WICKED THOUGHTS -- MIRROR
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18 May, 2013
India — A true storyIndian mothers can give Yiddisher Mommas some competition
Neel Shah’s father, Kishor, came from a small village in Gujarat. The eldest of seven children, after graduating from an engineering college in India, in 1966 he made his way to America, to study for a masters in automotive engineering at Oklahoma State University, and then took a job at Ford in Detroit.
Five years later he returned to India to find a wife. Friends and relations had been alerted to look for a suitable candidate. Finally three were settled upon. Two were from prosperous families, highly suitable material. The third, Kishori, was a simple girl of great sweetness of character who had nursed her mother through a long and fatal illness.
Kishor and his family were unable to decide whom he should choose. Eventually his mother, Lalita, made a proposal: she would write the names of the girls on pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Kishor dutifully reached in his hand and drew out the piece bearing the name… Kishori.
Shortly after the wedding, Kishor returned to America, to prepare a home for his new bride. For seven months they came to know each other only by letter, until she was able to join him. They have now been married for 41 years, a happy union that produced two children. It would be some years after their wedding that they discovered that Lalita had written Kishori’s name on all three pieces of paper.
Original story here
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Philippines: Coin toss breaks tie in mayoral race: “A coin toss has decided the winner of the position of mayor in a central Philippines town after two candidates received the same number of votes. Marvic Feraren triumphed over Boyet Py from San Teodoro town in Mindoro Oriental province after both had received 3,236 votes in Monday’s poll.”
African technology: “Their project might not sound like much: The college students on Wednesday launched a tiny model of a satellite the size of a soda can on a big yellow balloon. It went aloft to a height of 165 meters (yards) and then came back down attached to a parachute. Yet in this developing West African country, ambitious organizers — who recently launched the Ghana Space Science and Technology Center — see the test as a sign of bigger things to come”
Burglar betrayed by his sweet tooth: “A burglar was betrayed by his own sweet tooth when he was unable to resist some Jaffa Cakes at a house in Birmingham. Reece O’Callaghan, who is starting a seven-and-a-half year jail term, helped himself to the cakes and a pasta meal after breaking into the home of an elderly couple. He was spotted at the property by a neighbour and police arrested him nearby, but denied he was the culprit. However, forensic experts found his middle finger imprint on the Jaffa Cake box which meant the evidence “literally pointed” at him, prosecutor Jason Pegg told the City’s Crown Court. The victims, aged 78 and 82, had been away on holiday in July last year when O’Callaghan broke into their home by smashing a window. Once inside he satiated his appetite before stealing the valuables, including three televisions.”
Rio Tinto’s rare red diamonds on display: “Diamonds don’t just come in all shapes and sizes: they come in a rainbow of colours, from cherry blossom pinks and the deepest ruby reds to deep ocean blues and icy whites. Rio Tinto had 64 of them on show from its Argyle Diamond Mine as part of its annual tender process. For the first time in the mine’s 30-year history, the tender includes three extremely rare red diamonds. The 2013 collection also includes 58 pink and three blue diamonds. “Since mining began in 1983 only six diamonds certified as Fancy Red by the Gemmological Institute of America have been presented for sale at the annual tender,” Argyle Pink Diamonds manager Josephine Johnson said. “To have three of these red diamonds on one tender is a very special moment in time.” Ms Johnson said that in 2008 the mine sold a red diamond for more than $1 million a carat. The largest red diamond on the 2013 tender is a 1.56 carat round gem”
Man finds $4.85 million in cookie jar: “A US man failed to claim $4.85 million in lottery winnings for three months because the lucky ticket was stuffed away in a cookie jar. Ricardo Cerezo purchased the winning ticket for a Lotto drawing on February 2. He put it in a rainy day fund, along with 10 other tickets, where it remained unchecked until May. “I can’t believe I had $4.85 million in a cookie jar for over three months,” Mr Cerezo told the Geneva Patch. Mr Cerezo’s wife eventually cajoled him into checking the hidden stash of tickets at the local 7-Eleven. The first seven tickets were duds, but the eighth scan prompted a deceptively bland message: “File a claim.” By May 15, Mr Cerezo was back at the 7-Eleven to receive a cheque for $4.85 million from lottery officials. Mr Cerezo and his wife will use the winnings to pay off the mortgage, help out their children and support a few of their favourite charities.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
17 May, 2013
Have you ever seen a freaked-out cat?..
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Baggy-trousered burglar caught by his pants: “A brave householder grabbed a young burglar by his leg and pulled down his trousers as he fled. Heating engineer Christopher Newbury, 56, clung on to the burglar’s baggy trousers after catching him red-handed during a break-in at his home. The villain was forced to flee in his underwear as Christopher was left holding his trousers to hand over to police as evidence to collar the burglar. Forensic scientists got to the bottom of crime by finding the burglar’s DNA on the pair of baggy trousers. Brave Christopher won a £100 bravery reward from a judge as burglar Mohammed Ali, 21, was jailed. ‘They were those baggy trousers that youngsters wear half way down their backsides these days. ‘He just stepped out of them and ran away in his underwear. But I was left holding the evidence. Ali – who has previous convictions for burglary, robbery and possessing an imitation firearm – handed himself in after realising his DNA was on his baggy trousers.
New gadget for pet owners fires tennis balls up to 100ft: “Dog owners who are bored of playing fetch have a new way to make the everyday pursuit more exciting – a tennis ball cannon. The K-9 Kannon helps kick walkies up a notch by adding real firepower to an amble in the park. And it is also an ideal remedy for the lazy pet owner, as it takes all the effort out of throwing a ball around. The innovative device costs £15, and is designed to fit tennis balls which it can propel up to 100ft. Even more usefully, it features a hands-free pick-up capability so owners do not have to handle chewed-up, slobbered-up and dirty tennis balls.”
Supermarket snobbery in Britain: “Wealthy residents on the millionaire’s row of Sandbanks were today planning to boycott a Tesco store which is set to open in the high-class neighbourhood. The supermarket giant unveiled its plans to turn a pub on the sandy peninsula in Poole Harbour, Dorset, into a store last year, which sparked uproar from horrified locals. Aghast residents said the store would look ‘like a filling in a set of teeth’ and thought a Waitrose or Marks and Spencer would be more suited to the affluent area. A petition was started in a bid to stop the convenience shop opening in Sandbanks, which is the fourth most expensive area in the world to live. But Tesco have now revealed that they are continuing with the controversial plans, and the store is expected to open in July. Under development rights regulations, the supermarket chain is able to convert the Sandacres pub into a shop without planning permission.”
Artist, 31, creates oil painting of dream husband – and weds his spitting image three years later: “An artist has married the man of her dreams four years after painting his lookalike in a prophetic piece of artwork. In 2009, Chloe Mayo, who was single at the time, quickly dashed off an oil painting of her holding hands with a handsome, dark bearded man. In her search for love, Chloe joined an online dating website, and began messaging Michael Goeman, 30. Two months later the pair met – and Chloe was shocked to find Michael was the spitting image of the man in her painting. In fear of putting off her new lover, Chloe hid the uncanny painting under her bed, only revealing it once she had been on more dates with Michael. Thankfully, he was not put off by the painting and they continued their relationship for a further 18 months until he proposed while they were holidaying in the south of France.”
Socialist country runs out of butt fodder: “First milk, butter, coffee and cornmeal ran short. Now Venezuela is running out of the most basic of necessities – toilet paper. Blaming political opponents for the shortfall, as it does for other shortages, the embattled socialist government says it will import 50 million rolls to boost supplies. One supermarket in the capital on Wednesday was out of toilet paper. Another had just received a fresh batch, and it quickly filled up with shoppers as the word spread. Economists say Venezuela’s shortages stem from price controls meant to make basic goods available to the poorest parts of society and the government’s controls on foreign currency. ‘State-controlled prices – prices that are set below market-clearing price – always result in shortages. ‘The shortage problem will only get worse, as it did over the years in the Soviet Union,’ said Steve Hanke, professor of economics at Johns Hopkins University.
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
16 May, 2013
Fifty SHEDS Of GreyWe tried various positions – round the back, on the side, up against a wall…but in the end we came to the conclusion the bottom of the garden was the only place for a good shed.
She knelt before me on the shed floor and tugged gently at first, then harder until finally it came. I moaned with pleasure. Now for the other boot.
Ever since she read THAT book, I’ve had to buy all kinds of ropes, chains and shackles. She still manages to get into the shed, though.
“Put on this rubber suit and mask,” I instructed, calmly. “Mmmm, kinky!” she purred. “Yes,” I said, “You can’t be too careful with all that asbestos in the shed roof.”
“I’m a very naughty girl,” she said, biting her lip. “I need to be punished.” So I invited my mum to stay for the weekend.
“Harder!” she cried, gripping the workbench tightly. “Harder!” “Okay,” I said. “What’s the gross national product of Nicaragua?”
I lay back exhausted, gazing happily out of the shed window. Despite my concerns about my inexperience, my rhubarb had come up a treat.
“Are you sure you can take the pain?” she demanded, brandishing stilettos. “I think so,” I gulped. “Here we go, then,” she said, and showed me the receipt.
“Hurt me!” she begged, raising her skirt as she bent over my workbench. “Very well,” I replied. “You’ve got fat ankles and no dress sense.”
“Are you sure you want this?” I asked. “When I’m done, you won’t be able to sit down for weeks.” She nodded. “Okay,” I said, putting the three-piece lounge suite on eBay.
“Punish me!” she cried. “Make me suffer like only a real man can!” “Very well,” I replied, leaving the toilet seat up.
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
NH: City sues Robin Hood for feeding parking meters: “A city in New Hampshire is suing a group that signs letters ‘Robin Hood and his Merry Men’ that make a point of searching for expired parking meters and paying them before police can issue a ticket. The group, comprised of six ‘Robin Hooders,’ search the town of Keene for delinquent drivers and leave a note behind that says, ‘Your meter expired; however, we saved you from the king’s tariffs.’ The note is signed, ‘Robin Hood and his Merry Men,’ and urges recipients to consider ‘paying it forward,’ The Washington Times reported.”
A really charming Muslim: “The honeymoon is over for Mohammed Ahmed. The 21-year-old Illinois man was arrested for soliciting a prostitute last week while he was honeymooning with his new wife in Florida. Ahmed was among 92 people nabbed in a prostitution sweep conducted by Polk County Sheriff’s Office. The alleged john answered an online ad, on website Backpage.com, which, to his horror, turned out to be planted by an undercover deputy as part of the four-day operation. Ahmed left his newlywed in their room at the Omni Hotel in Champions Gate when he went off on his sojourn to pay for sex. When he never returned, the worried bride called the sheriff’s office to report him missing. She was quickly told he was in fine health – but wouldn’t be resuming the vacation because he was in a jail cell having been booked on charges of soliciting prostitution. The catch of a husband was also charged with possession of marijuana.”
Nice doggie: “IN a case of life imitating the Henry Lawson story The Loaded Dog, a five-month-old puppy caused a police incident when he brought home what appeared to be a 20cm stick of dynamite. Mrs Evans put the explosive aside and took the kids to school before returning to investigate. She then took the explosive into the family’s road machinery factory at the rear of her property in Haven – south of Horsham in Victoria’s west. After emailing photos to friends and searching the internet, Mrs Evans was sure Harry had brought home either dynamite or gelignite. Police were called in and photos sent to the bomb squad. After a tense wait the explosive was revealed to be a large fire cracker.”
Is this the luckiest man in America? Retired postal worker wins lottery for the FOURTH time: “Winning the lottery just once would be the experience of a lifetime for most people. But retired postal worker Melvyn Wilson has managed it an astonishing four times. Mr Wilson, from Woodbridge, Virginia, first struck lucky in 2004 when he won $25,000 on a scratchcard. But his luck didn't stop there and he won another two scratchcard jackpots the following year. He picked up $1 million in his first win and then another $500,000 later that year. And now Mr Wilson has won for a fourth time – collecting $500,000 in the Virginia Lottery's Millionaire Mania scratch-off game. His winnings over the years total $2,025,000. Mr Wilson, who retired from the postal service in 2007, played down his lucky streak, stating: 'I'm just in the right place at the right time.'"
How listening to ‘sad songs’ heals the blues: “Listening to sad songs is best way to get over a break up as it has same soothing effect as a sympathetic friend, researchers find. Sir Elton John once sang that listening to Sad Songs was the perfect way to recover from a relationship breakdown. But now psychologists appear to have uncovered evidence to support the pop star’s conclusions that they really do “say so much”. A new international study has found listening to sad music was the best way to recover from a relationship break-up as it had the same soothing effect as a sympathetic friend. Researchers concluded that when consumers experienced serious emotional distress they turned to a surrogate to replace a lost personal bond and lift their mood. Their findings appear to contradict popular opinion that upbeat music or humorous movies were a better way to beat distress. “Like a sympathetic friend, music, movies, paintings, or novels that are compatible with our current mood and feelings are more appreciated when we experience broken or failing relationships.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
15 May, 2013
The complications of Redneck life
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Road construction workers bulldoze Mayan pyramid: “ONE of Belize’s largest Mayan pyramids has been bulldozed and its stonework crushed to extract rock for a road-building project. The construction company has essentially destroyed the pyramid with backhoes and bulldozers, authorities announced last night. The head of the Belize Institute of Archaeology, Jaime Awe, said the destruction at the Nohmul complex in northern Belize was detected late last week. The ceremonial centre dates back at least 2,300 years and is the most important site in northern Belize, near the border with Mexico. Nohmul sat in the middle of a privately owned sugar cane field, and lacked the even stone sides frequently seen in reconstructed or better-preserved pyramids. But Awe said the builders could not possibly have mistaken the pyramid mound, which is about 100 feet tall, for a natural hill because the ruins were well-known and the landscape there is naturally flat. “These guys knew that this was an ancient structure. It’s just bloody laziness”, Awe said.”
Bonnet ride idiot in Australia’s wild North: “A MAN will be interviewed after flagging down a car – before climbing up the bonnet [hood] and windscreen, smashing it. The 32-year-man flagged down a green Toyota Camry on Elrundie Ave, Palmerston, about 6.15pm. Watch Commander Garry Smith said after the car had stopped, the man then climbed onto the bonnet of the car, before walking over the windscreen, when it smashed. The man was arrested and will be charged with criminal damages later this morning after sobering up. The male driver of the Camry was uninjured.”
Football fan juror halts rape trial because defendant supports rival team: “A football fan sitting on a jury cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds when he caused a rape trial to be halted just because the defendant supported a rival team. The Newcastle United fan told fellow jury members he could not give David Blake, from Sunderland, a fair trial as it was just 24 hours after the Tyne-Wear derby. In an outburst he branded the defendant a “Mackem rapist” – Mackem being a slang term for people from Sunderland. The juror claimed to have been left distraught by Newcastle’s 3-0 home defeat to their bitter Premier League foes last month. His bias meant Judge Penny Moreland had to halt the trial, dismiss the juror and swear in a new panel at Newcastle Crown Court – at a cost of £5,000 to the public purse. The case, which had heard the opening from the prosecution, had to be started again, meaning half a day was wasted.”
Pilot locked out of cockpit after door jammed shut: “An Air India flight to Bangalore was diverted to another city after the pilot returned from a toilet break and found the door to the cockpit jammed shut, the state-run carrier said Tuesday. The flight left Delhi for Bangalore on Monday but the plane had to be diverted to Bhopal in central India when the pilot realised he could not get back to the controls. “The commander of the flight had left the cockpit for a short while to visit the toilet and on returning to the cockpit found the door locked,” Air India said in a news release. The statement said that “all efforts to open the door, even from inside by the co-pilot, failed”. The airline said that during the time the door was locked, the cockpit was manned by the co-pilot and trainee pilot. The incident posed no danger to the aircraft passengers and the crew,” it said.”
1967 ToyotaThe million-dollar Toyota: “A Toyota sports car has sold for more than $1 million to a collector in the United States. The mint condition Toyota 2000GT, one of only 351 built, was sold by RM Auctions for $US1.15 million. The 2000GT was Japan’s answer to the Jaguar E-Type. Co-developed with Yamaha, the low-slung sports car was powered by a 2.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine that was good for 112kW and a top speed of 217km/h. With its aluminium body, disc brakes and double overhead camshafts, the car showcased Japanese technology to the rest of the world at a time when the nation was trying to establish itself as a global force in the automotive industry. Repected car magazine Road and Track said the 2000GT was “one of the most exciting and enjoyable cars we’ve drive”, comparing it favourably to the Porsche 911. At the time of its release, the car sold in the United States for about $7000, which was more than the 911 and E-Type.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
14 May, 2013
Handy handrail
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
How a lavish wedding could lead to divorce: “If you want your marriage to have a fairytale ending, don’t spend a fortune on a fairytale wedding. Because, according to a leading family lawyer, couples who overspend on their big day are headed for divorce. Amanda McAlister, head of family law at Slater and Gordon, said eight in ten couples who divorce within five years cite spending too much on the wedding as a reason. She said: ‘Young people are already under increasing financial pressure with tuition fees and high rents, and the prospect of a lavish wedding ceremony is a huge added strain. Miss McAlister said that young people are frequently drawn into spending over £30,000 on their wedding day. ‘However, after the honeymoon period, when reality bites, repaying such sums becomes a great strain on the relationship; along with the ever-increased costs of starting a family in the shadow of uncertain economic times.”
Highland games in Afghanistan: “They’re thousands of miles from Scotland but that didn’t stop soldiers, sailors and airmen stationed in Afghanistan letting off steam and celebrating their own Highland Games. They used rocks from the desert as improvised ‘shots’ at the fun event, held at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand Province, with armed forces from the UK and the USA taking part. It came as a morale boost for the forces, taking place days after two soldiers from 2 SCOTS and another from the 51st Highland 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 SCOTS) were killed in Helmand Province. All the participants in the games were dressed in kilts which were shipped from home, purchased online, or homemade. A piper from The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS), played a range of traditional pipe music throughout the fun. Due to the busy work schedule in Afghanistan the games, which took place on May 3, were just two hours long with three events held – tossing the caber, the kettle bell throw, and shot putt using round Afghan rocks from the desert.”
Singer’s bathroom rendition of ‘I Will Always Love You’ gets her thrown off flight: “The repetitive rendition of the Whitney Houston song proved too much for the passengers and crew aboard an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to New York. Footage filmed inside the aircraft shows airline staff and security guards escorting the woman out, as she continues to sing the Whitney Houston song out of tune, and at full blast. The American Airlines flight had been flying from Los Angeles to New York when it made an unscheduled stop in Kansas City so the woman could be removed. An airline spokesman told US news channel WBTV that the woman had to make her own travel arrangements for the remainder of her journey, after the airline refused to let her board another flight.”
Intrepid cat easily opens FIVE doors to get outside: “An intrepid cat was caught by his owners opening not one, not two, but FIVE closed doors to get outside. Animals with enough quick thinking and agility to open a single door are impressive. But five doors is just showing off. Nonetheless, that’s what Leon, a grey and white cat in Skopje, Macedonia has now proven to the world he’s capable of. Leon’s keeper follows his witty kitty through door number one, two, and three and can be heard laughing proudly as his furry charge conquers man-made obstacles. Past the stairs come two more doors. Leon breezes through them as easily as the first three. Then, freedom! Leon makes it all the way to the sunny, outside world without breaking a sweat. The video was posted to Youtube by user Marjan Kirovski, who also appears to be one of Leon’s proud owner. ‘He was found on a street in front of a market,’ Marjan writes, and goes on to say that Leon actually taught himself to open doors by watching his owner.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
13 May, 2013
That’s a change
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Councillor ‘disowns’ daughter after she unseats him in election: “Malcolm Pritchard, who was an independent county councillor for Accrington North, lost his seat to his daughter Clare, who stood for Labour in recent Lancashire County Council elections. Mr Pritchard said she had “dishonoured” the family by standing against him. “I wasn’t disappointed with the result, I was disappointed with Clare and what she has done. “She has broken one of the ten commandments by dishonouring her mother and father. “She has put politics before family. “She could have stood anywhere else with our 100 per cent support. “She was used as a pawn against me. At least I have got my wife, my son and my mates. Clare has lost her mum and dad for what she’s done. “As far as I’m concerned she doesn’t exist anymore and that takes a lot of saying.”
Woman who woke from coma to discover she was four months pregnant gives birth to a boy: “A woman who woke from a coma to learn she was four months pregnant has told of her joy after giving birth to a ‘perfect’ baby boy. Doctors discovered car crash victim Gemma Holmes, 26, was four weeks pregnant when she was rushed to hospital after colliding with a parked car while driving a scooter last September. Ms Holmes – who has been confined to a wheelchair since the accident because her pregnancy prevented her from undergoing vital surgery – was given the shock news when she awoke from a coma around three months later. Five months on, Ms Holmes, from Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire, has given birth to baby son Ruben. Not only did Ms Holmes have no idea she was expecting when she awoke from the coma, the amnesia she suffered as a result of the crash meant the three years leading up to it were wiped from her memory – including any recollection of baby Ruben’s father Luke Dicks.”
Chef creates $120 egg and bacon roll: “IT’S the egg and bacon roll that’s so extravagant even its creator isn’t sure she’d eat it. And at $120 a pop, every bite is expected to tantalise your tastebuds. The extreme breakfast roll will be on offer for one week at Surry Hills restaurant 4Fourteen as part of Bacon Week, which aims to promote quality Australian pork. Filled with award-winning bacon from Slade Point Meat Specialists in Mackay, Queensland, a pan-fried duck egg, semi-dried and smoked gourmet truss tomatoes, duck foie gras, caviar, creme fraiche, shaved truffles and English cheddar, squeezed between a handmade brioche bun and served with a side of chips and shaved truffle aioli, it’s probably not a burger recommended by cardiologists. But 4Fourteen head chef Carla Jones believes a few punters will order it.”
Ban all pressure cookers! “A Saudi student living in Michigan was questioned in his home by FBI agents after neighbours saw him carrying a pressure cooker and called the police. Talal al Rouki had been cooking a traditional Saudi Arabian rice dish called kabsah and was carrying it to a friend’s house. According to reports in a Saudi newspaper on Friday, the FBI are increasingly vigilant about ‘pressure cooker’ home-made bombs after the Boston bombers used one to make an explosive. While armed agents surrounded his apartment block, other agents, asked a ‘nervous’ Mr al Rouki if they could come in to question him. Officers said that two days earlier that a woman had seen him walking out of his apartment carrying the pressure cooker pot, which was described as ‘bullet coloured’. The young student showed them his pressure cooker and explained to them he used to make a rice dish. An FBI agent said: ‘You need to be more careful moving around with such things, Sir’”
Neighbour from hell brings the house down: “A logging contractor in the US took neighbourly score-settling to a new level when he jumped into his bulldozer and demolished two houses, flattened a truck and snapped an electricity pole, causing power cuts across a 30-kilometre radius. Neighbours in Port Angeles, 130 kilometres north-west of Seattle, said a boundary dispute was behind the rampage. Police said Barry Swegle, 51, was being held on suspicion of “malicious mischief in the first degree” after allegedly firing up his bulldozer with “skidder” attachment and setting to work. Aerial pictures showed that one property was ripped off its foundations and shunted more than 100 metres into a neighbouring plot. “He just went nuts,” said Keith Haynes, who lives near the wrecked homes. “He took a skidder and took out two houses. I mean demolished.” Jesse Major, 19, a student who said his grandmother lived in one of the damaged homes, said Mr Swegle was known locally for digging seemingly random holes late at night with his bulldozer. Police said no one was injured in the wrecking spree.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
12 May, 2013
Mr. Anonymous
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Bungling thief targets four-star hotel filled with cops: “Breaking into a hotel room in Majorca as its occupants slept seemed like a good idea to thief Mohammed Boujida. Unfortunately he woke the guests – three British policemen. Moroccan Boujida, 21, had forced open the officers’ hotel window before climbing in and sifting through their belongings. After a struggle – in which the thief attempted to flee and fainted in the process – he was handed over to Spanish colleagues, who were not hard to find as the hotel in the Santa Ponsa area was packed with police taking part in an international football tournament. A source said: ‘The officers involved have managed to see the funny side of things. The thief definitely targeted the wrong room and the wrong town that night.’ Boujida pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in a court in Palma and was sentenced to eight months in prison.”
A humble Archbishop: “The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has revealed that he travels by bus and orders deliveries of pizza to his medieval London residence, Lambeth Palace. Speaking two months after being enthroned amid pomp and ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral, the former oil executive also admitted he buys most of his clothes from charity shops such as Oxfam. In an intriguing insight into his down-to-earth style, Archbishop Welby, 57, who has been a fierce critic of the banks’ bonus culture, said that though he is supplied with a car and a chauffeur as part of the job, he prefers taking the bus or Tube. But he said he is increasingly recognised by fellow passengers and has been asked: ‘Are you that Archbishop chap?’”
A meal for 9 pennies? “A single mother who has turned her 9p meals into a book deal has urged shoppers not to be put off value-brand food to make their money go further. Jack Monroe, 25, has been documenting her attempts at feeding herself and her three-year-old son Jonny on £10 a week for the past year. A 9p carrot, cumin and kidney bean burger, 30p chilli and 22p apricot curry are among the frugal and healthy recipes that have caught the attention of publisher Penguin, which has signed her up to produce a book packed with more than 100 ideas for making the most of a tight budget. Ms Monroe shops from the value and reduced ranges at Sainsbury’s, her nearest shop, and grows her own herbs to make the most of her £10, which is what she has left after paying bills and rent. She sang the praises of value ranges, where kidney beans and chopped tomatoes are a quarter of the price of the branded equivalents, and said shoppers shouldn’t be turned off by the ‘unattractive’ packaging of the bottom shelf products.”
Dhaka factory victim saved by biscuits she bought on her way to work: “A woman who was rescued after 17 days from under the rubble of a collapsed garments factory in Bangladesh has told how she survived on biscuits and bottles of water. Miss Begum, 19, said that on the day of the building’s collapse, she had rushed to work and did not have any breakfast. Instead, she bought four small packets of biscuits on her way into work. It was a decision that would save her life – as she then rationed her scarce supply over the next two weeks. Yesterday, Miss Begum told hospital staff and her rescuers that she lived on the biscuits and bottles of water for the first 15 days – as she lay holed-up inside a cavity in the wreckage of the Rana Plaza building in the Savar area of Dhaka. It is believed the lifesaving bottles of water reached her after they were thrown down a hole by rescue workers. The rescuers had been told to push the bottles down every hole and cavity they stumbled across – in the hope those trapped underneath would receive them.”
A real cliffhanger!: “A rally car hangs precariously off a cliff-face after hurtling off the terrain during a race. Looking certain to roll further forward and plunge over the edge, the car, Citroen DS3 R3 2WD, miraculously comes to a halt and is heaved to safety by marshals and spectators at a contest in Jordan. Drivers Mohammed al-Sahlawi and Allan Harryman got away with their close encounter after falling foul of the race’s tough course and told of their scare in an interview afterwards. Al-Sahlawi said: ‘It was a blind corner and I was worried about it so I was slowing down. ‘But everyone had been cutting from the left and there weren’t any lines to follow. I stopped when I saw the water but the front right wheel went over the edge and we got stuck. ‘We just waited for someone to pull us back. We were scared we might fall off.’”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
11 May, 2013
He started young
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Australian woman reached from beyond grave to get square with greedy boss who owed her $19,000 in unpaid wages: “A BRISBANE woman has reached from beyond the grave to get square with a greedy boss who owed her $19,000 in unpaid wages. It has been three years since her death, but Gail Keen’s estate finally won what the former secretary was owed. And in a further belated win for Ms Keen, who laid the foundation for the prosecution, her former employer and the company’s sole director have been fined more than $53,000. Ms Keen, who performed telemarketing and administrative duties for New Image Photographics Pty Ltd at Woolloongabba, pursued her boss for repayment after realising she had been short-changed. But after lodging a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman, Ms Keen, aged in her 60s, died in 2010. Ms Keen’s husband requested the Ombudsman pursue the matter when the company refused to hand over what was owed. Ms Keen’s husband refused to comment yesterday but acting Ombudsman Michael Campbell said the case illustrated the lengths staff would go to for underpaid workers.”
First couple ever convicted of HOARDING avoid jail: “A couple who filled their home with junk narrowly escaped jail today for child cruelty in what is thought to be the first prosecution for hoarding. Ambulance driver Duncan Scott, 47, and his partner Claire Anderson, 46, were told by a furious judge at the Old Bailey that they were lucky he was not jailing them immediately. Instead Judge John Bevan handed them suspended sentences after hearing how the couple collected so much junk from car boot sales that children living there had to eat on the stairs. Claire Anderson, 46, and her partner Duncan Scott, 47, were given suspended sentences at the Old Bailey today after pleading guilty to four charges of child cruelty today. The couple had been warned after social workers visited the house on a number of occasions, but were ignored. Judge Bevan sentenced the couple to six months jail suspended for two years, and ordered them to do 150 hours unpaid work each”
Could magnets in the iPad TURN OFF heart implants?: “Gianna Chien has written a study that found the second generation iPad can, in some cases, interfere with implanted defibrillators because of the magnets built into the tablet’s casing. Her findings warn that if a person falls asleep with the second generation iPad on their chest, the magnets can ‘accidentally turn off’ the heart device, although the warnings are being played down by manufacturers. As a safety precaution, most implanted defibrillators, also known as ICDs, are designed to be turned off by magnets. The second generation iPad has magnets built into its casing that are designed to hold a cover in place. While the second generation iPad magnets aren’t powerful enough to cause problems when a person is holding the tablet out in front of the chest, Chien’s study found it can be risky to rest it against the body.”
Woman driver trapped inside burning car after alarm system locked her in: “A 20-year-old woman escaped from her car after it caught fire and automatically locked the doors and windows. Lauren Zajac, was driving from work in Clapham, South London to her family home in Sidmouth, Devon, when the engine of her Vauxhall Tigra exploded into flames. The car’s alarm system triggered an automatic lock, leaving Miss Zajac trapped inside her vehicle. She re-started the engine so she could open the door and flee the scene, just seconds before the car exploded. She said: ‘I’m lucky to be alive. It was absolutely terrifying. It was a real nightmare and I’m just thankful to still be around. ‘I tried to smash the window, but it was really difficult and I was panicking.”
Chinese vase that would have been worth HALF A MILLION pounds if it hadn’t been turned into a LAMP sells for just £50,000: “An historic Chinese vase made for an 18th century emperor has sold at auction for £50,000 – but could have been worth ten times that value had a previous owner not drilled a hole in the bottom to turn it into a lamp. The centuries-old vase was made for the Chinese Emperor Qianlong, but its hugely important seal of authentication was destroyed when a two centimetre hole was drilled in its bottom to feed an electrical cable through. The bottle vase dates from the 18th century is likely to have been made for the Imperial household. A relative of the unnamed owner bought it off a London-based dealers at the turn of the 20th century and converted it into a lamp years later. The bottle vase was decorated with buddhistic lions in underglaze blue and red, a technically difficult process. Ceramics from the Quinlong period are highly-sought after, especially among the newly rich Chinese who are buying back their lost heritage.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
10 May, 2013
Guide dog for Muslim women
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Florida man runs from cops into gator’s jaws: “AUTHORITIES say a Florida man ran from the law and into an alligator’s jaws. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says 20-year-old Bryan Zuniga was pulled over for failing to maintain a single lane on Thursday at about 2.50am local time. Deputies say Zuniga stopped the vehicle and jumped out of the passenger door. He then broke through a vinyl fence and escaped. Zuniga was found at a local hospital a few hours later. He told deputies he had been attacked by an alligator near a water treatment plant. He was being treated for multiple puncture wounds to the face, arm and armpit area. He has been charged with fleeing police, driving with a suspended or revoked licence and resisting an officer without violence.”
Chimp mothers like flowers too: “IT seems that all mothers love receiving flowers – even those of the chimpanzee variety at Monarto Zoo. Just days away from celebrating her first Mother’s Day, Zombi and her daughter, nine-month-old Zuri, appeared utterly intrigued when keepers at Monarto Zoo outside Adelaide threw an early present into their enclosure. Spotting the gift, Zuri’s uncle Gombe ran to the flowers before handing them straight to mum. Just like the loving relationship between human mums and their children, Monarto Zoo primate keeper Jon Allon said Zombi and Zuri had a very special bond. “She is definitely a doting mum – she’s probably the perfect chimp mother and hasn’t missed a beat in terms of having an infant,” he said. “She’s a good feeder and carer and she gives Zuri plenty of freedom but she’s still protective of her.”
A little fighter: “AN ORPHANED quoll [Australian native cat] that spent two months living in a sock in the pocket of a Territory ranger is back in the wild. Tourists found baby Djili on a nature walk at the East Alligator River, in Kakadu National Park, before taking her to the ranger station in December last year. Ranger Samantha Deegan, 26, adopted her. “She was really tiny, she could easily fit in my hand,” she said. “She weighed less than a gram. Ms Deegan said the marsupial lived in a baby sock in her pocket for two months after she was found before moving to a homemade bed. “I took her everywhere with me,” she said. She said she spent her time training Djili to survive back in the wild by hiding crickets in her bed while she was asleep so she would have to find them when she woke up.”
Dental receptionist loses job for eating apples! “A dental surgery receptionist [above] has sued her former boss after she was threatened with the sack – for eating an apple at her desk. Rachel Carr, 28, was disciplined by managers at the Smile By Smile dental surgery in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, for snacking on the fruit while she worked. She claimed that she was hounded out of her job, leaving last September after her health deteriorated as a result of ‘double standards’ at the practice where she said that her manager would snack on chocolate nearby. But Ms Carr is now likely to be paid thousands of pounds in compensation after she successfully claimed constructive and unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal in Birmingham. Rachel, who now works at another practice and represented herself in court, said: ‘It was ridiculous. ‘Most people would think dentists would approve of eating apples, after all as the saying goes ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ but in my case it cost me my job.’
The £55 phone designed for FOUR YEAR OLDS: “A mobile phone designed for four to nine-year-olds has been launched by OwnFone. The 1stFone which has been dubbed the ‘dumbphone for smart parents’ is the size of a credit card and weighs 40g. It can only make and receive calls, and it doesn’t have a screen – instead it has the names of up to 12 close friends and family shown in a list with corresponding physical buttons. The 1stFone, from manufacturer OwnFone, has been specifically designed for four to nine-year-olds. The handset can only make and receive calls and a single battery charge can last a year when the handset is on standby. Makers OwnFone believe that the basic functionality of the 1stFone reduces the risks of text or cyber bulling, finding inappropriate material online, ‘sexting’ or being mugged. They base this on a recent study from Southampton Rape Crisis of 7,000 school children which found those as young as 10 are routinely sending explicit pictures of themselves to classmates.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
9 May, 2013
In BriefI’ve accidentally swallowed some Scrabble tiles. My next motion could spell disaster.
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Went out last night and got really wasted. I woke up this morning next to a fat old bird who was snoring and farting … so, at least I got home OK
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The wife’s back on the warpath again. She was up for making a home video last night and all I did was suggest we should hold auditions for her part.
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Angela Merkel arrives at Passport Control in Athens airport. “Nationality?” asks the immigration officer. “German,” she replies. “Occupation? “No, just here for a few days.”
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As the coffin was being lowered into the ground at a Traffic Warden’s funeral, a voice from inside screams : “I’m not dead, I’m not dead. Let me out!” The Vicar smiles, leans forward, sucking air through his teeth and mutters, “Too late, mister, the paperwork’s already done”
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I spent a couple of hours defrosting the fridge last night. Or “foreplay” as she likes to call it.
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After both suffering from depression for a while, me and the missus were going to commit suicide together yesterday. Strangely enough, however, once she killed herself I started to feel a lot better. So I thought – sod it, I’ll soldier on.
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I woke up this morning at 8 and could sense something was wrong. I got downstairs and found the wife face down on the kitchen floor, not breathing! I panicked. I didn’t know what to do. Then I remembered – the local cafe serve breakfast until 11.30.
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A man is seeking to join the Glasgow Police force. The Sergeant doing the interview says: “Your qualifications all look good, but there is an attitude suitability test that you must take before you can be accepted.” Then, sliding a pistol and a box of ammo across the desk, he says: “Take this pistol and go out and shoot six illegal immigrants, six drug dealers, six Muslim extremists, and a rabbit” The man being interviewed asks, “Why the rabbit?” “Excellent” says the Sergeant. “When can you start?”
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I came home one night and proudly announced to me Dad that I had S E X for the first time. He said “I hope you took precautions?” “What do you mean?” I asked. “Did you wear a condom?” “Nah, but I kept me balaclava on.”
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“Jesus Loves You.” Nice to hear in church but not in a Mexican prison.
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I woke to go to the bog in the middle of the night and noticed a Muslim sneaking through next door’s garden. Suddenly my neighbour came from nowhere and smacked him over the head with a shovel killing him instantly. He then began to dig a grave with the shovel. Astonished, I got back into bed. My wife said “Darling you’re shaking, what is it?” “You’ll never believe what I’ve just seen!” I said, “That tosser next door has still got my bloody shovel.”
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..THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Stung to death by bees: climber’s body found dangling on rope: “An Arizona climber has been found dead, dangling from a rope on a cliff face south of Tucson, after apparently being stung to death by bees. Steven Wallace Johnson, a counsellor with some 30 years experience in hiking and climbing, went to the mountains on Friday, Santa Cruz county sheriff Tony Estrada said. The 55-year-old was reported missing on Monday by his co-workers after he failed to show up for work. A search and rescue team found his body that afternoon. “He had been stung repeatedly and he was dangling there,” Mr Estrada said. “He was climbing the cliff and was about 70 feet up and still had about 80 feet to go, so he really didn’t have anywhere to go when he was attacked by this swarm of bees.” Estrada added that Johnson’s dog had also been attacked by bees and was found dead nearby.
Woolly mammoth donkeys: “With their massive bodies, huge ears and shaggy coats, they are not so much donkeys as woolly mammoths. And farmer Annie Pollock finds the Baudet de Poitou so irresistible that she has built up a herd of 22, the biggest in the UK. The donkeys can grow to more than 8ft tall – larger than most horses – and are renowned for their friendly and mischievous personalities. They date back to medieval times in France, and were popular working animals until the mid-20th century, when mechanisation made them obsolete. A survey in 1977 found just 44 surviving donkeys, and despite breeding programmes there are still fewer than 1,000 in the world. Miss Pollock, 52, from Lymington in the New Forest, has spent nine years building up her herd, seven of which would have gone for slaughter but for her intervention. She and her small team of farm hands work round the clock to look after the creatures, dedicating hours to grooming so their coats do not turn into dreadlocks.”
Busted! Escaped Columbian convict gets breast implants and dresses as a woman in bid to avoid recapture: “An escaped Colombian convict got breast implants and dressed as a woman to avoid being sent back to jail, police said. Giovanni Rebolledo – sentenced in 2012 to 60 years in prison for kidnapping, robbery and extortion – underwent surgery to become ‘Rosalinda.’ After his extreme make-over, he started working as a prostitute in the Viejo Prado district of the northern coastal city of Barranquilla. But, despite his new appearance, police still recognised him on Saturday during a routine stop-and-search. He was arrested and paraded before the country’s media. El Tiempo newspaper reports that Rebolledo, originally from the capital of Bogota, was jailed last year for his involvement in the Los Topos criminal gang. The group allegedly used beautiful women to seduce wealthy men into coming home with them. Once under the gang’s control, the men would be tortured with electric shocks into handing over bank cards, their pin numbers and other valuables.”
Inmate escapes from high security Russian jail by digging through his cell’s ceiling using a SPOON: “A man due to stand trial for murder has escaped one of Russia’s most notorious prisons using a spoon and his bed sheets. Oleg Topalov, 32, accused of two counts of murder and illegal possession of firearms, broke out of maximum-security Matrosskaya Tishina jail in the early hours of Tuesday. Topalov, described as ‘mentally abnormal’ by prison staff, used a tablespoon to carve a hole into the ceiling of his cell at the Moscow prison and escaped through the ventilation vent, investigators said today. Matrosskaya Tishina opened in 1918 and although it has a reputation as one of the worst prisons in Russia, it is in desperate need of building maintenance, something which authorities say made it easy for Topalov to dig himself out.”
Part of huge unfinished sculpture sells for a record $15.3 million: “Two early casts from Auguste Rodin’s masterpiece The Gates of Hell have sold for a total of more than $16 million (£10.3m) at a New York City auction. The Thinker sold last night for $15.3 million (£9.8m), a new record for the figure beating a price of $12 million for a casting sold in 2010. The full-scale sculpture was commissioned by publishing magnate Ralph Pulitzer in 1906 and made under Rodin’s supervision. The Gates is based on Dante’s ‘Inferno – it was never fully realized.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
8 May, 2013
Picture retrospective
When time allows, I put up a selection of what I think are the "best" picture off this blog. The selection for Novermber and December of last year is now up. Access it here or here. Have fun looking back.
I know nothing about fashion but sometimes even I can recognize a fashion fail
It's a Kardashian. Maybe back home in Armenia ...
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Pet cat saves owner from fire but perishes itself: "As fire began to engulf his house, businessman Victor Bywater slept soundly. He woke only when his cat Crystal leapt on his bed, bouncing and miaowing frantically. Alerted to the danger, Mr Bywater, 50, fled through the flames and smoke to safety. But tragically, the black and white moggy who saved his life perished in the blaze. His other cat, Fudge, escaped the inferno but has not been seen since. Last night Mr Bywater, who is said to be devastated by Crystal’s death, remained in hospital in a serious condition with burns to his head and damage to his lungs from smoke inhalation. He fled the flames wearing only his dressing gown and woke neighbours to raise the alarm. Fire crews praised the actions of Crystal for saving her master’s life. Altrincham station manager Kevin Brogden said Mr Bywater was ‘incredibly lucky to make it out’ alive.
Florida teacher fired for bikini, lingerie poses: "A FLORIDA high school teacher was escorted off campus after her principal was shown pictures from a bikini modelling shoot. Olivia Sprauer was a teacher at the Martin County High School when she was called to the principal's office on April 29. She was shown a photo he had been sent by a member of the school community. It was one of a set of photos featuring Spraur posing in bikinis and lingerie. Sprauer said once she had confirmed the model was her, the principal asked for her resignation and had her escorted out of the school."
Islander fishermen rescued after four weeks lost at sea: "Two fishermen have survived almost four weeks adrift in the Pacific Ocean. The men from Kiribati were on a fishing trip when strong winds pushed their 14 foot boat towards the Solomon islands. The men, aged 20 and 40, were rescued by a US ship passing though the area. Captain Alfred Canepa from the Pacific Princess has told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat he was lucky to find them. "We were searching for fish...and 16 miles away on my bird radar I spotted a small spot of birds," he said. "I went to go check on my boat and luckily I turned that way to check them and we found this small boat with two men adrift at sea, lost." Captain Canepa says the men were fishing off Bahaba Island in Kiribati's Gilbert islands, when their engine gave out. The men drifted for almost four weeks, surviving on raw fish and rain water, before they were found, more than 675 kilometres away. Captain Canepa says he picked up the malnourished men in the nick of time."
Dingy-looking moth has sharp hearing: "A humble moth has been identified as having the sharpest hearing in the animal kingdom - up to 150 times more sensitive than a human's. The greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) lays its eggs in beehives, where the larvae feed on the wax and debris of the honeycombs. Now, new research published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters has shown it has extremely high frequency sensitivity in its simply constructed ear. It is capable of sensing sound frequencies up to 300 kHz, the highest recorded in any creature in the natural world. Humans hear in the 2 to 5 kHz range. It also reflects on the 'co-evolution' of animals, as the moth's development is intertwined with that of their predators, bats. The furry mammals find their way in complete darkness using a biological sonar system called echolation. This involves emitting ultrasonic chirps and interpreting the echo the sound waves make after bouncing off objects and other creatures in their vicinity. But even these have only been recorded at up to 212 kHz, about two thirds as high as those of the moth's."
Balloons with a difference: "This is the amazing collection of the world's most wonderful hot air balloons - and it includes everything from Coca Cola bottles to space shuttles and polar bears. They are all produced by Cameron Balloons, in Bristol, who make between 150 and 200 every year as the world's leading hot air balloon company. The company is owned by Scottish aeronautical engineer Donald Cameron, 73, who designed and flew western Europe's first modern hot air balloon in 1967 with a group of friends at the Bristol Gliding Club. The company was even responsible for the Breitling Orbiter 3 - the first balloon to fly around the world non-stop in 1999. The company's cheapest balloons are designed to hold three or four people and cost £20,000 but the high-end custom models are priced at in excess of £50,000.
And don't forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
7 April, 2013
A sad loss
An Arizona Highway Patrol officer stops a Harley for traveling faster than the posted speed limit, so he asks the biker his name.
‘Fred,’ he replies.
‘Fred what?’ the officer asks.
‘Just Fred,’ the man responds.
The officer is in a good mood, thinks he might just give the biker a break, and write him out a warning instead of a ticket. The officer then presses him for the last name.
The man tells him that he used to have a last name but lost it.
The officer thinks that he has a nut case on his hands but plays along with it. ‘Tell me, Fred, how did you lose your last name?’
The biker replies, “It’s a long story, so stay with me.’ I was born Fred Johnson. I studied hard and got good grades. When I got older, I realized that I wanted to be a doctor. I went through college, medical school, internship, residency, and finally got my degree, so I was Fred Johnson, MD.
“After a while I got bored being a doctor, so I decided to go back to school. Dentistry was my dream! Got all the way through School, got my degree, so then I was Fred Johnson, MD, DDS. Got bored doing dentistry, so I started fooling around with my assistant and she gave me VD, so now I was Fred Johnson, MD, DDS, with VD.
“Well, the ADA found out about the VD, so they took away my DDS. Then I was Fred Johnson, MD, with VD. Then the AMA found out about the ADA taking away my DDS because of the VD, so they took away my MD leaving me as Fred Johnson with VD.
Then the VD took away my Johnson, so now I am Just Fred.”
The officer let him off.
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Could a jab that prevents heroin reaching the brain be the key to ending addiction?: “A jab to cure heroin addiction is being developed by scientists in America. If human trials are successful it could become the cornerstone of treatment for heroin addiction. It works by targeting heroin and its breakdown products in the bloodstream, preventing them from reaching the brain. It does this by stimulating the immune system to block the path of the drug to the brain. By doing so, it prevents some of the extreme effects of the drug, such as obstructing pain. Professor George Koob, who chairs The Scripps Research Institute’s (TSRI) addiction research group in Florida, said: ‘Heroin-addicted rats deprived of the drug will normally resume using it compulsively if they regain access, but our vaccine stops this from happening.’ Vaccines against cocaine and nicotine that have been designed this way are also now in clinical testing, and a methamphetamine vaccine is nearing readiness for such tests.”
Air ambulance lands in elephant enclosure at zoo: “Visitors to a zoo were surprised to see a helicopter land in the elephant enclosure today after a teenager was taken ill. The Essex Air Ambulance was dispatched to Colchester Zoo, where a 19-year-old woman was reported to be suffering breathing problems. The wide, flat space inside the elephant pen was believed to be the best spot for the aircraft to touch down when it arrived just before 11.30am. It is believed that the four elephants in the enclosure were moved inside their house before the helicopter landed. Two rapid response vehicles and a land ambulance also attended and after being assessed, the patient was taken by land ambulance to Colchester General Hospital for further care. She was later reported to be in a stable condition.”
British tourists charged $82 for just FOUR ice creams in Rome: “It is a situation many holiday makers have found themselves in. Blindly handing over wads of unfamiliar foreign notes, only to realise after a furious few minutes with a calculator you may have paid massively over the odds. But a group of British tourists were stunned when they were charged the equivalent of £54 for just four ice creams in Rome. Holidaymakers Roger Bannister, his brother Steven and their wives Wendy and Joyce ordered four cones of gelato from an ice cream bar at the top of Via della Vite, just off Piazza di Spagna. It has reignited a row in the country about tourists being ‘ripped off’ by local businesses. Speaking to Corriere Della Serra, Roger said: ‘We weren’t sitting at a table…We bought the ice creams to eat in the street.’”
Britain “loses” half a million people: “So many migrants flooded into Britain from Eastern Europe that authorities were unable to count them, Whitehall admitted yesterday. Official migration figures missed out nearly half a million people who came to the UK after their countries joined the EU in 2004, according to a newly-published document. The scale of the problem was only revealed in the 2011 census, which showed the population was even bigger than estimated. The 2011 census found there were 464,000 more people living in England and Wales than originally thought. Now a paper, published by the Office for National Statistics, has acknowledged for the first time that the majority of the people who slipped through the net were Eastern European migrants.”
Official idiocy: British cookies to shrink: “Leaked plans to reduce the size of cakes and biscuits to tackle Britain’s growing waistlines have been branded ‘ludicrous’ by common sense campaigners. Ministers wants the portion sizes of fatty and sugar-laden foods to be cut in a bid to halt the growing obesity problem. The changes, which could be implemented as early as July, are part of the Government’s ‘Responsibility Deal’, where food manufacturers are encouraged to take a pledge to reduce unhealthy ingredients, educate consumers on healthy eating and reduce portion sizes, reports the Daily Express. But UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall has blasted the plans as ‘ludicrous’. ‘It should be up to us to decide what we should or shouldn’t cut back on, not the Government. This is underhand, it is the Government interfering. Packet sizes will shrink but prices won’t and consumers will pay more.’”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
6 April, 2013
A patient pigA charming baby goat dances up and down on the back of a huge resting porker but the pig ignores him
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Bucket of chilli floors takeaway robber: “AN alleged would-be thief was left red-faced, literally, last night after he was foiled by a quick-thinking employee and bucket of chilli. The 24-year-old Tempe man allegedly attempted to snatch money from a cash register in a Rosebery takeaway store after he became embroiled in an argument with two employees around 6.30pm. After smashing the cash register open on the floor, the man hit the woman across the chest as she attempted to thwart his alleged robbery attempt. She then threw a nearby bucket of chilli over his head, instantly flooring him. Police arrived within minutes and arrested the man. He was taken to Mascot police station where he received treatment for minor burns and was charged with assault with intent to rob. He was denied bail and will appear in Waverly local court later today.”
European health regulations kill tourist: “A TOURIST who plunged 300 metres to her death in the French Pyrenees was devoured by vultures before rescuers could reach her. The 52-year-old woman was trekking on the Pic de Pista with friends when she fell to her death after attempting to take a shortcut. Only bones, clothes and shoes were left when emergency services reached her body. Furious locals are demanding authorities take action against the endangered carrion-eaters. Fear of the birds has been growing in recent years, which have reportedly also started attacking live animals since the EC ruled that dead livestock must be burned due to the danger of Mad Cow transmission. The ruling has reportedly hit the vultures’ food supply, forcing the birds to look further afield for food.”
Grandfather, 66, reunited with mother’s long-lost bracelet after chance encounter: “When David Knapp found out his son-in-law was set to pick up an eBay purchase from the home where he was raised by his own parents, he was intrigued enough to go along for the ride. But the grandfather’s curiosity turned to astonishment when the bungalow’s owner, after learning of his history in the house, handed him a bracelet his late mother Emily had lost decades earlier. The 66-year-old grandfather-of-six admitted he was overwhelmed to be presented with the silver trinket stamped with his mother’s initials – that he didn’t even know she had lost. ‘The owners held up a bracelet which they said they found while they were gardening outside the bedroom window. ‘The bracelet had the initials ER on it. My mother’s maiden name was Richards and her first name was Emily. ‘I think it must be her engagement bracelet because there’s a shape of a heart on it,’ he added. ‘Mum must have lost the bracelet when I was very young, probably while she was gardening. ‘We’ll keep it. It’s of more sentimental value than monetary value.’
Huge cuckoo clock: “A 72-year-old amateur gardener has spent three years and £20,000 building Britain’s biggest water-powered cuckoo clock – which is the size of a house. Richard Pim designed and built the 25ft tall clock, complete with a 3ft wooden cuckoo which pops out every hour and chimes with a huge pipe organ. It is powered by a complex system of cantilevers, counterweights and pulleys which convert energy from a passing stream. Mr Pim, who is a retired hydrogeologist used his experience to design and build the wooden structure at his water gardens in Herefordshire. Mr Pim’s knowledge of complex water-powered structures comes from a long career spent bringing water to arid farmlands in Saudi Arabia and Nepal. He drafted in an organ-maker to help build the complicated mechanism that makes the bird cuckoo. The house uses pipes and bellows to create compressed air to pump through a music box, tuned to mimic the call of the bird.”
Totally incorrect food: “Meet the Commando: a monstrous burger packed with six beef patties, each topped with a rasher of bacon, double cheese and garnished with a bit of salad. The gut buster, on sale at O’Connell St eatery Chuck Wagon, is the latest addition to a growing menu of big meal challenges popping up across Adelaide. Inspired by the US street food scene and reality television shows such as Man v. Food, Chuck Wagon co-owner Stefano Timpano said he was keen to get on the giant food bandwagon sweeping Adelaide. “The idea of it is we do a range of different burgers and to have an ultimate challenge burger that people can come in and be like, `Yep, I’ve done that’ – that’s our goal,” Mr Timpano said. For $35 customers get the 1kg burger and a side of fries. If they can finish the meal in under 20 minutes their picture is put on a wall of fame and they win 10 per cent off any meal for a month. Those who fail, have their face put on a wall of shame. Six diners tried the mammoth burger at its launch on Friday night and Mr Timpano said one managed to polish it off in 5min 4sec.” [Jerusher!]
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
5 April, 2013
The 10 Commandments of MarriageCommandment 1
Marriages are made in heaven. But then again, so is thunder and lightning.Commandment 2
If you want your wife to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say, talk in your sleep.Commandment 3
Marriage is grand — and divorce is at least a 100 grand!Commandment 4
Married life is very frustrating. In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.Commandment 5
When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: Either the car is new or the wife is.Commandment 6
Marriage is when a man and woman become as one; The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.Commandment 7
Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you said . After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.Commandment 8
Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical, and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.Commandment 9
Marriage and love are purely a matter of chemistry. That is why one treats the other like toxic waste.Commandment 10
A man is incomplete until he is married. After that, he is finished...
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
British senior cit., 72, attacked his wife and ‘vowed to kill her’ after she switched TV channels during ‘exciting’ cricket match: “Bryan Wright admitted assaulting his wife of almost 30 years, Lillian, at their home last month after the row over the remote control. His own barrister told Darlington Magistrates’ Court: ‘He had been watching cricket all afternoon, it was an exciting match, in the final overs. ‘He went out of the room, came back, and the channel had changed. He saw red and acted completely inappropriately.’ The 72-year-old grabbed his wife by the collar of her dressing gown, prosecutor Joanne Hesse told the court yesterday. ‘He forced her up from her seat, repeatedly swearing at her, saying “I will kill you”. Wright pleaded guilty to the assault, but disputed the prosecution’s version of events. Mrs Wright fled to a neighbour’s house, after which police were called and her husband was arrested. Wright, of Darlington, was given a three-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.”
BBC bans office pot plants: “When the BBC refurbished its London HQ at a cost of £1billion, its staff looked forward to settling into their new office space. But a draconian directive from bosses has made sure they don’t make themselves too comfortable. They have been urged not to bring in plants, kettles, microwaves, fridges or coat-stands. The memo said foliage could be used as a form of ‘desk-grab’ to mark out territory and ‘form un-collaborative barriers’ with colleagues. It said: ‘Plants give a strong sense of ownership of a particular desk or area when we would like staff to feel much more mobile and flexible across the open plan floor plates. The email also warned: ‘Some people are allergic to certain plants and they also attract insects which we don’t want sharing our workplace.’”
Japanese model has spent over $100,000 on plastic surgery to look like a French doll: “A Japanese woman has undergone a startling physical transformation that has so far involved more than 30 cosmetic procedures at a cost of 10 million yen or $102,000. The lady, a model known as Vanilla Chamu, has said she intends to keep having surgeries until she has achieved her lifelong goal – to look like a French doll. Photos of Vanilla prior to her first procedures reveal a rather mousy Japanese teenager whose facial features are virtually unrecognizable from the bizarre and undoubtedly more ‘western-looking’ appearance that she now possesses. Certain plastic surgery treatments, including double-eyelid surgery and nose jobs, are increasingly popular amongst Asian woman wishing to look more western. Vanilla has unquestionably had those treatments, but her long list of procedures also includes liposuction, eyelash implants, dimple creation, and breast implants”
A young NBC reporter really could be this dumb: “While covering a May Day rally in Manhattan’s Union Square on Wednesday, NBC New York reporter Ida Siegal was cornered and asked if her network planned to show the communist imagery the protesters were displaying. Hilarity ensued when Siegal immediately became defensive, denying she had seen any communist imagery and asking of the “Hammer-and-Sickle” flags: “What do they represent?” “You guys are with channel 4 news,” the videographer noted while addressing Siegal and her production team. “Are you guys going to show any of the people with Hammer and Sickle flags?” “I haven’t seen any of those flags,” Siegal replied amid the din of the ongoing protests activity. “What do they represent?”
Sleepy pilots ‘left hostesses in charge’: “AN AIR India pilot has been suspended after claims he and his co-pilot left two hostesses in charge of the plane while they slept in business class. It is alleged that the pair only returned 40 minutes later when the auto-pilot button was accidently switched off, The Independent reports. The incident happened at 33,000 feet during a flight from Bangkok to Delhi last month. Both the pilot and his co-pilot have denied the claims. They say the hostesses were in the cockpit for longer then the time permitted and that it was the co-pilot who accidently switched off the auto-pilot. Air India says its investigation rejected the claim that the pilots were asleep on the job. The airline says it only took disciplinary action because the hostesses were in the cockpit for longer than allowed.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
4 April, 2013
Translations into English found in Chinese travel brochuresGetting There:
Our representative will make you wait at the airport. The bus to the hotel runs along the lake shore. Soon you will feel pleasure in passing water. You will know that you are getting near the hotel, because you will go round the bend. The manager will await you in the entrance hall. He always tries to have intercourse with all new guests.
The hotel:
This is a family hotel, so children are very welcome. We of course are always pleased to accept adultery. Highly skilled nurses are available in the evenings to put down your children. Guests are invited to conjugate in the bar and expose themselves to others. But please note that ladies are not allowed to have their babies in the bar. We organize social games, so no guest is ever left alone to play with himself.
The Restaurant:
Our menus have been carefully chosen to be ordinary and unexciting. At dinner, our quartet will circulate from table to table, and fiddle with you.
Your Room:
Every room has excellent facilities for your private parts. In winter, every room is on heat. Each room has a balcony offering views of outstanding obscenity. You will not be disturbed by traffic noise, since the road between the hotel and the lake is used only by pederasts. Your bed has been made in accordance with local tradition.
If you have any other ideas please ring for the chambermaid. Please take advantage of her. She will be very pleased to squash your shirts, blouses and underwear. If asked, she will also squeeze your trousers.
Above all:
When you leave us at the end of your holiday, you will have no hope. You will struggle to forget it.”
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Mr., Mrs, Miss, Ms. Now it’s Mx in Britain: “A council is to include the title ‘Mx’ on its official forms to be more accommodating to the trans-community. Campaigners say that ‘Mx’, short for ‘Mixter’, is a gender neutral alternative to Mr, Mrs, Ms and Miss. Brighton and Hove city council’s trans-equality panel previously pointed out that the gender part of forms allows people to say if they are male, female or other. It said the lack of options in the title field does not provide for people who do not identify as male or female. Yesterday the council’s policy and resources committee approved a series of measures, including the removal of the need for patients to choose from male or female options when they check in at electronic screens on arrival at a GP surgery. Other recommendations include ensuring all councillors and police staff undertake trans awareness training and introducing gender neutral toilets and changing rooms, suggested by the council’s trans-equality scrutiny panel.”
Doormat thief: “A bizarre crime wave has swept a neighbourhood in rural Australia – where dozens of homeowners have had their doormats swiped from their porches. More than 40 baffled residents of Ararat, Victoria, awoke to find their mats missing last week. But it seems whoever is behind the thefts has no use for the multitude of mats, as a huge pile was left at the local police station. Constable Max Mudge said police officers suspect a prankster is behind the thefts. The mat thief’s victims will be able to collect their stolen property from the police station.”
Orthodox Jewish woman who can’t apply make-up on the Sabbath sues Lancome after its ’24-hour’ foundation ‘faded significantly’ overnight: “An Orthodox Jewish woman is suing Lancôme, and its parent company, cosmetics giant L’Oréal, for false advertising over its new ’24-hour’ foundation. Rorie Weisberg says Lancôme’s new Teint Idole Ultra 24H, which claims to provide 24-hours of ‘lasting perfection,’ does not in fact last a full day – and therefore, not long enough to get her through the Sabbath. The upstate New York-native applied the $45 foundation before sundown on Friday in order to test its 24-hour performance, but she found it had ‘faded significantly’ overnight. According to Jewish law, women are prohibited from applying make-up from sundown on Friday until nightfall on Saturday. Mrs Weisberg, whose eldest son is having his bar mitzvah on an upcoming Saturday in June, purchased the Teint Idole Ultra 24H for its long-lasting purposes – so she could look polished while keeping to the rules of her faith.”
3,000-year-old Spanish solid gold bracelet sells for £500,000: “It is extremely rare and shows off the extraordinary talents of Iron Age craftsmen. So it is perhaps no surprise that this exquisite, 3,000-year-old solid gold bracelet has fetched more than £500,000 at auction – ten times its pre-sale estimate. The intricately designed bracelet, which contains three quarters of a kilo of high-purity gold, sparked a bidding frenzy at the Christie’s antiquities sale. The extremely rare bracelet weighing almost a kilo shows that Iron Age craftsmen in about 1000BC were talented goldsmiths. They used furnaces to melt gold and iron tools for bold designs with the bracelet boasting an intricate geometric pattern. Christie’s antiquities expert Laetitia Delaloye said that the original owner would have a very wealthy man, perhaps a royal member of a powerful Iberian tribe.”
Alaskan hero father saves wife and three children by taking on ‘deranged’ BEAR bear in hand-to-claw combat: “The terrified family saw the bear charging at them from 50 feet away. In the heart-stopping moment the beast bounded toward the small group, Tony Burke instructed his wife and children, including their 7-month-old baby napping on Laura’s back, to get behind him. Bracing for a potentially deadly fight, the unarmed 48-year-old biologist grabbed the first thing he could have used as a weapon: his heavy-duty bird-watching scope attached to a 6-foot-long tripod. ‘I put the scope sideways into the bear’s mouth, keeping it away, and it swatted at the scope and severed it,’ he said. The man then used the sharp edge of the truncated tripod to strike the bear in the face, but the animal was unwilling to take the hint and slapped the stand out of Burke’s hands. He then made direct contact with the critter, hitting the brown bear in the face with his right arm after the bear had clamped down on his left forearm. After a brief scuffle, the bear lost interest and ran away, leaving the lucky father of three with little more than bruises and scrapes. His wife and kids escaped unharmed.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
3 April, 2013
The retired lifeEthel was a bit of a demon in her wheelchair, and loved to charge around the nursing home, taking corners on one wheel and getting up to maximum speed on the long corridors.
Because the poor woman was one sandwich short of a picnic the other residents tolerated her and some of them actually joined in.
One day Ethel was speeding up one corridor when a door opened and Kooky Clarence stepped out with his arm outstretched. ‘STOP!,’ he shouted in a firm voice. ‘Have you got a license for that thing?’
Ethel fished around in her handbag and pulled out a Kit Kat wrapper and held it up to him. ‘OK’ he said, and away Ethel sped down the hall.
As she took the corner near the TV lounge on one wheel, weird Harold popped out in front of her and shouted ‘STOP! Have you got proof of insurance?’ Ethel dug into her handbag, pulled out a drink coaster and held it up to him. Harold nodded and said ‘On your way, Ma’am.’
As Ethel neared the final corridor, Crazy Craig stepped out in front of her, Butt-Naked, and holding his ‘You-Know-What’ in his hand. ‘Oh, good grief,’ yelled Ethel, ‘Not that Damn Breathalyzer Test again.!!!’
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
When four teeth and an iPhone don’t mix: “A baby boy is alive to celebrate his first birthday next week because of the heroic deeds of a complete stranger. Now the grateful mother has launched an appeal to find the good Samaritan who helped save her son after he began choking on a piece of rubber in the back seat of the family car. Ms Alston said she was screaming “he’s choking, he’s choking” when a woman appeared out of nowhere, grabbed her son and cleared his throat before applying a few breaths. “He was turning blue and starting to go limp and unresponsive,” Ms Alston said. She said she couldn’t thank the mystery woman enough and had doorknocked the area but had not been able to find her. “She definitely saved him. He was choking on a piece of rubber from an iPhone cover. He only has four teeth.”
Devilish Danes: “A DANISH television program is causing outrage over its use of naked women parading in front of men who judge their bodies. Blachman, which screens on prime time Danish state television, features a series of silent women who walk in to a darkened studio and slip out of their bathrobes in front of the eponymous host and a guest, British media report. The men, seated on a couch several metres from the women who are shown in the spotlight, then run their eyes over the nude guests and judge the women on their bodies. Critics have blasted Blachman, hosted by Thomas Blachman, over its sexist humiliation of women. But Blachman, a jazz musician who was also a judge on the Danish version of X-factor, and who claims to have created the concept, says he is a “genius”.
‘Robin Hood’ found guilty: “A man who robbed a bank because “it was time to make a stand” faces 20 years behind bars. In his closing address to the jury in the US District Court in Cheyenne, Wyoming, on Thursday, Donaldson, who represented himself, admitted he robbed the US Bank branch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on New Year’s Eve. However, Donaldson asked the jury to find him not guilty because ” it is the patriotic thing to do” and it was time to make a stand against banks. The jury took just 50 minutes to convict him. Donaldson, 40, originally from Melbourne, faces up 20 years in a US federal prison. He compared himself to Robin Hood and US civil rights champion Rosa Parks, telling the jurors he robbed the bank to give to the poor and make history. Mr Shugart also noted Donaldson was staying in a $US347 a night suite at Salt Lake City’s Grand America Hotel when he was arrested. “The last time I checked, Robin Hood lived in a forest, not a five diamond hotel,” the prosecutor said.”
Burglar’s body found in chimney: “THE body of a man, believed to be a burglar, has been found in the chimney of a British office building. Staff at Moody & Woolley Solicitors in Derby were alerted to the grisly find by the smell, the Derby Telegraph reported. Police were sent to the city centre premises and cordoned off the area while they removed the man’s body. Officers have launched an investigation and are currently treating the death as unexplained. Staff at the firm told the paper they noticed a gap in the wall in an unused part of the building about a month ago and thought it looked as if someone had tried to break in.”
PETA says ‘no naked chickens’: “ANIMAL welfare extremists want to ban the display of naked chickens in supermarkets. They also protest against pictures of raw chickens in ads, The Weekly Times reports. The American founder of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, president Ingrid Newkirk, criticised a newspaper for running a picture of a raw chicken. “Sexily displaying the corpse of a chicken … [is] offensive.”. Other supporters expressed disgust at the sight of plucked chickens in supermarkets. A PETA spokesman said the organisation wants everyone to go vegan.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
2 April, 2013
Not Kentucky fried
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
Money really does buy happiness: “Whoever said money can’t buy happiness was very wrong, new research has found. According to an economic study, the more money a person has, the happier they are. The latest study of 1,014 people contradicts previous research that said the correlation between money and happiness diminishes when the basic needs of a person are met. People were asked to rate their levels of happiness and their income was recorded. Economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers say in their paper the May 2013 American Economic Review, Papers and Proceedings that there is no evidence of a ‘satiation’ point in the link between money and happiness. They wrote: ‘While the idea that there is some critical level of income beyond which income no longer impacts well-being is intuitively appealing, it is at odds with the data.’ Everyone with an income of £306,250 a year or more classed themselves as ‘very happy’.”
Pizza shortage in Italy: “In the land that invented the calzone, the capricciosa and the margarita, there is a severe shortage of skilled pizza makers or pizzaioli. At least 6,000 are desperately needed, according to new figures from business federation FIPE. ‘Notwithstanding the economic crisis and unemployment, it is proving difficult to find them,’ the association said in a report released this week. In big cities pizza is still the most affordable and convenient food for office workers to grab at lunch-time, producing an annual turnover of nine billion Euros. But despite youth unemployment of 35 per cent the young Italians no longer want to do the job. Because of the long hours and low pay it is seen as work for immigrants. Foreigners are increasingly taking their place in Italy’s 50,000 pizzerias, with Egyptians emerging as a dominant force among the estimated 240 thousand pizzaioli, who earn as little as 1000 Euro a month.”
The Donald Trump caterpillar: “There’s no denying Donald Trump is a big wig – but researchers have photographed a caterpillar that bears an uncanny resemblance to the property mogul’s hair. With its brightly coloured, carefully parted ‘do’ the bizarre looking caterpillar has been compared to the U.S property mogul’s unique look. The creature was spotted in the Amazon by friends Jeff Cremer, 34 and Phil Torres, 27, who run photography tours from Posada Amazonas, a 30 bed rainforest lodge in Peru. The official name of the flannel moth is Megalopyge opercularis. It’s also known as a pussy moth, or puss caterpillar, because its hair-like setae resembles a tiny Persian cat. Like Donald Trump, it often has a streak of bright orange running through it. The moth’s hair is actually venomous spines and can cause skin irritations.”
Rats and the City: “Bodies tense and noses twitching, the dogs sniff the fertile hunting ground before them: a lower Manhattan alley, grimy, dim and perfect for rats. With a terse command — ‘Now!’ — the chase is on. Circling, bounding over and pawing at a mound of garbage bags, the four dogs quickly have rodents on the run. ‘Come on … I mean, `Tally ho!’ says one of their owners, Susan Friedenberg. In a whirl of barks, pants and wagging tails, dogs tunnel among the bags and bolt down the alley as their quarry tries to scurry away. Within five minutes, the city has two fewer rats. In a scrappy, streetwise cousin of mannerly countryside fox hunts, on terrain far from the European farms and fields where many of the dogs’ ancestors were bred to scramble after vermin and foxes, their masters sport trash-poking sticks instead of riding crops and say it’s just as viable an exercise for the animals’ centuries-old skills. ‘It’s about maintaining the breed type through actual work,’ says Richard Reynolds, a New Jersey-based business analyst and longtime dog breeder. The idea has a long history. A noted 1851 examination of working-class life in London describes rat-catchers working the city’s streets with ferrets and terriers.
Horror fish in Central Park, NYC: “A toothy predator fish nicknamed Frankenfish is lurking in the lakes of Central Park, conservation workers believe. Officials are set to survey one particular lake this week, searching for the northern snakehead fish that they say threatens to disrupt the ecosystem in Manhattan’s premier ponds. The fish, native to China, Russia and Korea, has been spotted in Queens and in Harlem in recent years. It preys on frogs and crayfish and is able to breathe air and live for days out of water in certain conditions. The gruesome-looking creature, which has the head of a snake and the body of a fish, is so disruptive that the state prohibits possession, sale and transport of the live fish and its eggs, according to NBC News. ‘It’s a top predator so it eats other fish and alot of other things and it also produces a lot of eggs.’”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
1 April, 2013
An Italian auction..
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THE NEWS
Odd news from around the world
French PM Jean-Marc Ayrault attacks government for using English language: “French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has asked his government to stop using English words in their work. The demand comes after Arnaud Montebourg, minister for industrial renewal, and Michele Delaunay, minister for the elderly, revealed that they were creating a new sector entitled the “Silver Economy”. In future, “all companies working with or for the elderly” will fall under this heading, they said. However, the move has angered Mr Ayrault, who wrote a letter to members of the government stating that the French language was more than capable of accurately describing policies. “Our language is able to express all the contemporary realities and identify innovations that continue to emerge in science and technology.”
Classic car driven by Sir Winston Churchill during World War Two sells in Germany for £400,000 after online auction: “This incredible classic car was used by Sir Winston Churchill during World War Two. So it is no surprise that it has just fetched almost half-a-million pounds following an online auction. However, what perhaps is a surprise is that the former favourite of Britain’s celebrated war-time leader was sold from Germany. The beautifully restored, silver and black 1939 Daimler DB18 Drophead Coupe sparked a bidding frenzy on eBay. The historic motor boasts a 2.5-litre engine, does 0-60mph in 17.9 seconds and has a top speed of 76mph. It has Jaeger instruments, green leather seats and a chocolate coloured folding roof. While today’s MPs rely on private jets and coaches for electioneering, Churchill used his Daimler to hit the campaign trail from 1944 to 1949.”
Toddler saved from deadly infection after doctors pumped her heart with their hands day and night for THREE DAYS: “A little girl given a five per cent chance of survival after she developed a rare infection from chickenpox has made a miraculous recovery – thanks to doctors who battled to save her. Three-year-old Libbie Handley developed Streptococcus Toxic Shock Syndrome from a routine case of chickenpox. Within hours of showing symptoms, she was fighting for her life. All doctors could do was to give her manual chest compressions to keep air going into her body and her blood circulating. Remarkably, they did this day and night for three days until she could be transferred to a specialist hospital where she was put on a machine to breathe and circulate blood for her. Janine was told that the only hope was to hook Libbie up to an ‘ECMO’ machine – a specialist machine which would take over from her hand ventilation treatment. The machine takes blood out of the body, cleans it, while taking on the role of the heart and the lungs. After four further days, Libbie began to walk again and showed no serious, lasting damage.”
16th century drunkards: “Drunken scenes on the streets of British towns may seem like a distinctly modern phenomenon, but in fact binge-drinking has been a problem for centuries. A new book reveals the extraordinary drinking habits of the Tudor period, when people drank beer for breakfast because it was thought to be healthier than water. Alcohol abuse was so widespread that it prompted the personal intervention of Elizabeth I herself, who issued a ban on a super-strength drink known as ‘double double beer’. However, this did not stop her courtiers guzzling an extraordinary amount of ale – in 1593, the royal household got through 600,000 gallons. In 1552, during the short-lived reign of Edward VI, alehouses were required to have a licence for the first time, owing to ‘intolerable hurts and troubles to the common wealth of this realm’. Ale, made from malted barley and water, was the traditional English drink which had been enjoyed for centuries. However, after fermenting it had to be drunk quickly to stop it going off. Beer was a more recent arrival, having been imported from the continent. The main difference was that it was made with hops, which allowed it to be kept for weeks rather than days.”
Rude mistake by Starbucks: “Since Starbucks staff began writing customers’ names on their cups in a bid to bring a personal touch to their service, the internet has been awash with snaps of baristas’ spelling mistakes. But this photograph taken in a Hong Kong branch might just be the biggest faux pas yet. It was taken by a Starbucks customer named Virginia, who was handed her take-away coffee in a paper cup with the word ‘Vagina’ scrawled on it. Veronica Goh said staff had misspelled her sister’s name on previous occasions – including once when it was written simply as ‘Virgin’ – and added that Virginia’s every Starbucks experience was tainted by ‘fear and anticipation’. ‘Fancy your staff not being able to spell an American name like Virginia,’ Ms Goh posted on Facebook.”
And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.
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