2008 Woodie Awards
Chuck Shepherd's News of the Weird
Arden Gudger
Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: Campus News
- Page 1 of 1
Headline News
About half the students who attend the Jewish primary school King
David, in Birmingham, England, are Muslims, and in fact, their parents
work hard to get them in because they so respect the school’s ethos
and its halal-like diet. All students learn Hebrew, recite Jewish prayers,
and celebrate Israeli independence, but there is a Muslim prayer room,
also, and Muslim teachers are hired for Ramadan. However, confided
one parent, the school tries to keep a low profile so as not to inflame
the religious rabble-rousers.
Compelling Explanations
Robert “Drew” Stephenson, on trial in Fort Worth, Texas, in January
for “torturing” an ex-girlfriend, acknowledged her severe burns but
said it wasn’t his fault. He said the two were having sex in a house that
had no heat, and to warm himself, he ran the flames of a lantern up and
down his arm. According to him, his girlfriend said she wanted to be
warmed up with flames, too. (He was convicted, and in February, after
four other women testified that he had beaten them, was sentenced to
life in prison.)
The Laws of Irony
In February, two anti-whaling activists (one from Australia, one
from Los Angeles), intending to attack a Japanese whaling ship near
Antarctica with a bottle of acid and a smoke bomb, got lost in the fog
in their small dinghy and were rescued with the help of several boats,
including the whaler. However, as soon as the activists were safe, one
thanked the Japanese crew but said, “I guess we’re back on schedule,
and we’ll be pursuing you again.” Shortly after that, the activists
approached the whaler and tossed the acid onto the deck, injuring two
crew members.
It is well-known that Saudi Arabia still prohibits women from driving
cars (or riding in them unless accompanied by a male relative), but a
December Associated Press dispatch from Riyadh reported on female
automobile salespeople (who are successful in selling to females,
who can own cars as long as someone else drives). Also, in January,
a holding company owned by Saudi Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal hired
a female pilot for one of its jets. The woman, Capt. Hanadi Zakariya
Hindi, flies with no restrictions but still requires a male relative to get
her to and from the airport.
The Ligitious Society
William Davis filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the Murfreesboro,
Tenn., police in December because, when they raided his home after
complaints from neighbors, they seized and destroyed the 114 dead
cats and one dead dog that Davis kept in freezers and which he said
had “emotional value” for him. In addition, according to the petition
filed in Chancery Court for Rutherford County (and uncovered by
TheSmokingGun.com), the carcasses were potential business property,
in that he was planning to start his own pet cemetery, and also one of
the cats, he claimed, was destined for the Guinness Book of World
Records because it had been so large at birth.
Sweet Justice!
Josie Medlock, 59, imprisoned two home improvement contract
workers and two supervisors in her home in East Dene, England, in
December and refused to let them out until they promised to finish her
kitchen remodeling by Christmas. A local government mediator worked
out a compromise, according to London’s The Sun.
Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral da Camara, of Portugal, died in
2001 with a 13-year-old will leaving his entire estate (including two
residences) to be divided among 70 people he had randomly selected
from the Lisbon phone book, with explicit instructions that his relatives
would get nothing. (According to a January 2007 Agence France-Presse
dispatch, the outraged relatives are still challenging the will.)
Chuck Shepherd's
News of the Weird
For more News of the Weird, visit our online edition: www.uwtledger.com.
Submit your Weird News to WeirdNewsTips@yahoo.com
About half the students who attend the Jewish primary school King
David, in Birmingham, England, are Muslims, and in fact, their parents
work hard to get them in because they so respect the school’s ethos
and its halal-like diet. All students learn Hebrew, recite Jewish prayers,
and celebrate Israeli independence, but there is a Muslim prayer room,
also, and Muslim teachers are hired for Ramadan. However, confided
one parent, the school tries to keep a low profile so as not to inflame
the religious rabble-rousers.
Compelling Explanations
Robert “Drew” Stephenson, on trial in Fort Worth, Texas, in January
for “torturing” an ex-girlfriend, acknowledged her severe burns but
said it wasn’t his fault. He said the two were having sex in a house that
had no heat, and to warm himself, he ran the flames of a lantern up and
down his arm. According to him, his girlfriend said she wanted to be
warmed up with flames, too. (He was convicted, and in February, after
four other women testified that he had beaten them, was sentenced to
life in prison.)
The Laws of Irony
In February, two anti-whaling activists (one from Australia, one
from Los Angeles), intending to attack a Japanese whaling ship near
Antarctica with a bottle of acid and a smoke bomb, got lost in the fog
in their small dinghy and were rescued with the help of several boats,
including the whaler. However, as soon as the activists were safe, one
thanked the Japanese crew but said, “I guess we’re back on schedule,
and we’ll be pursuing you again.” Shortly after that, the activists
approached the whaler and tossed the acid onto the deck, injuring two
crew members.
It is well-known that Saudi Arabia still prohibits women from driving
cars (or riding in them unless accompanied by a male relative), but a
December Associated Press dispatch from Riyadh reported on female
automobile salespeople (who are successful in selling to females,
who can own cars as long as someone else drives). Also, in January,
a holding company owned by Saudi Prince Alwaleed ibn Talal hired
a female pilot for one of its jets. The woman, Capt. Hanadi Zakariya
Hindi, flies with no restrictions but still requires a male relative to get
her to and from the airport.
The Ligitious Society
William Davis filed a $1.5 million lawsuit against the Murfreesboro,
Tenn., police in December because, when they raided his home after
complaints from neighbors, they seized and destroyed the 114 dead
cats and one dead dog that Davis kept in freezers and which he said
had “emotional value” for him. In addition, according to the petition
filed in Chancery Court for Rutherford County (and uncovered by
TheSmokingGun.com), the carcasses were potential business property,
in that he was planning to start his own pet cemetery, and also one of
the cats, he claimed, was destined for the Guinness Book of World
Records because it had been so large at birth.
Sweet Justice!
Josie Medlock, 59, imprisoned two home improvement contract
workers and two supervisors in her home in East Dene, England, in
December and refused to let them out until they promised to finish her
kitchen remodeling by Christmas. A local government mediator worked
out a compromise, according to London’s The Sun.
Luis Carlos de Noronha Cabral da Camara, of Portugal, died in
2001 with a 13-year-old will leaving his entire estate (including two
residences) to be divided among 70 people he had randomly selected
from the Lisbon phone book, with explicit instructions that his relatives
would get nothing. (According to a January 2007 Agence France-Presse
dispatch, the outraged relatives are still challenging the will.)
Chuck Shepherd's
News of the Weird
For more News of the Weird, visit our online edition: www.uwtledger.com.
Submit your Weird News to WeirdNewsTips@yahoo.com
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