News Weird News Compilation

[fresh_42]

Astronomers in China Claim Possible Detection of 'Extraterrestrial Civilizations'​

https://www.sciencealert.com/china-...spicious-signals-in-its-search-for-alien-life

That's crackpottery on a completely new level!

 

[berkeman]

https://www.sciencealert.com/china-...spicious-signals-in-its-search-for-alien-life

I find this a bit ironic...

Astronomers at Beijing Normal University...

 

[hmmm27]

Somewhere, a few billion years ago, a level 4 Kardashian (wait... that doesn't sound right) radio-interactive species parent is/was giving their teenager sh*t for blaring the music too loud.

 

[strangerep]

I find this a bit ironic... [Beijing Normal University]

Careful! Glass houses and all that.

See this.

 

[pinball1970]

Astronomers in China Claim Possible Detection of 'Extraterrestrial Civilizations'​

https://www.sciencealert.com/china-...spicious-signals-in-its-search-for-alien-life

That's crackpottery on a completely new level!

Science alert has been named as a Predatory site. Give them your money and they will publish it. I still use it for main stuff, just bearing that in mind.

Talking of nuts...NASAs next big project? UFO study. Yes, that's what i thought.

The video below is great, I ended up watching all 27 minutes but it is time stamped.

A great section on memory, culture and also the length and cost of the project.

 

[Bystander]

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tennessee-officials-warn-against-fentanyl-laced-dollar-bills/
Seen this, anyone?

 

[nsaspook]

https://restofworld.org/2022/dall-e-mini-women-in-saris/
DALL·E mini has a mysterious obsession with women in saris

 

[Hornbein]

https://restofworld.org/2022/axie-infinity-hack/

The Axie Infinity Hack. This is so 21st century I can't quite follow the story. Weirder than science fiction.

Weirder

 

[nsaspook]

https://restofworld.org/2022/axie-infinity-hack/

The Axie Infinity Hack. This is so 21st century I can't quite follow the story. Weirder than science fiction.

Weirder

On March 23, the hackers had made off with $620 million worth of cryptocurrency – the biggest heist in crypto history. Sky Mavis hadn’t noticed the money missing until six days after it was taken.

Sounds pretty fishy to me.

 

[berkeman]

And in one of the weirder cases of arson...

https://www.firehouse.com/community...rsonist-hits-wyoming-county-ny-fd-burn-houses

Jun. 22—Two houses in Wyoming County that volunteer firefighters use for training were scheduled to be burned down after the exercises were complete.

Authorities say an arsonist beat them to it. And they are eager to learn who that is.

Those two fires in the town of Orangeville and Wethersfield and a third at a silo in Orangeville are all being investigated as arsons.

"There's nothing solid yet, but we're turning over every stone," said Bill Streicher, fire coordinator for the Wyoming County Office of Emergency Services. "We're looking into every angle and possible scenario."

The fires were all reported in the 11 p.m. hour on successive Saturdays in June.

 

[kyphysics]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/amid-attacks-thefts-retail-workers-174956439.html

There was the customer who stomped on the face of a private security guard. Then the one who lit herself on fire inside a store. The person who drank gasoline and the one who brandished an ax. An intoxicated shopper who pelted a worker with soup cans. A shoplifter who punched a night manager twice in the head and then shot him in the chest.

And there was the shooting that killed 10 people, including three workers, at the King Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, in March 2021. Another shooting left 10 more people dead at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store last month.

In her 37 years in the grocery industry, said Kim Cordova, a union president in Colorado, she had never experienced the level of violence that her members face today.

Has anyone noticed an uptick in "weird" stuff like this in your area?

 

[jack action]

https://nypost.com/2021/01/26/wife-stabs-husband-after-seeing-old-pics-of-them-having-sex-report/

 

[kyphysics]

Seriously, that is tremendously sad. ^^^

 

[pinball1970]

View attachment 303503​

https://nypost.com/2021/01/26/wife-stabs-husband-after-seeing-old-pics-of-them-having-sex-report/

Really!

 

[Astronuc]

• An American Airlines passenger spent nearly four hours trying to rebook his seats over the phone.
• He eventually gave up and drove 45 minutes to the ticket counter at Denver airport, per The WSJ.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-passenger-drove-45-104554777.html

 

[Borg]

At least he didn't have to fly to the airport.

 

[fresh_42]

Honi soit qui mal y pense​

Reports: Flyers prospect Fedotov detained in Russia for allegedly evading military duties​

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/articl...russia-for-allegedly-evading-military-duties/

Russian national ice hockey player Ivan Fedotov, who was arrested for allegedly refusing to do military service, will probably be transferred to a military base on the Arctic island of Novaya Zemlya.

 

[Astronuc]

Largely due to a clerical error, a worker was paid a much larger sum back in May. The company (Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos (CIAL)) accidentally paid him 165,398,851 Chilean pesos, which is $174,182. This is about 330 times his regular salary—though other sources report 286 times his salary.

https://scoop.upworthy.com/his-comp...alary-so-he-promptly-resigned-and-disappeared

the company's human resources department picked up on the error and CIAL reached out to the employee to discuss his mistaken wage. Chilean legal documents claim, "He was informed and clarified that this money did not correspond to the payment of any service." Initially, the employee agreed to go to his bank the next morning to sort out the repayment but he then failed to show up to work and went on to disappear completely.

His employers were unable to contact him, despite reaching out to the employee multiple times via telephone, text and the messaging app WhatsApp. On June 2, nonetheless, the worker made contact to tender his resignation. Having heard nothing else from the former employee, the firm has launched legal action against him to try and get the excess pay back. Thus far, no arrests have been made and legal authorities in Chile are still on the hunt for the unnamed worker.

The worker is receiving support from many on social media.

 

[jack action]

The art of wasting everybody's time and resources:

Couple fined $1,500 for parking in own driveway​

The Craines told ABC-affiliate KGO-TV that the San Francisco Planning Department is enforcing a decades-old section of code that bans motor vehicles of all kinds from being parked on a carpad or setback in front of a house unless it's accompanied by a garage or cover.

[...]

The Craines believe the space has been used for parking since the house was built in 1910. So the planning department told the couple that the city would waive the fine if they could prove that the lot has historically been used for parking.

The Craines dug up a photo of their daughter from 34 years ago, where their car is just visible in the driveway -- but officials said the photo wasn't old enough.

Then, after a lot of Googling, they found a blurry aerial photo from 1938 that shows a car -- or a possibly a horse-and-buggy -- pulling into the driveway of the home. But the planning department says they never were shown this photo and will reconsider Craines' parking plight.

"The 1938 aerial photo shown in ABC 7’s segment was never shared with the Department," Daniel A. Sider, the chief of staff at the San Francisco Planning Department, told ABC News. "The first we learned of it was during Friday’s broadcast. To that end, we’re reopening the matter and hope to have more clarity in the coming days."

The planning department was alerted to the Craines' use of their driveway by an anonymous complaint that was lodged against the Craines and two of their neighbors, who were also tagged with the same violation.

 

[Borg]

Somebody at BMW should have a flame put under their butt for this idea.

BMW is selling a subscription plan for seat warmers — for $17 a month​

What next? A subscription to actually drive the car that you bought?

 

[Hornbein]

Somebody at BMW should have a flame put under their butt for this idea.

BMW is selling a subscription plan for seat warmers — for $17 a month​

What next? A subscription to actually drive the car that you bought?

You will own nothing and you will be happy.

 

[Jodo]

First meat pies now dumplings!?

https://torontosun.com/news/world/russian-cannibal-sold-human-flesh-to-mom-who-made-dumplings

 

[Hornbein]

First meat pies now dumplings!?

https://torontosun.com/news/world/russian-cannibal-sold-human-flesh-to-mom-who-made-dumplings

Was his name Titus Andronicus?

 

[Jodo]

Was his name Titus Andronicus?

Hehe, I had forgotten about that piece of Shakespeare. Poor mom ...

 

[pinball1970]

Hehe, I had forgotten about that piece of Shakespeare. Poor mom ...

I thought more of Sweeney Todd. Then again I am Mancunian.

 

[nsaspook]

Good Mustard Is Getting Hard to Find in France​

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/france-mustard-shortage

 

[Astronuc]

America tourist attempted to take a 'dramatic' selfie fell into the crater of Mt. Vesuvius - he survived with cuts, abrasions and bruises.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-tourist-falls-crater-mount-vesuvius-selfie/

 

[Hornbein]

Shocking news of India!

I knew censorship was rife, but never imagined suppression of an event on such a grand scale.

See for yourself at https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/

 

[berkeman]

(CNN) -- A man suspected of starting two fires in remote southwest Oregon was arrested, after reportedly being tied to a tree by three people until police arrived, Curry County Sheriff John Ward said in statement posted on Facebook.

The sheriff's office thanked those who assisted with controlling the fire and detaining the suspect.

"The quick actions on getting the fires out most certainly averted a catastrophe and saved lives. The total area burnt is less than one acre," the sheriff said in the release. "If the fires had not been contained and if they got out of control, they could have blocked all the residents and visitors from having an escape route."
On Monday, the sheriff's office received a call from the US Forest Service about fires burning in the far northeast portion of Curry County, according to the statement. The area can only be accessed by Bureau of Land Management and forest service roads and via the river. A BLM employee who was in the area of the blazes saw a man walking along a gravel road and starting fires, Ward said.

Dispatchers alerted local, state and federal authorities, asking for assistance with the fires and finding the man.
Ground crews -- including area residents -- got the fires controlled quickly, according to the release.

Three residents found the 30-year-old suspect, Trennon Smith, walking near the fires and detained him until police arrived, according to Ward's statement.
"It was reported that the suspect became very combative with the three residents and had to be tied to a tree to subdue him," Ward said in the release.

 

[Ibix]

Oof. Tied to a tree while people are fighting a wildfire? I hope they have a lot of evidence he actually started it...

 

[berkeman]

Yeah, I kind of wondered which tree they tied him to. Somewhere in the article it mentions that he was indeed seen walking along setting fires...

 

[berkeman]

Wait, what?

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/27/entertainment/chris-evans-dogs/index.html

@phinds -- Who's your daddy?

 

[Hornbein]

Monkeypox linked to penis swelling and rectal pain in ongoing outbreak​

https://www.newscientist.com/articl...swelling-and-rectal-pain-in-ongoing-outbreak/

 

[fresh_42]

The owner's of Northern Kentucky's Noah's Ark replica, who sued their insurers in 2019 over rain damage, plan to settle the lawsuit.

https://eu.courier-journal.com/stor...e-settle-lawsuit-over-rain-damage/5662058002/

 

[Astronuc]

An airline passenger has been fined nearly $2,000 after two undeclared egg and beef sausage McMuffins and a ham croissant were found in their luggage by an airport security dog upon arriving in Australia.

The unnamed person traveling from Indonesia to Australia was fined $2,664 Australian dollars ($1,874 in American dollars) after the trio of McDonald's breakfast sandwiches were found in their luggage on arriving at Darwin Airport, https://minister.agriculture.gov.au/watt/media-releases/darwin-detector-dog-zinta-mcmuffins

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airline-passenger-fined-nearly-2-162302473.html

I could understand raw (or unprocessed) meats, but the food was cooked! Some government policies are simply nuts (absurdly irrational).

 

[fresh_42]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airline-passenger-fined-nearly-2-162302473.html

I could understand raw (or unprocessed) meats, but the food was cooked! Some government policies are simply nuts (absurdly irrational).

The US does the same at its borders.

 

[pinball1970]

https://eu.courier-journal.com/stor...e-settle-lawsuit-over-rain-damage/5662058002/

The insurers could have gone for an 'act of god' rather than pay out surely?

 

[berkeman]

I could understand raw (or unprocessed) meats, but the food was cooked! Some government policies are simply nuts (absurdly irrational).

From a similar link: https://abc7news.com/passenger-fined-$1846-for-bringing-mcmuffins-to-australia/12094101/

The meat products were sniffed out by a newly trained biosecurity detector dog named Zinta.

Hell, even *I* could smell that in luggage! Sign me up!

The seized meat will be tested for foot and mouth disease before it is destroyed.

If it tests positive, McDonald's (or McDowell's, whichever) in Bali, Indonesia will be in more trouble than this airline passenger...

 

[Hornbein]

From a similar link: https://abc7news.com/passenger-fined-$1846-for-bringing-mcmuffins-to-australia/12094101/

Hell, even *I* could smell that in luggage! Sign me up! If it tests positive, McDonald's (or McDowell's, whichever) in Bali, Indonesia will be in more trouble than this airline passenger...

There is only one McDonalds in Bali.

In Ubud the royal family doesn't allow any chain restaurants.

 

[strangerep]

[...] Indonesia will be in more trouble than this airline passenger...

It already is.

Various Australian agencies are extremely worried about letting in FMD. See this.

@Astronuc: Alas, such vigilance is not "nuts". Not at all.

 

[mfb]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airline-passenger-fined-nearly-2-162302473.html

I could understand raw (or unprocessed) meats, but the food was cooked! Some government policies are simply nuts (absurdly irrational).

It's pretty common that you have to declare food and some countries ban meat, cooked or not.
The US doesn't allow any meat, and undeclared food products can come with a fine of up to $10,000.
The UK doesn't allow meat from outside the EU and a couple of associated countries
Germany does allow the import but you still have to declare it (when from outside the EU and a couple of associated countries). This is probably an EU-wide rule.

 

[Astronuc]

The US doesn't allow any meat,

Commercially-packaged and labelled, cooked, shelf-stable meat items in unopened packages from affected countries are allowed, with one exception.

https://www.dontpackapest.com/Can-I-Bring-It/Meat-Poultry-Seafood

I've seen customs officers confiscate sausage or pork products from EU nations. I believe the meat was raw.

 

[256bits]

I just had to post this one, especially the quote from the govner
“Um, don’t do drugs kids and don’t start spiders on fire during a drought),” Cox tweeted late Monday.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/worl...pc=U531&cvid=44bcaa8e458d4045b6fbf83691e57d17

 

[berkeman]

https://www.firehouse.com/apparatus/news/21276954/misspelled-az-fire-department-suv-recovered

 

[Ibix]

Gotta give that a lake. I mean a like.

 

[fresh_42]

Gotta give that a lake. I mean a like.

Cry me a raver!

 

[Astronuc]

Copy-paste error results in Nevada homebuyer getting 87 properties for the price of one home​

https://finance.yahoo.com/copy-paste-error-results-nevada-212533929.html

RENO, Nev. – A Nevada homebuyer literally got more than she bargained for after ending up with an entire swath of lots in a subdivision in the west-central part of the state – while buying a single-family home.

The buyer was originally purchasing a single-family home in Sparks, Nevada, valued at $594,481. However, the Washoe County (Nevada) Assessor and Washoe County Recorder’s Office had records showing the buyer gained not just the property she was buying but also 84 extra house lots – and two additional parcels – in Toll Brothers’ Stonebrook development just northeast of Reno.

The properties include several home sites that have already been built on and sold. At least 64 of the lots were put under the buyer’s name as of Saturday.

The transaction was flagged by the assessor’s office, which says it quickly notified the title company involved in the transaction.

“It appears Westminster Title out of Las Vegas may have copied and pasted a legal description from another Toll Brothers transfer when preparing (the homebuyer’s) deed for recordation,” said Cori Burke, chief deputy assessor for Washoe County.

Now that is a pretty big Ooops!

 

[fresh_42]

 

[Borg]

Italy's landmarks just can't catch a break this year.

Venice mayor slams 'idiots' for surfing on Grand Canal​

I don't know Italian but I'll bet I can figure out what imbecilli means.

 

[berkeman]

A Capuchin monkey at a California zoo dialed 911 on a cellphone, prompting San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office deputies to respond to the scene.

They quickly found that none of the humans at Zoo to You near Paso Robles had made the call — and eventually figured out that a monkey named Route was behind it, officials said.

“Apparently, Route had picked up the zoo’s cell phone... which was in the zoo’s golf cart... which is used to travel around the zoo’s 40 acre site,” the sheriff’s department said in a Facebook post.

“We’re told Capuchin monkeys are very inquisitive and will grab anything and everything and just start pushing buttons,” the post continued.

“And that’s what Route did... just so happened it was in the right combination of numbers to call us.”

https://www.firehouse.com/tech-comm...8140/monkey-grabs-phone-dials-911-from-ca-zoo