Wednesday, May 23, 2018

"News of the Weird: May 25, 2018"

From The Shepherd Express:
The Unkindest Cut of All
In Hudson, Fla., Brandon McCray, 47, came unglued on Tuesday, May 1, after discovering two of his socks missing. When suspicion fell on his roommate, Frank Smith, 53, McCray attacked him with a sword, according to WTVT. The attack continued as McCray also struck and injured two women living at the home. Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies said Smith nearly lost several fingers trying to defend himself. Deputies arrested McCray at a neighbor’s house on charges of attempted homicide and battery.
Must Be a Millennial Thing
As finals were ramping up at the University of Utah at the end of April, one student’s class project went viral: Senior Nemo Miller created a stand-alone closet—placed in the J. Willard Marriott Library—where stressed-out students could go for a good cry. KSL-TV reported “The Cry Closet” caught on quickly; even with a suggested 10-minute limit, @Gemini tweeted, “I stayed 11 minutes, but I feel so much better. Thank you to whoever built this. Can we add a box of tissues, please?” Miller filled the closet with stuffed animals and soft materials. “I think everyone just needs a safe space sometimes,” she said, “even if it’s in a very public place.”
Terrus Incognito?
A French museum dedicated to the work of painter Etienne Terrus announced April 27 that more than half of its collection from the 19th-century artist are forgeries. The Terrus Museum in Elne, where he was born, gathered a group of experts to inspect the works after a visiting art historian noticed some of the paintings depict buildings that were not constructed until after Terrus’ death. In all, 82 paintings were determined to be fake. BBC News reported that the town’s mayor, Yves Barniol, called the situation “a disaster” and apologized to museum visitors.
High on the Hog
On Yaji Mountain in China, hog farmers are experimenting with high-rise hog breeding facilities that house 1,000 head of sows per floor. Xu Jiajing, manager of Guangxi Yangxiang Co. Ltd., told Reuters that the “hog hotels save energy and resources. The land area is not that much, but you can raise a lot of pigs.” The buildings range from seven floors to 13, with elevators to move both people and pigs.
“How Much for the Little Girl?”
The grandmother of a 7-year-old girl in Marietta, Ga., became alarmed on Monday, May 7, when a stranger started following her and the little girl around a Kroger store. WXIA-TV reported that Einodd Samimi had earlier approached the grandmother at a nearby Walmart and asked if he could “have” her granddaughter for $100. Turned down, he later upped the ante at Kroger, offering to purchase her for $200 and commenting on the little girl’s “pretty hair.” The grandmother confronted Samimi, drawing a large crowd of shoppers who chased him through the store and to his car. Police arrested Samimi at his home on charges of enticing a child and criminal solicitation.
Parrot Parrots Dog
Police in Loerrach, Germany, responded on Monday, May 14, to complaints about a domestic disturbance after a neighbor reported a loud confrontation that had been going on for some time. But when they arrived, they found a 22-year-old man arguing with his girlfriend’s parrot, according to Metro News. The parrot had been making barking sounds like a dog, and the man became annoyed with it. No charges were filed.
Fast Food Gone Weird
@BurgerKing was looking for love in all the right places on May 9 when workers changed a Boston location’s sign to read: “@Wendys ... Prom?” and posted a picture to Twitter. United Press International reported that it took less than an hour for the red-headed fast-food heartthrob, just a few doors down, to respond: “OK, but don’t get handsy and we have to be home by 10.” In a classic love triangle, @MoonPie expressed his disappointment: “I knew I should’ve asked sooner.”

© 2018 ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

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