The weekly weird

Published July 18, 2015

A plot on Sun, anyone?

IT seems that property business is really going out of this world as Spanish woman Maria Angeles Duran who, back in 2010, declared that she owned the Sun and intended to bill all solar users for its use (yes, that really did happen). Incredibly the Spanish courts recognised her claim now, but as of yet no solar panel owners have received any invoices from her.

So just when Maria started to sell plots of the Sun on eBay, the company blocked her account after realising she was selling plots of our local star for one Euro per metre square.

However, a magistrate’s court in Madrid declared that Maria has the right to take them to court. Ms Duran claims she is using a loophole in the ‘Outer Space Treaty’ that states no countries may claim sovereignty over celestial bodies, however, it doesn’t specify individuals cannot stake a claim to planets and stars.

Maria claims she has received 600 orders worth 1,200 Euros (£883) before the page was closed by eBay who deemed it a scam. She is now claiming 10,000 Euros (£7357) compensation from the company.


enter image description here
enter image description here
A cute Pokemon-like octopus

SCIENTISTS have found a tiny, pink octopus which looks like a cross between a Pokemon and a puppy. In fact, he’s melted so many hearts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, California that they now want to call him ‘Adorabilis’ — which actually sounds like a Pokemon, too.

Postdoctoral researcher Stephanie Bush says, “As someone that’s describing the species you get to pick what the specific name is. One of the thoughts I had was making it Opisthoteuthis Adorabilis — because they’re really cute.”

Opinion

Editorial

Border clashes
19 May, 2024

Border clashes

THE Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier has witnessed another series of flare-ups, this time in the Kurram tribal district...
Penalising the dutiful
19 May, 2024

Penalising the dutiful

DOES the government feel no remorse in burdening honest citizens with the cost of its own ineptitude? With the ...
Students in Kyrgyzstan
Updated 19 May, 2024

Students in Kyrgyzstan

The govt ought to take a direct approach comprising convincing communication with the students and Kyrgyz authorities.
Ominous demands
Updated 18 May, 2024

Ominous demands

The federal government needs to boost its revenues to reduce future borrowing and pay back its existing debt.
Property leaks
18 May, 2024

Property leaks

THE leaked Dubai property data reported on by media organisations around the world earlier this week seems to have...
Heat warnings
18 May, 2024

Heat warnings

STARTING next week, the country must brace for brutal heatwaves. The NDMA warns of severe conditions with...