Fourth grader suspended for using broken pencil sharpener

Written by: Bruce Cat on: Sep 14 2008 Published in: Social News Tags: ,

This news is really far out, but it happened. A 10-year-old Hilton Head Island International Baccalaureate Elementary School boy has been suspended from school for carrying a broken pencil sharpener in his supply box.

Texan house burns because water was turned off to fight terror

Written by: iTechotic on: Sep 12 2008 Published in: Social News Tags:

You have dumb and then you have dumber. This classifies as the latter. Some Texan house burned to the ground (luckily no one was hurt) because authorities had turned of the hydrants so that terrorists could not poison the water supply.

According to authorities fire hydrants had been turned off since 9/11 2001 to prevent vandalism and terrorism.

“environmental volunteer” will be encouraged to “snoop” on neighbors

Written by: Bruce Cat on: Aug 31 2008 Published in: Social News Tags: ,

In Britain local councils are recruiting unpaid environmental volunteers. These volunteers main tasks are to report anyone who drops litter, fails to recycle their rubbish properly, or who allows their dog to foul the streets. They are encouraged to “snoop” on their friends and neighbors.

A website maps global surnames helps people find the origins of their name and how far it may have spread

Written by: Bruce Cat on: Aug 31 2008 Published in: Social News Tags:

The Public Profiler site plots eight million last names using data from electoral rolls and phone directories as well as covering 300 million people in 26 countries, showing the origins of names and where families have moved to. It also contains five million forenames most closely associated with different surnames and lists the top regions and cities for each surname.

UK gov’t loses 4m citizen’s personal data in a year

Written by: Bruce Cat on: Aug 22 2008 Published in: Science, Social News, Tech Homes Tags: , , ,

According to figures calculated by the BBC. The U.K. government has lost the personal information of up to four million of its citizens in one year alone. But the thing is, it is getting worse, not better.

Kent police seized War on Terror board game because the balaclava in the set could be used in a criminal act

Written by: Bruce Cat on: Aug 19 2008 Published in: Social News Tags: , ,

Police arrested some climate protesters during a series of raids in Kent, UK and confiscated their “criminal” equipments” [knives, chisels and bolt cutters] as well a War On Terror board game, because they said the balaclava included in the set could be used in a criminal act.

Oil falls more than $200 in recent weeks

Written by: iTechotic on: Aug 15 2008 Published in: Social News Tags: ,

Gold is still precious, don’t get me wrong, but recent price plunges in its market suggest that the economy might not be as bad as we think.

Yes we are experiencing bad housing times but production was up 0.2% in July and now with gold taking a plunge and gas prices nearly lower than $110 a barrel things are not looking so good for those who jumped into this market.

This property is not available to any foreigners

Written by: Bruce Cat on: Aug 14 2008 Published in: Social News Tags: ,

This Irish person in south Belfast seems to be living in the 60s, when he advertised his house for rent with a sign which said it was “not available to any foreigners”.

The man who had advertised the house for rent said he had experienced problems in the past when a foreign tenant was intimidated.