Loading ...Fear Factor
In December, Australia’s TV Channel 7 reported that many schools across the country, at the behest of the Australasian Performing Rights Association, were discouraging parents from making keepsake movies of their kids’ appearances in Christmas musicals, because recording the holiday songs might violate copyright law.
You’re As Old As You Think You Are
Case Western Reserve University researchers revealed in a December journal article that cockroaches do not age gracefully, that after about 60 weeks of adulthood, they get stiff joints (which inhibits climbing) and hardened foot pads (which prevents sticking to vertical surfaces). One of the researchers, noticing that aged roaches seem to have lost their ability to escape from predators, hypothesized that the loss was brain-based; he tested the hypothesis by removing the roach’s head (and, thus, brain), and sure enough, the roach once again was able to flee like a youngster.
Irony
National Hockey League goalie Byron Dafoe (Atlanta Thrashers) went on the injured list after he slipped on the icy sidewalk outside his team’s hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, and hurt his back.
Open Minded
David Boyd announced as a candidate for the Canadian Parliament from Nova Scotia and right away demonstrated he’s not a Kerry-like Man of Nuance: He said he’s all for same-sex marriage. And polygamy. And (eventually) humans marrying androids.
Honesty
Jeffrey Samuel Silverman made the news for having had a little too much to drink on United flight 620 from Chicago to Washington D.C., a status in which he acted out by raucously walking the aisle and loudly demanding to know which of the passengers was the air marshal. But he redeemed himself: according to the FBI after he was escorted off the plane in D.C., “I’m just an asshole. What can I tell you?”
Overkill
There was an awards ceremony at London’s Dorchester Hotel with awards being given out for the year’s best awards ceremonies. In addition to the top prizes, many, many minor awards were given out to awards-industry people because, a spokesperson said, awards people love to get awards, just like everyone else.
Darwinian Justice
And finally, Davaugn Goethe, 17, was arrested for drug-dealing in Stamford, Conn., after he jumped in the back seat of a car that was slowly cruising a drug zone (an m.o. often used by sellers, we’re told) and starting reciting his inventory for the two men in the front seat. They were, of course, cops, which we know because they were wearing jackets with POLICE on the front, back, and sleeves. [What Do YOU Think? Comment on this Post!] [Testify!]
