News of the Odd

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Crunchy crickets going mainstream in Australia.

Looking for a taste treat for a special snack? Perhaps a packet of chocolate covered bugs, chocolate-chip mealworms or cricket lollipops will hit the spot. Australia's Aborigines have been eating witchetty grubs for centuries, but now entomologist Skye Blackburn is breeding edible bugs and selling them to Australians from all walks of life, and as special treats at corporate functions and children's parties. "Eating insects is a fairly new concept," said Blackburn, who runs The Green Scorpion and bug shop, a Sydney-based online venture that sells the creatures for human and animal consumption, as well as for collections. "On Father's Day we sold a lot of gift packs, which included chocolate covered bugs, choc-chip mealworm cookies and flavoured lollipops with bugs in the centre." She also sells bugs ground up into chocolate-coated cookies, frozen bugs and roasted bugs, so they can be mailed to customers. "Crickets are high in calcium, termites are high in iron and silk worms have special amino acid and good fats in them, while tarantula and water bugs mainly have protein factor," she said, noting that they are also low in fat. Sales are picking up. Blackburn said the shop sells 1,000 lollipops a week and that she has about 100 regular customers who buy raw insects to use as part of their daily diet, including university professors, doctors and lawyers. Please, I beg of you, DO NOT BUY any for me.

US company turns gun lovers' ashes into ammunition.
There's something to be said for going out with a band, In Mobile, Ala., two game wardens have devised a smoking send-off for avid hunters and gun enthusiasts. For a small fee, they will turn cremated ashes into ammunition that the deceased's loved ones can fire at will. "It's about celebrating life," Holmes, a 16-year state conservation officer, said on Friday. "We know how strange it sounds to people who aren't comfortable around guns, but for those who are, it's not weird at all." Holy Smoke was born during a late-night stakeout to thwart illegal hunting. Parnell had recently lost a family member, and the conversation shifted to their own reservations about traditional methods for disposing of the departed. They dreamed up a company that would fill shotgun shells and rifle or pistol cartridges with ashes, allowing gun enthusiasts to spend eternity the way they lived their lives. A pound of ash fills about 250 shotgun shells. Costs start at $850. I guess if you're a gun or hunting enthusiast, you wouldn't see this as so strange.

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PETA goes wild in porn-for-animal-rights bid.

Animal rights campaigners PETA will go wild later this year - with a pornography website. They have long deployed nearly-nude street activists to promote its campaign against the wearing of fur, leather, or make-up tested on animals. But a sex site caled peta.xxx, due to be launched sometime between November and December, will finaly show campaigners in their entire natural glory. However, viewers will also be confronted by the naked truth of cruelty to animals, LindsayRajit, associate director of campaigns, added. She has dismissed criticism that PETA exploits women while trying to save animals. "We think every man and woman has every right to use their voice, their pen, their body to help the animals." And its just a coincidence that they are all women who want to used their bodies, no men. Right. Using porn to same animals - you've got to be kidding, right?

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Protesters blocked in bid to 'occupy' Wall Street

Hundreds marched near Wall Street in a failed attempt to occupy the heart of global finance to protest greed, corruption and budget cuts. Plans to turn Lower Manhattan into an "American Tahrir Square" were thwarted when police blocked all the streets ear the NY Stock Exchange and Fedral Hall. The demonstraters had planned to stake out Wall Street until teir anger over a financial system they say favors the rich and powerful was heard. "The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99 Percent that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the one percent," said a statement on the website Occupy Wall Street. About 700 people showed up carrying backpacks and sleeping bags, searching for a place to camp amid heavy police presence. The protest came as the United States struggles to overcome an economic crisis marked by a huge budget deficit that has triggered cuts in the public service sector while unemployment hovers stubbornly above nine%. "There's a war in Libya, there's a war in Afghanistan, there's a war in Iraq and we have cuts in education, social programs," said a masked protester who declined to be identified. "We know where the money is going! Revolution in America!"
Just another bunch of ineffectual protests - join the Tea Party. At least they get people elected to Congress to try and get their agenda the law of the land.

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White House crasher husband 'devastated' wife left him
Celebrity White House gate crasher husband Tareq Salahi is glad his wife, Michaele, is OK but heartbroken that she's left to be with another man (Neal Schon, lead guitarist for Journey). Tareq Salahi had reported his wife missing Tuesday night, telling authorities in Virginia he feared she had been kidnapped. Authorities, however, said ex-reality TV personality Michaele Salahi told them she was fine and didn't want to return home. Then celebrity website TMZ reported that a representative for Journey said she was safe. Warren County Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron told the AP that deputies believed Tareq's report was genuine and that authorities did not plan to press charges.
The Salahis burst onto the scene in 2009 when they crashed a White House state dinner. Michaele Salahi was a cast member of the reality show Real Housewives of D.C. last year, but the show was canceled after one season. The couple posted a picture of Twitter of themselves with Schon and other band members last week. TMZ posted video of the couple partying with Schon at their embattled winery last year. Aside from the couple's gate crashing troubles and failed reality television attempt, they also have experienced business problems. Their winery filed for bankruptcy, and its assets are scheduled to be auctioned off on Sunday. Michaele Salahi also released a single entitle "Bump It" that was not successful and was thrown off the reality show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew when it became apparent she wasn't addicting to anything (except publicity).
Can anyone say "Gold-digging publicity hound"?

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German fashion designer makes clothes from milk

Anke Domaske, age 28, a fashion designer from the German city of Hanover is revolutionizing high fashion by designing clothes with a staple she can find in her fridge -- milk. she has developed a fabric called QMilch made from high concentrations of the milk protein casein -- the first man-made fiber produced entirely without chemicals. "It feels like silk and it doesn't smell -- you can wash it just like anything else," Domaske told Reuters. Made from all natural materials, the QMilch fabric is ecological and has many health benefits, said Domaske, who also said the amino acids in the protein are antibacterial, anti-aging and can help regulate both blood circulation and body temperature. Domaske's fashion label Mademoiselle Chi Chi -- a favorite among the likes of Mischa Barton and Ashlee Simpson -- has now started weaving the milk fiber into its collection.

Billy Bob Thornton's daughters gets 20 year sentence.
The estranged daughter of actor Billy Bob Thornton has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the death of a friend's 1-year-old daughter during an overnight stay at her home. Amanda Brumfield was sentenced Thursday, four months after she was convicted of aggravated manslaughter of a child. She was acquitted of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges. Brumfield claimed that Olivia Madison Garcia hit her head after falling while trying to climb out of a playpen. Prosecutors said it was "impossible" that a fall from that height would cause a three-and-a-half inch fracture on the girl's skull.

Church of Hate to picket Steve Jobs' funeral.
The passing of Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs has garnered a lot of attention, with most talking about how he inspired many and changed the world with his technological inventions. Unfortunately, the attention has also brought out some of the bad, and that includes those starving for media attention, like the Westboro Baptist Church. The leader of the church, Margie Phelps, has declared her group intends to picket the funeral of Jobs as way of "condemning him for teaching sin to others," according to The Huffington Post. The message is even more bizarre considering that she sent the message via Twitter over her iPhone. When people pointed this out to Phelps, she said that it was God who created the iPhone, not Jobs. The messages that Phelps has sent are not just distasteful -- spreading the word of hate has been known to incite violence -- but the congregation that calls itself the Westboro Baptist Church seems to care little about the effects of its staged protests on others.
The church has picketed the funerals of fallen military soldiers, intensifying the pain the soldiers' families are already experiencing. The reasons? More than slightly psychotic, Phelps says her group is trying to warn others to "flee the wrath of God's destruction," reports ABC News. The church of hate holds signs at the funerals that read, "God Hates You" and "God Hates F--s." The members say that "God's hatred is one of his holy attributes." These people have been teaching the word of hate to their children for several generations now, with the founder of the "church," Fred Phelps, now approaching 82 years of age.
Using religion as an excuse to promote hate and violence is surely one of the most heinous acts anyone can take part in, and preying on people who are mourning the life of a loved one is pure evil. Though I don't necessarily believe in hell, if there is one, the Phelps and their followers certainly belong there. Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. It will be the members of the WBC who spend eternity in the misery they have created for themselves.

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3 hodpitalized when pot brownines served at funeral.

Pot-laced brownies served at a Southern California funeral sent two 71-year-old women and an 82-year-0ld man to the ER following a friend's memorial service where a tray of brownies was offered. They complained of nausea, dizziness and an inability to stand without assistance. They were unaware that marijuana-laced sweets were being offered in memory of their friend, who used to eat marijuana brownies. Huntington Beach does not permit licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in the city limits. Federal authorities announced Friday they plan to crack down on marijuana sales and growing operations throughout the state. And a grand time was had by all.

Family lost in Mass. corn maze calls 911 for help.

A family that got lost in a seven-acre corn maze called 911 for help, apparently taking advantage of the police department's motto that says "We Want To Be Bothered." The maze at Connors Farm in Danvers can take up to an hour to navigate. A police officer entered the maze with a farm manager to search for the disoriented father, mother and two children. The family didn't realize they had almost made their way out and were just 25 feet from the street. Farm owner Bob Connors told the Boston Globe (http://bo.st/p7Xmzr) that they designed the maze so that people get lost in the long corn stalks. Gee, isn't that nice of them.

Sharks make Aussie golf course lake a real hazard.

Golfers had better hope for a hole in one when playing at one course in the eastern Australian city of Brisbane -- the lake is home to aggressive bull sharks. "It's daunting. Certainly if you lose a ball you definitely don't go in chasing it," said golfer Graham Casemore.
The Carbrook Gold Course was flooded in the late 1990s when the Logan River burst its banks and covered the fairways. When the flood waters drained away, it was noticed that the course lake -- between holes 12 and 15 -- had some new aquatic residents. Today, fins can sometimes be seen breaking above the surface of the otherwise ordinary-looking lake, which is posted with yellow signs warning people not to swim.
But the warning signs are sometimes not enough to deter more daring players. "I've had a member in recent months try to get a ball in a scoop and end up in waist deep water, trying to scamper out," said one golfer, who did not give their name. Though wildlife is a common sight at many golf courses around the world, most aren't man eaters. The club hosts a tournament called the "Shark Lake Challenge" every month. "I know there are a fair few golf courses around with deadly animals like crocodiles and alligators, but we are the only ones I know who have got sharks," another golfer said. Talk about water hazards!!
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'He really is Prince Charming': Harry to the rescure at San Diego hotel pool party.

Prince Harry was the 'perfect gentleman' said Lindsay Swagerty, when he wrapped his towel around her at a pool in San Diego> (She kept the towel as a souvenir.) She said that he ws the first to notice here when she got out of the poos, after being thrown in completely clothed. "He wrapped his towel around me to keep me warm. It was such a gentlemanly thing to do" Harry, who is in the US for Apache helicopter training, met up with Miss Swagerty and her friend the following evening at the hotel.
Since Prince Harry arrived in the US he has been visiting local San Diego haunts. On Firday he arrived at a local bar with his bodyguard and four friends from the British Army Air Corps. They had driven 120 miles from a naval station for one last beer before starting the latest phase of his helicopter training. A local couple were going through their wedding rehearsal. They asked if they could have a picture taken with him, but he refused, but grabbed the camera and took a picture of the couple with his bodyguard.

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Superman fan takes adulation to new heights.

In Calamba Laguna, south of Manila, Philippines, Herbert Chavez has cosmeticly transformed himself to look more like the comic book character Superman . In his idolization of the superhero, Chavez, a self-professed "pageant trainer" who owns two costume stores, has undergone a series of cosmetic surgeries for his nose, cheeks, lips and chin down to his thighs and even his skin color to look more like the "Man. For more than a decade, the 35-year-old Chavez has undergone a series of procedures that have made his nose higher and slimmed down his thighs. He is planning an operation that will give him a more muscular abdomen and is looking at specialized surgery in Japan that will insert metal in his legs to make him taller.
His admiration began when he was a child and watched Superman lifting a stack of cars on the big screen. He later began collecting Superman memorabilia, amassing a huge collection over the years. Now his house is packed with Superman cups, bed spreads, action figures and life-size Superman statues.
People in Calamba, south of Manila, refer to him as the "village superman." Children play with him when they see him in the streets. "It's ridiculous when you look at it, but it's a source of happiness for the children. They don't see, or they forget, the problems facing our world," said resident Filipe Rabanan. Chavez says doing good deeds is what makes a hero -- a lesson worth teaching children. "We should show them that even if you're just a regular father or mother, anybody can become a superhero," he said. "Doing good to someone, to your neighborhood or to your social life, that makes you a superhero."

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The great haul of China: Woman cimbs castle wall to avoid admission fee.

Spider-Man has nothing on a thrifty Chinese woman named Ma Jei. Recently, Ma Jei decided she wanted to take a tour of a nearby tourist attraction, Zhonghau Castle, in eastern China. To avoid paying the $3.90 admission fee (there's a global recession going on, people), Ma Jei clambered up the castle wall to get in. The 70-foot high castle wall. No ropes. No chalk. No safety harness. (Did we mention that the castle wall is 70 FEET HIGH?) In fact, she made it look so easy that a couple of other tourists tried to follow her lead, which resulted in several broken legs and police rescues. Later, Ma Jei admitted that she had climbed the wall successfully many times in the past, to get around the admission fee. Thrifty Jei told fellow visitors she'd grown up in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, climbing the walls of Zhonghau Castle since childhood and had never once paid to get in.

Don't try this at home, kids.


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Police: Florida pizza workers burned down rival store.

In Lake City, Fla., the battle for pizza supremacy has taken a wrong turn. The Papa John's was gutted in an Oct. 20 fire. Two managers of a Domino's Pizza restaurant in Lake City, in north-central Florida, have been charged with burning down a rival Papa John's location. The motive? What else - destroy the competition. Police say one of the men admitted that he believed with his competitor out of the way, more pizza lovers would flock to his restaurant.
Sean Everett Davidson, 23, and Bryan David Sullivan, 22 were arrested Thursday and Friday, respectively, and booked on an arson charge each and were being held in jail. The police are still looking for an ignition device that the men claimed they made but did not use to start the fire.
Police said the suspects described a device made out of a clock, a nine-volt battery, a golf ball-size amount of black gunpowder and a plastic bag, the newspaper reported. The suspects allegedly told police that they dismantled the device and threw the parts out of their vehicle along Interstate 75. Police warned anyone finding an odd device along the highway not to touch it.
Now THAT is a pizza war for sure!!

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Zombies worth over $5 billion to economy.

The walking undead reflect our anxieties over scary times and the television has garnered a huge following of viewers with a thirst for thrills.
Zombies may be the walking undead, but their contribution to Main Street’s economy is very much alive. In modern times, the zombie genre has evolved from a cult following to a highly popular theme. 24/7 Wall St. estimates that the today’s zombie genre economy is worth billions of dollars. Think way beyond zombie movie ticket sales. Think about DVD sales, video games, comic books, novels, Halloween costumes, zombie walks, merchandise, conventions and even zombie art. Add to that all of the websites, homemade movies, Facebook sites, YouTube sites and other forms of “digital” zombies, not to mention music. And if you think the financial tab has been high so far, by the end of 2012 the tab is going to be far larger.
Of course, figuring out the exact dollar figure around the “value of zombies,” despite hours of research and interviews with “zombie insiders,” is difficult. Many companies and top industry leaders do not share any sales data and they do not want to divulge how much they make off this craze. On a global scale, the market is even larger. Could this craze be tied to the hard economic times?
Bestselling zombie genre author Max Brooks noted on his website, “I think they (zombies) reflect our very real anxieties of these crazy scary times. A zombie story gives people a fictional lens to see the real problems of the world. You can deal with societal breakdown, famine, disease, chaos in the streets, but as long as the catalyst for all of them is zombies, you can still sleep.”
Regardless of the reason, zombies are worth billions of dollars. The figure that we were able to piece together: $5.74 billion. In all honesty, this tab is grossly undercalculated in each category. By the time you add the money spent in total around the zombie genre, the figure is much higher.

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Florida teen detained by TSA for design on her purse.

It's not unusual for 17-year-olds to find themselves in hot water with the fashion police. But on a flight from Virginia to Florida, Vanessa Gibbs found herself detained by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) over the appearance of her purse. And just to be clear, it wasn't the content inside the purse that the TSA objected to. No, agency officials took exception with the design of a gun on Gibbs' handbag.
"It's my style, it's camouflage, it has an old western gun on it," Gibbs told News4Jax.com. Gibbs didn't run into any trouble while traveling north from Jacksonville International Airport. But on her way back home, TSA officials at Norfolk International Airport pulled her aside.
"She was like, 'This is a federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun,'" Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'But it's a design on a purse. How is it a federal offense?'"
After TSA agents figured out the gun was a fake, Gibbs said, they told her to check the bag or turn it over. By the time security wrapped up the inspection, the pregnant teen missed her flight, and Southwest Airlines sent her to Orlando instead. The changed itinerary created no small amount of anxiety for Gibbs' mother, who was already waiting for her to arrive at the Jacksonville airport.
"Oh, it's terrifying. I was so upset," said Tami Gibbs, the teen's mom. "I was on the phone all the way to Orlando trying to figure out what was going on with her. It was terrifying." Less terrifying is the actual design on the purse, which is only a few inches in size and hollow.
"I carried this from Jacksonville to Norfolk, and I've carried it from Norfolk to Jacksonville," Vanessa said. "Never once has anyone said anything about it until now." Nonetheless, the TSA says the design could be considered a "replica weapon," something that the agency has banned since 2002. Just imagine what would have happened if Gibbs had also been wearing stiletto heels.
Has the whole world gone crasy? I think some TSA agents just like to throw their weight around and figured that a pregnant teenager made a good victim.

Flying squirrel invades hospital emergency room for 2nd time in two weeks.
At around 10 pm, a flying squirrel managed to trap itself inside the emergency room at New Jersey's Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. Now an ordinary squirrel in this position might just hide in a corner and make a quick dash for the nearest exit. But this gifted flying rodent repeatedly launched itself from an 8-foot-high wall-mounted lamp, in order to avoid firefighters from the Rahway Fire Department.
"It would climb up on a light and would jump off and glide," said fire department spokesman Capt. Ted Padavano. "It looked just like a little squirrel, but once it jumped into the air, it had like a glider, or like a bat, skin under its arms, like a little square glider,"
Even stranger, this was the second time in two weeks that a flying squirrel had taken over the hospital's 15-by-15-foot trauma room. Eventually, a pair of firefighters managed to throw a blanket over the squirrel and safely release it unharmed into a wooded area outside the hospital.
But Padavana was already anticipating a return visit from the small, airborne creatures, speculating that they may have a nest inside the hospital. After all, he asked, "What are the odds of having two flying squirrels in the same emergency room?"