Editorial: Casual Fridays 9/20/2013

Pet sematary

A new regulation in the state of New York now makes it legal for the cremated remains of pet owners to be buried beside their faithful pets. Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in Westchester, N.Y., which is possibly the oldest pet cemetery in the country, has buried pet owners’ remains alongside those of their furry friends since the 1920s. However, individuals who have approached the cemetery with the desire to be buried with their pets have been barred by the state, which claims that it is against the law for pet cemeteries to accept human remains. This new rule change now allows the cemetery to inter human remains and will help ensure that pets and their owners will be together “fur all eternity.”

Artistic license

A sculpture of a wrecking ball was removed from Grand Valley State University’s campus after students began using it to parody Miley Cyrus’ music video for her song, “Wrecking Ball.” The video, which features Cyrus riding a large wrecking ball naked, has inspired many students to follow suit in the form of photographs and videos. The Michigan university’s facility services department removed the statue, a work by local artist Dale Eldred, and moved it to an off-campus location where it will remain until the video’s popularity dies down. Let’s hope Pitt students don’t get any ideas and start re-enacting scenes of their own. “Top Gun” on the plane in Posvar Hall, anyone?

A little nutty

Several companies that own parking lots in the English cities of Manchester and Leeds are allowing drivers to pay their fees in chestnuts. The chestnuts — also known as “conkers” —  are being accepted at a value of about 32 cents per nut. The company accepting the nuts says the new form of currency is part of a project to create awareness about carbon emissions and to sponsor a forest to help offset them. With this project, perhaps the British have gone a bit conkers.

My tractor’s sexy

In Murrysville, Pa., a man has been charged with DUI while riding a lawn mower. Thomas Marrone told police that he was attempting to drive home — nearly 6 1/2 miles away — when he was pulled over. Police say Marrone smelled of alcohol and an open can of Coors Light was found in the storage compartment of the lawn mower. Marrone’s charges include driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. However, the real crime Marrone committed is choosing Coors Light as his drink of choice.

Vent-erinarian

Employees of a veterinary clinic in Milwaukee had a surprise Monday morning when they heard muffled cries coming from an air vent. Overnight a 19-year-old man had removed his clothes and crawled into the shaft in an attempt to break into the clinic to steal drugs. Shortly after he began his trek into the air system, he became stuck and was forced to spend more than 12 hours wedged in the vent. The man was charged with attempted burglary. It sounds like the man was acting out a “Mission: Impossible” plot gone horribly wrong.