The recent 8.8 earthquake, according to government scientists, had had several worldwide effects. As explained in this video from MSNBC the earthquake has:

- knocked the earth off its axis by about 3 inches

- shortened the year by a few millionths of a second

what other repercussions might there be? Only time will tell.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Worlds Tallest Dog - TITAN!

LOS ANGELES – The Guinness Book of World Records officially says an ailing 4-year-old Great Dane named Titan from San Diego is the world’s tallest dog.

Owner Diana Taylor says Titan is blind, deaf, epileptic and undergoes acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments every three weeks.

He is also a gentle soul who is often mistaken by young children as a horse.

The announcement came during a ceremony Thursday.

Taylor says Titan stands 42.25 inches from floor to shoulder, weighs 190 pounds and doesn’t stand on his hind legs because it isn’t good for him.

Titan took over the title from Gibson, a 7-year-old harlequin Great Dane from Grass Valley who died earlier this year after battling bone cancer.

Sheriff: Dog – acupuncture? Now I think I have heard almost every stupid thing there is to hear. I am almost ready to send my dogs to the psychiatrist so they can deal with their height deprivation complex!

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In this special series on the Stupid Patrol we are bringing you the truly stupid laws that exist in the USA, and around the world.

We hope you knowing these stupid and relatively unknown laws will give you a laugh, keep you informed on the idiocy that can be law, and help keep you out of jail – for being Stupid.

As they say “ignorance of the law is no excuse” and as we say stupidity must be a real good excuse!

Today we discover – Maine

• Shotguns are required to be taken to church in the event of a Native American attack.
• You may not step out of a plane in flight.
• After January 14th you will be charged a fine for having your Christmas decorations still up.

Sheriff: Good thing I grew up in NYC – mom from Pennsylvania. Lights always came down around Easter! We would have gotten a fine every year!

If you know any stupid laws that I missed from your state? Let me know – expose stupidity for what it is – STUPID

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MEDFORD, Mass. – Officials with a Massachusetts university said complaints led to a new policy banning students from having sex while their roommates are present.

Tufts University spokeswoman Kim Thurler said officials added the rule to the 2009-10 guest policy after receiving about a dozen complaints from students “who expressed concerns that they were experiencing uncomfortable situations with their roommates’ sex-tracurricular activities,” The Boston Herald reported Tuesday. “We really didn’t have anything concrete in place for (them) to set clear boundaries,” she said.

The policy informs students in dormitories that they “may not engage in sexual activity while your roommate is
present in the room.” Thurler said the policy does not state any penalties for a violation, but she said officials hope the rule will “empower” students to “bring that issue up” if they have a problem with their roommate’s sexual activities.

Sheriff: What the heck is this world coming to! JEEEEZ roomie – leave the room, put a pillow over your head, or maybe get inspired! On second thought – hmmm the sheriff has only daughters! This WILL be their college!

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LAKEHURST, NJ — A man who spooked his friend by pulling out his own teeth with a pair of pliers was arrested Sunday after he allegedly broke several items in her apartment when she called police.

Darrel Vandervort, 49, was charged with criminal mischief and resisting arrest after officers responded to the Pine Street apartment of a female friend of his, Sgt. Ronald Heinzman said.

Vandervort allegedly sprayed blood inside the apartment while removing his own teeth, Heinzman said, and the woman – whose name was not released – called police. Officer Jeffery Emmons charged Vandervort, of Lakehurst, after he allegedly broke multiple items inside the apartment, Heinzman said.

He was lodged at Ocean County Jail in lieu of $2,500 bail with no 10 percent payment option. Sgt. Gary Lowe assisted Emmons in making the arrest.

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Japanese speed-eating legend Takeru Kobayashi defeated his arch-rival and reigning champ Joey Chestnut to reclaim the world hamburger eating title today at the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. The 31-year-old from Japan earned a score of 93 Krystal hamburgers in eight minutes, setting a world record under a new no-dunking rule established by The Krystal Company. Chestnut, of San Jose, Calif., finished second with 81.

Kobayashi champion again. Dethrones Joey Chestnut for Burger Eating Champion!

Kobayashi’s victory over Chestnut today before a live televised audience and a crowd of more than 10,000 puts him back on top of the sport he brought into the American mainstream more than eight years ago, only to see his star fall the past three years following several high-profile losses, including a loss to Chestnut at last year’s championship in Chattanooga.

“We knew today’s Krystal Square Off championship was going to be a battle for the ages with Kobayashi hoping to reclaim his glory and Chestnut defending his two-year reign as champ, and both eaters did not disappoint,” said Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing, The Krystal Company. “Kobayashi’s commanding win over Chestnut proved once again why he is the sport’s biggest star.”

“Kobayashi came into Chattanooga needing a win. He got it and then some,” said Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating, the governing body of all stomach-centric sports. “The 12 Krystal margin revives his rivalry with Joey Chestnut and caps what was a great Krystal Square Off season. At the end, Kobayashi seemed to hit his head on the ceiling of his own self worth; lucky for him the faux hawk provided cushion.”

Presented by The Krystal Company, the Krystal Square Off is the only world hamburger eating championship sanctioned by Major League Eating.

Kobayashi has now won the Krystal Square Off four of its six years. He pockets $20,000 for the victory, along with the coveted Krystal Square Off Champion’s Belt and Trophy made out of crystal. Chestnut earns $10,00 for his second place finish. Patrick Bertoletti, who finished third with 76, takes away $5,000. The remaining finalists receive payouts ranging from $3,000 to $500. The $50,000 total cash purse is the largest in competitive eating.

The Krystal Square Off introduced new rules this year that forced competitors to change their strategies. First, eaters were no longer allowed to dunk their hamburgers in liquid in an effort to eliminate “detritus” during the competition. Also new this year, every eater was given five Big Angus Burgers at the start of the competition in addition to their tray of Krystal hamburgers. Each Big Angus Burger consumed added five hamburgers to an eater’s total count.

The official results are as follows:

• Takeru Kobayashi, Tokyo, Japan – 93 (68 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers*)
• Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, San Jose, Calif. – 81 (56 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, Chicago, Ill. – 76 (51 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• “Humble” Bob Shoudt, Philadelphia, Pa. – 71 (46 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas, Alexandria, Va. – 65 (40 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Hall “Hoover” Hunt, Jacksonville, Fla. – 60 (35 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Tim “Eater X” Janus, New York, N.Y. – 59 (34 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Erik “The Red” Denmark, Seattle, Wash. – 58 (33 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Tim “Gravy” Brown, Chicago, Ill. – 52 (27 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Jim “Buffalo” Reeves – 50 (25 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Eric “Badlands” Booker, Long Island, N.Y. – 47 (22 Krystals, 5 Big Angus Burgers)
• Tyler Allen, Chattanooga, TN – 8 (8 Krystals, 0 Big Angus Burgers)

* Each Big Angus Burger equals five Krystal hamburgers

Krystal has been hosting eating contests ever since it first opened its doors in 1932. Indeed, Krystal’s second customer, Roy Ward, claimed he could eat twice as many Krystals as French Jenkins, the chain’s first customer. He did just that by eating 12 Krystals, and according to legend invented the famous Krystal Sackful in the process. The years have passed, but Krystal Lovers have never stopped challenging each other to Krystal Eating Contests. This longstanding tradition became official in 2004 with the first Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship.

Story from: Krystal Sqare-off Official Website

Sheriff: Kobayashi is a God in the competitive eating world! Still, nobody can understand how that little skinny dude can do it. Freak of nature!! Also to knock down that many “fake Belly bombs” – I would not want to be anywhere near for the next few days! See our story here on Stupid Patrol on the Burrito Eating champ – who finished 4th in this competition.

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In this special series on the Stupid Patrol we are bringing you the truly stupid laws that exist in the USA, and around the world.

We hope you knowing these stupid and relatively unknown laws will give you a laugh, keep you informed on the idiocy that can be law, and help keep you out of jail – for being Stupid.

As they say “ignorance of the law is no excuse” and as we say stupidity must be a real good excuse!

Today we discover – Hawaii

• Billboards are outlawed.

Full text of the Law 445-112

Where and when permitted. No person shall erect, maintain, or use a billboard or display any outdoor advertising device, except as provided in this section:

(1) The display of official notices and signs, posted by order of any court or public office, or posted by any public officer in the performance of a public duty, or posted by any person required to do so by any law or rule having the force of law.

(2) Any outdoor advertising device announcing a meeting or series of meetings is not prohibited by this section if displayed on the premises where the meeting or series of meetings will be or is being held. Meeting, as used in this section, includes all meetings regardless of whether open to the public or conducted for profit and includes but is not limited to sports events, conventions, fairs, rallies, plays, lectures, concerts, motion pictures, dances, and religious services.

(3) Any outdoor advertising device indicating that the building or premises on which it is displayed is the residence, office, or place of business, commercial or otherwise, of any individual, partnership, joint venture, association, club, or corporation, and stating the nature of the business.

(4) Any outdoor advertising device that advertises property or services that may be bought, rented, sold, or otherwise traded in on the premises or in the building on which the outdoor advertising device is displayed.

(5) The offering for sale of merchandise bearing incidental advertising, including books, magazines, and newspapers, in any store, newsstand, vending machine, rack, or other place where such merchandise is regularly sold.

(6) Any outdoor advertising device offering any land, building, or part of a building for sale or rent, if displayed on the property so offered or on the building of which part is so offered.

(7) Any outdoor advertising device carried by persons or placed upon vehicles used for the transportation of persons or goods.

(8) Any outdoor advertising device warning the public of dangerous conditions that they may encounter in nearby sections of streets, roads, paths, public places, power lines, gas and water mains, or other public utilities.

(9) Signs serving no commercial purpose that indicate places of natural beauty, or of historical or cultural interest and that are made according to designs approved by the department of business, economic development, and tourism.

(10) Any outdoor advertising device or billboard erected, placed, or maintained upon a state office building, if erected, placed, or maintained by authority of a state agency, department, or officer for the sole purpose of announcing cultural or educational events within the State, and if the design and location thereof has been approved by the department of business, economic development, and tourism.

(11) Signs urging voters to vote for or against any person or issue, if erected not more than forty-five days before, and removed not less than ten days after, the election in which the person is a candidate or in which the issue is to be voted upon.

(12) Signs stating that a residence that is offered for sale, lease, or rent is open for inspection at the actual time the sign is displayed and showing the route to the residence; provided that the sign contains no words or designs other than the words “Open House”, the address of the residence, the name of the person or agency responsible for the sale, and an arrow or other directional symbol and is removed during such time as the residence is not open for inspection.

(13) The erection, maintenance, and use of billboards if the billboard is used solely for outdoor advertising devices not prohibited by this section.

(14) The continued display and maintenance of outdoor advertising devices actually displayed on July 8, 1965, in accordance with all laws and ordinances immediately theretofore in effect.

(15) The continued maintenance of any billboard actually maintained on July 8, 1965, and the display thereon of the same or new advertising devices, all in accordance with all laws and ordinances in effect immediately prior to July 9, 1965.

(16) Any outdoor advertising device displayed with the authorization of the University of Hawaii on any scoreboard of any stadium owned by the university. An outdoor advertising device displayed under this paragraph shall be on the front of the scoreboard and face the interior of the stadium.

(17) Any temporary outdoor advertising device attached to or supported by the structure of any stadium owned by the University of Hawaii, located within and facing the interior of the stadium, and authorized to be displayed by the university. For the purpose of this paragraph, “temporary” means displayed for a short period before the official start of organized athletic competition, during the organized athletic competition, and for a short period after the official end of the organized athletic competition; and

(18) Any outdoor advertising device displayed with the authorization of the stadium authority on any scoreboard of any stadium operated by the stadium authority. An outdoor advertising device displayed under this paragraph shall be on the front of the scoreboard and face the interior of the stadium.

[L 1965, c 233, pt of �1; Supp, �155-121; HRS �445-112; am L 1986, c 245, �1; am L 1987, c 336, �7; am L 1990, c 293, �8; am L 1994, c 118, �1]

Why does this law exist?

One of Hawaii’s major sources of income is tourism, and therefore many measures are taken to protect its natural beauty. Therefore, building codes such as this have been established to preserve views of the mountains, volcanoes, and beaches of the islands.

• All residents may be fined as a result of not owning a boat.
• Coins are not allowed to be placed in one’s ears

If there are any Stupid – and we mean STUPID laws in your State that we missed, or in your city for our upcoming stupid city laws list, let us know.

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Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

NEW YORK, NY – Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi tried to set up a tent in a New York suburb but was blocked by city officials, US media reported.

Gaddafi, who is famous for staying in his large Bedouin tent during foreign visits, was getting the tent erected in the city of Bedford on an estate owned by US billionaire Donald Trump, ABC News reported Tuesday.

But city officials sought to stop its construction, arguing it violates town regulations. It was unclear if the eccentric Libyan leader ever planned to stay in Bedford.

Trump may have unwittingly loaned the estate to Libya. His company in a statement said the property was leased to Middle Eastern partners that “may or may not have a relationship to Gaddafi” and it was looking into the issue.

Gaddafi’s people have previously been barred from erecting the tent in New York’s Central Park and on land in a New Jersey suburb owned by the Libyan embassy.

The ongoing saga has left Libya struggling to find a place for Gaddafi to stay during his visit to New York, where he is set to address the UN General Assembly this week. It is his first visit to the United States since taking power in 1969.

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New York, NY

Add this one to the presidential collection: the heart-shaped potato. 

By the time Barack Obama came on stage to the taping of the “Late Show” on Monday, host David Letterman had offered up 10 reasons why in the world the president had agreed to do it. 

Among Letterman’s theories: Obama said yes without thinking about it, or as Letterman put it, “Like Bush did with Iraq.” 

But Obama had other ideas. It turns out he was listening when Letterman had bantered with a woman in the audience who brought — yes — a potato in the shape of a heart to the show. 

Obama told Letterman: “The main reason I’m here? I want to see that heart-shaped potato.” 

The woman tossed the potato to Letterman.

 She agreed to let Obama keep it. Said the president: “This is remarkable.” 

Actually, the Top 10 list was edited out of the broadcast, but it was available on the CBS Web site. A spokesman said the length of the Obama interview caused the edit.

 Obama also had his most irreverent answer yet on the question of whether some of the vitriolic reaction to his health care plan is driven at least partly by racism.

 ”First of all, I think it’s important to realize that I was actually black before the election,” Obama said to huge laughs from Letterman and the audience.

 Responded Letterman: “How long have you been a black man?”

Letterman covered a number of topics with Obama — many of them serious — in a taping that ran about 40 minutes. The show will be broadcast on CBS on Monday evening.

On the economy, Obama offered a sober prediction as the country deals with 9.7 percent unemployment, the worst level since 1983. He said he expects unemployment will be a “big problem” for at least another year. But he also said the economy will rebound even stronger.

As for the war in Afghanistan, Obama said he knows some people want him to bring troops home, and others are calling for him to increase U.S. force levels to combat the insurgency. The top U.S. commander there is warning the war could be lost without more troops.

Obama said he won’t make a decision on sending in more troops, though, until he completes a comprehensive review of the war effort and settles on his next strategy.

“I’m going to be asking some very hard questions,” Obama said.

Obama’s visit made him the first sitting president to appear on Letterman’s program. He had been on Letterman’s show five times before, though, most recently in September 2008.

The White House said it was a good way for him to reach yet another audience as Obama wraps up a blitz of TV appearances, trying mainly to build support for his health care plan.

As president, Obama also went on NBC’s “Tonight” show when it was hosted by Jay Leno.

After the taping, the president returned to his midtown Manhattan hotel and quietly emerged a while later in gym clothes and a baseball cap. His destination: the church across the street for some basketball with his aides.

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