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Ben Rehder—Mystery Author
Friday September 21, 2007
YORKTOWN, Ind. -- A man accused of snatching another man's false teeth straight from his mouth during a fight has been charged with robbery.
Robert Henry Stahl, 62, was charged Thursday in Delaware Circuit Court with felony robbery and battery causing bodily injury, a misdemeanor. If convicted of robbery, he could face two to eight years in prison.
Billie Townsend, 56, told police that he went to a bar on July 27 to pay Stahl money he owed him, when Stahl asked him outside and started punching him repeatedly.
During the fight, Stahl allegedly put Townsend in a headlock and removed his false teeth. "He said, 'You ain't getting these back,"' Townsend told police.
Stahl was not present at Thursday's hearing and the prosecutor did not seek a warrant for his arrest. Another hearing was scheduled for Oct. 22.
Stahl had no number in published listings for Yorktown or Muncie and he could not be reached for comment Friday. Police and prosecutors said they did not know if Stahl had retained an attorney.
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Wednesday September 19, 2007
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A woman who found a digital camera outside Ohio Stadium located the owner by uploading a picture from it and e-mailing the image to a batch of Ohio State football fans.
Within 48 hours of sending the e-mail to 14 friends, Michelle Montgomery declared her social experiment a success. She was contacted by Kevin John, 45, of Shelby, who learned through a chain of e-mailers in the Buckeye network that Montgomery had his camera.
"It shows the power of the Internet, e-mail and the Buckeye network. It's amazing how many Buckeye fans are out there," said John, a 1986 Ohio State University graduate.
John lost the camera outside the stadium at the September 1 Ohio State-Youngstown State football game after asking a cheerleader to take pictures of him and his 10-year-old son Noah posing with Brutus Buckeye, the team mascot.
Montgomery found the camera on her way to the game. Rather than using the university's lost-and-found service, she sent an e-mail to friends with a picture attached asking the recipients to circulate the message among other Buckeye fans.
Hundreds of e-mails later, John learned from two people that someone in Columbus had found his camera.
Montgomery said the experience has taught her about the Internet's capacity to do good.
"Think of the way we could use it if we wanted to do something meaningful and powerful in the world," she told The Columbus Dispatch
| | Posted by B. Rehder at 7:17 PM - | |
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Monday September 17, 2007
I’ve received quite a few emails and letters regarding my column in Newsweek, mostly from people who have pit bulls. Here are some excerpts:
“I read your column in Newsweek this week and was very moved.”
“After having read your touching article about A Dog Who Was Pure Muscle and All Heart, the only thing i had in my mind was my dog Alize. She too is a brindle pit bull, the most beautiful I've seen along with the most affectionate of the breed.”
“It's very rare that a one page column can bring so many emotions to mind. To smile, laugh, and cry by reading only a thousand words or so, means that you have touched someone's heart and they can empathize with the feelings you have shared.”
“I just wanted to send a quick note thanking you for finally putting some positive pit bull media out there. Esmerelda sounds like she was a wonderful dog and I'm sure she left you with many wonderful memories. I wish more people could see that all pit bulls are not the ones bred and trained to dogfight....”
“Your story showed the true demeanor of the APBT – loyal, loving and oh so affectionate. I volunteer in the medical department of my local Humane Society and I see so many pit bulls and pit mixes come through our doors. They are the hardest to place but the easiest for me to love.”
One letter, however, was negative. This man said:
“I have the unfortunate experience of being mauled by a pit bull that had the exact same description as did your Esmerelda, from its owner. Pit bulls are as dangerous as a hunting rifle, and in the wrong hands can explode.”
He says more than that, but that gives you the overall tone. This guy had a bad experience, obviously, and it cemented his opinion about pit bulls. Is that fair to the breed? I’m sorry he was attacked, but that doesn’t mean all pit bulls are dangerous. In fact, very, very few of them are dangerous. Let’s look at it from another perspective. If this man was mugged by a person of a different race, and from that he decided that all members of that race were criminals, that would make him a bigot.
I’ve been trying to decide if I should respond to his letter or not, but something tells me I couldn’t change his way of thinking.
| | Posted by B. Rehder at 8:55 AM - | |
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Tuesday September 11, 2007
I was under the mistaken impression that my cell phone's camera would suffice. It didn't. Regardless, here are two photos. The first is from my signing at the Hill Country Bookstore (nice place) in Georgetown (just a conversation away). The second is from Mike Blakely's Fandango in Luckenbach.  | | Posted by B. Rehder at 8:35 AM - | |
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It’s amazing how many “writers” there are out there. I’m not talking about people who are actually in the process of writing something; I’m talking about people who would write if only they “weren’t so busy.” Because, of course, finding the time to write is really the only key to success in this business.
Seriously, it’s amusing how some people think they could be a writer--if only time allowed. They’ll say, “Oh, you’re an author? You know, I’ve been meaning to write a novel...” Yet they’d never say, “I’d be a professional quarterback, but the kids keep me so busy.” Or “I’ve been meaning to write some hit songs, but I just got a promotion at work.”
Anyway, I run into this attitude a lot, and that’s why I find this clip so funny:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPuWA1WKR7w
| | Posted by B. Rehder at 8:25 AM - | |
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