Lest you focus just on the more serious stories in the financial press, such as Wachovia's (NYSE: WB) financial woes or Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's financial fixes, here's a brief recap of some of the more unusual financial news out there:

  • For starters, pest control companies like Rollins (NYSE: ROL) might want to begin some R&D into traps for pests larger than insects and rodents. There may be profits to be reaped selling alligator traps -- at least once the true story gets out about a 69-year-old Florida woman who found an 8-foot alligator in her kitchen. The chaotic removal of the animal broke at least one of her dishes. Imagine how smoothly it all might have gone had she had the right trap!
  • Could this be the beginning of the end for Google (Nasdaq: GOOG)? A couple in Pittsburgh (Aaron and Christine Boring) are suing the company for making public a photo of their home (which is on a "private road") via Google Maps' "Street View" feature. The couple claims mental suffering as a result and aims to recoup $25,000 in damages, believing that their home has lost considerable value due to the mapping. Considering how many homes are viewable on Google Maps, there may be a heck of a lot of mental suffering going on, and plenty of looming lawsuits.
  • Sneaker makers such as Nike (NYSE: NKE) might want to tread carefully when it comes to designing new shoes. Or at least, they might want to prepare their lawyers for some possible odd lawsuits. In Indianapolis, a 90-year-old woman lost control of her Cadillac, allegedly due to new sneakers that got caught on a pedal. She crashed into a building.
  • Companies such as Ford (NYSE: F) that have grappled with the prospect of painful downsizing may want to draw inspiration from the story of David Sneath, a 34-year Ford employee who recently won a $136 million lottery jackpot and quit his job. Maybe if such companies provide workers with lots of lottery tickets, they may be able to encourage employees to leave their jobs voluntarily. Hey, isn't it worth a shot?

Enough silliness, though. We at the Fool aim "to educate, amuse, and enrich." I invite you to read any other article in Fooldom for at least a little education and perhaps some enrichment, as well. For instance, you may be able to prepare for the next stock market crash.