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AU: Physicist spots dictionary error


United Press International
Wed, 12 May 2010 14:06 UTC
An Australian physicist said publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary agreed to fix a 99-year-old definition error he discovered during research.

Dr. Stephen Hughes of the University of Technology in Brisbane said he was researching an article for science teachers when he discovered an error in the definition of "siphon," The Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

He said the definition falsely claims siphons work due to atmospheric pressure when it is actually gravity that performs the function.
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Smiley

UK: Pig received voter registration reminder


United Press International
Wed, 12 May 2010 13:52 UTC
Pig oink_01
© PopArtUK
A British woman said her pet pig received a letter from officials encouraging it to register to vote in the general election.

Pauline Grant, 73, of Uckfield, England, said her pig, Blossom, receives several pieces of junk mail each month due to a Land Registry error when her building was renovated two years ago and the animal recently received a notice reminding her to register to vote in last week's election, The Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.
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Mr. Potato

Massachusetts, US: Church to Offer Worship Services for Dogs


The Associated Press
Wed, 05 May 2010 16:05 UTC
A Massachusetts church is scheduled to launch a new monthly worship service - for dogs.

Calvary Episcopal Church will offer later this month its first "Perfect Paws Pet Ministry" aimed at giving area pooches and their owners improved odds at getting canines into heaven.

The Danvers church plans to hold the service on the third Sunday of every month, complete with communion for the humans and special blessings for pets. Dogs will get special treats.

Church officials said well-mannered, leashed dogs are invited. People can submit a paper prayer if their pets are sick, not good around other dogs or deceased. Prayers can also be offered for other types of pets.
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Mr. Potato

Massachusetts, US: Lord Jesus Christ Hit by Car


The Associated Press
Fri, 07 May 2010 08:34 UTC
The victim might have forgiven the woman who ran him down in a Massachusetts crosswalk, but police haven't.

Police say a Pittsfield woman has been cited for running down a man named Lord Jesus Christ as he crossed a street in Northampton on Tuesday.

The 50-year-old man is from Belchertown. Officers checked his ID and discovered that, indeed, his legal name is Lord Jesus Christ. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor facial injuries.

Police say 20-year-old Brittany Cantarella was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
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Mr. Potato

South Korean Woman Earns Driver's License on 960th Try


The Associated Press
Thu, 06 May 2010 07:51 UTC
A South Korean woman who earned a driver's license after 960 tries is ready to buy a car and get behind the wheel.

Yonhap news agency reported Thursday that 69-year-old Cha Sa-soon passed the driving part of the test last month on her 10th try. South Korea requires a written test first, and Cha took it nearly daily since April 2005 before passing last year.

Yonhap quoted her as saying she wanted to buy a small secondhand car to visit her son and daughter and for her business selling vegetables.

Repeated calls seeking comment from her went unanswered.
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People

Massachusetts, US: Woman with No Arms Preparing for Black Belt


The Associated Press
Tue, 04 May 2010 21:19 UTC
Image
© AP Photo/Mark LorenzSheila Radziewicz uses her nunchucks during taekwondo class at McCorry's Martial Arts Studio.
A Massachusetts woman who was born without arms or kneecaps is preparing to test for her black belt in taekwondo. Sheila Radziewicz was scheduled to take her test next month at Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts in Peabody.

The 32-year-old brown belt, who was born with thrombocytopenia-absent radius, or TAR syndrome, told The Salem News she's been training in martial arts for three years.

McCorry, her teacher, said he's never seen a student like Radziewicz. Despite her condition, she can use nunchucks and break boards with her kicks.

The Salem resident, who works as an advocate for victims of domestic violence, said she has never let her disability stop her. At 23, Radziewicz earned her driver's license.
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Pumpkin

Satire: Goldman Sachs Reveals it Shorted Gulf of Mexico

Andy Borowitz
Huffington Post
Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:13 UTC
Image
© UnknownDeepwater Horizon before the 'accident'
New York - In what is looming as another public relations predicament for Goldman Sachs, the banking giant admitted today that it made "a substantial financial bet against the Gulf of Mexico" one day before the sinking of an oil rig in that body of water.

The new revelations came to light after government investigators turned up new emails from Goldman employee Fabrice "Fabulous Fab" Tourre in which he bragged to a girlfriend that the firm was taking a "big short" position on the Gulf.

"One oil rig goes down and we're going to be rolling in dough," Mr. Tourre wrote in one email. "Suck it, fishies and birdies!"

The news about Goldman's bet against the Gulf comes on the heels of embarrassing revelations that the firm had taken a short position on Lindsay Lohan's acting career.
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Pumpkin

Australia: Real Life Spiderman Catches Comic Book Thief


The Daily Mail
Mon, 03 May 2010 09:48 UTC
Image
© CCTVComic book store owner Michael Baulderstone was captured on CCTV dressed as Spiderman catching a thief
It's every comic book fan's fantasy to become a real life superhero and fight crime, and for one man this actually became a reality as he caught a book thief in his own store while dressed in a Spiderman suit.

Michael Baulderstone defended his comic book kingdom in Adelaide, Australia, by nabbing a would-be shoplifter who was trying to swipe an X-Men omnibus worth £97.

He might not have been able to shoot webs from his wrists to catch the bad guy but his 'spider-sense' led him to rush over and confront the culprit, while other comic fans dressed as Jedi knights blocked his exit.

The store, Comic Centre, had about 40 people dressed as their favourite superheroes to celebrate International Free Comic Day on Saturday and Baulderstone's business partner Peter Spandrio was also standing watch during the incident, dressed as The Flash.
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Bug

Michigan, US: Buzz Off! Thousands of Bees Cling to SUV


The Associated Press
Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:21 UTC
A beekeeper came to the rescue after a sport utility vehicle was swarmed by thousands of bees. Tanya Young of Hudsonville told The Grand Rapids Press her husband called Thursday to let her know that the bees had made the front bumper of her Honda their new home. She said she thought it was a joke.

The bees rattled the nerves of some neighborhood residents, who kept children indoors and shut windows. The bees had been living in a nearby tree, but it's unclear why they decided to swarm the SUV.

Beekeeper Jim Zoerner was called to help collect them. He and a colleague worked for about an hour and collected the bees in a wooden box hive.
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Cow

Einstein Horse: Smallest Horse in the whole world!

Ria Ventwood
Gwabble
Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:14 UTC
Image
Einstein Horse is the world smallest horse living in planet Earth. In the photo below, you'll see four-year-old boy Garrett Mullen watching Einstein, the three-day-old pinto stallion that is considered as the world's smallest horse. Einstein weighs just around 6 pounds and has a height of 14 inches during his birth. Einstein was born last Friday in Barnstead, New Hampshire.

Judy Smith is the breeder of Einstein. She takes care of the world's smallest horse at Tiz A Miniature Horse Farm. Judy said that when Einstein was born, she thought that the pinto stallion was dead, but lo and behold, the small creature made it and survived and now the world is waiting for the confirmation of Einsteins claim of becoming the world's smallest horse. Einstein would potentially beat the previous record holder Thumbelina, a chestnut mare, who is currently 17.5 inches tall.
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