Obama's Host Dies from 'Flu-Like Symptoms'

Seeded on Mon Apr 27, 2009 5:01 PM EDT (Independent.co.uk)

According to alarming reports from Mexico City, Felipe Solis, a distinguished archaeologist who showed Mr Obama around the city's anthropology museum during his visit to Mexico earlier this month, died the next day from "flu-like symptoms".

flu, obama, mexico-city, world-news, influenza, swine-flu, felipe-solis

Man Launches Campaign to Legally Marry Cartoon Characters

Seeded on Thu Oct 30, 2008 12:11 PM EDT (Metro.co.uk)

A man has launched a campaign in Japan to legally allow comic book-loving humans to marry their favourite fictitious characters. More than 1,000 people have signed Taichi Taka@!$%#a's on-line petition to establish a law permitting marriage to comic characters, according to The Da …

japan, marriage, odd-news, anime, comic-book, manga

Pokemon Helps 14-Year-Old Understand Financial Crisis

Seeded on Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:36 AM EDT (BygoneBureau.com)

Kevin: Imagine that I let you borrow $50, but in exchange for my generosity, you promise to pay me back the $50 with an extra $10 in interest. To make sure you pay me back, I take your Charizard Pokémon card as collateral. Olivia: Kevin, I don't play Pokémon anymore.

money, odd-news, default, pokemon, financial-crisis

Australian Spider Photographed Eating Bird

Seeded on Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:07 AM EDT (Telegraph)

Photographs of a giant spider eating a bird in an Australian garden have stunned wildlife experts. The pictures show the spider with its long black legs wrapped around the body of a dead bird suspended in its web.

australia, bird, odd-news, spider, orb-weaver, bird-eating-spider

The Win of Fail

Seeded on Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:07 PM EDT (Slate)

When Ben Bernanke and Henry Paulson testified before the Senate banking committee last month about Paulson's proposed bailout bill, a demonstrator in the audience held up an 8.5-by-11 piece of paper with one word scrawled on it in block letters: "FAIL." Earlier in September, Sara …

win, odd-news, meme, fail, lol, epic-fail

Dow Plummets Below 10,000

Seeded on Mon Oct 6, 2008 11:07 AM EDT (CNN)

Stocks tumbled Monday, with the Dow Jones industrial average falling below 10,000 for the first time in nearly four years, as European governments' rush to prop up failing financial firms underscored the global reach of the credit crunch.

dow, wall-street, credit, stocks, money, investment, us-news, bailout

House Rejects Bailout Bill; Stocks Plunge

Seeded on Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:18 PM EDT (The New York Times)

The Dow Jones industrials dropped suddenly on Monday afternoon after the bailout plan being voted on by the House of Representatives failed to pass.

business, congress, wall-street, house, bailout

Man Arrested for Hugging Officer

Seeded on Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:11 AM EDT (Iowa News, Des Moines, Iowa News, Weather, and Sports - KCCI Channel 8)

An Iowa City man who thought a police officer just "needed a hug" faces several charges, including assault on a peace officer and public intoxication.

arrest, assault, odd-news, officer, hug

McCain Wins Debate! (Paid for by McCain-Palin 2008)

Seeded on Fri Sep 26, 2008 12:31 PM EDT (The Washington Post)

Although the fate of tonight's presidential debate in Mississippi remains very much up in the air, John McCain has apparently already won it -- if you believe an Internet ad an astute reader spotted next to this piece in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal this morning.

campaign, debate, ad, politics, mccain, election-2008

How We Became the United States of France

Seeded on Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:12 PM EDT (TIME)

This is the state of our great republic: We've nationalized the financial system, taking control from Wall Street bankers we no longer trust.

wall-street, taxes, politics, government, finances, regulation, nationalization

Texting While Driving Worse than Driving Drunk or High

Seeded on Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:22 PM EDT (The Age)

A study of young drivers aged between 17 and 24 found their chances of being involved in a crash increased significantly if they were writing, reading or even ignoring text messages while behind the wheel.

drunk, accident, health, marijuana, driving, alcohol, cannabis, texting

Winnie-the-Pooh on the Attack in Japan!

Seeded on Fri Sep 5, 2008 4:40 PM EDT (Mainichi Daily News)

Authorities are on the hunt for a bear after it appeared in an elderly couple's home, apparently trying to reach a honey-filled bees' nest.

japan, bear, odd-news, honey

Man Seeks Tax Refund, Says He is Citizen of Heaven, not U.S.

Seeded on Fri Sep 5, 2008 11:33 AM EDT (The Des Moines Register)

A Marion man, who allegedly claims to be a citizen of heaven rather than a U.S. Citizen, has been charged in federal court in Cedar Rapids with making a false claim on his taxes.

iowa, taxes, heaven, odd-news, citizenship, marion, tax-refund

Gustav May Overwhelm New Orleans Defenses, Experts Say

Seeded on Fri Aug 29, 2008 4:26 PM EDT (National Geographic)

As tropical storm Gustav continues its trek toward the U.S. Gulf Coast today—the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's Louisiana landfall—experts doubt New Orleans's levees can handle a direct hit from a major hurricane.

new-orleans, tropical, hurricane, weather, gulf, louisiana, levee, us-news, gustav

Local Meteorologist Receives Trouser Snake

Seeded on Fri Aug 8, 2008 4:28 PM EDT (Iowa News, Des Moines, Iowa News, Weather, and Sports - KCCI Channel 8)

KCCI-TV Meteorologist Kurtis Gertz got quite a surprise during a live broadcast from the Iowa State Fair on Thursday when a snake slithered up his pants. Alternate video link (since the embedded doesn't always work)

iowa, python, snake, odd-news, iowa-state-fair, kcci

The 2008 Hiroshima Peace Declaration

Seeded on Wed Aug 6, 2008 1:47 PM EDT (Mainichi Daily News)

Another August 6, and the horrors of 63 years ago arise undiminished in the minds of our hibakusha, whose average age now exceeds 75.

japan, nuclear-weapons, world-news, hiroshima, disarm, tadatoshi-akiba

Part-Time Employee Throws Temper Tantrum, Awarded $8,000

Seeded on Fri Aug 1, 2008 3:35 PM EDT (The Des Moines Register)

A part-time worker at United Parcel Service who threw a temper tantrum and broke his hand by striking a UPS trailer and boxes has been awarded workers compensation and medical expenses totaling nearly $8,000.

odd-news, benefits, ups, workers-comp, tantrum

Former Power Ranger Star Attempts to Saw Off His Manhood

Seeded on Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:03 AM EDT (LiveNews.com.au)

A former star of the television show Power Rangers, has tried to chop off his manhood with a razor blade while awaiting trial for a double murder.

odd-news, murder, manhood, power-rangers, skylar-deleon

Want Some Gas with that A$$? - Brothel Offers Customers Fuel Rebate

Seeded on Wed Jul 9, 2008 1:43 PM EDT (Reuters)

A Nevada brothel is trying to stimulate business by offering free gasoline.

gas, fuel, odd-news, nevada, brothel, free-gas

Seken the Head: The Role of Society in a Killer's Rampage

Seeded on Tue Jul 1, 2008 4:14 PM EDT (Japan Times)

'The clicking sound of my cell phone echoes emptily in my room. . . . If only I had a girlfriend, I wouldn't have to live so miserably.'

japan, society, world-news, akihabara, seken, tomohiro-kato

Iran Digging 320,000 Graves for Future Invaders

Seeded on Tue Jul 1, 2008 4:07 PM EDT (xinhuanet)

A senior Iranian military official said on Sunday the Islamic republic is digging some 320,000 graves in its border provinces for future slain invaders, Iran's English-language satellite channel Press TV reported.

iran, graves, world-news, invade

Olympic Athlete to Be Cast in Hundreds of Pounds of Butter

Seeded on Tue Jul 1, 2008 2:59 PM EDT (The Des Moines Register)

First bronze, now butter. Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, whose likeness is being cast in bronze for the Iowa Hall of Pride, will be sculpted in a more gooey medium in August at the Iowa State Fair.

iowa, gymnastics, us-news, butter, iowa-state-fair, shawn-johnson, sarah-pratt, butter-cow

Iowa Senator Takes the Floor...to Rip on Closing Convenience Store

Seeded on Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:42 PM EDT (The Des Moines Register)

A decision by Kwik Star to close the only convenience store in flood-ravaged New Hartford has upset a prominent member of the community - Sen. Charles Grassley. The Iowa Republican took to the floor of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday night to lambaste the convenience store chain.

senate, iowa, flood, tornado, us-news, grassley, new-hartford, kwik-star

High School Students Make Pact to Get Pregnant

Seeded on Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:38 PM EDT (TIME)

As summer vacation begins, 17 girls at Gloucester High School are expecting babies—more than four times the number of pregnancies the 1,200-student school had last year. Some adults dismissed the statistic as a blip.

us-news, pregnancy, massachusetts, high-school, teen-pregnancy

Court Overturns Father's Grounding of 12-Year-Old Daughter

Seeded on Thu Jun 19, 2008 12:31 PM EDT (CBC)

A father plans to appeal after a Quebec court ruled that he didn't have the right to punish his 12-year-old daughter by banning her from a school trip.

canada, quebec, world-news, discipline, parenting, grounding

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