Olives are used as currency on the remote island nation of Drupe. Black olives are valued more than green ones, especially if the latter contains a pimento. Pitted olives of either kind are worth more than those containing pits. The Drupe Stock Market trades daily and is known for it's delicious exchange rate with the Yen, Euro, and the Little Tiny Pickle.

Source : Birr, Kip. "Endocarp Economics", Business Weak, October 2007.

Odd hats were a sign of sexuality in the Victorian era. The custom was more ludicrous the hat, the more adventurous the wearer. In that repressed time it was a way for more amorous citizens to express themselves and attract suitors. The trend faded from popularity after the First World War, when hair washing and public promiscuity became more commonplace. Plus, people realized such hats were not in fact attractive.

Source : Fe, Dora. Wanton a Hat : Victorian Headwear and Social Order, 1983.

The British inventor Edward Ian Age (1852-1907) is credited with creating the traditional Nasty British Lunch. What is not as well known is that he went quite mad in his later years and was often seen ingesting anything within his reach. In the summertime he was often seen in Russell Square chewing on an ivory hand fan. American tourists often approached him in hopes obtaining advice on where to dine.

Source : Chip O'Lata. Boil It! : A History of British Cooking, 1988.

Cat Food Flavors For Real Cats!

• Small Flightless Bird
• Tormented Mouse
• Lip-Smackin' Spiders
• Unguarded Thawing Hamburger
• Table Tidbits from the Kids
• Hairball Formula Grass Bits

Source : Product List. Clowder Cat Food Company, 2008.

Upbeat Magazine's Best Unsigned Bands of 2008

• Peter, Paul, and Mary Kate & Ashley
• The Donkees
• The Four Nications
• Up Yours With People
• Billy Joel Steinberg
• The 5 Entens
  

Source : Nody, Moe. Upbeat Magazine, October 2008.

The Librarian's American Library Alliance has issued a warning to all libraries to immediately discontinue subscriptions to Linn's Stamp News and cancel standing orders for Scott's Stamp Catalogs. The organization alerts all members that philately will get you nowhere.

Source : Bromania, Tim. " Stamps Cancelled" L.A.L.A. Hotline, November 10, 2008.

Officials at Catflap University announced the opening of the first ever School of the Annoying Arts. The new department will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in this exciting new academic field. "The Annoying Arts consist of activities that require a degree of skill and talent, yet yield a result that few people desire to own or experience" said the school's dean Dwayne Inspane. The school offers majors in the following Annoying Arts:

• Calligraphy
• Community Chorus
• Scrapbooking
• Macrame
• Stenciling
• Interpretive Dance
• Tie Dye
• Riverdance
• Face Painting
• Rubber Stamping

There are already over 500 grandmas, aging hippies, and other "crafty" types enrolled. A university spokesman stated that the new programs should ensure a steady supply of Annoying Artists for community centers, craft fairs, and dance studios for the entire region. All citizens will now have access to a steady supply of lousy Christmas gifts and irritating performances.

Source : Dapple, Roe. "Local University Goes Downhill Again" Catflap Daily News, Summer, 2008.