A taxpayer-funded study concluding that ducks enjoy water washing over them has angered several people. The three-year study by two scientists from Oxford University, costing $767,000, found ducks may be even more comfortable standing under a sprinkler than paddling around in a pond. Ducks given access to a pond, a water trough and a shower spent most of the time under the shower.
Susie Squire of the Taxpayers' Alliance called the research a "bonkers waste of money. It is common sense that ducks like rain and water. The last thing the Government should be allocating scarce resources to is this sort of nonsense". (Source: Observer)
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A Tennesee couple charged with domestic assault chose an unusual weapon in the alleged confrontation - cheese curls. Police say the pair fought each other with the orange puffy snacks, but no one was injured. The Bedford County Sheriff's Department said James Earl Taylor, 40, and Mary S. Childers, 44, became involved in a verbal altercation before the snacks were used. (Source: AP)
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A sheriff's deputy and his mother are facing charges of disorderly conduct after the deputy vomited on people at a Kenny Chesney concert and refused to leave. Police said Stark County deputy Justin Krohmer, 26, and his mother, Susan, 47, whose husband is the police chief in Ada, Minnesota, were asked by police to leave the Fargodrome in Fargo, North Dakota. Susan Krohmer is accused of pulling and pushing officers, screaming profanities and of trying to prevent an officer from escorting her son out of the concert.
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Two Russian women got an unpleasant surprise when their former boss paid them more than $1800 to settle a labour dispute - in dozens of heavy bags full of virtually useless coins. The women, from Vladivostok, were laid off and demanded their boss pay them for unused holiday time. After they complained to labour authorities, the company agreed to pay them, but delivered the 36,000 roubles in 33 bags filled mostly with five-kopek coins, a virtually useless piece of currency worth only a fraction of a cent. (Source: AFP)
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An Italian priest caught driving over the alcohol limit in Rome told police he had had only holy wine during the Mass. Police rejected his excuse and revoked his licence. Now the priest, 41, is to appeal against the ruling, saying his alcohol consumption was not "voluntary" since it was part of the Catholic ritual in the four Masses that he had celebrated during the day.(Source: AFP)
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Police found 45kg of marijuana in a coffin which had no body in it in Dallas, Texas. William Dale Crock was stopped when police noticed he was not wearing a seatbelt. A drug-sniffing dog alerted officers to the coffin, which had bundles of marijuana under its cover. Crock is in jail on a marijuana possession charge, plus traffic violations. Officers also said he ran a red light and did an improper lane change. (Source: AP)
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Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols plans to sue the Supermax prison in Colorado as he claims the food it gives him is causing him to "sin against God" because he doesn't get enough whole grains and fresh food.
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View today's Herald cartoon
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Today's Webpick: Air NZ staff can't keep their clothes on. Here's the national carriers new in-flight safety video to be played on domestic routes as of today. Watch it here
