1. The Big Hang Up: Florida Schools Ban Cell Phones
Florida passed a law requiring schools to ban students from using cellphones during class. But the state’s largest district reached for the bars and barred cellphone use the whole school day. Students say it’s unfair and infantilizing but administrators, who confiscated more than 100 phones the first day, say too bad, so sad. Before the ban students rarely looked up from their devices and often covertly filmed their classmates. Now, phone-related problems such as bullying have decreased, and students are more connected – with each other and their teachers. Even students grudgingly admit that talking to people in person has made interacting more authentic. Imagine.
2. Judge Not Amused At $23k Settlement Paid In Coins
A Colorado welding company ordered to pay one of its subcontractors $23,500, paid the settlement in coins – three tons of them. The custom-made metal box filled with loose change was too heavy for the freight elevator and the forklift. Such noncents, turned the judge’s mood on a dime. And not in a good way. He called the change-up a malicious act done in bad faith and ordered the company to cut the crap and a check, but this time for $8K more to cover additional legal fees. The welder argued that since the subcontractor was also a welder, they figured they’d like metal coins. Uh huh.
3. How Celine Dion Is Torturing New Zealand
Residents of a small New Zealand town are losing sleep because of Celine Dion. Drivers blast snippets of her power ballads at each other well into the Kiwee hours of the morning, to demonstrate the power of their car speakers. The town’s 60K residents – near, far, wherever they are, say their sleep can’t go on because of the racket. They’ve even petitioned the mayor – Anita Baker – real name – asking that the city pull the plug. Baker says participants love to use Celine songs because her higher pitch numbers really show off the goods, versus a song with a lot of bass.
It’s all coming back to you here
4. House For Sale – Meth Lab Included For $1.5m
A California house in a lovely San Jose suburb just hit the market and the realtor says it’s a steal at $1.5M. Walking distance from a major mall, spacious enough for a family, two-car garage, meth lab – Yeah, there’s that. It’s inactive but the buyer will receive it contaminated. So don’t plan a housewarming right away. Authorities say nobody can enter until – you know – the meth chemicals have cleared. Did we mention the walk-in closets? The agent calls it a homerun for the right buyer. Although other area realtors say, curb your appeal. The price isn’t that good and needing hazmat instead of a welcome mat isn’t a good sign.
Giving fixer upper new meaning here…
5. Clowns Are Creepy, Science Says So
Out of all the phobias terrorizing people out there, clown fear ranks right up there with snakes and spiders. Researchers set out to discover what lies at the heart of coulrophobia. That’s right, It has a name and some 5 percent of the U.S. population fears clowns. But according to research it’s not because they had a scary experience with one. Nope, clowns give people the creeps because they can’t read their facial expressions and their behavior’s unpredictable. Also, the exaggerated expressions freak people out. Terrifying movie clowns like Pennywise haven’t helped. In one “creepiness” survey, respondents ranked clowns as creepier than taxidermists and funeral directors.
