1. How-To Shit in the Woods
Our once-pristine wildlands are threatened by ever increasing problems of pollution. Since its first publication in 1989, How to Shit in the Woods has been adopted by outdoor enthusiasts everywhere as part of the solution. In this updated edition, outdoorswoman Kathleen Meyer reviews the newly available portable potties, with special attention to individual trekkers in an all-new chapter, “Plight of the Solo Poop Packer.” Other topics include: the growing array of travelers’ field water-disinfecting systems, Giardia contamination and the now infamous critter Cryptosporidium, crotch-accessible clothing for women, and a fresh batch of “worst experience” stories, all peppered with irreverent musings. For the purist, there are more wise t.p.-less techniques from the Old World. Written with an effervescent sense of humor, this is a book for anyone who wants to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. - More info / Buy the book
2. How-To Have Sex in the Woods
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3. How-To Be Pope
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4. How-To Start Your Own Country
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5. How-To Be Happy Though Married
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6. How-To Rent a Negro
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7. How-To Lose Friends And Alienate People
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8. How-To Become a Schizophrenic
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9. How-To Read a Book
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10. How-To Speak with the Dead: A Practical Handbook
The author discusses a general outline of the scientific facts and arguments on which the certainties of survival and communication are based, as well as information relative to mediums and communicating with the dead. - More info / Buy the book
ITV was fined a record ÂŁ5.7 million for misleading viewers over the conduct of phone-ins on its flagship programmes this week. But it is not just big companies that have to stump up cash in fine-happy Britain.
With an army of pettifogging bureaucrats policing your every move, you better think twice before you eat, talk, drive and even relax… the list is almost endless. Here we list ten ridiculous but true stories where the authorities have demonstrated their limited grasp of common sense…
1. Sausage rolls
A picnic in the park turned into an expensive event for Mum Sarah Davies, from Hull. While feeding her four-year-old daughter a piece of sausage roll fell to the ground. The missed-mouth incident was spotted by council wardens and Ms Davies was fined ÂŁ75, even though pigeons immediately ate the evidence.
2. What a load of rubbish
With photographic evidence and stab-proof vests, Cumbria council’s bin police confronted Gareth Corkhill with the terrible crime of … putting too much rubbish in his bin. The father of four was given a whopping £210 fine, plus a £15 victim surcharge and he now has a criminal record.
3. Oops…
Litter lout Christopher Murphy dropped a single crisp packet on Irish soil and ended up in court with a 600 Euro (£480) fine. While the term litterbug is no doubt a bona fide insult, this is an example of where the fine perhaps doesn’t match the crime.
4. Trying to be creative
Pretty hearts and rainbows may seem innocent enough, except if you work for north Wales police. Two teenage girls from Bangor were charged ÂŁ80 for “graffiti” after drawing chalk pictures on a pavement, Mary Poppins style, which were completely washed away by the rain soon after.
5. Keeping the kitchen tidy
Nowadays using a public bin can get you into trouble. Detectives hunted down pensioner John Richards from Lincolnshire after he carefully placed some household rubbish into a bin on a lamp post. They traced Mr Richards from an addressed envelope that was in with the kitchen scraps and accused him of fly-tipping, which attracts a fixed penalty of ÂŁ75.
6. Putting your feet up
Getting comfy on a Chester-bound train can get you a criminal record. Babiker Fadol put his feet on a train seat and was arrested for anti-social behaviour, despite taking his feet down as soon as he was asked. After appearing at court charged under the 1889 Railway Regulations Act, he was forced to pay ÂŁ50 and was given a criminal record.
7. Keen to help the environment?
You still won’t escape the wrath of Swansea’s eagle-eyed council officials. Michael Reeves made a grave mistake when he accidently left a piece of paper in a recycling bag reserved for glass. He was promptly taken to court and fined £200 and swears he’ll never recycle again.
8. A quick fag
Fancy a quick ciggie in your break? Think again if you’re in the taxi trade. A lone fag cost cab driver Alan Cross £715. Mr Cross was spotted smoking a cigarette in his taxi by a Thurrock Council Enforcement Officer. The matter went to court and he was slapped with £300 of fines, £400 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
9. Defrosting the car on a winter morning
One cold winter morning Ken Hardman from Lancashire nipped outside to his car, turned the engine on to defrost the windscreen and then returned inside to wait. A local police officer charged him with “quitting” (leaving a car unattended with the engine on) and fined him ÂŁ30.
10. Answering a phone call safely
Unlucky Nick Tubbs was fined ÂŁ120 for the crime of … speaking to his mum on the phone. He was driving in Westminster when his mother rang so he diligently pulled over to the side of the road to take the call. He spoke for one minute and 23 seconds then immediately drove away. Sadly for Mr Tubbs, Westminster council tracked him down from CCTV footage and accused him of “parking” on a single yellow line.
[Via - Money Central]
Bentleys, Porsches And Other Top Line Cars Repo’d In Record Numbers
NYC cabbie is fined $1,000 for foul-mouthed tirade
Ohio man finds someone already buried in his grave
PickyDomains.Com is a perfect example of how to turn one’s talent into a profitable business. With ever expanding Internet and tens of millions existing websites, finding an available domain name that’s not already taken by cybersquatters can be a real nightmare.
But one man’s problem is another man’s solution. Rather than to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for a domain name on the aftermarket, an increasing number of web entrepreneurs turn to professional domain namers.
While most naming agencies charge a non-refundable fee that can be as high as $1500 for a corporate domain, one service that unites 17 professional domain namers from countries like United States, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, decided to offer a risk-free service that costs only 50 dollars per domain.
After 50 dollars are deposited, clients start getting a list of available domain names via e-mail for a period of 30 days. If they see a domain they like, they register it and notify the service about domain acquired. The individual, who came up with the name, gets $25, the other half going to the service. If no domain is registered, the money is refunded in full.
While the idea is brainlessly simple, it appears that PickyDomains.Com has no competition with its risk-free business model. But that is almost certain to change as more people find out that finding available domain names for other people can be a profitable business.
[Via - Business Opportunities Blog]
The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D’oh! of Homer
Hands-on jobs like these are where some of the the worst U.S. talent shortages exist, according to Manpower Inc., which recently surveyed more than 42,500 employers worldwide.
Employers were asked two questions:
A) Are you having difficulty filling jobs due to lack of available talent?
B) What is one job you are having most difficulty filling due to a lack of available talent?
In a weakened job market, the overall percentage of U.S. employers struggling to find talented workers dropped by nearly half to 22% from 2007.
But companies are wrestling with how to fill the ranks of technical and trade careers–particularly when it comes to enticing young professionals as baby boomers transition out of the work force. Another problem: As people live longer, flattening or declining birth rates mean there aren’t enough people to work and sustain the retired.
Here’s the full top 10 Most Wanted:
1. Engineers
2. Machinists/Machine Operators
3. Skilled Manual Trades
4. Technicians
5. Sales Representatives
6. Accounting & Finance Staff
7. Mechanics
8. Laborers
9. IT Staff
10. Production Operators
[Via - StartupJournal.com]
10 Things You Did Not Know You Could Buy On Amazon.Com
Dumb But Profitable. 10 Million Dollar Ideas That Shouldn’t Have Worked
Toronto’s Smallest House Is Back On Sale
