OK, here's the latest example of "World gone mad"...
Police in the US state of New Jersey have ordered a family to cover up their snow sculpture of the famous nude Venus de Milo after a neighbour complained.
Eliza Gonzalez sculpted the snow-woman with her son and daughter on her front lawn in Rahway following a snowstorm.
Many people praised their creation, but a police officer told them a neighbour had found it too risque, she said.
When given the option of covering the sculpture up or knocking it down, she dressed it in a bikini top and sarong.
"We didn't want to have any problem with the police so we covered it up," Ms Gonzalez told the AFP news agency.
But she now thinks the snowy Venus looks "more objectified and sexualised" than it did before the authorities intervened.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8551528.stm
(Which raises another question. Since when was New Jersey in the Middle East?)
The Telegraph has slightly different photos of the statue, and a larger image in their Pictures of the Day section.
Meanwhile, following one of the "Most Viewed" links on the Telegraph site, I discvoered that residents in the sleepy village of Lee Mill, Devon had a surprise when police discovered what one bedroom of a rented house was being used for...
"While we were conducting a search one gentleman arrived. He walked straight passed [sic] police vans and cars and several officers and rang the bell inquiring about an appointment. We had to have a word with him."
Comments
There's No Business Like Snow business
What if there's some magic in that old silk bra they found? What if, when they put it on her, she began to dance around?
I'm with the police. If they allow people to create art on their lawns, it would distract drivers who need to keep their minds on their texting.
Imagine the call to the police.
"Hello, I want to report a nude, frigid woman on my neighbor's lawn."
"Is the woman about 5'5" with blonde hair and blue eyes?"
"No????"
"Thank God. It's not my wife. . .this time."
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Really
We are back to community standards and city ordinances here. If this was a stone statue would it be permitted? I suspect not, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be acceptable in my community. Once a complaint was made the police had no choice but to follow up, gone are the days when an officer could say "Look, lady, it's made of snow, it'll melt in a few days".
Yeah, it's silly, but those are the times we live in. I remember way back when, there was a cartoon in the newspaper, "There ought to be a law". It basically lampooned behavior that was deemed unusual or extreme with the idea that 'there ought to be a law' that covers this. Well, that's what we have now, laws that cover pretty much everything, in place of some simple (no longer) common sense. We elected the people that passed all these laws through our actions or inactions. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.
They know they can survive
It's sad about the ice sculpture
but I'm confused about the Devon article. Just exactly what was illegal about the sex dungeon? If the police could show it was being used in prostitution, I can see where they could shut it down, but there is not even a hint that they had any proof along those lines. Does that mean the bobbies in Devon can invade any old domicile and confiscate your private fun toys? Rather bizarre if you ask me...
SuZie
SuZie
I thought about this...
I'd assume they'd get done for not having the relevant planning permission. Although you can run a small business from home, you may have to apply for planning permission if:
* Your home will no longer be used mainly as a private residence. This is the key test - has it become business premises first and a home second?
* Your business activities will lead to increased traffic or parking in a residential area.
* Your business involves any unusual activities for a residential area.
* Your business may disturb your neighbours at unreasonable hours or create other forms of nuisance, such as noise or smells.
* You are making major structural changes to your property, altering or extending it.
So they probably aroused suspicion amongst their neighbours on point 2 (increased traffic) and possibly 3 (unusual activities). If they got too cocky / addicted, they might have been done under 4 (unreasonable hours) as well. Essentially, if they'd only been doing it part time (a few evenings a week), they probably wouldn't have aroused much suspicion, but if they were doing it full time...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Near East or North East
Greetings
The same story also has a link from the Americas section of the BBC web site.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8551528.stm
Should there have some fig leaves used!
Brian
Location
Looks as though someone's discovered the mistake and corrected it - note both URLs have the same filename, and clicking on the link to the Middle East version takes you to the Americas URL (someone's evidently symlinked the 'old' to the 'new')
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Since when was New Jersey in the Middle East?)
Possibly, it's the accents of the residents that caused the confusion between the middle east, and the far east of the U.S.? Both accents are somewhat unintelligible to an outsider.
(Cathy runs for cover. EEEEEP!!!)
As a T-woman, I do have a Y chromosome... it's just in cursive, pink script.
New Jersey
You never know what you will find in New Jersey. Someday they might even find Jimmy Hoffa. It is a true state of mysteries.
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
It is a long road ahead but I will finally become who I should be.
My great aunt dated Jimmy
My great aunt dated Jimmy Hoffa... ;)
Hugs,
Kristy
Distant
It is a long journey between a bikini and a burka…