Teh interesting (non-PHL-related) news stub thread

[Goat]

The Car Lover

"I appreciate beauty and I go a little bit beyond appreciating the beauty of a car only to the point of what I feel is an expression of love," he said.

"Maybe I'm a little bit off the wall but when I see movies like Herbie and Knight Rider, where cars become loveable, huggable characters it's just wonderful.

"I'm a romantic. I write poetry about cars, I sing to them and talk to them just like a girlfriend. I know what's in my heart and I have no desire to change."

He added: "I'm not sick and I don't want to hurt anyone, cars are just my preference."

[Lord_Leperman]

And they're calling it "Mechaphilia" . You gotta ask how does he do it though, because there are only 2 holes I can think of; the exhaust pipe and the ignition keyhole.

[Serene]

Since the exhaust pipe is scorching hot, maybe he goes for the ignition.
OR
the part you unlock for gas refils...

[Goat]

U.S. teen lives 118 days without heart

[Twin-Skies]

[/b]

U.S. teen lives 118 days without heart

Big deal - Dick Cheney's survived 2920 days without a heart, and counting!

South Korea to Invest $2 Billion to Create Energy Sector Jobs

Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- South Korea plans to invest 2.8 trillion won ($1.9 billion) in utilities and alternative energy to create jobs as part of its efforts to prevent the economy from sinking into its first recession in a decade.

The funds, which will be used to expand electricity, gas and nuclear facilities and boost the use of renewable energy, will create 12,400 jobs next year, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said in a statement today.

A 43 percent plunge this year in South Korea’s benchmark equity index and rising food costs have eroded household wealth and the global financial crisis has weakened exports, prompting companies to rein in hiring. Economic growth cooled to the weakest in four years last quarter and jobs grew in September at the slowest pace since 2005.

Holy shit - 2.8 trillion won sounds like a lot of cash. I envy them - their gov't seems to know how exactly to face the economic crunch we're all facing right now. And all our own politicians can think of right now is charter change and Joc-Joc. In short - clusterfuck.

Inquiry Set on Mormon Aid for California Marriage Vote

SAN FRANCISCO — California officials will investigate accusations that the Mormon Church neglected to report a battery of nonmonetary contributions — including phone banks, a Web site and commercials — on behalf of a ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage.

Roman Porter, the executive director of the Fair Political Practices Commission, which oversees California campaign finance laws, signed off on the investigation after reviewing a sworn complaint filed on Nov. 13.

The complaint, filed by Fred Karger, founder of the group Californians Against Hate, asserted that the church’s reported contributions — about $5,000, according to state election filings — vastly underestimated its actual efforts in passing Proposition 8, which amended the state’s Constitution to recognize only male-female marriage.

I like where this is going. It's about damn time religious organizations that try to curtail the basic rights of the people are hit with an inquisition of their own

[Twin-Skies]

Sick books still used despite DepEd ban

MANILA, Philippines—Despite an edict proscribing their use, “sick books” remain alive and kicking, in at least two schools.

Three weeks before classes opened this year, the Department of Education (DepEd) directed the withdrawal of the textbooks in science and English used in private elementary schools it had found to have errors.

Antonio Calipjo Go, a self-styled crusader against “sick books” who recently gave up his advocacy after a well-orchestrated media attack, had exposed flaws in the two textbook series by Phoenix Publishing House Corp.

After a review of Go’s claims, DepEd’s Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (IMCS) issued the order in May pulling out “Simply Science in the Next Century” and “Harnessing English Arts Today” (HEART) for Grades 1 to 6.

The largest chunk of our national budget goes into DepEd, making this news all the more pathetic. It's scary that I almost ended up working for Vibal Publishing - one of the offices that's also in hot water due to their inaccurate prints. I say almost - even their website's fraught with all sorts of grammatical and syntax errors that made me cringe.

*Sigh,* where's a gov't-appointed Grammar Nazi when you need one?

[Sforza]

Men's Bras Take Japan by Storm
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Cke2nCp3SY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Cke2nCp3SY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Oh well, at least we'll have to put up less with tasteless dudes like this guy:

[Grim]

Men's Bras Take Japan by Storm

WTF!!!

[NiX]

WHAT THE HELL. The vid has obviously been posted in the wrong thread!

[Shintetsu]

It's a WTF. It's not interesting in any way whatsoever.

Just sick. Sabi nga ni Nix eh, Japan has a very thin borderline between the wicked cool and the wicked sick.

[clonezero]

too horrible can't finish will haunt memory please for the love of all that is true right and decent in the world DELETE THAT POST

[Goat]

Now, now. There's no need to feel shameful.

Be proud that you have such a unique trait.

[Sforza]

All this over a bra? I'm surprised.

[clonezero]

I now its a little over but come on guys should be proud to show of there their man boobs and not do this crap XD

[Grim]

...Speaking of breasts, here's something really interesting.

Storm in a C-cup - 130,000 boobs lost at sea

More than 130,000 inflatable breasts have been lost at sea en route to Australia.

Men's magazine Ralph was planning to include the boobs as a free gift with its January issue.

The cargo is worth about $200,000, which is another blow for publisher ACP's parent company PBL, which is already in $4.3 billion of debt.

A spokeswoman for Ralph said the container left docks in Beijing two weeks ago but turned up empty in Sydney this week.

The magazine has put out an alert to shipping authorities to see if they have the container, but if they don't turn up in the next 48 hours it will be too late for the next issue, she said.

Ralph editor Santi Pintado urged anyone who has any information to contact the magazine.

``Unless Somali pirates have stolen them its difficult to explain where they are,'' Pintado said.

``If anyone finds any washed up on a beach, please let us know.''