Unusual News
Did Herman Cain Base His Tax Plan on SimCity 4?
The tax plan that has helped catapult Herman Cain into being a serious contender for the Republican presidential nomination may have originated in the video game SimCity.
Cain has proposed scrapping the current federal tax system and replacing... read more
Florida Gov. Scott Wants to Eliminate Anthropology Majors
While declaring the need to get more students to study science and engineering, Florida Governor Rick Scott said he would like to shift state funding away from some degree programs, such as anthropology.
“If I’m going to take money from a citi... read more
Saddam Lookalike Escapes from Porn Gang
Being the spitting image of Saddam Hussein has not served Mohamed Bishr well.
The Egyptian, who looks remarkably like the former Iraqi dictator, says a group of men in Alexandria tried to force him to perform in a pornographic film so they cou... read more
Tennessee Legislator Who Sponsored Guns in Bars Law Arrested for Driving Drunk with a Gun
Republican lawmaker Curry Todd of Tennessee believes a person should be able to walk into a bar or restaurant serving alcohol and bring their handgun, as long they have a permit and don’t drink.
Todd, however, was unable to live up to his own ... read more
Nuclear Materials Driver Paid to do Nothing for 3 Years
Stephen Patrick has spent the past three years collecting a paycheck from the federal government while not doing the job for which he was hired, because his supervisors can’t decide what to do with him following his professional transgressions.
... read more
Hard Sell: Japan Marketing Nuclear Reactors to Other Countries
A tough job these days is the one that officials in Japan are doing to convince overseas buyers that their nuclear reactors are a smart investment.
Despite the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March that forced more than 10... read more
Congress Gains First Gay Father
U.S. Representative Jared Polis has become the first gay member of congress to become a parent. Polis, a Democrat from Colorado, and his partner, Marlon Reis, announced the birth of their son, Caspian Julius, on October 1. It was not reported if... read more
Florida Legislator Wants to Bring Back Dwarf-Tossing
State Representative Ritch Workman of Florida (R-Melbourne) is looking out for the little people, he says, by seeking to overturn a law that bans dwarf tossing in bars.
The chucking of dwarfs was big in Florida in the 1980s, after carnival w... read more
3M Sues Philosophers over Use of “-It”
3M Co., which has made a fortune selling Post-It’s, is now suing the maker of a humorous line of sticky notes for trademark infringement. 3M insists it owns the rights to using “-Its” in products and that competing products will only confuse cus... read more
High School Homecoming Queen Kicks Winning Field Goal
Last Friday’s high school football game in the small Michigan town of Pinckney was no ordinary contest for the hometown team. The game against state-ranked Grand Blanc also was part of homecoming, and the senior voted queen really made headlines... read more
West Hollywood First City to Ban Fur
West Hollywood, California, (population: 36,000) has decided to become the first city to completely ban the sale of fur coats and any other clothing that features animal fur. The five-member city council is expected to officially adopt a measure... read more
Fat Tax Spreads from Hungary to Denmark
Europe is beginning to embrace the concept of a “fat tax” in an effort to reduce obesity and its associated health care costs. Hungary, with a 19% obesity rate, has had a special tax on candy for more than 85 years. On September 1 of this year,... read more
Two Vacancies on FBI 10 Most Wanted List
Wanted: someone to take over for a legendary mafia boss and the world’s most infamous terrorist.
The famed Ten Most Wanted list managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has two vacancies these days, now that Osama bin Laden is de... read more
Is the Word “Vagina” Now Acceptable on Network TV?
Who needs “vajayjay” when vagina is a-okay?
Gone, it seems, are the days of sexual euphemisms when referring to one’s “lady parts.” This network television season, vagina has made (or will soon make) vocal appearances on ABC, CBS and NBC.
... read more
Ig Nobel Prizes Go to Why Beetles Have Sex with Certain Beer Bottles and Why People Sigh
Observations of beer-bottle humping beetles topped the list of recipients at this year’s Ig Nobel Prizes, the event that gives scientists and others a chance to laugh at themselves and each other.
Instead of honoring great breakthroughs in sci... read more
Alabama Town’s Solution to Prison Overcrowding…Send Criminals to Church
Rather than send non-violent criminals to jail, the small Alabama town of Bay Minette (population 7,700) wants to offer church as an alternative to incarceration.
Under the city’s Operation Restore Our Community (ROC), misdemeanor offenders ca... read more