Casual Fridays 11/22/2013

Stay classy, Emerson

On Dec. 4, Emerson College plans to change the name of its school of communication to the Ron Burgundy School of Communication for the day. Will Ferrell is scheduled to appear on campus during the day, in character, sharing the story of his quick escalation to the top of journalism. Events for the day include a news conference, the renaming ceremony and a showing of “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” These events just go to show that Ron Burgundy is, indeed, kind of a big deal.

Holy shiitake

Kennett Square, Pa., has come up with an interesting way to ring in the New Year: with a giant mushroom statue. The Philadelphia-area town, widely considered the mushroom capital of the world, is responsible for half of the United States’ mushroom production. The 700-pound, 8-foot-tall fungus will be lowered from a crane as Kennett Square residents count down the minutes to midnight. The person who came up with this idea sounds like a fungi.

A knob-le cause

In Vancouver, the humble doorknob has been banned from use in all future construction projects. The change has been noted in the city’s building code, and doorknobs were removed from Vancouver’s City Hall when the amendment was proposed last year. The doorknobs are being replaced by lever handles, which are easier for those with arthritis and other conditions to operate. Although this change is made in good conscience, we think it’s ob-knob-xious.

Fake it ‘til you make it

If you’re tired of answering the question of why you’re single, there is an app for you: The Invisible Girlfriend. For a fee, this app will provide you with all the evidence — from phone calls to a Facebook relationship status — needed to suggest to your family and friends that you are in a relationship. Packages start at $9.99 for evidence of a “Just Talking” relationship, and increase to an “Almost Engaged” package for $49.99. It seems that people are taking a step above the good ol’ days when you could just take an escort home to meet grandma.

Sick as a dog

After his old health insurance was cancelled because of Obamacare, Shane Smith of Fort Collins, Colo., applied for insurance through the state’s health care exchange. When he received the letter verifying his insurance enrollment, he realized the insurance company had opened the account in his dog’s name. It is unclear how the account was opened in Baxter’s name, but it’s obvious that President Obama wants to ensure that Bo gets his health care coverage. Thanks, Obama.