bad ideas

The sign outside this Montreal restaurant translates into English as, "Pick-up line of the day: does this tissue smell like chloroform?"

Restaurant Defends Chloroform/Rape Sign As “Harmless”

Because nothing lures in potential diners to your restaurant than a rape joke, an eatery in Montreal has defended its decision to display such a joke in public on a sandwich board outside its front door. [More]

This is a screengrab from actual CCTV footage of the teen attempting to rob a 7-Eleven with a chainsaw and, yes, a flower-pot helmet.

‘Dead Rising’ Comes To Life As Chainsaw-Wielding Man Robs Store While Wearing Flower Pot Helmet

I can’t tell you the hours I’ve spent chainsawing paths through hordes of undead, or bashing them over the head with flower pots, in Dead Rising on my Xbox, but I never imagined that someone would manage to make this over-the-top game a reality by combining the two objects and using them in the robbery of a convenience store. [More]

(Photo: Twitter user @DelSchilling)

Sonic Is Really, Really Sorry About That “Scalp The Redskins/Feed Them Whiskey” Sign

Someone at a Missouri Sonic Drive-in chose to express both their support for the Kansas City Chiefs and their utter ignorance by using the restaurant’s sign to post a message that combined nearly every offensive Native American stereotype into one garbled statement. [More]

Not cool, say British folks. Not at all.

UK Retailers Realize “Mental Patient” & “Psycho Ward” Also Aren’t Great Halloween Costumes

While we’re dealing with Naughty Leopard costumes for kids that don’t even remotely resemble actual leopards, British retailers have their own hands full with controversial Halloween outfits. Across the pond they’re called “Fancy Dress Costumes” and with names like “Psycho Ward” and “Mental Patient,” retailers selling them are coming under fire from the mental health community. [More]

American Airlines Flight Attendant Trainee Charged With Making Bomb Threats To United Airlines

American Airlines Flight Attendant Trainee Charged With Making Bomb Threats To United Airlines

A Texas man training to be a flight attendant for American Airlines was arrested and charged with making fake bomb threats to United Airlines, not just once or twice, but an astounding eight times. [More]

If A Cop Stops You For DUI At The Burger King Drive-Thru, Don’t Try To Drive Through Him

If A Cop Stops You For DUI At The Burger King Drive-Thru, Don’t Try To Drive Through Him

A Michigan man has been sentenced to 2-5 years in prison for an incident at a Burger King drive-thru, during which the man attempted to drive his car through the police officer that was checking him out for a suspected DUI. [More]

We can't imagine that combining urinals, video games, and beer-drinking could be a cause for concern.

Stadium To Encourage Urine-Covered Floors And Walls With ‘Video Game’ Urinals

I’ve made no secret of my love for the Philadelphia Phillies organization, but I’m not exactly thrilled with the announcement that one of the team’s minor league affiliates has decided to become a guinea pig for a video game system that uses one’s urine stream as a game controller. [More]

(redandjonny)

If You’re Not Happy With A Handyman’s Work, Kidnapping Him To Do More Repairs Is A Bad Idea

If you saw it in a movie you wouldn’t believe it. A couple in California are accused of taking a handyman hostage and forcing him to do fix-it jobs around the house, apparently because they were unsatisfied with his previous efforts. [More]

Not a good idea.

Pizza Hut Realizes That Offering People Money To Ask Presidential Candidates About Favorite Pizza Topping Is Remarkably Stupid Idea

At this week’s town hall-style Presidential debate, at least one of the questions asked by an audience member will be superfluous and about a topic many people deem unimportant. Luckily, no one will be taking Pizza Hut up on its request to ask the candidates whether they prefer pepperoni or sausage, after the restaurant chain realized that might be just a remarkably dumb idea. [More]

Ripping Up A Parking Ticket In Front Of Police May Get You Tased, Even If You’re Pregnant

Ripping Up A Parking Ticket In Front Of Police May Get You Tased, Even If You’re Pregnant

If you’re upset with the parking ticket you’ve just received, it’s rarely a good idea to rip it up. It’s certainly a bad idea to rip that ticket up in front of the police officer who just wrote it. Ask the pregnant Chicago woman who says police used a stun gun on her after she tore up her citation. [More]

Online Fashion Retailer Apologizes For Holocaust Reference

Online Fashion Retailer Apologizes For Holocaust Reference

Note to retailers: Under no circumstances, at any time or for any reason, is it okay to sell a piece of clothing with a Holocaust theme. Like, never ever ever. BuyDefinition learned that lesson the hard way. [More]

Bank Of America Testing Letting You Choose To Overdraft Via Text Message

Bank Of America Testing Letting You Choose To Overdraft Via Text Message

Bank of America currently rejects debit card items that would make your balance go below zero, but Finextra reports they’re going to test out a new system that sends you a text message when you’re about to overdraft. The message will give you the option to let the transaction go through and incur an overdraft fee. [More]

Regulators Won't Finish Review Of Comcast-NBC Deal Until Next Year

Regulators Won't Finish Review Of Comcast-NBC Deal Until Next Year

Jack Donaghy had better cancel his Christmas break. NBC and Kabletown, er, Comcast, have announced that they don’t expect regulators to finish their review of the planned acquisition of the broadcaster by the cable giant until next year. The two companies still expect the deal to go through. [More]

Passengers Removed From Orlando-Bound Flight For Watching 9/11 Clips Before Takeoff

Passengers Removed From Orlando-Bound Flight For Watching 9/11 Clips Before Takeoff

A father and his son were removed from an Air Canada flight in Toronto last Tuesday after another passenger saw the boy watching footage of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks on his iPod, reports Canoe News. The airline says the pair were determined not to be a security risk, just people with a really bad sense of tact, and it cleared them for a following flight. [More]

You Want Your Real Name Publicly Associated With Your World Of Warcraft Account, Right?

You Want Your Real Name Publicly Associated With Your World Of Warcraft Account, Right?

If you want to use certain official World of Warcraft forums, you’re going to have to come out. That is, you’re going to have to make your real full name visible on forums. No, not your character name: your real name. No, it’s not a severely delayed April Fool’s joke. And no, Blizzard, the company behind the game, doesn’t seem to care that their players like to post on forums but also might have problems with stalkers or identity theft, and also occasionally seek gainful employment. [More]

28 Of The Worst Money-Saving Ideas Ever

28 Of The Worst Money-Saving Ideas Ever

Earlier this week we asked you for the worst things you’ve ever tried to do in order to save money that really didn’t work out, and you bowled us over with your responses! Over 190 comments poured in, some utilitarian, some hilarious, others, poignant. My favorite is the grandma who bought two caskets and used them to store linens because she didn’t like the idea of buying something so expensive only to use it once. So here they are, the 28 best of the worst money-saving ideas you’ve ever had:

(pictured: some folks who don’t like the cheap haircuts they got from beauty-school students)

What's The Worst Money-Saving Idea You've Ever Had?

What's The Worst Money-Saving Idea You've Ever Had?

Some money-saving hacks you think up are awesome, but others can be categorized under “foolish frugality.” While they sound good at first, these hassle of these pyrites of personal finance can just end up not being worth the small savings. They can even cost you more in the long run, or even be hazardous. Here’s a few bad ideas gleaned from FatWallet: [More]

After Posting SS# In Ads, Lifelock CEO's Identity Stolen 13 Times

After Posting SS# In Ads, Lifelock CEO's Identity Stolen 13 Times

So confident is Lifelock in its $10-$15/month “identity theft protection service” that its CEO Todd Davis posts his social security number in its ads. Unfortunately, his identity has been stolen 13 times since doing so, reports the Phoenix Times. The FTC fined Lifelock $12 million in March for deceptive advertising.

Cracking LifeLock: Even After a $12 Million Penalty for Deceptive Advertising, the Tempe Company Can’t Be Honest About Its Identity-Theft-Protection Service [Phoenix New Times]