EDITOR'S NOTE: News of the Weird extends greetings for a peaceful and happy new year full of many notably weird moments. While you're welcoming 2025, enjoy some of our favorite items from earlier in 2024. – UExpress

LEAD STORY — The Passing Parade
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South Korean model Ain, also known as Angel Box Girl, is being prosecuted for obscene exposure following incidents from last fall, Oddity Central reported. In Seoul and Gangnam, Ain walked through the streets wearing a large cardboard box with holes for her arms and legs — plus two more, which she invited strangers to put their hands in to grope her breasts and other body parts. Naturally, she attracted large crowds that police were called to disperse. "It's freedom of expression," she said. "I just wanted to market myself. I actually saw many positive reactions, with people telling me they support me and applaud my courage." If found guilty, Ain could face a $3,800 fine or up to a year in jail. [Oddity Central, 1/15/2024]
Be Careful What You Wish For
The Lexington (Kentucky) Convention and Visitors Bureau appears to be desperate for tourists, the Associated Press reported. It is using an infrared laser to send messages toward potentially habitable planets in a solar system 40 light years away, luring extraterrestrials with "lush green countryside … (and) famous bluegrass." Lexington native Robert Lodder, an expert in astrobiology and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), conceived the idea, and linguistics expert Dr. Andrew Byrd consulted: "We included … the molecular structure for water, bourbon and even dopamine … because Lexington is fun!" he said. See you in 2064! [AP, 1/17/2024]
Creme de la Weird
You thought you were having a bad day? On Jan. 14, as an American Airlines flight prepared to leave Phoenix for Austin, Texas, the crew was forced to turn back to the gate, the New York Post reported. No, a door didn't fall off the fuselage. A passenger posted on Reddit that an "audibly disgruntled" man boarded and sat down, then inexplicably exclaimed, "You thought that was rude? Well, how about this smell" — and then passed gas. Then he announced, "Yeah, everybody, let's just eat the smelliest food possible all at the same time!" A flight attendant told the flatulent man, "That's enough," but as the plane taxied to the runway, it stopped. The Reddit user shared: "We get back to the gate and a flight attendant comes back and informs fartman that he will not be staying on this flight." He grabbed his bag and deplaned; the flight was delayed by only about 20 minutes. [NY Post, 1/24/2024]
News You Can Use
Researchers at Western Sydney University have revealed results of a study showing that frequent nose-pickers may have a higher probability of developing Alzheimer's disease. WION-TV reported on Feb. 7 that the habit introduces germs into the nasal cavity that trigger the brain to produce beta-amyloid as a defense. An abundance of beta-amyloid is believed to be the leading cause of Alzheimer's. "It is essential to note that the temporary relief obtained from nose-picking is not a substitute for proper nasal hygiene," the report said — "proper nasal hygiene" being "regular cleaning and maintenance of the nasal passages through gentle methods such as saline nasal rinses or blowing the nose." [WION, 2/7/2024]
Field Report
On Jan. 20, as an Amish couple from Shipshewana, Indiana, shopped at a Walmart in Sturgis, Michigan, Lona Latoski, 31, allegedly climbed inside their buggy and directed their horse away from the parking lot, MLive.com reported. A witness saw the woman drive off and thought it was odd that she wasn't Amish, but didn't report the theft. When the couple came out and realized their ride was gone, a truck driver offered them shelter from the cold and alerted police, who tracked down the buggy at an Admiral gas station, where it was parked. Latoski was located in the motel next door, hiding under a pile of clothing in a shower. She admitted taking the horse and buggy and said she had "instant regret … but she was cold and needed to get home," the officer said. "I asked her if she had ever had any training with equestrians," he said. "She did not know what 'equestrian' meant." (Apparently, nor did the officer.) Latoski was charged with larceny of livestock and general larceny. [MLive.com, 2/5/2024]
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
When Carole Germain, 46, of Brest, France, adopted a pig in 2020, she didn't foresee that Couscous would lead her to a new business venture: pig pedicurist. Yahoo! News reported that Germain, who runs a bar in Brest, has started traveling all over France to trim the tusks and hooves of porcine pets. In fact, she's selling the bar to devote herself full-time to the practice. "It's nuts. I thought I was the only person who had one hogging the couch. But there are thousands," she said. On one trip around the south of France, she treated 43 pigs. [Yahoo! News, 2/8/2024]
Cheeky
Rawiya Al-Qasimi, a female reporter, was covering an event in Riyadh on March 4 when a Saudi Arabian robot called Android Muhammad unexpectedly slapped her posterior during a live shot, the Daily Star reported. Al-Qasimi pushed the robot's hand away and rebuked him. Before the untoward touching, Android Muhammad introduced himself, saying, "I was manufactured and developed here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a national project to demonstrate our achievements in the field of artificial intelligence." Ironically, had he been a real man, he might have faced jail time for his inappropriate behavior. [Daily Star, 3/7/2024]
Wait, What?
Deputy chief physician of pediatric neurosurgery Dr. Li at Hangzhou Children's Hospital in China shared a video on social media on March 11 after a baby boy was born sporting a 4-inch-long tail, WION reported. The doctor suspected a condition called a tethered spinal cord, which means the spinal cord is abnormally connected to surrounding tissues, typically at the base of the spine. Doctors advised against removing the tail, as doing so might result in irreversible damage. [WION, 3/16/2024]
New World Order
"Father Justin," an AI priest created by Catholic Answers, a Christian group in San Diego, was defrocked on April 24 after claiming to users that he was a real member of the clergy and performing sacraments, the New York Post reported. Holy Justin told users he was a priest in Assisi, Italy. He shared his views on sexual issues and took confession, concluding with, "Go in peace, my child, and sin no more." He also advised one user that they could use Gatorade to baptize their child. Christopher Check, president of Catholic Answers, explained: "We chose the character to convey a quality of knowledge and authority … Many people, however, have voiced concerns about this choice." The avatar was rebranded as Virtual Apologist Justin, minus the cassock and collar, after an uproar about his behavior. "We won't say he's been laicized," Check said, "because he was never a real priest!" [NY Post, 4/26/2024]
Stickin' It to the Man
Etienne Constable received a letter in July 2023 from Seaside, California, asking him to conceal the boat he'd had parked in his driveway for about four years, The Washington Post reported. The city said boats and trailers must be "screened on the side and front by a 6-foot fence." Constable installed a fence — and hired his neighbor, mural artist Hanif Panni, to paint a photorealistic image of the boat and the rest of the driveway on the side of the fence that faces the road. The mural was completed in early May. "We kind of hit the sweet spot between following the rules and making an elegant statement to the contrary," Constable said. Nick Borges, Seaside's city manager, admired the work and said, "The only action I'm going to take is a high five, and that's it." [Washington Post, 5/11/2024]
What's in a Name?
On July 22, when officers noticed a white van on the I-5 near Weed, California, that kept swerving out of its lane, they engaged their lights and sirens — and it still took almost 3 miles for the van to pull over, KOBI-TV reported. Inside the van, they found 1,021 rooted marijuana plants, which, according to driver Yung Fai Sze, 53, were on their way to Oregon. However, Sze did not have the proper documentation from the California Department of Cannabis Control, so he was arrested and charged with illegal transportation and possession of marijuana. [KOBI, 7/26/2024]
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If you were hoping to extend your holiday spirit to your automobile and you live in Wyoming, think again. United Press International reported that the Wyoming Highway Patrol is reminding motorists that colored Christmas lights are not legal on civilian cars. The statute says that "no person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon capable of displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center thereof." In other words, only cops get red and blue lights on their cars. The WHP posted a photo on Dec. 2 with a car completely covered in Christmas lights being pulled over. Bah, humbug! [UPI, 12/13/2024]
Questionable Judgment
A mushroom hunter identified only as "Helen" stumbled upon a new "dogging" destination in Kent, England, in early December, Kent Online reported on Dec. 17. Dogging, for those of you not up on your Brit slang, refers to open-air sexual activity. Helen was following a footpath along the A29 highway when her dog pulled her farther into the woods, where she discovered a large sex toy tied to a tree with string. "I looked from a distance and then I just left, as I was really disgusted and a bit freaked out by it," Helen said. A local councilor said he is preparing a report about the issues; Kent Police said they haven't received any reports of criminal activity there. [Kent Online, 12/17/2024]
Rude
— Ten- and 11-year-old students at Lee-on-the-Solent school in Hampshire, England, were traumatized in mid-December after Rev. Paul Chamberlain visited to conduct a religious education class, The Guardian reported. The good vicar started his discussion with the birth of Jesus, but he went on to tell the kids that Santa Claus is not real and that their parents buy the presents and eat the biscuits left out for the jolly old elf. Some students started to sob. "Paul has accepted that this was an error of judgment, and … he apologized unreservedly to the school, to the parents and to the children," said a spokesperson for the Diocese of Portsmouth. [Guardian, 12/14/2024]
— In April, Christina Sivilay of Kent, Washington, suffered a stroke which left her in a coma, KIRO-TV reported. When she woke up, she was greeted with an eviction notice from her apartment. The stroke has caused her to lose some movement and strength in parts of her body, so she's unable to work. "When I came home from the hospital, I felt useless. I'm a worker," she said. Sivilay is concerned about her two sons, 12 and 7 years old. "I just want them to know they're OK, and that we don't have to live in the street or a shelter," she said. Relatives are helping, but when KIRO reached out to the apartment manager, there was no comment. [KIRO, 12/11/2024]
Least Competent Criminal
An unnamed man in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, allegedly caused a multi-vehicle crash on Dec. 4, KKTV reported. When officers arrived, they asked him how many drinks he had consumed, to which he answered, "probably 10. Hey, hey, hey, I'm gonna tell you right now, like, I'm a professional drinker," he said. Police administered a breathalyzer test, which showed the man's blood alcohol content was more than four times the legal limit. He was handcuffed and charged; no one was hurt in the accident. [KKTV, 12/12/2024]
You Had One Job …
Commuters in Samut Prakan, Thailand, were flummoxed upon arriving at a newly renovated bus stop, Nation Thailand reported on Dec. 7. The floor of the stop was concrete, which had been poured up to the bottoms of the seats of the brand-new green plastic chairs, causing riders to sit on the ground. While the contractor has acknowledged the mistake and vowed to fix it, online commenters have had a field day: "Designed for people to sit Thai-style, neatly and politely," one said. "I love the concept behind this work," said another. [Nation Thailand, 12/7/2024]
Wait, What?
OK, first of all, who knew that grain silos have basements? But I digress. In El Dorado County, California, a horse fell through a narrow opening in the floor of an abandoned grain silo and into the structure's basement, United Press International reported on Dec. 17. El Dorado Search and Rescue came to the animal's rescue and used a pulley system to hoist Matsie the mare out of the basement, after which she was "reunited with her family and friends." To which she responded, "Neeiiiiggghhhhh." [UPI, 12/17/2024]
Animal Antics
On Dec. 14, at a rugby match in Buckinghamshire, England, between the Marlow Rugby Club 2nd XV and the Rams Rugby Club 3rd Team Centaurs, a Marlow player was flattened when a small deer ran onto the field and collided with him, the BBC reported. Neither the player nor the deer were injured, and Marlow went on to win the contest 19-17. [BBC, 12/16/2024]
Risky Business
Police in Long Island, New York, arrested Gladys Serrano, 70, in early December for practicing dentistry without a license from the kitchen of her one-bedroom apartment. A search of Serrano's apartment revealed many of the tools of a legit dental practice, including drawers full of dental instruments and extraction tools, a dental treatment chair situated near the sink, impression molds, needles and vials of medication. The one victim identified by authorities (so far) had five "rotting" teeth extracted by Serrano. Myriam Kai, a neighbor who, like Serrano, hails from El Salvador, told WABC-TV New York, "I don't know why they're making this a big deal. She has a degree in El Salvador. She's a great dentist." Serrano faces up to four years in prison if convicted. [WABC-TV, 12/12/24]
Reunited
Do you remember your fourth grade lunchbox? Tracy Drain of Virginia is getting reacquainted with hers. It went missing 40 years ago and was found in early December by a plumber, who discovered the vintage Heathcliff-themed memento hiding in a pipe chase while he was working at Fairview Elementary School in Roanoke. A tag inside was adorned with Drain's name, and a former co-worker of Drain's reached out to her after reading about the lunchbox find in a Facebook post from the Roanoke City Public Schools. Drain told WDBJ-7, "I’m definitely going to treasure it because of mom’s writing on it and the way she took care of us as kids and how she raised us." [WDBJ-7, 12/11/24]
Keeping Spirits Up
In "What could possibly go wrong?" news, an Ohio funeral home may soon be able to serve alcohol to grieving families. Evergreen Funeral, Cremation and Reception, in Columbus, applied for a liquor license earlier this year and could be serving as soon as January, reported ABC-WSYX on Dec. 16. Evergreen's owner, Hunter Triplett, says he wants to shed the funeral industry's dark, morbid reputation. One way to do that? Let mourners raise a toast to their lost loved ones. "My role in this position is to kind of be a party planner for the dead," Triplett said. If approved, the facility would receive a D3 liquor license, which in Ohio allows the sale of beer, wine and hard liquor for consumption on-site. Interestingly, the property used to be a chocolate factory; perhaps Triplett could consider giving mourners truffles rather than Tito's. That might keep "RIP" further away from "DUI." [ABC-WSYX, 12/16/2024]
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A Laysan albatross named Wisdom, who lives at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, laid what experts believe to be her 60th egg recently, her first in four years. Wisdom is 74 years old, the Associated Press reported on Dec. 6. Laysan albatrosses mate for life; Wisdom's mate, Akeakamai, has not been seen for several years, and Wisdom started stepping out with another male. "We are optimistic that the egg will hatch," said Jonathan Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at the refuge. Eggs typically incubate for about two months. [AP, 12/6/2024]
Fake Santa
Visitors at the Great Hall in Winchester, Hampshire, England, are demanding refunds after the quality of the Santa stand-in was not up to their expectations, the Guardian reported on Dec. 10. Comments included that he had a "blatantly fake beard" and "cheap red suit" and called the whole experience a "shambles." "He wasn't very talkative at all — he didn't seem very jovial. It ruined the experience," said dad Matthew Fernandez, 38, who brought his three children. His children were "in tears regarding the situation and said they knew he was a fake." The Hampshire Cultural Trust said this year's experience is different from last year's and they would offer refunds to customers who had not visited yet. [Guardian, 12/10/2024]
Sign of the Times
An unnamed woman in Chongqing, China, landed the grand prize of $1,380 after she managed to avoid using her mobile phone for … one hour, MSN reported on Dec. 3. A local business organized the "public welfare challenge" aimed to spotlight the issue of smartphone addiction. The winning participant showed up in her jammies and had to lie perfectly still, without benefit of distractions like books or movies. Out of 10 contestants, she was the only one who prevailed. [MSN, 12/3/2024]
Eyes All Over
Ever feel like you’re being watched? Someone in Bend, Oregon, has been putting googly eyes on public artwork in local roundabouts, reported the Sacramento Bee on Dec. 8. At least eight statues and sculptures have been “enhanced” so far, and city officials are none too pleased. “While the googly eyes placed on the various art pieces around town might give you a chuckle, it costs money to remove them with care to not damage the art,” read a Dec. 4 post on the city’s Instagram page. It seems the adhesive used by the googly bandit can damage the artwork; the city claims to have spent $1,500 on repairs so far. However, the comments on the city’s post were decidedly pro-whimsy: “These googly eyes give me the hope to move forward each day,” read one. Others included: “Let us have some fun,” “Googly eyes keep my mental health in a good place,” and the hard-to-argue-with “LONG LIVE GOOGLY EYES!” [Sac Bee, 12/8/24]
That's Commitment
And you thought your commute was tough. International student Guangli Xu, 28, currently in his final semester at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia, went viral in early December after posting a video on Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) documenting his weekly commute. That is, his weekly 5,468-mile commute. Xu told SBS Mandarin that the trip from his hometown of Dezhou in China's Shandong province to Melbourne and back — a journey he made 11 times between August and October — costs about $1,500, which ends up being comparable to what his cost of living would be if he stayed in Melbourne full-time. "But I think the money is better spent [in China]," Xu said, "because the overall cost here is lower." [SBS News, 12/8/24]
Claus Canceled?
The debate about a War on Christmas may be something of an annual tradition in American news media, but a recent letter from Vitaly Borodin, head of Russia's Federal Project on Security and Combating Corruption, names Santa Claus himself as the key figure in an international Christmas conflict. According to Newsweek, Borodin's letter to Russia's Prosecutor General, first reported by the Russian news outlet Meduza, calls St. Nick a "foreign agent" and expresses concern that the jolly old elf is replacing Father Frost (also known as Ded Moroz), the country's traditional Christmas figure. Borodin has at least one notable supporter in Mikhail Ivanov, deputy of the Bryansk regional parliament, who told the Russian outlet Life, "Santa Claus has become not so much a symbol of Christmas as a symbol of commerce and mass production." Ivanov has called for Santa merchandise to be replaced with that of Ded Moroz all over Russia. Someone's getting coal for Christmas. [Newsweek, 12/10/24]
Bad Habit
A mafia investigation in Italy recently yielded 24 arrests, but one suspect stands out among the rest: Sister Anna Donelli. The BBC reported on Dec. 4 that a sting operation by the Italian police caught the nun using her position as a volunteer at a prison, which gave her "free access to the penitentiary facilities," to relay messages and info between the notorious 'Ndrangheta mafia and its incarcerated members. Donelli will surely have company as she awaits trial; the police operation, which involves hundreds of officers, is ongoing across northern Italy. [BBC, 12/4/24]
Issss That You Ssssnoring?
Here's some news to help you replenish your stock of nightmare fuel. The Indian Express reported that a man in Stellenbosch, South Africa, found a surprise under his bedroom pillow when he returned home in late November: a live cape cobra. The man immediately called Stellenbosch Snake Removals, who posted a video clip on Nov. 24 on Facebook of the removal by expert snake wrangler Emile Rossouw. The company called the highly venomous snake "by far our most dangerous cobra," and said "with the Black Mamba it accounts for the majority of fatal snake bites in South Africa." Sleep tight. [Indian Express, 12/11/24]
Saving Santa
Ho-ho-ho-no: One of Santa’s helpers had to be rescued off the side of a building, reported USA Today on Dec. 10. Firefighters were called to the scene of the Holiday Extravaganza in Norwalk, Connecticut, when a man dressed as Santa Claus got stuck 60 feet off the ground. The man was rappelling down the 13-story building when part of his costume became entangled in the rigging. The rescue crew pulled him to safety through a 6th-floor window; no injuries were reported. (Had it been the real Santa, of course, the reindeer would have flown to his rescue right away.) [USA Today, 12/10/24]
Yay, Science!
A Chicago middle schooler brought some goose droppings to science club — and landed in the middle of a biomedical breakthrough. The club is supervised by researchers from the University of Illinois as part of an initiative to "involve young learners in the search for new antibiotics," reported ScienceAlert on Dec. 5. Students were instructed to "explore their neighborhood for new bioactive compounds." Hence, goose poop from a local park. With the help of the pros, the student safely isolated a bacterium from the droppings that showed antibiotic activity — an incredibly rare and important feat, say the experts. Not only that, but the bacterium also produced a never-before-seen natural compound which, in lab tests, slowed the growth of certain cancer cells. The student is now listed as a co-author of the peer-reviewed paper on the discoveries. [Science Alert, 12/5/24]
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