Category: Bizarre

Student Disqualified As Class President After Campaign Speech With Trump References

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Trump Administration Tosses New Rule Protecting Whales Despite Support From The Fishing Industry For The Rule

President Donald Trump has pledged to reduce red tape and regulations for businesses in the United States.  It is a worthy goal, but it has led to some curious decisions.  For example, the Administration just tossed  a new rule intended to limit the numbers of endangered whales and sea turtles getting caught in fishing nets.  This rule however was supported by the fishing industry.  Thus, this was a rare case where conservationists and corporations agreed. It was the Trump Administration that did not agree.  Not only was the rule proposed by the Pacific Fishery Management Council had proposed the new regulation in 2015, but the federal government has been implementing the plan.

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Cambridge Faculty Told Not To Use “Genius” and “Brilliance” Because Of Sexist Connotations

I guess Jimmy Neutron will have to live with “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius .  Cambridge University examiners are being told to avoid the words “flair”, “brilliance” and “genius” in the review of student work because these terms are sexist and “carry assumptions of gender inequality.”  It appears Madam Curie was just a really solid researcher.

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Fowl Politics: Missouri Representatives Decapitates and Mutilates Chicken in YouTube Video

mikemoonscreencap32816Missouri Representative Mike Moon (R-Ash Grove) takes a more literal meaning to the classic political pledge of a “chicken in every pot.”  In a truly bizarre video below, the Republican legislator decapitated a chicken while discussing a special session and then pulled out its heart.

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Hut In Antarctica Yields Beautiful and Haunting Painting Of Famed Explorer Edward Wilson

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The watercolor depicts a tree creeper. Pic: Antarctic Heritage Trust

This is the type of thing that I find thrilling.  An effort to preserve a hut at Cape Adare in Antarctica led to the discovery of this beautiful 118-year-old painting by Dr. Edward Wilson.  The British polar explorer died in Antarctica on an expedition led by Capt. Robert Falcon Scott.  This incredible picture sat in a pile of papers unnoticed for over a century.

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Ninth Circuit Rules Against Trump . . . Using Trump As Main Witness Against Himself

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_croppedninth-circuit-logoIt is the presidential version of death by cop.  Recently, I wrote a column on how Trump had become a witness against himself by, again, tweeting highly damaging observations about pending litigation and even contradicting the statements of his own legal team in the immigration order litigation.  As predicted, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit not only ruled against his Administration but relied on his damaging recent tweet to seal the deal.  The lack of message discipline extended to Trump friends this week after his friend, Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, said Trump was considering firing Mueller: “I think he’s considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he’s weighing that option. I think it’s pretty clear by what one of his lawyers said on television recently.”   The statement sent a chill throughout Congress.  Such a move would not only push Congress to pass a renewal of the Independent Counsel Act but magnify allegations of obstruction.

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Distracted New Jersey Woman Falls Into Open Sidewalk Cellar Opening

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There was a scary moment in Plainfield, New Jersey recently after a distracted 67-year-old was looking at her cellphone and walked over a barrier and fell into a sidewalk cellar for Acme Windows.  The question of liability is likely on the mind of the company even though the woman appears to have suffered non-life threatening injuries.

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Meet Gavel: The World’s Greatest Hope For Salvation

puppy-fired-too-nice-governor-queensland-png-1496934565Despite the depressing news domestically and internationally, there is proof that there is still hope for the world.  Gavel has found a home.  Gavel flunked out of police canine academy in Queensland, Australia, for being too friendly.  It was a disappointment because Gavel came from are “family bloodline” of top German Shepard police dogs. The problem is that Gavel just wanted to be friends . . . with everyone.

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The Vanishing Woman: Saudi Arabian Ad Substitutes Image Of Inflatable Ball For Mother In Pool Picture

4131F54200000578-4580510-image-m-34_1496835530873We have previously discussed how woman magically disappear in Saudi Arabia, including  ads for companies like IKEA. (We have seen the same vanishing in Orthodox Jewish publication).  Now Saudi Arabia is accused of replacing a picture of a mother with a beach ball in this advertisement to protect Muslim sensibilities.  At least these kids can say “Mom was a real ball on vacation.”

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Philadelphia Reporter Fired After Caught On Videotape Abusing Police

campbell7n-1-webA Philadelphia reporter, Colleen Campbell, 28, is not only out of job but perhaps a profession after a video of her berating police officers went viral.  Campbell is shown below in cuffs after being removed from the Helium Comedy Club on Sunday night.  She was asked to leave for disrupting comedian Craig Robinson by her loud whispering.  It then went from bad to worse (Warning: the video below contains foul language)

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Report: Comey Asked Sessions Not To Leave Him Alone With Trump

donald_trump_president-elect_portrait_cropped440px-Comey-FBI-PortraitIt appears that President Donald Trump’s instilled a virtually phobic reaction in former FBI Director James Comey after his allegedly inappropriate pitch to terminate the investigation of former National Security Advisor Micheal Flynn.  According to the New York Times, Comey asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions not to leave him alone with Trump.  If true, the request for a type of chaperone in the Oval Office would represent a new low for the White House.  In the meantime (and equally embarrassing if true), ABC reports that Sessions actually asked Trump if he should resign due to his own deteriorating relationship with the President (who was reportedly still angry at Sessions for recusing himself from the Russian investigation). Notably, the White House declined to say whether Trump still has faith in Sessions at the White House press conference.

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Spicer Declares Trump Tweets To Be “Official Statements” After Conway Chides Media For Taking Tweets So Seriously

Kellyanne_Conway_with_Trump_lettersean_spicerOne can certainly understand if the media is a tad confused.  This week, Presidential Counselor Kellyanne Conway chided media for taking President Donald Trump’s tweets so seriously and denied that tweets are one of his preferred methods of communication.  Shortly thereafter White House press secretary Sean Spicer reminded media that Trump’s tweets are “official statements” and thus serious articulations of policy.

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NYPD Arrests Man Shown Beating 90-Year-Old Man