Today in the News...

People are crazy. And I'm not just talking about crazy people. People, in general, are extremely odd. Most of the time no one notices because they're too busy trying not to make eye contact with the person next to them. And then there's this:

"INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AP) -- A mother was charged with neglect Wednesday after prosecutors said she allowed her 3-year-old son to wander away from home and play along a busy interstate.
Stunned motorists found Damon Dyer, barefoot and wearing only a diaper and T-shirt, early Saturday while his mother slept in a nearby apartment on Indianapolis' west side, police said.
At least half a dozen cars and a semitrailer swerved into other lanes on Interstate 465 to avoid the child, who was not hurt, authorities said."

That's nuts! Even though I know I'm not going to be Dr. Phil with my kids, I'm pretty sure I won't let them run around on a freeway. That's a little excessive.

"SYDNEY, Jan 4 (Reuters Life!) - An Australian bank has apologized for issuing a credit card to a cat after its owner decided to test the bank's identity security system.
The Bank of Queensland issued a credit card to Messiah the cat when his owner Katherine Campbell applied for a secondary card on her account under its name.
"I just couldn't believe it. People need to be aware of this and banks need to have better security," Campbell told local media on Thursday.
The bank said the cat's card had been canceled. "We apologize as this should not have happened," it said in a statement."

Isn't that like that Simpsons episode where Bart takes out a credit card in his dog's name?

Even though I've been taking french for like seven (!!!!) years now, (and am still in no way fluent) I haven't been to France. However, this article caught my eye:

"PARIS (Reuters) - You don't need to speak French to understand the Parisians. You just need to know how to gesture.
Or so claims a new guide issued by French tourism officials to help foreign tourists understand Parisians with a list of commonly used gestures with meanings like "shut up."
"Blend in by using them the next time you're in Paris. People will start mistaking you for a native in no time," says the online guide issued by the Ile-de-France regional committee of tourism at www.cestsoparis.com.
The city's famously rude inhabitants have long been a headache for tourism authorities who have made repeated attempts to persuade Parisians to be more friendly to foreign visitors.
The latest campaign appears to cede to the notion that if you can't beat them, join them.
Its part English-language website promises to show people "How to Cop the Parisian Attitude" with games to help them learn commonly employed gestures.
These range from the quintessential "Bof," a non-committal shrug used to deny knowledge or agreement, to "Camembert," when the thumb and forefinger are brought together into a circle to tell someone to shut up.
"You don't need to speak French to understand Parisians or to blend into the crowd," the website says.
"Stick out your lower lip. Raise your eyebrows and shoulders simultaneously."
The guide is linked to an advertising campaign in London that hopes "to show that Paris isn't a stuffy museum city."
And just in case it is taken too literally, it also includes a cautionary note suggesting that visitors may see some even ruder Parisian expressions if they use the gestures too freely."

We used "bof" in our class last semester a lot -- it's like "bam" or something, like a hitting noise. I dunno. Anyhoo, I guess the only way to fit in en Paris is to be an asshole. I can do that.