WTF News: Elves in Iceland, Wearable Airbags, and More!

Couples Vacation “Ruined” Over Spelling Error

A couple is suing British Airways over what they say was a “ruined” vacation. They had plans to visit Granada, Spain. However, the ticket they received did not list a country, airport code, or flight duration, and they were shocked to discover the flight they were on was headed for the Caribbean island of Grenada. The couple did not realize the mistake until they were airborne. Okay. Lots of questions already here. First off, when you are waiting to get on your flight, the gate constantly flashes the destination you are headed for. And I’m pretty sure the flight attendants announce the destination BEFORE they begin boarding the plane. Also, wouldn’t you notice all the folks in their swimsuits and drinking rum? No?

For my second point, how is your vacation ruined by going to the Caribbean?? IT’S A TROPICAL PARADISE! Okay, so the man had to attend a conference and they didn’t get to see all the Granada palaces they planned for – but why are you complaining about laying on a beach? The airline eventually got the couple to their destination and offered money and frequent flyer miles. But apparently that is not enough for them. The man says, “It’s minimal compared to what the real damages are.” DUDE. You were the one who wasn’t paying attention to your surroundings when boarding the flight. Also, once again, it’s not like you were sent to Syria.  You were sent to the Caribbean. Please take a chill pill.

Construction in Iceland Halted to Protect Elves

So I really like music from Iceland. It’s beautiful and soothing.

But it’s also kinda weird. Note video below, specifically from 4:25 and beyond. Catman?

And now that I know they think elves are living under rocks, it totally makes sense. Surveys suggest that nearly half of Iceland believes a colony of elves is living amongst them. They believe it so much that plans for construction have been stopped due to a potential impact of disturbing elves. The locals believe that if you disturb or upset an elf, they’ll totally take revenge on you through work accidents and destroying your property. They even have an elf school. No idea what the curriculum involves.

The construction was halted to wait for a solution. But fear not, a local women spoke with the elves, mediated, and they agreed to the construction as long as their “church” was moved. Aka a giant rock. The highway authority agreed to this plan and although they will not reveal how much it costs, the rock weighs 70 tons and will need a crane to move. I’m glad that’s all that country is concerned about. Guess I found where I’m moving.

The elf church..

Burglar Busted Due to Facebook

So once again, a crime was committed and solved thanks to Facebook. But this time the crook refrained from bragging about his accomplishments online. Instead, he decided to break into a house, steal valuables, log onto Facebook and then leave. However, he forgot one pretty important step…he didn’t log out! Oh boy.

The burglar managed to steal credit cards, a watch, and cash. He also managed to leave some clothes behind. Since he left his Facebook page open, the homeowner left a phone number on the thief’s Facebook page in case he wanted his clothes back. So, the genius texted the homeowner and agreed to meet up to retrieve his clothes. They must have been extremely important.  The homeowner called the police shortly after spotting the thief. Way to go sir. I think you just won the prize for the dumbest criminal. But watch out, those folks in Florida will do pretty much anything to claim their spot back…

Wearable Airbags New Trend in Europe

Europe is struggling to get people to wear their helmets while biking. For obvious safety reasons this is an issue. A student at Lund University decided to invent a better helmet in hopes people would start wearing it more. The biggest issue when it came to designing the helmets was overcoming aesthetic problems. Many people do not want to wear the helmets because they don’t like how they look. Typical Europe, upset that their helmets aren’t high fashion. The solution? A motion-triggered, inflatable helmet.

Look at how fashionable we are now!

Named the Hövding, this helmet is essentially a wearable airbag. It contains almost identical materials to an auto airbag. Sensors on the helmet react to changes in momentum typical of a bike accident. If such changes are detected, the helmet inflates to protect the head and neck. For now this product is only available in the UK and Europe.

This all sounds pretty neat, but the number one complaint about regular helmets is the look. Please tell me how this is any better:

Now I know it’s not always like this but just look at that man. He looks like an astronaut. Or the marshmellow monster from Ghostbusters. Or the Michelin man. Or an 18th century judge. You can totally see the pain in his face and how badly he wants that thing off. You can keep your inflatable helmet Europe, for now I’ll stick with my aesthetically unappealing bike helmet.

Tags : airbag, airline, airplane, bicycle helmet, Bjork, British Airways, buzzworthy, Caribbean, elves, Granada, Greneda, helmet, Hovding, Iceland, Internet, Sigur Ros, Spain, The Scene, Vacation, WTF, WTF News