Ten things which raised an eyebrow this week

Ten things which raised an eyebrow this week

Following a week which saw Russia "invade" Cornwall, Niagara Falls freeze over and the salaries of top executives at Google come in for scrutiny, EP brings you a brief round-up of some other interesting news items which may have missed your attention

  • Coming in ahead of the Sun's offer to "Win a date with a Page 3 model", the Sainsbury's WW1 Christmas ad and the "wrestling parents" in a Flora Buttery commercial, it was the Paddy Power campaign offering "Money off if he walks" during the Oscar Pistorious trial which was named "The most complained about ad of 2014"
  • "P.S. Please acknowledge receipt of this retraction" was the last line of a follow-up email sent to 800 applicants for the Carnegie Mellon University Computer Science programme who had earlier in the day been sent a missive incorrectly advising they had won a coveted place on the course
  • Oh for want of a vowel! Management at the Krispy Kreme Kids' Klub were forced to "eat humble pie" after KKK Wednesday was used as the title to promote a children's fun-day
  • Analysis of photographic evidence by scientists at NASA has shown there's a hitherto unidentified subterranean frozen sea on Mars
  • In Columbia a 36-year old University Arts Lecturer has legally changed her name to ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ. Why? Because she wanted a name which her students would struggle to pronounce, of course!
  • Including analysis of digital-security, cost & quality of local health services, crime & violence statistics and infrastructure, amongst other issues, a report on the Safest cities to live in lists Tokyo in the top spot (London is the only UK city to be named in the top 20, coming in at #18)
  • For all parents (and non-parents) who've had enough of Disney's "Frozen", you'll be glad to hear that Harlan City Police Department is on your side! The boys in blue have issued an arrest warrant for Queen Elsa with the warning note "As you can see by the weather, she is very dangerous! Do not try to apprehend her alone!"
  • Charity starts at home! In Phoenix, Zach Norris bought a watch at Goodwill for $6 only to later discover it was a 1959 Jaeger-LeCoultre diving watch which he sold for $35,000 (No word on whether he intends making any further charitable donation)
  • The controversial "Body Worlds' Exhibit", which has attracted 40m visitors since going on tour in 1995, has a new permanent home in Berlin. Made up of 20 skinned human cadavers, infused with silicon rubber, the aim is to "showcase the complexities of the human body"
  • If you think you're having a bad week, spare a thought for the teenage boy in Arizona who found himself locked out of the house with no keys and tried to gain access by climbing down the chimney! There's a sense of inevitability to the fact he got stuck and had to be rescued by the Fire Department...

For more information on initiatives run by EP and to get involved with the community please contact Arlene McCaffrey

Previous
Previous

Waste Not: Want Not

Next
Next

Breaking Bread