Vermont State Police Sgt. Michael Roy noticed something odd on a decal on his police car: One of the spots on the cow in the state seal had taken on the shape of a pig. Investigation found that it had been that way for several years; a prison inmate-artist had changed the insignia on the prison-made decals. Authorities initially responded that they would hunt down all the altered decals. “It’s going to be ‘Where’s Porky?’ instead of ‘Where’s Waldo?'” said an ex-cop turned state legislator; they guess there may be about 60 in circulation. Replacing them will cost taxpayers $13 per decal. What, if anything, it costs the offender may depend on whether he’s still inside and thus subject to prison discipline. “I don’t know if there is a criminal charge,” said the state corrections commissioner.

The investigation is now closed. It was determined that the alteration was made in November 2009 by an unknown female inmate at a prison work center in Windsor, Vermont.

“At this point all we can tell is how many women had access to the file, and who they were,” said Corrections Commissioner Andy Pallito. “Really being able to tell who manipulated the file last is virtually impossible without somebody stepping forward and saying ‘I did it’.”

At least one resident is campaigning for the state police to keep the altered decal as official.

“It is a really good opportunity for us to band together as Vermonters and show that we can have a laugh in a little bit of an awkward situation,” says Cid Sinclair, who has created a Facebook group, Save the Vermont Pigs. Well over 1,000 people have “Liked” the page. Sinclair has also created a petition to demand that the governor adopt the decal, rather than spend tax money to fix it. Hundreds have signed.

He has the backing of Lt. Governor Phil Scott, at least. He “loves” the idea, and says the prisoner’s alteration was “disrespectful,” but “We cannot let them win and if you let it bother you then they’ve won.”

Thanks, Ellen, for bringing this to the attention of the It’s Interesting community.

 

A University of Utah professor, arrested over the weekend for allegedly viewing child pornography on his laptop during a flight, will be arraigned on Monday in a Boston court.

Police arrested Grant D. Smith, 47, on Saturday when a Delta Airlines flight from Salt Lake City landed at Boston’s Logan Airport.

A passenger tipped off authorities that Smith was using his laptop to view images of child pornography while a passenger in the first class section of the plane, the Massachusetts State Police said.

CNN affiliate WCVB said a passenger took a cellphone photo of Smith allegedly watching the video.

“The notion that someone would be so bold as to view it in public is extraordinary and I’m not sure what the explanation is,” victim’s advocate, Wendy Murphy, told the station.

The Daily Utah Chronicle, the University of Utah’s student newspaper, said Smith is a professor of material science and engineering at the university.

In a statement to the newspaper, the university said Smith has been placed on administrative leave pending a criminal investigation.

“Professor Smith deserves a full and fair investigation into this issue,” the statement said. “The University of Utah, however, has no tolerance for the viewing or possessing of child pornography by any of its employees, regardless of where it occurs.”

The university added that Smith will be fired if the allegations prove true.

Early Monday morning, Smith remained in jail on a $15,000 bond. He has been charged with possession of child pornography.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/28/justice/massachusetts-child-porn-arrest/index.html

A Pakistani woman is being held on suspicion of killing her husband, cutting him up and trying to cook the pieces, Karachi police said Friday.

Zainab Bibi, 32, was arrested in connection with the murder Tuesday of her husband Ahmad Abbas, police said.

Her 22-year-old nephew, Zaheer Ahmed, is accused of helping Bibi stab Abbas to death and carve his body into small pieces.

Police said she wanted to cook her husband’s body parts so she could dispose of them without being caught.

Neighbors raised the alert when they detected a foul odor in the neighborhood, police said.

Pakistan’s domestic satellite channel ARY News spoke to Bibi in the police station where she is being held in the southern city of Karachi.

In an interview broadcast late Thursday, she claimed to have killed her husband because he wanted a physical relationship with their daughter — and said she did not regret her actions.

“I killed my husband before he dared to touch my daughter,” she told ARY News.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/25/world/asia/pakistan-husband-stew/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

 

Thanks (and Happy Birthday!) to T.P.L. for bringing this to the attention of the It’s Interesting community.