Watercooler Stories

Swedish court rejects Orgasm Church

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, April 29 (UPI) -- A Swedish court ruled against a man's attempt to have the Madonna of Orgasm Church registered as a faith community because of its racy name.

The Administrative Court of Appeal ruled Tuesday that the name of the church founded by artist Carlos Bebeacua "violates what is considered acceptable praxis" with its combination of the words Madonna, orgasm and church, Swedish news agency TT reported Wednesday.

"In the opinion of the administrative court of appeal, the intention of such a combination of words, even in relation to the registration of a community for religious activities, must be to offend, not only for those within the wider circles of the general public who have Christian leanings, but also in society in general," the court wrote.

Bebeacua has said the church is aimed at encouraging people to worship the orgasm as God.

"The orgasm is God, the orgasm should be worshiped," Bebeacua said. "The orgasm is the ultimate feeling of lust, it shouldn't be limited to ejaculation. You can reach it through art or by looking at a landscape and thinking 'Wow!'"

Poll: Britons keep friends 'out of habit'

LONDON, April 29 (UPI) -- A British survey found nearly half of respondents said they keep most of their friends around "out of habit" rather than due to the value of the friendship.

The online survey of 3,000 Britons, conducted by OnePoll.com, suggests the average Briton has 16 friends, but 48 percent of respondents said most of their friends are kept around "out of habit," the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.

The survey found respondents had lost touch with an average 36 friends over the years, with four in 10 explaining they had "just drifted apart." OnePoll.com said respondents had an average three friendships that lasted the test of time.

"Long working hours and hectic lifestyles means Brits feel tired and a real effort needs to be taken to keep in touch with each other," a OnePoll.com spokesman said.

Some 41 percent of respondents said they would attempt to make contact with an old friend if they spotted their profile on a Web site.

Men allegedly took non-working truck

PINE BLUFF, Ark., April 29 (UPI) -- Authorities in Arkansas said two men were arrested by sheriff's deputies who spotted them pushing a country pickup truck down the street.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Cpl. Andy Hoots was leaving the department's adult detention center Sunday when he spotted three men pushing a truck bearing a county logo down the road Sunday with a fourth man behind the wheel,The (Pine Bluff, Ark.) Commercial reported Wednesday.

Deputy Prosecutor Jill Reed said two of the men escaped but authorities arrested Matthew Dillard, 18, and Matthew Jordan, 20, and charged them with theft of property.

Sheriff's Lt. Steve McFatridge said the truck was in non-working condition but was being kept by the county for its parts and was valued at more than $500.

Bond for the two suspects was set at $2,500 each Monday and they are due back in court May 11.

Flaming Lips tune official Okla. rock song

OKLAHOMA CITY, April 29 (UPI) -- Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry signed an executive order at a public ceremony declaring "Do you Realize??" by the Flaming Lips the official state rock song.

Henry's order, signed Tuesday, ended a debate in the state House of Representatives about whether the song should be made official after bassist Michael Ivins was seen wearing a T-shirt with a hammer-and-sickle communist logo, the Tulsa (Okla.) World reported Wednesday.

The Oklahoma band said the shirt was an "ironic" gift from lead singer Wayne Coyne's wife. However, the T-shirt led a small group of House members to block the vote on the song after it was approved by the Senate 46-0 in March.

The song was chosen by officials after it gathered more then half of the 21,000 votes in an online poll involving 10 songs.

Henry declared April 28 "Flaming Lips Day" during Tuesday's ceremony at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City.

"The people voted for this, a song that most of all describes the people and the spirit of Oklahoma, and that best conveys the finite and sacred moments we have with those we love," he said.