Wicked Thoughts

911 replies

What was the weirdest 911 call ever received?

Caller: My cat got out and is stuck up in a tree.

911: I’m sorry to hear that. What did you need?

Caller: I want the fire department to get her out.

911: I’m afraid the fire department doesn’t do that.

Caller: Yes, they do. I’ve seen it in movies.

911: Maybe movie fire departments do, but ours doesn’t.

Caller: Then what am I supposed to do?

911: Wait. The cat will come down on its own.

Caller: No, it won’t! It’s stuck up there.

911: If the cat climbed up the tree, it can climb down the tree.

Caller: You don’t know that! How do you know my cat won’t be stuck up there forever and die?

911: Have you ever seen a cat skeleton up in a tree?

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Would you pay $5 for a bottle of milk? Hipster alternative to the banned ‘raw’ dairy product goes on sale: “Hipsters are rushing to purchase the closest thing Australia has to offer to ‘raw’ milk as they willingly pay $5 for a 750ml bottle. Made by Cow launched its ‘cold pressed raw milk’ in June this year as an alternative to heat pasteurisated milk and is now selling its product across NSW and Victoria. With two litre regular home brand milk selling for as little as 50 cents in supermarket chains, money does not be appear to be a deterrent for those looking for a ‘healthier’ option. Founder of the product Saxon Joye sources the milk from 300 cows on the NSW south Coast, reported The Daily Telegraph. The milk goes directly from cow to bottle. After sealing the bottles, they’re placed under extreme cold water pressure, via a patented, world first, cold pressing technique that is equivalent to taking the milk six times deeper than the deepest part of the ocean. This eliminates any harmful bacteria”

Indian siblings wander into jungle with tigers and other wild animals for days at a time… but always come back unharmed: “A pair of Indian siblings who have a close bond with wild animals have been compared to Mowgli from The Jungle Book. Surendera Kumar and his sister Rajeshwari, 25, wander into the jungle for days at a time and play with monkeys in Rajnandgaon, in the Chhattisgarh region. They never fear the wild animals that roam the area and love to play freely amongst the trees and fauna. Their mother Pancho Bai, 45, lives her life in fear of losing them and in particular Surendera, 20, known as Golu, because of how close he gets to the animals. She said: ‘He roams around in the jungle and I have to drag him home. I have seen him playing Kabaddi sporting game and hide and seek with monkeys and chasing them around. ‘I’ve often seen Golu behaving like a monkey. People in our village have even tagged him a Gorilla for the way he walks. He has a bond with animals and I believe that is why no animal has ever harmed him”

Norway set to give Finland a MOUNTAIN to celebrate country’s 100th birthday: “Norway is considering moving a mountain to neighbouring Finland to celebrate its birthday. The country is considering giving the Halti peak as a gift to help the Finns celebrate 100 years of independence next year. Most of the mountain is on the Finnish side of their northern border but the peak of 4,367 feet is in Norway. The proposal would redraw the border 490 feet north and 650 feet to the east to put the peak in Finland. While mountainous Norway has several peaks that are higher, Finland’s highest mountain is 4,347 feet. Former Norwegian state surveyor Bjorn Geirr Harsson, 75, who came up with the proposal, said ‘it would be nice to give Finland an extra six metres (20 feet).’ He launched a social media campaign which has been backed online. Finns will celebrate 100 years of independence from Russian rule on December 6, 2017. Although the social media campaign has backing there are also groups in Norway opposed to the mountain move”

Golfer John Senden waits (and waits and waits) for 22 agonizing SECONDS as his ball teeters on the edge of the hole… before his patience unbelievably pays off: “Patience is a virtue, and Australian golfer John Senden has it in spades. During the opening round of the US PGA Championship at Baltusrol in Springfield, New Jersey, Senden showed incredible composure as he waited 22 seconds for a putt to drop. The 15-foot long-range putt on the 16th hole was one of Senden’s three birdies on Thursday. The shot was on track as it rolled towards the hole, but hung up directly on the edge of the cup. He walked around slowly and crouched down to take a closer look, stretching out the 10 seconds normally allowed before being forced to tap the ball in. As Senden gave up and raised his club to hit the ball it suddenly disappeared into the hole for a birdie”

Fake tan may give you WRINKLES: “Owing to awareness of the harm caused by the sun’s UV rays, fake tan and its just-back-from-the-Med glow have never been more popular. One in three women now use fake tan products and the industry is worth £100 million a year – with sales rocketing 38 per cent over the past year alone. But ask around, and users have all manner of health concerns, ranging from wrinkles to skin irritation and cancer. Added to this, experts aren’t convinced ingredients in fake tan – or the methods of application – are good for us. That’s because fake bakes work by reacting with your skin’s outer layer, which is mainly comprised of dead skin cells. Known as the Maillard reaction, it creates compounds that turn the cells brown. The Maillard reaction causes oxidative stress – a type of damage much like you’d get from pollution or even sunbathing – in the superficial layers of skin. In other words, fake tans may cause lines, wrinkles and sagging by damaging the skin – which users wanted to avoid by staying out of the sun”

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

Foreign pronunciation woes

In Korea, I would try to be my polite Canadian self and hold doors open for people. Koreans, who have a tendency to all rush at doors at the same time, seemed to find this holding a door open for a person thing, at best, confusing and at worst it alarmed them. “Why is that big nosed foreigner letting me go before him? Is he going to stab me with an HIV infected needle when I turn my back?”

Mostly, however, they just didn’t even know what you were doing or understand the subtle body language of “oh, that person is slowing and and positioning himself to hold the door open for me, so I’ll move my body in a slighting different way to get through a door that’s about to be held open for me.”

Anyway, I learned to say “Please, after you” or “please go first” which was something like “munja ga seh yo”. Great. So for a couple years I’d say “munja ga seh yo” as I held the door open for a person. I still got curious looks.

One day my Korean GF heard me say “munja ga seh yo”.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Please, go first.”

“Your pronunciation is so bad you sound like you’re saying ‘Please, let me touch you.'”

That explained the funny looks.

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

$250,000 Lamborghini spotted towing trailer of goats in Western Sydney: “If you have forked out for a $250,000 Lamborghini you would expect it to deliver on all fronts, including trailer transportation. And that’s exactly what has happened in Western Sydney, where footage has gone viral of a Lambo towing along a trailer of goats. Yes, you read that correctly, goats.

A polite man: “A man who was struggling to sleep thanks to his amorous neighbours has been branded ‘the politest neighbour in the world’ after leaving them a letter requesting they keep the noise down. The note in full reads: ‘Dear Neighbour, Hello! I want to go ahead and apologize for the awkwardness of this note. ‘However, after a few weeks of being woken up at odd hours of the night and being tired and work the next day, I feel I must write. ‘It would be really great if you would please tighten the screws on your bed. Unfortunately when your bed is “in use” it is very loud, from the bed creaking to the headboard beating against the wall.’ He continues: ‘I used to have this issue with a roommate in college and so all we did was tighten the bed screws and move the bed a bit further from the wall and the issue was solved. ‘So, if you wouldn’t mind trying that, it would be greatly appreciated.’ He signs the letter: ‘Thank you so much and again this is awkward, but had to ask. Sincerely, Your Neighbor.'”

Is this the most essential travel gadget? The portable filter that will purify dirty water ANYWHERE in the world in just 15 seconds: “The gadget is said to be so effective that it will filter out 99.9999 per cent of viruses and bacteria from the water. The Grayl has been designed with the international traveller in mind and its latest model, the Ultralight, weighs just over 300g – less than a can of coke. It claims that you can take water from sources like ‘a sketchy hotel sink in Peru or a dirty stream’ and obtain clean drinking water just by filling up the container and pushing the filter tube down. The dirty water will pass through the filter and be purified in the process so that any liquid in the inner tube should be safe to drink. Using the weight of your body, you can filter up to 2l of water per minute or 16oz (0.45l) in 15 seconds. The cartridge is composed of three components – a ‘patented electroabsorptive media’, ultra-powdered activated carbon and silver treated zeolites. The electroabsorptive works like a magnet to trap pathogens and inorganic compounds. Activated carbon filters out toxins like heavy metals”

Donald Duck is rehabilitated in Russia: “Donald Duck has been cleared of extremism in Russia after a court ordered the removal of an Oscar-winning wartime cartoon from a banned list. The eight-minute ‘Der Fuehrer’s Face’, made in 1943, featured Donald Duck in a nightmare setting, working at a munitions factory in Nazi Germany. It served as a warning to how controlling and horrendous life could be under Hitler, before Donald snapped out of his terrifying dream and was proud to be a citizen of the United States. Despite its anti-Nazi propaganda, that was deemed irrelevant in Vladimir Putin’s country where publishing any Nazi symbol – such as the swastika in the cartoon – is regarded as illegal. The cartoon will now be removed from a list of 3,700 banned items. The film’s director Jack Kinney won an Academy Award for best animated short cartoon in 1943. Within six months of the US entering the War, the Disney Company played a crucial role in making propaganda films to help the Allied effort”

Austrian city is ordered to pay £7million to the heirs of an art collector after LOSING famous artworks “An Austrian city has been ordered to pay nearly £7million to the heirs of a local art collector – after losing work belonging to their grandmother. Olga Jaeger had given a drawing and three pictures to the Lentos Art Museum in Linz on a long-term loan in 1951 – 14-years before she died. In 2006 her family asked for the return of the work, by celebrated artists Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele. But when the art museum was unable to find a drawing, the heirs took the museum and the city of Linz to court seeking compensation. Schiele and Klimt are considered to be the some of the most famous Austrian artists ever. The Supreme Court had already ruled in 2011 that the museum must pay back 100,000 euros in compensation for one of the Schiele artworks – the drawing ‘Paar’. The newest compensation ruling concerns drawing ‘Zwei Legende’ by Klimt, and the watercolour ‘Junger Mann’ and oil painting ‘Tote Stadt’ by Schiele.

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

What deep thinkers retired men are!

I mowed the lawn today, and after doing so I sat down and had a cold beer. The day was really quite beautiful, and the drink facilitated some deep thinking. My wife walked by and asked me what I was doing, and I said, “Nothing.” The reason I said “nothing” instead of saying “just thinking” is because she then would have asked, “About what?” At that point I would have had to explain that men are deep thinkers about various topics, which would lead to other questions.

Finally I pondered an age old question: Is giving birth more painful than getting kicked in the nuts? Women always maintain that giving birth is way more painful than a guy getting kicked in the nuts, but how could they know? Well, after another beer, and some more heavy deductive thinking, I have come up with an answer to that question.

Getting kicked in the nuts is more painful than having a baby, and even though I obviously couldn’t really know, here is the reason for my conclusion. A year or so after giving birth, a woman will often say, “It might be nice to have another child.” On the other hand, you never hear a guy say, “You know, I think I would like another kick in the nuts.” I rest my case. Time for another beer, and then maybe a nap.

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Snake bites dog on the penis and refuses to let go: “This is the excruciatingly painful moment a dog was bitten on the penis by a snake who just would not let go. The mutt, who appears to be standing on a path next to a field, is seen desperately trying to flee from the reptile’s clutches as it grips on to his genitals. Bowing his head to inspect the damage, the dog looks in pain as he tries to move the snake with his head. It is not clear where the video was filmed or why the person recording it did not step into help. The snake appears to have a red rope tied around its neck, but the reason for that is also unknown. The dog is also on a lead but may be tied to something out of shot.

Bikini-clad policewoman tackles and arrests pickpocket after he tried to steal her friend’s mobile phone: “An off-duty Swedish police officer gave a pickpocket the shock of his life – when she tackled him to the ground wearing only a bikini. Mikaela Kellner, a veteran of Swedish Ninja Warrior and police officer of 11 years, was sunbathing in a Stockholm park with friends when the unsuspecting pickpocket approached. It was only after he had left the group that one of her friends realised her mobile phone had vanished. ‘I just acted on instinct and didn’t think about it so much until after we had pinned him down,’ Kellner told The Local Sweden. But she confessed: ‘I would have stepped in no matter what my outfit. Had I been naked I would also have intervened. ‘Nothing will stop me.’ As well as her work as a police officer, she is a fitness enthusiast and spends her free time power-lifting and doing Crossfit. ‘He realised quite quickly that it wasn’t worth struggling.'”

Is this Britain’s most amazing make-over? Size 30 gran gets the face and body of her dreams: “A 25-stone [350lb] grandmother has finally got the glamour model body she always wanted after losing more than half of her bodyweight – and having size G breast implants – paid for by her loving husband of 24 years. Natalie King, 47, from Penzance, Cornwall, who at her heaviest was a size 30, always dreamed of becoming a pinup and even posed for London agencies in her late teens. But when the mother-of-six became pregnant for the first time at the age of 18, she put her modelling dreams aside to raise her family. With each pregnancy Natalie gained more weight until eventually she reached more than 25 stone – leaving her suffering with anxiety that left her virtually housebound. But after deciding to overhaul her unhealthy lifestyle, Natalie has shed 13 stone, dyed her hair blonde and invested in breast implants to finish off her glamorous new look.”

Two-year-old toddler sends pet pit bulls to sleep reading stories: “Bookworm River Bearde, 2, of Mission, Kansas, USA, was caught reading to sleepy pooches Ronnie, 4, and Macy, 6. As the inseparable trio lie side by side with their legs splayed on a bed, River recites pages from the children’s book ‘Farm Friends Giant Flap Book’. By the end of the video – captured by mum Jenna – both Ronnie and Macy were out for the count with their eyes closed and heads back on the pillow. Mrs Bearde said: ‘I was with River when he laid down and was planning on reading to him. ‘But he wanted to read to Macy and Ronnie and they quickly started falling asleep. ‘By the time he finished reading the book their eyes were shut tightly. ‘Only then would River let me read to him and pretty soon he was snoozing next to them. ‘River will read to anyone who will sit down with him”

Can YOU see what’s wrong with this map? Tricky teaser will put your geography knowledge to the test: “Do you know your USA from your Canada and Latvia from Lithuania? If the answer to that is a resounding yes, then check out this quiz. But how quickly can you do it? Five countries have switched places in this map of the world

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

A car worth $2 million on eBay

1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Special Roadster

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Mobility scooter races in Scotland: “Thrill-seeking pensioners summoned up the spirit of Dastardly and Muttley in Arbroath on Saturday. Mobility scooters whizzed around at speeds of up to 8mph during a wacky races funded by the Arbroath COPD Group. The town’s Low Common resembled the Monaco Grand Prix street circuit as drivers pitted their wits against each other. The Arbroath Mobility Scooter Wacky Races included activities aimed at giving confidence to both novice and advanced mobility scooter users. The first of its kind in Scotland, it featured learner driving training to all mobility scooter users, wacky races and time trials. Whilst the day was primarily aimed at mobility scooter users who may be disabled or elderly, there were also events for children.”

Selfie-related deaths in 2016: “In January this year a 19-year-old student fell to her death from the top of a 20-story apartment building in Manila Philippines, while taking a selfie. Her classmate told media that, “she was not satisfied with the photos they had taken so she decided to climb up the parapet wall”. A 16-year-old boy was killed by a passenger train while taking a selfie with an approaching train in Chennai, India. According to reports: “The teen reportedly walked in front of the train and waited for it to come closer before taking the photo”. In February this year, three students of Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences drowned after falling in an irrigation canal in Hulivana village, 180 km from Bengaluru, India, reportedly while they were taking selfies. In April 2016, Manjeet Chowdhary climbed a rock fountain at a zoo in Hyderabad, India, apparently to take a selfie. The 16 year old slipped, fell into the water and may have hit his head on a rock. He was taken to hospital where his death was recorded. At a local wildlife park in the city of Rongcheng, Shangdong province in China, a businessman was drowned by a walrus after taking several selfies and videos with the animal”

Revolutionary twice-daily pill can slow the progress of Alzheimer’s: “Scientists say they have been able to significantly slow the rate of mental decline in patients who took the twice-daily pill. The drug, called LMTX, even slows the rate at which the brain shrinks in dementia patients, according to results presented at the world’s largest Alzheimer’s conference. In some cases, patients have shown extraordinary recoveries, the researchers said. The drug’s inventor, Professor Claude Wischik of Aberdeen University, said the ‘remarkable results’ will allow him to apply for a drugs licence as soon as next year. The drug approaches the problem in a completely different way to other treatments, being the first to target the ‘tangles’ of proteins that destroy nerve cells in the brain. It dissolves the protein, which is called ‘tau’, and stops more tangles forming.

Expensive US military equipment dumped at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean after the Second World War: “It’s called Million Dollar Point – an apt title for a treasure trove of US military equipment left dumped at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean after the Second World War. Amazing pictures have revealed the stash – and huge waste – of vehicles and other apparatus in waters off the island paradise of Vanuatu. The US military had been using Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu, as a base to launch attacks on the Japanese. The wreckage includes, bulldozers, jeeps, trucks, semi-trailers, fork lifts, tractors, clothing, corrugated iron and even Coke bottles. The US failed to come to a deal with locals to buy the equipment and it was deemed cheaper to dump in the ocean rather than transport it back to the US. However, there are conflicting accounts of this process, with some questioning why some of the civilian items, which accounted for the majority of the items, were not given to locals, known as the ni-Vanuatu people, who might have appreciated them”

Would you drink nine week old milk? Scientists create process to prolong shelf life: “Milk is usually drinkable for one or two weeks after the ‘sell-by’ date. However, a team of researchers has now eliminated 99 percent of the bacteria left behind after the dairy product is pasteurized and tacked on several weeks to its shelf life. By increasing the milk’s temperature by 10 degrees Celsius for just one second, they added seven more weeks to the usual life span of refrigerated milk – for a grand total of nine weeks. The traditional method of pasteurization calls for high-temperature, for a short-time, but Purdue’s study did just the opposite. The low-temperature, short-time (LTST) sprayed tiny droplets of pasteurized milk through a heated, pressurized chamber that rapidly raises and lowers the temperature of the milk about 10 degrees Celsius. Panelists did not detect differences in color, aroma, taste or aftertaste between the products”

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

Italian confusion

I was in Munich (München, in German), on transfer from Italy to UK.

At the passports check, the officer asked me a question out of curiosity:

Officer: “How do you pronounce München in Italian?”

Me: “Monaco”

Officer: “and how do you pronounce Monaco then?” (meaning the Principality of Monaco)

Me, smiling: “The same: Monaco”

Officer (looking puzzled): “And how do you distinguish them then?”

Me: “Sometimes we specify ‘Monaco di Baviera’ and ‘Monaco Principato’, but most of the times we don’t and the listener gets confused”

Officer: “So do I!”

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Woman flaunts herelf in a VERY small pair of shorts to tests men’s reactions: “A woman set out to test people’s reactions to her ‘big booty’ – with somewhat disturbing results. The stunt, which was filmed by YouTube pranksters DengisV and JasonMoments on their Immature Life channel, sees Kaysheen Whiteley flaunting her derrière. Wearing a pair of skimpy shorts, she walks through a London park on a summer’s day – leaving many passersby speechless. The American pranksters filmed the video in Hyde Park last week, and the camera caught several sunseekers gawping at the 24-year-old, who is dressed in a tight white vest and eye-wateringly short grey sports shorts. One jealous woman gives her male companion a slap around the face as he appears unable to take his eyes off the scantily-clad passerby, blasting: ‘What the f***?’ One man alerts his friend to the sight with a frantic pat on the back -and in one particularly harrowing scene, a man sitting on a bench appears to pleasure himself while taking a picture on his phone. Another gawper is seen recording a detailed video, first following Kaysheen around and then watching her from afar – and even women can’t seem to resist taking a snap. In another hilarious moment, one man almost falls off his scooter after spotting Kaysheen”

Do Easter Island’s statues hold the secrets of the fountain of youth?: “Rapamycin is a bacterial by-product found in the soil at Easter Island. It’s been nearly 50 years since scientists first discovered the natural drug hiding within the soil at Easter Island, and now, it’s been hailed by some as the ‘fountain of youth.’ These ‘anti-aging’ capabilities have been demonstrated across a range of organisms, from fruit flies and mice, to dogs and even humans – but, researchers warn that for long-term use, these results might come at a price. It is already used in transplant patients to prevent organ rejection and scientists say it can improve learning and help treat cognitive decline. However, it comes with some serious side effects. For instance, the compound suppresses the immune system and makes patients vulnerable to any viruses and bacteria. The existing version of the drug also increases the risk of cancer and would need to be modified before using in human trials”

‘I write to you to ask a simple task of you’: “On top of their duties of delivering and sorting the mail, postmen can now add spider removal to their list of tasks. In an emotional plea, one arachnophobic has written to their postman, begging him to remove a spider on the mailbox that is holding their mail hostage. The picture of the letter even features a handy diagram of the spider to help the postman with its removal. The letter’s author attempts to butter-up the postie before addressing the task at hand. ‘Beholder of parcels, bringer of utility bills,’ it reads. ‘I write to you on this day to ask a simple task of you. Living on the right side of my mailbox is a spider, seemingly holding my mail hostage. ‘If you could remove him for me, either by relocation or brutal murder, I would be forever in your debt.’ While there have been no updates as to whether ‘Operation Spider Removal’ was a success, no doubt the postie’s years of experience avoiding disgruntled guard dogs came in handy.

‘World’s largest air purifier’ to be put in Chinese capital to tackle notorious air pollution: “Take a trip from Beijing’s International Airport into the centre of town and you’re more than likely to encounter familiar scenes of the capital’s smog problems. However in years to come, the Chinese capital may surprise visitors with its blue skies and clean air. Daan Roosegaarde, a Dutch artist and innovator, has invented a giant seven-metre-tall (23 feet) air purifier that is set to be tested this coming September in the city with 21 million residents. By working with the 37-year-old inventor, the Chinese government is hoping that blue skies will once again come to Beijing, which is ten times the size of London and is regularly troubled by air pollution. The colossal device, named Smog Free Tower, is the largest air purifier in the world, claims Studio Roosegaarde. It can collect pollutants, process them and then condenses it into cubes measuring around four centimetres (1.6 inches)”

Motorist mistakenly drives their red hatchback down a flight of stairs into a building and gets stuck : “A bright red hatchback somehow became stuck halfway down a flight of stairs on a busy central business district street. About 4pm on Monday afternoon in Brisbane the vehicle became stuck on the landing of a set of stairs after it appeared the driver took a wrong turn. Images from the scene show the car appeared to have received minimal damage in the incident, but passers-by were confused about how it got to the strange location, Quest Community Newspapers reported. One person who had stopped to snap a picture of the vehicle suggested the driver had mistaken the pedestrian walkway above the steps for a driveway. Eventually, the car, which was stuck at 180 Turbot Street, was pulled free of the stairs.”

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

Too modern to sit on?

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Family wake up to find a saltwater crocodile left in their bathroom by a home invader: “A family who awoke to find someone had come into their house overnight and smuggled a saltwater crocodile into their bathroom thought it was a joke. Coralie Myers, 16, realised the 1.7 metre crocodile was in the bathroom of her Bees Creek, Darwin home early on Monday morning, and passed it off as a prank from a family member. ‘I didn’t want to go to close it but I really needed to go to the bathroom (it was) lucky we had another one in the house — only in Darwin.’ The reptile’s jaws had been bound but was otherwise unrestricted. ‘The croc didn’t creep me out, the fact someone came in to our house freaked me out,’ Coralie told The NT News. Senior wildlife ranger Tom Nichols said the creature was a female and in ill health. He said interfering with a crocodile was an offence. It was caught and taken to a farm.”

Bushwalkers rescue a dog from freezing waters in a rock pool – name her Miss Piggy and reunite her with her owner: “A group of bushwalkers have taken the internet by storm after rescuing a lost dog stuck in freezing waters in rugged bushland and reuniting her with her owner. ‘As we walked along the creek bed, we noticed a disturbance in one of the deep pools ahead,’ she wrote. ‘Thinking it might be a roo or a platypus, we approached quietly, only to see this forlorn little face looking back. It was honestly the saddest sight.’ They looped a rope around her head and shoulders and dragged her from the water. ‘It was completely exhausted from it’s attempts to struggle out of the deep section it had fallen into, and there’s no way it would’ve survived the night,’ Dangerm0use wrote. The group put together a makeshift harness using a large stick and a bag for Miss Piggy to sit in as they carried her through the bush. ‘I posted on a FB page for lost pets in the area surrounding where we’d found her, and miraculously, got a message about 30 mins later”

Siberian wildcats driven to the brink of extinction by predators and poachers hunting their fur: “Rare images of a wildcat on the brink of extinction have been caught by animal protection volunteers in Siberia. The endangered Pallas’s wildcats have been hunted by poachers for their fur which can be sold on the black market to be made into mittens. Native to remote regions of southern Siberia, as well as Central Asia and China, they are seldom seen, and known for their reclusive and solitary lives. ‘They are secretive and do not like to be seen, making these images rather special,’ reported The Siberian Times. This cat was caught on camera a whisker away from an animal camera trap as it surveyed the scene in the Altai Nature Reserve in mountainous southern Siberia. The short-clawed, cave-dwelling wildcat is listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature where it has the status of ‘near threatened'”

Girl, 7, who wrote to David Cameron because she was ‘sad he had to quit his job’ receives a kind reply from the former PM : “A bright seven-year-old who was upset when David Cameron resigned wrote to the former PM to tell him ‘I will miss you being Prime Minister’ – and received a response just a few weeks later. Charlotte McLellan wrote to Mr Cameron after he left his role as leader of the country following the Brexit vote and said she was ‘sad you have quit your job’. The intelligent youngster, described as ‘quite an individual’ by her mum, Nicola, was warned she might not receive a reply but was thrilled when Mr Cameron wrote back to tell her he was ‘profoundly grateful’ for her support. Nursery nurse Nicola, 36, who lives in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with Charlotte, Charlotte’s nine-year-old sister, Ruby and her husband, Andrew, 36, said Charlotte decided to write the letter herself. Charlotte said: ‘I always looked up to him as my leader. I always liked his speeches and what he was talking about. Nicola said she wasn’t surprised with Charlotte’s letter as she’s quite an affectionate little girl”

China unveils world’s largest float plane: “China has completed production of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft which will be used to fight forest fires and perform marine rescues. The aircraft, dubbed the AG600, is around the size of a Boeing 737 – far larger than any other plane built to take off and land on water. It has a maximum flight range of 2,800 miles and can collect 12 tonnes of water in 20 seconds. Its maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes. The production is the latest effort in the country’s program to wean itself off dependence on foreign aviation firms. The Chinese plane, which is targeted at the domestic market, will be ‘very useful in developing and exploiting marine resources,’ local media reported, adding that it could be used for ‘environmental monitoring, resource detection and transportation’. Despite a history of delays and problems, China’s aviation industry has made rapid progress in the last year. It rolled out the C919, China’s first domestically developed narrow-body passenger plane, in November last year”

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

Logical

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Australia: Wild dogs set to be the environmental saviour of reef island: “A Queensland council is releasing dingoes onto a Great Barrier Reef island to kill feral goats that are destroying its endangered ecosystem. The four wild dogs, two of which have already been released on Pelorus Island, will not have a chance to become pests themselves, as they have been implanted with a time-activated poison, Hinchinbrook Shire Council said. The council manages Pelorus Island, part of the Palm Island group, which lies 15 kilometres off the coast between Townsville and Cairns. The rugged, four-square-kilometre island is home to rare littoral rainforest that is being eaten away by 300 feral goats, the council’s chief pest officer, Matt Buckman, said. Mr Jayo said previous exercises — “such as trying to trap [the goats] or trying to shoot them” — had proven close to impossible because of the difficult terrain. “We’ve also tried aerial shooting but the problem is there’s so much vegetation up on top that we can’t get a clear shot”

Council tickets ‘legally parked car’ after switching sign to ‘no stopping’: “Parking signs can be confusing at the best of times, but imagine leaving your car safely in a permit zone only to return to find it is under a no-stopping sign with a ticket on the windscreen. This is what North Melbourne resident Mark Anderson says happened to him when Melbourne City Council switched parking signs without warning. And, he says, he has the GPS data to prove it. Mr Anderson says he parked his Volkswagen Polo on Leveson Street about 3.30pm on Sunday, June 5. On Thursday, June 9, he was shocked to discover he had been stung with a $152 fine after a no-stopping sign had been erected in front of the spot because of roadworks. He wrote to the council to dispute the fine, expecting it to be overturned. Instead, he was told council records showed his car hadn’t been parked in the spot when the signs were changed at 5am on June 8. He could either pay the fine or fight it in court. He has a GPS tracker installed in the car and he says this has provided proof his car was parked in the bay when the signs were changed”

British mechanic goes on 15,000 MILE round trip from London to Mongolia to carry out a 10-minute repair with an £87 part: “A mechanic took customer service to a new level by going on a 15,000 mile round trip from London to Mongolia – to carry out a 10-minute repair with an £87 part. Dedicated Bentley specialist William Medcalf took two flights and then drove through the desert for more than seven hours to help stricken client Bill Cleyndert. Mr Cleyndert was taking part in the Peking to Paris motoring rally when a wheel bearing failed on his 1924 Bentley Super Sports. He was just two days into the journey in China and with no parts available his only hope was Mr Medcalf, who had prepared the car ahead of the 8,500 mile drive. After quickly sourcing the £87 part he set off from his base in West Sussex. After reaching their remote camp at 7.30am, he simply removed the wheel and replaced the bearing in a job lasting no more than 10 minutes”

Around the world in 11 days: Russian Orthodox priest, 65, sets new record after flying non-stop in hot-air balloon: “A Russian Orthodox priest has entered the record books after enduring 11 days of freezing temperatures and ferocious storms to become the fastest person to fly solo around the world in a hot air balloon. However, Fedor Konyukhov was less interested in his historic achievement and more excited by the prospect of his first shower in almost two weeks after he touched down in the Australian outback on Saturday. His 56-metre (184-foot) tall helium and hot air balloon had begun its journey 11 days and six hours earlier, starting out in Perth, before heading across Australia, over the South Pacific to Chile, Argentina and Uruguay before reaching Brazil on day seven. It would be the last time the intrepid explorer would see dry land again until he arrived on the Western coast of Australia today”

Man is arrested after attempting to STEAL the Olympic torch on the streets of Sao Paulo: “This is the shocking moment a man tried to steal the Olympic flame while it was passing through the Brazilian town of Guarulhos, in Sao Paulo. The man was arrested by officers from the National Public Security Force after lunging out at the torch this morning. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, tried to steal the flame on the Salgado Filho Avenue in the centre of Guarulhos. The incident did not affect the route which is expected to continue into the centre of Sao Paulo tomorrow. The suspect, dressed in black, lunges for the flame before being swiftly knocked to the ground. He slams into a female police officer, injuring her in the head, just a few paces in front of the torch bearer. Police officers then carry the man off the route and the torch procession continues”

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

What the signs really say

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Top violinist says he is being extorted by porn star ex-girlfriend who’s suing him for $12m: “A world-famous violinist who is being sued by his porn star ex-girlfriend claims in a counter-suit she is a gold-digging extortionist after she accused him of forcing her to drink his urine. David Garrett, who is a Julliard-trained violinist, is being sued for $12million by his ex, 28-year-old Ashley Youdan. The brunette who works under the name Kendall Karson, claims in her civil court filing that Garrett, 35, forced her into rough sex that caused her to break a rib, wanted to hire a sex slave, had sex with transsexuals and used cocaine. Garrett met Youdan through The Luxury Companion, a Los Angeles escort service, in 2014, according to his counter-suit that was filed in a Manhattan court. The world famous violinist became ‘enamored,’ and Youdan started calling herself his fiancée despite his claim there was never a formal proposal for marriage”

Tiny house in Japan: “An extraordinary triangular house has been designed to allow a family to go effortlessly about their lives despite it being no wider than a parking space at one end. The space-saving two-storey project features modern decor throughout with plenty of natural light and even boasts a spare room. Crammed into the tiny 312.9 square foot (29.07 square metres) is a kitchen-diner, living room, bedroom, bathroom, play area and hallway. It was built at the end of a dead-end road on a acute triangular plot which is crossed by a river and another road in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. It even has a allocated parking, a spare room and loft space, the latter is being used as a play area. The building design was led by Kota Mizuishi head of the Mizuishi Architect Atelier firm. The 43-year-old designed the wooden, steel and aluminum structure between March 2010 and November 2010 and it was built in just four months from December that year to March 2011”

Unusual Japanese bikini: “If you thought you’d seen some racy bikinis this summer, brace yourself. A string-thin ‘bikini’ is taking the internet by storm having just landed in Japan as it’s hailed the hottest new piece of swimwear in the Far East this summer. The two-piece, by fashion house Buyma, lets wearers show a very generous amount of ‘under-boob’ and just about covers their nipples. Not only does the bikini top not encase the wearer’s breasts properly – like a bikini is supposed to – but it features a lot of unnecessary criss-cross straps across the chest and cleavage – as if to accentuate its lack of support in other, more vital areas. The bottom half, on the other hand, shows everything except your most intimate body part. It features a tiny piece of material at the front and widely spaces straps which encase your bottom – leaving your cheeks showing fully. Women in Japan are snapping up the bondage-inspired swimsuits from Pocket Tokyo, where it retails for around £28”

Is this the most bungled robbery ever?: “An alleged armed robbery went awry at a pharmacy on Thursday night when one of the men accidentally sprayed himself with pepper spray and his accomplice cut himself with a knife. One of the men walked into the pharmacy in Shoalwater, south of Perth, just before 6pm on Thursday and took several items and ran out of the store, police said. The second man then joined him and the pair were running through a shopping centre parking lot when the pharmacist caught up with them, police said. When the pharmacist confronted them, one of the men tried to spray him with pepper spray but the can was turned around the wrong way and he accidentally sprayed himself. The second man pulled out a knife but pharmacy staff told ABC that he ended up cutting himself. The men, aged 18 to 21, then fled on foot.

Fisherman enjoys a day out on the river – but something seems to be slowing him down: “At first glance it is difficult to spot anything wrong with this idyllic image of a fisherman enjoying a day out on an Australian river. But closer inspection of the baffling photo reveals one major, hilarious flaw. The photo was posted to the Barra Jacks fishing page with the invitation to spot what was wrong. Although the picture took some studying, many users eventually picked up that the keen fisherman had left his boat attached to the trailer. What was more baffling to many was not the photo, but how the mistake was made in the first place. ‘I’m racking my brain to figure out how someone could manage that,’ one commenter said. Another user was a little more blunt, saying: ‘Hahaha this **** still got the trailer on.’

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

More 1950s postcard humor

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Researchers find ‘irrelevant’ scribbles in Leonardo da Vinci’s notebook actually reveal the moment he first recorded the laws of friction: “He may be known for masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, but Leonardo di Vinci was also a man who envisioned ideas long before there was technology to build them. A new detailed study of notes and sketches in a one of his famous notebooks has found exactly where da Vinci first recorded the laws of friction. Previously deemed as ‘irrelevant’ by art historians, the 1493 document illustrates square blocks being pulled by a string which passes over a pulley that suspends a circular weight. Professor Ian Hutchings from the University of Cambridge was the expert to realize there is more to these scribbles than what was first believed. Hutchings describes them in his study, which illustrates ‘three square blocks being pulled to the left by a string which passes over a pulley and from which a circular weight is suspended.’ There is also a head of a an old woman by the words ‘cosa bella mortal passa e non dura’, which is translated as ‘mortal beauty passes and does not endure.’

Seal offers up a starfish in its mouth like a dog with a ball: “Seals are often called the ‘dogs of the sea’ but this one went out of his way to prove the similarities between his species and man’s best friend. Swimming in waters near Simonis Town, South Africa, the seal picked up a starfish with his mouth and presented it to a British diver as a gift. The underwater pictures show the seal swimming around with the diver, chewing on kelp and orange sponge before he picked up the starfish. The seal then brought the animal over to the diver, playing with it like a dog uses a chew toy. The images were captured by Manchester underwater photographer Caroline Robertson-Brown. Seals mostly eat fish but they will consume just about any type of meat they can get including squid, octopus, and shellfish. They normally swallow their food whole suggesting that this seal had no intention of eating the embattled starfish”

Forms of HIV carried by chimpanzees can infect HUMANS: Study supports theory AIDS epidemic started in primates: “The first strain of a virus considered the ancestor of HIV – the virus that causes AIDS – may have been passed to humans through a bite wound or scratch from a hunted chimpanzee whose blood seeped into a small cut. Experts believe it was passed to humans in the early 1900s, somewhere near a West African rainforest. Now a study has backed up this theory, by proving forms of HIV can cross between chimps and humans. The AIDS epidemic began in a rainforest in southeastern Cameroon in 1908 and not more than 70 years later when the virus started to be recognized in the early 1980s. For a book out earlier this year, which is subtitled ‘How AIDS emerged from an African forest’, David Quammen traced the history of AIDS by examining genetic samples from humans and chimps”

Chinese tear down Tibetan mountainside ‘city’ that’s home to 10,000 Buddhist monks and nuns: “Chinese government workers are dismantling buildings and evicting residents at Larung Gar, one of the world’s largest centers of Tibetan Buddhist learning, according to overseas-based Tibetan groups. London-based Free Tibet said government workers began removing residential buildings and evicting people who live at the academy, which sits 12,500ft up in western Sichuan province, on Thursday morning. Several exile Tibetan groups have said local authorities distributed an order in June to reduce the number of monks and nuns living there by half to 5,000, citing overcrowding concerns. The order also sought a clear separation between genuine monks and nuns studying at the site and lay people residing there, according to pro-Tibetan groups, which have characterized the government move as an attempt to better manage religious activity in the area.” [Note that this was in China, not Tibet]

Jonahs: “A couple whose wedding was ruined when the ceiling collapsed at their reception are now stranded in Malta after booking their honeymoon through collapsed travel company Low Cost Holidays. Keith and Sharon Clark’s wedding ended in disaster when they and another couple tying the knot that day had to be evacuated along with all their guests from Dundee’s Queens Hotel. Following their night of drama, the new Mr and Mrs Clark, from Aberdeen, hoped to forget their ruined reception and jetted off to Malta on Tuesday for a week’s honeymoon. Upon arriving at their hotel however, the couple received the devastating news that because holiday provider, Low Cost Travel, had ceased trading their booked and paid for accommodation was no longer available. The couple have to raid their spending money to fund accommodation and food and are now left with nothing till they fly home next week”

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

In an era of “gender fluidity”

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THE NEWS

Odd news from around the world

Australia: Gold bullion worth $20,000 found in backyard in Kiama on NSW south coast: “Police have launched a public appeal to find the owner of $20,000 of gold bullion after a woman found it in her backyard on the state’s south coast. The woman discovered the gold in a package at her Kiama property last week and handed it in to police at Lake Illawarra police station last Thursday, July 14. Lake Illawarra Sergeant Jason Harrison said he was appealing for the gold’s owner to come forward, but he would be unable to describe its unique appearance. “I’m not going to describe the gold any further other than it is described as gold bullion and someone that is missing gold would be able to give us more details about possibly what it was contained in and how it might be formed,” Sergeant Harrison said. Sergeant Harrison said the bullion may not even come from the Kiama area and was possibly stolen and dumped or dropped in the backyard by the thief.”

‘Surprise! You’ve been drinking my breast milk!’: Woman gets revenge on office thief who stole her ‘cream’ from the fridge: “Writing notes on sandwiches or hiding food down the back of the fridge – they’ve long been a common workplace tactic to ensure your food doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. But as one woman found out recently, that doesn’t stop everyone. After discovering that a sneaky colleague had been stealing some ‘cream’ to add to their morning coffee all week, the woman decided to enjoy the last laugh. Placing a note on the bottle in the fridge, she let the office thief know that what they were using wasn’t cream, but was in fact her very own breastmilk. Posting a photo of her revenge to Reddit, the unidentified woman clearly enjoyed breaking the news to the unauthorised user that they had got more than they’d bargained for”

Miracle of teacher, 39, who survived when her car was crushed between two trucks: “A teacher whose car was crushed so badly that emergency services did not realise she was inside has told how she miraculously cheated death. Katie Holt’s VW Golf was mangled into such a small space that the recovery crews did not spot that it was there at first – let alone that she was trapped inside. The 39-year-old, who has just become a mother for the first time, was cut from the wreckage and airlifted to hospital where she was treated for skull and back fractures and a broken left arm. She spent ten days in hospital in December 2014 before returning home, and it took around two months for her to get her memory back and learn to walk again. The driver of the skip hire truck which hit her pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and got six penalty points. She has now received an undisclosed settlement from the insurers of the skip company after bosses admitted liability”

Man finds woman LIVING in his attic – who insists it’s actually HER house: “Davis Wahlman was stunned when he heard rustling around in the upper levels of his Green Lake, Washington home Monday night, and pulled on the door to his office, only to find it locked. In the unusual position of knocking on a door in his own home, he knocked a few times before a woman called out, ‘Jimmy? Is that you, Jimmy?’ according to KOMO. Minutes earlier, Wahlman had also heard rummaging around in his attic, and thought that was strange. But things got even more odd when the noises moved to his office, and then a dark-haired woman opened the door and Wahlman was confronted with the face of a total stranger. The woman then, according to the startled homeowner, insisted it was actually her house. ‘This is my house. I live here. I’ve been here for three days. Jimmy said I could live here, Jimmy said I could stay here,’ he said the woman told him. Wahlman, who had dialed 911 as soon as he heard someone in his office, tried to keep the woman engaged until police could arrive, but because Wahlman says they took almost 20 minutes to get there, the woman absconded before cops showed up.

Facebook flies internet plane: “Aquila is a high-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned solar-powered airplane. The wings are made from a cured carbon fiber that is stronger than steel for the same mass of material. Aquila has a wingspan bigger than a Boeing 737 airplane but weighs hundreds of times less(about a third of an electric car), because of its unique design and carbon-fiber frame. Aquila flies on solar power during the day and battery power at night. About half of Aquila’smass is devoted to batteries. At 60,000 feet, Aquila’s efficient aerodynamics allow it to loiter using approximately 5,000 Watts of power, about as much as three hair dryers. The batteries must supply that load for a longwinter night: up to 13 or 14 hours. The solar-powered aircraft is designed to beam internet access to hundreds of millions of people in hard-to-reach areas around the globe. However, Zuckerberg said the firm will not build the drones itself. ‘What we want to do is prove that this works, and then figure out ways to license the technology or give it away so that telcos and governments and nonprofits and crisis areas can offer this.’

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