Odd News... December 2010

[Bungleau]

It's beginning to eel a lot like Christmas TOKYO (Reuters) – An aquarium in Japan is shocking visitors with its Christmas display -- using an eco-friendly electric eel to illuminate the lights on its holiday tree. Each time the eel moves, two aluminum panels gather enough electricity to light up the 2-meter (6 ft 6 in) tall tree, decked out in white, in glowing intermittent flashes. The aquarium in Kamakura, just south of Tokyo, has featured the electric eel for five years to encourage ecological sensitivity. This year, it added a Santa robot that sings and dances when visitors stomp on a pad. "We first decided to get an electric eel to light up a Christmas tree and its top ornament using its electricity," said Kazuhiko Minawa, on the public relations team for the Enoshima Aquarium. "As electric eels use their muscles when generating a charge, we also thought to get humans to use their muscles to light up parts of the tree and power Santa." Visitor Sumie Chiba was fascinated with the display but questioned the practicality of eel energy for domestic use. "If this was possible, I think it's very nice and extremely eco-friendly," she said. (Reporting by Chris Meyers; editing by Elaine Lies)

That would be impressive to see... and gives me a little more respect for 'em. I thought they had to decide to zap, like a skunk decides to spray. Didn't realize it just happened...

[Bungleau]

Wet floor foils Aussie streaker's European tour BERLIN (Reuters Life!) – Caught in the buff, a drunken 19-year-old Australian man led German police on a chase through Munich's main train station late Wednesday before slipping on a wet floor where he was later apprehended unhurt. The Sydney native wore only his shoes and held his underwear in his hand during the chase in freezing temperatures, a spokesman for the Bavarian state police said. The teenager quickly changed into his underwear once he fell and police later covered him in a blanket. During questioning the teenager told police that he was carrying out a bet with friends that he could travel through Europe naked. The Bavarian capital was the 11th city on his tour and the first in which he was caught out, according to police. "I simply like to be naked," the police spokesman quoted him as saying. The Australian teenager was fined 100 euros ($132). (Writing by Eric Kelsey; editing by Paul Casciato)

Hmmm... not quite sure what to say. Most drunken bar bets don't last this long, and neither do most youthful infatuation things.

Although I do wonder where he was carrying his wallet to pay that fine...

[VulcanRider]

From News of the Weird:

In Wayne, N.J., hospital pharmacy manager Leonardo Zoppa, 34, was summoned to a meeting with the hospital's security director but arrived noticeably nervous, inquired about the agenda, and eventually volunteered that it was he who had set up that secret surveillance camera in a men's rest room -- and that he has "a problem." The security director said he was taken aback because the only purpose of the meeting was to advise Zoppa of routine security code changes. [Star-Ledger, 11-11-10]

Kinda reminds me of Jeff Foxworthy's advice to husbands: "Keep your mouth shut until you find out what they're talking about. Ain't no use confessing to something they don't know about."

[VulcanRider]

Rapper Kurtis Blow caught with marijuana

Count Kurtis Blow as someone else who may not be too happy with the new airport security policies. The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to CNN that the legendary rapper was caught with marijuana at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday after a security screening. “Kurtis Blow Walker was cited by Los Angeles Airport Police at approximately 5:45 a.m. December 2, 2010 at Terminal 7 while undergoing TSA security screening,” said a statement released by police. “Walker was cited for violation of California Health and Safety Code 11357 (b), misdemeanor possession of less than 28.5 grams of marijuana and released.” Well, like his hit song from the 1980s says, “these are the breaks.”

This is news? A bigger headline would be "Rapper caught WITHOUT marijuana"

[Bungleau]

I'll call it odd news... an impressive flash mob:

[Bungleau]

"Jigsaw expert" saves man's shredded cash TAIPEI (Reuters) – A Taiwan forensic scientist nicknamed the "jigsaw expert" has helped one fortunate man recover cash he accidentally shredded, piecing together the remains of 200 bills in just seven days. The man, surnamed Lin, dropped a bag containing T$200,000 ($6,600) in T$1,000 bills into his plastics factory's shredding machine last month. With the help of a local official, Lin had the shredded notes passed on to the forensics division of the Justice Ministry's special investigations unit, which offers a free service repairing damaged cash. There 30-year veteran forensic scientist Liu Hui-fen put all the notes back together in seven days, a task, she was quoted as saying, that was "difficult" and "required patience." A ministry official told Reuters on Thursday that the unit receives about 250 cases of damaged notes each year after fires or similar incidents, and attempts to repair as many as possible free of charge. The central bank has determined that the notes have been sufficiently restored to its requirement for three-quarter completeness, and will return the cash to the lucky Mr. Lin. ($1=30.10 Taiwan Dollar) (Reporting by Jonathan Standing;editing by Elaine Lies)

That's impressive... and proof that some of the things that happen on CSI can happen in real life too

I'm thinking I would have at least tipped the Jigsaw Puzzler, though...

[Bungleau]

Odd? No. Neat? Yeah.



Ipads rock. Who knew?

*edit* And I'd really like to see that drum app in action...

[Blind_Prophet]

Originally Posted by Bungleau That would be impressive to see... and gives me a little more respect for 'em. I thought they had to decide to zap, like a skunk decides to spray. Didn't realize it just happened...

I'm gonna have to go see it this weekend sounds pretty neat.

[Bungleau]

Originally Posted by Blind_Prophet I'm gonna have to go see it this weekend sounds pretty neat.

I expect pictures, possibly video, and a full report

[Blind_Prophet]

Originally Posted by Bungleau I expect pictures, possibly video, and a full report

I'll try and take a video and some pics i'll post them