Not 911:Flashing red Batphone can be delivered before Christmas

Now everyone can have a red phone with a flashing light like Batman.

When there’s trouble in Gotham City, Police Commissioner Gordon calls caped crusader Batman, the secret alter ego of millionaire Bruce Wayne.

At Wayne Manor, the flashing red Batphone is answered by Alfred the butler, who tells Wayne about the trouble. Then Wayne and his young ward Dick Grayson put on their superhero costumes. As Batman and Robin, they race from the Batcave in the Batmobile to battle evil-doers, or rescue citizens in distress.

Now everyone can have a bright red flashing Batphone just like a superhero. When an emergency call -- or even an ordinary call -- comes in, a bright red light centered in a shiny chrome ring starts flashing to attract attention.

The Batphone has classic sixties styling, with heavy-duty construction, a two-year warranty, and is made in the USA. It gets all of its power from the phone line, and doesn’t require a power cord or batteries. It can work on an ordinary home phone line, or on an "analog extension port" in a business phone system.

The phone rings when the light flashes, unless a purchaser prefers the bell to be disconnected for silent signaling, or an optional high-pitched "BatSignal" or buzzer to be installed instead of the bell. Price with the bell is $122, including Priority Mail shipping to all 50 states.

Order online at www.GetABatPhone.com, or call toll-free 1-888-225-3999.

Wacko called 911 to complain about burger

A woman in California called 911 because Burger King did not prepare her Western Cheeseburger the way she wanted it.

Here's a partial transcript from a recording provided by Burger Club NY.

Caller: I'm over here at Burger King in Laguna Niguel ... I'm at a drive-through right now. I ordered my food three times. They're mopping the floor inside and I understand they're busy -- they're not even busy. I've been the only car here. I asked four different times for them to make me a Wester Barbecue Burger. They keep giving me a hamburger with lettuce, tomato and cheese, onions.

I said, "I'm not leaving. I want a Western Burger." I just got my kids from Tae-Kwon-Do, they're hungry.

She gave me another hamburger, it's wrong.

The manager... whoever she is, she said, "do you want your money back?" I said "no, my kids are hungry and I have to jump on the toll freeway."

Dispatcher: OK, so what exactly is it you want us to do for you?

Caller: Send an officer down here. I want them to make me...

Dispatcher: Ma'am, we're not going to go down and enforce your Western Bacon Cheeseburger.

Caller: What am I supposed to do?

Dispatcher: This is between you and the manager. We're not going to enforce having a hamburger. That's not a criminal issue there's nothing criminal there.

Caller: So I just sit here and watch?

Dispatcher: You need to calmly and rationally speak to the manager and figure out what to do between you.

Caller: She did come up and I said, "Can I please have my Western burger?" She said "I'm not going to dealing with [you]"... she walked away.

Dispatcher: This is not a criminal issue...

Caller: You're supposed to protect me...

Dispatcher: What are we protecting you from, a wrong cheeseburger?

911 hang-up leads to drug bust

A 911 hang-up call in Lockport, New York led to an arrest for marijuana possession.

A State Police trooper went to a home to investigate a hang-up emergency call and while the trooper was interviewing the homeowner, he found several bags of marijuana.

Mark B. Sweeney was charged with unlawful possession of pot and was issued a ticket to appear in court. (info from The Buffalo News)

Man lied to 911 about robbery rather than let wife know he spent the money

Jordan Dominque of Panama City Beach, Florida initially claimed he had been robbed outside a store, but later admitted to deputies that he had lied when surveillance video showed no attack.

The man conceded that he had reported the fake robbery “just so that he could tell his wife that his money had been taken and that he had not just spent it,” a Bay County Sheriff’s Office report said.

Dominque was charged with making a false report of a crime. He was arrested and taken to jail.

Dominque had called 911 from inside the store, claiming he was getting into his car when a man dressed in black hit him and took $100 cash from him.

A deputy consulted the store’s surveillance video and saw no such attack. The video showed Dominque enter the store, then leave and go to his vehicle. He sat in his car for a short amount of time, then reentered the store and used the store’s phone to call 911.

“When I confronted him, he admitted to me he was having money problems at home,” the deputy noted. “He stated he called 911 knowing that no such crime had actually been committed, just so that he could tell his wife that his money had been taken and that he had not just spent it.” (info fro mthe News Herald)

Kid called 911 when parents took game from him

A 15-year-old boy told police in Buffalo Grove, Illinois that his parents had taken away his video game system and asked whether they were within their rights.

Police told him they were.

The teen called 911 but then hung up, said Cmdr. Steve Husak. Officers went to the house, and after hearing the story, told him that his parents have the authority to take away his Xbox as punishment.

He also was advised to listen to his parents. Husak did not know why the boy was being punished. (info from The Chicago Tribune)

Broke and horny, man called 911 for sex

A man in Tampa, Florida was arrested for repeatedly calling 911 looking for sex, and claimed that 911 was the only number he could dial after running out of cellphone minutes.

Joshua Basso made sexual comments to the 911 dispatcher and asked if he could go to her house. Investigators say she hung up, but he called back four more times.

He was arrested about 15 minutes later at his home and charged with making a false 911 call. Basso reportedly told officers that he didn't think he would get in trouble for calling 911. He is listed as unemployed with arrests for theft and other crimes dating back to 2001. (info from the New York Daily News)

Drug dealers busted after accidental 911 call

Two drug dealers in Yukon, Oklahoma were arrested after one of them accidentally called 911 from his cellphone during a drug deal.

During the call, the men were heard and recorded discussing their drug business. One said, "They can sell it. it's dope, but it's not good dope."

The men counted out illegally obtained pills, marijuana, and ecstasy whil the phone transmittted from inside one of the suspects' pockets for 30 minutes.

"Hello 911?" the dispatcher asked.

"How much of the 'X' do you want? 50....50%?" a suspect said.

Police tracked the call to a house and arrested Mark Clair and Shannon McAlister for drug possession with intent to distribute.

Klare Ly, Community Affairs Specialist with the Yukon Police Department said, "It's weird how we get our cases sometimes but we're happy to take drugs off the street." "I think you can file this under the stupid criminals file," she explained.

Officers estimate that the drugs recovered had a street value of about $20,000. In total, 514 pills in the form of illegally obtained prescription drugs and ecstacy pills; 70.5 grams of marijuana; and 2.2 grams of a white powdery substance were recovered from the drug bust. Both men are facing multiple felony charges including possession of a CDS; possession of a CDS with intent to distribute; conspiracy to commit a felony; and possession of marijuana. (info from KSBI TV)

Woman called 911 to say she was driving drunk

Mary Strey of Granton, Wisconsin was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, after she called 911 to report that she was driving drunk.

“Somebody’s really drunk driving down Granton Road”, the caller stated when a 911 dispatcher answered the phone.

The dispatcher asked if the caller was behind the drunk driver, to which the caller replied “No, I am them.”

The dispatcher asked, “Okay, so you’re calling to report you’re driving drunk?”

She replied, “Yes.” Later, she stated, "I was drinking all over, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be driving".

The dispatcher told Strey to pull her vehicle over, and she complied. She waited for a deputy to arrive with her hazard lights flashing. According to the police report, Strey failed field sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test showed she had a blood alcohol content of .19, more than twice the legal limit to drive.

She was given a citation for operating a vehicle with a prohibited alcohol content of .10 or more. She’s due in court in December, facing charges of first offense operating under the influence. (info from WSAW TV)

Ohio 911 operator in troublefor sleeping on the job

A 911 dispatcher in Warren County, Ohio, has been accused of sleeping on the job and been placed on paid administrative leave.

County Administrator Dave Gully took Shawn Mason off the job last week. He was to remain on leave until a disciplinary hearing.

Mason has a history of sleeping when he's on the clock, according to county officials. He was written up for dozing two years ago, and then given a verbal warning in September.

The most recent incident happened this month when another employee took a medical call, put it in the system and waited for Mason to send for help. When the call wasn't dispatched, Gully said, the call taker went to Mason to find out what happened. Mason was sleeping.

This allegation comes as the Warren County call center is under intense scrutiny because of a call where Ryan Widmer reported that his wife, Sarah, might have drowned in their bathtub. The dispatcher in that case, Ron Kronenberger, was not asleep, as an earlier report suggested. But he appeared confused, at one point asking Widmer if he is Sarah's mom and later failing to tell Widmer how to perform CPR. Kronenberger was not disciplined.

An outside human resources firm is reviewing the what occurred on Aug. 11, 2008, the night when Widmer reported finding his wife unresponsive.

Because of the high-profile nature of the case - Widmer was convicted of murder, but later awarded a new trial because of juror misconduct - the Kronenberger call, and the most recent sleeping allegations, are getting a lot of attention. Frank Young, the former emergency management director, abruptly resigned after the initial sleeping report surfaced.

Questions arose about whether the sleeping incident was an isolated one when a supervisor reported having trouble keeping dispatchers awake at night. Commissioners, as a result, have since called for the county emergency operation center to be analyzed. (info from the Cincinnati Enquirer)

I need a break.

I began blogging on 5/7/06. I started writing one blog, and gradually built up to five blogs a day. I got out of bed at 3:30AM to start my daily writing.

I did it for fun, but lately it has seemed too much like work. I'm not sure that I am officially "burned-out," but I have definitely lost enthusiasm for the daily grind of blogging.

Since the blog obligation was only to myself, and I have no contract, it's an obligation I am free to suspend, cancel or modify at will. No one has a paid-up subscription for words they won't receive.

Therefore, after 2,715 posts, I have decided to take some time off. I need to finish writing a few books, and some essays, and maybe I'll even try poetry and songwriting. My to-do list includes many unread books and un-watched DVDs. I want to spend more time swimming, and walk my dog more often.

The break will last at least a few weeks, but might even be several months. J. D. Salinger has not published an original work since 1965, but I won't be away that long. Even if I don't come back full-time until the Fall, I might pop back in occasionally if I think there's something worth saying.

I am continuing to write BookMakingBlog, my blog about writing, editing and publishing.

CUL/mnm

Man jailed for calling 911 about lost keys

A man in Tampa, Florida called 911 eight times in one hour because he lost his keys. Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Debbie Carter says George Alvarez became upset with deputies because they could not help him find the keys.

Deputies arrested Alvarez just early Monday morning. He was booked into jail on charges of making a false 911 call and released from jail after posting $500 bail. (info from WFTS)

Man called 911 about son's messy room

A man in Bedford, Ohio argued with his grown son over a messy bedroom, and called 911. Andrew Mizsak called authorities last Thursday after his 28-year-old son threw a plate of food across the kitchen table and made a fist at him.

His son, also named Andrew, lives with his parents and has a room in the basement. The father says he overreacted when he called 911. He declined to press charges and told police he doesn't want to ruin his son's political career. The younger Mizsak works as a political consultant and is a school board member.

The son says he and his father love each very much and that he's lucky to be living in the house rent-free. He also promises to keep his room clean. (info from the Cleveland Plain Daler)

Robber called 911 claiming he was robbed

Sheriff's Deputies in Brazos County, Texas said a Bryan man called 911 Saturday, claiming to be the victim of an armed robbery, but it was the caller who took the money. Edward Velasco Junior was arrested Saturday.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Velasco told a dispatcher he was robbed at gun point while at his uncle's house, and said the suspect took $5,000. Investigators said while they were at the home, Velasco's uncle called from out of state and asked them to question Velasco.

Officers said Velasco allowed them to search his vehicle, and they found an envelope of cash in his car. Deputies said he admitted to taking the money from his uncle's home on Friday.

Deputies said Velasco's uncle refused to file charges. He was charged with making a false report, and was released on a $2,000 bond. (Info from KBTX.com)

Worried robber called 911 to be rescued

A man in Woodruff, South Carolina who robbed a convenience store, called police on himself and surrendered because he "was in some trouble and wanted to get off the streets."

William Gary called 911 to report his crime about 12:45 a.m. Thursday, about an hour after he used a knife to rob Li'L Cricket and said he would be waiting with his hands up.

Spartanburg County Master Deputy Tony Ivey said deputies were skeptical and "went in very cautiously" but spotted Gary standing in front of a residence with his hands up. Ivey said Gary was "very cooperative" with deputies.

Gary was arrested on the admission of the armed robbery. A clerk, who was not injured, positively identified Gary as the man who entered the store and demanded money while armed with a 5-inch knife. Authorities found his knife near the Fire Department.

A deputy instructed Gary not to tell him anything until a detective arrived, but Gary replied that "he didn't care about all that." Gary then told the deputy that he got $31 during the robbery and said he was "in trouble and needed to get off the streets" and didn't "want to get his wife and kid involved in his mess."

Deputies added more charges against Gary Thursday evening, accusing him of burglary, arson and grand larceny last month. He was being held on $25,000 bond.

Gary and Kenneth Hendricks are accused of breaking into a trailer and setting it on fire on April 30. A report indicates that Gary took guitars from the residence before the men started a fire near a window air conditioner. Four dogs died during the fire. Hendricks was charged with burglary, arson and obtaining goods by a false pretense. (info from the Spartanburg Herald-Journal)

Marijuana buyers were robbed and called 911

Two men in Daytona Beach, Florida called 911 after they were robbed at gunpoint while trying to buy 20 pounds of marijuana.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office reports that Wesley Fehl and Kenneth Jones went to a home Monday with $12,000 to buy the grass. Two men at the home jumped Fehl and Jones, took their money and drove off. Fehl and Jones got in their own vehicle to follow and one of them called 911 for help.

The other vehicle got away, but deputies went back to the house, where they arrested Craig Williams and charged him with robbery. Authorities are still looking for the other man.

It's not clear if drugs or money were recovered. A sheriff's spokesman say charges could follow for Fehl and Jones. (info from the Miami Herald)

Woman called cops to complain about husband watching porn

A frustrated German housewife called police because her husband would not stop watching porn movies. The woman dialed the emergency police number and tearfully told the dispatcher there was an emergency.

When officers arrived at the scene they found her pacing the apartment while her husband sat in front of the TV watching porn.

She told the police: "Nothing will move him, not even if I offer him the real thing, and he has the TV on so loud I'm sure the neighbors can hear it."

She was told that there was nothing the police could do in such a case, and referred her to a counsellor for help. (info from Ananova.com)

Robber committed suicide when cops arrived after 911 call

One of three men who tried to rob a drugstore in Bellaire, Texas fatally shot himself when police arrived after a customer secretly dialed 911.

Police said two men in hooded sweatshirts burst into a CVS Pharmacy about 11:30 p.m. Sunday while the manager and a co-worker were preparing to close for the night. Three customers were also in the store.

The men shouted and waved their guns, forcing the workers and two of the customers to lie on the floor. One gunman watched the people while the other opened the cash register and took the money. Then one of the gunmen escorted the manager to the back of the store, apparently hoping to rob the safe.

The robbers apparently had not seen the third customer, who had been in the back of the store when the gunmen rushed inside. He hid and called 911 on his cellphone.

Police arrived moments later. They found the lookout near a car with a pistol visible in it and questioned him. Then the officers heard a gunshot.

Moments later, one of the suspects walked outside with his hands in the air after dropping his gun in the store. Police found the other suspect inside, mortally wounded. “It appears to be self-inflicted,” Police Department Assistant Chief Byron Holloway said.

He also said the pair inside the store had seen surveillance camera images of police in the parking lot surrounding the building and likely panicked. (info from Houston Chronicle)

Fleeing murder suspect asked woman to call 911 for him

Late Saturday night, Salvadro Camargo burst into Theresa Lee's home in Sonoma, California and demanded she call 911.

This was a few hours after a man had been shot to death in a house about three miles from Lee’s house.

Camargo, apparently afraid that someone wanted to kill him, hid in her home until police arrived and arrested him. “He told me they were out to kill him, and not to stand by the windows because they would shoot us,” she said. “It was very chaotic. I was very confused.”

Lee’s account adds to the bizarre circumstances surrounding a killing that the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department continued to investigate Sunday afternoon.

Authorities learned of the killing when a friend of the victim arrived at the Sonoma police station to report the shooting. The man didn’t know the address where the killing occurred, but his description led to a home. Neighbors said the home is rented to Tim Slevin and that one person — not Slevin — was found inside dead from a gunshot wound to the head.

Camargo reportedly fled the murder scene and drove to Lee’s home at about 10:45 p.m. demanding the she call 911. “I assumed there was a car wreck,” Lee said. Camargo appeared to be in shock, she said, and at first he refused to tell her why she needed to call 911. Then things grew increasingly bizarre, Lee said.

“He was terrified. Whatever he knew had happened, he was terrified,” Lee said. “At first I thought he was in shock, then I thought he was probably really high on something. But I don’t know.”

Camargo didn’t threaten her or try to stop her from leaving when police ordered her and her dog to exit out the back door, Lee said. Instead, Camargo begged her not to leave. “He was a pathetic person, on his knees, begging me not to leave as I backed away with my dog,” she said. “I told him he scared me and I needed to leave now.”

With Lee and her dog on the back patio, officers released their police dog, which bit Camargo. “I honestly don’t know how long it lasted. You’d have to ask the 911 operator. It was just so chaotic,” Lee said.

Camargo was jailed on suspicion of murder. He was being held without bail.

The vehicle apparently driven by Camargo, which the victim’s friend had described to police, was found a short distance from Lee’s house. (Info from Santa Rosa Press Democrat)

TIME OUT

I'm taking a few days off to finish writing a book and start a new one. I should be back during the week of 5/11.

Cops skipped 911 investigation before drunk driver caused car crash deaths

New Mexico State Police never sent an officer after a 911 call April 13 warning that people later involved in a fatal accident appeared to be drunk. State Police Capt. Daniel Lovato said this week that no officers were available. Both of the officers on duty were working a domestic disturbance call and one had a prisoner.

A manager at Bode’s General Store in Abiquiú had made the call at 5:05 p.m. and reported seeing a Dodge Durango in the parking lot before the crash that killed Richard Vialpando and brothers Alfred Jaramillo and James Jaramillo. The manager had called 911 because one of the occupants of the Durango entered the store and appeared intoxicated.

Vialpando was driving the same vehicle about six hours later when it collided head-on with the car being driven by Alfred Jaramillo. Vialpando’s two passengers survived the crash.

Vialpando is suspected to have been drinking, as numerous beer cans and a vodka bottle were found in his car and on the road. Blood test results confirming whether Vialpando or anyone else involved in the crash was legally intoxicated have not been released. (info from Rio Grande Sun)