■CANADA
Sex Party shakes up vote
A fringe political party in the west is looking to shake up current political discourse by campaigning on this unusual theme: “Sex is good. Let’s make it better!” The so-called Sex Party has no illusions about winning a seat in the British Columbia legislature in general elections on May 12. Rather, its candidates are taking advantage of the election campaign to defend their unconventional ideas about sexuality, which they lament are not broached by mainstream politicians. “We’re not running to get elected. Obviously it’s impossible, especially in a first-past-the-post system that discriminates against small parties,” said John Ince, a Vancouver sex shop owner and leader of the Sex Party. The party’s platform touts the benefits of a healthy sex life for personal growth and the betterment of society. It proposes revamping the provincial education program to gradually encourage students’ sexual activity, whereby extensive sexual experimentation would precede first intercourse.
■UNITED STATES
Escaped cow may live
A cow has escaped from a New York City slaughterhouse and may have a new lease on life. Police say the black heifer bolted on Wednesday afternoon from Musa Hala Inc, which butchers animals based on religious restrictions. It wandered in Queens for nearly 2km before police captured it an hour later and took it to an Animal Care and Control center, where it was nicknamed Molly. Officials there are looking into whether Molly can be placed at a farm sanctuary or must be returned for slaughter.
■CANADA
Vulcans get sneak peek
About 300 Vulcans were beaming up to Calgary for a sneak peek at the newest Star Trek movie on Wednesday. The residents of the southern Alberta town of Vulcan were to see the film two days before today’s worldwide release. They will also get the chance to meet Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood, who plays Captain Christopher Pike in the film. The town, which shares a name with the home planet of popular Star Trek character Spock, had made a pitch to host the film’s Canadian premiere. They were turned down, but actor Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in the original TV series and several movies, intervened and was able to arrange a private screening for them.
■UNITED STATES
Beachcombers find cocaine
Beachcombers found more than seashells while strolling on a Texas beach: two dozen neatly wrapped packages of cocaine. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Lieutenent Troy Tucker said drug smugglers have been known to use freighters and the cocaine may have been kicked overboard to avoid detection. The sheriff’s department was working with federal agencies on Wednesday to try to determine the source of the 24kg of cocaine, worth about US$500,000. KFDM-TV reported the cocaine was found Tuesday west of Sea Rim State Park, in the Sabine Pass area.
■CUBA
Cigar roller smokes record
A cigar roller broke his fourth world record on Wednesday, creating a 43.38m long stogie that doubled his previous best. Sixty-five-year-old Jose Castelar smoked his own 2005 record of a 20.41m long cigar, and vowed to continue to roll record-breaking creations. “I’m going to continue until I do one that is the length of the Malecon,” he said, referring to Havana’s famous 10km seafront promenade.
RSS