Do you want to own a country? All you have to do is pay $126 million and the Principality of Sealand, located seven miles off Harwich, Essex in England, could be yours. Sealand is a self-proclaimed mini-state on a former World War II fort. It has its own passports, currency and stamps.

A recent survey revealed that 25 percent of Brits believe getting cancer is decided by 'fate'. Surprisingly, smokers were 50 percent more likely to blame fate for getting cancer. The survey, involving 4,000 Britons, was conducted by the charity Cancer Research United Kingdom.

The board at the Cumbria Tourism Council in Cumbria in the north west region of England, has established a telephone help line which offers cheery sounds to help people suffering from the winter blues. The Lakes' Escape Line features a reading of Wordsworth's poem Daffodils, the sound of water lapping at Windermere and sizzling Cumberland sausages.

The University of Toronto is offering undergraduates a program in which they can learn about sexual role-play, flogging and restraint. The Sexual Diversity Program, established eight years ago, brings an academic approach to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and heterosexual issues. The professors at the university say it's a serious field of study. Director David Rayside tells Reuters, "It's a very serious analytical exercise, and it isn't what a lot of people think it is. " "A lot of the people from the university, from the president on down, think that what we're doing is important work," Rayside says. "But there's still a lot entailed at persuading more people that what we're doing is legitimate. "

All the street lights were turned off in the capital of Iceland and other towns so residents could go star gazing. The writer who came up with the idea was pleased with the outcome, even though rain and clouds obscured the view. Andri Snaer Magnason told Reuters, "All the streets lights are off, we can see a few stars. . . I would have liked to have a completely clear sky, but you can't have everything. But it was nice. "