StrangeSights

• Thieves in Jamaica have stolen a 400 metre stretch of beach. It’s reportedly estimated that as many as 500 truckloads of sand were taken from the Coral Spring beach in Trelawny more than three months ago and so far, no suspects have been found.

• A US politician’s attempt to sue God has reportedly been thrown out of court after a judge found the defendant - God - could not be served with the summons. Nebraska Senator Ernie Chambers had sought a permanent injunction against the Almighty for bringing “acts of terrorism” against his state, demanding God cease and desist from causing “fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects, and the like”. The senator says he filed the suit to protest against the filing of “frivolous” lawsuits.

• Back home in Australia, meanwhile, the Federal Government-appointed Drought Policy Review Expert Social Panel has suggested people use the word dryness when describing our current lack of rain, saying that the word ‘drought’ have “negative connotations” for farmers.

• Ringo Starr is too busy to reply to his fan mail. The former Beatle released a video on his website this week saying that he will not be reading or replying to any fan mail or requests for pictures after 20th October. None. Speaking on the video, Mr Starr says that, “with peace and love”, he’s just got too much to do.

• A Chinese school teacher is reportedly looking to cross the 180 kilometre wide Taiwan Straits in a paper boat. While he successfully tested a similar boat in 2005, he intends a short voyage in salt water before attempting the feat. Fortunately, he will apparently be escorted by a lifeboat.

• The National Debt Clock in New York ran out of digits recently when spiralling debt levels crossed the $US10 trillion dollar mark for the first time. The clock only has 13 digits, so in a stop-gap measure, the dollar sign has been converted to a 1. The clock was erected in 1989 when the national debt was only $US2.7 trillion.