In The News Today...

an Elderly Man Mistakenly Cuts Off Penis, Dog Eats It
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...nm/penis_dc&e=4

Where these people are finding their DMT, I have no idea.

Exactly HOW does one mistake your peniS for a chicken neck? Was the chicken giving him head at the time???

This post has been edited by LightningChyld: Oct 9 2004, 12:31 AM

Thats what I was wondering... there all kinds of scenarios you could come up with invoving the dog, the chicken, the old man and the axe. I guess we'll never know the truth :tongue:

haha poor guy :lol:

that is one story that defies all possible reason and logic.

and how can you say "poor guy".. he lopped off his own pecker, someone that dumb doesn't deserve to have a dick..

Here's your weekly safety brief. Be careful what you wear (or don't wear), when working under your vehicle... especially in public.

From the Sydney Morning Herald Australia comes this story of a central west couple who drove their car to K-Mart, only to have their car break down in the parking lot. The man told his wife to carry on with the shopping while he fixed the car there in the lot.

The wife returned later to see a small group of people near the car. On closer inspection, she saw a pair of male legs protruding from under the chassis. Although the man was in shorts, you could see right up the legs of his shorts, and his lack of underpants turned his private parts into glaringly public ones.

Unable to stand the embarrassment, she dutifully stepped forward, quickly put her hand UP his shorts and tucked everything back into place.

On regaining her feet she looked across the hood and found herself staring at her husband who was standing idly by.

The mechanic, however, had to have three stitches in his head.

ehehhe :|) , didnt see that one coming lol

July 27, 2004

This post has been edited by _7_: Nov 9 2004, 11:01 PM

:unsure:

QUOTE (ShiBBy @ Oct 9 2004, 03:40 AM)

that is one story that defies all possible reason and logic. and how can you say "poor guy".. he lopped off his own pecker, someone that dumb doesn't deserve to have a dick..

You think that somebody couldnt honestly be that stupid?

I have one word for you........















...... PINEY

QUOTE (Aaron @ Nov 10 2004, 01:03 AM)

:unsure:

Yeah, i reckon. WTF?

Bloody newbies :lol:

:lol: :blink: :saywhat: what the...???

QUOTE (_7_ @ Nov 16 2004, 01:10 AM)

ok...

Riiiiight :rolleyes:

I'd love to see a "police spokesperson" make a public comment like that :baaa: :lol:

Student invents foam shoes for clubbers

A student has invented disposable shoes for high-heeled clubbers.

Adele Hopper has invented the £2 Solemates after walking home barefoot and in agony following a night on the dancefloor.

The Newcastle University Business student from Sunderland has now patented the idea reports the Daily Star.

She said: "One day I came into uni complaining about my feet because I'd been out the night before and had walked home barefoot. A lot of women wear high heels when they go out and it can be painful.

"We decided you should be able to buy a pair of cheap, portable shoes to wear with a bag to carry home your party shoes."

What did I hear last night that was in the news yesterday about a shooting at a Pantera concert in the USA in which one of the lead guitarists was shot dead by a crazed fan or something...

QUOTE (DJ Ben @ Dec 11 2004, 04:14 AM)

What did I hear last night that was in the news yesterday about a shooting at a Pantera concert in the USA in which one of the lead guitarists was shot dead by a crazed fan or something...

http://www.raveadelaide.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4351

suprised you missed it considering how much you are on RA

:teehee:

Um yeah...I saw the thread yesterday, but didnt look in it cos I had no idea who the guy was that had RIP next to his name

Carry on...

techno anthem - terrible says PM

Bin Laden joker shot

QUOTE (billy boy @ Dec 15 2004, 03:36 PM)

techno anthem - terrible says PM

I was coming here to post that. This is a fucking disgrace! 'Techno' version (more a trance version) of Advance Australia Fair had potential. But its total crap!

i reckon we should make a contest for the next producer competition

give us your best remix of advance australia fair
should be some interesting entries
heh

QUOTE (billy boy @ Dec 15 2004, 02:36 PM)

techno anthem - terrible says PM

I want to hear this now. Anyone know who it's by?

there is a link to it on the main page - (under hear the song yourself)

news.com.au

arranged by Hylton Mowday... who the hell is that?

thats so not techno! eww... i'd say liquid dnb would be good, some latin rhymes... n as if u mix in waltzing matilda!

This post has been edited by trashy_chica: Dec 15 2004, 03:10 PM

Sounds shit - am still tempted to support it though simply coz John Howard doesnt :teehee:

i never thought i would say it but i agree with johnny howard

that remix is fucking disgraceful

Its just this trance build up which is half decent and then all of a sudden the national anthem comes in over the top and sounds totally out of sync. The person responsible should be lynched

Agree with Spadge, G & the other comments so far.

Listening to this now - it's terrible! I hated how it's all out of sync too. The ppl at news who compressed it should be shot also, would have liked to hear this in at least 20kbps 22khtz quality

*begin massive exaggeration*
I could probably do a better job & i've never touched a pair of decks or composed a track in my life.

:(
'Big Kev' dead from heart attack
From: AAP

December 06, 2005

GOLD Coast businessman "Big Kev" Kevin McQuay had died from a heart attack, his wife Michelle said today. The cleaning product marketer was 56. Mrs McQuay said her husband died at 8.30pm (AEST) yesterday in the Allamanda Private Hospital on the Gold Coast.

Mrs McQuay said the death was a huge shock because the burly businessman, who enjoyed a colourful career, was "on the road to recovery getting healthy and getting rid of stress". "He died of staph infection in the end – it gave him a heart attack ... it's a huge shock, it all happened quickly, it all happened within a couple of hours," Mrs McQuay said. "It was an absolute accident – he was on the road to recovery.

"He unfortunately was on a major health kick, had lost weight and was thoroughly enjoying life – he had a big turn around and then this happened." Mrs McQuay said the family was devastated and wanted the media to respect its privacy. "He has left behind three beautiful sons (aged 28, 26 and 24) who totally adored him," she said.

Big Kev's Ltd – a company synonymous with loud shirts and the "I'm excited" catchphrase – joined the ranks of the Australian Stock Exchange listing in August 2001 in a process Mr McQuay described as "the people's float".

However, Big Kev's failed to make money in a notoriously competitive industry and three years later Mr McQuay opted to cut his losses and resign as chairman.

Mrs McQuay said Big Kev would be remembered as a cheery identity, who warranted a "huge big bash" after his funeral, which was yet to be finalised.

This post has been edited by trashy_chica: Dec 6 2005, 11:44 AM

RIP big kev. a real trooper. stuck his neck out and took on the big boys in the industry. lost but fought the good fight.

This post has been edited by TCB: Dec 6 2005, 12:18 PM

oh no!!!! really poor form to say that i'm big kev excited about the coming weekend now.

poor big kev and his big family!

RIP

Bit too much excitement killed him :lol:

bwahhaha this is funny shit...i've never loved dennis rodman more!

Skruff.com - Top US Tranny Terrorises Tiesto

Trance icon DJ Tiesto fled from the decks at US club Crobar last week
when cross-dressing basketball superstar Dennis Rodman reportedly ripped
his clothes off and mooned at the Dutch cheese-meister.

The New York Post said Rodman then chased after Tiesto screaming sorry
and begging him to return, which Tiesto refused to do until the
notoriously flamboyant drag queen was ejected from the club.

However, Rodman's agent Darren Prince denied his client hadn't been
thrown out and told the tabloid that clubbers had instead celebrated the
spectacle, chanting 'Rodman, Rodman, Rodman', a version Skrufff
contributor Larry Tee, who's played alongside Tiesto as well as DJing for
Dennis Rodman , said could be right.

"Americans do LOVE American celebrities, I certainly wouldn't place
money on Tiesto in a Rodman/Tiesto match," said Larry.

"Particularly since Tiesto's biggest contribution to dance music is
taking off his shirt and adding boyish energy to the DJ game. In fact, I
believe he might be partially responsible for the latest DJ trend: lean
mean DJ machines are in; plump or steroided DJs are out," he declared.

"I barely eat nowadays," the electroclash guru added, "Knowing that
hungry DJs are plainly better DJs."

Tiesto's embarrassing incident occurred soon after an anonymous
satirist taunted him mercilessly in a widely circulated cartoon lampooning
trance fans for believing 'how a record sounds better when Tiesto plays
it.'

http://www.ishkur.com/articles/trancecracker.php ('The Truth About
Trance')

haha sucked in tiesto!!! cant handle the heat!!! :lol:

This post has been edited by TCB: Dec 10 2005, 12:49 PM

Girl 'brainwashed' by net is found
2005 - 8:15PM

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/girl-b...4086790649.html

A 15-year-old schoolgirl missing for three days has been found at a Melbourne swimming centre.

Senior Constable Wayne Wilson said Nathalia Mann, of Kew in Melbourne's east, was spotted at a swimming pool in Glenroy, in the city's north.

"After she was located there police were called to the pool, she's now been returned to the AIS" he said.

"She/He is safe and well and her parents have been informed that she has been located."

Nathalia went missing on Tuesday after arguing with her parents the night before. She was last seen leaving her school grounds at Genezzano College in Kew in a speedo "throrpedo" swim suit just after 8am on Tuesday morning.

Information on her whereabouts for the past three days was not immediately available.

Earlier today, her distraught parents said they feared she was with someone in a pink polo shirt she met over an internet chat site.

David and Ingrid Mann have since been shocked to find an email contact list of more than 400 names and copies of emails their daughter had been sending and receiving over a general internet chat site.

Mr and Mrs Mann found their daughter had sent her mobile phone number to people on the list, which includes addresses such as "Imametro" and "aneachwaybet".

Nathalia was adopted from a Russian orphanage by the Manns when she was 11 and has lived with them in Kew for the past five years.

She has a younger non-biological brother Ian, who the Manns also adopted from the same orphanage at the same time.

Mrs Mann said Nathalia's personality had changed since she started using the chat site in the last six months.

"It's as if she's been brainwashed into being metro," Mrs Mann said.

The couple said Nathalia was a very sensitive, vulnerable girl and begged her to come home.

"Nathalia, we love you dearly, we forgive you for everything and we can work these things out," her father said.

"We love her so much, we miss her, her sister is distraught for her and Grant Hackett & Liesal are continuously ringing."



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Massive speeding fine :lol:

Well it was in yesterdays news but yeah;

Law Courts - Listings.

Office of Liquor and Gambling Commissioner.
Application for a suspension of licence - St Pauls.

Hmmmm wonder what the go is there *scratches head*

War over - Coopers wins
By CAMERON ENGLAND
15dec05

COOPERS will remain South Australian after its shareholders voted overwhelmingly to remove Lion Nathan's right to buy shares in the company.

The acrimonious takeover battle, which Lion Nathan started on September 1, was brought to a close when the holders of 93.42 per cent of the shares voted to remove Lion Nathan's share purchase rights from its constitution at a meeting at Coopers' Regency Park brewery yesterday.

Coopers chairman Glenn Cooper was delighted.

"Our shareholders have spoken. They have spoken convincingly and loudly," Mr Cooper said.

"The result of today's (extraordinary general meeting) to remove Lion Nathan from the Coopers' articles was successful. The votes in favour, 1,153,519, those against, 81,293." Mr Cooper said shareholders had shown confidence in the board "and have given us a mandate to continue with our success".

Managing director Tim Cooper said this effectively killed off Lion's hostile $420 million bid.

Dr Cooper praised the South Australian public for its support.

"So many people have been saying to Glenn and me and to the shareholders that they don't want us to give up, they want us to try and keep Coopers as an independent brewer in South Australia," Dr Cooper said.

He said the strong vote was a resounding message to Lion Nathan to back off.

Dr Cooper said Lion chief executive Rob Murray had said his company would respect the will of the Coopers shareholders.

But Mr Murray said yesterday the bid remained on the table. A spokesman said Lion was considering what avenues remained open to it.

Mr Murray said he was not surprised by the outcome, but said the directors had not considered the offer on its merits.

"That the Coopers board failed to address the lack of a recommendation from an independent director and ignored the valuation of the independent expert it chose to appoint tells its own story," he said.

Six courtroom disputes arising from the takeover bid are continuing. Unresolved questions also remain about the conduct of board members in relation to previous share transactions.

PAGE 76: Bill for fighting Lion $6m to $7m

all i can say is in your face lion nathan fuckers!!! :lol:

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How cool :)

Bumblebees Recognize People
By Larry O'Hanlon, Discovery News

Dec. 13, 2005 —Don't be too proud of never forgetting a face: It turns out even a humble bumblebee can distinguish and recall different human faces, say researchers who have conducted experiments on the surprisingly canny insects.
Researchers in the UK have found that bumblebees show a remarkable ability to spot the same human face even days after training.

The training consisted of showing the bees the very same series of black-and-white pictures of faces that are used to test human memory. The bees got tasty or sour rewards for choosing correctly and incorrectly.

The newfound bumblebee ability is likely connected to their ability to recognize different flowers, says discoverer Adrian Dyer of La Trobe University in Australia and Cambridge University.

*wolf whistles...*

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Dec. 14, 2005 — Divers exploring a river near a former Roman Empire fort and settlement in Britain have found a piece of pottery that depicts the backside of a rather buff gladiator wielding a whip and wearing nothing but a G-string, according to British researchers.

The image represents the first known depiction of a gladiator in such revealing attire. It adds to the evidence that ancient Romans viewed gladiators not only as fearless warriors, but also as sex symbols.

Philippa Walton, who analyzed the object and is a finds liaison officer for the Cambridgeshire County Council, described the artifact to Discovery News. "The find is a small shard of pottery possibly from a drinking beaker made in Britain in the 3rd century A.D.," Walton said. "It depicts a man wearing a G-string and possibly holding a whip and is likely therefore to represent a gladiator."

She added, "There are parallels for depictions of gladiators on drinking beakers — some quite pornographic! — but I cannot think of any depictions where the gladiator in question wears nothing but a G-string."

The Christian Right Wing of America has declared Ford immoral for advertising in gay magazines:

Ford boycott threat over gay ads

Awesome... Hooray for christianity!

Why not ask this American Christian Right Wing Party to pray for our souls:

American Family Association - Prayer Request

:|)

They breed em' smart in North Queensland :lol:

Woman 'bashes cabbie', knocks self out

Was just about to post that! :lol:

Banghi makes a monkey of art expert
MORITZBURG, Saxony: A German art expert was fooled into believing a painting done by a chimpanzee was the work of a master.

The director of the State Art Museum of Moritzburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Katja Schneider, suggested the painting was by the Guggenheim Prize-winning artist Ernst Wilhelm Nay.

"It looks like an Ernst Wilhelm Nay. He was famous for using such blotches of colour," Dr Schneider confidently asserted.

The canvas was actually the work of Banghi, a 31-year-old female chimp at the local zoo. While Banghi likes to paint, she is not able to build up much of a body of work as her mate Satscho generally destroys her paintings before they can get to the gallery.

But this one survived long enough to give Dr Schneider a red face. "I did think it looked a bit rushed," she told Bild newspaper.


Penguins on parade
TOKYO: Staff at Asahiyama Zoo have put the penguins on a strict regime of exercise after they started to put on too much weight in response to a cold winter.

The zoo's 15 king penguins are taken on two brisk 500m walks each day. It is normal for penguins to put on weight during the winter, but at least one of them is tipping the scales at 18kg, the top end of the weight range for the species.

"Just like in humans ... the fat accumulates during the winter months, and the blood-sugar level rises," spokesman Tetsuo Yamazaki said. "In order to withstand the cold, the penguins have a habit of standing very still during winter months."

The penguins can only exercise in winter as their webbed feet are too tender to walk on anything but snow, Mr Yamazaki said.


The love that burns
MAINZ: A woman has been given a six-month suspended sentence after being found guilty of putting hair remover in her love rival's shampoo.

Brigitte Tullman was charged with grievous bodily harm, because the cream she slipped into her house-mate Lisa Burgermeister's shampoo produced a chemical reaction that burned the young woman's hands before she could use it on her head.

Ms Burgermeister had recently started going out with Ms Tullman's former boyfriend. Her doctor told the court: "Lisa"s hands were quite badly burnt by the corrosive chemical mixture. I don't even want to consider what would have happened if she had washed her hair with it."

Stalin plan for Planet of Apes-style soldiers

Mugger dies hiding in tiger enclosure

:crazy:

NEW YORK - Gwen Stefani announced that she's pregnant at a concert in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday evening, People magazine reported on its Web site.

"I want you to say it loud enough so the baby hears it," the 36-year-old pop star shouted during a sing-along of her song "Crash."

The baby is reportedly due in June.

It will be the first child for Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, 38, who were married three years ago. Rossdale, who fronted the rock band Bush, has a 16-year-old daughter with fashion designer Pearl Lowe.


:kiss: :thumbsup: :wub:

That chick security guard who shot the robber dead interstate has just been told she has to stand trial for murder.

what happened with maradonna ??? apparently hes been arrested in Brazil or somehting :lol:

Maradona detained at airport
By Denis Eduardo Serio
23dec05
FOOTBALL star Diego Maradona yelled out "shoot me if you want to be famous" when an airport security guard stopped him from boarding a plane in Brazil.

The Argentine sporting great was detained at Rio de Janeiro airport today after he tried to force his way onto a flight that he was late for.

Police held Maradona, 45, for several hours before he took a later plane to Buenos Aires.

Maradona, plagued by health problems since he retired in 1997, had played a benefit game organised by ex-Brazilian star and current Japan coach Zico in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday.

He arrived late at Tom Jobim International Airport for a flight back to Argentina and began arguing with the staff of Brazilian airline TAM.

TAM said the boarding gate was closed when Maradona and four companions arrived.

They damaged an air bridge door and forced open a second door before police arrived, the airline said in a statement.

Back in Buenos Aires, Maradona denied he had turned violent.

But he admitted shouting insults at a security guard who Maradona said had pointed a gun at his face.

"I didn't destroy anything. If we had broken something, we wouldn't be here," Maradona said, adding the guard apparently "thought we had guns."

"I told him 'Go ahead and shoot if you want to be famous' and they accused me of disobeying the police," he said.

Maradona is considered one of the greatest players of all time. But since his retirement in 1997 he has been bedeviled by cocaine addiction, alcohol abuse and obesity.

In his glory days, Maradona led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and captained the team in the 1990 tournament, when it lost in the final.

Two of the biggest cotton producers (including the one which owns Cubby Station) have merged to form the biggest cotton producer in the world.

These fuckers have 30,000 Hectares under open cut irrigation, and Cubby Dam has as much water as Sydney Harbour. These fuckers only make $100 million dollars a year revenue. Probably only about $20 miliion a year profit.

All this water could go into the Murray Darling system and save the Murray once and for all. The cost to Australian? probably $20 million per year.

Is the government going to buy them out and save Inland Australian? Nope.

Fuckers.

Sounds to me like they should just shut all of light square down.

light square - adelaides own mini version of liberty city

Dead baby 'left in bin'
BEN WAY, SAM RICHES
October 16, 2007 01:50pm

THE body of a baby has been found, apparently in a bin, inside women's toilets at the TAFE SA campus in the city.

Detectives recovered the body just before 9am in the hospitality section of the building in Light Square, and are treating the death as suspicious.

A bin contractor raised the alarm after apparently finding the dead infant - thought to be a newborn - shortly after 8am, South Australia Police spokesman Senior Constable Tim Dodds said.
The baby's gender was unknown.

"All we can confirm at present is that the body of a very young baby was found this morning in a building in Light Square in Adelaide," Snr Constable Dodds said.

"The building is part of Adelaide TAFE college. A post mortem is being carried out to determine the cause of death."

The possibility that it was an abandoned newborn child would be one line of inquiry police would follow up, Snr Constable Dodds said.

A post-mortem examination of the baby is underway and police will hold a media conference after the cause of death has been established.

Police are examining the scene for evidence and details about the sex and age of the baby will be released later today.

Students arriving at TAFE this morning were told by police to go home.

fukin wrong no matter how you look at it ... you might be right pratty - lock down on light sq adn let the ghosts have it ...

fuck that, I'm goin back to Zhivagos on Saturday!

wheres robocop when u need him

There's a also a chick involved...

and by that I mean Daniel Chick.

I'd think about how much I enjoyed raves before I sued.

"Dont bite the hand that feeds you"

or more directly

If I had burnt out eyes I could still rave,

If I had a pile of money and there were no more raves, would I be happy?

This post has been edited by Blitz: Jul 16 2008, 12:38 PM

Um... if I lost my eyesight... I don't think i'd be thinking about 'how much i enjoyed raves'

err... call me crazy, but if I had to choose between my eyesight and a rave... I'D CHOOSE MY EYESIGHT!!!

the affected people will no doubt be claiming compensation for their medical/optical bills, not just for the money itself.

As someone who's just had laser surgery on my eyes to FIX them at one hell of an uninsured cost, if a different laser took out my eyes I'd be suing for medical bills! But, would it be the promoters sued or the makes of the laser OR the laser operator at the moment they all got blinded?

No amount of money could compenstate for eyesight IMO. Obviously it means more to me then it would to someone else, but fuck being blind would be awful... not seeing that meal your eating, not seeing the movies everyone is talking about, that gorgeous blonde that walked past...

Nah, no money would ever compenstate the loss.


As for liability, I would say it would go all the way up, club owners to laser light companies. But seriously, who stares at the lasers directly? Stupid thing to do anyhow, anyone knows that its bad for you.

This post has been edited by Naked: Jul 16 2008, 02:03 PM

you would probably sue all 3....and join their insurer's

well if the lighting operator was employed by the lighting company or the event organiser... then you wouldn't be suing the person, you'd be suing the company he works for wouldn't you?

Unless he was a contractor, then he'd be fucked.

edit: on thinking about it... would it be the operators fault if the lasers were faulty or illegal? I don't know much about lighting, but I know there are strict safety regulations for lasers. Surely that would then fall back on the lighting company?

This post has been edited by ~Em~: Jul 16 2008, 02:16 PM

I didn't think they were supposed to keep lasers still in one point long enough to cause damage, but I could be wrong there. I remember a certain person's video camera being completely fucked by exposure to a laser.

yeh its not necessarily about the laser but more about the program it runs on/how the operator controls it

i have been involved in set up for parties that had some pretty big lasers and know a few people in the lighting industry, one of the guys said he could light a cigarette across the main room if he wanted to

but yes there is strict safety regulartions etc which say that you cant do this and this and this etc

if the operator at the time did a crowd sweep or something with a powerful laser that was not aimed correctly or held place to long or something i imagine it could do some fair damage to eyes which are fairly sensitive

eyes should be in the back of the head if your raving!

soft!

Fair enough.

When I get home i'm going to put on a massive rave, halfway through i'm going to set some lions into the crowd and watch the carnage.

Don't sue me!!!!!!!!!

BAHAHAHA!

http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/...5013040,00.html

Computer guy takes city system hostage

A DISGRUNTLED computer engineer has been sitting in a prison cell for four days after locking out everyone but himself from a city computer system.

A San Francisco government employee allegedly created a secret password to the city government's data network
Terry Childs is accused of tampering with San Francisco's new computer network to give himself exclusive access. He has refused to hand over the password and is being held on $5 million bail while officials try to crack his code.

The Department of Technology employee, 43, allegedly created a secret password to the city government's data network. The multimillion-dollar network stores records such as officials' e-mails, city payroll files, confidential law enforcement documents and jail bookings.

Mr Childs was arrested last Sunday and is being held on suspicion of four counts of computer tampering. His arraignment is scheduled for later today.

The city says that fixing the system, which hosts 60 per cent of the city government's data, and determining whether the alleged tampering led to a security breach could cost millions of dollars.

At a news conference announcing Mr Childs' arrest, Kamala Harris, the district attorney, said: "This involves compromising a public system that we rely on. Its integrity has been compromised."

The network administrator, who lives in Pittsburg, has been working for the Department of Technology for five years and has a basic salary of just over $126,000. Police said that Mr Childs had recently been disciplined at work. Reports suggest that officials then discovered that Mr Childs had put together a tracing system to monitor what other administrators were saying and doing in relation to his disciplinary case.

Last weekend he allegedly locked out all administrators except himself. Before his arrest he gave pass codes to police, but they did not work. "They weren't able to do it," an official said. "This was kind of his insurance policy."

It was feared that although Mr Childs is in jail, he may have enabled someone else to access the system by telephone or other electronic device and order the destruction of hundreds of thousands of sensitive documents.

Currently documents in the system can be accessed, but if there are problems or the system crashes there is no way to repair the network quickly. Engineers from the technology company Cisco have been brought in to try to gain access.

Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco told the San Francisco Chronicle: "There is nothing to be alarmed about, save the inability to get into and tweak the system. Nothing dramatic has changed in terms of our ability to govern the city."

He said that Mr Childs had been a highly regarded member of staff but was now a "rogue employee that got a bit maniacal".

It has emerged that Mr Childs has a criminal record for aggravated burglary, for which he served five years' probation in 1982.

"He was very good at what he did, and sometimes that goes to people's heads. We think that is what this is about," Mr Newsom said.

The incident is one of the highest profile cases of what IT security experts call "insider threat". Layers of security and checks are built into companies' computer system to protect against disgruntled and unscrupulous employees trying to gain access to valuable information and sharing it for personal gain, espionage or revenge.

The Times
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