Frontman and singer of Joy Division, Ian Curtis, had his memorial stone stolen. Curtis committed suicide in 1980 and the epitaph on the stone read “Love Will Tear Us Apart” - the British bands most popular and famous song.

The stone was taken from Macclesfield Crematorium in northern England earlier this week. The stone brought many fans and tourists from around the world to pay respects and leave messages behind.

Curtis had a dark life; reflected in his painful lyrics. He struggled with balancing the band with his home life, having epilepsy and falling in love with another woman. Local officials are hoping it will be returned soon.

If Canadian crackheads are too frail to harm anyone, British crackheads are bitch-slapping monsters. As we already know, don’t f*ck with Amy Winehouse.

This is kind of an interesting read if you’re bored and curious about what it’s like to live in a Canadian crack house. Here’s a passage to get you hooked…

After multiple failed attempts at holding down a job, my brother took it upon himself to start selling crack to make money off of the situation. It’s difficult watching your mother slowly kill herself, but it’s even more difficult to watch your brother sell her death. Part of me hates him for it, but at least he’s using the money to pay for things like bills and school.

The things that go on here range from terrifying to hilarious. There are also strange little perks to living in a house like this, which most people are unaware of. So ask away. I’m not shy about the subject and I know it’s something most people are curious about.

The girl happily discusses why she doesn’t live with her clean dad, disgusting tales of maggoty ham, the difference between freebased cocaine and crack, and why the cops never do anything about her sitch. She writes pretty well, maybe we should invite her to blog here for us. She’ll probably have a book out and be on Oprah someday.

A growing number of reports of grave robbing have been cropping up in St. Louis and across the nation. Apparently, rising scrap metal prices and a sagging economy have lead to thieves raiding the metal vases of headstones. Gross, dude. Gross.

In March, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department arrested three people for stealing 40 vases from two Metro East cemeteries. The owner of a Granite City scrap recycling center turned them in.

Late last year, a trio of thieves hit the Valhalla Memorial Park cemetery in East Alton. They stole 17 bronze vases from graves in the cemetery. A month later, they went back and stole a dozen more.

The two men and a woman were arrested after a tipster reported a suspicious vehicle. Charges are pending.

The scrap value of a bronze vase is about $10, according to cemetery operators; the replacement price often tops $300.

Grave robbery was more common in the 19th century, when thieves dug up the dead in a search for gold. Sometimes they snatched the bodies for medical experiments.

In 1876, three men broke into Abraham Lincoln’s burial site in Springfield, Ill., in an attempt to steal the body and hold it for ransom. The men were caught in progress.

Through the decades, such nefarious acts became uncommon.

But now, grave robbery is quietly sweeping the nation. Again.

Three men were arrested earlier this month on charges of stealing more than 1,000 brass vases and headstones from nine Chicago-area cemeteries. Also this month, about 150 bronze vases were reportedly stolen from a West Virginia cemetery. In addition, a man was arrested on charges of stealing 55 vases from grave sites in the Fort Myers, Fla. area.

In the last few weeks, robberies have been reported at cemeteries in Arizona, Maryland, Michigan and North Carolina.

Stronger laws and new technology are helping catch the thieves.

A Missouri law passed last month is aimed at helping police track thieves who steal brass and bronze and sell it to scrap metal dealers. The state stiffened the fines for dealers who don’t keep proper paperwork and requires them to get a copy of a photo ID for those who aren’t regular customers.

Illinois enacted a similar law earlier this year.

Ed Wilkerson, the police chief in Millstadt, said his department has begun paying for an Internet-based system, www.leadsonline.com, that tracks the sale of scrap metal online and in pawnshops.

He said the Mount Evergreen Cemetery in Millstadt was robbed of bronze vases last year. No arrests have been made.

Evans, the Belleville cemetery manager, said his facility has stepped up security.

“They come and take a few at time, and then wait awhile before coming back,” said Evans.

Evans said there has been no theft at his cemetery since one of the Madison County arrests.

Apparently, there is a way relatives can keep their deceased loved ones from becoming targets of thieves.

“Most of the stolen vases we’ve had come from vases that didn’t have any flowers,” Evans said.

From Craigslist:

Nemesis required. 6-month project with possibilty to extend
Date: 2008-05-07, 2:49PM PDT
I’ve been trying to think of ways to spice up my life. I’m 35 years old, happily married with two kids and I have a good job in insurance. But somethings missing. I feel like I’m old before my time. I need to inject some excitement into my daily routine through my arm before its too late. I need a challenge, something to get the adrenaline pumping again. An addiction would be nice, but, in short, I need a nemesis. I’m willing to pay $350 up front for you services as an arch enemy over the next six months. Nothing crazy. Steal my parking space, knock my coffee over, trip me when Im running to catch the BART and occasionaly whisper in my ear, “Ahha, we meet again”. That kind of thing. Just keep me on my toes. Complacency will be the death of me. You need to have an evil streak and be blessed with innate guile and cunning. You should also be adept at inconsicuous pursuit. Evil laugh preferred. Send me a photo and a brief explanation why you would be a good nemesis.
British accent preferred.
* it’s NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
* Compensation: $350 up front
PostingID: 672031640

Shit, man! I want a nemesis now, too! Oh wait, I have a boss, boyfriend, and two roommates. Nevermind, forget it.

Convicted sex offenders in Louisiana will now be faced with chemical castration for their crimes, after Governor Bobby Jindal signed the Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill (yeah, that’s the real name…). Eye for an eye is a BITCH!

Governor Bobby Jindal said, “The Sex Offender Chemical Castration Bill is a good bill, and I am especially glad to sign it into Louisiana law today, on the same day the Supreme Court has made an atrocious ruling against our state’s ability to sentence those who sexually assault our children to the fullest extent. Those who prey on our children are among the very worst criminals imaginable.

“Not only as the Governor of this great state, but as a father of three children, I believe that sexually assaulting a child is one of the very worst crimes and I am glad we have taken such strong measures in Louisiana to put a stop to these monsters’ brutal acts. I want to send the message loud and clear – to the Supreme Court of the United States and beyond – make no mistake about it, if anyone wants to molest children and commit sexual assaults on kids they should not do so here in Louisiana. Here, we will do everything in our power to protect our children and we will not rest until justice is won and we have fully punished those who harm them.”

SB 144 by Senators Nick Gautreaux, Amedee, Dorsey, Duplessis and Mount provides that on a first conviction of aggravated rape, forcible rape, second degree sexual battery, aggravated incest, molestation of a juvenile when the victim is under the age of 13, or an aggravated crime against nature, the court may sentence the offender to undergo chemical castration. On a second conviction of the above listed crimes, the court is required to sentence the offender to undergo chemical castration.

This bill also provides that a court may instead order a physical castration instead of the chemical castration. Convicted sex offenders who undergo castration must still serve their full sentence, as their treatment will not affect their sentencing. Under the bill, if a convicted sex offender fails to appear for their chemical castration, they will serve an additional sentence of three to five years.

In the recently concluded regular session of the legislature, Governor Jindal also supported the passage of SB 143 to prohibit a sex offender from wearing a mask, hood or disguise during holiday events and from distributing candy or other gifts on Halloween to persons under eighteen years of age; SB 517 which provides for the lifetime registration of sex offenders; SB 510 to double the minimum sentence for computer-aided solicitation of a minor; HB 770 to prohibit the use text messaging by sex offenders; and SB 514 to increase the minimum sentence for the molestation of a juvenile by five-fold.