Wicked Thoughts

A fond Irish father

While reading an article last night about fathers and sons, memories came flooding back to the time I took me son out for his first pint.

Off we went to our local pub only two blocks from the cottage. I got him a Guinness. He didn’t like it, so I drank it.

Then I got him a Kilkenny’s, he didn’t like that either, so I drank it.

Finally, I thought he might like some Harp Lager? He didn’t. I drank it.

I thought maybe he’d like whiskey better than beer so we tried a Jameson’s, nope!

In desperation, I had him try that rare Redbreast,Ireland’s finest. He wouldn’t even smell it. What could I do but drink it!

By the time I realized he just didn’t like to drink, I was so feckin’ sh*t-faced I could hardly push his pushchair back home.

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Doctors are treating cancer with polio — and it’s working: “Doctors at Duke University are experimenting with injecting a modified version of the polio virus into cancerous tumors and are finding that it helps destroy the tumors, reports 60 Minutes. The brainchild of Dr. Matthias Gromeier, a molecular biologist at Duke Medical Center, the idea that cancerous cells could be destroyed using the virus was once dismissed. According to Dr. Henry Friedman, a neuro-oncologist and deputy director of the Brain Tumor Center at Duke University, “I thought he was nuts.” “I really thought he was using a weapon that produced paralysis,” said Friedman who has been researching a cure for glioblastoma for more than 30 years. “This, to me, is the most promising therapy I have seen in my career, period.” Gromeir explained that human cancers develop protective measures to make them invisible to the immune system, but he said the polio treatment removes that shield and allows the immune system to attack.”

China doesn’t mess around with Muslims: “A man in China has been sentenced to six years in prison for ‘provoking trouble’ because he grew a beard. The 38-year-old from the Uighur minority received several warnings before attending court in Kashgar, local newspapers reported. His wife was also given a two-year sentence for wearing a veil that hid her face. In China authorities widely discourage growing a beard because they say it is linked to extremist ideals. The Uighurs vehemently dispute this claim. The unnamed man started growing facial hair in 2010 before being accused of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’ by officials. A campaign dubbed ‘Project Beauty’ similarly encourages women to leave their heads bare and abandon wearing the veil – a relatively widespread practice among the Uighurs. The repression of the Uighurs has been fanning tensions in the region for more than a year. Violence increased last year and at least 200 people were killed in a series of bombings and deadly clashes with security forces. And in August authorities in Karamay city banned people with large beards or Islamic clothing from travelling on public buses.”

This cat has a map of Australia on its nose: “A little Oriental Longhair cat was the talk of the Royal Sydney Easter Show yesterday thanks to an unusual marking on her nose. “Oz”, aptly nicknamed because of the map of Australia on her face, was lapping up all the attention from kids, adults and vets alike at her first cat show yesterday. “Oz didn’t come away with any prizes on Sunday but she certainly had lots of admiration because of her markings. I was really surpsied by the reaction,” owner Deb Nugent told news.com.au. “She has had the marking since birth but because it was so tiny we didn’t notice that it looked like a map until she was a few months old.” Oz, who turns one on April 2 and whose real name is Siajavi Paiwen, is a fun, michievous, “very special” feline according to her owners. She also has a brother and sister, who sadly don’t share the same unique marking as their now famous sibling.”

Cloaking device could protect soldiers from shock waves: “A researcher at the defense company Boeing has filed a patent for a sci-fi-esque cloaking device that would protect soldiers from intense shock waves generated by explosions. The just-issued patent to Boeing envisions stopping shock waves using a veil of heated, ionized air. Such a ‘shield’ would damp the force of explosions. It doesn’t build an invisible wall of force, but rather makes shock waves bend around objects, just as some high-tech materials bend light and make things invisible. Brian J. Tillotson, a senior research fellow at Boeing, said the idea occurred to him after noticing the kinds of injuries suffered by soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

CA: Court rules Sun Worshipping Atheism “not a religion”: “”A California court ruled that atheism is not a religion based on a three-point checklist to determine ‘the sometimes subtle distinction between a religion and a secular belief system.’ Marshel Copple is the sole follower of ‘Sun Worshipping Atheism,’ a belief system the former corrections officer created that advocates sleeping at least eight hours a day, daily fresh air, frequent exercise, having a job, social interaction, and skepticism. However, his beliefs on sleep conflicted with his work as a corrections officer, which required him to be available to work eight hours of overtime if needed and up to 16 hours in the event of a prison riot, reported The National Law Review.”

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

Man vs husky: Pair have hilarious argument over stolen food

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

A beloved CARPET!: “It’s the most famous carpet in the world, has more selfies than Kim Kardiashian can throw a stick at, and has captured the imaginations of millions of travellers. But although time has finally been called on Portland Airport’s cult carpet, fans of the post-modern rug are still queuing up to say a fond farewell. And last Friday, it was announced that a fragment of the carpet – which is in the process of being replaced – will have a staring role as the grand marshall in Portland’s annual Starlight Parade in May. Greg Koenig (@gak_pdx) wrote on twitter: ‘Portland just made a chunk of carpet the grand marshall of a city parade. That’s why I live here!’, while Selena Larson (@selenalarson) commented: ‘I hope one day to love something or someone as much as Portland loves its airport.’ Unusually for a floor covering, the carpet has amassed loyal following since it was first laid in the late 1980s Its striking geometric pattern, by architects SRG Partnership, was something of a departure from the standard oatmeal carpets in 1980’s airports, and was carefully designed to reflect the spirit of the northwest.”

Haystacks painting is officially declared a newly discovered Monet: “An oil painting has been proven to be one of Claude Monet’s – after scientists discovered the artist painted over his own signature. The 1891 painting, titled ‘A Haystack in the Evening Sun’, was largely unknown and its origin had never been verified. But a team of researchers from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland painstakingly unearthed the signature. The painting has been owned by the Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation, also in Finland, for more than 50 years. It is thought to be part of a wider series by Monet with all the pieces illustrating stacks of hay in fields after the harvest season. The painting was verified after a special camera was used to examine the composition of the work. This allowed researchers to see different layers including a previous signature by Monet.” The Fine Arts Foundation said the artwork is the first Monet painting to be held in a Finnish public collection.

Tourists to be charged more for parking at British beach on sunny days: “Parking charges at a popular British seaside resort could soon be weather dependent after a council pledged to halve them when it rains. Councillors in Brighton and Hove say they want to end ‘rip-off’ charges and are suggesting motorists pay ‘significantly less’ for street parking on rainy summer days. The scheme, which would be the first of its kind in the UK, is modeled on flexible parking charges schemes in San Francisco and Madrid. It forms part of the Conservative Party manifesto for the May 7 council elections promising, ‘A common sense council for Brighton and Hove’. ‘It is bizarre that summer parking rates begin on 1 March.Under the Conservatives summer parking charges will only apply in summer.’ Conservative transport spokesman Graham Cox, told The Telegraph the economy relied on the weather and they had to look at ways of attracting people when it was bad.”

British garden fashion: “If an Englishman’s house is his castle, his garden shed is his fortress: a refuge that has nurtured many a seedling and saved many a marriage. But today a mere shed is not enough. Timber is so last year. So meet the £22,000 Solardome – an Eden Project for the burbs. It’s the ultimate uber-shed, a grand, permanent 20ft-across structure made from glass. Hundreds of these and similar egg-shaped conservatories are springing up around the country – and now John Lewis is about to start selling the smaller-scale £599 garden igloo. Yes, its construction demands a degree of patience, if not, I’m glad to say, a degree in mechanical engineering, but this DIY dome is undeniably impressive: a 12ft-across and 7ft-tall geodesic structure made of precision-crafted, flat-packed German plastic. The Garden Igloo might look funkier than your average potting shed but there is one drawback: it is completely transparent. If you’re after a secret doze or a hush-hush hideaway for your home brew, this is not for you. And it is crazily hot: a stand-up polytunnel.

The hats have it: “Ladies were out in force today in an array of outrageous hats and bright dresses at Dubai World Cup at Meydan. It is the world’s richest horse race with a total prize money of £20million including a cool £6.7million for the winner. But the stakes were just as high for those going head-to-head in the fashion competition as those racing for glory. It is the most glamorous weekend in Dubai’s social calendar and the ladies were out in force today in an array of outrageous hats and bright dresses that would give the fashionistas at Ascot a run for their money. With a highly anticipated fashion competition taking place behind the scenes, the stakes were just as high for the stylish women in the crowd at the Dubai World Cup as those racing for glory. Around 50,000 revellers attended the world’s richest horse race at Meydan this year, with many hoping to be considered for the off-track prizes including best dressed lady and man, best dressed couple, best hat, most creative hat and Longines most elegant lady.” [Many more hats at the link]

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

Listen carefully

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Erk! A drug to turn blue eyes brown: “The drug began life as Lumigan, a treatment for glaucoma, a disease in which fluid builds up inside the eyeball, exerting dangerous pressure. But patients using Lumigan found that a side effect was that their lashes grew extremely long – so the manufacturers effectively repackaged the same drug in a different bottle, as a product aimed at the cosmetic market: Latisse. It seems Latisse contains the active ingredient bimatoprost, a type of chemical known as a prostaglandin, and it is known to cause changes to eye colour. Allergan admits it ‘can cause increased brown colouring of the iris, which may be permanent’. But how big is the risk? Digging through online medical libraries, I was horrified to discover that prostaglandins used to treat glaucoma have been found to trigger iris colour change in up to 50 per cent of patients.”

Some Australian companies are banning emails: “Emails have become the norm within the workplace but they are now being banned at some Australian companies as it is seen to be the cause of stress and misunderstandings among staff. Face-to-face interaction or instant messaging has become the preferred means of communication among these employees in order to de-clutter their inbox and create better working relationships. One director also says his team has been advised against sending emails to each other during out of office hours, including weekends. Nathan Schokker, the director of facilities management service provider Talio, says he implemented this new rule six months ago and has already seen a positive difference in the workplace. The policy was introduced to his 30 staff members in Brisbane after particular instances which caused unnecessary pressure, conflict and disagreements. ‘I also found that it is hard to imply the correct tone in an email so there were often instances where staff were offended by emails sent by other colleagues or felt like they were being unfairly treated”.

Man attempts to commit suicide by jumping into a lake because he was being forced to marry an ugly bride: “A Chinese groom was so upset at being forced to marry an ugly bride that he tried to commit suicide. Police officers were called to a lake in the city of Shiyan in the central Hubei province, after receiving reports that a man had been spotted attempting to kill himself by drowning. Describing the moment he discovered the groom, police officer Hou Kunshan said: ‘I saw a man floating in the water face down. We couldn’t see his condition but when I got closer I could see that it was rather serious.’ The police officer immediately dived straight into the water to save the drowning man – not even taking them time to remove his jacket before doing so. He was taken to the local hospital for observations and is now expected to make a full recovery. Police officers later asked the groom why he attempted to commit suicide and he revealed that he was being pressured into an arranged marriage that he was very unhappy about.

Toddler wanted to go to a bar: “A young boy was in need of a fix that only his local pub could provide. Filmed at home in London, the 20-month-old boy named Max stands in front of his mother with tears streaming down his cheeks. He urges her and his father to take him to the local pub – where he usually receives sweets and hot chocolate – instead of the doctor’s surgery. After allowing him to catch his breath, his mother asks him to tell his father – who is presumably the recipient of the recording – why he is crying. The boy replies with the rather blunt and humorous answer, ‘Pub’, to which his mother retorts: ‘No, but we have to go to the doctors.’ Refusing to back down, Max continues to suggest the pair go the pub until his mother offers a compromise. She says: ‘OK, you know what? When daddy gets home we will ask him. We will ask him if you can go to the pub later.’ Please with her response, although not entirely convinced, the youngster immediately reminds his mother to ask. According to Max’s father, Oliver Bath, he normally takes his son out of the house and down to the local pub to give Max’s mum some peace and quiet”.

Cute companions Fugly the pug and KFC the chick are inseparable: “It is a friendship that wouldn’t be out of place in a children’s book. Fugly the pug and KFC the chick won’t leave each other’s sides, after they struck up an unlikely companionship. The fluffy yellow chick and brown-haired puppy can often be spotted doing their favourite activities together – cuddling, sleeping and with KFC tucked under Fugly’s paws. Fugly’s owner Tim Ho took the cute pictures and said he and his neighbour had bought the animals as pets around the same time. They decided to introduce them to each other to see what would happen – and to their surprise KFC and Fugly bonded almost immediately. Tim said: ‘As soon as they were let loose, KFC would follow Fugly everywhere.”

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

The importance of grammar

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Mathematician reveals the formula for finding true love: “Mathematicians have developed a series of theories that can help people find the perfect partner. These include tips such as not trying to hide the less attractive parts of your appearance in your online dating profile pictures and looking for people who had fewer colds as a child. They have also proposed mathematical approaches to finding the perfect wife or husband – by not choosing to settle down until after the age of 22 years old. Dr Hannah Fry, a lecturer at University College London and author of a new book on The Mathematics of Love, outlined the theories at the Oxford Literary Festival. She said that choosing friends who are slightly less attractive than you when going out looking for love could also bring advantages. This is known as the Discreet Choice Theory, where the presence of an irrelevant alternative can change how you view your choices.”

Model shrinks her waist to just 20 INCHES by wearing a corset for 23 hours every day: “Waist training is all the rage these days, with stars such as Kim Kardashian, Jessica Alba and Nicki Minaj all giving it a go. But one woman has taken taken the fad to extreme levels. Curvy Aleira Avendano achieved an eye-watering 20-inch waist – wearing a corset 23 hours a day. The busty model, from Caracas, Venezuela, has been wearing the waist-shrinking garment for the last six years and even refers to it as her second skin. And despite doctors’ warnings that the corset poses seriously health risks, Aleira continues to turn heads with her extreme shape. Aleira said: ‘I am completely obsessed with belts and corsets – I even sleep with them on. ‘I love the feeling of pressure and only take it off for an hour a day to rest and to wash myself.’ The 25-year-old model began waist-training while still in her teens and now with her enhanced 34DD breasts she draws stares wherever she goes.”

Cricketer had “great sex?: “Fresh from leading his side to a 95-run over India in the World Cup semi-final, Australia captain Michael Clarke was temporarily stumped by a reporter’s line of questioning during the post-match press conference. ‘Michael you’ve had tremendous sex as Australia captain,’ asked BBC reporter Stephan Shemilt before correcting himself and re-stating that he intended to say ‘success’. ‘Interesting,’ a clearly amused Clarke replied amid a chorus of laughter among the assembled press. ‘You might have that as well I don’t know,’ replied Shemilt. ‘How well do you know me. That’s a question for my wife,’ Clarke added, as Smith struggled to contain his laughter at the top table.”

Wallet stolen from ten-year-old boy is reunited with owner 35 YEARS later: “A man has been reunited with his wallet after it was found in a wall cavity more than 100 miles from his home – 35 years after it was stolen. John Steel, 45, lost the brown leather purse aged 10 when a thief climbed into his caravan while he was on holiday in Devon. But the square wallet – containing a photo of himself and a £1 note – turned up again during renovation work at a house in Shaldon, Devon, now owned by Shelley Davies. Builders found the wallet in a wall cavity and she set about finding the boy in the photograph. The picture of the schoolboy had ‘John Steel’ written underneath and the address ‘The Lye, Seend’ in Wiltshire on the back. She posted the photo on the Melksham Town Council’s Facebook page and within hours Mr Steel’s friends recognised him and tracked him down. Mr Steel, from Neston, Wiltshire, added: ‘As for why I had a picture of myself in the wallet I’ve no idea. Not sure what to spend the £1 note on though!’ He added: ‘It’s nice to know that there are still good people around.'”

Famous British stoves to be sold in China: “Traditional British cooker manufacturer AGA, favoured by TV chefs Mary Berry and Nigella Lawson, has today launched in China with a brand new feature: a wok burner. Taking the leap into the new market is arguably the biggest gamble the firm, which has been selling ovens in Britain since 1929, has ever made. Most Chinese kitchens have just two gas hobs and, if they have an oven at all, it is usually cheap and the size of a microwave. But AGA is targeting the country’s new middle class and chief executive William McGrath told MailOnline he was confident he could convince people to spend between £5,400 and £27,000 on the British favourite. The launch was announced in 2012, but due to China’s unfamiliarity with ovens and laws about accreditation for them, it was derailed. Accreditation rules have been re-drafted by authorities and now, three years later, AGAs are finally available to order”.

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

Wisdom

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Revenge of a greedy lawyer thwarted by the court: “Australian Taxation Office (ATO) agents have been found to have engaged in ‘conscious maladministration’ that resulted in a $30 million tax bill that’s now been quashed by the Federal Court. Documents were used subject to legal professional privilege in issuing the multimillion-dollar bill to an Australian businessman Garry John Donoghue. ‘Garry, if you don’t pay me and my family, I will have no hesitation in giving the ATO everything I have on you. You should be very worried,’ his legal adviser Simeon Moore told Mr Donoghue before leaking his information to the Australian Taxation Office, the court heard. Mr Moore, who at the time was not admitted as a legal practitioner but was a friend of Mr Donoghue’s daughter, Alexandria, had issued Mr Donoghue with a bill for legal services amounting to $753,174. Justice Logan said this was ‘outrageously extortionate’ and a ‘fantasy’ amount given Mr Moore was an ‘as-yet-not-admitted graduate undertaking post-graduate studies in law’. He said the decision by the ATO officer to later proceed and use the information could be attributed to ‘inexperience and zeal, coupled with a lack of relevant supervision and guidance'”

Wishy washy British “justice”: “A serial thief who admitted committing more than 200 burglaries in just two years has avoided jail and been ordered to attend a ‘victim empathy course’, it was revealed today. Tomas Drungelas, 33, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, was spared a prison sentence – despite victims telling the judge that they would ‘be angry’ if he was treated leniently. The Lithuanian criminal broke into and burgled 202 homes in the Hertfordshire area between 2013 and 2014 to fund his addiction to alcohol and gambling, St Albans Crown Court was told. But Judge Andrew Bright QC said that he would spare Drungelas jail and send him on a locally-run rehabilitation course called Choices and Consequences, or the ‘C2 Programme’. He also said Drungelas would be tagged for 36 months, under curfew between 9pm and 6am and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

Chocolate taster scoffs 100 Easter eggs A MONTH: “It’s the sort of job most of us dream of, where a day in the office would entail wolfing down hundreds of chocolates, all in the name of research. This is the reality for lucky Matt Trotter, who eats more than 200 eggs in the two months running up to Easter, chomping down on 50kg of chocolate to make sure they’re up to scratch. But the Leeds resident is still in search of his perfect egg: one shaped like David Beckham. The 26-year-old has always been passionate about the sweet things in life, initially training as a chef and then specialising in chocolate for six years before starting at Asda. Mr Trotter thinks he knows just what to look for when looking for the ideal chocolate egg. He said: ‘When testing, I always look for a creamy flavour in milk chocolate and a bold intense cocoa flavour with dark chocolate, but both must have a good snap! ‘To benchmark our products, I’ll taste at least 50 Easter Eggs at a time to make sure we score the best.'”

Baby is born with distinguishable number ’12’ on his forehead: “In ancient civilizations it was the number of labours undertaken by Hercules, the amount of gods who lived on Mount Olympus and the total signs of the Zodiac. But now the number 12 has cropped up in another mystifying setting – on a baby’s forehead. Hanru van Niekerk was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 11, 2014, with a strange birthmark on his face in the shape of digits ‘1’ and ‘2’. Doctors have reassured the family of the boy, now four months old, that the markings will gradually fade with time. Great grandmother Catherine Jooste told the Northcliff Melville TImes that they have embraced the peculiar birthmark, which was a ‘beautiful surprise’. Most birthmarks are harmless and don’t need to be treated.”

‘We want our mountain back’: Ecuadorian artist accused of vandalism after stealing the top of England’s highest peak: “An artist who ‘stole’ the top of England’s highest mountain for an installation has been accused of vandalism by conservationists. Oscar Santillan pinched the top inch of the 3,209ft summit of Scafell Pike, in the Lake District, and is now displaying it at a London gallery. The visual artist from Ecuador has insisted that removing the tip of the mountain was ‘a small suggestive gesture that reflects on the way in which humans have imposed their cultural categories over nature.’ But Ian Stephen, managing director of Cumbria Tourism said the artist is ‘taking the mickey’ – and has demanded he return the stone. Santillan, 34, has placed it on a plinth to create an artwork called ‘The Intruder’ which is being exhibited at the capital’s Copperfield Gallery as his first solo UK exhibition. Santillan has come under fire for ‘essentially vandalising the mountain’ but he insists he has done nothing wrong.”

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

Tasty cat?

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

More insane British bureaucracy: “A woman who died last year aged 92 has been sent a council tax bill – for a penny. Elsie Watson left the paltry debt after moving from Woodley near Stockport into a care home whose staff forwarded the unopened bill to her son Barry Holland. The Stockport Council demand, which would have cost 60 times more to post than the penny debt, even offered Mrs Watson the chance to pay in instalments. Barry Holland, 72, of Cheadle Heath, whose wife has paid the bill, has branded the letter ‘ludicrous.’ Mr Holland said: ‘It is ludicrous, I really do think it is horrendous that the council can send out letters for a penny to someone who is 92, even if they didn’t know she was dead. ‘My mum was fiery, I imagine she would have gone down there, thrown a pound at them and said keep the change. ‘These people have no knowledge or feelings. ‘Whoever sent this has cost 60 times more than a penny with a stamp.”

Mexican mayhem: “Rival fire brigades who turned up to tackle the same blaze started fighting over who should put it out – before police turned up and joined in the brawl. The conflict unfolded when firemen from Mexico’s Heroic Fire Department and Ceda Fire Department were dispatched to deal with the brush fire in the capital Mexico City. But tempers frayed when both sides disagreed over who should deal with the situation and a fight broke out. Passer-by Atanasio Rivas Matos, 25, who captured the conflict on his mobile phone, said: ‘One of the groups of firemen started spraying the other group with water, who retaliated by throwing bricks at them. But rather than calming the situation down, the appearance of the officers seemed to fuel the conflict and the firemen quickly turned on the police. ‘The police were trying to separate the two groups when they came under attack from the firemen who started punching them, and then more policemen who turned up to stop the fighting were also attacked. ‘It was like something out of a very bad comedy.’ Now furious city officials have demanded an explanation”.

Hipster beards really ARE just a way to get women: “Last year scientists declared we had reached a ‘peak beard’ situation. Bearded hipsters, they said, would start picking up their razors in the realisation that their facial hair was no longer unique. But instead, beards have become thicker and bigger, and now scientists believe they have a new explanation; men are using it as a badge of dominance to attract women. This ‘badge’ means that, whether or not women like the look of a beard, they will still be attracted to a man because it suggest that he is more powerful in society. The theory is being proposed by a new study that found the more competition a man has to deal with, the more flamboyant he gets – at least in the world of primates. Dr Cyril Grueter from the University of Western Australia said this was especially the case in big, multilevel societies where male primates have developed more ostentatious ‘ornaments’. These include the elongated noses of proboscis monkeys, the upper-lip warts in golden snub-nosed monkeys, capes of white and silvery hair in hamadryas baboons – and beards in humans.

Politician uses her ‘laser-like eyes’ to free Australian imprisoned in Egypt: “Australian journalist Peter Greste has thanked Foreign Minister Julie Bishop for using her ‘laser-like eyes’ to secure his release from an Egyptian prison, comparing her to the Terminator. Speaking at The National Press Club in Canberra, Mr Greste, who has now been a free man for seven weeks, paid a special tribute to Ms Bishop, claiming she had brought out her famous stare which he described as her ‘secret weapon’. ‘One person… commented on your uncanny ability to smile very warmly and at the same time burn holes through the back of their skulls giving them the distinct impression that they’ve just been hugged by the Terminator,’ Mr Greste said to the room full of journalists. Mr Greste addressed the minister, thanking her for her involvement in his case and her constant pioneering for his release”. The 49-year-old Al Jazeera journalist landed back on Australian soil in early February after spending 400 days in jail.”

The US Navy’s ‘ghost hunter’ hits the water: “The US Navy is set to unleash an army of ‘ghost drones’ to scour the coasts for enemy submarines. They hope to end the growing threat of quiet, diesel powered enemy submarines enters American waters undetected. The robot boats will go to sea for us to three months at a time. Diesel-electric submarines, with their nearly-noiseless engines, are incredibly difficult to track from afar. They’re also cheap at $200 million to $300 million apiece, making them affordable to the likes of Iran, which claims to have a fleet of 17. The test boat was able to tail a target boat at 1 kilometer’s distance, something military bosses say is a major step forward. ‘Picking up the quiet hum of a battery-powered, diesel-electric submarine in busy coastal waters is ‘like trying to identify the sound of a single car engine in the din of a major city,’ says Rear Admiral Frank Drennan, commander of the Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command.” ‘It will be able to transit by itself across thousands of kilometers of ocean and it can deploy for months at a time. Russia has been selling diesel-electric subs to buoy its shipyards, triggering what some are calling an undersea arms race”.

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

Pompous Albert, a cat with a scowl

He is a Selkirk Rex who has the distinct curly hair specific to the breed and is said to be actually good natured

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

British bungledom again. Postal service sends man’s mail to the wrong address for six months – including their own letters of apology: “A frustrated customer said he is ‘trying to see the funny side’ after the Royal Mail sent his post to the wrong address for six months – including their own letters of apology. Philip Ewington, 62, said letters and packages clearly marked for his Bedford flat [apartment] have been delivered to another home on the same street for at least half a year. The retired analyst, who lives alone, said the problem usually happens on Wednesdays when his mail is in the hands of a relief postman. He first complained to Royal Mail last year when some family photos he sent to his mother’s address never turned up. They sent a letter of apology – which arrived at flat G in the block at number 10 rather than flat G at number eight where he lives. He said: ‘It may seem like a quite a small thing in the scale of the things, but when you’re post just keeps on getting delivered to the wrong place over and over again it is very frustrating. ‘No one seems to understand why this is happening, it’s bizarre.'”

Could a blue light treat erectile dysfunction? Radical therapy may replace Viagra: “Instead of reaching for a ‘blue pill’, men suffering from erectile dysfunction should be exposing themselves to blue light. This is according to a Swiss scientists who are developing a Viagra-replacement therapy that involves injecting the penis with artificial DNA. When the treated tissue is exposed to blue light, the gene construct increases blood flow to cause an erection without any sexual stimulation. Scientists say this gives the treatment an advantage over Viagra which only helps to prolong an erection rather than trigger it. ‘In this way, we circumvent the usual sexual stimulation that triggers a cascade of signals in the body and ultimately leads to an erection,’ says Fussenegger. The researchers tested their new development in male rats by injecting the gene construct into the erectile tissue – with good results.”

Real baby blues! The moment toddler is told she’s going to get a brother NOT a sister: “Getting children to welcome a new baby into the home can sometimes prove difficult – especially when it wasn’t the playmate they were hoping for. Indeed, one mother from Colorado filmed the moment she told her daughter she was expecting a boy. Footage shows the toddler’s smile quickly turning to a frown and then a cry ‘no’ as she breaks down in tears. ‘I want a baby sister!’ the little girl dramatically sobs. Her mother calmly explains that it isn’t possible and she’ll be getting a baby brother. ‘That’s why it’s blue,’ she says referencing a baby shower cupcake at home. But the girl remains vehemently opposed to the idea. The clip ends with her exclaiming: ‘I want a baby sister right now!’

Animals CAN predict earthquakes: Scientists film behavioural changes as seismic activity increases: “For centuries there have been accounts of animals behaving bizarrely before earthquakes. Now, for the first time, scientists have filmed the behaviour of wild animals prior to a quake and believe their study could help improve short-term seismic forecasting. They found that animals in Peru – such as pumas and razor-billed curassow birds – ran for cover days before the event. Researchers believe that the changes in behaviour may be linked to airborne ions. Led by Dr Rachel Grant of Anglia Ruskin University, experts used data gathered from a series of motion-triggered cameras located in the Yanachaga National Park in Peru. The research found that significant changes in animal behaviour began 23 days before the magnitude 7.0 Contamana earthquake that struck the region in 2011. On a typical day, the cameras would record between five and 15 animal sightings. However, within the 2-day period in the run-up to the earthquake, they recorded five or fewer sightings.”

Is the biggest price cut in history? Gleneagles Mansion that went on sale for £8million – goes for less than the cost of the land: “A mansion which was hailed as Scotland’s most expensive new home and advertised for £8million has been sold for less than £1million. Prospective buyers were told The Whitehouse at Gleneagles in Perthshire was a bargain despite the massive asking price when it was put on the market three years ago. The luxury home in an exclusive gated communities within the grounds of the Gleneagles Hotel and Golf Resort was described as a ‘Great Gatsby-style’ mansion with a blend of Georgian and Art Deco styles. The 13,000sq ft mansion was planned to come complete with its own swimming pool, orangery, soundproofed cinema, three-car garage and more than half an acre of garden. It was marketed to rich foreign golf fans but failed to attract a buyer and development work on it stalled before it was repossessed by a bank in 2013. The Whitehouse was the most expensive of the 14 homes planned to be built on Queen’s Crescent – an exclusive gated community within the Gleneagles resort. Each of the plots was sold off for around £1m by the hotel owners”.

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

The In & Out club

Sounds rude but it isn’t. London has a number of gentlemens’ clubs, one of which is the Naval & Military club — now over 100 years old. There was no airforce when it was established. But for many years it was not generally referred to as the Naval & Military club. It was referred to as The In & Out club. See if you can guess why from the picture of it below. They had no name up outside their premises. All that identified it was the directions for use of their semi-circular driveway.

But a few years ago they moved to new premises. So guess how they identified their new premises? As the “In & Out” club. People would not have been able to identify them otherwise. See below:

The sign is no longer functional but that is no longer the point.

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Why mushrooms GLOW: Fungi use bioluminescence to attract insects – but ‘switch off’ to conserve energy in the day: “It appears that some fungi emit light to attract insects at night, which then spread their fungal spores around. And interestingly, the mushrooms are also able to sync up their ability with the circadian clock, so they only become bioluminescent when it is dark. Among bioluminescent organisms, fungi are the most rare and least understood. Of more than 100,000 species of fungi, only 71 are known to produce green light, a process that uses oxygen and energy. The effect is triggered by a chemical reaction between luciferin, a light-emitting pigment, and the enzyme luciferase. It can occur in fungi as well as in a range of animals including jellyfish, squid, scorpions and other insects. In fact, the mushrooms’ glow appears to be under the control of a temperature-compensated circadian clock. This level of control helps them ‘save energy’ during hours of daylight when they do not need to glow. At night, the green glow attracts insects including beetles, flies, wasps and ants.”

Super tractor: “Emerging out of the landscape with the rumble of its powerful engine, this sinister-looking machine looks as if it comes from a battlefield or the set of a Mad Max film. But instead of helping people face a fictional apocalyptic reality, the tractor is the latest in agricultural machinery and is designed to make life easier for farmers. Called the Challenger MT775, it can cultivate a staggering 150 acres of land in a single day, which is the equivalents of 100 football pitches. The machine can also run around the clock, boosting efficiency and profit for landowners. The US-made tractor is guided by GPS and steers with an accuracy over the ground of less than an inch. GPS systems are used to steer tractors in more precise patterns than humans are capable of. Only 28 of the machines – which cost up to a quarter of a million pounds each ($373,000) – will be made, and Britain is set to be one of the biggest markets. One East Anglian land-owner said: ‘Years ago a 1,000-acre farm would have employed 40 men – but with a machine like this the same acreage can be farmed by just one man.’

100-year-old man still working as a car salesman… 66 YEARS after his first sale: “A Wyoming man rang in his 100th birthday at the car dealership where he still works today, 66 years after making his first sale. As long as he can get out of the house, Derrell Alexander said that he’ll be showing up for the job he loves at White’s Mountain Motors in Casper. And although Alexander leaves his shift at the dealership a little earlier nowadays, he still works six days a week. Alexander believes you don’t last long if ‘you sit around the house and watch TV,’ he told the Casper Journal. The father-of-two hasn’t even taken a vacation since his children were young. But his daughter Sheri Rupe said she believes work has ‘kept him going.’ ‘He’d probably be gone by now if he went home and sat down and did nothing,’ said Rupe who, unlike her father, is happily retired. Tom Rupe believes his father-in-law will be selling cars and sitting at his favorite spot in the dealership, right by the fireplace, until the day he dies.”

Porcupine’s quills prove more than a match for leopard who wanted him for lunch: “A leopard was given a very prickly reception after it tried to make lunch out of a plucky porcupine. The predator was put firmly in its place after the spiky creature refused to back down during a fight in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Ms Moolman said: ‘The porcupine was a worthy opponent. It was quite aggressive and shaking its quills, raising them to appear larger. If bothered by predators, a crested porcupine stamps its feet, shake its quills and charge rear end first to try to stab its enemy with its crest. They are known to have killed lions, leopards, hyenas and even humans.

The incredible shape-shifting FROG: “Scientists have discovered a frog in Ecuador that can rapidly change its skin patterns to mimic the texture it sits on. Spotted in the western Andean cloud forest, the creature is believed to be the first known amphibian to have this shape-shifting capability. Researchers claim the ability to change skin texture to reflect its surroundings may enable the frog to camouflage itself from birds and other predators – but say this has yet to be proven. The new species, called Pristimantis mutabilis was discovered by a Case Western Reserve University PhD student and her husband at Reserva Las Gralarias. Katherine Krynak spotted the spiny frog, which nearly the width of a marble, sitting on a moss-covered leaf. ‘The spines and colouration help them blend into mossy habitats, making it hard for us to see them,’ she said. ‘But whether the texture really helps them elude predators still needs to be tested.'”

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

The fastest way to peel an orange

It really is simple

Another illustration here

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Scientists Photograph Extremely Rare, Teddy Bear-like Mammal For The First Time In 20 Years: “A mammal that has been eluding the lenses of researchers across the world for well over two decades was finally photographed late last year, reports National Geographic. According to the report, the animal known as Ili Pika is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal that closely resembles a teddy bear. Closely related to rabbits, the Ili Pika is one of the cutest animals you might never come across — just because they are so rare. While researchers knew the Ili Pika lived in the Tianshan Mountains situated in northwestern China, they were unable to photograph any specimen for the past 20 years — until last summer, that is. The scientific name of the Ili Pika is the Ochotona iliensis. It was discovered just over 30 years ago by accident in 1983. Since its discovery, only 29 live individuals of the species have been spotted, and the last time it was photographed was in the mid-90s. Researchers still do not have a clue regarding the ecology of the animal or its behavior and breeding patterns.”

The Shenyang market, the largest of its kind in Asia: “Shenyang’s night market in Liaoning, China, is Asia’s largest of its kind stretching some 1.2 miles. Selling hot and cold foods, as well as homewares and traditional dress, it is an opportunity for tourists and locals to perfect their bartering skills with the stallholders. Throngs of people cover both sides of the market huts, which shine bright against the night sky. The atmosphere is one of fun – as well as the traders dressing up for the occasion, shoppers are happy to add their own fashion accompaniments. The outdoor market is a nice alternative to the Wu Ai Market, popular with Shenyang locals and visited by people from all over China. Wu Ai, built in 1983, is a major distributor of clothes, accessories, make-up, knit goods, small household appliances and more.”

Before

After

A facelift that really worked: “After losing half her body weight, Karen Hogan was left with an unnaturally aged face. Here she reveals why, in order to look herself again, she decided to go under the knife… “Seven years ago, I achieved a major goal in my life: I reduced my body weight by half to 10st. People’s reactions towards me changed immediately – the slights and slurs I had endured for years suddenly stopped. Now size-10 slender, I could finally step out from the shadows. Losing such a significant amount of weight in just a year was drastic and I achieved it the simple (some would say hard) way, by cutting out the things I loved most, namely anything – food or drink – containing sugar. It worked. If you’d met me then, you’d have thought I was much older than my 56 years. I looked tired and anxious all the time, to the extent that concerned people would ask what was wrong and tell me to ‘cheer up’. As I was about to hand over my credit card in exchange for yet another ‘miracle’ firming cream, it dawned on me that only the removal of the loose skin – in other words, a full face-lift – would be the answer’.”

Clever police dog finds missing dementia patient: “A NSW Police dog named Marco has saved the life of a missing man after finding him stuck in a river clinging to a tree in an area that had already been searched. Police were called to an aged care home at Mardi, on the NSW Central Coast, on Saturday night after a 65-year-old dementia patient was reported missing. Officers called at about 9pm searched nearby streets, a train station and the banks of the Wyong River with no success, prompting police to call in the Dog Unit to assist. One police dog – Marco – who was searching near the river repeatedly led his attached officer Senior Constable Patrick Summers to a specific spot on the river’s steep embankment that had previously been searched with no luck. Snr Const Summers searched through the area’s thick foliage and found the man stuck in the water and hidden behind a branch he was clinging onto just before 1am on Sunday. ‘Marco was persistent in leading me there.’ Police said the man was in too much shock to call out, and would not have been able to hold on overnight putting him at risk of hypothermia or drowning.

Australian woman climbs 1,700 steps of the Eiffel Tower in less than 10 minutes to win race up the French icon: “An Australian woman has claimed the top prize at a stair climbing competition in Paris, which saw her climb the 1,700 steps up the Eiffel Tower in under 10 minutes. Suzy Walsham is a professional tower runner and also won a similar race at the Empire State Building earlier this year for the sixth time. The 41-year-old competed in her first race nine years ago, which was the Swissotel in Singapore. In the first La Verticale de la Tour Eiffel on Friday, Walsham completed the trek in nine minutes and 44 seconds, making her the fastest female in the competition. The tower runner told Reuters the climb was tough and it became harder as she went higher. The men’s winner in the Paris race was Polish man Piotr Lobodzinski who completed the climb in seven minutes and 50 seconds. The inaugural event had 57 men and women from 16 countries competing.”

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

Good Advice from an Italian Grandpa…!

An old Italian Mafia Don is dying and he calls for his grandson to approach the bed,

“Lissin a me. I wanna for you to taka my chrome-plated .38-caliber revolver so you will always remember me.”

The grandson smiles weakly and replies, “But Grandpa, I really doana lika guns. Howzabout you leava me you ROLEX watch instead?”

Gasping for air, the old man answers with a snarl in his voice, “Shuddup an lissin. Somma day you gonna runna da business. You gonna have a beautifula wife, lotsa money, a biga home, and maybea a couple of bambini.”

After a slight pause to catch his breath he continues, “Somma day you gonna comma home and maybe finda you wife inna bed with another man.

Whadda you gonna do then…pointa to your watch and say ‘Time’s up?’

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Girl tries to poison mother twice for taking iPhone: “Police arrested a 12-year-old Colorado girl accused of trying to kill her mother twice by poisoning her with bleach for taking away her iPhone, authorities said. Boulder County Sheriff’s Commander Heidi Prentup said in a statement that the mother drank the caustic fluid on one of the two attempts, which both happened within a week this month. On March 2, the girl poured bleach into a breakfast smoothie that she had prepared for her mother, Sheriff Prentup said. “Mom noticed an odor of bleach in the drink and thought her daughter had cleaned the glass prior to making the beverage and did not rinse all the bleach out,” the police statement said. A similiar incident followed four days later. Sheriff Prentup said the mother reported the girl to police, and that investigators then gathered enough evidence to take her into custody. The girl was taken to a juvenile detention facility on Friday where is being held pending the filing of charges”.

The true secret of a long life is Dr Pepper: “A Fort Worth woman turned 104 this week, and she credits a very special doctor for her good health and longevity: Dr Pepper. Elizabeth Sullivan fell in love with the 23-flavored soft drink 40 years ago, when she was in her 60s. ‘People try to give me coffee for breakfast. Well I’d rather have a Dr Pepper,’ she said. ‘I started drinking them about 40 years ago. Three a day. Every doctor that sees me says they’ll kill you, but they die and I don’t, so there must be a mistake somewhere.’ Larry Young, the CEO of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, gave Sullivan a big surprise for her birthday on Wednesday: a cake designed to look like the carbonated drink’s can, a gift basket and plenty of bottles of the pop to drink, according to CBS Dallas Fort Worth. As she reveled in excitement from the day, Sullivan reflected on her age. ‘Well at 103 I didn’t think I’d make it, but I’m still perking along,’ she told CBS. ‘When you live to be 104 and can still talk to nice people, you deserve some Dr Pepper, but I never expected this.’

Why men REALLY prefer big bottoms: “Modern man’s preferences for women with a curvy backside has been traced back to prehistoric influences. It found the ‘theoretically optimal angle of lumbar curvature,’ is a 45.5 degree curve from back to buttocks. This allowed ancestral women to better support, provide for, and carry out multiple pregnancies. ‘What’s fascinating about this research is that it is yet another scientific illustration of a close fit between a sex-differentiated feature of human morphology — in this case lumbar curvature — and an evolved standard of attractiveness,’ said the study’s co-author David Buss, a University of Texas at Austin psychology professor. ‘This adds to a growing body of evidence that beauty is not entirely arbitrary, or ‘in the eyes of the beholder’ as many in mainstream social science believed, but rather has a coherent adaptive logic.’ The research was published online in Evolution and Human Behavior”

61-year-old woman looking for missing cats under her bed touches hidden burglar who leaps up and escapes: “A Florida woman who was looking around the house for her cats found something much larger and more dangerous underneath her bed. The 61-year-old Palm Springs resident was reaching down to find her two missing moggies when she felt the skin of 5’10”, 25-year-old suspected burglar Christian Vatovec [above]. Vatovec, who lives in nearby Lake Worth, leaped up after being touched and went through the home’s backdoor before jumping over a fence and escaping. Police found the suspect, who faces charges of burglary to an occupied dwelling, grand theft and resisting arrest without violence, near a canal by the house, according to Local 10. The 61-year-old hairdresser, named locally, said that a gold ankle bracelet and digital camera with an estimated value of $800 were missing from her home after the Tuesday incident. Vatovec was taken back to the scene of the suspected crime by police and identified by the woman. He was being held in lieu of $53,000 bail as of Friday”.

Remarkable pictures show dozens of people scaling four-storey building to pass relatives notes during high pressure school leaving exams in India: “Authorities in eastern India have been left embarrassed after images of people scaling the walls of a school exam centre to pass notes to relatives were broadcast on national television. The images show dozens of people clinging to the windows of the four-storey building in the eastern state of Bihar, where more than 1.4million teenagers are sitting their leaving exams. Other images showed police officers and school staff doing nothing and simply standing by as people passed study aides to candidates inside examination centres. The students sitting the tests face tremendous pressure because they must pass the exams to continue their education. The images went viral on Twitter and made national headlines, but Bihar’s education minister P. K. Shahi refused to accept any blame for the cheating. He said: ‘You tell us what can the government do to stop cheating if parents and relatives are not ready to cooperate? Should the government give orders to shoot them?'”

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