New Zealand City Embraces First Snowfall in 30 Years

A 50-year weather event is wreaking havoc on New Zealand’s infrastructure, but the joy of experiencing the first Wellington snowfall in over 30 years more than makes up for any minor inconvenience.

Snow on Cuba Mall in central Wellington (HD) from Ro Tierney on Vimeo.

[mefi]

Study: Nice People Are Broke Losers

Breaking: nice guys finish last. Confirmed, true, just one more way you lose. That's why Chad has a Porsche and you don't. Sorry, bitch.

The researchers [who analyzed several surveys spanning 20 years] examined "agreeableness" using self-reported survey data and found that men who measured below average on agreeableness earned about 18% more-or $9,772 more annually in their sample-than nicer guys. Ruder women, meanwhile, earned about 5% or $1,828 more than their agreeable counterparts.

Someone better pay me at the end of the week.

[WSJ. Photo via]

Man in Kentucky Arrested for Fake ‘Collar Bomb’ on Australian Teen

One of the summer's weirdest stories—the Australian teenager who had a "collar bomb" strapped to her neck for ten hours, only to learn it was fake—took another weird turn on Monday when the first suspect arrested the case turned up in... Kentucky?

An FBI SWAT team busted 50-year-old Paul "Doug" Peters (that's a shitty nickname, Paul) at his ex-wife's house outside Louisville on Monday afternoon. Peters, an Australian businessman, had apparently fled there from Australia a few days after the attack, before police had begun to suspect his involvement. There's no word on motive, and police aren't looking for anyone else.

He has a court appearance tomorrow, at which police will ask that he be extradited to Australia.

[Guardian/AP; image via AP]

You’re Not the Only One Who Fakes Texting to Avoid Human Contact

You know how when you're at a party and you don't know anyone, so you pretend to be texting all your cool friends about the famous exclusive club you're all going to later? You're not the only one.

According to a new Pew study about Americans and their cell phones, 13% of cell phone owners "pretend to be using their phone in order to avoid interacting with the people around them."

Some of you might be confused, because you've never heard of people pretending to be using their cell phones to avoid interacting with others. Bad news: you're the people we're trying to avoid interacting with. Now if you'll excuse me, I must text my movie star friend about his movie premiere, which I will be attending later with a hot model, whom I must also text.

[Image via Yourdon's Flickr]