In Motley County, in North Texas, ATF agents decided to blow up a stockpile of explosives. Unfortunately, in doing so they also set off a grass fire that burned 150 acres before it was brought under control. An exasperated Tom Edwards, the Motley County Attorney, told FOX34-TV, “That bunch had a real corner on stupid. We had high winds. We’re under a burn ban because of extensive prairie fire, brush fires, and in they roll with the idea of blowing up things.”

 

Rebecca Hains flew last week from Boston to Las Vegas without incident while carrying two red velvet cupcakes, each packaged in an 8-ounce glass mason jar, from Wicked Good Cupcakes. But before she boarded her return flight at McCarron International Airport, a TSA inspector confiscated her one remaining cupcake because it resembled a “gel-like substance” that violated federal safety rules and “it was in a container in which it conformed to the container’s shape.”

 

Timothy R. Johnson, a professor of political science at the University of Minnesota, told The New York Times that no other justice in the past 40 years, other than Thomas, has gone an entire year, let alone five, without piping up at least once during oral arguments. The last time Thomas asked a question in court was during a death penalty case on February 22, 2006.

 

In deciding to establish a state firearm, Utah lawmakers settled on the M1911 pistol because its creator, legendary gun maker John Browning, was born and lived a large part of his life in the state. Utah already had 23 other state symbols, including the state vegetable (Spanish sweet onion), state historic vegetable (sugar beet), state rock (coal), state insect (honey bee), state cooking pot (Dutch oven) and state fossil (allosaurus).

 

Officials in Oregon may want to post a marital warning for candidates seeking to run for the state’s 5th congressional district seat. It seems being the officeholder pretty much guarantees a failed marriage. In the 28-year history of the 5th district, every representative—both Democrats and Republicans—has gotten divorced while serving in Congress.

 

Local water chief David Shaff announced about 7.8 million gallons of water in the Mt. Tabor reservoir will be discarded because 21-year-old Josh Seater was caught on surveillance video relieving himself in the man-made lake that Portland relies on. Seater has not been charged with a criminal offense, although, in the words of police spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson, “He's not out of the water yet.”

 

Louisiana residents buying used goods such as clothing, furniture and household items can no longer do so with cash, under a new state law signed by Governor Bobby Jindal on July 1. Those impacted by the law include Goodwill stores, flea markets and anyone who holds a garage sale. Pawn shops have been exempted and can continue accepting cash from customers.

 

The results of the annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government survey are in and, in an upset, a newcomer, the Office of Chief Procurement Officer (OCPO) in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has taken the title of Worst Place to Work in the U.S. Government. With a score of 37.0, it bumped aside last year’s worst, the Office of Postsecondary Education (39.7). Created in 1998, the OCPO is responsible for all of HUD’s contracted goods and services.

 

Republican Governor Nikki Haley believes the state government should express a rosy outlook on South Carolina. That’s why civil servants have been under orders since September to answer their phones with the greeting: “It’s a great day in South Carolina. How can I help you?” Two Democratic lawmakers have introduced legislation stating Haley’s greeting can only be used if: (1) the jobless rate (currently at 9.9%) drops to 5%; (2) all South Carolinians receive health insurance; and (3) goals for education funding and rural infrastructure are met.

 

The state legislature outlawed dwarf tossing in 1989. “All that [the law] does is prevent some dwarfs from getting jobs they would be happy to get,” Ritch Workman said. “In this economy, or any economy, why would we want to prevent people from getting gainful employment?” Robert Van Elten, a former president of Little People of America, told the Palm Beach Post that “The people who were thrown were alcoholics with low self-esteem. Many of them were injured. One committed suicide.”

 

“If I’m going to take money from a citizen to put into education then I’m going to take that money to create jobs,” Scott said in an interview with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “So I want that money to go to degrees where people can get jobs in this state. Is it a vital interest of the state to have more anthropologists? I don’t think so.”

 

While discussing the need to repair a bridge in the northern part of his state, Paul told FOX News that spending taxpayer dollars on pathways for bicyclists was pure “craziness.” Also, Colorado Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes said recently that Denver’s bike-sharing program was a “well-disguised” effort to turn the city into a “United Nations community.”