Wicked Thoughts

It’s the thought that counts

..

..

THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Native Americans actually came from a tiny mountain region in Siberia, DNA research reveals: “Altai in southern Siberia sits right at the centre of Russia. But the tiny, mountainous republic has a claim to fame unknown until now – Native Americans can trace their origins to the remote region. DNA research revealed that genetic markers linking people living in the Russian republic of Altai, southern Siberia, with indigenous populations in North America. A study of the mutations indicated a lineage shift between 13,000 and 14,000 years ago – when people are thought to have walked across the ice from Russia to America. The region lies at the intersection of what is now Russia, Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.”

British police get hysterical over toy guns: “Police have been accused of getting their sums wrong when they swooped on a shopkeeper’s business and seized a cache of gun-shaped calculators – because they feared they could be used in a robbery. The 30 calculators were among a haul of toy guns confiscated by police in a raid on a warehouse in Sherborne, Dorset, which is owned by shopkeeper Mark Ashley Miller. They were seized after someone saw the toys on sale on The Present Finder’s website and made a complaint to firearms police. Detectives are currently in the process of assessing the ‘weapons’ to decide whether they must be destroyed or returned to the shop. The £6.50 ‘gun’ calculator is in the form of a black pistol but clearly has a calculator keypad on the butt and an LCD display on the barrel. The user has to pull the trigger to calculate their sum.” [They clearly have an orange barrel tip, which is the standard marker of a toy gun]

Caught: Low-life in fancy car: “A man allegedly rammed through a group of walking ducks across Armidale Street last week and he will now face court. About 7pm on Thursday, an off-duty member of the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command observed the 18-year-old Armidale man driving a Nissan 300Z sedan along Beardy Street in Armidale. It will be alleged the car crossed to the incorrect side of the road and hit four ducks walking along the road. Two of the ducks died at the scene and the other ducks flew away. After inquiries by the officer attached to the Traffic Support Group, an 18-year-old Armidale man was spoken to by police yesterday. The 18-year-old will appear in Armidale Local Court on 26 March 2012 after being issued a summons for – Aggravated Act of Cruelty to an Animal, Negligent Driving, Not Keep Left of the Centre of the Roadway, Not Comply with P1 licence and having no P Plates on his car.”

The tiny Peel car: “But out on the road, this quirky, ugly, rattly little Ronnie Corbett of an automobile is a giant in one rather unexpected area. It has more pulling power than a Ferrari. Take the Peel Car out for a spin and you instantly become the centre of attention. But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a grown-up car. You might be able to drive from London to Bristol on a gallon of petrol (or for 32 miles in the electric car) but you won’t be allowed on the motorways. The car is the born-again version of a uniquely British classic that was made on the Isle of Man between 1962 and 1965. Only 50 were ever produced. Now it is being remanufactured as the P50 Peel Car by two enthusiasts who recently won backing from Dragons’ Den investor James Caan.”

Inmates break back into Australian prison after crime spree: “POLICE and prison officials are investigating claims two inmates are secretly breaking out of prison, committing crimes – and then breaking back in undetected. The inquiry was launched after two armed men wearing prison greens stormed a Domino’s pizza outlet in Kelso, near Bathurst, last Saturday morning, forcing staff to the ground before raiding the cash register and fleeing with a small amount of money. A white Toyota HiLux 4WD matching the description of their escape vehicle was found abandoned hours later at the nearby Oberon Correctional Centre – a minimum security centre for men aged between 18 and 25 years. The vehicle had been stolen from a property at Porters Retreat, south of Oberon, on January 17, fuelling fears the inmates had broken out of – and back into – jail a number of times.”

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