Toy-Gun-Toting Sock Puppet Can't Get Past The TSA
In an abundance of caution (presumably), the TSA at the St. Louis airport disarmed the little True Grit character that was in the carry-on bag of the woman who made it.
Strange News
These Meeces Are Pieces: A Chess Set Made Of Dead Rodents
Rachel Garcia turned 32 dead mice into a chess set. The bishop mice have little bishop hats. The knights hold plastic swords like you'd find in a lemon slice. They're the perfect chess set — if you're willing to touch them.
Florida Capitol's Nativity Sparks Call For Pabst Festivus Pole
The Florida Prayer Network put up the scene, with a state permit. Chaz Stevens thinks that's an annoying mixture of church and state, so he applied for a permit for a Festivus pole — made of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans.
Canada Aims To Take North Pole Into Its Nautical Borders
Canada's wish list this year might not please Santa. It's preparing to ask the U.N. to extend its nautical borders farther into the Arctic — far enough to include the North Pole, which is home to vast deposits of oil and gas.
Napping United Passenger Wakes Up To A Dark, Empty Plane
Tom Wagner was on his way from Louisiana to California when his plane landed for a layover in Houston. The airline said it's not sure how the crew missed him during their sweep of the plane after the flight. They gave him a voucher.
Bickering In Bangladesh; Curling; Glow-In-The-Dark Tattoos
Ozy editor Eugene Robinson tells NPR's Arun Rath about two dueling divas in Bangladeshi politics, the rising popularity of an obscure winter sport, and tattoos that you can wear to work.
As Mirrors Beam Light To Town, Norwegians Share Patch Of Sun
Rjukan lies in the shadow of surrounding mountains for nearly six months every year. But the town recently installed a system of mirrors to bring sunlight to its central square. Not everyone can bask in the glow at the same time, but the project is bringing residents together.
Hallmark Under Fire For Dropping 'Gay' From Christmas Lyric
A Hallmark Christmas ornament has drawn criticism from people who accuse the greeting card company of political correctness and anti-gay bias. The ornament — a tiny sweater — is decorated with the words "Don we now our FUN apparel!" "Fun" replaces the word "gay" from the line in the Christmas song "Deck the Halls." Hallmark says it was trying to avoid misinterpretation and should never have made the change.
Graffiti Artist May Have Been Done In By Pumpkin
Steamboat Springs, Colo., police say it might have been hard to find the graffiti artist suspected of tagging downtown properties, except it's Halloween. The local paper says police found a similar design on a pumpkin at the graffiti artist's home.
That'll Do, Pig: Neil's Not A Hog After All
It's a happy ending for Neil the potbelly pig, who faced eviction from his California home. Pigs are allowed as pets in Sierra Madre, but not hogs. An animal control officer suspected Neil was a hog — that is, a pig weighing more than 120 pounds. But a protest rally turned into a party when Neil was designated a legal pig by the city.