oddly enough

oddly enough

LaughFest organizers claim new sunglasses record

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.

There appears to be another arcane world record in Grand Rapids, this time for the most people wearing sunglasses at night.

Gilda’s LaughFest organizers in the past three years have overseen record-setting attempts for donning false mustaches, wearing chicken beaks and tossing rubber chickens.

The fourth annual festival of laughter kicked off Thursday with an effort to break the sunglasses record. Participants received official bright-yellow LaughFest sunglasses.

Guinness World Records says the current mark was set in July 2012 by 1,642 people at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. LaughFest spokesman Tyler Lecceadone said the group’s count shows that 1,675 people wore sunglasses Thursday night.

In 2013, 1,532 people at LaughFest put on false mustaches to set the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing fake mustaches at a single venue.

Gilda’s LaughFest runs through Sunday. It honors the memory of comedian Gilda Radner, who died of ovarian cancer in 1989.

Student uses graduation cap to bring in $5,400

FLINT, Mich.

A University of Michigan-Flint senior has taken a chunk out of his tuition debt by selling ad space on his graduation cap.

The Flint Journal reported Alex Benda had raised $5,400 as of Thursday.

The 22-year-old is looking to rent out as much of the 100 square inches of space on his graduation cap as he can before walking across the stage to receive his degree at Perani Arena on May 4.

The idea is to cut down on his $30,000 student-loan debt. The pledges so far have come from 45 backers on Benda’s GoGetFunding project Web page.

The yield already has exceeded Benda’s expectations. He figured he would raise a few hundred dollars, primarily from family.

Wolf encounter leaves cows with post-trauma stress

CORVALLIS, Ore.

Cows that survive a wolf encounter reportedly suffer symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.

A study by Oregon State University found the stress decreases pregnancy rates and increases the number of lighter calves and the likelihood of getting sick. Weight loss translates into a financial loss for ranchers.

KPTV reported that researchers induced wolf stress by putting cows in a pen scented with wolf urine while playing recorded wolf howls on a stereo.

The study was conducted by Oregon State University animal scientists Reinaldo Cooke and David Bohnert. The study was funded by the Oregon Beef Council and published in the Journal of Animal Science.

Associated Press