TGIS: Thank God It's Schadenfreude! (339)

This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of The Telegraph (from Thursday, September 29; link good at time of posting):

An MP's wife, Christine Hemming, accused of stealing a kitten from the home of her husband's long-term lover was captured on CCTV carrying the moggy away from the scene, a court heard.

....

Prosecutors say the grainy image proves the spouse of Liberal Democrat MP John Hemming leaving the home at 7.46pm with the animal in her left hand.

....

Mrs Hemming, denies burgling Ms Cox's home and told jurors on Wednesday that she had "no recollection" of taking the kitten from the home of her husband's long – term lover.

The defendant... acknowledged that she did go to Ms Cox's house on the night the kitten, named Beauty, was last seen but claimed she ''had no intention'' of taking the animal.

She had been at the house to drop off post for her husband, the member for Yardley.

....

"I don't recall taking the cat," she told the court. "I don't recall picking up the cat."

The case continues.

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This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of "Internet sales & marketing professional" Mark Davidson, who writes "deep thoughts" on Twitter (from Thursday, September 22; link good at time of posting):

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TGIS: Thank God It's Schadenfreude! (337)

This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of The Telegraph (from Tuesday, September 13; link good at time of posting):

South African holidaymakers searching for their hotel with "splendid views" of the pier in Eastbourne, Sussex, had one problem. They were 12,000 miles away in Eastbourne, New Zealand.

Michael and Sunette Adendorff thought something was wrong with their hire car's GPS as they drove around in circles in the Wellington suburb, looking for the £90-a-night Majestic Hotel on Royal Parade.

When they pulled into the local chemist's shop to ask directions, they were shocked to discover that Eastbourne (population 4,600), New Zealand, does not even have a hotel.

Shop assistant Linda Burke said: "They just walked in and asked me where Royal Parade was, with the Majestic Hotel.

"I said: Oh no, there's no hotel here.

"I looked at it and said: That's in the UK, that's in England.

"He checked on the internet and said he did think it was funny they charged him in pounds."

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TGIS: Thank God It's Schadenfreude! (336)

This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of Reuters (from Thursday, September 8; link good at time of posting):

[A] man clad in a full-figured Gumby costume has made a botched attempt to rob a 7-Eleven store in California, and authorities are looking for the suspect, police said on Wednesday.

It happened early on Monday when the man came into the San Diego store dressed as the green claymation figure, accompanied by an ordinarily dressed accomplice, San Diego Police spokesman Detective Gary Hassen said.

The costumed man announced he was robbing the store, but the clerk thought it was a joke, police said.

"Gumby said, 'You don't think it's a robbery? Let me show you my gun,'" Hassen said.

The suspect then tried to reach into his Gumby outfit but experienced a "costume malfunction" and could not fit his hand in a pocket, he said.

Instead of a gun, the costumed suspect pulled out 26 cents in change which he dropped on the floor, police said.

The accomplice, who had left the store and gotten into a minivan, honked at the man dressed as Gumby. He, too, walked out of the store without managing to take any money, police said. Both men left in the minivan.

After their getaway, the store clerk was still not certain an attempted robbery had occurred and did not call police. The store manager, who arrived later that morning, reported the incident.

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TGIS: Thank God It's Schadenfreude! (335)

This week's joy in the misfortune of others comes courtesy of The Telegraph (from Sunday, August 28; link good at time of posting):

It is the ultimate storm in a teacup. Earl Grey drinkers are rising in revolt against a producer that has dared to change the flavour of the popular hot drink. .... The unlikely rebellion was sparked when Twinings relaunched its Earl Grey. The company was so confident it would triumph by adding "a dash of lemon and a touch more bergamot" that its website proclaimed: "Even the Earl himself couldn't have imagined how wonderful his favourite tea could taste. Do you think it's our best ever?" They didn't - in fact they decided it wasn't their cup of tea, and they weren't happy. Among the almost universally damning, but elegant responses now appearing on the Twinings website are remarks including "horrid", "positively unpleasant" and "vile - like lemon cleaning product." "New," concluded one, "Yes. Improved? Certainly not." A Facebook page was launched, demanding: "Bring back the original Twinings Earl Grey tea." As anger and desperation mounted, one lady, 30 years an Earl Grey drinker, even went so far as to suggest: "I'd rather drink PG Tips." Tea drinkers compared the affair to the 1985 'New Coke' debacle, when Coca-Cola changed the flavour for its flagship product, provoking public nationwide outrage in the US and a swift decision to reintroduce the old formula.

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