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Oddly Enough Blog

News, but not the serious kind

November 16th, 2009

Ned’s dead, where’s his head?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Blog Guy, you blogged several times about the missing skull of German writer Friedrich Schiller. I see there’s another famous missing skull now, belonging to Australian outlaw Ned Kelly.

Right. Ned, whose real name was Ed, was the son of Red. Ned was a bushranger and killer, whose gang wore body armor that made them nearly unstoppable.

Wow. What’s a bushranger?

It’s Australian for what we would call a big fat dumbass. Ned and his gang were finally stopped in an 1880 shootout at an Australian inn, I guess sort of like an Outback Steakhouse or something.

Ned was captured and hanged. His skull was stolen, but now it may have been found.

Do you think this really is his skull?

Probably. If you look closely at the video screen grab above, you can see “E. Kelly” carved in the skull. I can’t see anybody else doing something that painful to himself.

Geez, Blog Guy, couldn’t ANYBODY have just carved that into this skull, ANYTIME?

Hmm. I hadn’t thought of that! I like it, because it makes room for my own personal pet theory.

Which is?

This is really the skull of  Friedrich Schiller.

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Body armor of Ned Kelly, on display at the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne, March 13, 2008. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas

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November 12th, 2009

Throngs in thongs, what went wrong?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Okay, I have the winner of the coveted title of “Worst Organizer in the Entire History of the Galaxy.”

It’s the person who tried to put together the largest bikini parade ever, in Sydney, in an attempt today to break a world record.

The photo above isn’t from this event, it’s from a different Sydney activity a couple of years ago, where more than 1,000 bikini-clad women got together for something or other.

It’s not rocket science. It’s summer down there, and you can’t go anywhere within a hundred MILES of Sydney without pushing your way through busty chicks in skimpy swimwear. You get sick of ‘em after a while.

And yet, for today’s big record-breaking attempt, they managed to get a grand total of only 228 people together in swimsuits. Here’s a photo of the pathetic effort, on the right.

The sheer ineptitude boggles the mind. How did they screw it up? Why couldn’t they get… Oh wait, I may have spotted the problem…

Slideshow of today’s effort

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Top: Women dressed in bikinis pose for a photographer on Sydney’s Bondi Beach in a 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Tim Wimborne

Right: People in swimsuits dance during an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest swimwear parade at one time, in Sydney, November 12, 2009. REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

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October 7th, 2009

Just 24 beers? How about two dozen, instead?

Posted by: Robert Basler

I’m sorry sir, but you can’t drive that tow-truck full of beer onto the motor racing grounds, I’m afraid. It’s over the posted limit.

Limit? Limit? But it’s BEER!

I understand, sir, but this year, racing fans coming to the Bathurst 1000 will be limited to only 24 cans of beer a day. We don’t want folks getting drunk.

Just 24 cans? What am I supposed to do after lunch? Can I bring in wine?

Yes, four liters a day, INSTEAD of beer.

Four liters of wine? I go through that much at Communion! What about low-alcohol beer?

You may have 36 cans of that per day, sir!

Woo-hoo! Thirty-six cans! I beat the system! Out of the way, loser, I’m comin’ in!

You’re plastered already, aren’t you, sir?

Of course not! Say, can I bring in some wine?

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A forklift with a pallet of beer is seen at the Fosters Group brewery in Melbourne November 20, 2008. REUTERS/Mick Tsikas

Kangaroo grabs can of beer held by Kathy Noble as she stands behind bar at the 127-year-old Comet Inn in township of Hartley Vale, Australia, in a 2005 file photo. REUTERS/David Gray

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August 14th, 2009

Put the money in the bag, or I’ll eachu up!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Blog Guy, there was a really bizarre bank robbery in Australia today.

Yeah, two guys held up a bank in dinosaur masks. As you can see in this closed-circuit footage, they had Tyrannosaurus Rex masks. The bank tellers cooperated and no one was hurt.

“If it had just been a brontosaurus I’d have fought the bastard, but I don’t mess with T-rex!” said one victim.

But don’t the tellers know dinosaurs died out long before humans?

They said they saw this on “The Flintstones,” and it’s hard to argue with that.

“It was all very believable,” the chief teller said. “They had us put our money in a Trader Joe’s bag. That just seemed like a very dinosaur thing to do.”

Stunning! And the “dinosaurs” stayed in character the whole time?

Absolutely. They didn’t drop their guard, even as they got into their Hummer and drove off.

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Two men in suits hold pictures of dinosaurs during a protest on climate change in central Sydney August 13, 2009. REUTERS/ Daniel Munoz

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July 20th, 2009

Lifestyles of the Retch and Famous?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Blog Guy, I think you have been too hard on British people, what with those Twit Games and Funny Hat Day and stuff.

I agree. So to make up for it, I went to a cricket match in London a couple of days ago.

That’s better. Tell us about cricket.

They have tea, they have lunch, and mostly the players sit on a balcony, where they make phone calls.

That doesn’t sound like much action. Did you stay for the whole thing?

No, just until the first barf.

The first WHAT?

You know, after enough balcony time, eventually a player comes down and vomits on the pitch, and the inning is over.

And that’s all there is?

No, the Queen comes out too, but not until the dude is done puking.

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Above: Australia’s Peter Siddle bends over prior to leaving the pitch because of illness during the second Ashes test cricket match against England at the Lord’s Cricket ground in London July 17, 2009. REUTERS/Kieran Doherty

Left: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is introduced to England’s Andrew Flintoff during the match. REUTERS/Kieran Doherty

Assorted players on balcony. REUTERS/Philip Brown

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June 6th, 2009

Mess hall food no Dutch treat?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Blog Guy, I read that Australia’s troops in Afghanistan are unhappy with their food. Apparently they don’t like the stuff that the Dutch-run mess hall is serving. Could Dutch food really be that bad?

No. The Dutch eat lots of great cheeses, and all kinds of chocolate and stuff.

That sounds yummy. Have you been to Australia? What do they eat there?

Yes, I have. They eat Vegemite, this dark brown food paste that they spread on everything.

Ewwww. What else do they eat there?

Things called witchetty-grubs, which are worms.

Hmmm. So it’s worms and icky veggie spread vs. Gouda cheese and Droste Cocoa? What are the Australians doing about it?

Our story says they’re rushing in a special team of Australian cooks. And, I would guess, planeloads of worms.

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Britain’s Prince Charles pretends to eat a witchetty-grub during a bush foods demonstration at the Desert Park in Alice Springs, Australia. REUTERS/David Gray

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June 5th, 2009

See ya later, Mr. Vader!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Blog  Guy, I’m suspicious of my next-door neighbor. He doesn’t look normal. He dresses all in black.

Maybe he’s one of those Goths?

I don’t think so. I’ve tried talking to him, and he sounds kind of like that guy with the deep voice who used to say “Welcome to Bell Atlantic.”

Does he always dress in black?

Absolutely. When he mows his lawn, when he grills outside, even when he  washes his car. Always with the black helmet and cape.

Very interesting. Anything else that sticks in your mind?

His breathing is very heavy and labored.

I’m going to guess that he’s a Goth who suffers from asthma. Any other clues?

You know, through all the heavy breathing, I think I heard him say Darth. Does that help?

Yes! it fits with the black outfit! He’s that country singer, Darth Brooks!

You’re the king of the imbeciles, Blog Guy. Number one.

Thanks! It’s an honor just to be nominated!

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A man dressed as Star Wars character “Darth Vader” arrives for the launch of an exhibition in Melbourne, Australia, June 2, 2009. REUTERS/ Mick Tsikas

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June 3rd, 2009

Class, today’s lesson is in stupid!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Students, today we’re doing a class participation project in English class!

The book we’re reading involves a hanging, so we’re going to see what that would be like.

Now first we tie a noose, just like it shows in this knot book.

Great, this one is perfect! See how easily it slides when we put it around Joey’s neck?

Now Joey, get up on this table. Now if this was a REAL hanging, Joey would actually dangle and…  JOEY! That’s not funny! He’s turning blue! Students, cut that rope!

Damn! There’s the lunch bell. Wouldn’t you know it? You kids, come back here and help Joey!

Listen to me! Tomorrow we’re doing firing squads and guillotines!

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Above: An Alitalia worker holds up a noose during a protest in Italy in a 2008 file photo. REUTERS/ Alessandro Bianchi

Right: Spanish artist Cuco Suarez simulates a hanging as he stages a protest in Spain in a 2007 file photo. REUTERS/Eloy Alonso Gonzales

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April 23rd, 2009

Skinny Minnie and the pageant?

Posted by: Robert Basler

Let’s face it, the human skeleton is a sexy thing. You take a bunch of bare bones, add a bikini, and you’ve got the makings of a beauty queen, right?

No, I don’t think so either, I just wanted to prepare readers for a controversy in Australia, where a contestant in the Miss Universe Australia pageant was 5′11″ tall but weighed only 108 pounds.

You can see Stephanie Naumoska on the left, compared with a human skull, believed to be the look she was going for.

Stephanie didn’t win the title - that went to a woman with actual flesh - but she got close enough to ignite a scandal. Our story mentions the “glittering” finals of the event, although in fairness Stephanie collapsed when a piece of the glitter actually landed on her, and couldn’t get up until it was lifted off.

The pageant director says Stephanie is of Macedonian heritage, thus accounting for her extreme thinness, but a nutritionist told an Australian newspaper there’s no such thing as a fricking Macedonian body type, and so the controversy continues.

Our handout from the pageant warns that Stephanie’s photo can’t be used for advertising. Call me crazy, but I don’t think they’re going to have a problem with that.

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Sydney model Stephanie Naumoska poses in a bikini in Sydney, April 21, 2009. REUTERS/ Miss Universe Australia/Handout FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

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February 3rd, 2009

Coo? No, I said COOL! Cool!

Posted by: Robert Basler

Do you ever wonder who’s at the very, very bottom of the human dignity chain?

Well, it turns out he was picked up at an airport with two live pigeons stuffed in his tights. I mean, the tights ALONE are embarrassing enough.

But that’s not all. Mr. Dimwit was also hiding bird eggs, and samples of EGGPLANT.

To recap this story: man, pigeons, tights, eggplant.

And finally, readers please note the caption warning against using this photo for ad campaigns. I am not making this up.

So, you folks looking for illustrations to advertise leg hair remover or poultry sleeping bags, you’re out of luck.

And Adidas, even though they appear to be your tights, you just FORGET about a product placement deal!

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Live pigeons, stuffed into the tights of a man, at Melbourne International Airport in a February 1 2009 picture released by Australian Customs. REUTERS/Australian Customs/Handout. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS.

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