Melbourne Observer - Wednesday, April 20, 2011 - Page 13
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Mystery kitchen tool?
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ToThe Max
DRUG TRAFFICKER’S JAIL TERM REDUCED BY JUDGES
MAX ■ Observer reader Robert Drossaert, via 3AW producer Simon Owens, has passed on a photo of a mystery kitchen tool. It was picked up from a shop at Inverloch by a friend for a couple of dollars. It has been a hot topic of discussion at alocal pub. Nobody has any idea to what purpose the tool might be used.
50 bucks is 50 bucks E-Mails: Editor@MelbourneObserver.com.au
Every Wednesday in the Observer “There are only two types of journalism - dull journalism and exciting journalism. The true journalism is exciting and decidely unobjective. True journalism, in my view, is devoted entirely to the revelation of facts which someone does not want revealed. That is the high point of journalism; it is the real meaning of being a journalist; it is also exciting and is interesting to read.” - Maxwell Newton
● Edna and Ken ■ Jacki Green e-mails this yarn: Ken and his wife Edna went to the Royal Show every year, and every year Ken would say, ‘Edna, I'd like to ride in that helicopter’. Edna always replied, “I know Ken, but that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is fifty bucks'. One year Ken and Edna went to the Show, and Ken said, “Edna, I'm 75 years old. If I don't ride that helicopter, I might never get another chance'. To this, Edna replied, “Ken that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is fifty bucks'. The pilot overheard the couple and said, 'Folks I'll make you a deal. I'll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and don't say a word I won't charge you a penny! But if you say one word it's fifty dollars.' Ken and Edna agreed and up they went. The pilot did all kinds of fancy manoeuvres, but not a word was heard. He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, but still not a word. When they landed, the pilot turned to Ken and said, ‘By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn’t. I'm impressed!' Ken replied, 'Well, to tell you the truth, I almost said something when Edna fell out, but you know, “Fifty bucks is fifty bucks!'
Bean bag warnings ■ Fantastic Furniture Pty Ltd, Spotlight Pty Ltd and Smash Enterprises Pty Ltd supplied bean bag covers which failed the mandatory labelling standard. The Federal Court in Melbourne last week declared, by consent, that the traders contravened the Trade Practices Act 1974 by supplying the bean bag covers which were not affixed with the required choking hazard warning label.
■ Drug dealer Mario Kapetanovic has had a minimum jail sentence reduced from two years by 16 months, by Judges Ashley and Weinberg, sitting as the Court of Appeal. Kapetanovic pleaded guilty to trafficking in ecstasy tablets. He was caught with 1500 tablets, during ‘Operation Jedi’ conducted by Victoria Police. Two other offenders, Dalibor Vasic and Darryl Briggs, also pleaded guilty to trafficking and other drug offences at the time. The Court was told that Kapetanovic was a “close and trusted associate of Tomislav Samac, and a close associate of John Waters”. “These two were principals in a major drug dealing ring that was the subject of a large scale police investigation.” A third principal in the group was named as Boris Trajkovski. The Judges noted that Kapetanovic had showed a lack of genuine remorse. Street level value of the 1500 tablets was put at between $37,500 and $75,000. The Court heard that Croatian-born Kapetanovic was the product of a close and loving family environment. His father was an anaethetist and his mother a nurse. He had worked as a nursing assistant, security at shopping centres and nightclubs, includeing Waters’s nightclub at Melton.
Melbourne
Observer The Max Factor
‘BORDERLINE INTELLECT’
■ A minimum threeyear jail sentence handed out to sex offender Shaun Matthew Pettiford has been reduced by Supreme Court Judges Neave, Mandie and Tate. Pettiford’s appeal to the Court of Appeal followed his guilty plea to three charges of sexual penetration of a child under 10. There were three victims: one aged 9-10, another aged 7; the third aged 6-8. Pettiford licked one victim’s vagina, fondled her intimately, and put his penis in one victim’s mouth, pushing her head back and forth. Each of the victims spoke of their fear, shame and sense of powerlessness. The Court was told that there was an increased burden of imprisonment on Pettiford because of low intelligence anjd other mental impairments. Psychologist Jeffrey Cummins said Pettiford had an IQ of 75, with 94
Look Back In Anger
● County Court Judge Felicity Hampel per cent of his peers obtaining a higher full score. “He consciously or unconsciously gives the impression he is more knowledgeable and more adept at reasoning and processing information that is actually the situation.” Pettiford’s non-parole jail term has been reduced by six months. Judge Tate disagreed with his collaeagues and said he would have dismissed the appeal.
■ Recent graduates from The National Theatre Drama School have founded Melbourne's newest independent theatre company, The Millinery, which will present John Osborne's Look Back in Anger at Studio 1, Northcote Town Hall, from May 4 - 14. Directed by Wayne Pearn (founder and artistic director of Hoy Polloy), Look Back in Anger will feature Tosh Greenslade, Daniel Niceski, Lauren Smith and Kassie Whitson. Osborne revolutionised British theatre in 1956 with the premiere of Look Back in Anger at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Wayne Pearn says: "It bid a long overdue farewell to the upper and middle class drawing room staple and initiated ‘The Angry Young Movement’, a new wave of theatre which dealt with the gritty realism of the working and lower-middle classes." Look Back in Anger still has the power to shock and disturb today as it did in 1956 as it explores class conflict, identity, alienation, loneliness, anger and apathy. Performances: May 4 - 14 Times: Tues - Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm and 8pm; Sun 5pm Venue: Studio 1, Northcote Town Hall, 189 High St., Northcote. Bookings: 9481 9500 or www.northcote townhall.com.au
Leaders
● Bob Brown ■ Greens leader Bob Brown has won a seat at the leaders’ debate in Canberra. It has left Warren Truss, leader of the third largest party in the Parliament, the Nationals, why he hasn’t been invited.
Cash case
● Wimalananda Thero Digamadulle ■ Tbe head monk of a Berwick-based Sri Lankan Buddhist order has been accused of deceiving his followers after Police found more than $34,000 cash stashed in his temple room, reports the Berwick Leader. Wimalananda Thero Digamadulle, 53, who lives at and runs the Sakyamuni Sambuddha Vihara Temple in Homestead Rd, faced Dandenong Magistrates’ Court charged with two counts of obtaining property by deception and one of dealing with property suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
Butcher ■ Heroin-addicted Jessica Harrison, 21, has faced Geelong Court after stealing more than $400 of meat from Tasman Meats at Newcomb. Harrison and her co-accused took the meat from the store without paying. The store manager retrieved about $300 of the meat.