China Central Television, a government-sponsored broadcaster, recently aired footage purportedly of a Chinese J-10 fighter demonstrating its air-to-air combat prowess. In the clip aired over Chinese television, the fighter fires a missile at another plane, blowing it to bits. A Chinese blogger immediately recognized the footage, identifying it as a scene from the hit American film, Top Gun, in which a U.S. F-14 Tomcat shoots down an F-5, also made in the U.S.A.

 

Sick of his wife, an unidentified immigration officer in the United Kingdom placed the name of his spouse on the government’s no-fly list for suspected terrorists in order to keep her out of the country. The wife left the UK three years ago to visit her husband’s family in Pakistan, and when she attempted to fly home, authorities informed her she could not board the flight, but did not say why. Little did she know her husband had added her name to the database for potential threats.

Catholic officials have an embarrassment on their hands in Germany, where the country’s largest media company, Weltbild, produces pornography despite its 100% ownership by the church. Within Weltbild’s mammoth book catalog are about 2,500 erotic books, including such titles Anwaltshure (Lawyer’s Whore), Vögelbar (F—kable) and Schlampen-Internat (Sluts’ Boarding School).

Under a new law, witches will now have to pay 16% income tax and contribute towards health and pension programs, just like other self-employed Romanians. Witches, however, say the law is ridiculous, given how little most of them earn. A dozen witches plan to put a hex on government officials “so evil will befall them.” Astrologers, embalmers and driving instructors are also covered by the new law, although it is unclear what form of protest they might employ.

 

Known commonly as Mike Sonko (Sonko being a Swahili term meaning rich and flamboyant), Gidion Mbuvi offended older lawmakers by wearing ear studs and sunglasses. Mbuvi says he represents a younger generation and should be allowed to wear “extras” while serving in the legislative body. He did remove the earrings and shades, but the speaker of the parliament refused to withdraw the ejection.

About 300 women decided in June to withhold all sexual favors until the road leading to the next community was paved. The roadway was reportedly in such bad shape that it took half a day or longer for residents to reach the nearest hospital, resulting in unnecessary deaths. The issue is considered so important that the men of Barbacoas joined in and added a hunger strike. The “strike of crossed legs” apparently worked, as local government officials promised to begin paving on October 11.

Homicide detective Alois Mabhunu was on surveillance duty at a trade fair when he found himself urgently in need of a bathroom. Spotting the presidential loo, Mabhunu pushed his way past Robert Mugabe’s men guarding it and relieved himself. The Central Intelligence Organisation had the detective arrested the next day even though no law exists that says using Mugabe’s toilet is a crime.

 

In certain areas of Bonn where sex workers can operate legally, the city has installed Siemens-built meters labeled “Steuerticket-Automat” (tax ticket automat). Prostitutes must put six Euros a night (about $8.50) into the machines in order to patrol the sidewalks and pick up customers. In addition to providing safe zones for streetwalkers, Bonn has “Eros Centers” which consist of parking spaces separated by wood partitions that allow privacy for “johns” and their “dates.”

China’s government has had it with movies in which protagonists go back in time and fall in love. Such films have become popular lately with Chinese television watchers, leading cultural authorities to scrutinize the trendy entertainment. Spinning the way history is portrayed is serious business to the ruling Communist Party of China, which controls all media in the country. Science-fiction and fantasy are viewed with suspicion by the authorities because they may contain subtle messages that reality in present-day China is not as idyllic as the Party would like it to be perceived.