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Syringe

Moses was high on drugs: Israeli researcher

High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week.

Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.

Bizarro Earth

Student gets rich staying in bed

A Dutch student has come up with the ultimate way of making easy money - by staying in bed.

Yde Van Deutekom, 22, from Zoetermeer, is selling advertising on a website featuring a webcam showing him in bed.

Image
©slapendrijk.nl

Coffee

Woman jailed for tea-pot worshipping

A woman has been jailed in Malaysia for joining a "tea-pot worshipping" cult.

Kamariah Ali, a 57 year old former teacher, was arrested in 2005 when the government of the Muslim majority country demolished the two storey high sacred tea pot of the Sky Kingdom cult.

For the sect, which emphasised ecumenical dialogue between religions, the tea pot symbolized the purity of water and "love pouring from heaven".

Image
©westernresistance.com

Ambulance

Paraglider stuck in tree with chihuahua

An Australian man had to be rescued after he got stuck 200ft up a tree while paragliding with his pet chihuahua.

Roses

Iran court orders 'stingy' husband to buy 124,000 roses: report

An Iranian court has ordered a man to buy his wife 124,000 roses after she filed a complaint against her "stingy" husband to claim her dowry, a press report said on Monday.

"After 10 years of marriage Hengameh had decided to claim her dowry of 124,000 red roses to punish her very stingy husband," the Etemad newspaper said.

"Shortly after marriage I realised that Shahin was very cheap. He even refused to pay for my coffee if we went to a cafe or restaurant," said the woman, identified only by her first name Hengameh.

Pistol

Washington state detectives say man asked friend to shoot him in the arm so he could skip work

Pasco, Washington - What happened to faking a cough?

Sheriff's detectives in Franklin County, Washington, say a man had his friend shoot him in the shoulder so he wouldn't have to go to work.

Key

Five Year-Old Boy Steals Car

A five-year-old Czech boy stole his parents' car and drove it for a mile before crashing into a wall.

Heart

Paternal dog Billy takes on an unusual kid

A paternal dog has adopted an abandoned baby goat as his surrogate child.

Billy the boxer has become the constant companion of the 12-day old kid called Lilly. He sleeps with the goat, licks her clean, and protects her from any dangers at Pennywell Farm wildlife centre at Buckfastleigh, near Totnes, Devon.

Billy and Lilly
Billy and Lilly have formed a close bond

Bulb

Egyptian nine-year-old may be admitted to university

A nine-year-old Egyptian boy, dubbed "Mr Calculator" by his family and friends for his amazing ability with calculations, may be admitted to Cairo University, local media said.

This week Mahmoud Wael is meeting with the Egyptian education minister who will make a decision on whether to admit him to the university, the Al-Ahram daily said.

Mahmoud, who was acknowledged a wunderkind by teachers and officials at the age of four, can work out the most complicated calculations in a matter of seconds.

The boy learnt the multiplication table orally before he could read. He learnt English in three months, and now has advanced French and German.

Image
©Mohamed Wassim

Bizarro Earth

Australia: No birthday calls led to siege

A man who held police at bay during a 12-hour siege west of Brisbane because no-one called on his birthday has been jailed for six months.

Ashley Martin Hurst, 32, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane District Court to three counts of serious assault and one count of going armed in public so as to cause fear.

Judge Helen O'Sullivan today said Hurst's actions at an Ipswich residence warranted imprisonment, as he had caused great distress to the police, who he had tried to provoke into killing him.

"In my view the circumstances warrant a custodial sentence," Judge O'Sullivan said.