Silly/Odd News Stories from around the World

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/sp...-count.html?hp

The world governing body for track and field has newly decided that records in women’s road racing will count only if they are set in women-only events to nullify the benefits of pacesetting by faster male runners, a dynamic that can exist in some marathons, half-marathons and 10-kilometer races in which men and women are in the same field.

The ruling instantly raised existential questions in the sport about what, exactly, a world-record performance is. If men are in the field but a female runner leaves them all behind and finishes in record time, should that not be treated as the record? And why is it considered smart racing strategy to benefit from the pace of a faster runner of the same sex but unsporting if a female runner follows the stride of a man?
......
The I.A.A.F.’s intent was to recognize a difference in achievement between women who set marks while paced by men and those with a more difficult task of setting records while running on their own or, in rare cases, being paced by other women, said Mary Wittenberg, director of the New York City Marathon and a member of the I.A.A.F.’s road racing commission.

“The I.A.A.F. wanted to show that women can stand on their own two feet, that they don’t need guys to help them get to world records,” Wittenberg said. “There’s definitely a difference. Women run faster with men as pacers, about a two-minute differential on average.”

We men don't have to carry along two free-moving weights on our chest bashing against our ribs and collarbones when running. So yeah, that decision actually does make sense.

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/sp...-count.html?hp

The world governing body for track and field has newly decided that records in women’s road racing will count only if they are set in women-only events to nullify the benefits of pacesetting by faster male runners, a dynamic that can exist in some marathons, half-marathons and 10-kilometer races in which men and women are in the same field.

The ruling instantly raised existential questions in the sport about what, exactly, a world-record performance is. If men are in the field but a female runner leaves them all behind and finishes in record time, should that not be treated as the record? And why is it considered smart racing strategy to benefit from the pace of a faster runner of the same sex but unsporting if a female runner follows the stride of a man?
......
The I.A.A.F.’s intent was to recognize a difference in achievement between women who set marks while paced by men and those with a more difficult task of setting records while running on their own or, in rare cases, being paced by other women, said Mary Wittenberg, director of the New York City Marathon and a member of the I.A.A.F.’s road racing commission.

“The I.A.A.F. wanted to show that women can stand on their own two feet, that they don’t need guys to help them get to world records,” Wittenberg said. “There’s definitely a difference. Women run faster with men as pacers, about a two-minute differential on average.”

Fascinating... I'd be very interested to see some study on the phenomenon of the male pacesetter. There's got to be some very deep-set psychology there, because on the surface it makes little sense.

[ganbaru]

Ohio baseball mascot has lost its head
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-21-09-28-00

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

Charlie the Parrot Saves Owner from Intruders

Parrot power. I was surprised to see it's not the first time either, one parrot saving a girl from choking by alerting her mother.

Amusing story.

I loved one of the remarks in the comments section though. Made me lol quite hard.

This reminds me of the joke about a parrot warning a house burglar that "Jesus is watching you". The burglar startled shown his flashlight on the parrot and asked whether he said that. "Yep, the parrot responded. " I just trying to warn you." And who are you the burglar asked? My name is Moses the parrot says. The burglar asked who would name a parrot Moses. The parrot responds, "the same people who named their Rottweiller, Jesus." LO!!! Y'all have a nice day!

[MrTerrorist]

Light shed on bisexual and promiscuous deep-sea squid

[FateAnomaly]

Originally Posted by Mr Hat and Clogs

Amusing story.

I loved one of the remarks in the comments section though. Made me lol quite hard.

Unfortunately this reminds me a recent news story where a family pet bunny alerted them to their burning house. They managed to escape but in their haste, they left the bunny behind which died.

[Fahd]

Originally Posted by Vexx

HAHAHAHAHAHA! This is great hilarity.... though it does bring up the problem with my theory of "you call the place what the people who live there call it"... when you have people on each side of the place naming it something different. To borrow from Eddie Izzard, "But who has the flag planted there?"

I mean, Westerners call Japan "Japan" not Nihon or Nippon. And S. Korea is Hanguk to its residents.

Aye. I'm surprised that the South Korean govenment didn't realise that the English Channel & Strait of Dover are named La Manche & Pas de Calais by France. I don't see the UK & French governments going around the world asking everyone to accept their version of the names.

[andyjay729]

Originally Posted by Fahd

Aye. I'm surprised that the South Korean govenment didn't realise that the English Channel & Strait of Dover are named La Manche & Pas de Calais by France. I don't see the UK & French governments going around the world asking everyone to accept their version of the names.

Meanwhile Americans seem fine with the Gulf of Mexico. And why force the Japanese to call it the "East Sea" when it's to their west?

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by andyjay729

Meanwhile Americans seem fine with the Gulf of Mexico. And why force the Japanese to call it the "East Sea" when it's to their west?

It is to the East of Korpulu sector. The Terran Dominion South Koreans are just naming their space based on their version of the maps.

[ganbaru]

Downed plane reported in Ohio just water park prop
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-22-09-08-46

[MrTerrorist]

To Catch a Game Thief

[ganbaru]

Raw-chicken vandalism leads to conviction in Colorado
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-22-00-37-56

A Denver man convicted of placing raw chicken in his ex-wife's heating ducts and other acts of vandalism could face up to 18 years in prison.

[MrTerrorist]

Whoa, this is creepy.

First Irish case of death by spontaneous combustion

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

Whoa, this is creepy.

First Irish case of death by spontaneous combustion

There's 2 important things than they didn't say on the article; was he a smoker? and how much alchool do he had in his bloodsteam. ?

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

There's 2 important things than they didn't say on the article; was he a smoker? and how much alchool do he had in his bloodsteam. ?

that and what else was he taking.

[Vexx]

It turns out cigarettes and failing electric blankets are a dominating factor in that matter (however x-files spooky fun it may be)

[ganbaru]

NASA gives 1-hour window for falling satellite

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...09-23-23-16-26

[Xellos-_^]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-sto...5875-23439289/

With a gag in her mouth, a machete in her side and covered in “blood” this woman looks like the victim of a brutal murder.
But Iranildes Araujo did not suffer a cruel end – her death was faked with tomato sauce after a hitman fell in love with her.
Hired killer Carlos de Jesus was paid £345 to murder Iranildes by Maria Simoes who thought she was having an affair with her husband.
But when de Jesus saw his intended target he fell head over heels and confessed to her.

I can't wait for the Hollywood movie

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

I can't wait for the Hollywood movie

So... a hitman actually thought a blade tucked between the arm and torso looks like a real stabbing? Guess that's why he charges so little.

[Haak]

Well she did fall for it...