OFFBEAT NEWS:

Student Has Graduation Ceremony…On The Subway

Here’s a great example of making the best of a bad situation. Jerich Marco Alcantara was all set to graduate from New York City’s Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing this week…until the subway got in his way. The graduate was on his way to the ceremony, all dressed up in his cap and gown, when he got stuck on a seriously delayed train.

His train was stuck between stations for 90-minutes before a rescue train was called. That took about 25-minutes to arrive. As if this wasn’t a bad enough commute, the rescue train stalled, too.

“Everyone seemed annoyed, and by that time, my commencement was already about an hour in,” he explains. “So I felt like lightening the mood and thanked everyone for ‘coming to my graduation.’ Told them it meant a lot to me, and they applauded it.”

A friend created a digital diploma while fellow passengers played Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).”

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Italian Mayor Waters Down Hungry Tourists

If you’re planning on going to Florence, you might have to eat on the go. The city has had enough of tourists lounging, eating, and leaving a mess on cathedral steps, so they’ve come up with a plan: cleaning the steps during lunchtime.

“We’ll be experimenting with a very simple measure: pouring water over the church steps to clean the spaces, and hopefully discourage people from eating, drinking and making a mess there,” Mayor Dario Nardella explains. “If tourists want to sit there, they’ll get wet. Florence is full of cafes with outdoor seating, tables, and benches.”

Some are afraid the move will make the city come off as elitist and force tourists to pay for pricey restaurants instead of takeaway food. According to Mayor Nardella, that’s not the point. “The churches aren’t restaurants; they are religious and cultural sites,” he adds. “We’re in no way against tourists, but against those who do not respect Florence.”

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STUPID CRIMINALS:

Woman tries to trade her baby for Taco Bell:

One woman in Evansville, Indiana is very dedicated to her Taco Bell. According to local authorities, she tried to exchange her child for a 12-pack of tacos. It’s unclear what exactly happened to the woman, but commenters on Facebook are impressed with her creativity.

Man calls 911 just to chat:

Turns out being drunk and lonely isn’t an emergency. Larry Keiser dialed 911 and asked to speak to a police officer…who he then told there was no emergency. Keiser called 911 five more times before cops responded to his Allentown, Pennsylvania home and discovered he had been knocking back beers because he was upset about a “family situation.” Authorities explained to the 51-year-old that he shouldn’t call 911 unless there was an actual problem. Keiser said he understood…then called 911 a minute after the cops left. He’s now facing charges that include intentionally calling 911 for other than emergency purposes.

Man backs up on a highway in China:

A man in China presumably confused his fellow drivers when he not only stopped on the highway, but starting backing up. Not surprisingly, he caused multiple collisions – but in the end, was only charged the equivalent of $30. Fortunately, no one was injured.