Germany
The third annual Naked Sledging (sledding) World Championship took place in Braunlage, Germany, although it’s technically a topless sledding contest; contestants still wore shoes, socks, and underwear bottoms. 17,000 spectators flocked to the area to watch 13 men and 13 women (picked from 400 who signed up to compete) sled down a 90 meter (295 foot) hill. The “winner” — who clearly wasn’t picked based on looks — received one thousand Euros (US $1,376 or US $cheeseburger, depending on how good my math is when I’m distracted by the topless sledders in the video linked below). I put winner in quotes above because clearly we are all the winners here.
USA
Aspiritech, a software testing start-up in Chicago, is looking only for applicants who have Asperger’s or high-functioning autism, saying they’re ideal for software testing. It may have something to do with one of the founders’ sons having Asperger’s and being fired recently. I wonder if they’re interested in hearing about my meticulously-maintained collection of art trading cards, arranged chronologically by the generally agreed upon starting year of their respected art movements of predominant inspiration?
UK
A fox nicknamed Romeo was found on the 72nd floor of the Shard building, which at 80 stories is the tallest building in the UK. Romeo was taken to a nearby animal center before being release into the wild. The animal center’s founder Ted Burden was quoted in the press stating, “We explained to him that if foxes were meant to be 72 storeys off the ground, they would have evolved wings. We think he got the message”. Barrie Hargrove, a cabinet member at Southwark Council, says the fox “has certainly been on a bit of a jaunt” and is “a resourceful little chap”. And this concludes the most Britishy British paragraph I’ve ever cut-and-pasted.
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- Competitive naked sledding is too a sport, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. (Arbroath [probably safe for work], NSFW video at SkyNews)
- A tech start-up is looking for employees with Asperger’s and HFA. (Gizmodo)
- Cheeky foxy set hisself up a bivouac in a proper tall building, innit? (BBC)
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- A little guy with “several missing teeth” is wanted for dressing up like a mummy and robbing a Herminie, Pennsylvania area convenience store with a hatchet. Sidenote: we already called dibs on “Hatchet Mummy” as a band name. (KDKA, picture via TDW)
- Remember that guy who took a picture of himself — including a clear view of his face — holding stolen property and posted it on the Facebook page of the teenage victim? Shockingly, he’s been caught. (MSNBC)
- A sheriff’s deputy in Nebraska pulled over a pickup truck only to find two naked women and two naked men inside. The driver was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, but maybe they were just taking the really long way to the Naked Sledging World Championships. Ever think of that, Nebraska? (SiouxCityJournal)
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- Today is the 5th annual World Sword Swallower’s Day. Last year 22 sword swallowers swallowed 138 feet of swords, while unconfirmed reports allege sword swallowers proceeded to sell seashells down by the seashore. (AOL)
- A recent poll found that 42.3% of all Americans use Facebook, and by all Americans we mean that number includes babies and people who never go online, notoriously the two groups of people most likely to be stalking you on Facebook right now. (Mashable)
- Here are several items that — according to Consumer Reports — have smaller package sizes now but haven’t dropped in price. That’s a hard fact to swallow. (GOOD)
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