AWOL 2014 Issue 298 5th September | Page 9

Advertise here from only 40 baht per week weird NEWS scotland Scot saves £200 on food, drink and taxis with fake ‘ginger discount card’ A cheeky redhead has been using a fake ‘ginger discount card’ in shops, bars and taxis across Aberdeen – and he’s saved £200 doing so. Richard Macrae was given the laminated card as a gift for his 30th birthday as a joke by a friend. To his surprise, however, amused shopkeepers and bar staff have been agreeing to take money off his purchases – and Richard’s even built up a reputation. ‘It comes out with me more than my bank card. My reputation precedes me: once I was asked by a security guard if I was the ‘ginger discount guy’,’ he told The Scotsman. ‘I’ve saved a couple of hundred pounds maybe, with money off booze, taxis, food and club entries. Over four years it fairly builds up.’ A barman at one of Richard’s favourite pubs said Richard was ‘a good laugh’ and said he thought the card was ‘brilliant’. ‘I gave him the same discount that we would for students,’ revealed the Jamjar Pub’s Rik Gillespie. Richard, a comic book illustrator, says that people have been asking him where they can get similar discount cards. ‘Plenty of folk ask about getting one,’ he said. ‘It’s not even just ginger ­ eople. Anyone who’s seen it work p always asks for one – beard discount cards, the list goes on and on.’ One employee at Vue cinema said he thought Richard was ‘a chancer’ – but admitted he still gave him a discount. usa Man ‘compelled to break into homes and take hot showers’ It wasn’t the jewellery or high-tech goods he was after, but rather the hot water. A man allegedly broke into a home in Lexington, Kentucky, US, to use the shower. Ryan Carpenter, 32, was caught in the house by the homeowner, according to local reports. Carpenter allegedly broke into the home via a window. Documents said Carpenter told police he has mental problems which makes him want to break into homes to take hot showers after his hot water runs out. He was charged with burglary. canada The Canadian town of Vulcan is trying to crowdfund a USS Enterprise. Well, sort of Ever wished Star Trek’s famous USS Enterprise was actually real? Well it could happen if this Canadian town ever had its way – not to mention a whole lot of cash. The appropriately-named Vulcan, in Alberta – population 1,836 – has launched a campaign to build a real, actual, fully-functioning USS Enterprise, in keeping with their annual Star Trek celebration known as Spock Days. And they’ve even taken to crowdfunding via Indiegogo to apparently achieve their dream – at a cost of just $1.1 trillion (around £550 billion) The campaign claims it is initially seeking $2bn for the chance to ‘fund important research into the creation, and development, of warp-drive technology.’ ‘Upon reaching our initial funding goal we will construct a research centre in Vulcan that will become a repository for everything we, as a species, know about faster-thanlight travel, gravity control and more,’ the fundraisers add. All sound too good to be true? Well that’s probably because it is – since the Indiegogo fund has been revealed to be nothing more than a clever bit of marketing to attract tourism to what is described as ‘the Star Trek capital of Canada’. However, as the site points out: ‘The campaign is meant to be filled with fun, fantasy and generate discussion and attention. Just imagine if we really COULD build the Enterprise!’ Clearly some people do seem keen to see a real version of the craft, since the venture has so far raised over $2,000 (£1,100) – all of which, the tourist board assures us, will be returned to those who donated it. And there we were getting all excited too… Want to place a Classified ad in AWOL? Increase your chances of selling by placing it on our website! All ads placed online will be in the next printed AWOL. Go to www.awolonline.net/classifieds or email us on [email protected] for more information Join the AWOL forum 9