Look what I missed

A flamethrower in my neighborhood:

Man wielding homemade flamethrower arrested
By Will Reisman
Examiner Staff Writer 12/9/08

SAN FRANCISCO – An amateur pyrotechnician was arrested by police last weekend after staging an impromptu fire show in the Sunset District during the early morning hours.
At 3 a.m. on Saturday at the 800 block of Judah Street, police found a 31-year-old man standing on the top of a pickup truck while wielding a homemade flamethrower that was shooting balls of fire four feet into the air, according to Capt. Paul Chignell of the Taraval Police Station.

The man had obtained a couple of cylindrical tanks, possibly containing propane, and connected them with hoses to a metal outlet that directed the flames, Chignell said. Each time the man pulled the device’s trigger, a spout of fire would erupt.

“This guy had a yellow fireman’s jacket on and was just randomly shooting flames into the air,” Chignell said.

Neighbors frightened by the display called the police, who arrested the man on counts of wielding an explosive device on a public street and possessing a flammable device with intent to maliciously use it, Chignell said.

The man offered up no explanation for what he was doing, said Chignell. No one was injured in the incident, but Chignell said the suspect’s bizarre behavior put a lot of nearby residents at risk.

“Obviously, the potential for damage is pretty incredible with a rigging like this,” said Chignell. “Sometimes you just have to wonder what some people are thinking.”

Wish I could have seen that. . .

And speaking of you have to wonder what some people are thinking, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested today for, amongst other things, trying to sell the Senate seat that belonged to Barack Obama and trying to get various members of the Chicago Tribune editorial board fired in exchange for access to state money in the sale of Wrigley Field (the Tribune Co. owns the Cubs and Wrigley Field). One can only hope that Charlie Rangel is next.

And finally, apparently three minors that were convicted of a home invasion and beating an elderly woman will be attending Obama's inaguration. So, three minors found guilty of beating an old lady and entering her home and were sent to a youth rehabilitation camp are now being fitted for tuxedo's and will be flown to D.C. to attend the inaguration. That's a great use of tax payer funds, not to mention an excellent opportunity to showcase that California does not really care about punishing criminals, instead, they send them off to D.C. to party. That'll learn 'em!