Don't Hike Naked in Switzerland

Naked hikers beware, the Swiss officials have got your number. After a recent influx in naked hiking among tourists (reportedly German), the police in the mountain region of Appenzell-Innerrhoden are cracking (no pun intended) down on violators. If caught, offenders will be issued a fine of 200 Swiss fracs ($170 USD). I wonder where the hikers keep their wallets?

Sweet Tooth Lands Teen in Jail

A teenager from Middleton, Ohio certainly has a sweet tooth. The 18 year old allegedly charged over $37,000 worth of candy to a purchase order from his high school. The order, which was placed to an online retailer, seemed a bit suspicious, so the police set up a sting.

The retailer sent an empty box to the order address, leading police right to the sticky fingered thief's door. No word on why he wanted that candy or the status of his dental health.

Careful, You Might Break a Nail

I am sad to report the Guinness Book record holder for long fingernails recently broke a nail. After a serious, but non-life threatening car accident, Salt Lake City Utah resident Lee Redmond lost 28 feet worth of finger nails. In 2008, Redmond's longest nail (her right thumb) was 2 feet, 11 inches. She has been growing her nails since 1979

I Love My Dog, but....

In India, a two year old boy was recently married to his neighbor's dog. The villager's believe this will keep him safe from being mauled by a wild animal. It seems the boy had a tooth growing on the outside of his upper gum. The tribe believed this was a bad omen and the boy was doomed to be attacked by a tiger or other wild beast.

Marriage to the dog is will serve as protection by the tribal god and will keep the boy from an almost certain death. The boy will be able to take a woman in marriage when he grows older without need of divorce from his furry friend.

Perhaps all this boy needs is an orthodontist later in life.

A Simple Thank You Will Do

An disagreement over manners got ugly in the other day in Falmouth, MA. It seems a 38 year-old man forgot to thank the 58 year-old man who held the door open for him. After being confronted about his oversight, the younger man offered a sarcastic "thank you."

An argument ensued which led the 38 year-old to retrieve a golf club from his car and start to wail on "Mr. Emily Post." He was charged with battery with a a dangerous weapon to which he pleaded not guilty.

I'd hate to meet that guy after a bad day on the golf course!

Crime Fighting with the Atomic Wedgie

Yvonne Morris, from Salt Lake City Utah, is being hailed as a hero. After seeing a a man breaking into her co-worker's car, she chased him down. In order to restrain the suspect, she hiked up his boxers and gave him a wedgie.

Morris held the suspect in a headlock until the police arrived. He is now pulling his undies out of his nether-regions from his comfortable cell at the Salt Lake County Jail.

Indian Giver

I have heard about many bitter divorce proceedings, however, this one takes the cake.

New York surgeon, Richard Batista, requested his wife return the Kidney he donated to her during a more blissful time in their relationship. Batista said if she couldn't return it she would need to compensate him $1.5 million. At least he came up with a rational alturnative!

Noah's Ark?

The Buffalo, NY SPCA had its hands full just recently when it was sent to a two bedroom apartment in the community. After entering the home, they were greeted by over 100 animals including chickens, rabbits, rodents, iguanas and tarantulas.

It took the SPCA several cages, crates and vans, plus an afternoon of fun to remove the menagerie from the building.

The apartment owners, who live on the second floor of the complex we cited for animal cruelty.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090210/ap_on_fe_st/odd_apartment_infestation

Backwards Thinking

With the Federal Stimulus package set to be passed, I decided it was important to understand just what my tax dollars were going to be funding. Imagine my confusion when I discovered $400 million dollars of aid was going to be filtered into programs designed to screen and prevent sexual transmitted diseases, however, all funding for abstinence education programs was removed. Huh? We're going to treat them once they are infected, but not tell them how to avoid the problem?

Furthermore, while funds are allotted for renovations and repairs to universities and colleges, no funds may be used for facilities that are utilized for worship, sectarian instruction or a school or department of divinity. It grieves me to think that schools are being denied this valuable aid simply because their curriculum includes religious instruction. Shouldn't this funding be based on need?

Like most Americans, my prayer is that policy makers put aside their differences and work together to get our country moving in the right direction. I just hope they are not adding pork to the barrel, while turning a blind eye to the programs that really need support.

Perhaps Your Day Wasn't So Bad

Even if you are having a really bad day, chances are good it is not as bad as the day Elvis Alonzo Barrett had. After the police tried to stop him for a traffic violation, Barrett decided to make a break.

His getaway, not only landed him in a heap of hot water with Boynton Beach, FL law enforcement officials, he was cited for a whopping 50 traffic violations, including speeding, running a red light and not wearing a seat belt. This was in addition to the charges for fleeing, eluding and reckless driving.

A Perfectly Good Bag O' Poo

Who could blame the cleaning lady at Leeds University in London when she threw away a bag of lizard feces? How could she know it represented seven years of research by Ph.D. student Daniel Bennett?

The bag of dung was part of Bennett's doctoral research. It was collected during a trip to the Philippines where he studied the butaan lizard, a rare family member of the komodo dragon.

After being offered the equivalent of $500 US dollars for his loss and a formal apology by the University, Bennett has decided to settle his case in the British legal system.

I Wonder What Would Happen If...

Just because they do it in the movies, doesn't mean you should try it yourself. Just like Ralphie from the Christmas Story, there have been several reports this winter of children who wanted to see what would happen if they licked a metal pole. On January 14 a boy in Hammond, Indiana gave a pole a lick. While on January 15 a six year old boy in Omaha, Nebraska did the same.

Both incidents had the same end result. The boys suffered through a mouth full of blood, while trace pieces of frozen tongue were scraped off the poles. When will they ever learn?

How Clean is Your Desk?

According to a recent story from MSN, my desk...or Your desk is 400 times dirtier that a toilet. The report goes on to say that the average desktop has over ten million germs. Researchers state because we spend so much time at our desks these days, our desks are dirtier. In addition, many workers don't leave their cubical for lunch or snacks only adding to the germ build up.

There are, however, dirtier places to work...the top five germiest jobs include the following:

1. Teacher -- 17,800 bacteria per square inch
2. Accountant -- 6,030 bacteria per square inch
3. Banker -- 5,400 bacteria per square inch
4. Radio DJ -- 3,323 bacteria per square inch
5. Doctor -- 2,620 bacteria per square inch

By comparison, the average toilet seat has 1,000 bacteria per square inch. Pretty gross, huh?

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/Article/MSN-1786-Job-Info-and-Trends-Is-Your-Job-Germy/?cbsid=7dca9f6107de413587fcd86d1d384af0-287102468-R8-4&sc_extcmp=JS_1786_home1&cbRecursionCnt=2&SiteId=cbmsnhp41786&ArticleID=1786&gt1=23000

Not Wii Fit?

I was shocked when I read today that the Wii Fit I received for Christmas would not be my weight loss salvation. Actually, I was not surprised at all. I was ready to chuck our Wii fit when it gave me a Wii fit "age" of 46 -- mind you I just turned 4o in September.

I am not prideful when I say this...but I have run four marathons and two half marathons, and I run three to four times a week, strength train occasionally and really try to maintain a healthy diet. My age on the Wii fit was not based on lifestyle parameters, but rather on my coordination -- could I move my feet correctly using the balance board to get two pink bars in a certain area on the screen. Now I will be the first to admit that I am not coordinated, but I am also under no circumstances 46!

This is why I was overjoyed when I read that researchers actually back me up on my stance. While it is a fun game and does get people who would otherwise lead sedentary lives off the couch, it will probably not give anyone six pack abs or provide the conditioning needed to run an endurance sport.

http://videogames.yahoo.com/feature/the-truth-about-wii-fit-and-weight-loss/1284826

All In a Day's Work

Even if you're having a bad day, it couldn't be as bad as the day a New York cabbie recently had. After a group of woman left his cab without paying their fare, he was beaten by a group of good Samaritans.

The cabbie was spotted by the group holding onto a purse belonging to one of the women in an attempt to stop her from running away without paying. Assuming they were seeing a purse snatching in action, the group ran to the fair maiden's defense.

The cabbie suffered several bruises and cuts for his efforts, however, the four women were later arrested and cited for fare jumping.