Unusual News
How to Buy Marijuana Legally in California
Background
In a recent survey conducted by the well-respected Field Poll, 56% of registered voters in the state of California said that they favored legalization of marijuana and only 32% opposed it. Because a bill was introduced in the State Ass... read more
Symbol of Folly, World’s Tallest Building to Open in Dubai
Stretching nearly a half mile into the sky, the world’s tallest building will be officially unveiled Monday (January 4) in Dubai, where the sheikdom is trying to pay off mammoth debts incurred in part from just such ambitious real estate ventures.... read more
Controversy Hits Communion Wafer Dispensing Machine Industry
Fear over the spread of germs has brought modern technology to the centuries-old practice of dispensing communion wafers during Catholic services—and resulted in litigation as well. Nu-Life Products, a Minnesota-based company, created a hand-held ... read more
Replacing Light Bulbs with Glowing Walls
How many walls does it take to eliminate the light bulb? Just one, as long as it’s glowing.
Lomox, a company based in Wales in the United Kingdom, is developing the first glowing wall that will discard the need for lighting fixtures through th... read more
Climate Change Helps Growers of Cotton, Beans and Tomatoes
American farmers will have no shortage of challenges in the coming decades, thanks to global warming. A new federal study, sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, details how changes in weather and climate will affect crop and liv... read more
Denied Employment for Having Declared Bankruptcy
Eric Myers of Sumter County, Florida, thought he had a found a good job opportunity at TooJay’s delicatessens. He spent two days interviewing for a management position and was told by a company official that the job was his, pending a background c... read more
28 Members of Congress Have No College Degree
To become a U.S. senator a person must be at least 30 years old, an American citizen for nine years and a resident of the state they want to represent. House members must be at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for seven years and a resident of t... read more
Eating Can be Dangerous to Your Teeth
From London to Los Angeles eating crunchy food has produced legal maneuverings and accusations. In the United Kingdom, the holiday tradition of serving Christmas pudding, complete with charms or coins embedded in the food, has left one restaurant ... read more
TV Host on Pilgrimage to Mecca Sentenced to Death for Sorcery
One need not be a practicing witch or warlock to run the risk of being charged with sorcery in Saudi Arabia. Case in point: Ali Hussain Sibat, a Lebanese television host who occasionally offered predictions on his show.
In May, Sibat traveled ... read more
Great Year for Botanists…292 Species Discovered
While much of this year brought grim news about economic retraction and job loss for most of the world, botanists enjoyed a banner year. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the United Kingdom proudly announced on Tuesday that nearly 300 new plant s... read more
Sarah Palin Wins PolitiFact’s Lie of the Year Award
The voting wasn’t even close. Sarah Palin’s claim that the Democrat’s health care reform would create “death panels” was selected by 61% of respondents to PolitiFact’s inaugural “Lie of the Year” contest. No other distortion or half-truth came eve... read more
Blackwater Guards Charged with Killings Want Nicknames Excluded from Testimony
Two Blackwater security guards involved in the fatal shootings that took place in Baghdad on September 16, 2007, are trying to prevent their nicknames from being discussed during their murder trial. Dustin “Extreme” Heard and Paul “Savage Viking” ... read more
27-Year Trial in Turkey Finally Ends with Mixed Verdict
And Americans think their system of justice is slow. Earlier this week, a court in Turkey
concluded a trial that first began in March 1982, when more than 1,200 leftists were tried for attempting to overthrow the country’s military government. Th... read more
Male Prostitutes Go Legal at Nevada Brothel
Prostitution has been legal in rural Nevada since 1971, but only for customers seeking female companionship. But now Shady Lady Ranch, a brothel located about two hours outside Las Vegas, is preparing to offer the first male prostitutes in state h... read more
Did a Census Lead to Jesus Being Born in a Manger?
To help Hispanics overcome fears of participating in next year’s census, the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) distributed to more than 7,000 churches posters depicting Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem … to take part i... read more
“Out West” Museum Series Highlights Gay Contributions to American West
In an attempt to redefine the history of the American West, the Autry National Center in Los Angeles is presenting a first-of-its-kind exhibit examining the roles of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the old frontier. Consisting of ... read more