Reuters is reporting that five people were arrested in Donghai, China on Wednesday for organizing stripteases at funerals. Police were clued in to the unusual activity after two groups of dancers gave "obscene performances" at a farmer's memorial service. But why strippers? Far from simply putting the "fun" back in funerals, the disrobing actually served a specific purpose—to make sure that the deceased didn't go off to his grave in Willy Loman-style. As one... READ ON

Grow-a-brain today is featuring the Hemp Hotel, an outpost in Amsterdam dedicated to using hemp "as much as possible, from mattresses, curtains, shampoo, [and] soap to a hemp roll for breakfast." There's also mention of a hotel bar, which serves hemp lollipops, hemp ice cream, hemp seeds, and 11 kinds of hemp beer (if you prefer your mind-altering substances in liquid form). I thought I'd see what other accommodations were available on Unusual Hotels of the World, aside from the usual underwater lairs and... READ ON