Unusual News

Man Sues after Losing Leg to Falling Crucifix

On May 30, 2010, David Jimenez was cleaning Christ’s face with soapy water when the marbled statue came loose and knocked him to the ground. The crucifix then landed on his right leg, crushing it so badly that doctors had to amputate. Jimenez was cleaning the crucifix on a voluntarily basis. He offered to do so after he prayed for his wife, Delia, to recover from ovarian cancer, which she did. read more

Researcher Says Great Britain has Invaded all but 22 Countries

A new book from historian Stuart Laycock says that over the course of British imperialism, the empire invaded nearly 90% of the 193 countries that are currently members of the United Nations and two others (Kosovo and Vatican City) which are not UN members but are recognized by the government of the United Kingdom. Only 22 nations were spared, according to Laycock, a group that includes Guatemala, Luxembourg, Tajikistan and the Marshall Islands. read more

Romney Suffers Worst Home State Defeat Since John Frémont in 1856

Romney’s home-state defeat was the worst since Republican John C. Frémont, who in 1856 received only 18.8% of the vote in his home state of California. Fremont didn’t even place second, finishing behind Democrat James Buchanan and former president Millard Fillmore, who ran for the American Party. The third-biggest home state loss took place in 1920 when Democrat James Cox of Ohio lost the state by 19.9% to Warren Harding. However, Harding was also from Ohio. read more

Auctioned Titanic Officer Notes Tell How Plea for More Lifeboats Was Rebuffed

Before embarking on its tragic maiden voyage, the Titanic should have been equipped with 50% more lifeboats, according to newly disclosed documents from the ship’s safety officer. But the officer, Maurice Clarke, decided not to press the issue with the Titanic’s owners because he feared that to do so would have cost him his job. read more

An Elephant Never Forgets, and Now He Can Talk About It

Koshik, a 22-year-old Asian elephant in South Korea, has astonished biologists with his ability to mimic human speech. Researchers from the University of Vienna reported in the journal Current Biology that Koshik can say a variety of Korean words, including “hello,” “sit down,” “no,” “lie down” and “good.” read more

Federal Court Sides with Louisiana Monks who Sell Caskets

The monks have continued to build caskets while the case has worked its way through the courts, selling an average of 20 per month at $1,500 to $2,000 each. Made of cypress and considered biodegradable, the caskets come in two styles, traditional and monastic. read more

Can Having Sex on a School Trip be Classified as “Disorderly Conduct?”

Anders Hemdal traveled to Spain and Morocco with other members of his Spanish Club, during which he had consensual sex with his girlfriend in a hotel room in Casablanca. The act was caught on cellphone video by a third student who shared the images with others, which prompted Hemdal and his parents to contact school officials for help. Instead of getting help, Hemdal was suspended. School officials said his sexual activity amounted to “disorderly conduct.” read more

16 Federal Crimes with a Statute of Limitations

1. Tax crimes—6 years 2. Securities and commodities fraud—6 years 3. Damage to religious property—7 years 4. Nuclear materials offenses—8 years 5. Kidnapping of a member of Congress, the Supreme Court or the president’s cabinet—8 years 6. Damaging certain computers—8 years 7. Murder of foreign officials or official guests—8 years 8. Torture by a law enforcement officer—8 years read more

640-Year-Old Bank Downgraded to Junk Status

Founded twenty years before Christopher Columbus sailed for the New World, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena is 118 years older than the world’s second oldest bank, Berenberg Bank of Germany. read more

Billionaire Uses Chain Letter to Threaten Firing Employees if Obama is Re-Elected

Billionaire developer David Siegel has made it clear to his employees who they should support for president, if they want to remain employed. Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate Resorts, sent an email modeled on a chain letter to his 7,000 workers warning them that another four years of the Obama administration might destroy his company. read more

Indigent Man Held in Prison 5 Years―Before Going to Trial―Because of Louisiana Budget Woes

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether it was constitutional for Louisiana to take five years to try an indigent man for murder because it lacked the funds to pay for a court-appointed attorney. read more

Waste from Production of M&Ms Turns Local Honey Blue

Beekeepers first noticed a problem when they discovered their honey turning shades of blue and green. An investigation by the beekeepers revealed the bees were getting into M&M waste at Agrivalor. Presumably, the coloring came from the multicolored shells that encase M&Ms. read more

Tennessee Probation and Parole Board Claimed to be Monitoring 82 People Who were Actually Dead

One parolee had died more than 19 years ago. Another, who died in October 2011, was described as “bedridden at home” in five separate reports after he had died. Amazing as it may seem, the auditors concluded that “there is risk that the PPO [probation and parole officer] was not actually verifying the offenders’ placement and simply entering the same information month after month.” read more

23 Other Presidential Candidates on the Ballot in at Least One State

The contest for the presidency of the United States is being fought by two candidates, the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama, and the Republican challenger, Mitt Romney. However, there are actually 23 other candidates who have qualified for the presidential ballot in at least one state. read more

Study Shows People Who Look at Photos of Cute Animals Perform Tasks Better

The researchers found the age of the animal does matter. Not only did participants who looked at pictures of cute baby animals outperform those who didn’t, they also outperformed people who looked at pictures of adult animals. Viewing pictures of pleasant-looking foods did not improve performance. read more

In Test Case, Animal Shelter that Killed Pet Dog Sued for “Sentimental” Damage

During a thunderstorm, their 8-year-old Labrador mix, Avery, escaped from the couple’s backyard and was picked up by animal control. Jeremy went to the Fort Worth Animal Care and Control shelter to pick up Avery, but did not have enough cash on hand to pay the fee. He was told that a “hold for owner” tag would be put on Avery and he could pick up the dog a few days later. But when the Medlens returned, the shelter had already killed Avery. read more