Shaky quake report
How the Daily Mail reported our earthquake: "The 6.3 magniture [sic] earthquake rocked the centre of the country, damanging [sic] buildings and sending boulders rolling down hills up and down the country between Auckland in the north and Dunedin on the tip of the south island [sic]. The shudder was felt throughout most of the country but there were no immediate reports of serious injury or death."
Bogus farms fleecing state
Florida announced it was removing the agricultural tax break for 127 properties because it appeared their "farming" work was a sham. A property appraiser estimated the Broward county had lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the years granting the bogus reductions. Landowners were blatantly housing just a few cows (in some cases, merely renting them) to graze and calling that "agricultural". The appraiser's office even found that land occupied by a government-contract prison was using a rent-a-cow arrangement. (Source: News of the Weird)
Darth Vader moonlights as a truck driver
Actor James Earl Jones spoke to the New York Times Magazine: "Q: You're never tempted to pick up the phone and pretend to be Darth Vader? A: I did that once when I was travelling cross-country. I used Darth as my handle on the CB radio. The truck drivers would really freak out - for them, it was Darth Vader. I had to stop doing that."
Toy age restrictions
This playful 'toy' containing three soldiers, eight guns and two knives is, according to the packaging, suitable for ages three and over. "Is it time that, like violent video games, these awful toys had a suitable age restriction too?" asks Richard.
