Straight from the Headlines (2013 Edition)
News & Politics
Symp Tax Introduced to Congress
Washington (RFN) – Congressman Dave Dingleberry of Washington, D.C. introduced a bill to Congress April 1 that would allow taxpayers who favor increased revenue for the Federal Government to withhold additional income tax voluntarily. In a speech delivered on C-SPAN, Dingleberry told viewers that if enacted, the Spend Your Money Publicly (SYMP) Act would add up to $84 million in additional revenues to the Federal coffers. The Congressman stated, “It’s time to give Americans the chance to give back to their country. It’s time for those who want to pay higher taxes to show their support through a symp tax.”
Poll Finds ‘The Onion’ Losing its Sense of Humor
New York (RFN) – A public opinion poll conducted in March by The Onion and Al Jazeera found that a majority of The Onion’s readers believed that the amount of humorous content in the satirical new source’s articles has declined substantially since 2008. Results from the poll of 1,000 respondents showed that more than half thought it was “less humorous” while another quarter thought it was “not funny at all.” A spokesperson for The Onion stated, “I’m sorry, but we just don’t think this president is as funny as the last one. Beside, half of our writers went to work for the Administration after the 2008 Election.” The Onion is a subsidiary of Al Jazeera.
Business
Company Announces Asteroid SlingShot
Spaceport America, New Mexico (RFN) – Private space exploration company Romulan Ventures announced April 1 that it had developed the “Asteroid SlingShot,” a prototype designed to catch and deflect asteroids on a potential collision course with Earth. Made from heat-resistant, elastic materials, the device pulled by two aircraft successfully deflected the flight paths of more than 100 migrating birds in a limited test near Spaceport America, New Mexico. Romulan spokesperson Kirk James told reporters that more tests would be needed to determine whether the Asteroid Slingshot could be scaled up to deflect asteroids bound for Earth. He estimated that the device would cost approximately $1.2 trillion to build and deploy and added, “When it comes to saving the Earth from destruction, it’s worth it.”
Entertainment
Call Center Set Up to Field ‘Star Wars 7’ Inquiries
Los Angeles (RFN) – Sources in Hollywood are reporting that a call center has been established in Bangalore, India to field inquiries from thousands of actors interested in joining the cast of Star Wars Episode 7, the most anticipated film in recent years. With reports that Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford are set to reprise their roles as Luke, Leia, and Han Solo in the epic series, thousands of actors have clambered to join the cast. Sources stated that so many had demanded roles in the new movie that the movie’s studio opted to outsource the high call volume to a call center. An unidentified casting agent close to new Star Wars director J.J. Abrams told RFN that, “The last straw was when Ahmed Best called to ask if he could reprise his role as Jar Jar Binks.” Star Wars Episode 7 sans Jar Jar will be released in theaters everywhere in 2015.
Survivor to Film on Location in North Korea
Los Angeles (RFN) – Producers of the reality show Survivor announced that the show has settled on North Korea as the location for its 15th season after receiving permission to film in the country. During his February 2013 visit to North Korea, former NBA star Dennis Rodman reportedly received personal assurances from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on behalf of the show. Rodman said, “Oh yeah, my buddy Kim loves that show. He even wants to be a contestant.” The North Korean leader declined requests to allow filming at Yoduk prison camp but approved the production at the Ryugyong Hotel in the capital, Pyongyang. The show’s producers did not confirm whether Kim would be a contestant. However, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s official news agency, released a statement confirming that Kim had added “Survivor Winner” to his list of official titles.
Sports
World Baseball Cricket (WBC) Tournament Ends in Turmoil
New Delhi (RFN) – Game one of the World Baseball Cricket (WBC) tournament ended in confusion April 1 when the American baseball team and the Sri Lankan cricket team came to blows in a bench-clearing brawl over scoring issues. The Americans claimed that they led the Sri Lankan team by a score of 2-0 on home runs by Greg Smith and Joe Johnson. The Sri Lankan team countered that they were ahead 220/6 to the Americans’ 200/3. Umpires have not yet sorted out the final score.
ACLU Seeks an End to April Fool’s Day
Los Angeles (RFN) – The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), citing possible civil rights violations on April Fool’s Day, set up a hotline to help end the practice of perpetrating practical jokes on unsuspecting fools the first day in April. The ACLU asks those who are potential victims of April Fool’s Day pranks to contact the April Fool’s hotline at their earliest convenience. The ACLU will prepare cases for eligible claims in an effort to combat this offensive practice. If you believe you have wrongly duped by an April Fool’s Day joke or prank and seek redress, contact the ACLU at 968-3665 (YOU-FOOL).
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