les fêtes étranges

Awhile back I posted a link on here to an article about strange places to visit. More recently I wrote about unusual contests. Now I can combine the two! Men's magazine askmen.com has created a list of what they think are the top ten weird festivals held around the globe each year. For example, there's the Cow Painting Festival held in Luxembourg each summer. And you probably shouldn't miss the Moose Dropping Festival in Talkeetna, Alaska in July. Plus there's the So Joo Festival in Porto, Portugal in June - bring a hammer! You can see the entire list here.

Posted By: Nethie - Sun Oct 10, 2010 - Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Customs, Fairs, Amusement Parks, and Resorts, Magazines, Parades and Festivals

A Murder Of… Budgies?

The dark heart of a popular British pass-time was thrust into public view this week when allegations of sabotage, rustling and murder shook the world of... competitive budgerigar breeding.

On the eve of the prestigious Cornwall Budgerigar Show, the aviary of Andrew Pooley, one of South England's top budgie breeders, was broken into and 21 of his best birds were stolen. Worse still, several birds were badly injured and one, reigning "best of breed" title holder Penmead Pride, had been killed. Stamped on by the callous intruders.

Because their distinctive markings would be instantly recognised among the close-knit budgie fancying community, the score of stolen budgies are unlikely to ever make another show appearance. And that might suit the culprit just fine, if his intention was to eliminate the competition by fair means or (can't resist, sorry) fowl. Pooley had left the shed unlocked briefly when he ran an errand to the nearby town of Camelford from his home in Delabole in Cornwall, and only noticed something was wrong at 9.45 that evening, when he came to make a final check on his prized birds and was - in an suitably Harrissian moment - startled by the silence of the budgies. Police are still investigating whether this is the work of a competitor but Mr. Pooley is in no doubt.

"The person or people who did this must have known exactly which ones to take because they only targeted my show team," he told reporters (Daily Mail).

Posted By: Dumbfounded - Thu Sep 09, 2010 - Comments (17)
Category: Animals, Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Boredom, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Crime, Hobbies and DIY, Obsessions

Bog Snorkelling

This year's results are in!

Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 30, 2010 - Comments (4)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Eccentrics, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Europe

Crab Fights

How bored do you have to be to stage a crab fight?

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 10, 2010 - Comments (7)
Category: Animals, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Gambling, Casinos, Lotteries and Other Games of Chance

Some Crazy Contests

These contests were made for us WUvians! Let's start with the the International Birdman Competition, held each year in Worthing, England. Contestants have to design a personal flying machine and jump off a pier to see who can get the most air time. Don't like to fly? Then you should look into The One-Foot High Kick, an event that is part of the annual Eskimo-Indian Olympics in Fairbanks, Alaska. Atheletes have to kick a suspended object (some as high as a basketball net) with one foot and then land on that same foot. But if strenuous exercise is not for you, there's always the Papa Look-Alike Contest, held in Key West, Florida, in July each year. This contest only requires that you be a mature, heavy-set man with a full beard (in other words, look like Ernest Hemingway). And ladies, if you can't conjure a beer belly and a full beard, you can participate in The Sauna World Championships, held in Heinola, Finland in August. We can take the heat! For more crazy contests, check out the slideshow on Travel and Leisure Magazine's website.

Posted By: Nethie - Sun May 23, 2010 - Comments (5)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Exercise and Fitness

World Custard Pie Championship

Posted By: Paul - Sat May 22, 2010 - Comments (2)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Destruction, Food, Europe

First Ever Monster Truck Backflip

The USA cannot pass any useful laws or put its citizens to work. But we can spin giant polluting machinery in the air.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Mar 06, 2010 - Comments (1)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Stupidity, Subcultures, Trucks

World’s Biggest Omelette—1932 Version

Posted By: Paul - Tue Mar 02, 2010 - Comments (5)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Food, 1930s

Gay News Today

Was Jesus Gay? Elton John seems to think so. He stated as much in a recent Parade magazine interview. Of course the mere idea struck terror into the hearts of all homophobic Christians and those who choose to interpret the bible as saying "discriminate openly" rather than "love thy fellow man".

And what about those silly gay people who want to serve in the military? Surprisingly, a recent CBS News poll asking about Obama's wish to repeal the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, finds that a majority of the public support allowing openly gay men and women to serve. But what's even more surprising is that the same poll doesn't want homosexuals to serve. I suppose the poll was worded badly. Or maybe the people who answered that poll still think gay means 'having or showing a merry, lively mood'. In that case, who wouldn't want a bunch of merry old souls in the military?



More in extended >>

Posted By: Nethie - Fri Feb 19, 2010 - Comments (11)
Category: Body, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Crime, Domestic, Government, Law, Politics, Religion, Sexuality, Africa, Europe

Women Can’t Jump

When I think of the Olympics, I rarely consider that each event has both a mens and a womens division. I tend to focus more on the sport itself regardless of who is competing. After all, the Olympics is supposed to encourage the spirit of friendly competition, and not highlight major flaws, such as gender bias. Unfortunately this year's winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, is doing just that. Women ski jumpers have petitioned to join every Winter Olympics since Nagano in 1998, and each time they have been denied by the International Olympics Committee (IOC). So what's the deal? Well, the IOC is sidestepping the issue. They've issued a written statement that reads "Women's Ski Jumping does not reach the necessary technical criteria and as such does not yet warrant a place alongside other Olympic events." Yet female ski jumpers argue the point (read about it here). Lindsey Van, current world record holder for the longest jump, is quick to point out that they meet the necessary criteria. But it may be a long time before we see women flying off the end of a ski jump in front of Olympic judges. IOC member Dick Pound is quoted as saying "If in the meantime you're making all kinds of allegations about the IOC and how it's discriminating on the basis of gender," he warned, "the IOC may say, 'Oh yeah, I remember them. They're the ones that embarrassed us and caused us a lot of trouble in Vancouver, maybe they should wait another four years or eight years.'" Yes, you read that right. He is publicly threatening female ski jumpers to keep them out of the Olympics for years if they persist. So much for the spirit of friendly competition.

Posted By: Nethie - Fri Feb 12, 2010 - Comments (4)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Ceremonies, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Games, Sports, World Records