As American Powerball, the world's largest lottery jackpot, reached US$1.5 billion ($2.3 billion) the New York Daily News looked at a survey by OnePoll.com about what lengths Americans will go to for money:
6% of people would commit murder for $1 billion.
10% would enter into a sham marriage for $100,000.
10% would perform a sex act on a stranger for $100,000.
15% would fake their own death for $100 million.
10% would do amateur porn for $1 million.
25% would donate sperm or eggs without their partner's knowledge for $100 million.
10% would punch a stranger in the face for $1 million.
20% would flash a stranger for $10,000.
10% would commit treason for $1 billion.
Family connections
Minnie Riperton who wrote the song, "Lovin' You (is easy 'cause you're beautiful)" for her baby daughter...who grew up to be female comedian and Bridesmaid's cast member, Maya Rudolph. (Via reddit.com)
1. One woman gave birth to two babies, one black and one white, because the instrument used to administer the sperm hadn't been properly cleaned and there was sperm from a previous procedure still inside it.
2. In 2004, a California woman won a lawsuit against an IVF clinic which gave her the wrong embryo and then, after discovering the mixup, covered the mistake up until the baby was nearly a year old. She received US$1 million in damages.
3. A British couple who are of Mediterranean descent underwent an IVF procedure to have a second child and ended up with a pale-skinned, red-headed baby who looked more Celtic than should have been possible. Neither the husband nor the wife believed that the boy was theirs. However, they decided against genetic testing; opting instead to decide the boy was their son no matter what and that a genetic test could only harm that relationship.
Video: The chemical reaction known as Mercury(II) thiocyanate decomposition is like watching some impressive sci-fi CGI. (The real action starts 1.20 in)
Video: How to drink your morning coffee in Norway...