Has The Whole World Gone Weird?! (Part 1)

Even the briefest of glances through the news sites today turned up fruitloopy in such abundance that one post could not do justice to the weird output. So here then is just the first half what may well be the single weirdest day in WU history.
:ohh:

Visitors to London’s Science Museum had a chance to make their own gift items when a 3D laser printer made appearance this week. The printer, which uses a powerful laser to melt powdered metal or plastic, builds its objects out of hundreds of thin layers, creating the final three dimensional object at a cracking 15mm/hour (Silicon.com).

Among the many maps in a new display at Manchester University, England is a testament to the seriousness of the Cold War in Europe. It’s a map of Manchester in Russian, prepared by the Red Army, and details routes to the main objectives of an anticipated invasion, which areas best avoided by tanks, what loads roads and bridges would withstand, etc (Mirror).

A tip of the hat is due to Florentijn Hofman for having escaped the attentions of WU for so long, despite his long running art project to launch giant rubber ducks in the harbours and waterways of the world (Florentijn Hofman).

Canadian billionaire founder of Cirque du Soliel is promising to bring a “comic touch” to his visit to the International Space Station. While I’m not sure a tin can surrounded by endless vacuum is exactly the best place to clown around, it does go to show that space tourism to the ISS has not yet gone beyond a joke (AFP).

At least students from the Imperial College London are planning on getting space tourism right, even if it’s only a paper exercise at this time. They’ve just unveiled their detailed designs for a luxury space hotel, complete with robot concierge (Space.com).

It’s a remarkable - if pointless - achievement, but the British market town of Marlborough has had a Doctor Maurice in practice there since 1792. Not the same one, obviously, but always from the same family with six generations of the family all becoming the town’s local GP. Now the current incumbent, Dr. David Maurice, is planning to retire but his son, Dr. James Maurice, has pursued a hospital career and will not be carrying on the 217 year-old family tradition (Telegraph).

When a crew broke for lunch from the shoot of the low-budget horror flick Meat After School, the last thing they expected was for all their props to be stolen, and certainly not, on contacting the police, to be told that it was the police that had taken them. It turns out that while they were away a member of the public had come across the severed limbs and dismembered torso, and called in the local constabulary. Even though they were quickly identified as fakes, the police suspected a prank and took the items into custody (Hertfordshire Mercury).

Haribo, makers of the Maoam range of children’s sweets are in trouble, but not for pushing their tooth-rotting wares on our “dear little angels” for once. No, instead Yorkshire father of two Simon Simpkins is accusing the sweet giant of peddling pornography to the tiny tots, in the form of sweet wrappers showing the fruity flavours in a carnal embrace. Pictures are on the link, so you decide; who’s got the dirty mind here Mr. Simpkins or Haribo’s product art department (Metro)?

Finally for this post, the 103 year-old land speed record for a steam powered vehicle has finally fallen after a team of British engineers coaxed their “3 ton kettle” past the previous record of 127 mph held by American Fred Marriot to a breakneck 136 mph. Huzzah! Send a telegram at once to inform Her Majesty Queen Victoria that Britain is once again the unchallenged master of steam locomotion! Well okay, actually that is pretty impressive (BBC News).