“All this stealing is making me tired.”
A thief in Malaysia blew his chances at escape last week when he decided to take a nap mid-robbery, the Globe and Mail has reported. According to police, the suspect amassed some of the valuables belonging to the family he was robbing, including watches and other jewellery, but then fell asleep on the owner’s couch with the goods in hand. Apparently the family was returning home from vacation and walked in to find a messy abode and a random man sleeping on their second floor. They proceeded to phone the police though the 42-year-old burglar managed to flee through a window before being arrested close to the scene. Maybe he should have stolen some coffee.
Christian school cuts New Pornographers gig
A Michigan college has decided to cancel a fall concert by the New Pornographers simply based on their name. The Canadian indie icons were set to play on campus at Calvin College, a Christian school, on Oct. 15, but the school’s administration has decided not to risk the impression that they somehow condone porn. “The band’s name, to some, is mistakenly associated with pornography,” a statement by the school reads. “Consequently, Calvin, to some, was mistakenly associated with pornography.” The statement continues to say that the band was invited because of their “thoughtful” music and, despite the difficult decision to cancel the show, the college wants to continue “faithfully engaging popular culture.” I’m guessing the Barenaked Ladies are out of the running as a replacement act. Holy Fuck, on the other hand, might be open to discussion.
9-11 memorial attracts thousands of birds
Thousands of migratory birds were pulled off course last week by the Tribute in Light, two giant beams of light projected in the New York skyline in commemoration of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. The birds were drawn to the light and circled around it endlessly, seeming unable to fly away until the beams were shut off, which had to be done five times during the night of the tragic event’s ninth anniversary. These animals use the light from stars and the moon to guide them on their migratory journey, which explains their attraction to the memorial. A similar situation occurred during the memorial in 2004, but some estimates place the number of birds trapped by the light this year at above 10,000, well beyond anything seen in the past.
Russia, Canada in UN dual over Arctic
Discussions within the United Nations over claims to Arctic territory have both Russian and Canadian diplomats confident their country will ultimately be given sovereignty over the disputed region. Canadian foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon met with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov this week to discuss their territorial claims in the Lomonosov Ridge region of the Arctic, but no progress was made in negotiations as, having already presented scientific evidence to the UN, both representatives say they are confident the organization will be ruling in their favour. The two nations have argued that the arctic region, which may house a large portion of the planet’s untapped oil resources, are a continuation of their country’s continental shelf. Norway, Denmark and the United States have also made claims in the Arctic.
