Yes, the Spook has been busy, but due to repeated PM's and some not-so-subtle hints on the subject from the peanut gallery, we are now proud to present.....
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Neko's
Offbeat News
Clips!
(Volume 5)
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"Weird News For Weird People"
****************************************Guys, Here's One For You
A new world record was set Wednesday at Sydney's Bondi Beach in Australia when 1,010 women posed for the world's largest bikini shoot.
The photo shoot, sponsored by Cosmopolitan Magazine and Venus Breeze (a brand of ladies' razor), used both volunteers and professional models to come up with the eye-catching group. Chris Sheedy, the Guinness adjudicator for the event, is quoted as saying that the shoot "was the most spectacular event I have ever witnessed. As an Australian myself, it's logical that any record involving sun, sand and surf should be held in this country." Photos were snapped by plenty of tourists, too, as they watched the ladies pose for the shot. The 'official' photo will be printed in the January edition of Cosmopolitan.
NekoNote: Please refrain from drooling on the keyboards, boys.....hey, veni-vidi-vici, you're not in there somewhere, are you?....*wonders how many PM's veni is about to receive in the next week due to that comment....*
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A New Meaning For "Potty Mouth"
With drought hitting much of the United States, many areas are facing looming water shortages. And in San Jose, California, the crisis is severe enough for officials to examine what it would take to make raw sewage pure enough to drink. According to the Division Manager of the South Bay Water Recycling Project, "This is a homegrown resource. It is the most reliable supply you can have." Officials have noted that the technology to use....er, used water is already in place in many areas, and is capable of creating water pure enough to meet California's drinking water standards. Indeed some areas in the state have proceeded with similar projects - Orange County is inaugurating a new plant in November that will purify up to 70 million gallons of waste water a day and use it to resupply the area's aquifiers. However, in other areas the plan is being labeled "from toilet to tap" and meeting with a large public outcry.
"What we don't want to end up with is what's happened in other areas where you have fear and politics cause a backlash," said Keith Whitman, water supply manager for the Santa Clara Valley.
NekoNote: Aw, c'mon, just cut out the middle man....I think I'll start taking baths in Evian, thank you very much.
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Nerds For Sale!
In a brave effort to increase female enrollment (and possibly to score with a few sorority girls), the largest computer club on the campus of Washington State is planning on holding a Nerd Auction. On the Web site of Linux User's Group President Ben Ford posted "You can buy a nerd and he'll fix your computer, help you with your stats homework, or if you're really adventurous, take you to dinner!"
The beginnings of the funky auction began during a drive to enroll more female members into computer science programs. A public relations cla$$ was drafted into studying the dynamics of the Linux group. After examining information from group surveys and interviews, the PR group decided "they need to promote themselves better...they made suggestions to work with specific groups such as sororities. Sorority groups tend to have a very good social network."
Despite initial skepticism from Ford (who admittedly thought they were joking), he began to promote the idea to the club. "The problem is, we're still nerds. Let's face it, guys, if anybody's gonna bid on us we're going to need some spicing up. And who better to help with that than sorority girls who like nothing better than a makeover?"
"Here's the current plan: We'll choose a handful of brave nerds to take one for the team. The girls get to have their way with them and we'll document each makeover. We'll make a snazzy video and show it over dinner, After the dinner, we'll auction off the now-studly nerds." The auction is to be open to the general student population and co-sponsored by a sorority, but so far no sororities have expressed any interest in participating.
NekoNote: Really, girls, how could you? Just look at those soulful eyes peering out around the masking tape....how his pocket protector's sagging....how...um....er, think I'll go wash my hair now......I need more Evian....
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Reins Are For Wimps
The coach of the Oklahoma City Blazers, a minor-league hockey team, helped prevent a potential stampede of Belgian horses by grabbing one of the animals and biting its ear. Doug Sauter, head coach for the Blazers, was attending the Centennial Expo's Draft Horse Show when he saw one of the Belgian horses become panicky and break loose from its reins. The spooked horse quickly started a chain reaction with the other animals. Belgian horses on average weigh approximately one ton (2,000 pounds or about 907 kilograms), so a stampede of these animals was serious business. In an attempt to stop several animals from running, Sauter grabbed one lead horse and bit its ear.
"That's how you stymie a horse. You bite as hard as you can, and it won't move," he said.
Sauter only takes credit as one of many people who worked to stop the Belgians and offer assistance. He also helped to remove a cart that toppled onto an unidentified 62-year-old woman who was later taken to a local hospital "in serious condition'.
NekoNote: Now why isn't it surprising it was a HOCKEY coach? Dude, I think you still have some horse ear on your lip!
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Half A Home Is Better Than None
In Hillsboro, Ohio, 66-year-old Rodney Rogers thought his friend was building a house for him, even to the point where he was living in it while it was under construction. But when the acquiantence reneged on the sale, Rogers became furious. And to demonstrate his ire, he used a power saw to make a lateral cut approximately chest height through the walls and siding all around the house. According to Highland County Sherriff Roland Ward, the only thing holding the top half of the house up "is gravity." The owners have not yet determined a dollar value to the damage, and Rogers remains free pending his court date Thursday.
NekoNote: He must have wanted a split-level home.
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The Devil, You Say!
When a man in Melbourne, Australia recently tried to register his 5-year-old son for enrollment at a Catholic school, he was told that he would not be allowed to enroll unless he changed his child's name. It wasn't the boy's first name - Max - that was the problem, but the family surname...Hell, which in German means bright.
The angry father, Alex Hell, refused to do so and finally the somewhat embarrassed parish priest relented, but the damage was done. "Why would you want to go there after being victimized?" the 45-year-old father complained. The family is currently looking into moving to a new area to find a more accomodating Catholic school.
NekoNote: I can relate to having an awkward last name. My maiden name was HALL, and for some reason people always walked around at Christmas singing about how they wanted to deck me....
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For Richer Or For Poorer....
After six months of dating, 30-year-old Jake Lacunski was ready to pop the question to his girl, 24-year-old Mami Nagase. Picking a romantic, moonlit spot at a gazebo in New York's Central Park, he got down on one knee and proposed to Ms. Nagase, who happily agreed to marry him. No sooner were the words out of her mouth when a gunman jumped out of the nearby shrubbery and yelled, "Give me your money and get on the ground!"
The robber took a Rolex from Miss Nagase, and $125 from Lacunski (who was planning on using the money for a celebratory dinner at an expensive French restaurant), but fortunately not the engagement ring - Lacunski was able to slip it off his lady's finger before they were forced to lie on the ground. The couple then celebrated their engagement by looking at mug shots at the local police station while sharing a bag of potato chips.
Despite the rocky start, the couple still plan on getting married. "It makes a pretty good story for our anniversary," Lacunski said, and points out the evening could have gone even worse....she might have said "no".
NekoNote: I'd question the wisdom of marrying someone who thought Central Park at night was a good idea.
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Vicious Bunnynappers Steal Preschooler's Pet
In Spokane, Washington, animal rights activists stole a pet rabbit named Sugar Bunny from the Community Building Children's Center and left in its place a flier protesting cruelty to animals.
The fliers, which bore the names of People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals and the Northwest Animal Rights Network, expressed protests against the Ringling Brother's Circus, which was in town that weekend, and featured a picture of a bear attempting to escape from its cage. Local PETA spokesperson/director Daphna Nachminovitch spoke out against the bunny-napping, stating "Just like dogs and cats, (rabbits) have been domesticated, so we encourage people who have the knowledge and the ability to adopt rabbits from their local shelters."
The preschool children gathered in a circle Monday to remember their pet, while teachers explained that some people have different ideas about animals, and don't believe they should live in cages.
"Somebody stoled him," said one 5-year-old. "I'm sad."
NekoNote: Okay, imagine these animal activists...."Hey guys, do we go rescue this 400-pound bear from his cage, or do we break into a preschool and liberate Mr. Sugar Bunny?" *Unanimous hands raised for bunny*
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My apologies to you guys, for the VERY late offering! Luckily it looks like I'll be back on a normal work schedule soon. Thanks to all of you that pestered me to death about my blogging, it's nice to know you find me that entertaining!
Thanks for stopping by - and please leave your comments below! ;)