Friday, August 5, 2011

Friday Around the Water Cooler 8/5/2011

I think it is official now that I am going to boycott watching the REAL news.  Truly, within the first five minutes, I am ready to scream or cry depending on what they are talking about. 

The oppressive heat in the south is causing major problems for people, animals and plants.  When will there be a break in this record breaking heat??? Hopefully soon.

AND as far as the constant bickering out of Washington DC.  I want everyone be sent to "time-out".  They have to stay there until they can come out and play nicely with each other. 

SO...for now, I am going to get my news from the little boxes in the KC Star that say Weird News.


One Way to Make a Point




A mayor in Vilnius, Lithuania decided to send a strong message to people that park illegally in bike lanes.
Arturas Zuokas who is a cycle enthusiast, decided to make a video as a warning to the possible consequences resulting for parking in the bike lanes. 

Posted on the mayor's YouTube page, Art (is it all right if I call you Art?) is reportedly explaining that in the future the city will use tanks to take care of the offending autos left in the bike lane by their rude owners.

While the actual video is a staged hoax, the mayor said he is hopeful that residents hear him, loud and clear.  He is prepared to repeat the performance. 

Well, Art...that was a creative PSA. 

What's Up [you really need a] Doc?

A man in Idaho Falls, Idaho has been told not to wear his bunny suit in public anymore.  Complaints by area residents say he has been frightening small children. 

The Idaho Falls police department got calls on Monday that a man in a black bunny suit was being a menace.
 One report said, Falkingham was peeking from behind a tree and pointing his finger in a manner of a pretend gun at a small child. 



Even without the bunny suit, he is a
 little strange, don't you think?

 
 While police acknowledged that a number of  other residents expressed concern, a  neighbor of Williams, defended him by saying that he was eccentric but harmless. He has other outfits as well.  He sometimes wears a tutu, a cowboy outfit, and a ballerina outfit. 

For what it is worth, Falkingham told the police that he "enjoys wearing his suit".

 Really a ballerina?? When did a 34 year old in a bunny suit be the "good" choice.






Proven beyond any doubt...People will buy anything

An artist, Justin Gignac made a bet with a friend at an ad agency that he could sell anything if it was packaged right.   Seems as though Justin proved his theory. 


Justin has sold more than 1300 lucite boxes containing New York garbage.  According to his web site it is only the finest authentic garbage and is detailed with it's previous location.  For around $50.00 you could buy garbage from the area around Yankee Stadium that might contain a straw wrapper and a crumpled Metro card. For around $100.00 you can buy the trash from around the Obama's Inauguration. 
If you are now craving some authentic New York trash to call your very own go to NYC Garbage to order some. 

There are entrepreneurs and there are ENTREPRENEURS. 


Why is she being called a Mermaid???


Oliver Voss, an artist in Hamburg, Germany has set put an interesting display of his work in the Alster River and it is getting plenty of attention.



Not everyone in Hamburg is loving the addition to their river as they believe it to be linked to advertising for a particular brand of soap that uses a Mermaid for it's logo.  The sculpture in the river, however, does not have any type of company name on it.

Why, oh why, do they refer to this as a mermaid?  

When is the term "backfired" taken literally?

That is when you are Jordan Cardella and you want to win your girlfriend back.  It is also when you are among the planet's biggest idiots. 

Jordan had the idea that in order to win his girlfriend back he would illicit a friend to shoot him in the back.   His theory being that she would feel sympathy for him.

His plan back fired. (heh heh)

In what Wisconsin prosecutors are calling the most phenomenally stupid case they have ever seen, three Wisconsin men are pleading guilty to felony weapons charges.

According to the complaint Jordan asked his friend Anthony Woodall to shoot him in the back three times.
Anthony refused  to actually pull the trigger but enlisted the help of another friend Michael Wezykl, who agreed to carry out the plan for cash and pills. 

After retrieving the gun from Wezykl's home the trio went to a nearby park.  After the first shot missed his back and hit his arm, Cardella asked for Wezykl to try again.  Seemingly, Wezykl was out of the mood at this point and said "I'm done."

Wezyk and Woodall both were sentenced to two years probation and 100 hours of community service. Cardella had the charges dropped against him and was punished by the fact he didn't get his girlfriend back even after taking a bullet for her.

How does one begin to fathom the depths of idiocy? 

Is it Kate's dress or not?

Thelma Levett,  a balloon artist in Leicestershire, England has her career taking off very much like the house in the movie "UP".  

Earlier this year, she fashioned a wedding dress out of 5000 balloons.  She says she was inspired by Kate Middleton's dress.  Levett is quoted as saying "It's not a replication." 



Really?? I can hardly tell them apart!
Levett has spent the last 16 years perfecting her balloon art. For the dress that her daughter is modeling she spent several months using both inflated and uninflated balloons to create.  She designed the dress not to squeak when the bride walks as that would put a pall on the wedding day. 

I love the fact, Levett thought that squeaks could put a pall (who uses that word?) on the wedding day but the fact you are wearing balloons isn't.


Finally, a good Facebook comment..

Facebook is not your friend
Victor Burgos 29  of Brooklyn, NY was hiding out in his Brooklyn apartment while alluding the police for domestic abuse and harassment of his ex-girlfriend.   Thinking that the cops were getting complacent in searching for him he posted to his Facebook wall "Catch me if you can, I'm in Brooklyn."

US Marshalls along with a task force of the NYPD raided Burgos' apartment and found him sitting at his computer.

I wonder if he had time to post to his Facebook page..."I guess they can."



The Good for the Day...In the article involving the shooting....Woodall refused the request to shoot his friend because he is a felon and didn't want to break his probation by handling a gun.

The Bad for the Day...People will buy anything.


The Weird for the Day  The other day, I came out of the Target to find another stupid parker.  This is an actual photo...no Photoshop...really.


26 comments:

Madge said...

Aparantly they don't know that mermaids don't have legs in water, it's cool and I would love to have that sort of art at any of my neighborhood lakes.
Dude with the bunny suit is just weird, he looks like a rabbit even without the suit. I bet he's really good at saying "it puts the lotion on it's skin or it will get the hose again" or "it puts the conditioner on it's fur...."

Aleta said...

Madge beat me to it... legs, tail, eh what's the difference, never mind. But.... weird art for sure.

The bunny guy looks a little weird. Definitely a wacked out wabbit.

And the getting shot for sympathy idea? Someone put a big "L" on his forehead.

Thanks for sharing these stories and making my day seem more normal :)

Cheryl P. said...

You are too funny, Madge. I too, would love that in a neighborhood lake if only I had a neighborhood lake.

Cheryl P. said...

Hi Aleta, Seems every week so very un-normal things happen that make my life seem pretty mundane.

I totally agree about the rabbit guy. Wacked out for sure.

Have a great weekend!

Madge said...

What? No neigborhood lake? You must move soon! I'm within 20 minutes of at least 5 lakes. Not that I ever get to go to any of them. What with work and all. :)

Cheryl P. said...

There are a few lakes within 15 minutes or so but nothing closer. We do have the Mississippi River or the Missouri River that the mer-lady could sit in.

The way the housing market is here, I am staying put for now. Buying a home now would be a bargain but I suspect I wouldn't get what I would want for mine.

Madge said...

That's sort of how we feel about moving too. I love my house, but we'd never be able to sell it for close to what we owe. Hopefully the market will turn in the next 6 years before Steve retires. I'm looking forward to living in a senior community with a lawn boy and bingo.

bodaciousboomer said...

OMG! I had that gigantic chick at my place today too. I think I knew here sister.

oldereyes said...

OK, you outdid yourself today ... just too much to comment on. I'm assuming you think Giganta can't be a mermaid because those are her knees. Are you SURE?

Don E. Chute said...

1. That mayor dude is the shit, ans he cant run for our US pres.
2. Bunny suits are cool.
3. Artists are freeky wierd.
4. Any blonde is HOT.
5. "backfired" really...jus proves my point that 80% of the peeps are IDIOTS.
6. I LOVE any blonde in a dress!
7. I love Cops...they are all good.
8. That should have been 8/5/2011. Have you been drinkin?

Cheryl P. said...

Is there really enough water left in Texas for a giant chick to sit her big butt down in? Perhaps you saw her sister in the water off the Gulf.

Cheryl P. said...

I thought they were knees....what is your guess???

Cheryl P. said...

Let's jump right to #8 and move backwards. You need to be my editor and I assure you drinking would help me in numerous ways but I have alcohol intolerance and can't drink a drop. Makes life more difficult not less.
(thanks for pointing that out by the way)
#7. I like most cops.
#6 and #4 Let's never say "any". I can email you a picture or 2 of some blondes that I guarantee that you would not find HOT.
#5. ONLY 80%, I am thinking more like 90%
#3 They try to be that way, that is what makes them artists...doesn't seem fair that they get to be called artists for being strange and I get to be called "odd" for being strange.
#2. Bunny suits are cool on small children and Easter Bunnies for sure but not on the freaky guy in the neighborhood. I couldn't find one picture of a black bunny suit to post with that article. BUT the fact it was a black bunny suit made it creepier.
1. That mayor is the shit.

bodaciousboomer said...

Another couple of months and Lake Travis will just look like a crater for sure. The Gulf may be the only body of water around left that's deep enough for her. I just heard this is the worst drought in TX history; and Houston has the biggest rain deficit.

Cheryl P. said...

I have read/heard some of the reports describing the extent of this heat wave and a lot of the numbers are specifically about the southern TX area. Horrible! The Plain States have broken all of their old records for ongoing high temps but the impact of continued high heat after we had such a wet spring aren't depleting our water reserves. That makes a huge difference. Plus we are now getting a break with some rain and lower temp. I can't tell you how much I wish this would push your way. I am truly concerned for you.

bodaciousboomer said...

The ONLY plus is that there aren't as many mosquitoes. Still there are a few.

Cheryl P. said...

I am glad you still are looking at the bright side. I am rooting for a big rain to come your way and I will share my huge reserves of Deep Woods OFF insect repellant.

Sandra said...

I'm so sorry...that stupid parker was probably me! I am the crappiest driver and the shittiest parker there ever was.
As for the "mermaid" sculpture, that's just creepy.
Oh, and Mr. Bunny-Ballerina guy: I'm sure he's not harmless. I say give him time...

Cheryl P. said...

Oh, Sandra tell me that you aren't that bad of parker! I was parked right behind that SUV. I was tempted to wait in my car to see if the guy that was blocked out of his car exploded but it was too hot to sit in the car.

The mermaid is only staying in the water for 10 days according to the artist that put her there. I guess he just wanted to get people talking.

You are sweet to give Bunny dude the benefit of the doubt. If he came out from behind a tree and frightened me, he might get kicked in his hare-y junk.
He might stand a better chance of not getting hurt if it was his day to be dressed in his ballerina costume.

meleahrebeccah said...

Seriously, that's why I get all of my "news" from the E! Channel. It's much LESS upsetting.

As for the guy who dresses up like a bunny, or tutu, or a cowboy, and a ballerina? I think that is HYSTERICAL. Of course, I'm sure he really does frighten the children though. Hell. I'd be frightened if I saw that in Real Life too. But reading about it, made me laugh. a lot!

Wpthesinglecell said...

The first two were the subjects of questions on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" (NPR) this week. So apparently they're completely valid bits of news. And the story about the kid who wanted to get shot in the back to get his girlfriend back... well... I can't decide whether that former girlfriend was a genius to dump him or an idiot to ever date him in the first place!

Cheryl P. said...

Meleah, that is such a smart distinction. It was a funny article but probably not so funny if I ran into him jumping out from behind a tree in his bunny suit. I already said that as jumpy as I am lately, I would probably kick him in the **** before I had time to figure out if he is just nuts or what.

Cheryl P. said...

Sorry to say, I rarely listen to NPR. I support it but I rarely listen to radio stations in general. I am going through my phase of loving the quiet.
Most of my news articles come off of newspaper web sites. Surprisingly, KC Star has an amazing database of what is happening around the country.

I am thinking that she had to have been stupid to date him in the first place. Doesn't he look "less than desirable"?

How are things going with your computer? Working yet?

meleahrebeccah said...

Ahahahhah! Me too!

Junebug said...

LMAO at the bunny guy. It reminds me of when I went to an Atlanta Braves game and there were three guys dressed as Rabbits. I called them the drunk bunny gang. It was, also, the coldest freaking game ever. I looked at their suits in envy over my blanket.

It is obviously not a mermaid because she has knees. Mermaids don't have knees that are apart. It looks like a woman preparing to have a water birth. I wouldn't be swimming in there for awhile.

I guess that mayor is pretty serious about the illegal parking. :-)

Cheryl P. said...

That is pretty funny about the guys in the bunny suites at the Braves game. I find people like that hysterical. (unlike the creepy guy slinking around a neighborhood behind trees)
Now that you mention it...that is exactly what the statue looks like. They really needed to have a fin coming out of the water to make the mermaid angle work.
Ya, as long as the mayor has access to a tank, the locals better keep the bike lanes clear.