Weird News

[BigV]

I've done something like that before. On a trip to Oregon, we made burritos and wrapped them foil. Then we put the foil packets in the engine compartment near the exhaust headers. Smelled great! When we stopped we opened the hood and took them out, this was the result. Sorry I don't have any before or after pics; the food wasn't super good though. It was burned through the foil where it touched the engine parts but not cooked away from the contact points. Still, fun!

[Gravdigr]

I dried a test sample of fresh-picked weed on the intake manifold of Popdigr's International Scout once.

[glatt]

Intake manifold. Low and slow cooking. Smart.

[Carruthers]

A Somerset resident is calling on the council to make a road sign warning lorry drivers of the width restriction of a lane near her Grade II-listed home to be more prominient - after another lorry got stuck.

Caroline Cockman from Coxley in Wells, estimates that so far caused £30,000 damage to her side and garden walls, and to her neighbour's walls on the other Mill Lane.

Worryingly this is the third time this has happened in a week at the lane which narrows to 6ft at its smallest point.

On this occasion, the truck was so wedged in the driver had to get in and out of his vehicle via window during the four hours he was stuck and the extra two it took a heavy-duty breaker lorry to pull him free.

The lane is so tiny that the rescuer had to reverse in as much as possible, involving the cutting of trees to make way, before being hooked up to the stricken vehicle with a few lengths of chain.

Mrs Cockman has lived in Mill Lane 23 years and she said the stuck truck phenonemon began with the advent of sat nav devices.

She said; "This is the third time in the last week. Last Monday we had a big sewage tanker, with an escort to make sure it travelled safely, and it took him half-an-hour to reverse out.

"Then on Wednesday night someone collided with our low wall which stops vehicles coming off the lane and into our courtyard. Now this guy was trapped for six hours. If only truck drivers used their common sense as the lane got narrower and narrower. You would think they ought to know better.

"We've had Somerset highways department out twice and they have made the right noises about signs but nothing happens. The sign on the main road clearly says how narrow Mill Lane is, but there's nothing at the other end. And the sat navs take them down it as the shortest route."

On this occasion the situation has been fixed, but Mrs Cockman said in the past the damage toll to her property has come to more than £30,000, with one motorist fleeing before being tracked down and forced to pay via insurance.

Nobody would attempt to drive somewhere on the basis of a line on a map*, so why do they do it when the Sat Nav says so?

*Or would they?



Western Daily Press

[monster]

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-f...where-28897353

wasn't sure where to put this. defies all um... everything?

[BigV]

Originally Posted by monster

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-f...where-28897353

wasn't sure where to put this. defies all um... everything?

jfc.

decision maker(s) completely wrong... again.

[Gravdigr]

Welcome to The Not So New American Culture Of Fear.

Goddamn, that is stupid.

[Carruthers]

UK embassy apologises for 'burning White House' tweet

The British embassy in Washington has apologised after tweeting a picture of a White House cake surrounded by sparklers, "commemorating" the burning of the building 200 years ago.

The US presidential residence was set on fire by British forces in 1814 during the "War of 1812" with the United States.

A number of Twitter users said the embassy's tweet was "in poor taste".

The embassy later said: "Apologies for earlier Tweet."

It added: "We meant to mark an event in history & celebrate our strong friendship today."
'Only sparklers!'

British troops led by Maj Gen Robert Ross, from Northern Ireland, attacked and burned public buildings including the Capitol, Washington Navy Yard and the president's mansion during the conflict.

It was the only time since the American War of Independence that a foreign power has captured and occupied Washington.

The offending tweet on Sunday read: "Commemorating the 200th anniversary of burning the White House. Only sparklers this time!"

The British embassy message, published on its official Twitter account, has been retweeted more than 4,000 times.

One user questioned: "Is this suppose [sic] to be funny"?

Another wrote: "I think this is in extremely POOR TASTE."

An apology was issued on the account two hours after the original message.

UK embassy apologises for 'burning White House' tweet

[glatt]

You gotta wonder WTF they were thinking. These guys are supposed to be trained in diplomacy.

[glatt]

It's funny though. My brother's Canadian wife has mentioned before that she was taught as a child in school that Canada and the British beat the USA in the war of 1812. And I remember being taught that we beat the British. Old Hickory himself, Andrew Jackson, drove them back to where they came from after they managed to burn Washington. And the Star Spangled Banner yet waived.

[Carruthers]

On the other hand, the US Embassy in London always has a 4th of July celebration.

Celebrating July 4th with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band

All a bit of a storm in a teacup, really.

[orthodoc]

Canadian schools do teach (or, at least, taught) that Canada (aka the British at that time, but Canada is happy to take credit) beat the US in the War of 1812.

That cake and tweet are over the top, though. I just shook my head when I saw the reports.

[Sundae]

I have really bad wind today.
I mean it smells like it should be called Agent Orange. I'm surprised no one can actually see it.

Grim.

[DanaC]

Oh you dirty gertie!

[Bloke]

*parp!*