Virtually Real Money
In December, a prominent online game playerwho goes by the name of Buzz Erik Lightyear won an auction for the ownership ofa virtual space station in a game called Planet Calypso. Lightyear paid 3.3 millionProject Entropia Dollars (PEDs), which at various points entered the game'seconomy at an actual out-of-pocket cost of 10 cents per PED. Thus, Lightyearpaid $330,000 in real money for digital representations of cool-lookingstructures. Lightyear can now charge other PED-seeking players who shop andhunt for valuables on the popular space station. Lightyear said he is confidentthat he will eventually earn back his investment.
Least Competent Criminals
World's Laziest Bank Robbers: (1) In December inCardiff (Wales) Crown Court, James Snell wassentenced to 10 years in prison for aiding a bank robbery. Snell made it easyfor authorities to capture him and the rest of the crew, as they made a getawayin Snell's car, which has a personalized license plate that reads “J4MES.” (2)Mark McAvinew, 52, was arrested in Kansas City, Mo., inDecember after allegedly robbing the Metcalf Bank and fleeing in an A.M.Heating & Cooling company van (a business he co-owns). (3) In November,Christopher Walker was sentenced to two years in jail for robbing a Lloyds TSBBank in Birmingham, England. He was caught withinminutes of the robbery, as witnesses saw him flee the bank to his home acrossthe street.
Rethinking the Safe House
Afghanistan and Pakistancontinue to be dangerous for blundering insurgents. In January, 14 suspectedTaliban terrorists accidentally blew themselves up in Afghanistan'sKunduz province while riding a bus carrying bombs to an intended target. And inKarachi, Pakistan, two days later, eight suspectedterrorists accidentally blew themselves up while handling bombs in their"safe house."
Cutting-Edge Research
(1) In December, University of Londonmath professor Simon Blackburn published a formula to determine whether adriver has enough room to parallel park within a given space. By inputting suchmeasurements as a car's wheelbase and the radius of its turning circle, adriver can calculate an exact, when-to-turn steering instruction. (2) ADecember National Public Radio report noted that fake houseflies have begunappearing in urinals around the world based on research showing that men aremore likely to aim at the flies, thus leaving the area surrounding the urinalcleaner.
Great Art!
- In December, Portuguese dancer Rita Marcalo, seeking to raise publicawareness of the tragedy of epilepsy (which has afflicted her for 20 years),performed a 24-hour show at a theater in West Yorkshire, England, in which sheattempted to trigger an epileptic seizure on stage. She had stopped takingmedication beforehand and continually stared into flashing strobe lights, butwas unable to trigger a seizure. However, she will continue the quest in thesecond part of her project (which has been funded by an Arts Council grant).This time she will attempt the feat in front of cameras, hoping to capture aseizure for a subsequent video production.
- Scottish sculptor Kevin Harman was fined the equivalent of about $325in November for vandalizing the Collective Gallery in Edinburgh by smashing a metal scaffolding polethrough a gallery window. Harman insisted that the incident was actually"art," in that it was part of a video for a project at the EdinburghCollege of Art and that he had immediately paid to replace the window. Thegallery's management, however, did not view the incident as "art,"and later pressed charges. According to London'sThe Guardian, Harman said that thefine didn't bother him so much as the fact that gallery management insulted hisart by calling it vandalism.
Police Blotter
(1) Clovis, N.M., Nov. 21: "The(grandmother), who said she relied on a walker for mobility, said the(son-in-law) had come into the bathroom while she was using it and had grabbedand twisted her nose until she could hear the bones and cartilage cracking. Theman was arrested." (2) Apple Valley, Minn., Oct.13: "Officers responded to a report that a man was sitting on the curb infront of his house talking to himself. When officers arrived they found a veryintoxicated man who wanted officers to drive him to Washington,D.C., so that he could discuss the country'smilitary involvement in the Middle East withPresident Obama."
People With Issues
(1) Prominent eastern Idaho prosecuting attorney Blake Hall, 56,was fired in November (and he also resigned from his position with theRepublican National Committee) after his conviction for stalking anex-girlfriend. Evidence at trial revealed that Hall had been tossing usedcondoms onto the woman's lawna total of 19 condoms were collected on 10different days. (2) Truck driver Yuuki Oshima, 22, was arrested in Chiba, Japan,in December after allegedly urinating through the mail slot of a woman'sapartment door. Oshima told police that he was frustrated, apparently too shyto approach the woman and admit that he was "crazy" about her.
© 2010 Chuck Shepherd
