Unusual News
Southern California High Schools Plagued by Thefts of…Tubas
Demand for tubas and large brass bands that use them are behind a recent string of burglaries at high schools in Southern California.
Dozens of the bulky instruments have been stolen in recent months from areas schools, including Bell High Sch... read more
FBI Warns that People Who Use AOL at Internet Cafés Could be Terrorists
America Online users beware: If you access your AOL account from a computer at an Internet café, your name may wind up on a terrorist-watch list.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), AOL users at public computer venues are j... read more
Muslim Sales Manager Marked as Terror Suspect for Encouraging Staff to “Blow Away” Competition at New York Trade Show
In yet another case of Islamophobic terrorism hysteria, Québec, Canada, provincial police arrested a Montréal telecommunications sales manager, searched his home and detained him for more than a day, all because he sent a text message encouraging ... read more
Republican Candidates Struggle to Find Rock Music for Their Campaigns
For decades now, Republican candidates for office have had a hard time finding rock music they can use for rallies and advertisements without earning the ire of songwriters and performers. Four years ago, Jackson Browne sued Republican presidentia... read more
Pythons Battling Alligators for Control of Everglades
Unless you’re an alligator or an enormous snake, the southernmost part of the Florida Everglades is not the place to live for the rest of the animal kingdom.
Pythons and anacondas have been growing in numbers in Everglades National Park, and b... read more
Employee Loses Worker Comp after He Posted Party Photos Online
Zackery Clement pushed things a little too far with his workers compensation claim.
After sustaining a hernia injury on the job when a refrigerator he was moving in March 2009 fell on him, he was granted two years of disability benefits and me... read more
Bottom of the Barrel: Porno Company Sues Unauthorized Downloaders
An adult film company based in California has filed suit in New York to obtain the identities of individuals who illegally downloaded one of its pornography movies.
Digital Sin wants to track down at least 176 IP addresses of people who used B... read more
Irish and British Tourists Sent Home over “Threatening” Tweet
For tourists Leigh Van Bryan and Emily Bunting, their trip to the U.S. never got past the airport in Los Angeles. That’s because security officials detained the couple after some tweets from Van Bryan alarmed the Department of Homeland Security.
... read more
Arizona Judge Orders City Council Candidate off Ballot for not Speaking English Well Enough
Alejandrina Cabrera, a candidate for city council in the border town of San Luis, Arizona, has been told by a local judge she cannot run for the office in March’s primary election because she does not speak English well enough.
Yuma County Sup... read more
Where are the Missing Moon Rocks?
Since 1970 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has lost 517 Moon rocks, meteorite samples and other “astromaterials.” Some were loaned to researchers but never returned, while others were given as gifts to dignitaries, and st... read more
Florida Senate Committee Approves Bill to Forbid College Professors from Serving in Legislature
Florida State Senator John Thrasher believes professors from public universities and colleges should not be able to serve in the legislature, citing a potential conflict of interest whenever lawmakers take up bills impacting these institutions. So... read more
Small Drone Hobbyist Exposes Polluting Meat Packing Plant
Local, state and federal officials are investigating a century-old meatpacking plant in Texas after a local resident uncovered evidence using his unmanned aircraft. An unidentified man flying a small drone, appropriately called Exposure, captured ... read more
International Plan to Protect Earth from Comets and Asteroids Could Mean Billions for Contractors
Major European space contractors and space agencies recently began work on NEOShield, a three-and-a-half-year project to study how best to protect the earth from a devastating collision with an asteroid or other Near Earth Object (NEO). Although t... read more
Medical Marijuana Reduces Traffic Deaths
Legalizing marijuana for medical purposes can mean fewer drunk drivers on the road, and fewer traffic deaths, according to a new study.
Researchers from universities in Colorado, Oregon and Montana reviewed accident statistics from 1990 to 200... read more
Georgia Legislator Who Wants Welfare Recipients Drug Tested is Arrested for Drunk Driving
Republican legislator Kip Smith of Georgia, a strong supporter of drug testing for welfare recipients, was arrested late last week for driving under the influence.
According to local police, Smith's blood-alcohol level was .091. The state's le... read more
Researchers Name Horse Fly Species after Beyoncé
A rare Australian horse fly has been named after one of pop music's most glamorous stars: Beyoncé.
Although others may make light of the decision, entomologist Bryan Lessard was sincere, if not a little cheeky, when he explained why Australia'... read more