Silly/Odd News Stories from around the World

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

hell yes, maybe the scandinavian girls will consider short dumpy asian men exotic

I'm expecting them to be too horny to care about such trivial details.

[Anh_Minh]

The problem is all those tall, muscular, blond men they've got in them countries.

[Amirali]

Originally Posted by Shadow Minato

How's Chrome? Isn't it still in beta?

Since Chrome is a Google product, it'll probably stay in beta for the next 5 years or so. They're always tinkering around and adding new stuff...

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by Amirali

Since Chrome is a Google product, it'll probably stay in beta for the next 5 years or so. They're always tinkering around and adding new stuff...

It's working, at least.

[kyon.haruhi.suzumiya]

Originally Posted by ShimatheKat

It's working, at least.

^^ True. It works well, but I prefer Opera.
No, really. Fits my Royale Noir XP theme.
And crashes less often.

[Konpachi]

^ WHOO OPERA. -.-

Tried Opera 10.00 Alpha, and it sucks. But it's in Alpha stage, so... it better improve.

[kyon.haruhi.suzumiya]

Originally Posted by Konpachi

^ WHOO OPERA. -.-

Tried Opera 10.00 Alpha, and it sucks. But it's in Alpha stage, so... it better improve.

^^ Is that meant to be a compliment or complaint? Besides, all I look for is speed. Features don't bother me much.

[Green²]

Governor proposes tax on non-diet soda

Drinking diet soda may save you more than calories. It could save you money, too.

In an effort to close the state's $15 billion budget gap, Gov. David Paterson has proposed a 15 percent tax on soft drinks.

But not all soft drinks. Just those with lots of calories. Diet colas would be exempt under Paterson's "obesity tax."
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"At this point, with the size of the deficit, almost anything is going to be on the table," said Assemblyman Al Stirpe, D-North Syracuse. "Before this is all done, you are going to see many new sources of revenue that no one ever thought of before."

Which to the locals, the common saying of, "Honey, I'm off to the grocery store! Need anything?" Translates roughly to, "I'm going out on a thirty-minute drive to the Native American Reservation! Is there enough money remaining in the account?"

[TinyRedLeaf]

Obama is more popular than God

THE oldest questions are still the most puzzling. According to Google's annual list of popular search terms, even in these times of economic crisis, people are most concerned with working out what love is. The nature of gout, an ailment most commonly associated with gentlemanly excess, has fallen off the list since 2007. With fewer expensive meals and bottles of wine on offer, it is likely to be less of a problem in these frugal times. Interest in the identity of the president-elect, Barack Obama, reached such a fever pitch that he has replaced God on the list. John McCain could perhaps take comfort from the fact that more interest was shown in him than in his running mate, Sarah Palin.

- THE ECONOMIST

[Shadow Kira01]

Obama's team has basketball skills

Is this funny or what? Obama picks basketball buddy to be education minister. Does he qualify for the job or does he qualify for the basketball tournament?

[kyon.haruhi.suzumiya]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Obama is more popular than God

Oh wow. First Haruhi, now Obama. There's even a statue of him in Obama, Fukui, Japan. New pilgrimage point?

Originally Posted by Shadow Minato

Obama's team has basketball skills

Is this funny or what? Obama picks basketball buddy to be education minister. Does he qualify for the job or does he qualify for the basketball tournament?

^^ At this rate, there's going to be a Ministry of Communities, Youth and Sport. IN THE US.

Hillary Clinton, Obama’s Secretary of State, played half-court basketball when she was growing up — and she may even have game.

Really? At her age??

[Shadow Kira01]

Originally Posted by kyon.haruhi.suzumiya

Oh wow. First Haruhi, now Obama. There's even a statue of him in Obama, Fukui, Japan. New pilgrimage point?

Sounds interesting.. Worshipping the US president-elect as a "deity".. Perhaps, Obama will be the man who is capable of changing the direction of the US, as well as reshape it's country's foreign policy. If successful, he will certainly replace Haruhi..

[kyon.haruhi.suzumiya]

Originally Posted by Shadow Minato

Sounds interesting.. Worshipping the US president-elect as a "deity".. Perhaps, Obama will be the man who is capable of changing the direction of the US, as well as reshape it's country's foreign policy. If successful, he will certainly replace Haruhi..

You know what? There really is a statue of him.

The article here.

[Anh_Minh]

As long as there are no h-doujin of him...

Wait, did I just Rule 35 it?

[Shadow Kira01]

Originally Posted by kyon.haruhi.suzumiya

You know what? There really is a statue of him.

The article here.

I do know.. However, the statue is not made for worshipping. At least, I don't think it serves the purpose of praying, because Obama is a living person. And don't get me wrong, I am also one of the pro-Obama individuals. For now, I just hope Obama will keep his words and promote "change".

[Mystique]

For some laughs, amusements, some mild creeping out...
(any girls lurking about on here, I'd love to know if you feel as weirded out as I feel, or if you wouldn't mind delivering in this ward...)

[einhorn303]

Japanese fansubber gets two year jail sentence:

A man who added custom subtitles to a pirated copy of the movie ‘Wanted’ and uploaded it to a file-sharing network has been sentenced. Kazushi Hirata, who uploaded the movie in advance of its Japanese theatrical release, received a 2 year suspended jail sentence.

“The conviction sends an important message about the illegality of movie piracy,” said Jimca executive director Yasutaka Iiyama adding, “Respect for intellectual property rights is critical to Japan’s economy and cultural identity.”

http://torrentfreak.com/wanted-p2p-p...s-jail-081217/

[Vexx]

At least it was an actual act of bootlegging and snagging a PRE-RELEASED film that got him. The headline is a bit misleading in that it was really the "advance release" ... basically it was an inside job if it was not yet released.

[einhorn303]

Originally Posted by Vexx

At least it was an actual act of bootlegging and snagging a PRE-RELEASED film that got him. The headline is a bit misleading in that it was really the "advance release" ... basically it was an inside job if it was not yet released.

But aren't all anime fansubs "pre-release" for the US market? I mean, what's the difference between this and subbing The Girl Who Leapt through Time and uploading it before it comes out in American theaters?

[Vexx]

No, unless you're really torturing the use of the word pre-release. Prior to being offered *anywhere* publicly, this guy snapped a copy. Otherwise, where are my R1 DVDs for Petopetosan? Or a dozen other anime series?

Basically, I could have flown to Japan and seen TGWLTT when it was released. I could not have seen the film at the time he snagged it - it had not had a public release.

I understand we disagree somewhat on fansubs ... still waiting for an industry solution that answers my desire to do for anime what I do when buying any other DVD (movies, series, etc): be able to watch it so I know I'm buying something worthwhile.