Here’s your round-up of ODD news from the past week...

N.Y. court sniffs at ex-cop’s drugged-dinner claim
Associated Press

NEW YORK — A former New York City counterterrorism detective who says he was unfairly fired as a result of a failed drug test he blamed on his wife’s marijuana-spiked meatballs has lost a court bid to get his job back.

A state appeals court upheld Anthony Chiofalo’s dismissal Thursday. The 22-year veteran was suspended in 2005 after failing a random drug test and was fired in 2007.

Catherine Chiofalo told police investigators she secretly substituted marijuana for oregano in meatballs, hoping a failed test would make her husband leave police work.

Anthony Chiofalo’s lawyer, Philip Karasyk, says he’s considering options for continuing the case.

Police department lawyer Edward Hart says there was more marijuana in Chiofalo’s system than the meatballs could explain.

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N.Y. driver used mannequin in car pool lane
Associated Press

ISLANDIA, N.Y. — The tip-off was the sunglasses.

A New Yorker faces a $135 traffic fine for using a mannequin as her “plus one” in the high-occupancy vehicle lane of the Long Island Expressway.

An alert sheriff’s deputy on Long Island became suspicious this week when he saw the “passenger” wearing sunglasses and using the visor.

The problem: The sky was overcast.

The mannequin used as a plus-one in the high-occupancy lane of the Long Island Expressway. (AP Photo/Suffolk County Sheriff)

When he stopped the vehicle, he found the mannequin, fully dressed with a long dark wig, blazer, shirt and scarf.

The 61-year-old driver left with a summons.

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Man dumped over embedded text messages
UPI

WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Suggestive text messages embedded in a new cell phone cost a Winnipeg, Manitoba, man his relationship when his girlfriend discovered them, officials said.

The 49-year-old man, who didn't want to be identified, told the Winnipeg Free Press his girlfriend of more than two years found the messages on the phone and a break-up fight ensued.

He said he didn't even know the Samsung Virgin Mobile phone was text-equipped, but the three messages that came with the phone cost him the relationship.

They included "Booty call," "Where u at," and "Be there soon," the newspaper said.

He said Virgin Mobile advised him to file a written complaint.

He also showed the messages to staff at the Future Shop store where he bought the cell phone.

"At first, we didn't believe him," said sales associate Mike Ford. "But when we looked at a couple of the same phones he bought, and found they all had the same messages ... we all felt horrible."

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Police say man stuffed 75 bottles of lotion in pants
Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Police say a Massachusetts man who stuffed 75 bottles of body lotion in his pants couldn’t slip away from authorities, hampered by slacks that were nearly bursting at the seams.

Springfield police say 30-year-old Chamil Guadarrama of Framingham was charged with larceny after the incident Wednesday night at Bath and Body Works in the Eastfield Mall.

Police say mall security officers chased Guadarrama, but he had stuffed so many of the eight-ounce lotion containers in his pants that he could barely run. Police say he could not bend over to get in the police cruiser until some of the bottles were removed.

It was unclear if Guadarrama has an attorney. A telephone number for him could not immediately be found Thursday.

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Some random ODD questions:

• Are you a fan of meatballs?
• Would you seat a big stuffed teddy bear in the car to keep you company?
• Sexiest text you've ever sent?
• Bra stuffing — Go for it or just plain wrong?

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O&E ODD images of the day: The lotion thief should've gone with this tactic...

For those who may be anticipating what the best commercials are, here's what people are saying to watch out for:

10 ads to look for during the Super Bowl
By EMILY FREDRIX
AP Marketing Writer

Ten ads to look for during the Super Bowl:

ANHEUSER-BUSCH: The brewer has five minutes of ads this year to pitch Bud Light, Budweiser and others. Scientists choose to drink when they realize an asteroid is coming and a man loves Bud Light so much he builds his house out of its cans. Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong appears in an ad for low-calorie beer Michelob Ultra.

Part of a Bud Light television ad to air during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Anheuser-Busch)

DENNY’S: The restaurant chain is giving out free Grand Slams again and shows what the announcement will mean for chickens, who are urged in the ad to take any unused vacation time so they can miss out on the extra work involved in serving more people.

BOOST MOBILE: The 1985 Chicago Bears reunite to perform a new version of the Super Bowl Shuffle, this time pitching the prepaid wireless carrier. Original shuffler Jim McMahon stars, riding on an electric scooter. Other originals including Mike Singletary, Willie Gault, Otis Wilson, Richard Dent, Steve Fuller and Maury Buford, reappear, as does coach Mike Ditka. William “Refrigerator” Perry is absent.

(AP Photo/Boost Mobile)

COCA-COLA: The world’s largest soft drink maker has two Super Bowl ads this year. In one, miserly Mr. Burns, the richest man on “The Simpsons,” loses his fortune but finds happiness. In another, a man goes sleepwalking through an African safari.

KIA: Children’s toys, including a teddy bear and sock monkey, joyride in the Sorrento SUV. They go bowling, get a tattoo, and party in Las Vegas, set to rock tune “How do you like me now?” by British band The Heavy.

(AP Photo/Kia)

DOCKERS: Men march across a hillside, singing happily about not wearing pants. But the ad for Dockers, a Levi Strauss & Co. brand, tells men it’s time to “wear the pants” as part of a new campaign to reinvigorate sales of khakis.

HOMEAWAY.COM: The vacation rental site launches a yearlong campaign tied to the Griswold family of “National Lampoon’s Vacation” fame. The ad, starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo as the quirky, traveling Griswold family, sends viewers to a 15-minute film on the company’s Web site.

Beverly D'Angelo, left, as Ellen Griswold, and Chevy Chase, as Clark Griswold, appear in an ad for vacation-rental Web site HomeAway. (AP Photo/HomeAway)

TACO BELL: Basketball star Charles Barkley rhymes about everything diners can get in the NBA 5 Buck Box.

SNICKERS: Actress Betty White plays football and tears past her opponents to set herself up for a pass in this ad for the Mars brand. In a teaser, the announcer says, “She’s one of the most respected actresses in Hollywood but would you want her on your team? Watch the Super Bowl and find out.” “Barney Miller” actor Abe Vigoda also appears.

Part of a Super Bowl ad featuring actress Betty White. (AP Photo/Snickers)

VOLKSWAGEN: The car brand reinvents the game of “punch buggy” to acquaint Americans with its lineup. In the new version called “Punch Dub” (short for “W”), people hit each other when they see any type of Volkswagen, and shout out its color. Comedian Tracy Morgan appears.

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I tend to look forward to the halftime shows though I can't seem to remember the last good one I saw. But here's a look back at one very popular one...

Michael Jackson halftime show for some nostalgic times

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Anyone remember this Super Bowl commercial last year? So ODD...

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I've always been fascinated by this subject as I've been told I do more than just talk in my sleep. It's amazing how someone who is obviously sleeping can form coherent sentences (though most people probably mumble) and seem to be carrying on a one-sided conversation.

If one was really curious on what was being said in his or her sleep and didn't want to depend on someone to tell them what was heard the next day, I wonder if doing a recording would work. Or would you subconsciously not sleep talk that night because you know it is being recorded?

Well, I guess the main thing is your partner doesn't log down what you say in your sleep and then make your bedtime sounds a public diary...

Nocturnal musings are a hit
news:lite

A woman who blogs the nocturnal musings of her sleep-talking husband has seen his ramblings become an online sensation.

Karen, from New York, says she decided to start logging some of the things her English husband Adam says in his sleep because they are too good to miss.

A typical night can see Karen woken up by Adam saying things like "I'm making pillows. Burn them slowly, keeps them fluffy! Mmmmmm, pillows."

He often comes up with five or six odd sayings in a single night, which are the following day posted to the Sleep Talkin' Man blog, which is read by thousands of people.

Karen has now even started selling T-shirts with some of his funniest late-night mumblings.

Visit her blog here.

Top quotes from Sleep Talkin' Man

• Don't leave the duck there. It's totally irresponsible.
• I haven't put on weight. Your eyes are fat.
• Legs time! Everybody get your legs!
• I can't control the kittens. Too many whiskers!
• Badger tickling: Proceed with caution
• Do you like what you see? Well, bloody look harder!
• So this is what it feels like to be a gummy bear
• I can't believe in God when I'm THIS good
• My vision of hell is a lentil casserole

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What's the best line you ever heard from a sleep-talker?

Are you a sleep-talker? I've been told I grunt, grumble and often shout in my sleep. So the world pisses me off in my sleep also? I find this so ODD considering I always go to bed thinking about my fantasies... I guess I'm just a poor, tortured and tormented soul.

And if you don't sleep talk much, do you dream much? Anyone have recurring dreams (or nightmares) that they can clearly remember? Or do most of you have ODD dreams?

Many times I dream I'm doing something that I need to do (such as remember to bring my checkbook to work) and go through the motions hoping it will actually happen. Very strange as I have to remember the next morning to actually do the said task...

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O&E ODD image of the day:

As I don't follow sports very much, maybe some of you can tell us if these quotes from these famous sports stars were really said... I especially liked #7.

Why Athletes Can't Have Regular Jobs

1. Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson on being a role model: "I wan' all dem kids to do what I do, to  look up to me. I wan' all the kids to copulate me."

2. New Orleans Saint RB George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season: "I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."

3. And, upon hearing Joe Jacobi of the 'Skin's say: "I'd run over my own mother to win the Super Bowl," Matt Millen of the Raiders said: "To win, I'd run over Joe's Mom, too."

4. Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins: "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."

5. Football commentator and former player Joe Theismann: "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein."

6. Senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh: "I'm going to graduate on time, no matter how long it takes." (Now that is beautiful)

7. Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach: "You guys line up alphabetically by height." And, "You guys pair up in groups of three, and then line up in a circle."

8. Boxing promoter Dan Duva on Mike Tyson going to prison: "Why would anyone expect him to come out smarter? He went to prison for three years, not Princeton."

9. Stu Grimson, Chicago Black Hawks left wing, explaining why he keeps a color photo of himself above his locker: "That's so when I forget how to spell my name, I can still find my clothes."

10. Lou Duva, veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of heavyweight Andrew Golota: "He's a guy who gets up at  six o'clock in the morning, regardless of what time it is."

11. Chuck Nevitt , North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: "My sister's expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an aunt." (I wonder if his IQ ever hit room temperature in January)

12. Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player: "I told him, 'Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach, I don't know and I don't care.'"

13. Shelby Metcalf, basketball coach at Texas A&M, recounting what he told a player who received four F's and one D: "Son, looks to me like you're spending too much time on one subject."

14. In the words of NC State great Charles Shackelford: "I can go to my left or right, I am amphibious."

15. Amarillo High School and Oiler coach Bum Phillips when asked by Bob Costas why he takes his wife on all the road trips, Phillips responded: "Because she is too damn ugly to kiss good-bye."

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So share any memorable lines from some of your favorite and no-so-favorite athletes. Interesting how misuse of the English language can be so ODD!

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O&E ODD image of the day:

If you're one of these gaming addicts, how do you know your limits? Do you give yourself a set playing time or maybe stop when you reach a certain score? Or is it more when your vision gets blurred and your hands tired?

Well, as long as you don't go to prison, I suppose you can play to your heart's content...

Game over: Inmate can’t play Dungeons & Dragons
By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — A man serving life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide lost his legal battle Monday to play Dungeons & Dragons behind bars.

Kevin T. Singer filed a federal lawsuit against officials at Wisconsin’s Waupun prison, arguing that a policy banning all Dungeons & Dragons material violated his free speech and due process rights.

Prison officials instigated the Dungeons & Dragons ban among concerns that playing the game promoted gang-related activity and was a threat to security. Singer challenged the ban but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week upheld it as a reasonable policy.

Dungeons & Dragons players create fictional characters and carry out their adventures, often working together as a group, with the help of complicated rules.

Singer, 33, has been a devoted player of the fantasy role-playing game since he was a child, according to the court ruling. After the ban went into effect, prison officials confiscated dozens of Dungeons & Dragons books and magazines in his cell as well as a 96-page manuscript he had written detailing a potential scenario for the game that players could act out.

Prison officials enacted the ban in 2004 after an inmate sent an anonymous letter expressing concern about Singer and three other inmates forming a “gang” focused around playing the game.

Singer was told by prison officials that he could not keep the materials because Dungeons & Dragons “promotes fantasy role playing, competitive hostility, violence, addictive escape behaviors, and possible gambling,” according to the ruling.

The prison later developed a more comprehensive policy against all types of fantasy games, the court said.

The appeals court said the prison’s policy was reasonable and did not violate Singer’s rights.

“After all, punishment is a fundamental aspect of imprisonment, and prisons may choose to punish inmates by preventing them from participating in some of their favorite recreations,” the court said.

Singer was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 after being found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of his sister’s boyfriend. The man was bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer.

Department of Corrections spokesman John Dipko said the department was pleased with the decision and will continue to enforce rules that are designed to maintain a safe environment.

Singer’s court-appointed attorney, W.C. Turner Herbert of North Carolina, also did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

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What are your thoughts on so-called luxury activities for inmates? Can certain games really become a real-life threat to security?

Do you enjoy all types of games or have your personal favorites? I've always been a fan of puzzle or word games. Strategy games are the most intriguing to me. I also like simple graphics and a noncomplicated objective. Ms. Pac-Man, Bejeweled, Zuma.

What are some of the more ODD game titles you have seen or played? Are those games still around today?

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O&E image of the day: Honey Toast time! Guess which BEE is sitting next to me. Anyone recognize that shoulder?

Little black dress. Check. The matching purse. Check. Makeup and heels. Check. And can't forget the cell phone to upload the party pics to Facebook and tweet out the good stuff.

But rewind for a bit. How much planning is involved before the much-anticipated night out? One mass text? Individual e-mails? Personal phone calls?

Let's just put it this way, though many probably wouldn't find this ODD, men can do it faster when it comes to planning...

Girls night out takes three days of planning
news:lite

The average girlie night out takes three days, five hours and 22 minutes to organize, a study has found.

Female party animals will swap 16 texts, five phone calls, three Facebook postings and three e-mails planning their get-together.

And three phone calls will be made on the night — because someone is late.

The study of 1,000 women also found they meet up twice a month and the average girlie night will last for five hours and 32 minutes.

In contrast a blokes evening out takes considerably less time to plan… how long does it take to say "meet you at the Nags Head at eight"?

A spokesman for OnePoll.com, which conducted the study, said: "Military-style planning is involved in a night out now.

"In the old days it would have been a couple of phone calls and then fingers crossed everyone turned up, but things have changed.

"Modern communication makes it easier to discuss things like venues, outfits and shoes."

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When it comes to planning a night out, are you the leader or the follower? Do you set the date and time and where to go? Or are you the one that waits for the invite and just shows up?

Is your whole group nonchalant when it comes to deciding what to do? Or do you dislike the bossy leader who gets to make the decisions that determine the course of the night?

And how do you usually plan for your night out? Text? E-mail? Phone call? Snail mail? Fax? In-person visit?

As the story mentioned, when someone is late, do you often text the person "Where R U?" What percentage of the time are you waiting for the late arrivals?

How long do your nights out last? Oftentimes, I'm out longer than a typical workday and time sure seems to fly...

And speaking of a night out for the awesome readers of O&E, we'll be planning one soon where there will be a surprise announcement! Gotta stay tuned for the details...

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O&E ODD image of the day: Looks like a Boys Night Out...

Anyone have any answers or thoughts to the following questions? What burning ODD questions do you also want to know?

1. Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?

2. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?

3. If  a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

4. If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words?

5. Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?

6. Why does "slow down" and "slow up" mean the same thing?

7. Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?

8. Why do "tug" boats push their barges?

9. Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game" when we are already there?

10. Why are they called "stands" when they are made for sitting?

11. Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"?

12. Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?

13. Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?

14. Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things?

15. Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds?

16. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?

17. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?

18. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

19. If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all  right?

20. Why is bra singular and panties plural?

21. Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote  control when you know the batteries are dead?

22. Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a  suitcase?

23. How come abbreviated is such a long word?

24. Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?

25. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

26. Why  do they call it a TV set when you only have one?

27. Christmas — What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat  candy out of your socks?

28.  Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

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And how about a random ODD poll:

• Do you put on your left or right shoe first?
• Would you rather be run over by a steamroller head first or feet first?
• Mail retrieval? As soon as mailman leaves or whenever you have time?
• Make a wish when you see the first star of the night?
• Do you always use the bathroom before bed?

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O&E ODD image of the day:

I saw this story about Anheuser-Busch ads and they discuss all these ODD scenarios that I thought it was worth a mention so you can keep an eye out for them.

What are some of your favorite Super Bowl commercials? Include YouTube links if possible so we can have some Friday entertainment!

Humor is back in Anheuser-Busch Super Bowl ads
By EMILY FREDRIX
AP Marketing Writer

MILWAUKEE — An asteroid is about to hit Earth? Drink some Bud Light. Your plane crashes on an island? Drink more Bud Light. Really love Bud Light? Why not build your house with cans of it ... and then drink up?

This screen grab provided by Anheuser-Busch shows part of a Bud Light television ad being considered for air during the 2010 Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Anheuser-Busch)

Longtime Super Bowl advertising leader Anheuser-Busch returns to humor next month to sell its drinks after a more, well, sober outing last year.

The brewer’s five minutes of commercials during this year’s game on Feb. 7 include straightforward humor: A man skips his softball game to attend his wife’s book club because she’s serving Bud Light.

But most of the likely spots tend toward the outlandish: Townspeople form a human bridge when the real one is out to assure safe delivery of Budweiser. In another, men talking on the phone in Auto-Tune — a pop-music effect that can make voices sound robotic — are excited they have Bud Light to “make the party right.” And there’s the requisite TV reference: People stranded on an island happily drink Bud Light in a nod to hit show “Lost.”

While other major advertisers like General Motors Corp., Pepsi and FedEx stayed on the sidelines this year to recuperate from the down economy, Anheuser-Busch is increasing its Super Bowl presence by 30 seconds. The average 30-second spot sells for $2.5 million to $2.8 million this year; from 1990 to 2009, Anheuser-Busch spent $311.8 million on the event, according to Kantar Media.

This screen grab provided by Anheuser-Busch shows part of a Bud Light television ad being considered for air during the 2010 Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Anheuser-Busch)

This year’s focus for Bud Light and Budweiser is more on fun and partying: New tag lines include “A sure sign of a good time” and “Here we go”; the ads refer without specifics to the beer’s “right taste.” Gone is the term “drinkability,” used during the last Super Bowl to position Bud Light as flavorful but not filling.

Consumers the company surveyed wanted funnier ads this year to break the monotony of their everyday lives, said marketing vice president Keith Levy.

“We certainly want to fulfill their objectives of wanting that departure, wanting to laugh and wanting to love this great event,” he said Tuesday.

Each year, the company films more Super Bowl commercials than it can use and then airs the ones that do best in consumer testing. And the company still may change its lineup at the last minute before the game, which pits quarterback Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts against Drew Brees’ New Orleans Saints and airs on CBS.

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So what do you think America's favorite beer is? What is the choice of Hawaii folks? And what do you prefer to drink?

If Odds and Ends were lucky enough to get a 30-second spot, what would you showcase? How could we best share our love of all things ODD with the world? And who can think of a catchy, unique and clever slogan that could go down in Super Bowl history?

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O&E ODD image of the day: Super Bowl snacking

Bacon Bourbon Caramel Corn ($35/2 pounds) is a sweet/savory snack mix that incorporates the smokey goodness of bacon and a bit of bourbon with the sweetness of caramel and the crunch of popcorn...

What's your real-life ODD tale of the week?

Burglary suspect blames 'hormones'
UPI

CELEBRATION, Fla. — A Florida state correctional officer accused of burglary told police he was looking for a new "lady friend" because his "hormones were confusing him."

Osceola County sheriff's deputies said Christopher Blandin, 25, was arrested early Saturday morning after they received a call about a man attempting to break into a house in Celebration, Fla., at about 5:35 a.m., the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported Tuesday.

The owner of the home said he and his wife were awakened by a man knocking at their door and asking directions away from the area. The man left after receiving directions, but the homeowner said he and his wife later heard what sounded like someone trying to force their front door open.

The resident said he saw someone flee in a vehicle with headlights switched off after he set off the house alarm and his wife called 911.

Deputies said Blandin was stopped near the scene and admitted to trying to break into the house. He told deputies he had knocked on three doors in the area seeking a new "lady friend" because he was having problems with his girlfriend and felt insecure, a sheriff's office report said.

The report said Blandin told deputies his "hormones were confusing him and that he was hoping that if he could get a woman to the door then he could seduce her."

Blandin was taken to the Osceola County Jail on burglary and criminal mischief charges. Officials said they are in the process of firing him from his position at Polk Correctional Institute.

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Cessna lands on Houston golf course
Associated Press

HOUSTON — An area near the 11th hole at a Houston golf course provided a smooth landing spot after a small plane ran out of fuel and glided on to the grass.

The Cessna 170 was expected to be moved from Hermann Park on Tuesday. The unplanned landing of the single-engine plane happened Monday night on a flight from Lafayette, La.

Fore! Jerry McMorrow watches his tee shot on the 11th hole at a Houston golf course when a Cessna 170 paid him a visit. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Brett Coomer)

Veteran pilot Brendon Ford says an apparent gauge problem led him to believe he had more fuel than he actually did. Ford was bound for Columbus, about 70 miles west of Houston, when the engine started sputtering and gave out, at about 2,000 feet.

He spotted two fairways. He says there was just one person on the site he chose, so he flew over the top of him and landed. No one was injured.

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Ad for 'reliable' workers said biased
UPI

HERTFORD, England — Bosses at a British recruitment firm said they were shocked when a government job center rejected an ad for discriminating against people who aren't "reliable."

Nicole Mamo, 48, director of Devonwood Recruitment in Hertfordshire, said she was shocked when the government-run Job Center rejected her ad for applicants who "must be very reliable and hard-working," the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

Mamo said she called the center to find out why her advertisement was rejected.

"She said it was because they could have cases against them for discriminating against unreliable people," Mamo said. "I laughed because I thought that was crazy. We supply the NHS with staff so it's very important for the patients that we have reliable workers.

"We find jobs for hundreds of temporary staff every week and are proud of our workers but our reputation is at stake if they aren't reliable," she said. "We are taking people off the dole and finding them jobs so not displaying the advert just seems absolutely ridiculous to me."

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Getting a cold one is no problem at Pennsylvania ice bar
Associated Press

DRUMS, Pa. — At one eastern Pennsylvania restaurant, getting a cold one is no problem: Everything is on ice — and under it, and surrounded by it.

Damenti’s Restaurant in Butler Township has set up a temporary freestanding bar with a pirate theme in its backyard that is almost completely made of 50 tons of ice.

Kevin McDonald, owner and head chef at Damenti's Restaurant, hopes the novelty of a free-standing ice bar he created in the backyard of his restaurant in Butler Township, Pa., pays off. (AP Photo/The Citizens' Voice, Kristen Mullen)

To keep the ice from melting, air conditioning brings the mercury down to about 20 degrees. Owner Kevin McDonald says he’s hoping the novelty will bring in the crowds.

About 40 people can fit in the 480-square-foot structure. The decor includes a skull and crossbones that covers an entire wall and pirate motifs and sayings etched into the walls both inside and outside.

Information from: The Citizens’ Voice, www.citizensvoice.com

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2 in 3 women with big boobs sold ill-fitting bras
news:lite

Two in three women with big boobs are let down by stores which sell them the wrong size bras, it has been found.

A study by Which? found that women with DD breasts or bigger, regularly suffer at the hands of poor fitting services (so to speak).

The consumer group sent a sample of women aged 25-75 into high street stores for a bra fitting to test the services.

Only 29 percent were measured correctly and one woman was told she was a size 34FF in one store and 40D in another.

And in odd news, staff at one store even suggested to a 75-year-old woman she should wear a Wonderbra-style bra… not that her 82-year-old husband minded. Which? spokesperson Jenny Driscoll said: "Whatever their bra size, women want to look good and feel good.

"Heading to the high street for a fitting might seem like a simple solution, but our results were shocking - one bra was so poorly fitted there was room for a pair of socks in the cups!

"If stores are going to offer this service they need to up their game: do it properly or don’t do it at all."

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O&E ODD image of the day:

Now only if we could translate such an expression into an emoticon for use on the blog. Until then, there is a new punctuation mark that has emerged though I don't quite get it...

SarcMark: Sarcasm punctuation is a great idea
news:lite

A U.S. company has launched a new punctuation mark which is intended to express sarcasm in written form.

The SarcMark symbol... (news:lite photo)

They claim the sarcasm mark, or SarcMark — an open circle with a dot in the center — is needed for sarcasm to work on the Web, or in print.

After being downloaded (for $1.99) it can be installed on computers and mobile phones — allowing people to use it in text messages or emails.

A spokesperson said that using the SarcMark means never again waste a good sarcastic line on someone who doesn't get it and could make some Web sites make a lot more sense.

We think it's a wonderful idea. <--See, we could have added one just there.

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Is sarcasm among your personality traits? What other ODD characteristics do you find charming in people?

What's your favorite emoticon to use on O&E? Any tech guys out there that can create some new ones for us to use via WordPress?

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And it's time to wish a very happy birthday to one of the few O&E Honey BEES! Happy Birthday, sally!!

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O&E ODD image of the day: Who can write up a sarcastic headline for this photo?