Wicked Thoughts

Idiot destroys banana tree

A banana tree is just a large herb. He could have just pushed it over without all the tough-guy act. It would be a laugh if he tried to repeat his act on a real tree

..

..

THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Florida man shoots change machine: “Deputies are searching for the man they say shot a change machine several times in an effort to steal money from it. Surveillance video shows on the night of January 4, a man wearing a gray hoodie covering his face entered the Busy Bubbles laundromat on Cypress Gardens Road. He promptly walks to the change machine and fires a shot into it with a semi-automatic handgun. After briefly inspecting the machine, he proceeds to fire several more rounds into it, before leaving as quickly as he came in. He was not able to get any money from the machine. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’11″ tall, 185 lbs., wearing a gray hoodie and dark baggy pants.” [Video at link]

British survivalist fails to survive: “A man found dead in a remote mountain hut was an adventurer who had planned a year-long Bear Grylls-style survival challenge in the Scottish wilderness. David Austin, 29, from Derby, was found dead in a ‘bothy’ by a track worker near Corrour, a remote railway station in Highland Perthshire, on December 31 at 9.50am. His body is believed to have been lying there for several weeks when it was discovered. A post-mortem found there were no suspicious circumstances behind his death, which is understood to have been as a result of hypothermia. He is believed to have attended several courses in outdoor survival and bushcraft skills over the past couple of years in order to realise his dream, despite being urged by family and friends to reconsider his plans. It is thought Mr Austin had not even taken a mobile phone with him, leaving him entirely at the mercy of the harsh winter.”

Are New Yorkers beginning to lose their heavy accents?: “The changing landscape of New York has long been lambasted by historic preservationists and those that are nostalgic for the days of yore. The next cultural touchstone to leave the Big Apple isn’t so much a place as a sound: the accent of Barbra Streisand and the mob bosses of the Sopranos are disappearing as fast as you can say fuhgeddaboudit. A recent study shows that gravely and harsh voices of true New Yorkers are being toned down as younger generations- either purposefully or subconsciously- leave the language of their forefathers behind. Kara Becker of Reed University argues the New York accent is becoming less and less audible as people try to tone down their vocal individuality in hopes of pushing off the negative perceptions that come along with the recognizable pitch.”

Drinking alcohol can double your life expectancy — if you’re a worm: “Tiny amounts of alcohol can more than double the life span of a tiny worm that scientists often use in ageing studies. The amounts used are tiny – the equivalent of the alcohol in a single beer diluted in 100 gallons of water – but the UCLA scientists say that the anti-ageing effect could have implications for human health. ‘This finding floored us — it’s shocking,’ said Steven Clarke, a UCLA professor of chemistry and biochemistry. ‘At high magnifications under the microscope, it was amazing to see how the worms given a little alcohol looked significantly more robust than worms not given alcohol,’ says Clarke. The worms are used in anti-ageing studies because half the genes in the worms have human counterparts. The worms normally live for about 15 days and can survive with nothing to eat for roughly 10 to 12 days. ‘Our finding is that tiny amounts of ethanol can make them survive 20 to 40 days,’ Clarke said.”

Woman ‘offered sex for McNuggets’: “A Los Angeles woman was being held on $US2000 bail today after being arrested on charges of offering sexual favours in return for McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets. Khadijah Baseer, 31, is apparently homeless and has had a history of run-ins with the law, according to Burbank police. She was arrested on January 11 at a Burbank McDonald’s after she approached the restaurant’s manager, told him she was hungry and offered sexual favours in return for food, specifically McNuggets, The Los Angeles Times said. She also was seen opening the car doors of customers in the drive-through lane, police told the Burbank Leader. “She solicits money from customers and is always causing some sort of disturbance,” the manager, who was not identified, told police, according to Sgt Darin Ryburn. Police were called because Ms Baseer refused to leave the restaurant property.”

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.