Wicked Thoughts

Protection

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Chinese carpenter makes car out of wood: “You probably twigged straight away that this is a car made out of wood. It’s being driven in Shenyang, Liaoning province in China, by its maker – carpenter Liu Fulong. The 48-year-old branched out and spent three months on the wooden-electric car. Mr Fulong has no formal training in car design and gave up on education after primary school, but still had the skill to build a car that can reach almost 20mph when fully charged. The sudden appearance of the car on the open road evidently caused some amusement, with one driver smirking as Mr Fulong trundles along. The car has wing mirrors, a horn, indicators and, of course, headlights to illuminate the road ahead.

Harley hearse: “Bereaved bikers in Virginia can now order a Harley Davidson hearse to bear their deceased loved ones. Funeral home owner Michael Turch rolled out the venture at his three funeral homes to give citizens of Alexandria and Dale City, Virginia, a more unique option. And with two services in the first week, the custom-built 2014 Harley Davidson Road King is already a hit. ‘When I pull in the parking lot, people will literally turn around and drive into our parking lot and take pictures,’ Turch told ABC News. ‘I’ve been here 24 years and no one has ever stopped me with any of my other hearses and said, “Hey, when I go, I want to ride in this.”‘ The first time it was used, last week, was for a woman who had never ridden a Harley in her life but her family felt it would be a memorable way to say goodbye, Turch explained. The second was for a Harley Davidson mechanic. ‘His family just thought it would be perfect,’ he said.

Bionic boots let you run as fast as a CAR: Springy shoes mimic ostrich’s gait: “With their wide, springy gait, ostriches can reach speeds of 40mph (70 km/h), covering up to 16ft (5 metres) in a single stride. As a child, Keahi Seymour was fascinated by what appeared to be the effortless speed and agility of these creatures, making them the fastest running birds on the planet. Now the San Francisco-based inventor has created a prototype gadget that he claims will allow humans to experience what it’s like to reach these incredible speeds. Dubbed the ‘Bionic Boot’, the shoes have springs on the back designed to imitate the Achilles tendon of an ostrich or kangaroo, giving the wearer more down force when running. Mr Seymour has been working on the boots for several years, and has already produced dozens of prototypes.

How one of the most dangerous tunnels in the world was carved by just 13 villagers in remote China: “Entirely built by village locals, this is the incredible Guoliang Tunnel, carved into China’s Taihang Mountains. The tunnel, used by foot passengers as well as transport, links Guoliang with the outside world, yet just over forty years ago, things were very different. Before 1972 a path chiselled into the rock used to be the only access. The stairs were very dangerous because they were steep, narrow and had no handrails. Then the villagers decided to dig a tunnel through the rocky cliff. Led by Shen Mingxin, head of the village, they sold goats and herbs to buy hammers and steel tools. Thirteen villagers worked on the project and it took them five years to finish the 1,200-metre-long tunnel, which is about five metres high and four metres wide. It was made to be wide enough to be driven along, during which time they used up more than 12 tons of drill rods and 4,000 hammers. Views from the mountain tunnel are spectacular, and are worth the driving risks. On May 1, 1977, the tunnel was opened to traffic. The wall of the tunnel is uneven and there are more than 30 ‘windows’ of different sizes and shapes. Some windows are round and some are square, and they range from dozens of meters long to standard-window-size.”

Britain’s pansy postmen again: “Royal Mail were blasted today after they banned deliveries to more than 100 residents on a street following health and safety fears – over wonky paving slabs. Residents on the Victorian estate in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, are now forced to make a four-mile round trip collect their letters and parcels from a central depot. Royal Mail postmen are refusing to deliver to The Villas after it became a no-go zone due to ‘a number of incidents involving colleagues falling and slipping’. Yesterday home-owners on the road, which is not council-maintained as it is privately run by the residents’ association, said their mail had been delivered without a problem for 150 years and slammed Royal Mail for not giving them any warning. The estate’s residents’ association has asked Royal Mail to identify which areas need repairing but say it would cost tens of thousands of pounds to tarmac the entire stretch. Elderly resident Alfred Poole, 79, branded the move ‘barmy’. He said: ‘Its health and safety gone mad. I’m an old man and if I can manage the paving slabs, I’m sure the postman can.’ A total of 40 households and over 100 residents have been affected by the ban.”

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

A heartwarming video

Joe Bell, a 95 yr old WWII vet sat in front of his home to cheer on the runners … Then the runners began to stop and thank him for his service! It was great to see young people honoring a Vet.”

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Bungling British bureaucrats again: “You would assume that those in charge of pursuing and prosecuting criminals in the UK could tell the difference between a man in a tiger suit and an actual tiger. But according to lawyers for Andrew Holland, who on Monday launched a campaign to change the laws relating to extreme pornography, you would be wrong. Mr Holland, a bus driver from Wrexham, was charged with possessing extreme pornography in 2009 for a supposedly obscene video. As Mr Holland’s lawyers rather dryly put it: “The…video was a parody video featuring a tiger purporting ot have sex with a woman. The tiger turned towards the camera and said, ‘that’s grrrrrreat’, in the style of Tony the Tiger, a character used to advertise Kellogg’s Frosties.” Supposedly, the mistake was only discovered when a judge ordered the video to be played in front of the court with the sound on. At that point, the penny dropped, as did the charges against Mr Holland”

Going to the casino? Don’t eat!: “It might seem like common sense that it’s better to make important decisions after you’ve eaten. But a study has claimed the exact opposite – that we actually make better decisions on an empty stomach. Researchers found that people who were hungry made better snap decisions and also could also appreciate future big rewards than those who were fully fed. In the study participants were asked to fast for a night, and when they arrived at the laboratory the next day some were given food and some were not. In two of the three tasks participants took a psychological test known as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), which is said to simulate real-life decision making. The first study involved 30 university students participating in the IGT in exchange for money, while the second was similar but involved 50 students. The results of these two studies indicated that people were better at making quick decisions while operating on an empty stomach”

Grand piano for CATS plays ultrasonic notes that only they can hear: “Felines may enjoy the sound of a tin of cat food being prised open, but now they can listen to moggy music too. Scientists have created the world’s first keyboard for cats which plays notes at ultrasonic frequencies that cats can hear. A team of vets, scientists and sounds artists engineered the electric baby grand piano, which has been used to play the first ever concert for cats, in south east London. Some cats enjoyed the music so much that they leapt onto the keyboard and wandered over the keys to play their own tunes. The keyboard has also been designed to play sounds that human ears pick up upon while the ultrasonic sounds are playing, so that pet owners – and the pianist – don’t get bored. The keyboard for cats was made as part of the viral protest, ‘The Pussycat Riot,’ which campaigns against countries such as Russia and China that it says censor the internet.

Australian man busted with cash up his behind: “A MAN police claim was found with a wad of cash secreted in his bottom during a police search had charges against him mentioned in court yesterday. Police claim two men, a 30-year-old and a 22-year-old, were in car which was pulled over by a police patrol on Gregory St, Roma, on the afternoon of Saturday, September 20. The 30-year-old was not in Roma Magistrates Court when his case was mentioned. Both men were charged when police allegedly found drugs, suspected to be amphetamines, as well as a glass pipe for smoking drugs inside the vehicle. Police further claim a roll of bank notes totalling about $1000 encased in gaffer tape was found in the 22-year-old’s rectum during a closer inspection at the police station. He was charged with possessing money suspected as being proceeds of crime while both men are also charged with possessing dangerous drugs and drug related utensils.”

Burglar gloats about robbery in accidental call to police: “As burglars go, few can match the stupidity of Aaron Burrell. Having successfully raided a house in Roswell, New Mexico, he made a phone call. Serenaded by a sound track of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted dead or a live”, Burrell, 37, described the break-in at great length. It was of considerable interest to the person at the other end – a police operator. “Look, I know we should have gotten a lot more, but you know what my only thing is that we got away safe, clean,” he said. It was not as if the operator made any attempt to hide that she was working for the emergency services. Burrell had “butt dialled”, making the call accidentally from the phone which was in his pocket. In blissful ignorance Burrell gave a 45-minute expletive-laden narrative of his exploits, complete with the address of the property which had been raided, the items which had been stolen and even said some were now in the back seat of the car. Police were sent to the house to find that the burglary had taken place. A few weeks later, Burrell was tracked down via his mobile phone. He and his accomplices were then arrested.”

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

No awareness of history

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

British supermarket offers ‘free erections’ on sign: “A supermarket is offering shoppers “free erections” after a sign was wrongly translated into Welsh. The sign on a cash machine at the Tesco store should read “arian am ddim” which means free money. But the supermarket blundered by saying “codiad am ddim”, meaning free erections. The error was seen by Ceredig Davies, a Welsh speaking Aberystwyth councillor, who said: “There were a few titters in the town so I went down to have a look myself. “Ten out of ten to Tesco for considering the Welsh language. “But perhaps they should have had it checked by an actual Welsh speaker before putting the signs on the machines. Garin Fitter, 18, whose girlfriend works at the new store, said: “I am not sure how they came up with because anyone with a basic understanding of Welsh would know it is the wrong word. “They must have used Google translate.”

This customer REALLY likes fish: “This sea lion is one of the regulars at a fishery as she stands on her flippers patiently queuing up for her fish supper. The cheeky mammal made her way from the sea to the fish stall and waited for her turn for an hour. After being given scraps of fish by the generous fishmonger, the sea lion made her way back to the sea. These heart-warming pictures were taken by photographer Kristhian Castro, during a visit to Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos, Ecuador. The 38-year-old Colombian took the fishy photographs at a port a herring’s throw from the sea. Mr Castro said: ‘The sea lion is looking for fish scraps left over from the filleting process which is usually found in the fishing port. ‘The sea lion was standing for about an hour. It took several fish scraps and later jumped back into the sea. ‘The fishing stall is close to the sea, just 2½ metres away, and there is a raised platform 1½ metres above the surface of the water.”

The PUNCTURE-PROOF bike tyre: Solid wheel contains no air and can ride over nails and even shattered glass: “It’s the bane of cyclists around the world, but now the hassle of a puncture could be about to become history. A bike tyre that never gets a puncture because it is devoid of air is to go on sale. The solid tyres, which weigh the same as a normal tyre, still work after running over nails and shards of glass. They are made from nanofoam, an ultra-light polymer that absorbs the piercing and impact of sharp objects, and has a constant pressure. The weight of the tyres, made by company Tannus, is 0.95lbs (430g) which is 0.01lbs (5g) less than a traditional tyre and inner tube. Made of Nanofoam, it is a similar technology to that used in lightweight trainers. They contain no rubber, but have a similar flexibility and are 100 per cent puncture resistant, according to the company. They fit all bikes with common clincher wheels including folding bikes and regular road bikes, and come in a range of sizes from children to adults. The tyres also have a lifespan of 6,000 miles (9,650km), but the company adds that skidding on the tyres would void the warranty as they are not built for it.”

The world’s most expensive toothbrush: “If you’ve ever dreamt of brushing your teeth with a gold toothbrush, a titanium toothbrush is probably the next best thing. Retailing for $US4200 ($4800), the Reinast Luxury Toothbrush is the most expensive toothbrush on earth. And it’s not even electric. So what makes it so special? The company claims that its design, durability, and specially trademarked anti-bacterial coating make it worth the hefty price tag. This is not the type of toothbrush you would throw away, either. Instead, the bristle head detaches from the metal base so you can ditch it and replace it. The brush comes with a free three-year service plan of new bristle heads every six months (a service that is “naturally at no charge,” according to the website). After that, Forbes reports that the plans get a bit more expensive: $US400 for five years, $US800 for seven years, or $US1600 for 11 years. All for a toothbrush.”

Baker sells mis-shaped Peppa Pig biscuits which make beloved children’s character look like a penis: “They are Peppa Pig biscuits that should probably come with a XXX rating. A bakery obviously saw the chance to jump on the bandwagon and dished up the treats for sale on its shelves to catch the eye of passing kids. But the snacks that came out of the oven, complete with a drooping pink nose, beady eyes and a beaming smile, might be considered unsuitable for children. Twitter users this evening gave a mixed reaction over the design of the treats. Steve Deal @stephenddeal wrote: ‘These Peppa Pig biscuits are perhaps best not given to the children.’ Another, Ciara Curran @CiaraOnly1, wondered: ‘Are these the worst Peppa Pig biscuits ever made?’

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

The population of Argentina is half Spanish and half Italian

Steel helmets abandoned by Argentine armed forces who surrendered to the British at Goose Green of the Falkland Islands in 1982

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Police Chief thinks rape is an appropriate punishment for traffic offences”: “In response to the arrests of three law enforcement officials in Oklahoma for sexually assaulting women while on the job, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper told women they can avoid getting raped by a cop if they simply follow traffic laws. Raw Story first pointed out on Tuesday that Capt. George Brown, a state trooper, shared a few tips for women in an interview with local NBC News affiliate KJRH. Brown told the KJRH anchor that women can keep their car doors locked and speak through a cracked window if a trooper approaches them. If the trooper asks a woman to get out of the car, Brown said, she can ask “in a polite way” why he wants her to do that. But the “best tip that he can give,” the anchor said on air of her interview with Brown, “is to follow the law in the first place so you don’t get pulled over.” In the past month, a Tulsa County Deputy, an OHP trooper and an Oklahoma City police officer have all been charged with repeatedly raping and sexually assaulting women while on the job.”

Ebola, Schemola. What do NYC cops care? “Contrary to the constant reminder that state and city health officials have been planning for months to safely treat people with Ebola, the news program NY1 The Call showed video of New York Police Department officers discarding face masks and latex gloves, which they had used in connection with securing Dr. Spencer’s apartment, into a corner garbage can on a public sidewalk near Dr. Spencer’s apartment – a blatant disregard for the safe disposal of possibly hazardous medical waste.”

Supermarket under spotlight after photos of unusual penis packaging go viral: “A SUPERMARKET has found itself under the social media spotlight after some unusual milk packaging appeared on its shelves over the weekend. A number of people took photos of the rather rude looking buttermilk cartons at a Tesco store in Ireland, posting them to social media, sparking an interesting online debate. One Reddit use wrote “the small crease on the right made a huge difference lol.” “Someone in the marketing department has some serious issues they need to work through,” another wrote. Some believed the penis look-a-like design had an underlying message. “Its probably intentional. Its subliminal advertising to women,” johnnybones23 said. A link to the product on Tesco’s Irish website meanwhile proves that it’s not a photoshop job.”

‘Worst driver in China’ repeatedly hits nearby car: “Inexperienced drivers might find parking challenging at times, but one man in China took it to a whole new level. CCTV footage shows the motorist driving a grey Sedan bumping into an adjacent car more than 10 times in 10 minutes. Seemingly unfazed by the damage, the driver continues to awkwardly reverse his car but repeatedly hits his bumper and right side car door. Police later arrested the man for hit and run and confiscated his licence. They said his driving was so “poor” thanks to a near four-year break from driving due to university studies.” [Amusing video at link]

The choc-ice loaded with friendly bacteria that can ward off sore throats: “Scientists at Pacific Dental College and Hospital, in India, tested a choc-ice containing bifidobacteria, which normally live in human intestines, to see if it had any effect on streptococcus, a strain of bacteria that commonly causes sore throats. Thirty volunteers ate either the probiotic choc-ice or a normal choc-ice once a day for 18 days. Those who had the probiotic ice cream had lower levels of streptococci in their saliva, according to results published in the journal Oral Health Preventive Dentistry. Probiotics are thought to rebalance the bacteria in our body, introducing ‘friendly’ strains to take the place of harmful ones.

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

Fair warning

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

An innocent question that turned sour: “Connecticut mum Rebecca Denham and her four-year-old son Justin found themselves in a child-induced embarrassing moments when Justin asked a lady at the local doughnut shop whether there was a baby in her tummy. There was not. The woman laughed it off, and Rebecca apologised profusely, thinking this would be the end of the matter. It wasn’t. The next day, Rebecca and Jonathan were banned from entering the store. “We were screamed at in front of the door, ‘He’s not allowed in here, he’s rude,’” Denham told a local news station. While the doughnut shop in question has not yet commented on the situation (as such, we’ve only got Rebecca’s word to go on) it would seem an over-the-top reaction to a situation in which an innocent child was simply asking a question. [The offended woman must have been overweight]

Handmade hero: “There are people who love what they do, and then there’s Geoff Hannah. Leaving school at 14 to pursue a cabinetmaking apprenticeship with Brown and Jolly, at the time one of Australia’s largest home furniture stores, Geoff’s work was never just about creating something functional – he wanted to create something beautiful as well. Yet ‘beautiful’ doesn’t even begin to describe Geoff’s latest piece – an intricate cabinet worth $1.5 million (yep, $1.5 million) and featuring 140 handmade drawers, using 34 different types of timber, with artwork, engravings and precious stones inlaid. The Hannah Cabinet, as it has come to be known, features such an intricate design that there are sections only Geoff himself can access, because he has created unique locking devices. One such section, at the very core of the intricate piece, features woven material from Marie Antoinette’s bed. For Geoff, creating the cabinet was a labour of love in every way, taking him over six years to complete. One of his earlier pieces, the ‘Australiana’ cabinet, sold to a private art collector in Belgium for a cool $500,000.”

Famous Japanese violin teacher was a fraud: “A legendary music teacher behind a world-renowned method has been accused of being a fraud and lying about befriending Albert Einstein. Shinichi Suzuki, founder of the Suzuki method which has been used by millions, claimed he spent eight years studying in Germany and cited Einstein as his ‘guardian’. It has now emerged that the Japanese musician was rejected from the prestigious Berlin music school at auditions, and only met Einstein once to sell him a violin. The Suzuki method has taught millions of children since it was launched by the Japanese violinist in the late 1950s. It sees children start playing an instrument as young as possible, preferably around the age of three, and learn by playing the same short pieces repeatedly from memory. To back up his credibility as a teacher Suzuki, who died in 1998 at the age of 99, claimed he spent eight years as a private student of Karl Klinger, a leading violinist and professor at Berlin Hochshule, in the 1920s, during which time he says he befriended Einstein. However a number of critics are now presenting evidence that Suzuki lied”

Princess Anne arrives in South Pacific island where tribesmen worship Prince Philip: “Princes William and Harry may have become the poster boys of the Royal family but it’s their grandfather who is considered a God in a remote South Pacific island. Prince Philip is worshipped in the tiny village of Vanuatu, where villagers believe the Queen’s 93-year-old husband descended from their spirit ancestors. Villagers created the theory after meeting the Duke of Edinburgh on his visit there back in 1974 and this weekend saw Prince Philip’s daughter, Princess Anne, return to Vanuatu. The 64-year-old Princess Royal, who was also on the trip forty years ago, yesterday landed in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila, where she will be spending five days working. He may not have ventured back to the island, which is 9,834 miles from London, but Prince Philip regularly sends letters and pictures to the tribesmen. He even wrote a letter of condolence in 2009 when the tribe’s leader, Chief Jack Naiva, passed away.”

Ebola boosts sales of iPhone game which makes players wipe out humanity with a deadly virus: “Sales of a smartphone game whose goal is to wipe out the human race with a deadly disease have shot up as Ebola dominates global headlines. Users’ morbid fascination with the outbreak gained Plague Inc almost a million extra players in two weeks – a period which saw the death toll pass 4,000 and new infections in the U.S. and Spain. The goal of the app is to ‘bring about the end of human history by evolving a deadly, global plague’, and users – many of whom are naming their pathogen after the pandemic – receive ‘victory’ messages when they win. Players infect a ‘Patient Zero’ before working to evolve their pathogen, which they can give a name of their choice. As they win ‘DNA points’, players can add symptoms like cysts and tumours while making their virus more contagious and immune to modern drugs. They can choose a world where no one washes their hands – or one where many countries have state-of-the-art hospital care. Now tens of thousands of players are highlighting the grim comparison with Ebola, with many even naming their imaginary disease after the virus.”

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

Chinese politeness

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Athletes perform better if they DO have sex the night before competing: “Athletes could perform better if they choose to get physical in the bedroom the night before a performance instead of getting involved in complicated exercises where they have to use their brain. A new study from Swinburne University in Melbourne has shown that runners didn’t reach their peak if they had undertaken cognitive tasks beforehand. Dr Clare MacMahon’s research suggests that your brain should be rested before physical activity. Dr MacMahon, who was working with German researchers, came up with this theory after putting 20 German runners to the test to investigate the effect of cognitive fatigue on physical performance. ‘Specifically, cognitive fatigue increased the perception of exertion, leading to lesser performance on the running task,’ the report said which was published in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology.

Boyfriend cuts off his penis and throws it in the bin after girlfriend dumps him for being bad in bed: “A man blamed his small penis for his girlfriend breaking up with him and decided to chop it off with a razor. But after cutting off his organ and throwing it in a bin, 22-year-old Oliver Ilic, was unable to stop the bleeding. He called emergency services and was taken to a hospital in Kocani, Macedonia, where he told medics he had decided to cut it off because it was no use. He explained his girlfriend had ended their relationship after telling him he was not good in bed. Police searched his house and found the severed penis in a bin along with the razor blade he had used. Local doctors were unable to reattach the organ and Mr Ilac was taken to another hospital in capital Skopje – where surgeons successfully reattached it in a five-hour operation.”

Nude burglar: “A man who burgled a house in southeast France while stark naked was arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation. A woman called police after she spotted him robbing her home just outside the city of Saint Etienne. Bemused and frightened, she watched from her car as he came out of the house, still without a stitch of clothing, having stolen €1,000 (£790) in cash and her jewellery. He then drove to a nearby village and broke into another home by smashing down the front door, police said. After his exertions, he decided it was time to freshen up a bit. He took a shower before putting on a T-shirt and a pair of shorts he found in the house. He then stole a laptop before being arrested. The burglar, 40, admitted his crimes and told police that he felt as if he was “in an action film”. However, he offered no explanation as to why he had carried out the robberies in the nude. The results of his psychiatric tests have not been made public and it is unclear if he will stand trial or be kept in hospital.”

Pair of 350-year-old old pistols looted by the Nazis from the Rothschild family during WW2 emerge for sale for £80,000: “A pair of 350-year-old pistols stolen by the Nazis from the Rothschild family one year before the start of World War II have emerged for sale for £80,000. The ornate guns were seized from the Rothschild family along with numerous works of art kept in their collection in Vienna, Austria, just 48 hours after the country signed a pact with Germany in March 1938. The items remained in the possession of the state as Louis and Alphonse Von Rothschild had moved their families abroad following the end of the war. There they remained until 1999 when they were finally returned to the Rothschild family. The pistols, made by Pietro Manani in around 1670, are now for sale for £80,000 through London auction house Bonhams on behalf of a private collector. Experts say the 21-inch Brescian flintlock holster pistols are so valuable because of their sheer quality. ‘They’re now being sold by a private collector who acquired them shortly after they were returned.

A weighty profit on £70 paperweight: Chinese antique bought by widow’s late husband five decades ago sells for £170,000: “An ancient Chinese paperweight purchased by a widower’s late husband for £70 has sold at auction for £170,000. Made of jade, the highly sought after paperweight was dated as far back as 1368 and created sometime during the Ming Dynasty – a period of China’s history from which cultural artifacts now sell for exceptionally high prices. The owner was a woman from Cheltenham, whose late husband had purchased the three-inch wide item when he taught in Hong Kong five decades ago. The antique depicts a reclining greyish-green horse and was sold along with the original 1962 sale receipt from Hong Kong antique dealer Dunt King. The sale of the tiny paperweight is just the latest example of a booming demand for Chinese cultural relics.”

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

Enigmatic Burma

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Want a baby at 40? It pays to be a cougar!: “Taking a toyboy doesn’t just boost a woman’s confidence – it may improve her chances of having a baby too. According to doctors, once a woman hits 40, she should seek out a younger man if she wants to get pregnant. A study of women aged 40-plus found if her partner was aged 43½ and a half or above, her odds of giving birth plummeted. It means the growing breed of ‘cougars’ – middle-aged women who date considerably younger men – might have the right idea. Canadian researchers believe the problem is in the man’s sperm, which drops in quality with age. A young woman’s egg is able to repair any defects. But older eggs struggle to make the repairs. The study, presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s annual conference in Honolulu, is the first to provide evidence that men, like women, have a biological clock.”

A picture to make you weep: “His rescuers described him as terrified, emaciated, severely neglected and clinging to life. But Alex – a heartbreakingly-malnourished dog who was found wandering the streets of New Orleans, surviving off nothing but rocks and twigs – never stopped being a kind, lovely animal. ‘He was still so nice and sweet and forgiving despite, obviously, the neglect he has suffered for some time,’ said Deanna Theis, the assistant director of the Southern Animal Foundation, a no-kill rescue organization. Theis saw a picture of Alex appear on a website for a local animal control center, and realized he would be euthanized unless someone like her went to save him. Terrified: Alex was delirious and severely ill when he was first taken in. ‘How he is still alive at this point is pretty much a miracle,’ Deanna Theis told Fox 8. He has been put on a prescription diet that will hopefully ensure he continues to gain weight. The Southern Animal Foundation plan to nurse Alex back to health.

The boy in the box: “While Diane O’Neill was washing her clothes at a laundromat, she knew she had to keep close a eye on her notoriously mischievous grandson. She then received a text message and looked down at her phone for a split second, but the next thing she knew – Colin Lambert was gone. Looking around for the 18-month-old boy inside the coin laundry shop in Maryville, Tennessee, she quickly noticed the youngster climbing inside of a claw machine. With his feet hanging out of the door at the bottom of the vending machine, Mrs O’Neill tried to grab the boy’s legs. But he kicked back and made his way inside. Colin then clambered over the glass partition inside the device and sat among the soft toys. Mrs O’Neil dialed 911, but she quickly felt at ease, realizing that the youngster wasn’t hurt. The fire department were forced to come and rescue Colin – but gave him a free toy as a memento of his strange predicament”

Dutch pranksters fool food ‘experts’ at organic convention: “Sacha and Cedrique, who are two of the Lifehunters, attend an organic food convention in Houten, Holland, where they were to present their delicacies. The problem is, that they don’t even own a restaurant or have a menu of organically sourced foods, so they decide to play the ultimate prank. The pair head to a nearby McDonald’s, and bag up a selection of items from the menu. Then, using only cutlery and some cocktail sticks, they transform the food into smaller, bitesize portions, and decided to market it as their new organic food menu. The taste-testing reactions of locals and experts at the convention at the Expo, Houten, are cringeworthy brilliant. One gentleman, after swallowing down some Fillet-0-Fish says: ‘Tastes like fish, reminds me of cod, rolls around the tongue nicely, if it were wine I’d say it’s fine.'” Two girls, having tasted the Dutch duo’s delicacies are posed the question: ‘If you had to compare this, to say, McDonald’s food, what would you say is the biggest difference?’ To which, the excruciating reply is: ‘It definitely tastes a lot better, and the fact it is organic is definitely a good thing. ‘The taste is a lot richer.'”

Hucul ponies saved: “In just a few decades they have escaped total extinction after being saved by breeders. The Hucul is a small primitive breed of sturdy pony which were used as pack horses to carry heavy loads over treacherous paths in the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. In the 19th century, the Huculs were used by the Austro-Hungarian Army and in Czechoslovakia in World War Two. However, the numbers of ponies rapidly declined and by the 1970s there were only around 300 horses left. But breeding programmes were put in place and the horses are now thriving and it is thought there are now thousands living in Eastern Europe. The horses are often used now by tourists and keen equestrians for trekking into the mountains.

And don’t forget to catch up with all the Strange Justice before you go.

Singing fail

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Prankster gets knocked out: “Should you be so inclined as to walk up to a random man in a fast-food joint, late at night, after consuming alcohol and grab him by the hand before slapping him across the face with a slice of pizza, do not be shocked when he hits you back. This is what happened to a young man from Ontario, Canada, who wanted to play what he saw as an innocent prank on a man that had been annoying a friend of his after a night out. On his YouTube page, Mr Sutcliffe describes the idea behind walking up to a stranger and slapping them across the face with a cheese pie as: ‘Buddy was f***ing with my buddy so I decided to pizza slap him!’ The stunned ‘pizza slap’-victim shouts abuse back in disbelief at what just happened, while Mr Sutcliffe laughs him off. It does not take long before the slapper becomes the slappee when the angry victim knocks Mr Sutcliffe out cold on the table. According to the video, which has now gone viral, Mr Sutcliffe was unconscious for two minutes before being helped by other diners in the shop.”

The spray that claims to kill Ebola: Non-toxic chemical can get rid of deadly virus without damaging the body: “A British firm which claims it makes the only chemical spray which can safely kill the Ebola virus says it has been swamped with orders. The manufacturer of DuoMax maintains it is the only product in the world which can kill Ebola without damaging the human skin or being toxic to the body in anyway. Because it is non-toxic, it can apparently be used to treat large areas as it does not irritate the skin and eyes like bleach or chlorine products. The company claims DuoMax does not break down human skin like other corrosive chemicals, which makes it susceptible to infection. Instead, it’s claimed it effectively kills the virus and also stops it from spreading. The website claims the spray destroys the DNA and RNA which doesn’t allow the pathogen to reproduce or replicate. This also significantly reduces the risk of cross contamination.”

Shopkeeper fights off two hammer-wielding robbers by spraying MR MUSCLE into their eyes: “A shopkeeper fought off two hammer-wielding robbers who demanded he open the till by arming himself with surface cleaner and spraying it into their eyes. John Seabright, 62, was behind the counter of the Londis shop in Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire when two masked thugs barged in and screamed at him to hand over cash. At first he tried to grab the hammer of one of the balaclava-clad raiders but he failed. So instead he reached for the £1 bottle of Mr Muscle surface cleaner used to clean the till, and sprayed it straight into the eyes of the men through the holes of their balaclavas. That sent the robbers fleeing empty-handed with their eyes streaming.

Cyanide-secreting millipede kills its enemies in seconds: “Next time you take a whiff of that lovely almond smell in the air, beware, a cyanide millipede might be lurking. This arthropod might look like any ordinary millipede, but it hides a very secret power-it emits cyanide when it’s being attacked. This type of millipede is found in the Pacific coast of North America, from Southeast Alaska all the way down to California. If a bird, shrew or insect attacks this millipede, it will curl up and secrete hydrogen cyanide gas, a powerful poison. Because of this creature’s special powers of poison, it only has one predator, the groundbeetle Promecognathus Iaevissimus (that’s a mouthful!). If there’s one secret power I wouldn’t mind having, it’s definitely a secret stash of cyanide that excretes when I’m feeling attacked!”

Mark Zuckerberg speaks Mandarin during Beijing Q&A: “The Facebook chief executive stuns an audience in Beijing by conducting a 30-minute Q&A in near fluent Mandarin, The Facebook chief executive was known to have been studying the language, having mentioned in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010 that he was embarking on the task. But little had been heard of his hobby since. Many assumed the rigours of running the $200 billion social network would have left him with little time to practice the notoriously challenging language. In the Q&A at Tsinghua University Mr Zuckerberg began by apologising. He told the audience of students and faculty members – in Mandarin – that his Chinese was “pretty terrible”. But it soon became clear he was being more than a little modest. Before long he was telling jokes in Mandarin.

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How to load a truck — a Chinese way

Taiwanese removalists at work

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Woman spends a week in KFC to get over her break up: “A 26-year-old woman from Chengdu, in China’s southwest Sichuan Province, has taken an unusual approach to mending her broken heart: spending a week inside Kentucky Fried Chicken, gorging on the food. Tan Shen said that she was “walking around feeling miserable” when she passed the KFC restaurant in the city’s train station. She told local media: “I hadn’t planned on staying there long, I just wanted some chicken wings. But once I got in there and started eating I decided I needed time to think. “I didn’t want to go back to my apartment because it was full of memories of him. So I stayed.” After a few days employees at the chicken shop noticed that the same woman was still there. “We work in shifts here and the restaurant is open 24 hours a day, so we get a lot of people coming through. At first no one really noticed her,” said Jiang Li Lung, 22. Miss Tan decided that it was time to leave the restaurant when, after a week, local media begun to write about her.

TREES are the key to keeping calm: Researchers found those who watched 3D video of tree lined streets ‘significantly improved’ their state of mind: “The restorative power of nature has long been known – but reducing stress could be as simple as watching a nature show or even looking at some tree lined streets online, researchers say. They found that viewing 3-D videos of residential streets with trees on them significantly improved participants’ stress levels. Just six minutes of looking at trees had a major effect. The study led by researchers at the University of Illinois to find out exactly how long it takes for looking at nature to calm us. Researcher Bin Jiang and his colleagues found that viewing 3-D videos of residential streets with varying amounts of trees significantly improved participants’ physiological and psychological recovery from a stressful experience. The men experienced the most stress recovery benefits when they viewed tree canopy in the 24 to 34 percent range, and stress recovery declined when the percentage of tree cover surpassed 34 percent.”

Mediterranean jellyfish resembles a fried egg: “While many things are often described as looking good enough to eat, jellyfish aren’t usually among them. But while sailing around the Mediterranean recently, photographer Barry Bland came across one of the free-swimming marine animals – and was thrilled to find that it looked just like a fried egg. With his trusty camera at the ready, Mr Bland took footage of the jellyfish, pulsating in all of its egg yolk-yellow glory as it floated amid a school of fish. With bright blue balls of colour speckling its umbrella-shaped bell, the eye-catching sea creature alternated between resembling a decorative lamp and a welcome addition to a fry-up. The scientific name for the particular species of jellyfish is cotylorhiza tuberculata. The Mediterranean Sea is one of the more common areas they’re found, as well as the Aegean and Adriatic seas, given their need for a large concentration of sunlight to survive. And while they’re stunning to look at, they’re also considerably safer to be around than their counterparts, as their sting has very little or no effect on humans.”

The cats that can squeeze themselves into the most unbelievable spaces: “As any cat owner will tell you the feline of the species is the most cunning and manipulative of all household pets. However, as these amazing series of photographs show, cats are able to hide in the strangest possible places for no apparent reason. Some of the cats have hidden in a variety of boxes, baskets and even a kettle. One kitten even laid itself out inside the gutter of a house enjoying some afternoon sunshine. So if your cat happens to go missing, before photocopying dozens of notices and plastering them over the neighbourhood, maybe a quick search around the house in the most obscure corner might work.

Camel cigarette maker bans smoking in its offices: “Camel cigarette maker Reynolds American is snuffing out smoking in its offices and buildings. The second-biggest tobacco company in the US informed employees on Wednesday that beginning next year, the use of traditional cigarettes, cigars or pipes will no longer be permitted at employee desks or offices, conference rooms, hallways and lifts. Lighting up is already banned on factory floors and in cafeterias and fitness centres. The no-smoking policy will go into effect once Reynolds builds indoor smoking areas for those still wanting to light up indoors, spokesman David Howard said. “We believe it’s the right thing to do and the right time to do it because updating our tobacco use policies will better accommodate both non-smokers and smokers who work in and visit our facilities,” Mr Howard said. “We’re just better aligning our tobacco use policies with the realities of what you’re seeing in society today.”

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Italian miner avoids work for 35 years before retiring aged 52: “An Italian coal miner’s confession that he is drawing a pension despite hardly ever putting in a day’s work over a 35-year career has underlined the country’s problem with benefit fraud and its dysfunctional pension system. Carlo Cani started work as a miner in 1980 but soon found that he suffered from claustrophobia and hated being underground. He started doing everything he could to avoid hacking away at the coal face, inventing an imaginative range of excuses for not venturing down the mine in Sardinia where he was employed. He pretended to be suffering from amnesia and haemorrhoids, rubbed coal dust into his eyes to feign an infection and on occasion staggered around pretending to be drunk. The miner, now aged 60, managed to accumulate years of sick leave, apparently with the help of compliant doctors, and was able to stay at home to indulge his passion for jazz. Despite his long periods of absence, he was still officially an employee of the mining company, Carbosulcis, and therefore eventually entitled to a pension.”

Woman gets trapped in chimney of man she met online after six dates: “A woman looking for her soulmate found herself trapped in the chimney of a man she met through an online dating site. Genoveva Nunez-Figueroa, 30, was rescued by a team of firefighters after attempting to enter the man’s home in Los Angeles on Sunday, police say. Neighbours alerted authorities after the soot-covered intruder became stuck and started screaming for help. Firefighters carefully removed bricks to reach the woman and then used dishwashing soap to lubricate the chimney so she could be safely lifted out. Homeowner Lawrence Fernandez said the pair had been on six dates before he broke things off. “She seemed totally cool until the first flag was her actually being on my roof two weeks ago,” he told KTLA. He added: “You have to be careful who you meet online.” Nunez-Figueroa was arrested for illegal entry and providing false information to an officer.”

Gold pocket watch set to sell for over £10 MILLION: “A watch said to be the ‘Holy Grail’ of timepieces and one of the most complicated ever made is set to go under the hammer for £10million next month. The Henry Graves Supercomplication timepiece, made by famed watchmaker Patek Philippe, is the most complex ever produced without the use of computer technology. The gold pocket watch was first commissioned in 1925 by banker Henry Graves Junior, who is considered the greatest watch collector of the 20th century, and was eventually delivered to him in 1933. The watch was calibrated so that Mr Graves could tell the time based on the exact position of the sun at his New York home. The watch features 24 horological complications – or features. They include a perpetual calendar, moon phases, a power reserve and an exact replica of the night sky as seen from Central Park in Manhattan, showing the exact position and magnitude of stars across the Milky Way. Next month, to coincide with Patek Philippe’s 175th anniversary, the watch is again being auctioned in Geneva by Sotheby’s, who expect it to sell for over £10 million.

Grandmother, 72, spends £4,000 covering her house in ‘anti wi-fi’ paint after suffering health problems from wireless signals: “A grandmother has spent £4,000 covering her house in ‘anti wi-fi’ paint after claiming wireless signals are causing her health problems. Stefanie Russell paid for her house in Steyning, West Sussex to be covered in four thick coats of the special paint, and has banned mobile phone and computers from her house. Ms Russell says that she is highly sensitive to the rays emitted by wi-fi signals and it often leaves her suffering from headaches and nausea. Both her interior and exterior walls are being covered with the paint and Ms Russell also owns a special device, which detects unwanted wi-fi signals in her home. The paint works by containing aluminium-iron oxide, which resonates at the same frequency as wifi. It means that when it is coated on walls, signals are absorbed and blocked from entering the rooms.”

£800 VW Golf bought on eBay bursts into flames on the school run 24 hours later: “A family cheated death after their VW Golf convertible burst into flames on the school run – just a day after they bought it on eBay for £800. Nicky Keefe had driven her partner and three children a quarter of a mile from their home in Cheam, Surrey yesterday when the car started smoking. But the problem wasn’t spotted until her son James, 14, noticed his trainers were melting – and shouted: ‘Mum, my feet are on fire!’ The family collected the 19-year-old car from a private seller in Hampshire on Sunday. Mrs Keefe, a primary school teacher, said: ‘We got out of the car and told the people behind us our car was on fire. Then suddenly it was engulfed in flames.’ She said: ‘We are in shock but we are all safe. That’s the main thing. She added her partner was checking their insurance to see if they were covered, and would also contact eBay about the incident. The MK3 Golf Cabriolet, which has 95,000 miles on it, was listed on the auction site with a starting price of £500 – but sold for £810.

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