I had a weekend job as a caricature artist at the Gaylord Hotel in Nashville, TN. I had a girl with glasses sit down to be drawn. I started stroking in some lines and she decided that she didn't want be drawn with her glasses so she took them off and held them in her hand. The glasses slipped from her hand and made a 'clack' sound on the concrete floor. Even though it was kind of dark, my stand had lights and I could see her glasses out of the corner of my eye laying there at her feet. So I finished drawing her and then she reached down to get her glasses.... but they were gone. The girl, her friends and I all got down on our hand and knees looking for her glasses. I disconnected the lights from my stand looking for the 'glint' of her spectacles but we never found them. She gave up and shrugged like it was only another visit to the Vision Center for her. Even after she left, I looked for them but they were gone. And they were gone for good. Where could they have gone? Did they phase into a parallel universe like all of those socks that get lost in the laundry? Or did they lose their 'molecular cohesion' (this happens on Star Trek frequently) and dissolve into space? WOW! The mind reels!

During summer I was working as a tutor and there was a guy working with me. We would talk to eachother when there was none to tutor. He used to tell me stories of his exes, and that was all.
About the end of summer, I was seated in front of him, was talking on phone. Just when I hanged up the phone and looked at him I had a strong feeling that I knew I would meet this guy. Its not like we were meant to be together or whatever just that I would encounter this guy in my life.

I am an avid blogger and writer who has been out of an official job for a little while. After being laid off from the newspaper, I decided that I could construct compelling material similar to that of a publication on my own site. I figured why not? I was unemployed, bored, and broke. How could it get any worse?

Picking a topic that I figured not a lot of bloggers covered, I chose to go with IPhone games. Sure many individuals have IPhones, but how many of those people sit around playing games on them ALL DAY? As I mentioned before, I was quite bored. Being single, unemployed, and broke is not a good combination for fun, so in order to have material for my blog I simply played games on my IPhone constantly.

My blog was doing decent, I was averaging about $20 on Google Adsense every day, and things were definitely looking up. Many IPhone distributors and game developers asked if they could link to my site as a reference, which gained me even more traffic. Although $20 a day was enough to buy cigarettes and food, I was still worried about how I would pay for my house, child support, and so on.

As I was making my daily rounds on Craigslist looking for whatever jobs may be out there, I stumbled upon an add for an IPhone game writer/reviewer. I nearly jumped out of my chair when I saw this. They had a job title for the idea that I had come up with to combat boredom? Amazing!

Of course, I had to apply, and as one may expect I got the position. I am now making five digits and couldn't be any happier with my job. Just goes to show that a little incentive and a unique idea can take you far, no matter how silly it may seem at first.

-Jim
Mass.

20 Aug 2009

German emergency services had to use a crane to lift an overweight woman out of her home in the western city of Bottrop.

The woman, who is believed to weigh 550 lbs, was put on a stretcher, manoeuvred out of her top-floor window, and then lowered into a waiting ambulance.

Meanwhile, in Australia, a 57-year-old Brisbane man who suffered an asthma attack had to be rescued by a crane as well when emergency services failed to lift the 660 lb-man from his bed.

Authorities called a crane to help remove the obese man through a three-foot-wide window in his flat, according to a report in the Courier Mail.

"It was very important for us to be able to get a crane up there. Because of the thin stairwell it would have been virtually impossible to get him down," Steve Marmotta, station officer for Queensland Fire and Rescue Services, told the newspaper.

The man was manoeuvred out the window and then lowered 33 feet to the waiting ambulance below, 3 1/2 hours after the emergency call was made.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6063674/Obese-German-woman-lifted-from-house-by-crane.html

Wednesday May 14, 2008
by: Buck Wolf

Life indeed imitates art, especially when Star Wars geeks start drinking.

Arwel Wynne Hughes, a 27-year-old, boozed-up Briton, dressed up like Darth Vader (with a garbage bag cape!) and attacked two members of group known as the Jedi Church.

To appreciate this story, consider how seriously the British are about George Lucas' space saga. In 2001, the United Kingdom listed Jedi as a religion with some 390,000 members -- about 0.7 percent of the population.

Prosecutors say Hughes jumped over the Jedi Church wall and whacked the men with a metal crutch, pretending it was a light saber.

In his defense, Hughes' lawyer says he couldn't remember the incident, having quaffed a 2 1/2-gallon (10-liter) box of wine beforehand and doesn't remember a thing.

A judge sentenced him to two months in jail but suspended the sentence for a year. Of course, in a true Jedi court, Hughes might have been frozen in carbonite and sold off to Jabba the Hutt.

http://weirdnews.about.com/b/2008/05/14/drunken-darth-vader-punished-for-jedi-attack.htm

July 1, 2004

Who are the sexiest, rudest, funniest people in Europe?

According to a Reader’s Digest survey, the Italians are the most popular and they are the sexist as well – maybe there’s a connection.

Italy is also the country Europeans would most like to live in, and Italian the nationality they would most like to be.

The British are top of the poll on two fronts. They have the best sense of humor, say fellow Europeans, who seem to judge the Britons by Basil Fawlty, Monty Python and Mr. Bean.

And Britons are thought to have contributed most to the world, with respondents citing football, medicine and industry among others as the reason.

The survey was carried out by Reader’s Digest magazine to mark the accession of ten new states to the European Union in May 2004.

It was felt a good time to ask Europeans what they felt about each other. To find out, the Digest dispatched researchers to 19 countries across Europe, from the UK to Russia, inviting nearly 4,000 respondents to comment on any country but their own.

They asked them questions like which Europeans they liked most and least, who were the sexiest, most efficient, who had the best sense of humor and the best food, and where they’d really like to live.

The answers – some of them surprising – were published in the July issue of the Digest. Italy came out of it smelling of roses, with Europeans in love with the country, its people and its food.

Some of the main ratings:

Sexiest – Italians, followed by Spain, then France
Least sexy – Belgians
Funniest – British
Least funny - Swiss
Most efficient – Germans
Rudest – Germans, with French second
Least rude – Norway and Switzerland
Most open-minded – Dutch
Favorite European city – Paris
Favorite country – Italy, with Spain second, France third

Some respondents’ comments:

Middle-aged Belgian woman – “The Germans make too much noise and are too chauvinistic.”
Young Dutch woman – “The English do not seem to know how to behave when they’re on holiday. All they do is drink and yell.”
Spanish shop assistant on Italians – “They party and have a great sense of humor.”
Young Briton on Italians – “They know they’re sexy, which is annoying, but it makes them even more attractive.”
Briton on contribution of Irish – “They gave the world Guinness.”
Elderly Swiss man on British contribution to world – “They created football.”

http://www.thatsweird.net/news25.shtml

These are some of the strange, weird and wacky stories of 2005:

A taxi driver in Dallas, Texas, was prosecuted for sprinkling dried faeces on pastries in a grocery shop. Customers had complained that the fresh-baked items smelled and tasted like manure.

A 29-year-old woman in the UK admitted that she had not washed her hair in 11 years.

A traffic warden slapped a parking ticket on a car which had its dead driver slumped at the wheel outside a shopping mall in Sydney, Australia. The warden failed to notice the man inside and issued the parking fine two days before the body was discovered.

Odd fish with human faces caused a sensation in South Korea. They were actually mutants born of carp and leather carp - but they looked really scary and spooky.

A straying couple in Jordan both started sizzling affairs in cyberspace. But the bad news for both is they found out they were married to each other.

A British bank had to apologise to a customer after they sent him a debit card bearing the name "Mr Dick Head". Very embarrassingly for the card owner, he did not spot the mistake until he tried to buy something at a supermarket.

A parcel that vibrated and made strange noises sparked off a bomb alert in a German post office. Workers contacted the owner, who was forced to explain the contents - they turned out to be an inflatable sex doll.

A cat chewed the toes off the right foot of an elderly woman with senile dementia while she was asleep at a home for the aged in Japan. Workers found the 88-year-old woman bleeding from her feet, with all the toes missing from her right foot. Paw prints of a cat were found on the floor of the room.

A giant 13-foot (3.9m) python exploded after attacking and attempting to eat an alligator. Rangers in the Everglades National Park, Florida, found the snake lying dead with the 6-foot (1.6m) alligator protruding from its middle.

Dog lovers mourned the death of Sam, the world's ugliest dog. Sam became a celebrity after winning an ugly pet contest in the US twice. When Sam died, its owner said: "I don't think there'll ever be another Sam. Some people might think that's a good thing."

A sparrow nearly ruined a world record attempt at dominoes when it flew in through an exhibition centre window and knocked down 23,000 tiles. Organisers shot the little bird, causing an outcry. As a tribute, the bird's body will be displayed in a museum.

A court in Ontario acquitted a man of sexual assault charges because he suffered from "Sexsomnia" and was, as he claimed, asleep at the time of the incident.

http://www.thatsweird.net/news33.shtml

It was like a scene out of a video game when the new Xbox 360 console went on sale at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in northeast Maryland.

Mayhem erupted in Elkton as a crowd of shoppers rushed to their get their hands on the much sought-after new video game console.

Customers were knocked down and tramped in the melee and it took 10 police officers to restore order.

Hundreds of customers had been queuing up for as long as 12 hours for the Xbox, due to go on sale at one minute past midnight on November 22nd, 2005. All were eager to be among the first to buy this must-have leisure item for the holiday season.

But instead of using a number system, the store manager announced that the Xboxes would be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, so triggering the mayhem.

All hell broke loose, according to one man who had been waiting in line since 4 p.m.

While a number of customers were knocked down and trampled, police reported that there were no serious injuries.

The sale was canceled by Wal-Mart and everyone was ordered by leave by the police.

About ten million female births in India may have been lost to abortion and sex selection over the past 20 years because of a traditional preference for boys.

These are the shock findings of a report, published in the British Medical Journal, Lancet.

The study lays the blame squarely on the use of ultrasound screening which can tell families whether their child will be a boy or a girl.

The research, based on a national survey of more than one million households, found an unusual gender imbalance in the country.

The gender imbalance in India has been known about for some time. It has caused a marriage crisis in rural areas where thousands of young men are failing to find brides.

The latest research was carried out by Prabhat Jha of St Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto, Canada, and Rajesh Kumar of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Research in Chandigarh, India.

In their study published in the Lancet journal (Jan 2006), they said prenatal selection and selective abortion was causing the loss of 500,000 girls a year.

Their research was based on a national survey of 1.1m households in 1998.

The researchers claimed the "girl deficit" was more common among educated women but did not vary according to religion.

They found that there was an increasing tendency to select boys when previous children had been girls.

Prabhat Jha said conservative estimates in the research suggested half a million girls were being lost each year.

"If this practice has been common for most of the past two decades since access to ultrasound became widespread, then a figure of 10m missing female births would not be unreasonable."

In most countries, women slightly outnumber men. But separate research for the year 2001 showed that for every 1,000 male babies born in India, there were only 933 girls.

Traditionally female children have been regarded as inferior and a liability in India. This is said to be a throw back to the time when India was primarily an agrarian society where boys were considered more useful for farm work.

http://www.thatsweird.net/news34.shtml

Oct 15, 2007

He dresses in expensive designer clothes by Armani and Luis Vuitton and stays at the poshest hotels.

But Kevin Castle who hides behind the face of a respectable businessman is a 'millionaire shoplifter' who makes £1,000 (over $2000) a day from his crimes.

British police, who are hunting the well-dressed crook with a taste for the good life, have declared him 'most wanted'.

Castle is being sought by three police forces - Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire - for shoplifting, identity theft, interception of mail and money laundering.

Police say Britain's top shoplifter (pictured above) always wears expensive designer clothes such as Armani, Luis Vuitton and Versace.

The 42-year-old is known to frequent high-class establishments in London such as the Ritz, Claridges and the Dorchester Hotel.

Castle often uses hire cars and tends to favor large vehicles such as the Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg SUV and Jaguars.

He is believed to be currently living in London in rented accommodation (possibly costing at least £1,000 (over $2000) per week, say police.

Detective Constable Anita Fishwick, of Lancashire police, said: "This man likes to think he is a criminal mastermind.

"There is no doubt he is Britain's biggest shoplifter. He lives and looks like a millionaire.

"He is a suave, charismatic businessman who has made shoplifting his trade.

"Mr Castle is quite distinctive because of his clothing and his millionaire-type lifestyle.

"We are very keen to trace this man and speak to him in connection with our inquiries."

Castle often targets DIY stores and returns the stolen items with forged till receipts.

He is featured on Lancashire Constabulary's Most Wanted website: http://www.lancashire.police.uk.

http://www.thatsweird.net/news43.shtml

July 23, 2007

Church leaders are using the magic of Harry Potter to help spread the Christian message.

In the past Harry Potter books and movies have been attacked by evangelicals for 'glamorising the occult.'

But now a guide published by the Church of England advises youth workers how to use the wizardry of fantasy novelist J. K. Rowling as a launch pad for exploring Bible themes.

The publication of the guide by Church House Publishing comes with the release of the final Potter book 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'.

Youth leaders are being told they can use the popularity of the Potter series to spread the word of God.

This is a shift in emphasis for the Church, which up to now had not always been sympathetic to the Potter magic.

Canterbury Cathedral shot down a request to become a location for the first film, Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, for fear of upsetting Christians.

But in recent years, the Harry Potter phenomenon has won fans from among leading Church figures, including former archbishop of Canterbury Dr George Carey.

He described the film as "great fun" and a serious examination of good and evil.

Another Potter convert is the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, who described Harry Potter author JK Rowling as a "great storyteller".

He reminded people that Jesus used storytelling to engage and challenge his listeners.

Author of the guide, 24-year-old youth worker Owen Smith, said: "The magic in the books is simply part of the magic that JK Rowling has created.

"To say, as some have, that these books draw younger readers towards the occult seems to me both to malign JK Rowling and to vastly underestimate the ability of children and young people to separate the real from the imaginary."

http://www.thatsweird.net/news40.shtml

A 29-year-old Tennessee man has fathered 21 children with 11 different women.

Children's shoes /Rex

Desmond Hatchett's extended offspring came to light after authorities took him to court for non-payment of child support.

He has apparently set a US record but said: "It just happened."

Residents of his home town of Knoxville are angry with some even calling for him to be castrated.

But Mr Hatchett said he would not have any more children: "I'm done. I'll say I'm done," he said.

Mr Hatchett, who earns a minimal wage, told TV reporters he knows the names and ages of all his offspring who range from newborn to 11 years old.

Authorities in Knoxville said they plan to take half of his monthly salary to pay for the youngsters but officials said that would work out at just over £1 a week for each child.

His lawyer Keith Pope said: "The children can't all be supported by Desmond, so the state of Tennessee has had to step in."

One mother, who has two children with him, said she should get £44 a month but rarely receives any child support.

"It's frustrating, but usually, when I ask he gives it to me," she said.

(http://www.ananova.com)

Two Star Wars fans are in a critical condition in hospital after apparently trying to make light sabres by filling fluorescent light tubes with petrol.

A man, aged 20, and a girl of 17 are believed to have been filming a mock duel when they poured fuel into two glass tubes and lit it.

The pair were rushed to hospital after one of the devices exploded in woodland at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

A third person present at the incident had been questioned, police said.

Videotape found

A videotape was found nearby by police called to the scene on Sunday.

A police spokeswoman said the pair were taken to West Herts Hospital before being transferred to the specialist burns unit at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, in Essex.

They are both said to be in a critical condition.

She said the 17-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man from Hemel Hempstead suffered serious injuries.

She added: "At this stage we are unable to confirm the exact circumstances, but glass tubes and traces of accelerant (flammable substance) were found at the scene."

The final film in the Star Wars series, Revenge Of The Sith, arrived at UK cinemas last week.

One of the crucial scenes features a light sabre battle between Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker.

(http://news.bbc.co.uk)

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip from a woman who threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy.His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child ontinued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished
playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, tickets for Joshua Bell's performance at a theater in Boston were sold out and the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were as follows:
In a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Last summer I learned how to ride a motorcycle and had an accident on my second day out. Being the stubborn Capricorn I am, I decided to give it another go and set out for another night of cruising. About a mile away from my home, I felt a slipping sensation from the back tire of the motorcycle and decided to check the tire pressures. The tires were filled adequately to OEM specifications but I still had a bad feeling. To the ridicule of my riding buddies, I decided not to make the journey that night and instead retired home for the evening. Within a half an hour I was back online surfing the internet with no thoughts of what had happened earlier when I went to check my email from the Bookmark section of my FireFox browser, I was redirected to an Amazon.com page selling "The Mouse and The Motorcycle", a book by Beverly Cleary -- a page I have never visited before.

I took it as a sign and was happy with my decision to head back home and forgo a night of riding.