Wicked Thoughts

Phone evolution

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Why cabin lights are dimmed for landing: “A PILOT has revealed why it’s important for planes to dim their lights before landing. Making the cabin darker before touch down is an important safety measure that could potentially save passengers’ lives, The Sun reports. Pilot Chris Cooke, who works for a major domestic airline, asked readers of Travel + Leisure magazine to “imagine being in an unfamiliar bright room filled with obstacles when someone turns off the lights and asks you to exit quickly.” It would be significantly more difficult for travellers’ eyes to adjust to darkness if an emergency situation broke out. Dimming cabin lights before descent subtly prepares passengers to find their way to an emergency exit, especially when the aisle is illuminated. There are also health and safety reasons behind asking passengers to leave their blinds up before landing. By allowing more natural brightness into the aircraft, if the cabin lights cut off during a crisis, it is easier for passengers to see the path towards an emergency exit”

Visitors to China frequently admire the country’s love for unusual buildings: “There’s the sky-high diamond-shaped Famen Temple near Xi’an, Beijing’s geometrically-challenging CCTV headquarters, the Starship Enterprise office building in Fujian, Wuxi’s teapot-shaped tourist center, and the snail-like Henan Art Center in Zhengzhou to name just a few. For better or worse, China has earned an international reputation as a playground for architects. Now, that could all change. According to CNN, China has taken the move to ban weird architecture. In a statement, the Chinese government said it is forbidding the construction of “bizarre architecture that is not economical, functional, aesthetically pleasing or environmentally friendly.” Instead, the government hopes to fill cities with buildings that are “economic, green, and beautiful.”

Mercedes replaces robots with PEOPLE on its assembly line: “While many car makers are replacing humans with robots, the opposite is happening at Mercedes-Benz. The German car company is laying off the machine staff and hiring people to assemble its customized luxury vehicles. With the ability to choose from a variety of different design features, it robots were unable to keep up in making the cars and the firm learned that it is actually cheaper to employ humans. ‘Robots can’t deal with the degree of individualization and the many variants that we have today,’ Markus Schaefer, the German automaker’s head of production, said at its factory in Sindelfingen, the anchor of the Daimler AG unit’s global manufacturing network. ‘We’re saving money and safeguarding our future by employing more people.’

Cars being swallowed by the sea in far north Western Australia: “There is growing concern about the environmental and financial cost of dozens of cars being swallowed by the sea each year in Australia’s north. It is an increasing problem in the northern WA town of Broome, where massive tides, inexperienced drivers, and a lack of boat-launching facilities combine to make beach driving a hazardous pastime. Veteran boat skipper Steven Tucker said frantic efforts to retrieve cars from the encroaching tides had become an all-too-common sight in Broome. “It is a regular event, quite often you’ll steam into port and you’ll see cars bogged at the entrance point … you see it all the time,” he said. “I’ve seen 200 series Land Cruisers lost, plus a lot of old bombs as well … and once the tide gets them, the salt eats the electrics and they’re no good.” Authorities say between six and 10 cars are being swallowed by the sea in Broome each year, creating the surreal sight of chunky four-wheel-drives bobbing helplessly in the waves”

Strange boat: “A former SAS trooper plans to sail 3,000 miles across the Atlantic in a 65-foot home-made whale-shaped boat called Moby. Tom McClean, 73, has spent £100,000 building the 62-tonne vessel on the shore of Loch Nevis near Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands. Mr McClean launched the project 20 years ago, and has overseen every part of the building of the boat. But despite the construction, Moby has not moved in three years and the only jaunts before that were short journeys off the west coast of Scotland. However, now, Mr McClean is gearing up for the adventure of a lifetime, and is preparing his boat for the 3,000 mile crossing of the North Atlantic.”

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

Modern technology

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Eccentric horse: “REBEL Rover may well be the best named racehorse in Australia, after he dumped his rider and swam 11km in Moreton Bay. Rebel Rover, who is described as “crazy” by his trainer Brad Smith, escaped from jockey Jackson Morris and then spent two hours in the bay before being rescued by a crew including Volunteer Marine Rescue and Brisbane Water Police. The horse tried to escape again as he neared landfall, but Morris averted another disaster by keeping a tight grip on him, by this time with an intrigued crowd looking on. As for Rebel Rover, he was as bright as a button on Friday, still in a playful mood after returning to his box. “He was pig-rooting and bucking like it was one big adventure,” Smith said. “He must have the lung capacity of an absolute freak. Normally horses would give up after about 15 minutes, but he still had all that energy even after the two hours.

‘I want a pasty now!’: Video shows ‘typical Cornish boy’, 2, waking up in middle of the night to demand his favourite meal: “Bizarre food cravings can catch anyone by surprise in the middle of the night but very few people are reduced to tears over them. A hilarious video shows a Cornish toddler embracing his heritage by waking up in the middle of the night screaming for – a pasty. Lando Winchester, 2, was caught on camera by his gobsmacked mum Shaz Morton wailing for his favourite food. ‘I said we didn’t have any – I had to show him there were no pasties in the cupboard. ‘The thing is they were such genuine tears, I felt bad because I could not get him a pasty at midnight. Despite being woken up in the middle of the night, Shaz said she was proud of Lando and described him as a ‘typical Cornish boy’.

‘Stupid’ drug dealing brothers who mocked the female judge who handed them suspended sentences in crude Facebook posts are jailed for TWO YEARS after she found out: “Two brothers hauled back to court for mocking a judge on Facebook after she decided not to send them to prison for drug dealing have now been jailed for two years. Forty minutes after Daniel Sledden, 27, received a suspended jail term from Judge Beverley Lunt, he posted online: ‘Cannot believe my luck 2 year suspended sentance (sic) beats the 3 year jail yes pal! Beverly [sic] Lunt go suck my ****’. Soon after, his brother, Samuel, 22, wrote: ‘What a day it’s been Burnley crown court! Up ur **** aha nice 2 year suspended…’ The defendants, from Accrington, Lancashire, were recalled for a sentence review when the remarks were brought to the attention of the judge. Both will now serve two years after the suspension was lifted by Judge Lunt.”

A fish ‘with legs’ leaves fisherman baffled after pulling the mysterious creature from a river: “WHEN a fisherman pulled this odd creature out of a river, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The strange fish, which appears to have legs, was spotted swimming in the waters of Thailand. After the mind-boggling clip was posted to Liveleak, internet users debated what sort of fish it was. The majority of viewers argued that it was a type of batfish, a tropical creature with a flattened body and protruding beady eyes”.

Indonesian mayor says canned formula milk and instant noodles ‘are making babies gay’: “The mayor of a major Indonesian city has come under fire for suggesting instant noodles and children’s formula is making babies gay. Tangerang Mayor Arief R Wismansyah made the bizarre claim during a pregnancy seminar in the city, located to the west of Jakarta, earlier this week. ‘To create Indonesian children that are healthy smart and competitive, the most important thing is, from the beginning, to provide them adequate nutrition, especially breastfeeding,’ Mr Wismansyah said. Mr Wismansyah went on to canned milk and other similar products were relied upon more heavily nowadays because parents are busier. ‘So, it’s no wonder that recently there are more LGBT,’ he said.”

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

Times have changed

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Japan draws up urgent measures to increase birth rate: “Japan has drawn up urgent measures after it was revealed the population had fallen by a million in the past five years. The latest census confirmed the hard reality long signaled by shuttered shops and abandoned villages across the country; the population is shrinking. In rural areas, even just outside Tokyo, villages are mostly empty, fields are overgrown and bus and train services are intermittent thanks to scant demand. Nearly a third of all Japanese were over 65 years old in 2015. By 2050, almost 40 per cent will be older than 65, according to projections by the National Institute of Population and Social Securities Research.

Bad boys attract a certain type of woman: “That’s according to new research which claims women who prefer ‘formidable and dominant’ men tend to feel more at risk of being the victim of a crime. It follows research that suggests that women who grow up in high-crime areas find dominant men more appealing, perhaps because of the protection they can offer. The latest study, however, is different, because it claims women who are attracted to dominant men generally feel more at risk of victimisation – even when their risk of victimisation is low. ‘Physically formidable and dominant mates (PPFDM) appear to be associated with women’s self-assessed vulnerability,’ said PhD researcher Hannah Ryder from Leicester University. ‘Women with strong PPFDM feel relatively more at risk, fearful, and vulnerable to criminal victimisation compared to their counterparts. ‘[This] is regardless of whether there are situational risk factors present.'”

Little girl drives big boy toy: “While some little girls prefer to play indoors with dolls and tea sets, three-year-old Kora Smith has other ideas. The adorable girl, from Cairns, Queensland, was recently filmed operating her miniature bulldozer like a professional while helping her father out in the garden. In a video uploaded to YouTube, Kora was seen at the controls of her Target bulldozer, which she received as a Christmas present, picking up large loads of recently mown grass and dumping it on areas where the grass had died. Kora, who goes by ‘Kora the Explora’ on YouTube, appeared very focused on the task at hand as her father Quinn Smith filmed her expertly reversing the tiny yellow machine, operating the bucket and returning for a new load. The active toddler also remembered to shake the bucket to make sure all the trimmings were out before returning for more”

A cleaning miracle — with hairspray!: “Any parent can attest that some of the worst stains to tackle are those made by children who decide that their bedroom wall is the best place to draw a masterpiece with markers. Hours of scrubbing, and even re-painting are often the only solution. But one little known cleaning hack is taking the internet by storm, after it was shared in an Australian mothers group on Facebook. The woman, from New South Wales, posted a video on the mothers page showing her spraying budget hairspray onto the marker-covered wall, then wiping it away with a damp cloth. The clip shows the stain dissolving in seconds, and no effort required when wiping away the hairspray, to reveal a clean white wall beneath. The mother behind the video posted the clip to prove it really does work, after being advised of the trick by another mum in the Facebook group. It’s not the only way hairspray can be used in household chores. It can also get stains out of clothing – just spray onto the stain and put in the washing machine like normal.”

Moron telephone technician in Australia: “An NBN Telstra box appears to have been installed so close to a tap that it can no longer be turned on, with a complaint still unresolved almost a week later resulting in a social media backlash. Tammy Marti from Emu Plains in Sydney’s outer-west claims her NBN installation has been botched so badly that it blocks her outdoor tap from turning on. She first complained to the Telstra Facebook page on Sunday, but it appears the issue is still yet to be resolved despite more than thousands of equally outraged customers liking and sharing the post. ‘Apologies for the delay in response Tammy,’ Telstra responded two days later. ‘Are you still needing a hand? We’re happy to assist or at least point you in the right direction.’ Telstra then responded recommending she get in contact with their fault team to arrange a resolution. Ms Marti later again commented on the thread to say she had spoken with the fault team, who informed her she could expect a call within a few days.

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

The giraffe that lost its head

But it found it again

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Matted mutt found tied to a wheelbarrow who’s now set to light up Crufts: “Left chained to a wheelbarrow inside a derelict building in Cyprus, her fur grew so long and matted that her head and tail couldn’t be seen. Abandoned dog Binky was so filthy that she was brown rather than her real cream colour. Now, however, she has undergone a remarkable transformation – which will be completed next month when she appears at Crufts. The crossbreed, called a ‘Cinderella dog’ by new owner Val Lewis, will take part in an obedience class demonstration at the show, run by the Kennel Club. Mrs Lewis, 59, from Coventry, rescued Binky when she was a ‘bag of bones’ just over a year ago after seeing an appeal on Facebook by the charity Cyprus Dog Rescue. ‘Binky is adorable, she’s so soft and loving and friendly. She’s just a happy little dog.’

Why are plane windows rounded?: “It may sound like a minute detail — but the shape of a plane’s windows is actually really important. In the past, square windows were all the rage and many early plane designs featured them. However, by the time the 1950s rolled around, the commercial jetliner rose to fame — and this is when problems began to surface [with the De Havilland “Comet”]. The new planes were capable of flying at greater speeds and at higher altitudes than those of the past, but two of them soon fell apart, disintegrating midair — all because of square shaped windows. This may sound bizarre, but it all comes down to the sharp corners on a square. The corners are natural weak spots, more likely to be stressed and weakened by air pressure changes and as such are a recipe for disaster when it comes to air travel. Curved windowpanes, however, have no focal point and distribute stress evenly — reducing the possibility of cracks or breaks.”

Mayor insists £120,000 bridge built for SQUIRRELS to cross a busy road in Holland was not a waste of money… despite only five of the animals using it in four years: “The mayor of The Hague has refuted claims that a £120,000 ‘squirrel bridge’ built to help the animals cross a motorway near the Dutch city – despite it only being used five times in four years. The flyover bridge was built in 2012, to give squirrels a safe passage from one forestry area to another in the western Netherlands. However, in the past four years, only five squirrels have used the bridge to cross the road – working out at a neat £23,400 per squirrel. In the first two years of the bridge, not a single squirrel walked over it, councillors were told. ‘This is evidenced by monitoring using CCTV cameras on the bridge. Private taxis for the squirrels would have been cheaper,’ The Hague councillor Arjen Dubbelaar told local radio.”

Toyota tough: Vehicle survives a rhino charge: “This is the terrifying moment an angry rhino suffered a serious case of road rage – and charged straight into a group of tourists trapped inside a car. Footage of the remarkable incident shows the animal first taking an unusual interest in the Toyota truck parked on a dusty road next to its grassland home. But this interest quickly turns sinister when the rhino starts trotting towards the jeep – before breaking into a full sprint and ramming it as a group of horrified tourists cower inside. The footage was taken in Etosha National Park in Namibia by Alexandra Poier, who was sitting inside a nearby car at the time. The 48-year-old said the group of tourists inside the car escaped from the vehicle unhurt. The vehicle was pushed across the dirt road by the rhino’s powerful charge, but did not roll over or tip upside down.”

Incredible footage shows 4×4 drive straight up almost vertical hill to amazement of onlookers: “This is the astonishing moment a 4×4 manages to navigate an almost vertical rocky cliff face to gasps of amazement and applause from onlookers. The impressive footage was filmed near Beijing in China and shows the large vehicle maneuvering itself into an almost completely upright position before attempting the daring feat. The 4×4 growls loudly and it then begins its ascent, revving the whole time as the wheels spin and the audience cheers. Somehow the large vehicle manages to make its way to the top of the rocky ravine where it is given a round of applause.

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

For naughty children

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Motorist having sex with his girlfriend as he drove his car at high speed is killed when he crashes head-on into a truck in India: “An Indian man died in a car crash after losing control of the wheel while having sex with his girlfriend in the moving vehicle. The 31-year-old man had picked up his girlfriend in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, and was driving her back to his hometown in nearby Puranpur when the temptation became too strong. The young couple are believed to have engaged in sexual relations while the car was driving down the Pilibhit-Puranpur highway, after which they crashed head-on into a truck. The man died at the scene, while his 24-year-old female companion suffered injuries to her head and a broken leg. Police officers who arrived at the scene said emergency services found the couple naked from the waist down. The 24-year-old woman was taken to a nearby hospital and is believed to be recovering”

Woman uses sign language to chase off pest: “In a Snapchat video posted by Imgur user Tausif007, from the UK, a woman is seen being approached by a stranger but when she uses sign language with him he walks away – leaving the internet shocked by his reaction. The video, captioned: ‘When “I’ve got a Boyfriend” fails, you have to pretend to be deaf’ has been seen over three million times and has prompted heated comments from Imgur users because the man appeared to dismiss the woman just because he thought she was hearing impaired. The clip shows a woman dancing in a club when a random man approaches her and grabs her around the waist. The woman immediately pulls back and then begins to sign several words to him. But he then waves her away, turning his back on her after being convinced she was deaf. Imgur users were shocked that the man dismissed the woman once he thought she was deaf”

Passengers in trouble after millions of dollars worth of ‘hell money’ found: “A COUPLE travelling with millions of dollars worth of fake currency is in real trouble after customs agents found their stash. Ceremonial “Hell Money” is never meant to be spent. The novelty cash is instead intended to be burned as a symbolic offering to the dead. The counterfeit bills, popular in some Asian cultures, are even printed on a special joss paper reserved for items meant to be used for ceremonial fires. The so-called “Hell Money” was found shortly after they arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a flight from Incheon International Airport. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents discovered 93 bundles of fake $US100 bills and 32 wrapped bundles of Vietnamese dong in the couple’s luggage. Despite the fact that the couple, who had originally started their travels in Vietnam, had a perfectly innocent reason for the bricks of counterfeit cash in their luggage, the money was still seized by the US Secret Service.”

New Zealand court rules on fence that blocked a couple’s $1.5 million view: “A view-blocking fence which wiped out the panoramic harbour vista from a Wellington apartment must go. Environment Court judge Brian Dwyer said on Friday that Peter and Sylvia Aitchison had established their case by an overwhelming margin. Aitchison, along with the Wellington City Council, had asked the court to at least reduce the height of a child’s play fort built by David Walmsley which blocked the Wellington harbour view from their Maida Vale Rd property in the suburb of Roseneath. During the past week, the Aitchisons presented evidence from experts about the effects of the fence that they said had knocked $NZ900,000 ($839,000) off the value of their $NZ1.6 million ($1.49 million) property. The judge said on Friday the effect was objectionable and he agreed with a former Wellington town planner that it was highly offensive.

Over-reaction by Britain’s Keystone Kops: “A man at the centre of a dramatic armed siege in Devon has appeared in court, charged with damaging a biscuit tin. Police clutching assault rifles sealed the house off for several hours while paramedics stood by wearing protective stab vests. Police dogs were also deployed and Nickolas Solomon, 34, was arrested after fleeing to woodland behind the house. He has now appeared in court to deny charges of assaulting a woman by beating, and damaging a biscuit tin worth £24.99. The biscuit tin is believed to have been a square Rowntrees one that the defendant used to keep fishing gear, such as lines and hooks, in it. He claimed: ‘It was a domestic incident that could have been resolved very easily. ‘The whole thing is absolutely pathetic. The police must have spent a fortune on the operation as there were helicopters and everything. ‘But they must look stupid now, as there were no weapons involved and all he did was punch a biscuit tin.”

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

A good riposte

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Impatient delivery driver is caught shaking up customer’s fizzy drink while he waits at the door: “An impatient delivery driver has been caught shaking up a customer’s fizzy drink after he was waiting for them to answer the door. In a shocking video the man vigorously shakes the bottle hoping it will rapidly spray out when it is opened. Kilmos in Toxteth fired the man after the CCTV footage emerged, reports the Liverpool Echo.At the start of the video the man, unhappy that the customer has taken too long to collect their food, can be seen reaching into his bag to grab their delivery. Finding the bottle of pop he takes it out and immediately begins to violently shake it. Not content with just the bottle the man also appears to shake the customer’s pizza box, before ringing the doorbell again. The kebab house said it had no hesitation in sacking the driver saying it put customers first”

Dodo’s WEREN’T daft: Researchers reveals birds had similar brain size to a pigeon and a superb sense of smell: “The Dodo wasn’t so daft – and actually had a supersense. Researchers say it had the same size brain as a pigeon – and a highly developed sense of smell. The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a large, flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. They were last seen in 1662. The birds had no fear of humans – so sailors rounded them up as an easy source of meat. The work, found that the overall size of the dodo’s brain in relation to its body size was on par with its closest living relatives: pigeons, birds whose ability to be trained implies a moderate level of intelligence. The researchers also discovered that the dodo had an enlarged olfactory bulb, the part of the brain responsible for smelling”

WWI fort that has guarded Britain’s east coast for a century and cost £1.5million to build goes on sale for a bargain £350,000: “A sturdy sea fort that has guarded the east coast of Britain for more than a century after being built at a cost of £1.5million in a bid to keep out the Germans has gone on the market for just £350,000. More than 40,000 tonnes of concrete and steel went into the construction of Haile Sand Fort, which sits in the middle of the sea off the Lincolnshire coast between Cleethorpes and Humberston. The imposing structure was built between 1915 and 1918 in a bid to protect the east coast, with engineers cladding it with riveted steel Armour plating. It guarded the approaches to the Humber with gun batteries and an anti-submarine net of steel mesh stretched between it and the nearby Bull Fort.

Self-driving ‘ground drones’ are heading to London to make deliveries across the capital: “The iconic mopeds of delivery drivers everywhere are set to be ousted by ‘ground drones’ that can navigate city streets by themselves. After more than 3,000 hours of testing in London, Starship Technologies’ delivery bots are scheduled to start local deliveries in Greenwich next month. The robot was invented by Skype co-founders Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis who hope their machine will be appealing for small businesses who could send up to 20lbs of goods to local customers. Unlike robots designed to resemble humans, the Starship’s bot is purely functional with a large compartment to hold deliveries, the equivalent size of two grocery bags. Each six-wheeled ‘ground drone’ is almost completely self-driving. It is constantly connected to the internet, using 3G technology to find its way to the customer’s address.”

Man is fined by police for belching loudly while he ate a kebab: “A bartender who stopped for a bite to eat in Vienna has been fined for burping too loudly after devouring a particularly spicy kebab. Police who heard Edin Mehic burping near the Praterstern area of the Austrian capital Vienna told him it was a breach of the peace and slapped him with a £55 fine. The incident went viral in Austria when Mr Mehic posted a copy of the police report of the incident on his Facebook page. He stated: ‘I know in these times police are very present on the streets to tackle crime but surely tackling a burper is a bit too much. ‘It was a Sunday and I was enjoying a walk in the park, and I suddenly felt hungry. I ordered one the way I like it, spicy with a lot of onion.'”

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

Koala wisdom

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Spaced out cat: “From running around the house, to rolling across the floor and salivating everywhere – it is fair to say that lots of cats are overwhelmed in the presence of catnip. So it is difficult to imagine how this kitty feels after managing to get into a box filled with a pound of the substance – though the animal’s eyes do give some idea. The image of the spaced-out pet was posted online by the feline’s owner, along with the message: ‘I just bought my cat a pound of catnip… good kitty.’ While some people have expressed concern for the animal’s wellbeing, the good news is that catnip is completely non-toxic to cats. So while the pet may need a few hours to calm itself down after getting into the box, it is unlikely to become ill unless it ate a large amount of the plant, which is also unlikely. Catnip is a member of the mint family. Most cats will get over their initial ‘episode’ within about ten minutes, though may take as long as two hours to get back to their normal behavior.”

New ‘most accurate ever’ portrait of William Shakespeare 400 years after his death: “The ‘most accurate’ painting ever made of William Shakespeare has been unveiled. There has only ever been a couple of accurate portrayals of the playwright. But, after studying dozens of portraits of Shakespeare, Geoffrey Tristram argues he has produced the most authentic painting of the man to date. The painting was based closely on the famed etching of Shakespeare by Martin Droeshout in 1622, which friends of the playwright said resembled him. Shakespeare’s death mask and a painting from 1810, known as the Chandos portrait, was also used. Mr Tristram told The Telegraph: ‘I turned him into flesh and blood. Like a chap you might see down the pub.

The woman whose eyes yield STONES: “A woman from China has claimed that stones the size of soybeans keep coming out of her eyes. According to her husband, Liang Xinchun, stones can be discovered under his wife’s eyelids whenever she suffers from a headache, the People’s Daily Online reports. The couple from Lufang village, east China’s Shandong province, say local doctors have been baffled by the symptom and are not able to treat her. The woman named Ding Aihua said she started suffering from the peculiar condition around seven years ago when she began to feel a pain in her eyes. Her husband Liang Xinchun was shocked when he discovered a stone under her eyelid. He said he managed to remove the stone but after a while, another stone appeared. According to Liang, the hard silverish white stones were hard to remove. He says he has to use a small piece of iron wire to ease them out.”

Police football enthusiast: “A police officer described as a once ‘glowing star’ has been sacked for going to a rugby match while on emergency duty and ignoring a 999 call so he could watch the end. Gloucestershire Police began disciplinary proceedings against Pc Jason Charles but while these were ongoing the 30-year-old found his conduct brought into question again when he drunkenly punched and smashed a glass in a pub. It happened after he was told he could face action for parking his patrol car at Gloucester Rugby Club’s Kingsholm Stadium and going in during extra time of a close-fought European Cup play-off match between Gloucester and Connacht last May. While in the ground, in full uniform, he received radio calls from his control room about two incidents. He answered one but not the other, which was a ‘Grade One’ 999 call from a woman at a nearby address.”

Wheelie bin prank: “YouTuber and inventor Colin Furze posted a video of his remote control wheelie bin prank yesterday. He had already painted a comical looking face on the bin before the video starts. For prank number one the contraption waits outside a house ready for the weekly waste collection. As the bin man approaches the trash container suddenly begins to scurry away, much to the amazement of the waste collector. But the wheelie bin has bigger pranks in store, and makes its way to the centre of town. Shocked drivers cannot believe what they are seeing as the bin rolls across the road in front of them, before intruding in on two women sharing a coffee. In the next harmless prank a woman is made to pause before exiting a store, making way for the bin to prowl up and down the aisles.

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

One of Churchill’s famous zingers — to Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Boy, 4, jailed for life over four ‘murders’ committed when he was one: “AN EGYPTIAN four-year-old boy has been sentenced to life in jail for committing four murders when he was aged only one year old. Ahmed Mansour Karni was convicted of four counts of murder, eight counts of attempted murder, vandalising security property and threatening soldiers and police officers in a military court in Cairo this week. He was not in court when he was convicted. The boy was among 115 defendants who were given life sentences for the crimes committed in early 2014 in his home province of el-Fayoum, 70km south of Cairo. But his defence lawyer, Faisal al-Sayd, said Ahmed’s name was added to the list by mistake. Another Egyptian lawyer, Mohammed Abu Hurira, said the case showed that the “Egyptian scales of justice are not reversible” and that “there is no justice in Egypt”.

Weed invading salads: “IT HAS long been regarded as a nuisance that gardeners want to banish from their lush lawns or vegetable patches. But now chickweed has suddenly found favour – by becoming the latest food fad. Leading chefs are lauding its intense flavour and are using the leaf to enhance dishes such as crab salads in top restaurants. While the large leaves can be bitter, smaller leaves have a fresher, tender taste, and resemble that of pea shoots or chard. Rene Redzepi, the chef at one of the world’s best restaurants, Noma in Copenhagen, set the trend for adventurous foraging by transforming forest moss into a star dish. Since then British chefs have turned to our own hedgerows to identify forgotten foods for the dinner plate. Now chickweed has stormed into the list of niche ingredients which also include pennywort and purslane.”

Airforce stole our rain, says Cyprus as British military is bizarrely accused of interfering with the weather: “A few extra dry days are the last thing you’d expect to cause a row on the sun-kissed Mediterranean island of Cyprus. But the Royal Air Force has reportedly been accused by the Cypriot government of interfering with the weather – so its Tornado and Typhoon aircraft can fly missions to Syria and Iraq in clear conditions. The bizarre claim emerged after local weathermen forecast heavy rain for early February only for the period to remain dry. Last night, an island newspaper reported that the Cypriot government was accusing British forces of cloud-seeding – a technique using a chemical to divert rain clouds. Agriculture minister Nicos Kouyialis is said to have ordered an official inquiry. The Ministry of Defence said: ‘There is no truth in these claims and the MoD is not aware of any inquiry.”

Another horror fish: “A bizarre deep sea creature with bug eyes and dozens of needle-like teeth has been pulled ahsore – the second sea monster to appear in Australian waters in less than a week. The outlandish creature was caught off the Victoria state coast by a fishing trawler, the South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association said. Experts said the animal may be an Endo’s Goosefish – Lophiodes endoi, also known by some people as ‘monkfish’ – a deepwater member of the anglerfish family. Growing to 38cm, this species can be found around the south-eastern and western margins of Australia’s continental shelf in waters ranging from 275-500m deep. Angler fishes possess some of the most impressive teeth and ensure that once prey enters their mouths, there is no chance of escape.

Bungling armed robber caught by DNA from his saliva: “An armed robber was caught after his DNA was found on a piece of Sellotape he had used to tie-up his victims during a supermarket raid. Gavin Williams ambushed a manager and two female workers outside the Co-op store in Pontycymmer, south Wales, around 6am on November 16 last year. The 35-year-old, who acted with an accomplice, tore the tape into strips with his teeth before binding the trio’s hands. He was jailed for six years on Thursday after forensics experts traced his DNA from saliva left on the tape. Cardiff Crown Court heard Williams had targeted the group, which included two workers aged 57 and 58, as they arrived for work. John Lloyd, prosecuting, said: ‘They were ordered to get down on their knees and put their hands out and the defendant bit off lengths of Sellotape to bind their wrists together – leaving his DNA behind.'”

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

Weather forecasting Pacific Island style…

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

A white Kangaroo: “A woman has captured a rare photograph of a white kangaroo in the wild as it peeked over a fence in South Australia. Rosemary Faehrmann and her husband were driving near the Big Bend on the Murray River in South Australia in early February when they noticed a white roo hopping along next to the road. ‘I have never seen an albino kangaroo in the wild and I see kangaroos almost every day,’ she told Daily Mail Australia. ‘It was coming towards us and by the time it passed us we stopped to have a look and take a picture,’ she said. She said the solitary roo took some time to check them out before it continued to hop down the fence. White kangaroos do not often reach maturity as they are predisposed to genetic defects that make them a target for predators. Social media users went nuts over the rare image. According to the ABC, their light skin and fur makes them vulnerable to skin cancer, while they are often burdened with vision and hearing defects that can make it difficult to fight off predators.

Volvo kills off the car key: “Volvo is set to become the first car maker to allow owners to open and start their car with just a phone app. The new Volvo app enables the digital key on the customer’s mobile phone to do everything a physical key currently does, such as locking or unlocking the doors or the boot and allowing the engine to be started. The innovative Bluetooth-enabled digital key technology, will offer Volvo customers far more flexibility, enabling them to benefit from entirely new ways to use and share cars. However, the new app will also offer customers the ability to share keys, and even access multiple cars. Using the app people could also potentially book and pay for a rental car anywhere in the world and have the digital car key delivered to their phone immediately, Volvo says. Volvo will pilot this technology in spring 2016 via its car sharing firm Sunfleet, stationed at Gothenburg airport, Sweden.”

‘Hairy panic’ burying Australian town: “A WOEFUL weed is creating havoc for residents in Victoria’s northeast. Some Wangaratta locals are frustrated after large amounts of tumbleweed rolled into town — blanketing their homes, cars and driveways. The tumbleweed, known as hairy panic grass, has reportedly inundated an entire Wangaratta street. Resident Jason Perna told Channel 7 it took hours to clean the grass from his property. “It is frustrating. You know that you’ve got a good couple hours work ahead of you”. Cheryl Lengrand spent a day clearing her yard of the weeds, only for them to return the next day. “I spent eight hours yesterday cleaning up the tumbleweed and this is what I’ve got today,” she said. Hairy panic grass is common in the Wangaratta area, but this year’s dry conditions has contributed the problem.

British outraged over straight croissant: “The croissant, the buttery breakfast pastry, means “crescent” in French. But don’t tell that to the British. Tesco, Britain’s largest supermarket chain and a bellwether of sorts for popular tastes, is dispensing with the traditional curved pastry as of Friday and instead will sell only straight ones. The company offered a decidedly British rationale: It is easier to spread jam on the straight variety. The banishing of the crescent-shaped croissant spurred no shortage of dismay on both sides of the English Channel. “Is this a foretaste of Brexit?” an article in the French newspaper 20 Minutes asked, referring to the possibility that British voters might decide in a referendum to leave the European Union. The newspaper added that it appeared that Tesco’s move was not done “to antagonize the French (well, not solely).”

Talkback radio caller claims to have found millions in cash and gold while renovating house: “A NSW man might be about to wipe out his mortgage in one fell swoop, if a sensational claim he made about finding millions of dollars in cash and gold bullion in the wall of his newly-purchased house is true. Speaking to Merrick Watts on Triple M earlier this week, “Dave” told the ebullient radio host he had uncovered the mother lode while renovating. “Between the walls there are is bunch of money,” Dave said. “Stacks and stacks of money – and gold bars. There are about 50 gold bars, I estimate about half a kilo each,” Dave continued. “And lots and lots of money here.” Watts, for his part, told ninemsn that he has no doubt whatsoever that Dave is for real. I’ve worked in radio long enough, you can hear honesty through somebody’s voice and you can just tell when somebody’s pulling your leg. This guy’s not”

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

A wise man

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Woman declared dead after being mowed down by police car ‘comes back to life’ an hour later as she is put in body bag: “A woman who was declared dead after being run down by a police car in Russia has baffled medics after appearing to come back to life. The victim had been hit by a patrol van travelling at high speed, as she tried to run across a four lane motorway near Moscow. Paramedics who arrived at the scene declared her dead, after she suffered multiple injuries in the crash. She was placed in a black plastic body bag while police officers cleared the traffic jams. But a whole hour after the crash, astonished police officers heard sounds coming from inside the bag, and noticed that it was beginning to move again. When officers removed the bag, they could see the ‘dead’ woman inside gasping for breath and moaning for help. Health officials said she is now recovering in a hospital intensive care unit, with ‘serious and complicated injuries’ to the base of her skull and multiple fractures”.

A gas explosion obliterated a detached home ‘like a bomb had been dropped’ killing the 63-year-old father-of-one inside and damaging 12 other houses: “This is the rubbled remains of a suburban house decimated in a suspected gas explosion that killed the 63-year-old owner inside and damaged more than a dozen more properties. The victim, named by neighbours as Paul Wilmott, a father-of-one and videographer at Leeds Beckett University, is believed to have been getting ready for work when his house in Haxby, a suburb of York, was razed to the ground at 7.30am this morning. Aerial photographs show how the detached house was obliterated as if ‘a bomb had been dropped on it’. Properties surrounding the levelled home had their windows blown out, roofs smashed and garages destroyed while debris from the blast was thrown onto streets more than 400 metres away.”

Charge your phone in five minutes: ‘World’s fastest’ battery: “Forget waiting hours for your phone to charge – a new miniature pocket-charger claims to be able to charge an iPhone 6 from totally flat to 100 per cent in just five minutes. According to its makers, the ASAP Dash charges 16 times faster than standard portable chargers and boasts a battery life that lasts up to four times longer. It was the result of more than 14 months of work alongside tech and manufacturing experts in China. The superfast charger was invented by Vinson Leow and his colleagues in Sydney. ‘You can charge the portable battery with enough energy to charge your iPhone 5 in only five minutes – or three charges in 15 minutes. This means the ASAP Dash itself can be charged superfast, but will still take your phone the same amount of time to fully charge. Levi said that ASAP Dash is unlikely to damage phones because ‘at the end of the day, the ASAP Dash is essentially a portable battery with rapid charging built-in – nothing more.’

Kid learns that you can’t have your cake and let the dog eat it too: “This is the hilarious moment baby Brycie feeds his rice puff to his dog and bursts into tears when the animal eats them. The boy is handed the snacks by his mother before he holds out his hand to feed the dog. But the baby is shocked when the dog, called Roxy, eats them out of his hand. After the dog ate Brycie’s snack, he wept – and the same thing happened on three separate occasions. The final bite was a step too far and Brycie crawls away crying to his mother.

Firefall in Yosemite: “Photographers around the world flocked to Yosemite National Park in California this week to catch the incredible natural phenomenon known as Firefall. While pictures look as if glowing hot lava is spilling over the top of the vertical rock formation known as El Capitan, the rare event is actually caused when the setting sun is reflected off Horsetail Falls. Each February, the setting sun lines up at just the right angle with the waterfall. But the phenomenon also requires weather conditions to be just so. There has to be enough snow gathered at the top in February. Then, temperatures have to be warm enough for the snow to melt and fall 1,570 feet down the eastern face of the rock formation during the brief window of time the sun is in position. The sky has to be clear as well, since any clouds or precipitation would prevent the sunlight from bouncing off the water. It’s been several years since Firefall has made its return, especially due to recent droughts”

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