British Town Spends $12,000 Fixing Light Bulbs

(Aug. 11) -- And I thought that fixing the potholes on 10th Street in Atlanta was an ordeal. For nearly nine months, I've been swerving and dodging the deadly wheel traps while taking my wife to work.

Finally last week, the city "repaired" the holes by pouring concrete in some and placing metal plates over others. Nine months it took, at an estimated cost of nearly $10,000.

But that pales in comparison to $12,000 light bulbs.

The village of Glemsford, near Sudbury, Suffolk, England, went completely dark in 2007, when two street lamps blew their bulbs. At the time, the town council claimed the fix would cost nearly £8,000 (that's $12,000 in U.S. dollars). Council members insisted that the lights be moved because of their proximity to power lines.

That was more than 10 percent of the town's £70,000-a-year budget. So of course, the council said, "Forget it." But the villagers would not be deterred.

Sick of being stuck in the dark, they insisted and finally won out. The lights are being replaced. Out of the dark ages will come Glemsford thanks to the lights' repair. Well, that and the whole "curing the bubonic plague" thing.

From Fark: It takes a village three years and more than $12,000 to change a simple light bulb. Point this out to your wife when she starts nagging you about why you haven't repainted the living room yet (dailymail.co.uk)

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In other "news," being unhealthy might be unhealthy. This report from MSNBC shares with us the fact that you don't have to LOOK obese to be obese. I once dated this girl, Mandy. She was adorable. High maintenance, annoying, insistent on getting an engagement ring and ultimately the worst person I've ever spent time with, but still adorable. I once took her to the gym. She kept complaining that she wasn't fat; that she was petite and looked fine. But when her body fat was tested, she was at nearly 40 percent. That, my friends, is unhealthy (as was our relationship).

The simple fact of the matter is, if you don't exercise and you eat like crap, you will be unhealthy, even if you don't look like Peter Griffin from "Family Guy." A hot stove doesn't have to be glowing red to be dangerous, and yet you'll still burn yourself if you touch it. Cute stray doggies might be feral and bite you. Common sense, people. Please use it. Get off your bum and go work out a little, even if all you have is a "muffin top." It's not so you LOOK healthy, it's so you'll actually BE healthy, fatty.

From Fark: "Your muffin top may kill you." Good thing I upgraded to saddlebags and a full-sized spare tire (msnbc.msn.com)

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Finally, look at Mexico, being all "We're way more progressive than you, you United States you!" It has ruled that same-sex marriages must be recognized in every state in the country. And what's more, nearly the entire country is comprised of worshiping Christians. Go them! Who would have thought that the country that brought us Chicklets, the tiny gum, could also be so socially progressive? But hey, we still have way better plasma TVs. And Escalades.

From Fark: Mexican Supreme Court rules all states must recognize Juan on Juan marriages (nytimes.com)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Joe Peacock is a staffer at Fark.com, one of the best sources for weird news. The views he expresses are his own and not necessarily those of this news organization.