Amid a global pandemic, humanitarian crises, wars, disasters and other bleak news, lighthearted stories are as necessary as ever. Here is a pick of the week's best funny, silly, strange and quirky news from around the world.

Australian elections and the 'democracy sausage'

Australians vote on Saturday in a federal election and there is a question on many voters' minds: where can I get a democracy sausage?

7NEWS Australia has called it "a stalwart of Australia's electoral process" and "arguably the most important thing about election day."

As voters head to the polls, stalls set up outside polling stations to offer up grilled sausages and other treats.  

The democracy sausage has become so popular, it was voted the Australian word of the year in 2016. And there is now a website with an interactive map for those who might feel peckish before or after they cast their ballot.

According to democracysausage.org, at least 1,900 polling stations will have stands serving up sausage sizzles on Saturday, ensuring an "expected percentage of voters with access to #democracysausage" of 36.5 percent.

Alternatives have also sprung up in recent years for vegetarians and vegans or those looking for more ethnic flavors, from democracy souvlaki to democracy halloumi roll. For voters with a sweet tooth, cake stalls will also be on hand.

Voguing in Cornwall

What does a small UK pub and a glamorous fashion magazine have in common? Their name, apparently, and Vogue magazine wasn't having it.

The owners of the "Star Inn at Vogue" in Cornwall said that they received a cease-and-desist letter from the magazine's publisher Conde Nast a few months ago asking them to change the pub's name, claiming people might think the two businesses were linked.  

But owners Rachel and Mark Graham had geography and history on their side: the pub's name comes from its location, the village of Vogue, which has been around for centuries.

The Grahams' reply to the name change request was thus a "categorical no," The Guardian reported.

But they also saw the funny side of it and couldn't resist turning the tables on the publishers: "I presume that at the time when you chose the name Vogue... you didn't seek permission from the villagers of the real Vogue," Mark Graham wrote in his reply.

"I also presume that Madonna did not seek your permission to use the word Vogue... for her 1990s song of the same name," he cheekily added.

Conde Nast has since admitted that "further research" would have prevented the mix-up. It also sent the Grahams a framed apology with the note: "From one Vogue to another – please accept our apologies."

Holding your burrito together

Have you ever bitten into a burrito only to have it fall apart in your hands? Engineering students at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, U.S., have developed a solution: edible sticky tape.

The "Tastee Tape" was presented as part of the school's Engineering Design Day earlier this month.

The clear strip, half an inch by two inches large, is made of "food-grade fibrous scaffold and an organic adhesive" and is safe to consume, according to the team of chemical and biomolecular students behind the idea.

Just remove the tape from its wax paper, wet it thoroughly to activate it and apply to your wrap, burrito or whatever other treat needs to be held together. It can also be used while cooking.

Months of research and development involved experimenting on "too many burritos to count," the students said. But they believe in their product: "Tastee Tape allows you to put full faith in your tortilla and enjoy your meal, mess-free," said team member Tyler Guarino.

The students are now applying for a patent for their invention.  

A pricey espresso

Coffee bars are ubiquitous in Italy and a huge part of daily life. But one customer was so outraged at having to pay 2 euros ($2.11) for his espresso that he called the police... and the bar was fined 1,000 euros as a result.

The reason was that the price was not displayed on the menu behind the counter, according to the customer. The owner of Ditta Artigianale in Florence (which has won awards for its coffee) however insisted that the price was on the bar's digital menu, according to The Guardian.

An espresso in Italy costs on average one euro, but Ditta Artigianale points to the quality of the beans it uses and its baristas to explain the higher price.

Coffee afficionados from around the world jumped to the bar's support on Facebook, citing the much higher prices they pay for a cup of coffee where they live. 

"In Poland, you have to pay almost 3 euro for (an) espresso," noted one. In New Zealand, an average coffee would cost 3.95 euros, a cappuccino in London 4.40 euros, others said. "If you don't want to spend money, drink your mocha at home," one comment concluded.

'A taste of security'

Finland applied this week to join NATO and just in time, Finns can crack open a can of NATO-inspired beer.

Olaf Brewing (a small brewery in the eastern town of Savonlinna near the border with Russia) launched, this week, a new lager named OTAN – both a play on the Finnish expression "Otan olutta," which means "I'll have a beer," and the French acronym for NATO.

CEO Petteri Vanttinen described the new lager as having "a taste of security, with a hint of freedom," The Associated Press reported.

The can's blue and white design features a cartoon knight with the NATO symbol on his armor holding up a foamy stein of beer – a tribute to Savonlinna, which is known for its medieval St. Olaf's Castle dating back to 1475.

"We live in historic times," the brewery said in a tweet introducing its new beer. "Olaf is always there to raise a toast to cooperation and to beautiful new friendships." 

Read more: 

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - May 13, 2022

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