WEIRD NEWS - 4

Penny Protestors Pardoned!

In Readington Township, New Jersey, 29 eighth graders decided to get organized and protest their school's new policy of shorter lunch periods. So the kids all decided to pay for their $2 lunches in pennies. As a result, school Superintendent Jorden Schiff gave each of the kids two-day detentions for slowing down the lunch line and disrespecting cafeteria workers. But while some parents thought the punishment was actually too lenient, others complained that it was too harsh. So Mr. Schiff has decided to pardon the students and rescind his after-school detention order. He did say he would restore the punishment but only if parents asked him to for their specific child. (myway.com)

Now That's Trust!

In Moscow, Anton Popazov and his wife, Nataliya are about to finalize their divorce, but one thing you can say for sure -- it was never an issue over trust. The couple is still contractually committed to the Moscow State Circus, where their act includes Nataliya shooting an apple off of Anton's head with a crossbow. When reporters asked Anton if he was afraid he said, "I still trust her because Nataliya is very professional. The show must go on." (The London Times)

California: We Like Our Teachers Violent!

50-year-old Marianne Kearney-Brown is a graduate student at California State University East Bay. She's also a Quaker and she began teaching remedial math to undergrads in January. However, she was fired from the $700 a month part-time job after she inserted the word "nonviolently" in her state-required Oath of Allegiance form. A veteran public school math teacher who specializes in helping struggling students, Marianne had signed the oath before-- each time, when asked to "swear or affirm" that she would "support and defend" the U.S. and state Constitutions "against all enemies, foreign and domestic," Marianne inserted the word "nonviolently" in front of the word "support," crossed out "swear," and circled "affirm." All were to conform with her Quaker beliefs. Marianne said, "All they care about is my name on an unaltered loyalty oath. They don't care if I meant it, and it didn't seem connected to the spirit of the oath. Nothing else mattered. My teaching didn't matter. Nothing." University attorney, Eunice Chan said that modifying the oath "is very clearly not permissible." However, without commenting on the specific situation, a spokesman for state Attorney General Jerry Brown said that "as a general matter, oaths may be modified to conform with individual values." Quaker Trivia: Who was America's most famous Quaker? Probably Richard Nixon -- the only Quaker ever elected president! True! Look it up! (San Francisco Chronicle)

Beer and Bible Study

In Lansing, Michigan, Bret Maxwell of the Riverview Community Church does something a little unorthodox once a month. He gets together with a bunch of guys to have a few beers -- and talk about God. The special church ministry is called RiverBrew and Bret says, "The goal of it is really to be an entry point to the church. It's intimidating for someone to walk into a church having never been there. But if a friend invites them to go hang out, have a brew or two, and hang out with some of the guys from church, that's a much less intimidating environment." Bret is a beer fan himself and along with his own homebrew, he says lately he's become a fan of stouts and India pale ales. But of course not everybody likes the idea. David Garver, the pastor of Walker Bible Church in Lansing says, "When it comes to alcohol, according to the word of God, a believer ought not touch it at all." Mr. Garver calls himself "an independent fundamental King James Bible-believing Baptist." (Lansing State Journal)

That'll Teach You To Follow My Daughters

There's a fantasy most fathers have about standing on the front porch with a shotgun waiting for any young man who tries to mess with his daughter. In Atlanta, 45-year-old Richard Harold Gear turned that fantasy into reality. His two daughters, ages 17 and 19, called their dad to report that some guy on a motorcycle was following them home from a department store. As they arrived home, Richard was waiting at the end of his driveway with a pistol. 21-year-old Bryan Joseph Mough was indeed following them and drove past the house on his motor bike, then turned around and made another pass. So Mr. Gear fired his .40-caliber semiautomatic gun two or three times, hitting Bryan once in the back. Gear claims it was self-defense and called 911 after the shooting, but police arrested him for murder. Brian was pronounced dead at the hospital. Gear's daughters told investigators that Brian cut them off, they made obscene gestures at him and Brian ran into their car at one point. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Lost Wallet Returned After 33 Years!

33 years ago, Tom Eichenberg lost his wallet while a student at Santa Clara University in California. And for the last 33 years, that wallet has been sitting in a wall at the University's student center. Construction crews found the wallet recently in an air duct while renovating the student union. Tom said he didn't even remember losing it but the wallet was definitely his. It contained an old membership to Fedco, a BART pass with 10 cents left on it, and a 1975 draft card. Tom said he'll put it away for safekeeping, for the next 33 years. (WFTV News)

The Downfall of American Kids

Boy somebody's parents didn't do such a great job. In Boynton Beach, Florida, two Park Vista High School girls who admitted that they swiped money off the table of a Girl Scout selling cookies at a supermarket said they had no remorse whatsoever. One actually said on camera, "We went through all that effort to get the money. We got all these charges and we had to give the money back. I'm kind of pissed." The other added, "I'm not sorry. I'm just pissed that I got caught." The victim's mother said that the girls even returned to the supermarket the next day and taunted the little girl. (WPBF-TV News)