Weird news thread

[munster#1]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 99116.html

his telling everyone that he was on the boat with a chimp, a zebra and a tiger. only the tiger survived but he ran away when they reached land.

[blockhead]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... g-violence

Gerard Batten, who represents London and is member of the party's executive, told the Guardian on Tuesday that he stood by a "charter of Muslim understanding", which he commissioned in 2006.

The document asks Muslims to sign a declaration rejecting violence

I kid you not,
Great comments below

Lol, politicians are modern day jesters.
Get the state to sign a charter rejecting violence first, then we'll talk

And we'll get them to wear crescents too - so that everybody knows who they are.

At least the Monster Raving Loony Party are just in it for the craic, this UKIP crowd could be a really dangerous bunch on this evidence.

[Morf]

Can all ethnicities sign declarations not to do negative stereotypical things?

No more Catholic guilt. RE-ZULT!

[fourthirtythree]

Can all ethnicities sign declarations not to do negative stereotypical things?

No more Catholic guilt. RE-ZULT!

Or religions even. maybe we could get scientologists to not believe science fiction literally.

Actually why start down that route, I'm only asking for trouble...

[Morf]

This will only end in tears.

Edit: Welcome back Catholic guilt.

[paddyor]

I'm a Leeds fan so it qualifies as news
news

[paddyor]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... g-violence

Gerard Batten, who represents London and is member of the party's executive, told the Guardian on Tuesday that he stood by a "charter of Muslim understanding", which he commissioned in 2006.

The document asks Muslims to sign a declaration rejecting violence

I kid you not,
Great comments below

Lol, politicians are modern day jesters.
Get the state to sign a charter rejecting violence first, then we'll talk

And we'll get them to wear crescents too - so that everybody knows who they are.

At least the Monster Raving Loony Party are just in it for the craic, this UKIP crowd could be a really dangerous bunch on this evidence.

Have you seen this. Gave rise to this. Well worth a look couple of gems:

UkipWeather ‏@UkipWeather Jan 21

A male shop assistant offering constructive critiques in the men's department of Debenhams will cause temperatures in Leeds to drop to -1c

UkipWeather ‏@UkipWeather Jan 19

A lingering look between 2 men at a gym in York has sparked concerns from residents living near the River Ouse

UkipWeather ‏@UkipWeather Jan 19

Council gritters are on high alert after a man in Peterborough went into a pub and ordered a glass of white wine

If you have time the UKIP shipping forecast

[John23]

I love this one:

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/cou ... 6825469367

[blockhead]

I love this one:

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/cou ... 6825469367

Man, one of the things I got to do before I die, Oktoberfest.

[blockhead]

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/wi ... 17114.html

What a nutter!

[IanD]

Not sure if this should be here or on the In Need For A Laugh thread.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26224452
Snake Salvation pastor dies from snake bite

A snake-handling pastor who appeared on US TV show Snake Salvation has died after being bitten by a rattlesnake.

Jamie Coots was holding the snake at his church in Middlesboro, Kentucky, when he was bitten on the hand, according to fellow preacher Cody Winn.

The Middlesboro Police Department said Coots refused to have medical treatment for the bite.

Coots said last year that he needed the snakes for religious reasons, citing a Bible passage in Mark's gospel.

The handlers' religious conviction is based on a passage in Mark's gospel which reads: "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

National Geographic said in a statement that it was struck by Coots' "devout religious convictions despite the health and legal peril he often faced".

Jamie Coots was holding the snake at his church in Middlesboro, Kentucky, when he was bitten on the hand, according to fellow preacher Cody Winn.

The Middlesboro Police Department said Coots refused to have medical treatment for the bite.

Coots said last year that he needed the snakes for religious reasons, citing a Bible passage in Mark's gospel.

The handlers' religious conviction is based on a passage in Mark's gospel which reads: "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

National Geographic said in a statement that it was struck by Coots' "devout religious convictions despite the health and legal peril he often faced".

A police statement said that when an ambulance arrived at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name church on Saturday evening, staff were told Coots had gone home.

Coots was contacted at his house but refused to have any treatment. Emergency workers returned later in the evening, by which time Coots had died.

Mr Winn said that after the bite in church, Coots dropped the snake but then picked it up again.

"He had one of the rattlers in his hand," he told a local news station. "It just turned its head and bit him in the back of the hand... within a second."

Coots' son, also named Cody, said his father had been bitten eight times before but had never had such a severe reaction. He said the family thought he would recover as he had on previous occasions.

"We're going to go home, he's going to lay on the couch. He's going to hurt. He's going to pray for a while and he's going to get better," Cody Coots said.

"That's what happened every other time, except this time was just so quick and it was crazy."

Last year Jamie Coots was caught transporting three rattlesnakes and two copperheads through Knoxville, Tennessee. The snakes were confiscated.

Coots subsequently pleaded guilty to illegal wildlife possession and was given one year of unsupervised probation.

In 1995 28-year-old Melinda Brown, of Parrottsville, Tennessee, died after being bitten by a timber rattlesnake at Coots' church.

[jimbobjoe]

Not sure if this should be here or on the In Need For A Laugh thread.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26224452
Snake Salvation pastor dies from snake bite

A snake-handling pastor who appeared on US TV show Snake Salvation has died after being bitten by a rattlesnake.

Jamie Coots was holding the snake at his church in Middlesboro, Kentucky, when he was bitten on the hand, according to fellow preacher Cody Winn.

The Middlesboro Police Department said Coots refused to have medical treatment for the bite.

Coots said last year that he needed the snakes for religious reasons, citing a Bible passage in Mark's gospel.

The handlers' religious conviction is based on a passage in Mark's gospel which reads: "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

National Geographic said in a statement that it was struck by Coots' "devout religious convictions despite the health and legal peril he often faced".

Jamie Coots was holding the snake at his church in Middlesboro, Kentucky, when he was bitten on the hand, according to fellow preacher Cody Winn.

The Middlesboro Police Department said Coots refused to have medical treatment for the bite.

Coots said last year that he needed the snakes for religious reasons, citing a Bible passage in Mark's gospel.

The handlers' religious conviction is based on a passage in Mark's gospel which reads: "They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

National Geographic said in a statement that it was struck by Coots' "devout religious convictions despite the health and legal peril he often faced".

A police statement said that when an ambulance arrived at the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name church on Saturday evening, staff were told Coots had gone home.

Coots was contacted at his house but refused to have any treatment. Emergency workers returned later in the evening, by which time Coots had died.

Mr Winn said that after the bite in church, Coots dropped the snake but then picked it up again.

"He had one of the rattlers in his hand," he told a local news station. "It just turned its head and bit him in the back of the hand... within a second."

Coots' son, also named Cody, said his father had been bitten eight times before but had never had such a severe reaction. He said the family thought he would recover as he had on previous occasions.

"We're going to go home, he's going to lay on the couch. He's going to hurt. He's going to pray for a while and he's going to get better," Cody Coots said.

"That's what happened every other time, except this time was just so quick and it was crazy."

Last year Jamie Coots was caught transporting three rattlesnakes and two copperheads through Knoxville, Tennessee. The snakes were confiscated.

Coots subsequently pleaded guilty to illegal wildlife possession and was given one year of unsupervised probation.

In 1995 28-year-old Melinda Brown, of Parrottsville, Tennessee, died after being bitten by a timber rattlesnake at Coots' church.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE0gsrCzbnU

[blockhead]

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment ... 38291.html

RUTH EGAN – 25 FEBRUARY 2014

COMEDIAN Dara O Briain has hit out at the BBC's decision to ban all-male line-ups for comedy panel shows.

The 'Mock The Week' host said that the ban would cause viewers to see any female guest as a "token woman".

"A certain number of women want to go into comedy, and they should be cherished and nurtured, but you're not going to shift the fact that loads more men want to do it," he said.

In an interview with 'Radio Times', O Briain said instead of dwelling on the representation of women in comedy, efforts would be better spent on tackling gender imbalances in other areas, such as the amount of women in computer coding.

His comments follow BBC director of television Danny Cohen's pledge that "we're not going to have any more panel shows with no women on them".

But O Briain suggested viewers would now see guests in a different light and said if changes were needed they should have "evolved".

However, Orla O'Connor from the National Women's council said that they welcomed the new rule.

"I think it's a positive step by the BBC. I think one of things that The National Women's Council in Ireland has been raising in Ireland is to have more women on radio and TV and absolutely moving away from having all-male panels."

Irish Independent

A ban on all male line ups. What will the nutters think of next?

[honeyec]

A ban on all male line ups. What will the nutters think of next?

I imagine we'll be waiting quite a while for the corresponding ban on all female line-ups too.

[Morf]

A ban on all male line ups. What will the nutters think of next?

I imagine we'll be waiting quite a while for the corresponding ban on all female line-ups too.

You know that Midday current affairs show on TV3 that quite quickly became Irish Loose Women.

The current affairs and men very quickly dwindled. We soon had middle-class women talking about teaching their 3 year old sons about "bad touch". Jesus wept.

[Hornet]

A ban on all male line ups. What will the nutters think of next?

I imagine we'll be waiting quite a while for the corresponding ban on all female line-ups too.

What would be wrong with Brendan O'Carroll, Paul O'Grady, Eddie Izzard and The Joan Collins Fan Club. Would cover all bases!

[fourthirtythree]

I'm a bit sympathetic to O'Briain on this one: there's some Irish show and they always had a very token woman on the panel. She would usually be a columnist or something rather than an actual comedian (of which there are enough to actually have on shows if they wanted). Actually he used to host it now I think of it. It was tokenism and did nothing for women in general or women comedians in particular.

Perhaps his experience on RTE formed his opinions to some extent?

I'm all for a greater range of voices on the telly when discussing an issue. I remember the editor of the Star when he took over from Eamonn Dunphy on Newstalk sneering at a couple of his panelists that had the nerve to criticise tabloids by saying that they were "elitist": no Ger, elitist is having a radio show with a barrister, a consultant/senator, and a college lecturer on it, it is not elitist to say your paper is sh!t.

[Grumpy Old Man]

I'm a bit sympathetic to O'Briain on this one: there's some Irish show and they always had a very token woman on the panel. She would usually be a columnist or something rather than an actual comedian (of which there are enough to actually have on shows if they wanted). Actually he used to host it now I think of it. It was tokenism and did nothing for women in general or women comedians in particular.

Perhaps his experience on RTE formed his opinions to some extent?

I'm all for a greater range of voices on the telly when discussing an issue. I remember the editor of the Star when he took over from Eamonn Dunphy on Newstalk sneering at a couple of his panelists that had the nerve to criticise tabloids by saying that they were "elitist": no Ger, elitist is having a radio show with a barrister, a consultant/senator, and a college lecturer on it, it is not elitist to say your paper is sh!t.

The Panel?

[fourthirtythree]

The Panel?

The very one now you mention it! I remember they used to have one unfunny woman inevitably playing the straight guy surrounded by comedians.

[domhnallj]

The Panel?

The very one now you mention it! I remember they used to have one unfunny woman inevitably playing the straight guy surrounded by comedians.

You can remember that! It was in the 1990's wasn't it? I remember Brendan O Connor and Dara O Brian and that is it. Oh, and it wasn't very funny either.