, our cell phones, our iPods. It's gotten so bad that, for some people, it's an unhealthy obsession, reports CBS News Correspondent Michelle Miller. And teenage girls lead the charge. 9/1/2010 4:46:17 PM
Okanagan Similkameen Volunteers go extra mile for Ironman Say it again. Repeatedly the words success and volunteers come up when the Penticton Subaru Ironman Canada triathlon is mentioned. And this year was no different. An estimated 4,000-plus individuals gave of themselves to perform tasks where ever they were needed during the six-day event. 9/1/2010 1:24:53 PM
House fire investigation: The dead plant did it A fire that did $20,000 in damages to a northeast Arkansas home wasn't caused by an electrical problem or burning food or arson, an insurance investigator concluded. Instead, the dead plants did it, according to a report summary provided to the homeowner, Brian Duncan. 9/1/2010 1:14:03 PM
Highest-paid athlete hailed from ancient Rome Ultra millionaire sponsorship deals such as those signed by sprinter Usain Bolt, motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi and tennis player Maria Sharapova, are just peanuts compared to the personal fortune amassed by a second century A.D. Roman racer, according to historical magazine Lapham's Quarterly. 9/1/2010 12:42:08 PM
Some U.S. cities sink boozy float parties on public waters Floatopia, beer floating, float-a-palooza — there are many names, but the key ingredients stay the same: Sun, a public body of water, inflatable rafts — and booze. In some cases, lots of booze. And just last month, a California man drowned in the Colorado River during the Bullhead City-Laughlin River Regatta. 9/1/2010 12:13:04 PM
Sharon Amos: Contributions remembered While there have been many tributes to Sharon Amos since she died on Jan. 5, perhaps none is so fitting as the new plaque installed on the dedication wall at the entrance to Okanagan Lake Park. An extraordinarily dedicated and memorable person, Amos was involved in many facets of community life. 9/1/2010 8:55:34 AM
Man plunges 40 storeys - and lives A NEW York City man who leapt 40 storeys from the rooftop of an apartment building has survived after crashing on to a parked car. Witnesses and police say 22-year-old Thomas Magill jumped from the high-rise at West 63rd Street yesterday. 9/1/2010 8:43:36 AM
Sarah Palin to speak in Vancouver in October Former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is one of six international speakers who will be coming to Vancouver in coming months on the invitation of the Bon Mot book club. Palin will appear at the Vancouver Club for the Oct. 13 event. 9/1/2010 7:48:26 AM
IPE in Armstrong, Gates open on five days of fun It takes the work of many hands to transform the grounds of the Interior Provincial Exhibition from a barren lot into a midway full of flashing lights and whirling, twirling rides and games. The 111th annual IPE — which includes a rodeo and agricultural exhibits — runs until Sunday. 9/1/2010 7:09:29 AM
Ironman: Athletes get a head start on next year It was an Ironman of sorts all its own just signing up for next year, especially for one woman who set up camp at 11 p.m. Sunday. “Pretty much,” agreed Jennifer Coleman of Montana who was first in a long lineup that snaked through Okanagan Park onto Lakeshore Drive on Monday morning. 8/31/2010 9:35:27 PM
A battle between faith, reason and snake handlers A professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of California–Berkeley quit the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL), voicing concern that North America’s leading organization for biblical scholarship had welcomed “the views of creationists, snake-handlers, and faith healers.” 8/31/2010 8:10:22 PM
Nude bondage photos of Manitoba judge contained in complaint Naked photographs of a senior Manitoba judge engaged in bondage are part of a man's complaints to legal watchdogs about the judge's past. Alexander Chapman said Jack King showed him about 30 sexually explicit photos, naked in various forms of bondage, in chains, with sex toys and performing oral sex. 8/31/2010 7:32:57 PM
Cleanliness linked to moral judgment, U of T study finds A University of Toronto researcher has found a connection between cleanliness – real or imagined – and an ability to pass harsh moral judgments on issues and people. Chen-Bo Zhong has been examining the links between morality and cleanliness for a number of years. 8/31/2010 6:13:25 PM
Man replaces ex-girlfriend with custom-made sex doll A SEX-starved businessman was so hung up on his ex-girlfriend after she dumped him that he paid $18,000 to recreate her as a life-sized sex doll. The 50-year-old man put together a collection of photos of his ex and told Italian adult toymaker Diego Bortolin: "I want it just like her but with bigger boobs." 8/31/2010 6:06:44 PM
Calif. doctor gets stuck in chimney, dies A doctor involved in an "on-again, off-again" relationship apparently tried to force her way into her boyfriend's home by sliding down the chimney, police said Tuesday. Dr. Jacquelyn Kotarac, 49, first tried to get into the house with a shovel, then climbed a ladder to the roof. 8/31/2010 5:47:29 PM
We grew up on TV dinners My mother turned 89 last April and a couple of weeks later she moved into a retirement residence. It’s a swanky one. You have your own apartment, but the dining room serves three meals a day. That was the main attraction for my mom. 8/31/2010 5:23:21 PM
Spain: Gang Plied Gigolos with Cocaine, Viagra Spanish police say that for the first time they have broken up a human-trafficking gang that brought men to the country to work as prostitutes, providing them with Viagra, cocaine and other stimulant drugs to be available for sex with other men 24 hours a day. 8/31/2010 5:08:06 PM
B.C. churches volunteer to house Tamil migrants Parishioners at St. Catherine's Anglican and Trinity United churches in the Vancouver suburb of Port Coquitlam are planning to help a Tamil family settle in the city by paying one month's rent and linking them to local social services. 8/31/2010 8:04:02 AM
Sister Madonna enjoys Ironman experience - despite pitfalls Even though she withdrew early, the 2010 Subaru Ironman Canada was memorable for Sister Madonna Buder, the 80-year-old nun from Spokane. Sister Madonna had won a gift certificate for the wetsuit of her choice from a competition in Santa Rosa, California, for coming first in her age division. 8/31/2010 7:10:58 AM
Masters of Wine: Joining exclusive company At only 14 Rhys Pender was introduced to wine when working in wine retail shop. Growing up in Canberra, Australia he only saw it as a job. Little did he know that 21 years later he would be one of only 281 people in the world to receive their Masters of Wine, only the fourth Canadian. 8/31/2010 7:05:11 AM
Penticton Wine Country Visitor Centre puts wineries on the map The Penticton Wine Country Visitor Centre has a new wine map on display outside the building. The huge eight-by-six-foot sign shows all the wineries in the Okanagan. While you are purchasing wine from the Wine Shop or buying tickets to the showa at the SOEC, check out the new wine map on display. 8/31/2010 6:56:14 AM
Keeping down with the Joneses These days, a growing cadre of North Americans are taking the Renaissance master's sentiment to heart very literally, selling their automobiles, building tiny homes, wearing the same clothes for months on end and happily giving away their clutter online. 8/30/2010 7:46:08 AM
Prize package comes as a shock Prize hoaxes are a common occurrence, and so is tossing out mail and hanging up on phone calls claiming you have won them. But, what if just one time that letter or phone call was the real deal. For Penticton’s Leanna Paakspuu this was the case, and originally giving the opportunity the cold shoulder she almost missed out. 8/30/2010 7:42:04 AM
Summerland: Okanagan College student receives national award A 19-year-old Okanagan College student from Summerland with a passion for giving is now on the receiving end of a prestigious national award. "This is going to make a huge difference to me," said Retzlaff, who has finished her first year in business administration at Okanagan College. 8/30/2010 7:02:44 AM
Protesters bare feelings at downtown Guelph, Ontario demo There were a few stares in Guelph, Ont., Saturday as a small group of women went topless. They staged an event that was aimed at encouraging women to be comfortable in going topless in places where men can go shirtless. About 50 observers -- mostly male -- showed up. 8/30/2010 12:10:56 AM
The USA's love affair with legendary criminals If it is real, it is extraordinary: a moment when the myths and legends of the Old West crystallised for a moment into a single group photograph. The story is told that the 15 men include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Wyatt Earp....... 8/29/2010 11:02:18 PM
The Billionaires Bankrolling the Tea Party Three heavy hitters rule. You’ve heard of one of them, Rupert Murdoch (who owns Fox News among other things). The other two, the brothers David and Charles Koch, are even richer, with a combined wealth exceeded only by that of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett among Americans. 8/29/2010 10:25:48 PM
Is technology stunting postsecondary kids' growth? You just left your child in a dilapidated university dorm room. Now he or she must deal with term papers, inconsiderate roommates and cram sessions. But with access to mobile technology, kids don’t have to handle those issues on their own any more. 8/29/2010 8:55:03 PM
Cop Tasers her boyfriend at party in Western Australia TWO police officers from Western Australia have been stood down following claims one used her Taser stun gun to shock her boyfriend at a party. Police said the two officers from Carnarvon are the subject of an internal investigation regarding the alleged misuse of Tasers. 8/29/2010 1:18:54 PM
Oxford Dictionary forsakes print version A TEAM of 80 has been working on it for the past 21 years, but now the lexicographers compiling the third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary are being told that it will never appear in print, its owner has admitted in a report today 8/29/2010 1:08:10 PM
Shanna Spalding Allegedly Confesses, Says She is Cat Woman - Also Burqa Woman Shanna Spalding, aka Pugatory, aka Cat Woman, let the cat out of the bag Thursday, according to police, confessing to a string of heists, including one committed while wearing a cat mask. Spalding told them she was "drunk" the day she allegedly held up a Nine West in Queens in April while wearing a cat mask. 8/29/2010 12:26:49 PM
Russian Spy Anna Chapman Turns Sexy Model for Russian Magazine Following her career in real estate and spying in the U.S. for the Russian government, Anna Chapman is taking advantage of her recent celebrity. The Russian website lifenews.ru showed a video of her posing provocatively for Zhara, a Russian magazine. 8/29/2010 11:31:02 AM
Armstrong: Interior Provincial Exhibition survives test of time Shirley Fowler has fond memories of attending the Interior Provincial Exhibition in her youth, and is now visiting the event with her grandchildren. But after 111 years of being held in the community north of Vernon, it‘s not that uncommon to have several generations of fairgoers. 8/29/2010 10:14:29 AM
Paralympian Josh Dueck sets high-five world record Josh Dueck may have been sore and tired Saturday but the Paralympian was all smiles after smashing the two-year-old record for the most high-fives dished out in a 24-hour period. Dueck, 29, was the recipient of an astonishing 9,307 high-fives over an exhaustive span at the PNE. 8/29/2010 7:25:35 AM
3,000 to start Sunday's Ironman Canada Triathlon, get out and cheer The Penticton area is bursting at the seams this weekend. An estimated 3,000 athletes started today's race, add in the 4,000 strong Iron Army of volunteers, family and friends, the loyal Ironman spectators, who can be found anywhere around the 180km course, and we've got the "magic" of Ironman Weekend. 8/29/2010 7:01:51 AM
'Ultimate salmon' packs the docks and boardwalks of Steveston The docks and boardwalks of Steveston were literally packed to the gills Saturday as fishermen unloaded their bountiful hulls before the hungry, cash-wielding crowds. The fish that had crowds queuing for as long as two hours Saturday morning was the freshly caught Fraser River sockeye salmon. 8/29/2010 6:46:34 AM
Steven Fonyo marries girlfriend on beach that bears his name After months of off-again, on-again plans, Steven Fonyo and Lisa Greenwood tied the knot on the beach that bears his name Saturday afternoon. “It will work out. I kept hearing that from Steve,” Greenwood said afterwards. “And the day did work out.” (Ed: Now give him back his Order of Canada.) 8/29/2010 6:25:01 AM
PM Harper on an ATV: 'I make the rules' Prime Minister Stephen Harper went ATVing today...on the runway at Tuktoyaktuk. He took off, and left his RCMP detail in the dust. They then chased him. Two officers on ATVs, and some more in pickup trucks. Harper roared up and down the Tuktoyaktuk airport runway. He was going very fast. His security detail continued to chase him. 8/28/2010 12:06:45 PM
The new 'Anti-Facebook': Will you use it? Developers of an open-source alternative to Facebook have set a launch date of Sept. 15. Diaspora is described as a "privacy-aware, personally controlled" social network. The project made headlines earlier this year when Facebook was slammed for its complex and confusing privacy settings. 8/28/2010 12:02:14 PM
Bust out your breasts in Guelph Ladies’ breasts and naked man-chests: that’s what you’ll see if you swing by the Top Freedom Day of Pride in Guelph on Saturday. It’s an event that encourages everyone — but women especially — to go top-free in public. More than 200 people have signed up for the event on Facebook. 8/28/2010 9:23:56 AM
Kaleden: Male one upmanship: retaining wall envy My family is caught in the middle of what appears to be a new form of male upmanship. It started last year with a visit from a neighbour adjacent to me whose back yard slopes rather steeply off a communal driveway that is shared by myself and two properties in front of us. 8/28/2010 8:55:50 AM
Saudi Arabian competing in Ironman Canada for disabled children Not too long ago Alwaleed Alkeaid was a couch potato. He admits this smiling just before he was about to begin the Subaru five kilometer run with 664 other participants on Thursday afternoon. “Now I’m going to be an Ironman,” said Alkeaid, the first person from Saudi Arabia to compete in the event. 8/28/2010 8:22:14 AM
Doctors 'shocked' at 56-pound tumour Argentine doctors were shocked when they looked into a woman's uterus searching for an orange-size tumour but found something that resembled a giant rock instead. Surgeons ended up removing a 56-pound tumour from the 54-year-old woman. It was 22 inches across. 8/28/2010 7:35:29 AM
Jake calling it a day Following one term as a city councillor and three terms as head of Penticton City Council, former mayor Jake Kimberley is calling it day ending speculation. Kimberley recently sat down with the Herald and said he‘s had time to consider his political future. 8/28/2010 6:26:20 AM
Ironman Canada competition runs in the family Steve and Karen LaPointe have made a family affair out of the Penticton Ironman, as the couple work this towards their respective fifth and third Ironman competitions this Sunday. Steve enjoys the challenge that the day’s tribulations brings. It’s also a time that he and his wife can share together. 8/27/2010 10:04:56 PM
If your mailperson is sick, Canada Post holds your mail Letter carriers in B.C. have filed a stack of grievances to protest Canada Post's refusal to backfill them when they take time off work, according to their union.
Ken Mooney, regional grievance officer for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, says he has grievances from postal carriers who say their routes across B.C. were left uncovered for as many as three days. 8/27/2010 8:14:58 PM
Levi: Wish I Didn't Say Sorry to Sarah Palin Levi Johnston has been tight-lipped since his second engagement to Bristol Palin ended. Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin's grandson, says he wishes he hadn't apologized for telling lies about the former Alaska governor because he's "never lied about anything." 8/27/2010 8:10:33 AM
Abandoned shepherd was infested with maggots Despite the searing summer heat and open sores covering a good portion of her emaciated body, "Lacy" staggered towards a group of firemen conducting a practice session along the west Ladner waterfront. "I know dogs well, and judging from her body language as she came up to us, she wanted us to help," says Capt. Dave Plenert. 8/27/2010 7:02:38 AM
I feel so stupid . . . I never suspected Tiger of a single affair, says ex-wife Elin Nordegren, the former wife of Tiger Woods, said she felt betrayed and embarrassed and "went though hell" after his serial infidelities were exposed. Miss Nordegren started losing her hair, suffered insomnia and weight loss, and underwent intensive therapy after her husband's secret life was exposed 8/26/2010 6:42:17 PM
The criminal baboons terrorising South Africa (Video) Whether it's the beautiful scenery, sea breezes or deep history, tourists flock to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa in droves. But now there is one visitor that the people of the Cape peninsula would rather live without. 8/26/2010 1:15:41 PM
Penticton: Steve King's thoughts on Sunday Ironman Race 2004 winner Tom Evans of Penticton will no doubt be the people‘s choice. Race announcer Steve King believes Evans is in with a good chance, also 2007 winner Kieran Doe of New Zealand. Defending Woman's champion Tereza Macel of Toronto is back and in tremendous form, King said. 8/26/2010 11:29:50 AM
Update: Report sparks welfare check on 104-year old heiress Msnbc.com readers have prompted New York City officials to start checking on the welfare of Huguette Clark, the reclusive 104-year-old heiress with three empty mansions. The inquiry into her well-being is in addition to a criminal investigation into the handling of Clark's finances. 8/26/2010 8:39:46 AM
Not new to Penticton, Sister Madonna Buder 80-year-old Ironwoman Outside of the church, she has a unique hobby. She competes in Ironman triathlons. The Spokane nun, who celebrated her 80th birthday in July, is a fan favourite with crowds at Subaru Ironman Canada in Penticton. Since 1987, she has competed in the Penticton event on 18 occasions, finishing 16 times. 8/26/2010 7:31:45 AM
Richmond man who rose to YouTube fame found dead in Thailand A 26-year-old Richmond man who found Internet fame during the Winter Olympics died in Thailand on Tuesday after apparently falling from a train and suffering a head injury. Krull found fame during the 2010 Games, after his plan to light a cigarette off the Olympic torch went awry. 8/26/2010 7:22:10 AM
SPCA Fund raising golf tournament at Twin Lakes An SPCA supported golf tournament will be held at Twin Lakes Golf Resort on Sunday, October 3 for only $75 total, tax included. Each participant receives 18 holes, a shared power cart, a beer or pop etc., prizes as well as a 50/50 beer draw to support the SPCA program. 8/26/2010 6:52:46 AM
Paralyzed computer engineer helps develop technology for kids with disabilities Eric Wan sways his head from side to side and the sound of tinkling ivories radiates throughout the room. The pace of the melody accelerates in tandem with the rhythm of his movements, as colourful shapes twirl in sync on a monitor. With each bob of the head, the computer engineering graduate is crafting his own little music composition. 8/25/2010 6:48:37 AM
Amanda Lindhout forgives captors Alberta journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan were freed last November, 15 months after gunmen in Somalia snatched them in August 2008. A ransom was reportedly paid to secure their release. Lindhout told the CBC's Curt Petrovich she had a choice to make when she came out of captivity. 8/25/2010 6:44:49 AM
Marijuana seized at bear-guarded grow-op stolen from cops In a strange twist, police say that evidence taken from a B.C. marijuana grow-op famous for its tame bears was stolen from an RCMP detachment and later discovered at a home filled with weapons and explosives. Justin Douglas, 35, of Greenwod, was arrested at the home, and police are looking for two suspects. 8/24/2010 10:53:27 PM
Francis Peck celebrates 85 years in Keremeos Former Mayor Francis Peck is a fixture in Keremeos, quite likely the oldest pioneer and longest surviving resident in Keremeos today. (She was born in 1925 in Hedley - the only community in the area with a hospital at the time). Francis met her husband, Arthur Peck, in 1948 during the construction of the Hope-Princeton Highway. 8/24/2010 9:05:24 PM
Spunky 79-year old woman kills Rattlesnake with ice chopper SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- A 79-year-old Sheboygan woman who couldn't find any help when a rattlesnake showed up on her patio said it was no big deal taking matters into her own hands. Margaret Street said she used an ice chopper to kill the snake with three cuts behind the head. 8/24/2010 8:58:23 PM
Seattle: Burglars leave sex tape, cops recognize them A sex video identified the suspects in a break-in at a rural home at Elma. The Grays Harbor County sheriff's office says a neighbor who had come to collect the mail while the owner was away Monday surprised a man and woman were having sex on the floor. 8/24/2010 8:47:52 PM
Feast of Fields in Okanagan Falls last weekend 500 people attended Sunday’s 2nd Okanagan Feast of Fields at the Brock Farm in Okanagan Falls. Like the first Okanagan event last year at the Valentine Farm in Summerland, this year’s version was also a sell out as people with wine glasses and linen napkins in hand began arriving by shuttle. 8/24/2010 8:41:59 PM
Residents confront church group shouting outside gay couple’s home (Video) After a Sunday showdown between evangelists and an unwilling audience, residents of a Leslieville street have sworn to defend their neighbours against what some see as a deliberate targeting of a gay couple with fire-and-brimstone sermons. 8/24/2010 6:21:34 PM
Woman who tossed cat in garbage bin has police protection A U.K. woman filmed throwing a cat into a garbage bin now has police officers stationed outside her house. Not to protect her from angry animal lovers baying for her blood on Facebook. But just to manage all the media who are standing there,” a Coventry Police spokesperson told the Star. 8/24/2010 6:02:31 PM
Hair-pulling soccer player returns to New Mexico New Mexico women's soccer player Elizabeth Lambert is back. She's being kept out of view, but she's back. After serving a two-game suspension for her role in a widely publicized hair-pulling fracas during a game last fall against BYU, Lambert has been reinstated and is eligible to play. 8/24/2010 5:14:16 PM
Whoops! New programs aim to curb email missteps A new, groundbreaking computer program called ToneCheck scans emails for tone, the same way Spell Check looks for spelling errors. Meanwhile, Google's Gmail now lets remorseful users recall an email within 30 seconds of sending it, up from the earlier five-second grace period. 8/24/2010 5:01:13 PM
Tales of a little dog from a big-hearted man Flipping through James Murray’s website, one immediately wonders whether this storyteller isn’t prone to tall tales. With a picture of his beloved dog Duff in his arms, the veteran community newspaper reporter has posted a story—one last story—about the faithful companion he calls his friend. 8/24/2010 4:20:48 PM
Toughest fan you'll ever meet, Blind woman stuns Yankees Ask yourself whether you'd do this: Leave home. Walk 20 minutes to the train station. Take a 70-minute train ride to New York City. Weave for 10 minutes over to the subway station. Then a half-hour ride to Yankee Stadium. Navigate the vendors and chaos to get to your seat. Now ask yourself: Would you do all that blind? 8/24/2010 3:35:51 PM
Kelowna: Boy, 5, dials 911 after spat with sister Police raced to the home of a five-year-old Kelowna boy on Monday after he called 911, declaring that he needed help, and hung up. RCMP converged on the Glenmore home, only to find the boy called police after getting into an argument with his six-year-old sister, who wasn't letting him use the family computer. 8/24/2010 1:41:31 PM
Steve King to Announce at the 2010 Subaru Ironman Canada Participants in the 2010 edition of Subaru Ironman Canada will be greeted at the finish line by the familiar voice of Steve King. King has been on the microphone for many of the 28 years the race has been held and is known as the voice of Ironman Canada. 8/24/2010 1:17:48 PM
Washington State: U.S. Army woman pleads guilty to murdering fellow soldiers, stealing baby An Army Specialist accused of killing two fellow soldiers and taking their baby has changed her plea to guilty. Ivette Davila allegedly confessed to another soldier that she went to Randi Miller's home to kill her because she thought the woman was having an affair with Davila's ex-boyfriend. 8/24/2010 7:35:02 AM
Ontario Mayor denies affair with Belleville's top cop The Mayor of Belleville, Ont., took to the airwaves on Monday insisting he has "absolutely not" had an affair with the town's chief of police, despite rumours otherwise. The rumours began circulating after Belleville Police Chief Cory McMullan revealed she had been the victim of an alleged domestic assault. 8/24/2010 7:24:29 AM
Facebook Places: Be your friends' 'Big Brother?' I hope you have nothing but good, trustworthy friends. If you don't, they might tell the world you are in some pretty crazy places, thanks to Facebook's new "Places" tool. An angry "friend" can broadcast to everyone (including your boss) that you are elsewhere -- even if you are in your cubicle working. 8/24/2010 7:21:05 AM
Lotto ticket checkers may miss wins Lottery players may be tossing out winning tickets because they're not being tested properly at self-serve checkers. According to the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, the problem isn't with the machines. It's how people are using them that make the results unreliable. 8/23/2010 7:27:45 PM
Britain: Woman dumps cat in garbage bin (Video) The grey-haired woman, aged around 50, is filmed stroking tabby Lola on a wall outside a house on Brays Lane in Coventry Saturday. But she then suddenly grabs the four-year-old cat by the scruff of the neck before throwing it into a wheelie bin and slamming the lid closed. She then calmly walks away. 8/23/2010 7:07:18 PM
Don’t miss Okanagan Gleaner’s public hearing Tuesday The Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) has approved the subdivision of a section of a lot on Road 3 from AG1 to Industrial. The RDOS is debating this possibility to allow for legal status for the Okanagan Gleaners to continue working on this site. 8/23/2010 6:43:13 PM
Palin family just out there grabbing the bucks, Bristol Palin gets $14,000 for benefit speech Bristol Palin, the unmarried teenage mother of Sarah Palin's first grandchild, is being paid $14,000 to speak at a benefit for a Christian home for unwed mothers in Louisville, Kentucky. She will speak Sept. 8 on behalf of Lifehouse, a home where 17 mothers have given birth since its founding in 2007. 8/23/2010 6:20:38 PM
Levi Johnston to run for Sarah Palin's old job Levi Johnston, the former fiance of Sarah Palin's teenage daughter Bristol, has filed official papers saying he intends to run for political office in Palin's Wasilla, Alaska hometown. Johnston signed up earlier this month to shoot a TV reality show. 8/23/2010 6:06:32 PM
Opposition MPs unite to keep spotlight on outgoing Veterans ombudsman Liberal and New Democrat members are using their majority on the veterans affairs committee to force a recall of the members to examine Pat Stogran's analysis that the lives of many injured vets have turned into a bureaucratic nightmare riddled with unfair treatment. (Ed: And our Defence Minister is hiding on the issue.) 8/23/2010 5:08:06 PM
Professional athletes the worst role models for young people Professional athletes, cynical team owners and adoring fans too quick to forgive and forget all share a delusion that pro sport throws up role models for troubled young people. Well, I suppose it is, if character means cheating, thieving, lying, philandering, violence, using drugs and going to prison. 8/23/2010 12:04:02 PM
These animals have more Facebook friends than you I’ll admit I was late to the social networking party. Once I joined Facebook, though, I soon realized it was a wonderful way to reconnect with friends and find out which of the mean girls from high school had gotten really fat. One thing I didn’t count on, however, was that Facebook would return me to high school in other ways. 8/23/2010 11:51:05 AM
German politician steps down to donate kidney to save his dying wife The leader of Germany’s opposition has temporarily stepped aside so that he can donate a kidney to his critically ill wife. The life-saving gift by Frank-Walter Steinmeier has deeply moved the German public and won praise from his bitterest political foes. 8/23/2010 11:39:35 AM
Teachers asked to 'unfriend' students on Facebook A school district in Florida is advising teachers not to "friend" students on social networking sites, claiming that teacher-student communication through this medium is "inappropriate." A list of guidelines to teachers suggested they don’t correspond with students through sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. 8/23/2010 10:30:46 AM
Female phenom pitcher strikes opponents out, one boy at a time (Video) A young baseball phenom has received one of the sport's highest honors for pitching not one, but two perfect games. And while a perfect game is a rare occurrence for the sport, what makes this 13-year-old pitcher's feat even more impressive is that she did it against the boys. Yes, she. 8/23/2010 9:35:27 AM
Athletes prepare for Ironman this Sunday The test point of a year’s worth of training for triathletes is drawing near in the form of the Ironman triathlon. Andrew Burden is approaching his fourth Ironman competition on Aug. 29. Burden competed twice at Ironman Canada, and once at Ironman Florida. 8/23/2010 9:16:57 AM
Many celebrated Canadians held racist views unacceptable today At least a dozen Canadians who’ve been formally recognized for their historic significance — including a past prime minister — harboured racial attitudes that would be deemed unacceptable today. A review of Parks Canada’s roster of 648 persons of national historic significance turned up several outspoken anti-Semites. 8/23/2010 8:26:12 AM
Man used dead father’s pension cheques to pay for strip clubs There are no more private dancers for David Ellwood Butler. Butler’s money dried up a few years ago after it was revealed he had been cashing his father’s government pension cheques for seven years after the man’s death. He says the strippers treated him well and he always had a good time. 8/23/2010 7:17:58 AM
Iowa Woman Arrested For Letting 12-year-old Drive Authorities say a woman has been charged for allegedly letting a 12-year-old child drive. Police said investigating officers found that 21-year-old Melissa Garcia had allegedly let the 12-year-old drive the car with three other children in the vehicle, which had been weaving all over the road. 8/23/2010 6:36:05 AM
Why women really do love self-obsessed psychopaths Bad boys, it seems, really do get all the girls. Women might claim they want caring, thoughtful types but scientists have discovered what they really want – self-obsessed, lying psychopaths. A study
has found that men with the "dark triad" of traits are likely to have a larger number of sexual affairs. 8/22/2010 9:04:51 PM
'BlackBerry overtime': Technology creating around-the-clock workers It’s Sunday night and you’re in bed. To make Monday a little less miserable you reach for your smartphone and start clearing email that piled up over the last week. An hour later, you turn off the light, satisfied you’re going to have a running start in the morning. Were you on the clock? Or on your own time? 8/22/2010 7:27:41 PM
Frankie Bones: Overbearing BC MInistry of Children Services backs off after news conference Frankie Bones, a foster child from Surrey, was offered an opportunity to study university-level music courses at Walla Walla University nearly a year ago. “I think it’s because of the news conference this morning,” Cordner said, referring to a media event that Carole James had arranged for the family on Friday. 8/22/2010 7:02:29 PM
Teen flies across country to deliver 1946 plane to owner Serge Labreche had just bought the plane of his dreams, sight unseen, at a price that seemed a steal: an iconic Piper J-3 Cub, built in 1946. But there was a problem. It was sitting 6,000 kilometres away from his native Quebec in Whitehorse, and he had no way of getting it back. 8/22/2010 1:17:43 PM
Australia: Man 'punches horse in head' in brawl A WILD melee in downtown Darwin ended with a police officer in hospital after a brawler allegedly attacked a horse, punching it in the head a number of times. Police have labelled it a "cowardly act" on members who were simply trying to keep everyone safe, the Sunday Terrorian reports. 8/22/2010 11:25:42 AM
Passions rev up in debate over loud motorcycles Passions are boiling across Canada over the issue of loud motorcycles. In one case, a Saskatoon city councillor who suggested a possible crackdown on noisy bikes has been threatened. Bob Pringle isn't alone in his quest to quiet down the roaring exhaust pipes favoured by some riders. 8/22/2010 10:55:35 AM
Britain: Service held in memory of Kent's giant carp A special service has been held after the death of a giant fish. "Two Tone", a mirror carp thought to be one of the UK's biggest freshwater fish, died earlier this month. Two Tone, who weighed 67lb 14oz, was found floating on the surface of Conningbrook lake. 8/22/2010 9:40:21 AM
Oliver: Deb is going! After 18 years at the Oliver Parks and Recreation – Deb Varner is moving east. This long term employee of the Town/Society has worked diligently to program activities for children, adults and seniors and will be missed by the community and the staff. 8/22/2010 9:34:50 AM
Nut Job: Thieves try massive peanut heist but wind up empty-handed A bold truck-jacking in Mexico has yielded thieves ... peanuts. Federal police say two suspects hijacked a truck containing 17 tons of peanuts at gunpoint. Police say the truck was listing to one side and they decided to pull it over, only to see a struggle taking place in the truck's cab. 8/22/2010 7:32:03 AM
Kelowna's Apple Triathlon: It‘s a race for everyone Triathletes of all ages, sizes and abilities are in town to take a bite out of the Kelowna Apple. The 28th annual Apple Triathlon started Friday evening with two open-water swim races on Okanagan Lake and continues through Sunday. 8/22/2010 7:17:39 AM
Dutch Teen Sets Sail on Solo World Trip A 14-year-old Dutch sailor departed in secrecy from Portugal Saturday avoiding the media because her manager said she didn't want the attention. She is sailing her 38-foot (11.5-meter) ship "Guppy" on a trip expected to last a year or more. 8/21/2010 5:26:03 PM
Vernon: Friends celebrating $1 million Trying to keep a million-dollar secret has been extremely challenging for two Vernon residents. Della Mattson and Robert Jewitt matched all seven numbers on an Aug. 6 Lotto Max ticket, but they didn’t claim their $1 million jackpot at the B.C. Lottery Corporation office in Kamloops until Wednesday. 8/21/2010 6:18:36 AM
Seattle schools enact controversial policy over students' online postings What Seattle school students post on public sites such as Facebook or MySpace could get them in trouble -- even if posted from home on their private computers. For example, if you were to write, "I'm going to kick your butt" on another student's page and the school principal hears about it, they can do something about it 8/20/2010 6:19:25 PM
Women sex offenders often unreported Women sex offenders often go unrecognized and unreported, although society is starting to pay closer attention to them, says a university criminologist. "What we've estimated is that females constitute approximately four to five per cent of all sex offenders," says Franca Cortoni. 8/20/2010 4:20:13 PM
Beware of online romance lies Lisa Hiatt met Ray Stamplecoski on the Internet while playing a virtual hand of cards. They bantered by email and "just clicked." Lisa remembers the date exactly -- it was Feb. 4, 2009. The romance was built on emails, text messages and cellphone conversations and, at least on Lisa's part, a lot of trust. 8/20/2010 4:17:30 PM
Update: One ‘oddball,’ 10 black bears, and $1-million worth of pot It is common knowledge in Christina Lake that a local woman known as the “Bear Lady” had befriended the wild animals at her remote cabin. But no one seemed to realize the bears were protecting what police describe as a million-dollar marijuana grow-op. (Ed: Police numbers are deceiving, only female plants have value. Also, a female gone to seed has little value.) 8/20/2010 12:38:44 PM
Getting the show on the road The vivid colours, flashy chrome and sleek design of the 1954, ‘55 and ‘56 Ford Crown Victorias is definitely easy on the eyes. A “hot commodity” when they were fresh from the factory, Tom Siddon said instead of going to university people use to spend their hard-earned money on the cars. 8/20/2010 12:14:43 PM
Japanese man 'kept dead mother in a backpack' The remains of a Japanese woman have been found in a backpack, in the latest gruesome discovery by investigators searching for missing old people. The woman's son told police his mother died in 2001 but he had not been able to pay for a burial. 8/20/2010 8:02:19 AM
UK: Police given 'sensible underwear' advice West Midlands Police officers believe they have been given a bum deal by being asked to wear sensible underwear. They were advised to choose pants of an "appropriate colour" on duty which were "inconspicuous" under uniforms. 8/20/2010 7:56:45 AM
Ailing BC woman faces eviction if she doesn’t get rid of her dog If it weren’t for her dog Oliver, Natasha Nicole doubts she would be alive today. “A dog is necessary for me. I have letters from my doctors from 10 years ago that for my mental health I require a pet,” Nicole said. “I have absolutely no one; a dog is my reason to go on.” 8/20/2010 6:51:41 AM
Steven Slater: A disgrace to his profession Now that the hoopla over flight attendant Steven Slater’s very public meltdown aboard a JetBlue passenger plane is subsiding, it’s time for some sober analysis. Some say his dramatic exit by emergency chute after he grabbed a beer from a drinks trolley gives the public a glimpse of the cabin crew’s reality. 8/20/2010 6:39:06 AM
Okanagan: Helping pregnant women a click away The Okanagan Valley Pregnancy Care Centre is looking for your support, and it won‘t cost a cent. The centre provides moral and material support to single, pregnant women and mothers. But organizers have always wanted to do more. 8/20/2010 6:15:54 AM
Navy mulls punishment for lovelorn ex-astronaut Lisa Nowak, who flew on a space shuttle mission in 2006, became notorious in February 2007 after making a 900-mile drive from Texas to Florida to confront a supposed rival in a love triangle also involving space shuttle pilot Bill Oefelein. 8/20/2010 6:04:48 AM
Married couples really are less stressed MARRIED couples had another reason to celebrate their love after researchers found that having a long-term romantic bond makes you more relaxed. Scientists tested 500 master's degree students, half of whom were married, and found that single participants became more stressed than those with partners. 8/19/2010 7:11:21 PM
Pilots on alert for high-flying vulture Britain's air traffic controllers put pilots on alert this week after a vulture which can soar as high as 30,000 feet escaped from her handlers during a display. Gandalf, a Ruppell's Vulture with a 3-meter/10ft wingspan, has not been seen since she caught a warm thermal during a show at the World of Wings center on Tuesday. 8/19/2010 7:01:29 PM
Mysterious heiress, now 104, is all alone Huguette Clark was already a mystery. Now there are new glimpses into the life of the reclusive heiress. Who protects an old lady who secluded herself from the world, limiting her life to a single room, playing dress-up with her dolls and watching cartoons? 8/19/2010 5:41:25 PM
Wedding on again as Steve Fonyo makes bail Steve Fonyo's storybook wedding to his fiance on the Victoria beach that bears his name can proceed after all. The 45-year-old Surrey resident was released from jail earlier this week after an unidentified benefactor put up the $20,000 bail following Fonyo's arrest on credit card fraud charges. It's the latest development in a rollercoaster year. 8/19/2010 2:08:49 PM
Why are so many people in their 20s taking so long to grow up? This question pops up everywhere, underlying concerns about “failure to launch” and “boomerang kids.” Two new sitcoms feature grown children moving back in with their parents. It’s not just young people moving back home but also young people taking longer to reach adulthood overall. 8/19/2010 1:33:01 PM
London woman fractures spine in honeymoon balcony fall A London woman fractured her spine in three places when she fell up to 30ft (9m) from a hotel balcony while on honeymoon in Corfu. Mr Dudbridge had been trying to raise the $25,000 needed to fly his wife home as they did not have travel insurance. A woman has now come forward offering to pay for the air ambulance flight. 8/19/2010 1:20:59 PM
Top six ways to ruin your retirement Despite the plethora of websites, books, magazines, advisers and other financial information and services available for retirees, there will always be a contingent of people who fail to make their retirement savings last for the rest of their lives. There 8/19/2010 1:04:40 PM
‘Cougar’ phenomenon confined to celebs, study finds Madonna and Demi Moore may be fuelling talk of a growing trend for older women on the prowl for younger men but a study on Wednesday said the phenomenon of the “cougar” is a myth, confined to the world of celebrities. The findings dispute the “cougar” phenomenon popularized in TV shows and movies 8/19/2010 12:54:18 PM
'Beer goggles' fog up sexual signals If you're looking for a hook-up, a few drinks can suddenly make other people seem more attractive -- and receptive -- than they actually are, according to two new studies that help explain the "beer goggle" effect. When this sense is dulled, an average-looking face may seem like it belongs to a hottie. 8/19/2010 12:46:07 PM
Kenyan jailed for trying to sell albino man A Kenyan man has been sentenced to nine years in prison for trying to sell an albino man to witchdoctors in Tanzania, local media reported Thursday. At least 53 albinos have been killed since 2007 in the east African nation and their body parts sold for use in witchcraft. 8/19/2010 12:21:17 PM
Father braves angry bear to save daughter, 3 A Dutch man braved an angry bear to save his three-year-old daughter after the girl climbed a fence in a German zoo and tumbled into the animal's pen, police said Thursday. Both father and daughter needed to be hospitalized, but their wounds were not life-threatening. 8/19/2010 12:18:26 PM
Neighbour's staring isn't grounds to sue: B.C. judge Don't like nosy neighbours staring into your home as they walk by? Too bad. A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled that even the most "intimidating" stares cannot be used as grounds for a lawsuit. 8/19/2010 7:21:12 AM
Hamilton man uses Ironman Canada to help Haiti Helping others is all Gord Pauls knows. Raised in a Christian household in Hamilton, Ont., making a difference through kindness became a way of life for him. “It really does make you feel better about yourself. We’re so blessed here in Canada,” said Pauls. 8/19/2010 7:15:01 AM
Facebook introduces 'Places' location-sharing program Facebook Wednesday introduced "Places," its own location-sharing program that had been rumored for months. The program for mobile phones will lets its users "share where you are with your friends, see where your friends are and discover new places around you," said Mark Zuckerberg. 8/19/2010 7:02:51 AM
Feeling old? Mindset university study shows how times have changed MOST young Americans entering university this year can't write in cursive, think email is too slow, that Beethoven's a dog and Michelangelo a computer virus. Czechoslovakia has never existed, Fergie is a pop singer, not a duchess; Clint Eastwood is a sensitive movie director, not Dirty Harry. 8/18/2010 9:06:00 PM
Australian mother renews plea to name dingo as baby's killer A mother wrongly convicted of murdering her infant after the baby disappeared in the Australian Outback 30 years ago has pleaded for her daughter's death certificate to state that a wild dog was responsible. The case is one of Australia's most enduring mysteries and became international. 8/18/2010 8:21:46 PM
Canada, a country of happy immigrants and short memories Every immigrant to Canada thinks he’s the last good newcomer. It’s been like that since the arrival of the first settlers. The natives thought little of the French. After the conquest, the English were reviled as inferior, maladroit rubes. 8/18/2010 7:57:28 PM
A little History, how our PM Harper and his office operates By Garth Turner - I walked into the Prime Minister’s office. It was 6:15 p. m. and snow whipped against the outside stone walls of Centre Block. Downstairs the reception was thinning and the foodplates decimated. Upstairs, the door closed behind me, and Harper approached. 8/18/2010 4:28:39 PM
Driven Montreal mom wins school language fight Christy Henault wore down two cars driving the 60 kilometres between her home in St. Lazare, Que., to Vankleek Hill, Ont., so her sons could be educated in English. On a typical school day, after driving back home in Quebec to run errands while her two boys were in class, she would put 250 kilometres on her car. 8/18/2010 4:00:48 PM
Google boss Eric Schmidt warns on social use of media Young people may one day have to change their names in order to escape their previous online activity, Eric Schmidt has warned. Schmidt told the Wall Street Journal he feared they did not understand the consequences of having so much personal information about them online. 8/18/2010 1:14:55 PM
Looking for something to do this weekend - 50's Fords car show Penticton will play host to dozens of classic Ford fans on the weekend of Aug. 19 - 21 when the Northwest chapter of the Crown Victoria Association holds its annual meet here. The three-day event, which is being held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort, officially begins Thursday. 8/18/2010 12:40:42 PM
Skateboarding priest becomes YouTube sensation A Hungarian Roman Catholic priest has become a YouTube hit with his distinctive method of spreading the word on wheels. The Reverend Zoltan Lendvai, 45, who lives and preaches in Redics, a small village on Hungary’s border with Slovenia, believes skateboarding can open the way to God for young people. 8/18/2010 12:37:07 PM
Cawston: Fundraiser for Dyck family well received Crowsnest Vineyard and the community of Cawston had a successful evening to support the Dyck family who recently lost a young child in an accident. The fundraiser was host by the Heinecke family on Friday August 6. This is something that is lost in the city but in a small town like Cawston people pull together in times of need. 8/18/2010 10:59:08 AM
Veterans react to looming ombud departure Some former soldiers are speaking out about their treatment after the Tories decision not to renew the country's ombudsman for veterans. Dennis Manuge served in Bosnia. Now, he’s so angry he refuses to wear his medals. Manuge and 6,500 other soldiers in the same predicament have launched a class action suit. 8/18/2010 7:04:54 AM
Hackers crack Facebook accounts with ‘Dislike’ button Computer security firm Sophos on Monday warned that scammers are duping Facebook users with a bogus “Dislike” button that slips malicious software onto machines. There is no “Dislike” version of the “Like” icon that members of the world’s top social networking website use to endorse online comments etc. 8/17/2010 6:20:34 PM
From Katy Perry to Jay-Z, Montrealer makes eyewear for the stars Corey Shapiro is a purveyor of cool. In a nondescript office building Shapiro sits behind his ginormous Mac computer screen (cool) and talks about an industry he has virtually created (cool), all the while dropping names of celebrities like Katy Perry and Jay-Z, who he says really love his product (very cool). 8/17/2010 5:29:57 PM
Ombudsman slams 'deceptive' Veterans Affairs (Video) Canada's outgoing ombudsman for veterans expressed his fury Tuesday over the federal government's treatment of servicemen and women and the thwarting of his work by an obstructive bureaucracy. Pat Stogran said he was speaking out in order to highlight how badly many veterans are treated. 8/17/2010 5:09:15 PM
Princess culture turning girls into overspending narcissists Sheri Shuler has a four-year-old daughter who is into princesses. Or, rather, Disney princesses and their accoutrements. The dresses, the hair, the tiaras. This has Shuler concerned. So she decided to take a sabbatical to study what academics are starting to call "princess culture." 8/17/2010 5:04:16 PM
$400K jewelry collection recovered from cab A California couple who left $400,000 worth of jewelry in a Vancouver cab are praising the honesty of a local cab driver and the dispatcher who helped them track it down. Phyllis Snelling and her husband were heading home to California on Saturday after returning from an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver. 8/17/2010 4:58:06 PM
Beatle fan gets McCartney signature ink Rose Ann Belluso took a sign to McCartney's show Sunday in Philadelphia requesting he sign her back with a marker she'd brought along. When McCartney called her up on stage and obliged, the Downingtown woman decided to make it last forever. 8/17/2010 3:14:37 PM
Restaurant boss got 14-year-old worker pregnant 3 times A former restaurant manager is expected to be jailed for sexually exploiting a 14-year-old employee he made pregnant three times. Judge Mark Tyndale raised the spectre of a four-year jail term Monday for the 35-year-old Calgarian, who earlier pleaded guilty to the charge. 8/17/2010 2:14:55 PM
Only children: not so lonely after all Among the knocks against families with “only children,” one of the most troubling is that these kids will be lonely. New research suggests parents needn't worry. Children who grow up without siblings have just as many friends as peers with them, according to findings published Monday. 8/17/2010 9:35:54 AM
PM takes flak over refusal to allow MP expense audit Stephen Harper's inbox was deluged last May with hundreds of angry emails from citizens outraged that MPs wouldn't allow the auditor general to scrutinize their expenses. "The Conservative Party won't get one more cent from me unless that happens -- now," said one typically incensed correspondent. 8/17/2010 8:00:05 AM
Men dependent on women's income more likely to cheat They may have success in bringing home the bucks, but new research suggests female breadwinners may be less victorious in the love department when it comes to their male partners staying faithful. Women dependent on male partners were less likely to cheat, according to research. 8/17/2010 7:53:29 AM
B.C. social worker preventing young musician from studying in U.S. Frankie Bones, 17, has been playing music since he was five. The Surrey youth has won numerous medals and trophies in competition, composes his own music, and dreams of being a concert pianist. But now a huge obstacle is barring him from what he sees as the opportunity of a lifetime. 8/17/2010 7:41:56 AM
Monuments brought together at memorial park Members of the Veterans Association of Penticton, local officials and well-wishers gathered recently for the dedication of Veterans Memorial Park adjacent to the courthouse, and the unveiling of a cairn in honour of the Royal Canadian Air Force. 8/17/2010 7:17:06 AM
Canadian makes a splash on world triathlon circuit The newest star among Canada’s top triathletes spent her childhood taking tap and ballet lessons. In her early teens, Paula Findlay loved swimming. She didn’t get a road bike until four years ago. But Sunday the 21-year-old proved her ascendancy by winning a second consecutive triathlon on the World Championship Series. 8/16/2010 7:41:51 PM
Facebook 'dislike' scam warning Facebook users are being targeted in a scam that offers them a chance to install a "dislike" button. The scam tricks users into allowing a rogue application to access their profile page, which then posts spam messages. 8/16/2010 6:10:59 PM
Winfield girl's tribute to beloved pets wins SPCA Paws contest A 10-year-old Winfield girl’s artistic tribute to her beloved pets who passed away will be seen on 5,000 T-shirts across B.C. Jayden DePlonty’s picture of her cats Eemo and Punkin and her 17-year-old dog Sadie, adopted from the SPCA, was the winning entry in the Paws for a Cause T-shirt contest. 8/16/2010 7:33:24 AM
Wine writer keeps language accessible At this time of the year, hundreds of tourists press up to wine tasting bars to sample pinots, merlots and signature blends. Our house guests often comment on how lucky we are to be able to visit wineries any day of the week. (Ed: Rhys pictured.) 8/16/2010 6:50:54 AM
Great gouda! Cheese racing rolls into Whistler It's all for the love of the cheese. More than 10,000 people descended on Whistler's Blackcomb Mountain Saturday, racing down the grassy climbs in search of an unusual prize: an 11-pound wheel of B.C.'s Cracked Pepper Verdelait cheese. 8/16/2010 6:46:46 AM
Elderly driver fights to keep licence A Kelowna woman who had to defend her driver‘s licence from anonymous complaints is still looking for answers. "It‘s not over, because I still want to know what medical condition they‘re saying I have," said Patricia Crichton, 72. "What prompted them to request these tests, and why did they backpedal and say they‘re sorry?" 8/16/2010 6:26:05 AM
Do you tell people your age or keep it to yourself? By Janet Torge: - The world can be divided into two groups: those who tell how old they are and those who won't. I have always been in the former group for one basic reason: I like what happens after people hear how old I am. 8/15/2010 7:03:10 PM
Fickle finger of fate fells biker A motorcyclist who exercised his middle finger in one direction, headed his machine in another — and crashed into a car. The target of his obscene gesture was a Langley City bylaw enforcement officer who was marking car tires. By the time he turned his attention to the road it was too late. 8/15/2010 5:58:21 PM
Dragon boat paddlers rescued in Victoria's Inner Harbour after being swamped A team of paddlers at the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival got an unexpected dunking in the waters of Victoria's Inner Harbour yesterday when their boat was swamped and started to sink. The dragon boat being piloted by a Seattle team called Hot Sake had a quick cool-down when it was swamped by the wake of a fire boat. 8/15/2010 1:58:38 PM
Plastic jar removed from Fla. bear cub's head A black bear cub in Florida affectionately known as "jarhead" can finally enjoy a good meal. A clear plastic container was removed from the 6-month-old cub's head after being stuck for at least 10 days. The cub poked its head into the jar when digging through trash. 8/15/2010 7:50:49 AM
Racy photos leads to rise in teen 'sextortion' The nightmare began with a party: three teenage girls with a webcam, visiting an Internet chatroom and flashing their breasts. A week later, one of the girls, a 17-year-old from Indiana, started getting threatening emails. A stranger said he would post the pictures to her MySpace friends. 8/15/2010 6:42:13 AM
The see-through society and the end of online privacy Update: - In January of this year, researchers at the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation tried an experiment. The online privacy advocacy group set up a Web page, and collected and stored the browser information of everyone who visited it. There were no tricks. 8/15/2010 6:32:36 AM
Lemonade-stand fiasco turns sweet for PoCo kids Business will reopen this Sunday for two 12-year-olds. Mackenzie Burke Sikorra and his friend Alex Pederson were selling lemonade, popcorn and homemade dog treats last week to raise funds for Sikorra’s soccer team when a Port Coquitlam bylaw officer told them they needed to pack up their table. 8/14/2010 9:28:39 AM
Bookie: U.K. royal wedding a sure thing for 2011 A leading U.K. bookmaker has stopped taking bets on a royal wedding in 2011 between Prince William and his girlfriend, Kate Middleton. William Hill is instead asking people to choose which month the couple will marry and gamble on where they will go on honeymoon. 8/14/2010 8:36:20 AM
Jamie Lynn Spears Should Be Bristol Palin's Role Model Bristol Palin's mother, former Alaskan governor and Vice Presidential Republican candidate Sarah Palin, was ironically enough a big proponent of abstinence only sex education in public schools. So when Bristol got pregnant at 17, the effectiveness of such a rigid sex-ed program was scrutinized. 8/14/2010 8:21:48 AM
School shopping blues: Parents pay up for kids' supplies Corrina Shaule pushes a shopping cart loaded with school supplies through aisles of binders, pencil cases and markers at Walmart. As her daughter Syanne pulls items off the shelves, Shaule skims a checklist with her pen. Next to Christmas, back to school is the busiest shopping period of the year. 8/14/2010 8:12:35 AM
Survivor-style challenge helps Summerland Rodeo Grounds An equestrian challenge, modeled after the Survivor reality television shows, will help to raise some money for the Summerland Rodeo Grounds. The Horse Survivor Challenge will be held at the grounds today, Saturday, Aug. 14. Western riders will compete against English riders in the competition. 8/14/2010 8:04:21 AM
The end of online privacy In January, researchers set up a Web page, and collected and stored the browser information of everyone who visited it. There were no tricks. The most alarming result of the study of more than 470,000 Web surfers is that 83.6 per cent of them had an instantly identifiable, totally unique fingerprint. 8/14/2010 7:12:07 AM
Penticton Speedway: Father-son duo cruise in drivers seat Bob Cameron remembers bringing his young son Kyle to the Penticton Speedway to watch the races. They made the trip often from Cawston and one day Kyle said to his father that he’d like to try. So the Cameron’s traded in their seats in the stands for ones in Hornet cars. (Ed: Racing tonight at 8pm at Pent. Speedway) 8/14/2010 6:39:42 AM
Legendary lake monster barges in You might call it the SS Ogopogo. SS - for Silly Ship. But if you did, Ermanno Barone likely wouldn‘t be laughing. Yes, he sees the goofiness in floating a five-ton sculpture of Ogopogo around a barge on Okanagan Lake, as he did Thursday. 8/14/2010 6:04:36 AM
Show off your wild side to the SPCA Don’t be shy, shutterbugs — you only have two weeks left to shoot the wildlife in your community. The deadline for the BC SPCA’s 2010 Wildlife-In-Focus photography contest is Aug. 31, which means backyard and amateur photographers only have just over two weeks to enter. 8/13/2010 6:24:18 PM
Mommy bloggers suffer privacy conflicts on Facebook If she could turn back time, Sherry Petersik would have done things differently on Facebook. The 28-year-old new mom, who writes a home decor blog called Young House Love, wanted only friends and family to access her profile on the 6-year-old social networking site. 8/13/2010 6:06:49 PM
Punch in nose saves man from polar bear (Audio) A 67-year-old man says he survived a polar bear attack in Nunavut by punching the bear in the face, a tactic he learned from an Inuit elder. Wes Werbowy, a longtime wilderness consultant, said the close bear encounter came while he was camping, training three Inuit hunters to be eco-tour guides. 8/13/2010 5:28:07 PM
English town fights to keep its not-so-good name Every time hooligans steal the Shitterton town sign, there are renewed calls to change the place name to something less tempting to fans of scatological humour. This summer, residents of the southern England hamlet have done something they hope will put an end to the debate, and the puerile thievery. 8/13/2010 4:49:51 PM
Pouring Champagne: Science puts slant on sparkling pours French scientists say they have settled a question that has long divided Champagne lovers: How best to pour the bubbly? At an angle, not straight down. The scientists at the University of Reims say pouring bubbly at a slant, like beer, preserves more of the tiny gas bubbles that improve the drink’s flavor and aromas. 8/13/2010 10:16:50 AM
Thief gets 21-year house arrest sentence An office manager who admitted stealing $475,000 from her employer has been sentenced to 21 years of house arrest so she can work to repay it. Lanette Sansoni’s unusual sentence came after her ex-boss said he was more interested in restitution than jail time, her lawyer said. 8/13/2010 10:12:51 AM
Century-old Scotch whisky found in Antarctic won't be tasted A crate of Scotch whisky that was trapped in Antarctic ice for a century was finally opened Friday — but the heritage dram won't be tasted by whisky lovers because it's being preserved for its historic significance. 8/13/2010 8:11:02 AM
Fed-up flight attendant wants job back (Video) The flight attendant whose dramatic departure from a JetBlue plane at a New York City airport has transformed him into a folk hero to some wants his job back, his lawyer told reporters Thursday. "His father was a pilot; his mother was a flight attendant. That's in his blood. That's what he likes to do." 8/13/2010 7:57:37 AM
Okanagan Nation furious that sockeye opened for recreation A sudden move from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to open up a recreational sockeye fishery on Osoyoos Lake, starting Thursday, has members of the Okanagan Nation Alliance calling for an emergency meeting with the federal branch. “We’re going from pride to rage.” 8/13/2010 6:42:22 AM
Parks Canada draws fire over re-enactment of Siege of North Battleford They call it the Siege of Fort Battleford, one of the best-known events of the Northwest Rebellion, and Parks Canada will re-enact it again this weekend from the point of view of the terrified settlers. But this year, the rebellion's 125th anniversary, at least one aboriginal historian has had enough. 8/13/2010 6:29:12 AM
Legendary frontier woman Cougar Annie's 5-acre B.C. garden up for sale During her long life on B.C.’s West Coast, Ada Annie Arthur — known as Cougar Annie — carried a reputation as ingenious frontier woman whose prowess in the garden was rivalled only by the deftness with which she slung a rifle. While the exact number isn’t known, it’s believed that Arthur shot hundreds of cougars and bears for bounty. 8/12/2010 5:20:01 PM
'Keep the Canadians out,' Australian satirist says Canadian-born writer Danny Katz dismisses the liberal, bleeding-heart argument that Canadians should be allowed into Australia, because they "have fled lives of great hardship, suffering under the French-Canadian fundamentalists who brutally force supermarkets to have both English and French labelling.'" 8/12/2010 5:12:31 PM
Detectives: Brother shot 6-year-old boy in head Detectives investigating the shooting of a 6-year-old boy now believe the victim's 8-year-old brother fired the shot that critically injured the young boy. Deputy Dean Byrd said new evidence indicates the brother is responsible, despite investigators having been told at the scene that the younger boy shot himself. 8/12/2010 3:12:50 PM
Judge won’t let man call himself ‘Boomer the Dog’ (Video) Saying it would be too confusing, a judge has denied the petition of a so-called “furry” to legally change his name to Boomer the Dog. Gary Guy Mathews says he filed for the name change because he's a fan of a 1980s NBC television series called "Here's Boomer," which featured a dog that rescued people. 8/12/2010 9:23:58 AM
Passengers tell another side of the JetBlue flight attendant story Fans of Steven Slater (there are legions of you, according to Facebook), the economy-class hero who told off pesky passengers, then chuted from a grounded plane (and his job as a flight attendant) onto the tarmac of New York’s JFK airport, read no further if you don’t want to learn The Other Side of Story. 8/12/2010 7:44:12 AM
Belleville’s abuzz over police chief as victim of domestic violence “Oh yeah, everyone’s talking about it,” confided a waitress in a local eatery following Tuesday’s revelation by Chief Cory McMullan that she was the “unnamed victim” in a domestic incident that reportedly left her with a broken arm. Her husband, a 53-year-old retired police officer, has been charged. 8/12/2010 7:39:38 AM
Montreal nightclub in big trouble over 'no fat girls' ad A Montreal nightclub is being criticized after posting an invitation on its Facebook page that specified "no fat girls allowed" for a recent event. The club is distancing itself from the online ad, but people familiar with the city's party scene say clubs regularly — if not overtly — discriminate based on looks. 8/12/2010 7:04:25 AM
Royalty a dream for Miss Penticton Danielle Chetner Watching and waving to Miss Penticton as she floats down Main Street during Peachfest’s Grand Parade and fantasizing of one day taking her place is a dream that Danielle Chetner turned into a reality. “I’ve been watching the parade since I was little and always wanted to be on the Miss Penticton float,” the 17-year-old said. 8/11/2010 6:50:20 PM
Flight attendants vent about passengers It's safe to say air travelers are paying more attention -- and maybe giving a little more respect -- to flight attendants after the incident on a JetBlue flight that has mesmerized the country and put a new spotlight on the once-glamorous profession. 8/11/2010 5:17:55 PM
Take a sneak peek into Victoria’s Secret first Canadian store Arguably the most hotly anticipated store opening at West Edmonton Mall in quite a while, Victoria’s Secret unveiled its coveted wares to the media Wednesday morning. Shoppers will get their first look at the lingerie retailer’s first Canadian store at the grand opening Thursday morning. 8/11/2010 5:10:20 PM
Kelly Anne the legless cat wins Americans’ hearts and minds (Video) It appears to be cat day here. Not only do we have a four-eared cat from Russia, and a cat marinating in oil in the trunk of a car, we now have legless cat, a tale of nine lives full of hope and inspiration. Why doesn’t this cat have any legs? “She was chased up a tree by some dogs. She was electrocuted." 8/11/2010 1:18:55 PM
B.C. woman awarded millions after dance floor accident ends legal dreams A Vancouver woman who was just weeks away from being called to the B.C. Bar has been awarded nearly $6-million for a potentially successful legal career that ended before it began. Michelle Danicek was 32-years-old in April, 2001 when she was flattened by a colleague twice her size who fell on her. 8/11/2010 11:53:44 AM
Pen Hi student earns top honour Emily Kate Filek has seen her name appear in the newspaper a lot — though usually it’s just Katie Filek. That’s the name the Penticton Secondary student is known by on the Pinnacles soccer team, as a rotary exchange student and an arts promoter, creating a series of calendars. 8/11/2010 9:49:23 AM
The rise of the stay-at-home husband Most women have known—and probably dated—a guy like Todd Gottlieb. A self-described “hard-core bachelor,” he was never going to get married, and he was certainly never going to have children. Life in Southern California was good: golfing, camping, trips to Vegas with the boys—not to mention dates with “fantastic ladies.” 8/11/2010 9:45:00 AM
No cell phone? You might be a power broker Your boss not knowing how to type, John Madden refusing to get on planes — these are adorable quirks caused by being old, or phobic, or old and phobic. But a cell phone is so simple to use, so harmless, and so integral, that refusing to own one isn't just the act of a Luddite. It's a pretty serious power move. 8/11/2010 6:30:16 AM
Being a flight attendant is like a game of 'Survivor' Being a flight attendant, says Katherine Thompson, “is like an eight-hour episode of Survivor in a pressurized tube. With no ability to vote anyone off.” A minority of passengers can be difficult, though not nearly as difficult as the passenger that turned JetBlue attendant Steven Slater into a folk hero. 8/11/2010 6:03:31 AM
Ex-Blocker lets you block out your old flames online First comes love. Then comes the breakup. Then comes the awkward and painstaking task of Facebook de-friending, Twitter unfollowing, and deleting all photos, wall posts and other evidence of your relationship. Sound complicated? Welcome to hooking up and breaking-up in the 21st century. 8/11/2010 5:55:48 AM
Police rescue marinating cat from car trunk Asked why he was planning to eat his cat, Navarro, Gary Korkuc reportedly told police it was because his pet had been “mean” to him. Police found Navarro inside Korkuc’s trunk during a traffic stop on Sunday night. They were drawn by the animal’s cries. 8/11/2010 5:53:56 AM
US school road marking spelt wrongly Workers have misspelled the word school on a road approaching a high school in North Carolina. Crews painted "shcool" on the approach road to Southern Guilford High School. The road had been recently repaved and crews were working to mark out the school zones. 8/11/2010 5:36:07 AM
Flashy departures not smartest way to quit job: Experts His tirade is generating massive buzz online. But, just in case you were thinking about following in the footsteps of disgruntled American flight attendant Steven Slater — who's accused of stealing beer and using his plane's emergency slide to call it a day — workplace experts have some advice: don't. 8/10/2010 5:04:43 PM
Portrait of daughter playing dead earns art prize A painting of Michael Zavros's five-year-old daughter playing dead has earned the Australian realist artist the country's richest portraiture prize. Phoebe Is Dead/McQueen has been named the latest winner of the $150,000 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. 8/10/2010 4:19:01 PM
Pickton juror regrets taking part in trial A juror at the trial of serial murderer Robert William Pickton says that if he had it to do over again, he would choose not to take part in the grisly 2007 trial. Jurors in B.C. make $40 a day for the first 49 days of a trial. That increases to $100 a day from the 50th day of a trial until it's over. 8/10/2010 3:38:19 PM
Man has stalked Regina woman for 35 years, why isn't he in jail A man who has stalked a woman for 35 years now has three weeks to get out of Regina. Gerald Klein, 63, has been stalking Cathy Kaip since 1974. The judge likened Klein to "a toxic gas swirling around Ms. Kaip's shrunken world," looking for ways to get into her life no matter what she does. 8/10/2010 10:38:52 AM
Faking it: Sarah Palin confronts Teacher, gets told off (Video) Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is once again berating what she calls the "LSM" ("lamestream media") for the reaction to an Internet video. "You swore on your precious Bible that you would uphold the interests of this state, and then when cash was waved in front of your face, you quit," teacher Kathleen Gustafson told Palin. 8/10/2010 10:29:30 AM
Idaho: 4 men drown, kids left on boat call 911 (Video) Four men died after horsing around in a boat on a southern Idaho reservoir, authorities said late Monday. The bodies of four men were found Monday evening. The search began Sunday for the four boaters after authorities received a 911 call from a child on their boat 8/10/2010 10:20:22 AM
Flight Attendant Flips Out, Exits Via Chute (Video) Everybody has a fantasy about how to leave their job when the day-to-day pressure gets to be too much. Anyone familiar with the frustrations of air travel, therefore, can relate to the tale of Steven Slater. Slater's MySpace page shows a man who seemed to love his job as a flight attendant. 8/10/2010 9:22:03 AM
E-books taking off at Vancouver public libaries — and carry no late fees Imagine a library where there are no late fees, no lost items and you don’t even need to visit a branch to borrow a book. That’s the new reality at the Vancouver Public Library, where the popularity of e-books has exploded in the past few months. 8/10/2010 9:01:39 AM
Alaska Fish story: 364-pounder dwarfs competition Thanks to a gaff that held strong after his line snapped, longtime Valdez angler George Levasseur owns a mountain of halibut fillets, a commanding lead in the Valdez Halibut Derby and perhaps the second-largest fish ever caught in Southcentral. 8/10/2010 8:52:37 AM
Pets vital to human evolution Dogs, cats, cows and other domesticated animals played a key role in human evolution, according to a theory being published. The uniquely human habit of taking in and employing animals — even competitors like wolves — spurred on human tool-making and language. 8/10/2010 8:46:05 AM
Woman starts fight over chicken nuggets (Video) (Ed: No sound on video) Some people take their food seriously - but no one more than one customer at a fast-food outlet in Toledo, Ohio. Melodi Dushane was so frustrated that she couldn't order chicken nuggets - because the restaurant was serving breakfast - that she attacked the member of staff. 8/10/2010 7:00:22 AM
'No excuse for abuse,' Allred says of Mel Gibson High-profile attorney Gloria Allred issued an open letter to self-proclaimed Mel Gibson-pal Whoopi Goldberg following “The View” host’s incredulous take on abuse claims from Gibson’s ex girlfriend. In the letter, Allred focused on the one aspect that Goldberg couldn’t seem to get past. 8/10/2010 6:16:46 AM
Cat starts vacuum, fire services rush to scene A cat home alone in Germany apparently turned on the vacuum cleaner, frightened itself half to death and wound up being attended to by emergency services. Police said a neighbour heard the cat's cries -- not to mention a vacuum left running for hours -- and feared there'd been a terrible accident. 8/10/2010 5:47:29 AM
Escaped killer sang in church before capture An escaped killer with a handgun and a hitchhiking sign expressed relief at his capture on Monday after 10 days on the run, while authorities searched to the north of this tourist-packed park for a second fugitive and his female accomplice, a self-styled "Bonnie and Clyde." Tracy Province, 42, was caught as he walked in sleepy Meeteetse, Wyoming. 8/10/2010 5:42:59 AM
Family literacy at the Keremeos Grist Mill This August 16 to 19 kids will be collecting ideas and creating their own books at the old mill on Keremeos Creek. It’s a free program for 8 to 12 year olds with four mornings of fun and learning story-telling, writing, games and crafting at the Keremeos Grist Mill and Gardens. 8/10/2010 5:37:03 AM
It’s pride week in the Okanagan (Kelowna) This year‘s Okanagan Pride celebration has new dates, new venues and the focus is on the family. The five-day series of events celebrating alternative lifestyles, which begins Wednesday, includes a movie night, golf tournament, health day, pride festival and dance, all in Kelowna. 8/10/2010 5:29:14 AM
Already? What parents and students need to know about back to school With summer vacation half over, parents are reminded that Sept. 7 is the first day of classes in the Okanagan Skaha School District. The lone exception is for parents of children starting kindergarten, who will be contacted directly about school entry date. 8/10/2010 5:25:48 AM
Raging U.S. flight attendant makes his personal emergency exit A flight attendant furious with passengers who refused to follow his instructions told them off over the loudspeaker before pulling the chute to make his own dramatic personal emergency exit, police said. The attendant snatched a beer from the galley before jumping on the slide, ABC News reported. 8/9/2010 8:29:51 PM
Most Americans believe they married right person Married Americans overwhelmingly believe they married the right person but not all of them believe in the idea of soul mates. A Marist poll showed that 97 percent of men and 94 percent of women are convinced they found the one, a finding which surprised researchers because of the country's high divorce rate. 8/9/2010 1:30:29 PM
iPhone exec departs Apple after “Antennagate” The Apple executive in charge of iPhone engineering has left the company, weeks after the “Antennagate” controversy over complaints of poor reception on the company’s latest smartphone. Apple spokesman Steve Dowling confirmed Papermaster’s exit and said Bob Mansfield is assuming his responsibilities. 8/9/2010 1:23:43 PM
$5-million jade Buddha arrives in Aldergrove Hundreds flocked to the official unveiling of the glowing Jade Buddha for Universal Peace at an Aldergrove monastery on Sunday. The 2.7-metre-high figure — a youthful representation of a warmly-smiling, cross-legged Buddha — was carved from a massive chunk of B.C.- mined jade, and is valued at $5 million. 8/9/2010 1:11:48 PM
Youth to learn how to navigate in the water Winds are pulling the Mobile Optimist Sailing School into Manitou Park in Naramata on Monday. With Naramata Parks and Rec and the B.C. Sailing Association, a summer camp for kids is being offered to introduce youngsters to sailing from Aug. 9 to 13. (Ed: School started this morning. Great sport to learn.) 8/9/2010 12:46:12 PM
This year’s Peachfest one of the best Everyone wondered at the start of the Penticton Peach Festival how they’d ever be able to top last year. With the 63rd annual event now a memory, the question remains how will the volunteer committee be able to top this year’s event in 2011? 8/9/2010 5:53:12 AM
Groom accidentally kills dad, two guests A GROOM accidentally killed three relatives at his wedding in Turkey yesterday when he fired into the air with an assault rifle in celebration. The Anatolia news agency reported eight other people were wounded at the incident at the village of Akcagoze in the south-eastern province of Gaziantep. 8/8/2010 1:33:31 PM
Welcome to Banff, home of service with a vacant stare Before the summer’s over and it’s too late to do anything about the scourge, someone has to say something about service in tourist towns, and especially about restaurant service in Banff. Banff! – gateway to the Rockies, a town that has a hallowed-if-complicated place in every travelling Canadian’s heart. 8/8/2010 11:11:37 AM
Jean Chrétien up and walking following emergency surgery, aide says Jean Chrétien is continuing his seeming quick recovery following surgery to remove a pool of blood that was putting pressure on the former prime minister's brain. “He was up and walking today,” said longtime aide Bruce Hartley Sunday. “His spirits are very good.” 8/8/2010 11:08:55 AM
Thug who shot two-year-old girl killed two weeks after ending five-day jail stint The New York Post reported that despite a rap sheet including 22 arrests, as well as pending felony charges from May, Vincent Carmona was set free just five days after he shot little Jayleen Jones in front of her Coney Island home. 24-year-old Carmona was found shot three times. 8/8/2010 10:57:09 AM
First lap down for Aussie endurance swimmer AUSTRALIAN endurance swimmer John Van Wisse has completed the first stretch of his triple Channel crossing, making the journey from England to France in under 10 hours. He is hoping to break the world record and become the first Australian and only the fourth person to make the gruelling journey 8/8/2010 7:10:44 AM
Sarah Fergison's debt millions more than thought THE extent of the Duchess of York's financial problems was revealed as it emerged she is £5 million ($8.7 million) in debt, according to the UK's The Sunday Telegraph. Previous estimates put the cash woes of the former wife of Prince Andrew at nearer to £3 million. 8/8/2010 7:08:16 AM
Breastfeeding mother told to cover up on the bus BC Transit has offered an apology to a Victoria, B.C., mother after a bus driver asked her to cover up while breastfeeding on the bus last month. Olena Russell said the July 14th incident started immediately after she boarded the bus while nursing. 8/8/2010 6:58:37 AM
World Sauna event finalist dies Russian finalist Vladimir Ladyzhensky and Finnish rival Timo Kaukonen were both taken to hospital after collapsing and Mr Ladyzhensky later died. The event, which has been running since 1999, requires participants to withstand 110C for as long as possible. 8/8/2010 6:41:20 AM
Vince McMahon says WWE unfairly taking hits from wife's political foes Vince McMahon, chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, says his wife's political opponents are taking unfair shots at his company using out-of-context footage — such as old images of McMahon demanding that a scantily clad female wrestler bark like a dog — as part of an attempt to discredit her U.S. Senate candidacy. 8/8/2010 6:18:02 AM
Port Coquitlam bylaw sours 12-year-olds’ business plans When you’re 12 years old and looking to raise some cash, there are some old standbys that kids have long relied on — such as selling cool lemonade on a hot summer’s day. Just don’t forget that business licence. Friends Alex Pedersen and Mackenzie Burke Sikorra learned that lesson the hard way. 8/8/2010 5:52:54 AM
Pets on holiday: flying luggage, pampered guests Airlines may charge a small fortune to transport animals in noisy cargo holds, but pets vacationing with their owners are finding that when they deplane, there's a room with a treat waiting. "It costs $200 one-way to transport your pet as checked baggage," said Travelocity. "On the other hand, there are plenty of hotels that are pet friendly" 8/7/2010 7:45:44 AM
Our personalities may be set as early as 1st grade Our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives, from our early childhood years to after we're over the hill, according to a new study. The results show personality traits observed in children as young as first graders are a strong predictor of adult behavior. 8/7/2010 7:42:27 AM
Peachfest has Farmer's market on the move Main Street might be taken over by the Peachfest Parade this Saturday morning, but that doesn’t mean the Farmers’ Market is going to shut down. Instead, they’re taking their stalls off the street and moving into a nearby park. “We will be in Memorial Park, which is right beside the courthouse. And we’ll be there from 8:30 until about 1 p.m.” 8/7/2010 7:31:53 AM
Peachland Pipe band relocates, now Summerland Pipe Band The search for a home has brought a bagpipe band to Summerland. In July, the Peachland Pipe Band made the move from Peachland to Summerland, resulting in a change of name for the band. David Cain, pipe major with the band, said two factors were involved in moving the band. 8/7/2010 7:02:12 AM
Thief holds yard sale with 'criminal' prices (Audio) Getting a bargain at a garage sale can sometimes feel like a steal, and recently in Sarnia, Ont., that's exactly what customers got. Police have arrested a man they say held an impromptu garage sale in June. But everything he sold didn't belong to him. 8/7/2010 6:39:44 AM
Disabled puppy found in box needs new home (Video) A puppy found injured in a cardboard box on the side of the road in Essex, Ont., is back in good health and ready to be adopted. The young beagle, named Crooks, was found in the freezing cold on March 19. Crooks is also known as "UPS Puppy," because a UPS parcel delivery driver found him. 8/7/2010 6:36:52 AM
Vancouver sex shop outrages residents A Vancouver community group is lobbying the city to get a sex novelty shop out of its neighbourhood. The store advertises the sale of adult videos and magazines, lingerie, performance enhancers, and sex toys. However, members of the Dickens Community group want it gone. 8/6/2010 5:40:55 PM
Sheila Bishop: Wooden Bat a big hit for charity Ten teams will take part in the 7th annual Sheila Bishop Memorial Wooden Bat slo-pitch tournament Saturday and Sunday at Lion‘s Community Park and the Parkway school diamond. The charity tourney is held in memory of Sheila Bishop, an avid Penticton slo-pitch and volleyball player who lost her courageous battle with ovarian cancer in June of 2003. 8/6/2010 5:34:23 PM
Wisconsin couple grateful for recovery of stolen motorhome A retired Wisconsin couple expressed relief and joy Friday after their stolen $100,000 motorhome (example pictured) and valuable personal papers were recovered by Vancouver Police. Vancouver had been the first stop on a five-year North American dream road trip for Ron Horbinski and wife Cyndi Covert. 8/6/2010 5:27:47 PM
Families relive memories at Peachfest Peachfest is on full-bore and the 63rd edition has already left nothing but good impressions on those involved. “It was probably the best opening day we’ve ever had,” festival president Don Kendall said. “It was more like a Friday or Saturday night crowd.” 8/6/2010 7:07:04 AM
On Facebook, wife learns of husband's 2nd wedding Dread of the unknown hung in the air as Lynn France typed two words into the search box on Facebook: the name of the woman with whom she believed her husband was having an affair. Click. And there it was, the stuff of nightmares for any spouse, cuckolded or not. Wedding photos. At Walt Disney World, no less. 8/6/2010 6:59:32 AM
Canadian woman who attacked Leonardo DeCaprio gets restraining order A Canadian woman, Aretha Wilson, accused of attacking Inception star Leonardo DiCaprio has been placed under a restraining order by a Los Angeles judge. DiCaprio needed about a dozen stitches to his face and neck after being attacked by a woman at a private Hollywood party in 2005. 8/6/2010 6:47:05 AM
Police say cash-for-gold rivalry spurred hitman conspiracy It’s a tale of two Orthodox Jewish gold jewellers, a 32-year-old Iranian-born ex-mixed martial arts champion and a 71-year-old woman who has been charged with a bizarre hit man plot allegedly targeting well-known Toronto goldman Jack Berkovits. “Life was good until I put out a sign that said ‘I buy gold.’" 8/6/2010 5:14:02 AM
Lesbian teen quits church after officials denounce her for taking part in Pride A 17-year-old gay teenager from New Westminster is reeling after the minister of her church called her a poor role model for posing for a newspaper photograph for the city’s first-ever Pride celebration. She said she was told how she was promoting an improper lifestyle. 8/6/2010 5:05:27 AM
Air Canada lands in good books after fixing boy's wheelchair The family of a 10-year-old disabled boy from Kamloops, B.C., whose custom-made wheelchair was damaged on an Air Canada flight Wednesday, is crediting the online world with convincing the airline to fix his chair and to send it back within 24 hours — and for offering him a free flight to Disney World. 8/6/2010 5:02:27 AM
Divers making a big splash at opening day of Peachfest Seconds after plunging about eight stories into a small pool of water, Yves Milord, owner of Milord Entertainment High Dive Show said he felt exhilarated. “Actually it‘s really nice,” he said. “We have a great view from up there with the lake and the park. From up top, the pool itself is like a plate.” 8/5/2010 10:41:36 AM
Poll indicates Canadians swear more than Americans, Brits Canucks have the biggest potty mouths, says a new poll comparing Canadians to Americans and Brits. “No shit! Really?” said one Vancouver man. Most American tourists said the poll got it wrong. “I swear like a sailor,” said Joanna from Chicago. “But Canadians swearing more? No way.” 8/4/2010 8:51:40 PM
Castles set to rise on Skaha Beach The sands of Skaha will be turned into works of art this Thursday as the 2010 Skaha Rotary Sandcastle Competition is set to take place. The 27th edition of the event will see teams in the categories of kids, youth, family and corporate compete to build the ultimate sandcastle. 8/4/2010 6:28:15 PM
Penticton Meter Man robbed in broad daylight A Penticton bylaw officer was robbed of parking coins on Tuesday by a man riding by on a bicycle. Two Penticton bylaw officers were collecting the money from the parking meters in the 200 block of Winnipeg Street. One of the bylaw officers was pushing the coin trolley when a man approached him on a bike. 8/4/2010 5:19:22 PM
UK millionaire jailed for attacking hovering helicopter A MILLIONAIRE property developer was sentenced to a year in jail for flying into a rage and attacking a helicopter as it took off near his luxury apartment in Bristol, southwestern England, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday. 8/4/2010 4:13:12 PM
California's gay-marriage ban overturned A federal judge on Wednesday struck down a California ban on same-sex marriages as unconstitutional, according to court documents, handing a key victory to gay-rights advocates in a politically charged decision almost certain to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. 8/4/2010 4:11:58 PM
Remember — The Internet Never Forgets Most people have learned — some the hard way — that the Internet's memory makes elephants look forgetful by comparison, with the skeletons in our online closets having bones so sharp as to impale careers, marriages and certainly reputations. 8/4/2010 12:33:50 PM
Scientists dissect the nature of the 'booty call' As relationships go, booty calls don't get the most respect, but at least they're getting researched. A new study finds that booty-call relationships — late night calls to arrange a sexual rendezvous — are marked by less emotion than long-term partnerships but more sexual variety than one-night stands. 8/4/2010 11:06:20 AM
Having a sister might make you a better person Though siblings can sometimes be a pain, having a sister might be good for kids' emotional health, according to a new study. The results show young adolescents who had sisters either younger or older were less likely to experience negative feelings, such as loneliness and guilt. 8/4/2010 10:22:07 AM
Triathlete Will Rogers: Going the distance for charity (Video) First, 51-year-old Cloverdale resident Will Rogers swam 22 kilometres from Galiano Island to the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal. Then, he followed up with a 500 kilometre bicycle ride from Victoria to Penticton on July 17 and 18. Next up is a run, on foot, along the same route starting August 10. Last year, he raised $10,000. 8/4/2010 10:21:37 AM
More U.S. billionaires pledge fortune to charity Thirty-four U.S. billionaires pledged Wednesday to give away at least 50 per cent of their wealth to charity as part of a campaign by investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Gates and Buffett launched “The Giving Pledge” in June to convince hundreds of U.S. billionaires to give away most of their fortune. 8/4/2010 7:56:18 AM
Penticton Peach Festival promises to pack a punch Sixty three years old and only getting stronger, the largest free festival in Western Canada kicks off today in Penticton. The 63rd Annual Penticton Peach Festival begins with seniors day activities starting at noon, leading up to the official grand opening at 7 p.m. at Okanagan Lake Park. 8/4/2010 7:38:01 AM
Nine Bow River rafters get tangled under Louise Bridge, plucked to safety Two families got a little more adventure than they bargained for on the Bow River Monday when their group of four rafts became wrapped around an abutment under the Louise Bridge. All nine, including young children, were plucked from the fast-moving river by the Calgary fire department. 8/4/2010 7:35:57 AM
Economic odds stacked against mothers The last three men nominated to the Supreme Court have all been married and, among them, have seven children. The last three women — Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Harriet Miers (who withdrew) — have all been single and without children. 8/4/2010 7:04:39 AM
Dutch teenager Laura Dekker sets sail for record bid A Dutch teenager hoping to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world has set sail for Portugal, where she will begin her effort. Laura Dekker, 14, was granted permission by a court ruling last week. Ms Dekker is planning to spend about two years aboard Guppy, her 8m (26ft) boat, to break the record. 8/4/2010 6:49:47 AM
Russia's parasailing donkey to fly no more after being bought by UK newspaper A donkey sent parasailing over a southern Russian beach last month has been sent to Moscow after being bought by a British newspaper. The female donkey made headlines across the globe in July when a recreation company sent the braying animal up into the sky for a promotional stunt. 8/4/2010 6:31:44 AM
Woman, 84, allegedly defrauded of life savings Police say an 84-year-old Oshawa woman was taken advantage of by two men who befriended her and then defrauded her of her life savings. Durham Region police say the victim was financially independent and living alone when the first man approached her in the early 1990s with offers of landscaping and home renovations. 8/4/2010 6:06:02 AM
Sammie the lost pony, 37 years old, found alive after 9 days The scrawny brown pony meandered in front of Cathy Brissie as she drove to work early one morning. Slowing her pickup on the country road, she saw an animal definitely down on its luck. Not until she’d dialed 911 and made a few more calls did Brissie learn she’d just found Sammie, a 37-year-old toothless pony. 8/3/2010 8:19:45 PM
Dog eats man's infected toe and everyone is happy Dogs that bite are not ordinarily lavished with praise, but Jerry Douthett's little dog Kiko is being hailed as a lifesaver. Kiko apparently sensed an infection festering in his master's right big toe -- and chewed most of it off after Douthett passed out in a drunken stupor. 8/3/2010 8:07:30 PM
$30 million Bugatti car on display in California Must see! Used car, light blue, one of a kind. Expect sticker shock! A 1936 Bugatti that recently sold for more than $30 million went on display Tuesday at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard. The museum says the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic is one of only three ever made. 8/3/2010 6:08:18 PM
Oliver: Mother's parental-support lawsuit against her son delayed Ken and Sherry Anderson say they just want to focus on looking after their two sons. But the Oliver couple were in Vancouver Supreme Court Tuesday fighting an 11-year-old battle with Ken’s birth mother, who is suing for financial support even though she abandoned him when he was 15. 8/3/2010 5:52:15 PM
'Sugarbabe' favors negotiated infidelity (Video) Could letting your man sleep with another woman help your relationship? Author and former mistress Holly Hill thinks so. "One of the main things that I have learned is that a woman that negotiates infidelity with her partner is far more powerful than a woman who is sitting home wondering why he's late from the office Christmas party," she says. 8/3/2010 5:48:25 PM
We're No. 1! UGA tops party schools ranking The University of Georgia won a national title this year - top party school. The school of about 30,000 students has been on the list 10 times, but this is the first time the university has taken the top spot. Thursday night is the new Friday night," said junior Andrew Chappell. 8/3/2010 5:12:43 PM
It's official: Bristol Palin calls it quits (again) with fiance Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston have called off their second engagement after he told her he may have fathered a baby with another girl. The other girl was not identified, but a pregnant ex-girlfriend of Johnston has publicly denied he is the father. 8/3/2010 5:06:14 PM
Bound US woman uses toes to type message for help Police say an Atlanta woman tied to her bed by an armed burglar was freed by police after she used her toes to type a message to her boyfriend. Atlanta police Capt. Van Hobbs says the woman's boyfriend called police dispatchers Tuesday morning to say she told him she'd been bound since midnight. 8/3/2010 4:51:13 PM
Escalade is car most likely to catch thieves' eyes The blinged-out Cadillac Escalade SUV, a favorite of A-listers like Tiger Woods, is once again the vehicle voted most likely to be stolen. The F-250 crew cab pickup, Infiniti G37 luxury sedan, Dodge Charger with its high-power HEMI engine and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 round out the list. 8/3/2010 10:12:56 AM
Keremeos: Pea sheller should be a best seller, say neighbours Richard Schmidt of Keremeos likes to tinker. Sometime ago he got an idea for an invention that would shell peas. He has since spent the past few months perfecting the idea, and earlier this year finished his device. “It can shell a five gallon pail in three to five minutes,” he said proudly. 8/3/2010 10:05:26 AM
Penticton: Society lays plans for the SS Sicamous The image of the S.S. Sicamous, residing in her permanent berth on the western corner of Okanagan Lake, is one that is burned into the minds of residents and tourists alike. Now, the S.S. Sicamous Restoration Society is starting to make plans to turn the area into a single, cohesive park area. 8/3/2010 5:36:45 AM
Marc Emery wonders what's happening with his mail The Prince of Pot's U.S. Federal Prison blog # 8 cites a "disturbing series of occurrences" with his mail. In the blog, Marc Emery wrote that a number of items he has sent and that he should have received have gone missing. Emery stated in the blog that if items sent to him are refused, he is supposed to be informed of this. 8/2/2010 5:56:03 PM
Wife locks husband, 80, in laundry room for 1 year An 80-year-old Frenchman was recovering in a state of shock in hospital on Saturday after being freed from a year locked in a laundry room by a wife half his age and her alleged lover. A judicial source told AFP the man was conscious and lucid in hospital, but did not yet want to speak to anyone. 8/2/2010 4:53:47 PM
Posting pictures online reveals more than you know Big Brother has arrived, in case you missed it. In fact, you probably did miss it. Those images you’ve been uploading to the web — your amusing YouTube video, the car-for-sale pictures on Craigslist, the TwitPic updates — may be embedded with coding that can reveal where the picture was taken, according to a report. 8/2/2010 4:16:45 PM
8-year-old's violent behaviour stuns small town In the isolated town of Stoneville, N.L., population less than 500, residents are starting to wonder what to do about an eight-year-old boy. First, it was a dog bludgeoned to death in June. And now it's a dozen ducks, hens and chicks kept in a backyard as pets. 8/2/2010 10:08:06 AM
Apple's iPhone 4 leads to long line-ups (Video) Shoppers in Canada are lining up to buy Apple's iPhone 4, which went on sale Friday. In Toronto, hundreds of people lined up to be among the first in Canada to hold the new iPhone 4, with many camping overnight to get their gadget. In Vancouver, one guy was offering to sell his place in line on Craigslist for $100. 8/2/2010 7:05:14 AM
Stars come out as Chelsea Clinton weds longtime boyfriend Chelsea Clinton married her longtime boyfriend Saturday night at an exclusive estate along New York’s Hudson River. Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham Clinton announced in a statement that their daughter wed investment banker Marc Mezvinsky after weeks of secrecy and buildup. 8/1/2010 4:26:38 PM
Dog Training and the Myth of Alpha-Male Dominance Dogs are descended from wolves. Wolves live in hierarchical packs in which the aggressive alpha male rules over everyone else. Therefore, humans need to dominate their pet dogs to get them to behave. This logic has dominated the canine-rearing conversation for more than five years, thanks mostly to Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. 8/1/2010 4:12:02 PM
Downtown Vancouver bursting with Pride An estimated 600,000 spectators flooded into Vancouver's downtown core on Sunday, where the rainbow flag is flying high for the 27th annual Pride Parade. The 20-block parade, which began at noon, features extravagant floats, skimpy costumes, community groups and politicians of all stripes. 8/1/2010 4:06:12 PM
Tourism heats up with the weather A soggy May and June saw tourist numbers down slightly, but with the heat intensifying in July, Penticton is on track to be even-par with last year. Sherrie Burechailo, the Penticton and Wine Country Visitors Centre manager, said numbers are pretty much on par with last year except for a slide of about two per cent in June. 8/1/2010 11:48:35 AM
Kars under the K day in Keremeos Sunday The 9th Annual is a family show. We have a great pancake breakfast, free swimming for the kids, free admission for the public, a vendor's alley, concession, music, awards, beverage garden, Antique & vintage cars, trucks, tractors, Muscle cars, Street Rods, Custom & Classic cars and collector T-Shirts are on sale. 8/1/2010 11:25:07 AM
Okanagan Similkameen: Fires serve as a burning reminder First came the fire in Seclusion Bay, which carried the potential to spread both into West Kelowna and Peachland. Last week, another fire broke out near Okanagan Falls and Skaha Estates in the area of McLean Creek Road and Eastside Road, then another wildfire was reported Monday south of Keremeos. 8/1/2010 11:18:46 AM
Tortured life of world's greatest athlete The question is not just whether Jim Thorpe, in death, will ever be allowed to rest in peace. The question is whether he ever managed to find true peace while he was alive. Thorpe, the Native American from rural Oklahoma who in the early years of the 20th century became the greatest athlete in the world, died in 1953. 8/1/2010 11:16:09 AM
Brazilians Switched at Birth Work, Live Together Two years back, Dimas Aliprandi and Elton Plaster didn't know of each other's existence. Then they learned they had been accidentally switched at birth more than 20 years ago. The discovery didn't bring bitterness or recrimination. Rather, it led to the creation of a bigger family. 8/1/2010 10:38:13 AM
Traders Aren't Economists, They're Gamblers A word of warning: There are serious troublemakers out there and they are the real powers in the universe today. They are called "traders." They lurk in board rooms and offices and homes and sometimes nowadays, they are not even human. They lurk in software programs and infinitely small circuits on infinitely small chips. 8/1/2010 10:36:51 AM
Family devastated after Abbotsford father killed while cycling on Hwy. 1 Abbotsford resident Sherry Boersma tearfully remembers the weekly bottle-collecting outings with her dad, Peter Boersma, as a fun way to spend quality time with an amazing and loving man. They’d go out on a Sunday, she says, riding their bikes from Abbotsford to Surrey and scanning the ditches for recyclables. 8/1/2010 10:29:56 AM
Playboy's Hugh Hefner: he's not just about sex Ever since Hugh Hefner started Playboy magazine in 1953, he's been lauded by millions for getting puritanical America out of the sexual pits. But call him a social activist? A humanitarian? A deep, caring thinker who champions justice, equality and free speech for all? 8/1/2010 9:41:16 AM
Olalla’s “fun field” means playtime for area children Motorists passing through Olalla this summer have had their curiousity piqued by what appears to be the creation of an amusement park - of sorts - on a half acre field at the community’s north end. The project is the brain child of Charlene Wall. “My only child was diagnosed with autism,” said Charlene. “I was devastated." 8/1/2010 9:32:52 AM
It’s official: Chelsea and Marc tie the knot Chelsea Clinton wed her longtime boyfriend under extraordinary security in an interfaith ceremony at an elegant Hudson River estate late Saturday. Chelsea wed investment banker Marc Mezvinsky after weeks of secrecy and buildup that had celebrity watchers flocking to the small village of Rhinebeck. 8/1/2010 7:21:40 AM
Skaha Beach Bod Contest shaping up The sands of Skaha beach will be overloaded with muscles and bikinis this Sunday for the 28th annual JCI Penticton Mr. Muscle Miss Bikini contest. The event kicks off at noon and features two live bands, a beer garden and barbecue, frozen and wet T-shirt contests, as well as the Mr. Muscle and Miss Bikini contests. 7/31/2010 3:53:02 PM
Another ugly reminder to check your Facebook settings If we take any lesson from this latest Facebook privacy brouhaha, it's one we should have already learned: Facebook isn't for people who don't wish to be known. Because here's the deal: Facebook has not now, nor will it ever, protect your information. 7/31/2010 7:09:34 AM
Change that's as good as a rest, or better Sitting back in their dream home or resting on their professional laurels just wasn't enough for Alastair Pirie and Pat Elias. By anyone's standards, they had the trappings of success: a beautiful house in Victoria, a boat moored in the marina, a BMW in the driveway and thriving professional careers. 7/31/2010 6:29:34 AM
Itsy bitsy bikinis for the proud body Tanya Theberge is about as versatile as they come. One minute the 32-year-old self-professed “hockey mom” is hitting the rink and lacing up her 11-year-old’s skates, next she’s hitting the weights for a fitness competition. There’s not a lot the Calgary-bred swimsuit designer can’t do. 7/31/2010 6:24:17 AM
Conrad Black speaks out about prison stay As an appeals court reconsiders his criminal convictions and following his release from a Florida prison, former media baron Conrad Black is finally speaking about his release from a U.S. federal prison.The column is the first time he has written about the day he regained his freedom. 7/31/2010 6:16:13 AM
Palin Soap Opera: Bristol reportedly ends engagement to Levi Ex marks the breakup spot for Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston. The 19-year-old mom called off her second engagement to her baby daddy last week following a fight over one of his ex-girlfriends. The thorn in Bristol's side wasn't even the ex who turned up pregnant this week, but some other girl! 7/30/2010 6:09:33 PM
U.K.: Men's accident rates climb with women's hemlines Men's car accident rates rise along with women's summer hemlines, says a new study by a U.K. insurance company. The London Telegraph said the study by car insurance company Sheilas' Wheels claims men get into more accidents in the summer because they are distracted by women's skimpy outfits. 7/30/2010 6:05:53 PM
Smear Job: No charges for Al Gore over 'alleged' sex assault The Portland Police Bureau did not recommend prosecution "due to a lack of credible evidence." "Ms. Hagerty's detailed statement ... is insufficient to support a criminal charge given other contradictory evidence, conflicting witness statements, credibility issues, lack of forensic evidence and denials by Mr. Gore." 7/30/2010 5:04:00 PM
N.J. man gets jail for vomit-assault at game A 21-year-old man who intentionally vomited on a spectator and his 11-year-old daughter at a Philadelphia Phillies game was sentenced Friday to up to three months in jail and community service, which the judge suggested be fulfilled by cleaning ballpark toilets and trash. 7/30/2010 1:32:21 PM
Woman charged with DUI after daughter calls 911 from car A teenage girl "averted a tragedy" by calling 911 from inside a wildly weaving car to report her mother, who ended up being charged with drunken driving, New York State Police said. Jamie S. Hicks, 48, of Islip, New York, was charged with felony driving under the influence and was released on bail. 7/30/2010 8:35:07 AM
Sex parties banned at mansion in central London A man has been banned from holding events including pole-dancing classes and a sex party at his 18th Century mansion in central London. The Council said a "porn disco", film shoots and a masquerade ball were also held. The council felt his neighbours were being disturbed to an "unacceptable degree". 7/30/2010 8:29:38 AM
Georgian minister slams Vancouver Sun, denies doctoring resume Georgia’s economy minister has reportedly lashed out at The Vancouver Sun, calling it a Russian propaganda unit, after an apparent discrepancy in the 28-year-old’s official biography. Vera Kobalia (center) came under international fire this week after a racy photograph of her posing next to some scantily clad women surfaced. 7/30/2010 8:13:36 AM
Bicycles bound for Africa (Video) Keith Germaine, with the Kelowna chapter of Bicycles For Humanity, will be busy on Saturday helping to crate some 400 donated bicycles in a shipping container bound for Ghana, a country on the west coast of Africa. This is the third time Bicycles For Humanity has sent a cargo container of bicycles to Ghana, where they are a valued commodity. 7/30/2010 8:08:45 AM
Lawyers want return of mandatory long-form census The group representing Canada's lawyers says changes to the census will make it tougher for people who suffer serious personal injuries to get proper compensation. The association says the ditching of the mandatory form will especially hurt women, children, the disabled and others without a regular work history. 7/30/2010 8:04:25 AM
Edgy luggage sticker sales grounded over government reaction The large decals — designed to help suitcases stick out and be found easily in a crowd of similar luggage - make it look like the bag is stuffed with packets of cocaine, wads of American bills, sex toys — or even a bound and gagged flight attendant. 7/30/2010 6:52:35 AM
Authors contend that promiscuity - not monogamy - is our norm ‘Of all Earth's creatures, none is as urgently, creatively and constantly sexual as Homo sapiens,” authors Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha write in their new book Sex at Dawn: The Prehistoric Origins of Modern Sexuality. The husband and wife team pore over anthropological, anatomical and psychosexual evidence, arriving at a bleak conclusion... 7/30/2010 6:27:56 AM
Honest Penticton resident turns in envelope with $1,600 A Penticton man has been reunited with an envelope of cash thanks to the honesty of another South Okanagan resident. George Ballinghall went to RCMP Wednesday after losing $1,600 on Riverside Drive Wednesday. He was hoping someone may eventually turn the money in. 7/30/2010 6:07:24 AM
Naramata: Wine awards head into orchard It‘s not often Lt.-Gov. Steven Point gets to shout “Last bucket!” to a cherry picking crew. Such was the case Thursday as Point was invited into a Naramata orchard while presenting a Lieutenant Governor‘s Award for Excellence in B.C. Wines to winemaker Rob Van Westen of Van Westen Vineyards. 7/30/2010 5:46:28 AM
Friends rally in support of Kelowna artist It took UBC Okanagan fine arts graduate Woon-hing Manning 17 years to finally earn her degree last month, receiving the most outstanding fine arts student award in the process. Yet sitting in a wheelchair, having just undergone four days of medical tests, it wasn’t quite the moment she had envisioned. 7/30/2010 5:43:59 AM
Flag over Keremeos Grist Mill, Canadian Stamp Unveiled The Grist Mill was the scene for the official unveiling of Canada Post’s commemorative Grist Mill stamp on Friday, July 23. Dignitaries on hand for the event included MLA John Slater, Regional District Chair Dan Ashton, Keremeos Mayor Walter Despot and Keremeos Councillors Thielmann and Cowling. 7/29/2010 6:35:04 PM
Woman charged in France over babies' bodies (Video) French prosecutors said Thursday they charged a woman with murder after she admitted giving birth to and smothering eight babies over a 17-year period in northern France. The woman, Dominique Cottrez, said she hid the pregnancies and deaths from her husband, who said he had no idea what she had done. 7/29/2010 6:27:58 PM
Kristi Richards sets sights on 2014 Winter Olympics The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are still 31/2 years away but Freestyle skier Kristi Richards is already strapping on her skis as she prepares to compete there. The games would be the third Olympic competition for Richards, who also competed in Italy in 2006 and in Vancouver earlier this year. 7/29/2010 6:16:34 PM
Nova Scotia family discovers 3-metre shark on beach (Video) For the Chandler family in Nova Scotia, the discovery of a 3-metre blue shark on the shore of the same waters they swim in was quite the shock. "I thought maybe if I went to an aquarium or something, but I never thought in my own cove I'd see a shark wash up on the beach," Allison Chandler, 12, said. 7/29/2010 3:51:58 PM
Obama bored with his BlackBerry Barack Obama fought hard to keep his BlackBerry when he became president, but with only 10 people authorized to email the super-encrypted device, he admitted Thursday that it is “no fun.” The president said that only 10 people have the address of the BlackBerry he was issued. 7/29/2010 1:22:25 PM
Three Vancouver Island men guilty of assault in case with racial overtones Three white men who fought a lone black man in a Courtenay parking lot have been found guilty of common assault. Judge Peter Doherty said, "Three young white men, fuelled by alcohol and testosterone and their own immaturity, crossed paths with a black man and lives changed forever. " 7/29/2010 1:10:21 PM
Emotional Maradona lashes out at 'treason', 'lies' Diego Maradona has accused Argentina football chief Julio Grondona of lying and team manager Carlos Bilardo of treason in a bitter tirade against the two men he believes plotted his sacking as national coach. "Grondona lied to me. Bilardo betrayed me," said an emotional Maradona. 7/28/2010 5:00:40 PM
Get informed before selling old gold: Better Business Bureau The Better Business Bureau in British Columbia is advising consumers to do their homework before responding to internet sites or television ads offering to buy their surplus gold. The agency suggests getting two or three appraisals from a jeweller or jewelry store before deciding to sell. 7/28/2010 4:16:15 PM
Dogs 'mimic movements of owners' Dogs "automatically imitate" the body movements of their owners, according to a study. This automatic imitation is a crucial part of social learning in humans. But Austrian researchers report that the phenomenon is evident in many other animals. 7/28/2010 6:12:48 AM
Novelty suitcase stickers go viral A pair of Vancouver entrepreneurs have taken the notion of making a suitcase stand out on the luggage rack to a whole new level. They have created large stickers that can be placed on luggage to give it the appearance that something strange or nefarious is going on. 7/27/2010 5:06:37 PM
Dutch Sailor, 14, Gets OK for Solo World Trip A 14-year-old Dutch sailor will be allowed to launch a risky attempt to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, a court said Tuesday, clearing her for an adventure that could begin within two weeks. Laura Dekker said she was thrilled to hear of the decision to lift a guardianship order. 7/27/2010 4:00:57 PM
Penticton Peachfest just around the corner Penticton Peach Festival, which organizers say could be among the best in its history, is less than two weeks away. A host of entertainment is on the slate for the Aug. 4 – 8 event, now in its 63rd year. According to festival president, Don Kendall, it is the largest free festival in the country. 7/27/2010 3:15:18 PM
California couple try to sell baby for $25 outside Walmart Patrick Fousek, 38, and Samantha Tomasini, 20 were arrested early Wednesday, hours after Fousek allegedly approached two women outside Walmart and asked if they would like to purchase his child. A police spokesman said at first the women thought the man was joking, but became suspicious as he became more persistent. 7/27/2010 3:04:21 PM
He conquered his sweet tooth, lost 220 lbs.! “Food used to control me,” said 46-year-old Fran DiVecchio. “I would eat because I felt sad and frustrated … I was in denial.” The newest member of the Joy Fit Club used food as an emotional crutch, indulging in fatty carbohydrates like french fries, grilled cheese or turkey sandwiches covered in gravy. 7/27/2010 9:17:22 AM
Winery Tailgate party back for seventh year The Naramata Bench Winery Association is holding its seventh annual Tailgate Party on Sept. 11, from 6 to 9 p.m. in Naramata. This much anticipated event features tasting the latest and greatest from 15 wineries of the Naramata Bench, great food, and great entertainment in a casual outdoor setting. 7/27/2010 8:53:14 AM
Vengeful online sex ads take growing toll "Looking to please and to be pleased," said the ad, posted on Craigslist's Oklahoma area website in the “casual encounters” category on June 25. It detailed various sex acts the poster would voluntarily engage in, much of the explicit language unpublishable here. 7/27/2010 6:01:42 AM
Australia: Dog saves owner from rape at knifepoint A woman in Melbourne, Australia, who was hit, dragged and threatened with a knife by a man who tried to rape her, was only saved when her dog fought him off. The 29-year-old woman was walking alone with her dog in a park at about 10pm when the attack took place. 7/26/2010 7:42:13 PM
Penticton Ultraman: Ultra running a test of endurance To most casual athletes, the concept of swimming, biking and running more than 500 kilometres over three days likely borders on the absurd. But for Kim Froom (pictured) competing in Ultraman Canada for the first time next weekend will be more like a celebration of life. (Ed: Scroll down to 2nd part of story for Kim.) 7/26/2010 7:37:43 PM
Chelsea Clinton shines as bride-to-be It is remarkable that Chelsea Clinton has done such a good job of avoiding the spotlight for much of her life. But that is about to change. Next weekend the former "first daughter" is to marry her long-time boyfriend, Marc Mezvinsky - an event that will put her unavoidably in the spotlight. 7/26/2010 6:49:13 PM
Police nab underwear-masked bandit An unemployed woman who said she was desperate for money has been arrested on charges she robbed an Oklahoma McDonald's with a white stretch girdle wrapped around her face as a makeshift mask. Authorities said 51-year-old Sharon Lain of Midwest City admitted to being the underwear-masked bandit. 7/26/2010 6:34:32 PM
Boy, 9, spends day in airport limbo As a frequent flyer, nine-year-old Julien Reid is used to delays. Splitting time equally between his mom in Ottawa and his dad in San Francisco, he makes the trip back and forth about six times a year. But his odyssey back to Ottawa Saturday was enough to push even the most seasoned traveller over the edge. 7/26/2010 6:18:13 PM
Tour de France: Ryder rides into the Canadian spotlight Ryder Hesjedal now has his own T-shirt. It comes in black or white and features a stylized maple leaf with "Ryder" below. The T-shirt is currently sold out on the Garmin Transitions team website, but they're getting more in right away. And they're going to need them. 7/26/2010 4:47:40 PM
Toronto G20 police shot rubber bullets, B.C. woman says A 20-year-old environmental activist from B.C. is suing the Toronto Police Service, claiming she was hit by two rubber bullets during a G20 summit protest. "I hit the ground. It's hard to describe how it feels getting shot," said Natalie Gray of Maple Ridge. 7/26/2010 4:01:44 PM
More married couples sleep in separate beds My grandparents had a secret. When I was growing up in Savannah, Ga., in the 1970s, my paternal grandparents lived in the house immediately behind us. (My uncle lived next door in a set-up my father likened to Faulkner.) But my grandparents did something that was always something of a mystery to me. They slept in separate bedrooms. 7/26/2010 9:51:38 AM
Police shut down naked bike ride in Seattle Several naked bicyclists were stopped by police and told to cover up Friday night on Capitol Hill during a World Naked Bike Ride event. But the bicyclists themselves say they were merely exercising their First Amendment rights and were carrying out Seattle's longstanding naked cycling tradition. 7/26/2010 9:32:43 AM
'Why do women expect men to be mind readers?' Why do women expect men to be mind readers? My wife has been grousing around lately. She finally erupted, "Just once I'd like to come home and find you made the salad for dinner!" "You want a salad? Call/text/e-mail and it's yours!" To which she replied those killer words, "I shouldn't have to!" 7/26/2010 9:28:38 AM
How to catch the mellow wave craze Eight years ago Pam Young’s life encountered a devastating event, but one that eventually opened up her eyes to a whole new way of life. Two years ago Young and Jason Maartense opened up Stand Up Paddleboard BC in Whistler, which has now led to the opening of Lake Monsters SUP and Kite Co. in Penticton. 7/26/2010 8:59:08 AM
Dog's rescue after several weeks in North Shore woods an inspiring tale The North Shore News ran a miracle dog story Sunday. Under the headline Dog Beat Odds to Survive, reporter Lara Howsam chronicled the heart-warming story of Honey, an 11-year-old dachshund with a heart condition, being returned to its owners after surviving almost four weeks in the woods. 7/26/2010 7:25:45 AM
Registered problem gambler who had jackpot seized never signed away ability to win: lawyer A registered problem gambler who had his jackpot seized at a Duncan casino never signed away his ability to win, said his lawyer. Vancouver Island resident Mike Lee is suing the B.C. Lottery Corp. to have $42,500 he won at Chances Cowichan in January returned to him. 7/26/2010 6:51:24 AM
Police: Man robs bank in clown pants, fake breasts Authorities say Pittsburgh-area man robbed a bank wearing a woman's blond wig, fake breasts under a sweater and clown pants. Police say 48-year-old Dennis Hawkins of North Braddock was sitting in a parked car covered in red dye from an exploding packet in a bag of money when he was arrested. 7/26/2010 6:11:32 AM
10 ways to tell if someone is lying to you In business, politics and romance, it would be nice to know when we're being lied to. Unfortunately humans aren't very good at detecting lies. Our natural tendency is to trust others. We save time and energy by taking statements like "I saw that movie" or "I like your haircut" at face value. 7/25/2010 6:30:04 AM
Teen wins with late sister’s car at Soap Box Derby With actor-director Corbin Bernsen filming the movie "Hill 25," based on the Soap Box Derby, 14-year-old Sean Brown rolled to victory in the Rally Super Stock Division in a way that no script writer ever imagined. He won in the car that had been driven by his late sister Carol Anne. 7/25/2010 6:15:32 AM
Vaseline skin-lightening app called racist If it's the fair, de-ethnicized look you're after, there appears to be a Facebook app for that. A Facebook application aimed at users in India promises to lighten the skin tone of faces in profile pictures. It's sparking cries of racism, and about why fair skin is equated with beauty. 7/25/2010 6:09:44 AM
Married Toronto preacher Benny Hinn romantically linked to healer There’s a new televangelist soap opera. Reports this week suggest a still-married Benny Hinn is now romantically involved with Paula White, another television preacher with a colourful past. The 57-year-old Hinn is best known for his faith-healing “Miracle Crusades.” 7/24/2010 8:42:58 PM
NY Times: There’s Only One Way to Stop a Bully Research on child development makes it clear that there is only one way to truly combat bullying. As an essential part of the school curriculum, we have to teach children how to be good to one another, how to cooperate, how to defend someone who is being picked on and how to stand up for what is right. 7/24/2010 7:09:36 PM
Bear gets stuck in car, goes on brief joy ride (Video) If you think you've heard it all, follow this tale of a hungry black bear who went for a ride, literally. Douglas County, Colorado, Sheriff's deputies early Friday got a call about a honking car and a commotion inside. Perhaps it was teenagers or a thief, they thought as they approached Ralph Story's Toyota. 7/24/2010 1:03:03 PM
World's most expensive beer sells out in a day It's billed as the most shocking, strongest and most expensive beer in the world, and if you want a bottle it's too late. Only 12 bottles of The End of History beer were produced by Scotland's BrewDog brewery and they all found homes within a day of going on the market. 7/24/2010 12:43:47 PM
Osoyoos: Romance in the desert this weekend Showcasing the importance of one of Canada’s foremost endangered habitats the Osoyoos Desert Society will be holding its 11th annual Romancing the Desert fundraiser this Saturday. Tickets to the 6 p.m. to midnight gala are $65 and must be purchased in advance. 7/24/2010 9:52:42 AM
China’s top philanthropist gives it all away Yu Pengnian’s journey from poor street hawker to Hong Kong real-estate magnate was already a remarkable one. Then the 88-year-old did something even rarer that shocked many in increasingly materialistic China: He gave it all away. 7/24/2010 6:48:11 AM
Oliver Family fights archaic law requiring kids to support their parents When Ken Anderson was just 15 years old, his mother Shirley made it clear: She didn't want him any more. On Aug. 3 and 4, Ken, now 46, will face off against the woman who gave birth to him in B.C. Supreme Court. Shirley Anderson, now 71, is suing Ken and four of his five siblings for parental support. 7/24/2010 5:21:30 AM
Cheating at school too common When it comes to breaking the rules at school, anywhere from one-third to three-quarters of students nationwide routinely get in on the act, according to a survey. 73 per cent of first-year students admitted to committing one or more "serious acts of academic dishonesty" on written work while in high school. 7/23/2010 6:32:06 PM
Special device keeps Neo the dog on the walking trail When a friend needs help, you pull out all the stops. And that is exactly what Laura Legere is doing for her dog, Neo. The 11-year-old black lab and Chesepeake Bay retriever mix and his best friend are often seen on their frequent walks in Dartmouth< Nova Scotia. 7/23/2010 12:43:05 PM
Councillor Sentes “Hopeful” for romps return Close to a year after the popular bronze statues of three children playing in the waters of Okanagan Lake was removed from its former home at Marina Way Park Coun. Judy Sentes says she is “very hopeful,” that the sculpture will soon be reinstalled. 7/23/2010 12:24:18 PM
Penticton: Attracting lawyers to rural areas Too often, students fresh out of law or medical school get attached to the idea of going to a large city to make a big name for themselves and earn big money. The Canadian Bar Association, B.C. Branch has introduced a project that encourages and funds law students to try out smaller towns and rural areas first. 7/23/2010 5:20:29 AM
Swimming kitty proves she’s no fraidy cat Swimming has helped one lucky kitty walk again after being paralyzed. Nazzaning, a 6-year-old Turkish Van, was injured in June and was unable to move her left side. Her owner, Florence Rostami, took her to the hospital, initially believing she had broken her paw. 7/22/2010 11:13:38 PM
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Small-chested women value their minimal assets 
Dead cat prompts driver's road rampage
Bosnian police 'find puppy-tossing girl' 
Why don't black Americans swim?
Ads for pads: Can a guy sell menstrual products? 
Police promise enhanced presence for graduation bush party
It's a dog's life: Poodle goes from ruff beginning to spoiled furball
Infusions: The Kitchen Sink in Your Drink
Similkameen Valley will show off its wines
Judge doesn’t like juror’s Facebook post during trial 
Hawking rejects divine role in Big Bang, creation of the universe 
