Just when you thought Queen couldn't get any classier...

"Bohemian Rhapsody," arranged for four violins.



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Two men fined for rescuing a trapped deer

From The Washington Post:

Two men who rescued a deer trapped in Patapsco River ice were each fined $90 by a state Natural Resources Police officer because they did not have life vests aboard the inflatable boat they used to reach the animal.

A 911 caller reported a deer stuck in the ice near Route 648 in Linthicum about 5 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Brian Albert of the Maryland Natural Resources Police said.

A natural resources officer and a Baltimore County fire crew arrived and were discussing whether to attempt a rescue when two men on the scene decided they would do it themselves, Albert said.

The two men, Jim Hart and Khalil Abusakran, were advised by the officer on the scene not to attempt a rescue, but they did anyway.

Albert said the men could have faced a stiffer charge: disobeying a lawful order.

"They could have been arrested and taken before a commissioner," Albert said. "Our officer erred on the side of the least invasive action that he could take at the time."

I understand the argument: "If they fell in, then the firefighters would have to risk their own lives to save them." Well, would you be as critical of these guys if they had gone in to save the deer before anyone arrived to tell them otherwise? The fact is the men didn't fall in and didn't end up risking the life of single government employee.

The two rescuers plan to fight the citations in court on February 18, 2011. I hope they win.

If Christmas is late this year, blame the TSA

(AP, via Drudge)

Finale from the infamous 1978 Star Wars Christmas special

National Anthem FAIL

Entire movie filmed in a single, continuous, 96-minute shot

I haven't seen this yet, but I just added it to my Netflix queue.

Report of wife biting off husband's tongue leaves this reader speechless

This is, undoubtedly, the most bizarre story I've seen in a long time. It's the perfect example of a story that probably shouldn't be reported until further details are known because it does nothing to inform the reader, and actually raises more questions than it answers.

Here's the entire AP report so you can see what I mean:

A Wisconsin woman is accused of biting off her husband's tongue as he was giving her a good night kiss.

Sheboygan police say the man in his late 70s called authorities about 11 p.m. Monday, but was having trouble speaking. An ambulance was dispatched to the house.

Sgt. Terry Meyer says the husband and wife were singing Christmas carols when paramedics arrived. Meyer says the woman, in her late 50s, threw a coffee cup at them.

The man was taken to a Sheboygan hospital and then transferred to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital in the Milwaukee area where he was to have his tongue reattached.

Police say the man didn't want his wife arrested. But, she was taken into custody on possible charges of mayhem and domestic violence.

So...anyone else just a little confused?

Awesome name change

Douglas Allen Smith Jr., an unemployed cabinet installer in Eugene, Oregon, was granted a request to have his name legally changed to "Captain Awesome." The nickname was inspired by a character on the NBC television show Chuck.

He is also allowed to use a new signature, which consists of "a right arrow, a smiley face, and a left arrow." Not surprisingly, his bank won't accept it because it would be easy to forge.

Despite the legality of the name change, I cannot bring myself to refer to him as anything other than Douglas Smith. I mean, we already have a Captain Awesome...

Nuts open bridge for squirrels

The latest squirrel news comes from Longview, Washington:

The only thing missing was the marching band.

Speeches, prayer, cheerleaders, a ribbon cutting and a release of doves heralded Monday afternoon's reopening of the Nutty Narrows Bridge for squirrels at its new location above Olympia Way less than a month after the city landmark was taken down for cleaning and repairs.

The Longview Sandbaggers Club, known for elaborate jokes and trademark red-and-white striped jackets and umbrellas, put on the 15-minute tongue-in-cheek ceremony at Olympia Way and 18th Avenue before reconvening at the Monticello Hotel for cake and squirrel-themed cocktails. About 40 people watched as the Longview Parks Department attached the bridge to stout trees on opposite sides of Olympia Way using a cherry picker. "I have been asked to bless a lot of weird things in my life, and this is at the top of my list," said Father Richard Green of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Longview.

Full story here.

Meativity scene

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Quentin Tarantino is a creative genius

Not to mention innovative and original...

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