Don't Panic! Lighten Up!S


Stop

$#$%##! LA County, US tries for cuss-free week

John Rogers
Associated Press
Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:28 UTC
Pay no attention to that eerie silence in the nation's most populous county this week; it will simply be the sound of 10 million people not cussing.

At least that's the result McKay Hatch is hoping for once his campaign to clear the air is recognized by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

On Tuesday, the board is scheduled to issue a proclamation by Supervisor Michael Antonovich making the first week in March No Cussing Week.
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Grey Alien

German man calls police over 'Russian-speaking extraterrestrials'


RIA Novosti
Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:53 UTC
A man in northwest Germany called police early on Monday to report a close encounter with Russian-speaking extraterrestrials, police said.

The 40-year-old man from Gifhorn, Lower Saxony called the police at 3:30 a.m. local time [2:30 GMT] and said six extraterrestrial beings, each about 15 centimeters tall, were flying around his apartment and talking Russian.
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Play

Satire: Are Violent Video Games Adequately Preparing Children For The Apocalypse?


The Onion
Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:37 UTC

Are Violent Video Games Adequately Preparing Children For The Apocalypse?
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Pumpkin

Welsh town ends ban on Monty Python film


United Press International
Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:08 UTC
Life of Brian - Monty Python_01
Monty Python's Life of Brian, a spoof of religious movies, is to be shown openly in a Welsh town this month for the first time in 30 years.

The movie -- which tells the story of a boy born in the next stable over from Jesus Christ and ends up crucified while singing "Always look on the bright side of life" -- was banned in Aberystwyth soon after its release in 1979.

As near as anyone can remember, a committee of local religious leaders decided the film was blasphemous.
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Light Saber

Cypriots and U.N. soldiers in asparagus standoff

Michele Kambas
Reuters
Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:37 UTC
U.N. peacekeepers have upset traditional wild asparagus harvesters on the ethnically divided island of Cyprus by preventing them from entering a buffer zone to gather the tasty shoots.

U.N. soldiers, restricting access to the buffer zone which splits the island from east to west after Cyprus was divided in a Turkish invasion in 1974 triggered by a Greek-inspired coup, say they are only doing their job, but residents are livid.
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Bulb

Revealed - The secrets of belly button fluff

Patrick Sawer
UK Telegraph
Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:09 UTC
After three years of research, Georg Steinhauser, a chemist, has discovered a type of body hair that traps stray pieces of lint and draws them into the navel.

Dr Steinhauser made his discovery after studying 503 pieces of fluff from his own belly button.

Chemical analysis revealed the pieces of fluff were not made up of only cotton from clothing. Wrapped up in the lint were also flecks of dead skin, fat, sweat and dust.

Dr Steinhauser's observations showed that 'small pieces of fluff first form in the hair and then end up in the navel at the end of the day'.
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Smiley

Parrots help mute man speak again


United Press International
Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:07 UTC
parrot helps man
© Agence France-Presse/Getty Brian Wilson holds one of his rescued parrots
A former firefighter in Maryland rendered mute by a car accident says a pair of talkative pet parrots helped him regain his speech.

Brian Wilson of Damascus, Md., gives credit to the birds for their determination to keep talking to him, eventually prompting his damaged brain to respond in kind. In gratitude, Wilson says he has since rescued about 80 exotic birds, The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.
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Heart

Dog Missing 9 Years Reunited With Family


MSNBC
Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:13 UTC
A lot has happened to the Geary family since their German shepherd, Astro, disappeared from their Florida home nine years ago. They moved three times before settling in Louisville, Ky.

The family was shocked when they recently received a call from an animal control officer, who said that Astro had been found.

The family was living in Florida nine years ago and adopted the dog in Palm City. A month later, he disappeared.
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Footprints

Setting for murder


New Zealand Heald
Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:00 UTC
house
© Associated PressVisitors can see the drawing room where Agatha Christie entertained and thrilled friends with readings from her latest whodunnit.
The house has everything an Agatha Christie fan could want - except a body in the library.

The stuccoed Georgian villa where the writer spent her vacations is opening to the public for the first time after a $15 million restoration. Visitors can see the bedroom where Christie slept, the dining room where she entertained, and the drawing room where she thrilled friends with readings from her latest whodunnit.
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Mr. Potato

When a Bank Robbery is NOT a Bank Robbery


WOWT Channel 6
Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:21 UTC
Transient who robbed bank will instead face threat charge.

Roberts
© WOWT
The Lincoln bank robber who waited outside for police to come and arrest him will not be charged with bank robbery. In Lancaster County Court Wednesday, he was instead charged with making a terroristic threat.

Police say 52-year-old James Roberts walked into a branch of the Hastings State Bank branch off West O Street just after 4 p.m. Monday and handed a teller a note which read, "I have a gun, give me all your money." Then he walked out with the cash and waited for police.
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