Anti-drug cop dies of an overdose Constable Barry Schneider, a 23-year veteran of the RCMP and a respected drug awareness co-ordinator for Vancouver Island, was found dead in his home with a lethal concentration of heroin and cocaine in his veins. “He was a cop. A drug cop. But there he was, in blue jeans and an open shirt, talking to a roomful of kids about marijuana, cocaine and heroin as if he were just an ordinary guy — who knew a lot about drugs.” (thanks romenesko)

Parenting 101 #1: Why would you treat your son that way? #2: Why would you write about it and let the whole world know how much of a jerk you are! Sure the kid’s probably got some problems – but what kid growing up these days doesn’t? I’m not sure how old he is, but he sounds like just about every other 18-24 year old I know. Dad’s gotta lighten up – I don’t think he realizes that he’s part of the problem… oh wait – he’s a Baptist minister- it all makes sense now…

A Guide to MRML That’s right – Mind Reading Markup Language. These tags can be embedded in any HTML document and are completely invisible to all browsers. No one will know that you have planted hypnotic suggestions while they were browsing your site!

IT may not be all IT’s cracked up to be Dean Kamen, inventor of IT (codenamed Ginger), has stepped forward to dispell some of the rumours surrounding his latest invention. The “proposal quoted several prominent technology leaders out of context, without their doubts, risks and maybes included. This, together with spirited speculation about the unknown, has lead to expectations that are beyond whimsical.” Kamen says the project has promise, “but nothing of the earth shattering nature that people are conjuring up.” Oh well.

Third-grader suspended for bringing gun-shaped medallion to school This kid finds a little 1-inch-long gun-shaped medallion in the snowbank on the way to school and brings it in with him. The medallion had no hole where the barrel would be and posed no threat to students. It looked like a charm for a necklace. The boy never pointed the item or threatened anyone with it. He has been suspended.

Canada’s top lawyer takes case – Clayton Ruby, one of Canada’s leading criminal lawyers has offered to take the case, free of charge. The boy was released yesterday into his parents’ custody on $10,000 bail and plenty of conditions. This kid is staying pretty positive, considering he spent his 16th birthday, Christmas and New Year’s in jail for his “crime” : “I am extremely proud of that story, I will never ever regret writing it. I will never regret writing anything.”

…mumble..mumble..can’t trust women…mumble Barry Darrell Freeman would be a rapist if only he were any good at it. In 1992, he forced a woman into an abandoned house and was ready for rape when he saw flashing lights from a police car and fled. Nevertheless, he was arrested and served eight years in prison. Last February, two months after he got out of jail for his last attempt, he forced a 20-year-old woman into a driveway and ordered her to undress. The quick thinking woman responded, “You’re going to rape me, so take off your clothes!” Freeman didn’t see anything wrong with that, so he obliged and stripped down. While he was standing in the nude, the woman realized he was unarmed and made a run for it. As she took off, Freeman was heard mumbling something about not being able to trust a woman.

Jailed teen has his day in court Here’s an update on the story. Today a justice of the peace will decide if he can go home pending his trial. What does he want to do when he gets out? Write – this time his story will be a courtroom drama.

Another link about that boy… this one from the Boston Globe…

What could IT be? The question on everybody’s lips these days… haven’t heard about IT? IT is an invention by 49-year-old scientist Dean Kamen. IT is predicted to change the world. IT is so extraordinary that it has captured the attention of technology visionaries Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs and others. In a private meeting with Bezos, Jobs and Doerr, Kamen assembled two Gingers (the code-name for IT) in 10 minutes using a screwdriver and hex wrenches from components from a couple of duffel bags and cardboard boxes. Bezos on IT: “(it) is a product so revolutionary, you’ll have no problem selling it. The question is, ‘Are people going to be allowed to use it?’ ” Jobs on IT: “If enough people see the machine you won’t have to convince them to architect cities around it. It’ll just happen.”