Archive of Weird, Bizarre and Unusual

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Monday, May 01, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1289)

SURELY THIS AIN'T (ANT) THE TRUTH?

Jagdish Desai was charged in a Singapore court with indecent exposure. But the judge found him innocent after he explained he had accidentally stepping on an ant hill just before entering the subway station where he was arrested totally nude. And, he explained, that's where he was forced to strip naked to get rid of the ravenous black ants, which had immediately attacked his private parts; adding, when the female witness against him screamed "Pervert", he tried to explain his predicament by pointing to the red whelps on his groin, which seemed to only upset her more.

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE IT WHEN THIS HAPPENS?

Arkansas State Health Director for the U.S. Senate, surgeon Ray Boozeman, campaigned unsuccessfully after stating in a speech that fear during "real" rape would automatically cause natural hormones to block conception, making it impossible for an "unwilling" woman to get pregnant. These statements caused the highest per capita turnout of female voters in Arkansas history.

DUH, WHAT?

Chuck Shepherd's News of the Weird reports New York mayoral candidate C. Virginia Fields apologized for telling a reporter, when she was arrested in the South in 1963, police took her away in a "paddy wagon." She'd feared that verbal term may have offended some Irish-Americans.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1289)

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Tuesday, May 02, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1290)

KEEP THIS IN MIND NEXT SUNDAY

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), inventor of the first digital calculator.

HOW BEAUTIFULLY HE WROTE

Rupert Brooke (1867-1931) was both a very tender poet and an extremely handsome young man, who wrote: "If I should die, think this only of me;/That there's some corner of a foreign field/That is forever England." Turns out, he died from an untreated infected mosquito bite on his way to fight the Dardanelles campaign, and never made it back to the U.K.

A (W)HOLE LOT OF STUPIDITY GOING ON

During an AIDS-awareness Champaign in South Africa, thousands of government-issued safe "sex packs" were distributed. They included not only health information necessary for the practicing of safe sex, but also included condoms. And, to keep the literature and condoms from being separated, both were connected with a staple gun, which punctured holes in basically each and every prophylactic, making them useless.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1290)

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Wednesday, May 03, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1291)

EVENTUALLY, ELVIS REALLY WAS ALL SHOOK UP

Rock legend Elvis Aaron Presley (1935-1977) was prescribed an estimated 20,000 doses of narcotics, anti-depressants, sedatives, and stimulants during the last two years of his life by Doctor George Nichopoulos. "The King" also kept a goodly variety of illegal street drugs for convenient consumption. After autopsy, the pathologist reported he had never examined or heard of another human body with as much and as many drugs as was found in Elvis' corpse.

BUT COULDN'T THEY STILL RIDE A HONDA

Ms. Ausrine Burneikiene, of Lithuania (the capitol is Vilnius), finally had enough in 1998. Planning a protest rally, she swore never again to be examined by a gynecologist in order to renew her drivers license. Laws there reflected the past, when women were considered a danger because of their menstrual cycle.

"YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY, I GOT SEWAGE IN MY TUMMY"

An elderly couple sleeping in their mobile home were awakened by a strange noise outside. Afraid to open the door to investigate in darkness, they waited until early the next morning. That's when they found outside their door an empty gas can and a siphoning hose, its end still dangling from the septic tank storage spout, instead of the gas tank spout next to it. (They also found a trail of vomit leading from their property.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1291)

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Thursday, May 04, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1292)

HE REALLY BELIEVED "THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS"

Orville Stamm was a very sturdy entertainer. While a piano rested on his chest, he would sing "Ireland Must be Heaven because Mother Comes From There", while the piano player jumped up and down on his thighs.

SHORT AND SWEET

After a book was published about the life of basketball great Charles Barkley of the Phoenix Suns, he claimed he had been misquoted, even though the book about him was his autobiography.

MOST ALL HANDICAPS CAN OFFER POSITIVE REWARDS

A lesbian deaf couple in Bethesda, Maryland, decided to not only have a child through artificial insemination, but to also use the sperm from a male with a long family history of deafness. That way the newborn child would fit right into their family, where a daughter of one partner is also unable to hear.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1292)

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Friday, May 05, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1294)

A SIGN IS A SIGN, IS A SIGN, IS A SIGN.........

Officials in Des Moines, Iowa, were tired of seeing signs on city utility poles offering everything from garage sales to repair services. So, not only did they pass a law forbidding the public display of signs, they had thousands of signs printed to that effect, then hired enough people to tack them on all power poles displaying illegal signs.

A COFFEE SHOP WHICH ALSO SERVES BEEF

Ethem Sahim was laughing and having a great time playing dominos in his local coffee shop, when a cow fell through the roof and knocked him cold. It had happened because that coffee shop sat snug against a mountain, with its flat roof at the exact level of a grass covered plateau behind. This had allowed the cow to wander onto the roof, where it collapsed through the ceiling onto Mr. Sahim's head.

PERHAPS THIS DOCTOR SHOULD CHANGE HIS NAME TO "MR. NEEDY"

The National Institute of Mental Health funded a $97,000 ethnicity study in the highlands of Peru, where anthropologists observed relationships between Indians and Mestizos in the Peruvian Andes. One scientist, Dr. George Primov, used some of the money (about $50 a night) to study their brothels, using himself as a guinea pig.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1294)

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Saturday, May 06, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1297)

ANOTHER FOR THE "REALLY STUPID FILE"

A twenty-three-year-old man called the police in Chandler, Arizona, after "accidentally" handcuffing himself, then losing the key. When police arrived at his home, instead of releasing the man, they used his own handcuffs for a trip to jail, where he was kept on an outstanding warrant.

AND YOU THOUGHT YOUR BOSS WAS AN OLD MEANIE

A descendant of Genghis Khan, named Tamburlaine, was the most heartless of all the Mongol leaders. In 1383, he celebrated capturing Sabzawar by having 2,000 prisoners buried alive, then had 5,000 beheaded at Zirth to make a pyramid of human skulls. Tamburlaine had absolutely no sense of humor. Any of his men caught smiling or saying something nice, were immediately put to death.

HEY, GUYS, SURE BEATS YOUR OLD EXERCISE BIKE

Clement VI (1291-1352) enjoyed using his position while holding the post of Pope (1342-52). When his confessor warned him he must give up his prostitutes, he explained he had developed the habit of mating young maidens at a very young age, and his doctor had advised him to continue in order to extend his youth and health.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1297)

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Sunday, May 07, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1298)

A SAD AND LONELY EXISTENCE

At least ten Chinese men lost their life savings to a matrimonial agency which provided them with new brides. All of which ran away a few days after their weddings, leaving the poor lonely men to spend the rest of their lives alone in their small mud huts in the remote Changsha region of Southern China.

TOO BAD HIS CHICKENS COULDN'T SING DON'T BE CRUEL

The man who discovered Elvis Presley, Colonel Tom Parker, was already a successful showman with his "Colonel Parker's Dancing Chickens". To make his chickens dance, the Colonel simply turned up the heat on the "stage", which was nothing more than an electric hot plate with its sides covered.

A BRIEF NOTE IN THE NEWS

A federal trademark infringement suit against the Chosen Sons of God Motorcycle Club Ministries was won by the Sons of God Motorcycle Club Ministry.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1298)

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Monday, May 08, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1299)

WONDER WHAT THAT JUDGE WAS SMOKING?

Two Keene State (New Hampshire) College students gave police permission to search their dorm room, where six ounces of marijuana were uncovered. Judge Philip Mangones later ruled the students were too "stoned" to understand the ramifications of their decision, therefore, the search was unconstitutional, so they were released.

PERHAPS IF HE'D BOUGHT A NEW ROPE?

Hangman John C. Woods, of San Antonio, Texas, was so well known (he'd hanged 347 men, and one woman) that he was selected to perform the executions of 10 men in the Nuremburg trials (1945-48). His job performance rating suffered greatly, though, when complaints alleged he had not broken some of the necks properly.

"I'D LIKE AN EXTRA DRY MOUTHWASH (er) MARTINI, PLEASE"

A 13-year-old Portland, Oregon, student was "busted" for violating his school's zero-tolerance policy on drinking alcohol. His mistake was rinsing his mouth after lunch with Scope mouthwash, with no place to spit.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1299)

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Tuesday, May 09, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1300)

WELL, THAT CERTAINLY SOLVED HIS WEIGHT PROBLEM

Reinaldo de Carvalho (1961-95), known as the "Fat King" of Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, checked into a weight-loss clinic and, after losing 66 pounds in 30 days, dropped dead.

THE OLD ADAGE: IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE

The New York Times reported a professor at Boston University was caught plagiarizing a speech based on an article which itself had been taken in part from a story printed in the Boston Globe. Theme of his speech? Incompetent journalism.

APPARENTLY, THEY WERE OVERLY ENJOYING THEIR OWN CARGO

The Dallas Morning News reported in September of 2005 a federal magistrate had ordered two suspected drug peddlers, Nicolas Gonzalez Jr. and Domingo Rios Garcia, remain in custody after 50 pounds of powdered cocaine spilled from their trailer onto a Hunt County highway; causing another 270 pounds to be found inside that trailer, on its way to Chicago.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1300)

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1301)

CRANBERRY SAUCE AND HOT ROLLS WOULD'VE MADE HIM EVEN BETTER

Katherine Knight, 44, of Sydney, Australia, was a slaughterhouse butcher who put her skills to work after murdering her boyfriend, John Price. Bludgeoning him to death, she then carved the body up and made stew with the head, some body parts and fresh vegetables. While he cooked, she hung his skin in the hall, and placed three plates on the table, each labeled with one of his children's names, for them to enjoy their home cooked dad.

BUT DID HE GET TO BE BURIED WITH HIS NEW TOOTHBRUSH?

In 1995, after a patient died in Stephen Cobble's dental chair, the Tennessee doctor was charged with incompetence. Other patients said he had sedated them by administering injections to their groins, while one female claimed the doctor had transferred C-section scar tissue from her tummy to treat a jaw disorder.

WONDER WHAT THEIR MANAGER SAID LATER IN THE LOCKER-ROOM?

The Baltimore Orioles were playing the California Angels on April 17, 1993 when, with bases loaded, batter Mike Devereaux hit a ball which looked destined to make a grand slam, four-run hit for the Orioles. But as Jeff Tackett, on 3rd, ran towards home, he was forced back when the ball fell short of the wall and was caught. First thing Tackett noticed back on 3rd was his teammate, Brady Anderson, who had been on 2nd. By then, the runner on 1st, Chito Martinez, had made it to 3rd. Angels catcher John Orton tagged all three out.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1301)

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1302)

SOME CONSERVATIONISTS SHOULD CONSERVE THEIR CONCERNS

Montana rancher John Schuler was awakened in the middle of the night by three black bears killing his sheep. When Mr. Schuler took his gun outside to scare away the bears, another large black came up to attack him from behind, making it necessary to kill it. He told this to the Interior Department, which still sued him using the Endangered Species Act. He lost $4,000 when the agency's administrative law judges ruled he had chosen to place himself in danger.

BET IT'S HARD TO HIRE HOOKERS FOR THE BROTHELS THERE?

The Ibo tribe of Nigeria punishes adulterous couples severely. If caught, the errant lovers are tied together so a long pole can be slipped between them. Next they are carried, then dumped into a pool of crocodiles.

HE GOT STUCK IN THE CUP

A Barcelona soccer fan brought his 11-month-old son along when he visited the teams museum. Hoping to capture a photo they could share years later, the enthusiastic fan sat his child down inside a replica of the European Cup, only to realize a few seconds later the kid was stuck. Police and firemen took over twenty minutes freeing the child.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1302)

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Friday, May 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1303)

A GOVERNMENT GROWS UNTIL IT OUTGROWS ITS ABILITY TO FUNCTION

The Dallas Morning News reported in late September 2005, Dallas County probation officials had suspended a program which allowed some offenders to report to a machine, instead of a human probation officer; yet tax dollars would continue to pay, contractually, $2,500 a month rental for each of these ATM-like machines, while offenders go back to being supervised by human officers, which were themselves already monitoring 140 offenders each, on average.

CAN YOU BLAME THIS POOR GUY TRYING TO SAVE HIS REPUTATION?

From a New Jersey prison, a convicted bank robber sued the bank teller who testified against him for $1.2 million, because she testified he threatened to shoot her. The defendant turned accuser said he was deeply hurt by her slanderous words, and demanded compensation for the indignity.

WHAT ABOUT PROPER TABLE NAPKINS?

Normally Fijian cannibals ate only with their fingers and hands, unless human flesh was served. Out of respect for the dead, during those meals, they would use ritual wooden forks.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1303)

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Saturday, May 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1304)

PERHAPS HE SHOULD "CONCENTRATE" ON ANOTHER SPORT?

Tennis was once considered a civilized sport, played by ladies and gentlemen. But that's not always true in modern times. A few years back, after fellow Zambian tennis player Musumba Bwayla beat Lighton Ndefwayl, Ndefwayl had this to say, "Musumba Bwayla is a stupid, hopeless player. He is cross-eyed, with a huge nose. Women hate him. He only beat me because my jockstrap was too tight, and he serves with farts, which ruins my concentration, for which I am famous in Zambia."

SHE SHOULD PUT HERSELF ON DISPLAY: AS INSANE

Claiming she only wished to raise awareness of animal cruelty, Catherine Gregory exhibited in Scarborough, England, a dismembered dog cut in nine pieces and suspended from the ceiling; also, sixty crushed mice mounted in plastic, as well as the chopped up remains of three rabbits.

WONDER WHO INSPECTED THE ANCHOVIES AND MUSHROOMS?

The U.S. General Accounting Office found nothing wrong with the Food and Drug Administration inspecting only frozen cheese pizzas, while the Department of Agriculture inspected pizzas with meat toppings. (But would Canadian bacon need a passport?)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1304)

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Sunday, May 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1305)

A MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS FOR A MOTHER DUCK

Police officer Ray Peterson was standing on a Vancouver, Canada, street when he was surprised to look down and see a duck pulling on his pant's cuff. That duck was a mother insisting he follow her a few feet to a sewer grating, where her young ducklings had fallen through. She needed help, and apparently knew where to get it. Officer Peterson immediately requested a tow truck to raise the heavy grate, and eight small ducklings were scooped to safety.

YET, HOW CAN WE BLAME THEM?

Twelve-million-dollars was provided by the Agency for International Development to educate students from Tunisia in the United States so they could return home and improve conditions in their country. But at least 70% who earned doctorate degrees remained in the U.S., where the money was.

TOO BAD IT WASN'T A CAR AD

A Scranton, Pennsylvania, roadside billboard bragged, "Bring in this ad and you'll get a free pair of shoes." This caused three men to tear down the fourteen-by-forty-eight foot sign and take it to the Shoestrings boutique, where the owner did accept the huge coupon in exchange for, not one, but three pairs of new shoes.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1305)

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Monday, May 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1306)

SOUNDS LIKE SOMEBODY NEEDED COACHING IN LOVEMAKING

The morning after their wedding night in 1903, George Albert Crossman and his new bride, Ellen Sampson, had an argument, causing George to bash-in Ellen's skull. He then hid her body in a metal box inside their upstairs home in Kensal Rise, London. Afterwards, he spent most of his time with another woman, Edith Thompson. That is, until his neighbor William Dell called authorities to investigate the smell of rotting flesh. But Crossman was ready. When police went to arrest him, he slit his own throat.

THIS PRESIDENT WOULD MAKE A GREAT VENTRILOQUIST DUMMY

"We talk now to Joan Hanover. She and her husband, George, were visitors with us. They are near retirement....retiring.....in the process of retiring, meaning they are very smart, active, capable people who are retirement age and are retiring." Quote of George W. Bush, Alexandria, Virginia, February 12, 2003.

BUT WHAT IF THEY WENT OUT FOR CHINESE OCCASIONALLY?

Geologist John Shroder, an expert on Afghanistan, says the Pentagon has developed a Remote-Sensing Gas-Detection Device which is so sensitive, it can detect different ethnic groups by faint aromas released when they breathe, perspire or flatulate.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1306)

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Tuesday, May 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1307)

BUT IF HE BROKE THE LAW LATER, HE COULD ARREST HIMSELF

In September of 2005 the Dominion Post of Wellington, New Zealand, reported an arrest at the Porirua Royal New Zealand Police College. One young recruit ran his own fingerprints and was arrested when the results turned up an outstanding warrant for assault.

OH! YUMMY!

The Star, a Johannesburg, South Africa, newspaper, reported a social group called Die Afrikaner Klub was having a braais (i.e. barbecue)...................using a 2,800-pound giraffe, brought to juicy tenderness over a pit 18-feet long.

YOU GOTTA LOVE THIS!

Arkansas Secretary of State Bill McCuen challenged election results, after losing his bid for re-election, by filing a lawsuit claiming voting irregularities. But since vote administration in Arkansas is under the control of the secretary of state's office, Mr. McCuen ended up suing himself.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1307)

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Wednesday, May 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1308)

THEY'LL DO ANYTHING TO SELL A PRODUCT

According to Reuters, Triumph International, a Japanese lingerie firm, is celebrating Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's bicentenary year by offering musical bras and panties studded with small flashing lights. A computer chip completes the ensemble with music from his master works.

SOHNI COULDN'T PULL-THE-WOOL-OVER-THEIR-EYES ANOTHER YEAR

In Pakistan a "most beautiful" sheep contest is held yearly. Jetti, a ewe from Dhakoo village in Chakwal district, celebrated her victory by dancing to traditional Pakistani music, according to the PPI news agency. She also greeted and pleased admirers by putting her front leg to her forehead as a gesture of Salaam (greeting), said the source. The winner the year before, Sohni, was not even in the running. "After giving birth to several offspring, she had lost her beauty and charm," they added.

IF THEY MADE UNDERWEAR IT MIGHT BE PAINFUL

Corpo Nova, a fashion house in Florence, Italy, says they've developed a shirt which rolls up its own sleeves. It's made with a mix of fibers including titanium and other metals. According to the maker, the shirts will shrink from wrist to elbow when the comfort index (i.e. temperature and moisture level/ratio) is higher, then return to their original shape and length when those numbers reverse.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1308)

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Thursday, May 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1309)

FINGER LICKING GOOD,... NOT!

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (1883-1945), fascist leader of Italy (1922-1943), often invited guests for lavish dinners. As host of these meals, he would ceremoniously break bread with his bare hands for everyone at the table. He was also infested with giant roundworms in his gut. (Roundworms begin life in defecation exposed to open air. After the eggs are hatched in the soil, they move into warm bodies that don't wash their hands before touching food.)

IS THIS YOUR POST OFFICE'S ATTITUDE?

Radio personality John Lander of station WEGX-FM in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, offered $1,000 to the first listener who mailed him an egg in an envelope which arrived unbroken. One listener's egg finally did arrive whole, but Bala Cynwyd Postmaster Mark Glenn said, "We had a lot of messy mail. But it is our job to deliver it."

AND HOW DO YOU SPELL W-O-R-K-M-A-N-'S C-O-M-P?

Hoping to build a stronger team spirit, Burger King management sent more than one-hundred employees to an exercise, walking over a bed of hot coals bare footed. This caused twelve participants to be taken to hospital, where they were treated for first and second-degree burns to the soles of their feet. Some required wheelchairs until they were able to walk again.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1309)

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Friday, May 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1310)

A CASE WHERE THE INCUMBENT WON FROM THE GRAVE

Long time Oklahoma office holder Judge Frank M. Ogden III won 91 percent of the vote even though he died just a few days before the election. His only opponent, Josh L. Evans, then filed suit claiming it was impossible to elect a dead man. But the Supreme Court later ruled, "It is beyond doubt that the will of the electorate was to cast votes for Judge Ogden and against candidate Evans." (The governor then appointed a replacement.)

THREE QUICK HISTORY ODDITIES

(1) In 1909 Prince George of Serbia, oldest son of King Peter I, was removed from the line of succession to the throne after stomping his valet to death. (2) When Lord Byron was 25-years-old he got Augusta, his half-sister, pregnant. (3) In 211 AD Roman emperor Heliogabalus enjoyed two of his dinner guests company so much he had them suffocated in rose petals just for laughs.

AN ANIMAL THAT ACCIDENTALLY GOT REVENGE

Two hunters outside Milledgeville, Georgia, chased a raccoon up a tree, but neither could see it, so one climbed up and shot it dead. Then, while the men were still giving each other thumbs up, the animal released its death-grip on the limb and fell sixty feet, landing on the hunter below. This knocked him unconscious, breaking three vertebrae.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1310)

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Saturday, May 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1311)

KEPT BOTH HER UNDIES AND HIS INCOME TAX LIABILITIES DOWN

In August of 2005, minutes after attorney Curtis Holmes defended a client against charges of child abuse in a Pocatello, Idaho, court, that state's bar association suspended his license for taking nude photos of a previous female client in exchange for his legal fees.

PERHAPS STUNT DRIVING COULD BE MORE HER PROCLIVITY?

A woman in Nice, France, was severely injured driving her car off a thirty-foot cliff. At the time, she'd been rushing home to give her family the good news of being hired as a driving instructor.

HE BECAME A BUG ON THE WINDSHIELD OF HIS OWN CAR

After reporting his car stolen in Nottingham, England, Mr. Richard Weston, 23, stepped out of the police station to see his own car stopped at a red light across the street. Enraged, Weston stormed forward, demanding the thief stop immediately! That's how Mr. Weston ended up in a hospital, run over by his own car.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1311)

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Sunday, May 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1312)

BUT DID HE HAVE TIME TO DIGEST HIS FOOD FIRST?

A 57-year-old man in Temuco, Chili, ate a large meal and drank a bottle of wine in a local restaurant before sneaking out without paying his bill........or leaving a tip. His waiter, enraged at getting shafted, completed his shift, then tracked down the non-paying patron and stabbed him to death.

CLAIMING TO BE JESUS CHRIST WOULD PROBABLY WORK AS WELL

The end of World War II was a very prosperous time for con artist William Johnson, a semi-literate miner living in Kentucky. His con was to launch a public appeal for donations, saying he was Adolph Hitler. He and his Nazi chiefs of staff had escaped, and now they planned to take over the U.S. Government. This caused American and German fascist to respond generously, allowing Mr. Johnson to live very comfortably.

NEVER ASK FOR PICKLES ON YOUR SANDWICH HERE

Russian czar Peter the Great (1672-1725) collected unusual "mistakes" of nature by pickling them in jars of alcohol. In his Museum of Curiosities he displayed such oddities as: A five-footed sheep, the organs of a hermaphrodite, a two-headed child and the corpses of Siamese twins. Even the museum's curator was a badly deformed dwarf. So naturally, after dying, he was also pickled and put on display.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1312)

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Monday, May 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1316)

HE DESERVED HEARTBURN IF HE ATE THAT HEART

English eccentric William Buckland bragged he had eaten the heart of King Louis XIV of France. He claimed it was stolen from the corpse's chest in its grave during the French Revolution, and later he received it from the Archbishop of York. Then, regardless of its shriveled, rotted state, he ate it heartily.

HE LOST HIS SHIRT, BUT GOT IT BACK

During the 2005 Texas State Fair in Dallas, in the Hall of State building, Bud Glass proudly displayed a shirt worn in the 1970s by Elvis Presley, given to him by Elvis' nurse. Unfortunately, while his back was turned, Elvis' shirt, valued at $10,000, was stolen, along with it the only reason Mr. Glass rented that booth. But, fortunately, after the media picked up on his sadness, the thief called to say he was mailing it back.

TRUTH BE KNOWN, THIS COUPLE MIGHT BE JEALOUS?

An apartment owner in Cologne, Germany, sued a couple living in his building for reducing their rent payment 25%. The couple in turn sued the owner claiming they could not sleep because of loud moans, groans, squeals and screams coming from an apartment next door, caused by lovemaking. The judge withheld his decision until the bailiff could hear, then report back as to the volume of the supposed erotica.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1316)

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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1317)

BUT IF HE BROKE THE LAW LATER, HE COULD ARREST HIMSELF

In September of 2005 the Dominion Post of Wellington, New Zealand, reported an arrest at the Porirua Royal New Zealand Police College. One young recruit ran his own fingerprints and was arrested when the results turned up an outstanding warrant for assault.

OH! YUMMY!

YOU GOTTA LOVE THIS!

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1317)

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Wednesday, May 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1320)

A REVERSE OF THE USUAL

The Action Mobility store in Lake Worth, Florida, was sued by a crippled woman because they had no labeled handicapped parking spaces. The handicapped couple who owned Action Mobility explained to the judge all their business did was sell and service wheelchairs, so virtually all their customers were handicapped. (How about a couple of "non-handicapped parking" signs?)

HE SHOULD STOP DATING UNTIL HE SOLVES SOME ANGER ISSUES

In 1990, Cuban born Julio Gonzalez saw his girlfriend having a hot time with other men at the Bronx's Happy Land Social Club. This caused him to purchase a can of gasoline, pour it around the building, then strike a match to burn 87 people to death.

DON'T YOU JUST HATE THOSE SELF-HELP PROJECTS THAT FAIL?

A seventy-nine year old heart patient grew tired of being treated at an Amsterdam, Holland, hospital and jumped from a third floor window. Fortunately/unfortunately he crashed through a tile roof, breaking his fall, leaving him virtually unharmed. (He was then returned to his hospital bed.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1320)

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Thursday, May 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1321)

THEM DURNED CITY GALS IS ALL LIKE THAT

A small New York city newspaper, the Manhattan Pennysaver, asked readers to send in any comments they wish they'd said to people who offended them. In other words, they were letting their readers "get it off their chests." One picked by the editor as best put-down came from a woman named Janet: "Dear Jake. Thanks for the wonderful dinner. After eating with your fingers, belching and passing gas all evening long, I say, 'Find somebody else to date that's your own species.'"

LET 'EM BE STUPID IN ANY LANGUAGE

Under pressure from parents, the New York City school system stopped sending children to Spanish-language programs automatically if they fell below the fortieth percentile on a standard English exam, whether they spoke Spanish not.

CHEWING ON BULLETS COULD CAUSE MORE THAN LEAD POISONING

A safe container law in California makes it necessary to put warning labels on all packages containing lead. That's why boxes of bullets (which contain lead) carry this warning label: THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS LEAD AND MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1321)

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Friday, May 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1322)

A PENCIL USED ON THAT SAME PAPER MIGHT HAVE WORKED, ALSO?

Some years ago a prisoner, serving forty-five years in a Maryland prison for kidnapping, filed a lawsuit in the amount of $29,000 against the makers of his typewriter's ribbon. Had it not broken, he claimed, he would have completed typing his briefs before facing the parole board the next morning, and would already be a free man.

DURING SPEECHES HE WAS "WINDY" IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

Adolph Hitler (1889-1945), supreme leader of Germany (1933-1945) ordered the deaths of millions of people, and changed the course of history. One internal problem, however, Fuhrer Hitler could not control. And this problem was so far out of control, the most hated man of the twentieth century drank motor oil. And what was his problem? Flatulence. The man who had the power to kill millions could not stop his embarrassment of breaking-wind (i.e. cutting-the-cheese, farting) in public, often leaving those he met to snicker behind his back.

BUT DIDN'T ALL THOSE WEAPONS MAKE THEIR UNIFORMS FIT FUNNY?

During a soccer match in the small mining town of Hartbeesfontein, about a hundred miles outside Johannesburg, South Africa, referee Petrus Mokgethi was arrested for shooting to death player Isaac Mkhwetha, while fans looked on. The official claimed Mkhwetha had pulled a knife on him first. (And you thought American football was rough.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1322)

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Saturday, May 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1323)

"BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED"

ABC's Paul Harvey News reported in October of 2005 that E-bay had dropped all offerings on its site from a Chinese supplier because of the sensitivity of its products, namely human babies under the age of 100 days old. For those wannabe parents who could afford one, male Chinese infants were available for only $3,500. And, for the more budget minded, an infant Chinese girl was obtainable for only $1,800.

WHAT A SHOCKING STORY

Living 60 miles outside Bangkok in Angthong, Thailand, Yooket Paen, 57, was crossing her cow lot when she accidentally slipped in muddy dung. This caused her to reach out and grab a naked electrical wire, which electrocuted her. The Thai Daily News then reported an even more unusual event. Soon after Paen's funeral, her sister, Yooket Pan, 52, was showing her neighbors how her sister had died, when she slipped herself, reached for the wire, and died instantly also.

HE SHOULD'VE WORN HIS MITTENS

Back in September 1996, Sidney Ambose of Clacton, England, required medical treatment for both of his hand's palms after clapping them together too hard for too long at a Beverly Sisters concert.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1323)

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Sunday, May 28, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1324)

HOW ABOUT THIS, A QUAD-LINGUAL POOCH!

Tourists who miss their dogs back home, who happen to be vacationing in Wengen, Switzerland, may rent General Sam Houston, Jr., a shaggy two-year-old mix-breed pooch, that just seems to naturally like any, all and everybody. Christian Straessle, manager of his family's four-star hotel in Wengen, offers "Housty", as the dog is known, claiming he will respond to commands given in German, French, English, and Spanish.

A LIBRARY BUILT FOR TOTAL ILLITERATES. NO BOOKS.

The South Gloucestershire, England, city council was ready to announce the grand opening of their new $2.5 million library, when the building was finished, but then realized no one remembered to order any books to fill its shelves. And a good thing, too. Nobody had remembered to order shelves, either.

PERHAPS THIS ARTIST HAD TOOOO MUCH TIME ON HIS HANDS?

Avant-garde artist Damien Hirst won the Turner prize in 1994 for his exhibit at the Serpentine Gallery in London, for what he'd titled Away from the Flock, which consisted of a lamb embalmed inside a glass case. One of his previous works, Mother and Child Divided, was a dead cow and her newly born calf bisected in formaldehyde. Another, untitled work, a freshly killed cow's head being devoured by maggots, had to be replaced on average each 36 hours because purification would release all flesh from the animal's skull by then.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1324)

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Monday, May 29, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1326)

BUT IF YOU DRINK THE WATER DO YOUR TEETH TURN BROWN?

La Paz, Bolivia, the highest above sea level capital city in the world (11,910 ft.), pumps its city's water supply through an old abandoned mine which contaminates each drop with harmful iron and cadmium particles. To correct this problem, filters made from a local byproduct, llama dung, are used. Scientists say the droppings are the perfect home for those bacteria which absorb the metal toxins.

A VENTRILOQUIST DUMMY WITH NO MOVING LIPS

Famous duelist Brian Maguire had a son named George who died at age 12, five years before his own death. During those 5 years, Maguire worshipped his dead child by personally embalming him, placing him in a glass case, then carrying it each and every place he went until the last minute of his life.

MUST'VE BEEN THE TEQUILA, MAN

At Oakland International Airport in California, authorities arrested a Mexican National for using a passport issued originally to another man. Reason he was caught immediately, the identity he had stolen was from a fugitive wanted for felony burglary and carrying concealed weapons. (First question that should've been asked of the Mexican upon arrest, "What were you thinking?")

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1326)

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Tuesday, May 30, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1327)

WELL, AT LEAST HE KNEW WHAT HE LIKED

Police setting up a sting operation in Beckley, West Virginia, used unclaimed property from earlier crimes. And it worked. In fact, the first man they caught for breaking into their camera-rigged car was a thief they had arrested before. Even more strange, when both the suspect and the items he attempted to steal were taken back to the station, by pure chance, what he'd stolen was exactly the same pieces of property he had been arrested for stealing two years earlier.

ALMOST ANYTHING IS NICER WHEN POLITENESS IS INVOLVED

A well mannered gang of robbers robbed a supermarket in Bassano del Grappa, Italy. While a few members of the gang enjoyed coffee and pleasant conversations with employees, the rest ransacked the entire store, taking goods and cash worth around $468,000. After about an hour, when the robbery was completed, the friendly thieves apologized and left behind a $900 tip for the employees.

TWO ITEMS CONCERNING MALE EGO AND HAIR LOSS

(1) Henry Ford I, founder of Ford Motor Company, always washed his hair in water containing rusty razor blades, apparently hoping the rust would stop hair loss? (2) In England in the 1600s, before wigs were worn by both sexes, bald men sewed clumps of phony hair inside the rims of their hats.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1327)

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Wednesday, May 31, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1328)

BUT AFTER SMOKING THEY PROBABLY CRAVED ICE CREAM

Police in Brooklyn, New York, became suspicious of two ice cream truck vendors because all they ever saw around their trucks were adults. And they were right. The brightly colored trucks playing children's music were only fronts for marijuana sales.

GOOD THING, TOO. BRASS BUTTONS COULD DULL THEIR TEETH

When authorities raided a drug den in 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, they seized and removed two African lions, which were being trained to eat policeman.

THAT'S A $220 PROFIT

When Roger Morse of Winnipeg, Canada, was robbed of his wallet containing $20 back in 1993, he asked the gunman for his wallet back. After the thief complied and left, Mr. Morse found the crook had mistakenly left his own wallet instead...... containing $240.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1328)

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Thursday, June 1, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1329)

HE NEEDED MORE THAN A MANICURE AFTER THAT

Leon Gunning made a big mistake when he decided to mug Jonquil Nahir in a park in Oldham, England. Ms. Nahir may have been a small woman, but her teeth were very sharp. That's why she was able to bite off her assailant's finger tip, which she gave police, who soon arrested the man in the ER at a nearby hospital.

AND IT WORKED BECAUSE HEAVEN IS A VERY HIGH PLACE

A forty-year-old man in Muskegon, Michigan, shut himself in his bedroom with a twenty-pound cylinder of propane gas, to get himself high on the fumes. But to get even higher at the same time, he made the mistake of lighting a marijuana cigarette. The resulting explosion destroyed his home and part of his neighbor's.

PERHAPS SHE SHOULD USE A "RENT TO BUY" APPROACH?

Hoping to get a husband using the Internet, Kay Hammond, a twenty-four-year-old living in Birmingham, England, placed herself on eBay, for a minimum bid of $395,000, with the stipulation any buyer must be between the ages of twenty-four and thirty-six. The highest bid offer, $15.8 million, turned out to be a hoax. (If she found a mate, it was not reported.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1329)

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Friday, June 2, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1330)

READ THE FOLLOWING WHILE EATING DINNER....NOT

The Dallas Morning News reported on November 26, 2005, testimony had begun in the trial of Behrouz Nahidmobarekeh, a 49-year-old cabdriver, who faced charges of tampering with consumer products. He was accused, according to the News, of sprinkling his own dried, ground feces on pastries at a Fiesta grocery store over an extended period of time. For months, prosecutor Taly Haffar told jurors, customers had complained to employees that the store's freshly baked cookies "smelled and tasted like manure."

A BLACK EYE MIGHT TEACH THIS OFFICIAL WHAT BLACK IS

By city code, all Taxis in Newcastle, England, must be totally black. So Khalid Hussain's was surprised when he applied for a permit, but was rejected because his black Vauxhall Vectra was the wrong color. The council official sent to inspect the vehicle claimed he could see a "hint" of gray in the car's finish, so it was denied.

THEY COULD'VE STAYED HOME AND BOUGHT FLORIDA SWAMP LAND

Before he was caught in October 1995, Norwegian con artist Arne Aavold had survived by selling splinters from wooden garden fences to U.S. tourists, guaranteeing each piece came from a Viking ship that sailed to America long before Columbus.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1330)

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Saturday, June 3, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1331)

THE TORONTO BLUE JAYS COULD USE HIS BATTING SKILLS

Jason Laberge was on the antidepressant drug Prozac when he opened a cage at a Toronto zoo to set six pink flamingos free. When they refused to leave, Mr. Laberge crawled inside their enclosure and beat all six to death with a broom handle.

THESE BURGLARS WANTED TO PROTECT THEIR OWN BOOTY

Back in 1982 police, investigating a burglary at an attorney's office in Southampton, England, were surprised to find almost nothing missing. Typewriters, tape recorders, even the petty cash drawer was untouched. What the thieves did take was an expensive burglar alarm system, which was scheduled for installation the next morning.

COCA-COLA MISSED A GREAT CHANCE FOR AN ENDORSEMENT HERE

Margaret Velma Barfield, a 52-year-old grandmother, convicted of mass-murder with poison, was put to death by lethal injection, at Central Prison, North Carolina in 1962. For her last meal she consumed Cheez Doodles and Coca-Cola.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1331)

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Sunday, June 4, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1332)

WONDER HOW A USER WOULD LOOK WEARING TIGHT JEANS?

Jim Huza and his wife Sharon say they've developed a cushion which muffles flatulence and absorbs the smell. From their home in Greenville, North Carolina, they offer on the Internet GasBGon fart cushions, guaranteed to absorb all foul odor and sound, or your money back.

A PHOENIX RISING FROM THESE ASHES WOULD BE A MULTI-MILLIONAIRE

In case of disaster, the state of Oregon paid $124,700 to a Virginia computer company to make sure that state's lotto system would continue to spit-out tickets, no matter the magnitude of an earthquake.

DEJA VU, DEJA VU, ALL OVER AGAIN

Diego de Carli, a motorist in Trento, Italy, went to his town's traffic warden's office and paid a parking ticket. Returning to his car, he found another parking ticket waiting. After going inside to pay it, he returned to his car to find another....

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1332)

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Monday, June 5, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1333)

THIS DEVIL HAD A HELL-OF-A-TIME

In February of 1987 two men on their way to a debate were practicing loudly while walking along a street in Bergen, Norway, one dressed as Jesus, the other as the Devil. Their verbal rehearsal caused a citizen to call police and, even though the Devil was arrested and fined, Jesus was allowed to go free. In court the Devil refused to pay on the grounds he was discriminated against.

WHAT KILLED HIM WAS SEEING HIS DOCTOR'S BILL

The family of Obaid Mubarak bin Suwaidan Bal-Jafah of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, will never know for sure what caused him to die only three days after seeing a doctor for the first time. Could it have been just a coincidence? After all, he was over 100 years old.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

A truck carrying a large tank of construction glue between the cities of Milan and Pavia, Italy, struck a tree and its sticky cargo spilled, coating the Bressana bridge. The first car attempting to cross became stuck almost immediately. The driver exited his vehicle, only to become stuck himself, in his shoes. Standing helpless, he used his cell phone to call for help. Rescue workers dissolved the glue, and eventually everything and everyone became unstuck.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1333)

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Tuesday, June 6, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1334)

HE SHOULD'VE PULLED HIMSELF OVER FOR EXCEEDING STUPIDITY

In Foggia, Italy, in 1972, policeman Antonio Demma was so determined to impress his superiors he wrote bogus traffic tickets and paid them himself. That caused him to receive a six-month suspended sentence.

'CAUSE BULLWINKLE AIN'T AS CUTE AS A BABY SEAL, THAT'S WHY

Svein Ludvigen, Norway's Fisheries minister, argued for a proposal that tourists be issued licenses to club baby seals to death along the coastline to control over population, adding the wildlife department issues licenses to kill moose, so why not baby seals?

IF YOU ENJOY SPEAKING 'POLITICALLY CORRECT'....ENJOY THIS

Actual final notation on the chart of a man who died: "Patient failed to fulfill his wellness potential".

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1334)

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Wednesday, June 7, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1335)

THREE QUICK QUOTES

(1) Broadcast commentator during golf tournament: "Arnie Palmer, usually a great putter, seems to be having trouble with his long putts. However, he has no trouble dropping his shorts". (2) Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver concerning his coach John Jenkins: "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings". (3) Metro Radio sports commentary: "Julian Dicks is everywhere! It's like they've got eleven Dicks on the field".

YOU KNOW, HE JUST MIGHT HAVE A POINT THERE?

When convicted murderer Allen Kinsella appeared in court charged with escaping from a Canadian prison in October 1994, he filed a countersuit against the prison for aiding and abetting his escape by allowing a ladder to remain in the yard, which he used to scale the wall.

A MAN OF THE CLOTH?

Pope Anacletus (1130-8) had a really big problem with moral limitations. Other than having a prostitute for a mistress, his "all in the family" attitude allowed incest with his sister and several other family members to be great fun. Of course, he also considered raping nuns a fair sport.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1335)

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Thursday, June 8, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1336)

THIS GUY BOUGHT HIMSELF FIVE-TO-TEN IN THE STATE PEN

In July of 1994 jewelry store owner David Shidler of Des Moines, Iowa, had his identification taken without knowing because his birth certificate and social security number were stolen from a storage shed he had rented. Shidler found out when a customer, later identified as David Cox, picked out $3,000 worth of jewelry, then handed over a credit card with Dave Shidler's own name on it.

MAYBE THIS BABY GOT WEANED TOO EARLY?

In 1994 California artist Ronnie Nicolino created a two-mile long sand sculpture of 21,000 size 34c breasts. The artist said he was planning a new and much larger display, of enough bras tied together to reach across the Grand Canyon. He also claimed not to be obsessed with female breasts.

YOUNG SHARKS LEARNING TO EAT OLDER SHARKS

To demonstrate how easily a person can be accused of "assault", then sued, University of Virginia law professor Kenneth Abraham slightly tapped the shoulder of student Marta Sanchez. Unknown to the professor, Ms. Sanchez had recently been raped. In court she claimed Abraham's tap on her shoulder triggered fear and vulnerability. She was awarded $35,000.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1336)

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Friday, June 9, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1337)

NEVER QUESTION THE LORD THY GOD..................BUT???

On the last day of October 2005, The Dallas Morning News reported Reverend Kyle Lake, 33, of University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, had been electrocuted while performing a Baptism. Wishing to share the moment with his audience of over eight-hundred, Reverend Lake had taken the microphone shoulder-deep into the Baptismal. He leaves behind a wife and three children under age six.

OTHER THAN THAT, WONDER HOW THEIR WEEK WENT?

Back in January of 1991 in Hartford, Connecticut, a couple of would-be burglars were very surprised when they kicked in the door of an apartment to find the police already there, who immediately arrested them both. By coincidence, these soon to be jailbirds had kicked in the door to an apartment rented by two Hartford police officers.

TWO CLASSIC ANSWERS TO HIGH SCHOOL QUIZZES

(1) "One of the causes of the Revolutionary War was the English put tacks in their tea." (2) "Gravity was invented by Isaac Newton. It is chiefly noticeable in the Autumn, when the apples are falling off the trees."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1337)

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Saturday, June 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1338)

NOT IF THE MOTHER-TO-BE HAD LOOKED UP BIRTHCONTROL.COM

Sequoia Hospital in Silicon Valley, California, announced a new service in technology. Each baby born in that hospital will have an e-mail address in place the instant it clears its mother's birth canal. (Possible addresses: bloodyawfultrip.com, alldownhillfromhere.com, killthatbigsnake.com)

THOSE FOURS-BY-FIVES GOT THEM EIGHT-TO-TEN

In May of 1995 a security van in Arlington, Texas, was robbed of $16,000. At the same time, in the same parking lot, 23 non-English speaking Japanese tourists were snapping photos of the whole event, including 39 photos of the getaway car's license plates. Police soon made arrests.

YUMMY AND CLASSY

During the cultural revolution of the 1960s-70s in China, under rule of Mao Tse-Tung, his Red Guard troops ate the flesh of their enemies to prove they were fully class-conscious.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1338)

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Sunday, June 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1339)

FROM THE WHAT WAS SHE THINKING DEPARTMENT?

On November 2, 2005, The Dallas Morning News reported 41-year-old Evangeline Gonzalez had failed 2,953 times to pay fees to enter or leave DFW toll roads over a 20-month period. Had she paid the 40-to-75-cents each time she entered or exited at a toll booth, it would have cost her less than $1,900. But, with added fees, she owed the North Texas Turnpike Authority a whopping $76,039.

A ROUNDABOUT RESCUE

Stuck between floors on an elevator in a New Plymouth tax office on New Zealand's North Island, Bonnie Johnson used the emergency phone to call for help. But because of a thunderstorm, instead of her call going directly to the building's management or the local fire department, it was routed 500 miles to the South Island, where Joan Prankhurst, manager of the Southland Times, called authorities back on North Island to help the stranded woman.

THESE GUYS ENDED UP "PLUCKING" THEMSELVES

Peruvian police arrested a gang of "poultry suppliers" attempting to smuggle ten kilos (22 pounds) of cocaine into prison inside 200 plucked chickens.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1339)

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Monday, June 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1340)

HIS BRAIN COOKED UP A NICE PROFIT ON THAT OLD COOK STOVE

A farmer in India told his neighbor how he was almost killed when debris from Skylab fell near him in his field in 1979. To prove his point, he produced a chunk of charred metal. His neighbor, envisioning an obvious profit, paid the farmer the equivalent of about $100 US for the "evidence". Before long, others visited and paid the farmer for burned chunks of metal,......until one finally figured out he'd bought a piece of an old iron cook stove.

HIS FORM OF GALLOWS LAUGHTER

"Warden, I'd like a little bicarb because I'm afraid I'm going to get gas on my stomach right now." These were the last words of murderer Charles de la Roi strapped inside a California gas chamber in 1946.

HE'D BEEN ROCKING RIGHT ALONG UNTIL THE ATTACK

A 33-year-old man, walking along a canal in Solihull, England, in February of 1995, was assaulted and thrown into the drink by three men who stole his back pack. To their surprise, when they later opened the pack it was full of rocks. The victim of their crime had been using them as training weights.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1340)

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Tuesday, June 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1341)

WHAT A BOOT Y-STRETCH THIS WOULD TAKE

Les Price, 350 pounds, flew from Wales to Ireland to support his rugby team, but got squashed so badly trying to occupy one airline seat flying over, for his return trip he paid double fare to get two seats. After boarding his plane, however, he discovered his two consecutive numbers were on separate sides of the isle.

A FLASHLIGHT COULD'VE SAVED A LIFE

On a dark night in October 1978, burglars broke into a warehouse in Durban, South Africa. Apparently not knowing what the building contained, one of the two men struck a match. Soon following was a fireworks explosion which burned to death one of the intruders, badly burning the other.

IT'LL TAKE MORE THAN A BEARD AND SIDEBURNS TO HIDE THAT

The Raja of Akalkot (1896-1923) was able to hide his insanity until the British Council learned he had taken a sword during a whim and lopped off both ears and nose of a courtier.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1341)

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1342)

THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF TAKING A BITE OUT OF CRIME

In February 1996, 55-year-old laborer Maphupu Molatudi was sleeping in a hostel north of Johannesburg, South Africa, when he was awakened by a thief attempting to pry open his mouth to steal his false teeth. When Mr. Molatudi protested, the thief beat his face, jerked open his mouth, removed his teeth, then disappeared.

WITH NO WINDSHIELD, WHERE'D HE PUT THE TICKET?

Robert McFarland and his horse, Charley Boy, were offering buggy rides to tourists in Skipton, a market town in England, when the 4-legged half of the partnership received a parking ticket. Under "description of vehicle", the policeman had written "brown horse."

FACT? FICTION? RUMORS? WITH TIME, DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

Rock guitarist Jimmy Hendrix choked to death on his own vomit. Rock singer Janis Joplin choked to death on her own vomit. Lead singer of The Doors Jim Morrison choked to death on his own vomit. Obese lead singer for The Mamas and The Papas - Mama Cass Elliot - choked to death on a chicken sandwich.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1342)

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Thursday, June 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1343)

HIS FOIBLE WAS FOILED BY FOIL

On Christmas Eve 1993, inside a 7-Eleven in Denver, Colorado, a young man tried drying his small stash of marijuana in the store's microwave oven. Problem was, he placed his "pot" on a foil-covered lottery ticket to heat it, which caused the oven to short out, starting a small fire. He got away, but the store's security camera got his photo, and the store manager had to get a new microwave.

JUST FOR THE MYTH OF IT

St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Russia, pawnbrokers, unmarried girls, children and sailors. In the 4th century he was bishop in southwestern Turkey. And, as a baby (it was claimed) he always abstained from his mother's breast on Wednesdays and Fridays.

NO LAWYER, NO HIGH COURT FEES, AND SWIFT JUSTICE TO BOOT

When a shoplifter was caught stealing a shirt in the city of Szczecin, Poland, a special enforcement staff was called to punish the lawbreaker. "The staff" loaded the offender into a car and drove to the center of the city. There the thief was kicked from the vehicle, totally naked, with the words "I am a thief" painted on both his chest and back.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1343)

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Friday, June 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1344)

HE FIGURED (LIKE THAT OLD SONG) 'YOU GOTTA HAVE HEART'

At his trial in February 1992 the Milwaukee cannibal, Jeffrey Dahmer, confessed to killing and eating 17 people. Evidence found in his apartment included several heads found in his refrigerator, skulls stored in a filing cabinet and body parts in a cooking pot. When a human heart was found frozen in the deep freeze, Dahmer explained, "I was saving it for later."

A CAMEL? THEY SHOULD'VE BEEN LAUGHING TOO HARD TO FIGHT

Near the Somali border in northern Kenya, a public brawl occurred in March 1996 when a twenty-year-old man was accused of raping a camel. Seems the man's relatives, and friends of the camel's owner, took up opposite sides.

HE SHOULD BE HAPPY IF HIS DOG IS HALF AS STUPID AS HE

A Louisiana dog owner, Chaddrick Dickson, decided to make his animal meaner by adding gun powder to his dog food. But while trying to pound the powder out of a .22-caliber bullet, Mr. Dickson caused the shell to explode, injuring himself.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1344)

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Saturday, June 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1345)

A ROBBER WITH ENOUGH HEART TO START ANOTHER'S WORKING

Thieves confronted Giuseppe Tomasello and a fellow worker leaving an office building in Milan, Italy, with their company's bank deposit. When told to surrender the money at gunpoint, Mr. Tomasello immediately collapsed to the ground with a heart attack. That's when one of the robbers fell to his knees and instantly began giving CPR. And would not stop, or leave the ill man, until sure he could breathe unaided. Then, and only then, they took the 40 million lira (about $20,000) and ran.

POLICE ACCIDENTALLY TAUGHT THESE STUDENTS A REAL LESSON

For an anti-drugs talk at Ilfracombe Community College in Devon, England, a drug sniffing dog was brought along to demonstrate its ability to sniff-out evidence. A sample brought along by police for the dog to "find" was not necessary, however. Not long after entering the building, the well trained dog sniffed out a large stash of marijuana, and four students were arrested.

IF KITTIWAKES TASTE ANYTHING LIKE CHICKEN, HAVE A BAR-B-Q

More than a decade ago, for absolutely no reason yet discovered, someone shot and killed seventy-three protected Kittiwakes nesting in cliffs in Marsden Bay, Tyneside, England. Even more strange, all seventy-three dead birds were gathered and used to spell out the word "DEATH" on a pub parking lot at the bottom of the cliffs.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1345)

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Sunday, June 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1347)

THEIR "HEADSTART PROGRAM" WOULD MEAN APPLY AT BIRTH

In 1968 a young man applied for a government job in West Bengal, but received no reply................for thirty-four years, until 2002, when he was fifty-two, and too old for the job he had applied for. Labor Minister Mohammed Anum, denying any problem with communications, stated it often "takes a long time for a person to be called for scarce government jobs ".

PROBABLY TAUGHT HIM MORE THAN A SHORT PRISON SENTENCE

Daniel Pouchin, a purse snatcher, ended up in a hospital with broken ribs in Nice, France, in August of 1993, after he made the mistake of trying to rob two women who turned out to be very tough transvestites. (Ouch!)

RELIGION: MANKIND'S FAILED ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND ITSELF

The Dallas Morning News reported in November of 2005 that religious broadcaster Pat Robertson had warned residents of a rural Pennsylvania community that disaster might strike their little town because they had voted out eight school board members who voted not to teach students "intelligent design," which favors an orderly god over the random selection of the Darwin Theory. He had also stated feminism encourages women to "kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." ( Become lesbians? Question: Did Pat Robinson choose before birth to be heterosexual?)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1347)

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Monday, June 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1348)

SHE WANTED TO WORK ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LAW

The Dallas Morning News reported in November 2005 that Ernestina Garcia Guzman, 30, had applied for a job as a courtesy patrol officer at the Dallas County Sheriff's Department. Instead of a job, after a background check using both her married and maiden names, she was arrested on both an arson warrant out of New Mexico, and $1,600 in unpaid parking tickets in Mesquite, a suburb of Dallas.

PORTIONS OF THE BANGKOK PHONE DIRECTORY?

In October of 1993 the Bangkok Post reported phony physicians had performed at least 100 bogus penis enlargement operations in Thailand. Authorities said the "operations" involved injecting olive oil, chalk, or other available materials into a gullible patient's penis. An official at Chiang Mai hospital said he had even seen portions of the Bangkok phone directory dissolved inside some men's fifth appendage.

HER LOVER HAD NO BODY AFTER THAT

In December of 1993 Army Sergeant Stephen Schap found out "his" newly born child was really fathered by Gregory Grover, a fellow mechanic at Sickles Army Airfield, Fulda, Germany. This prompted Sergeant Schap to visit his wife in the maternity ward, accompanied by the severed head of her lover, Gregory Grover.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1348)

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Tuesday, June 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1349)

IT NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO BURN A HOLE IN THEIR POCKETS

In April 1991, thieves stole a safe from the office of a travel agency in Sydney, Australia. Using a blow torch to open it later, they totally incinerated the $72,000 inside.

GRACELAND MANSION WAS HIS HEARTBREAK HOTEL

During the last years of rock legend Elvis Aaron Presley's (1935-1977) life, he developed a 4:30 AM eating binge habit. A typical meal would consist of three double-decker cheeseburgers and six or seven banana splits. Addled with his regular barbiturates and tranquilizers, it was often the job of his aids to run a finger down his throat to dislodge food, keeping him from choking to death.

APPARENTLY THEY'D NEVER HEARD OF A "PIDDLE-PAC"

Jacques Aube and Joseph Guy Lajoie, flying a helicopter from Canada to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, made an emergency landing on Flagler Beach, and were arrested by police. Why? The "emergency" was neither fuel nor mechanical, but personal. They had to relieve themselves, public beach or not.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1349)

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Wednesday, June 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1350)

AND WHAT A SCOUNDREL THIS CROOK WAS!

In May of 1995, Patricia Wakelin of Westbury-on-Trym, England, ran an ad to sell her Ford Fiesta. When David Brice, 28, came to test drive it, he left his elderly grandmother with Ms. Wakelin to chat over tea. But when Mr. Brice did not return in a timely manner, Ms. Wakelin learned from the older woman she was a resident of a nearby nursing home, and Mr. Brice, a total stranger, had invited her out for a sunny walk.

PERHAPS HE SHOULD'VE WORN A BLINDFOLD, THEN?

In October 1994, Armando Botalezzi, a thirty-two-year-old Italian, was rushed to hospital after attempting a "nose job" on himself with a pair of pliers and a kitchen knife. He told doctors it would have worked out okay, if he hadn't kept fainting at the sight of his own blood.

HE COULD STRENGTHEN A RELATIONSHIP WITH A TIRE PATCH

Several neighbors living in an apartment building in Munich, Germany, became suspicious of a young bachelor they saw carrying what appeared to be an unconscious young woman into his apartment. When police arrived and knocked on the suspicious man's door, he immediately introduced them to his new love, an inflatable silicon sex doll. In fact, he introduced them to an entire apartment full of his inflatable harem.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1350)

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Thursday, June 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1351)

HE BECAME A LARGER BUST SIZE!

Sandi Canesco, 26, of Sydney, Australia, was suddenly widowed when her husband, Dustin, was killed in a car crash. Saying she wanted her husband to always be near her heart, she had his ashes sewn into her breast implants.

THIS GUY MUST'VE LOOKED AT HER REALLY LECHEROUSLY?

Greg Bonnet sued the Barnet Motor Inn in Vancouver, Canada, after having his nose broken while watching an act performed in their club. Mr. Bonnet had been seated near the stage, looking up, as a young stripper twirled around a pole,...... when her foot caught him square in his face. (Ouch!)

IF HIS MANY MOVES MANIFESTED THIS OFTEN.......

In March of 1987, after stealing from his employer for several years (Houston's Jefferson Davis Hospital), Edward Williams was sentenced to 10 years probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. He had been accused of stealing only one type of item, toilet paper. How much toilet paper? 79,680 rolls.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1351)

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Friday, June 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1352)

HE HAD A SMALL PROBLEM WITH BIG WHIPS

The midget Pope Gregory VII (1073-85) thought it bad for average people to read the Holy Bible, saying it might provoke thought, and thought only led to heresy. Meanwhile, his sexual soul enjoyed being whipped and whipping others.

TOO BAD HE WAS NOT AS "TWO-FACED" AS HIS DETRACTORS THOUGHT

Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico (1832-67) was assassinated by a band of Mexican bandits on the side of a hill in 1867. His last request had been that his executioners take careful aim straight at his heart so that he may die with dignity. However, the "marksmen" were not very accurate and most of his face was blown away. (And parts of his body were auctioned off to souvenir-hunters.)

WELL, AT LEAST SOMEBODY WENT TO JAIL

In December 1993 Scott Plumley told Pensacola, Florida, authorities they should shut down a neighborhood drug house, but they claimed not enough evidence. This angered Mr. Plumley so much he stormed down the street, bought a bag of marijuana, then called police. And..........when the police arrived, Mr. Plumley was arrested, drugs in hand, and charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1352)

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Saturday, June 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1353)

ALL THAT JAW BONING FOR NOTHING

In September 1995, three teenage boys were arrested for killing an elderly man in Kiev, Ukraine. According to police, the young men killed, then sawed off the victim's lower jaw to steal the gold fillings from his teeth. But when it was discovered the "gold" was only cheap metal, they threw the jaw back on the corpse.

HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TO JAW ABOUT

Even though he was known as a life-long glutton, during his last years, French King Louis XIV (1638-1715) had trouble getting food into his mouth. When doctors removed several of his rotting teeth, they accidentally broke his lower jaw, leaving it deformed.

AT LEAST SHE WOULDN'T NEED TO FEED IT

An elderly bird lover living in Reading, England, called the RSPCA inspectors saying she had found a rare baby owl. When they arrived at her home to see the bird, the nearsighted granny thrust out her arms and opened her hands to share a very fuzzy purple bath sponge.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1353)

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Sunday, June 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1354)

ALL CREATURES HAVE A BUILT-IN COMPASS; HUMANS IGNORE THEIRS

Behaviorists studying ant farms say their funeral processions always carry the dead to the Northeast most corner. Even if the farm is turned often, they still leave their dead in the same direction. It is not known why.

POLITICIANS TODAY FLIP-FLOP ON ISSUES, BUT ABE..............

Why do some photographs of Abraham Lincoln show his mole on the right side of his face? Full-length photos taken while he ran for the presidency were used over-and-over, only replacing the face. When his body posture did not match the gaze or direction, the negative of the head was "flipped".

ONLY THING ON HIS MENU WAS GRAVEYARD STEW

In June of 1998, a male passenger flying on a United Emirates Airways jet suddenly died of a heart attack. After the plane landed, several passengers complained because the man's body had been allowed to remain in its seat for the rest of the flight. One passenger told the South China Morning Post, "A lot of people were put off their food."

Andrew J. Hewett

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Monday, June 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1355)

BUT THIS TAKES ALL THE FUN OUT OF BEING A PERVERT!

News of the Weird reported, in November of 2005, that Britain's Anne Summers lingerie store chain added a feature to its dressing rooms. Peepholes were drilled so women could show off for their companions.

ANOTHER CASE OF "BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR"

Some felt Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968), the brother of President John F. Kennedy, subconsciously wished to follow in his "brother's footsteps" so badly he wanted to be assassinated. One quote of his: "Who knows if any of us will still be alive in 1972. Existence is so fickle, fate is so fickle." (Sirhan Sirhan allowed him to follow his brother on June 6,1968.)

CRIMINALS GAVE THE "THUMBS UP" ON THIS IDEA

A pension fraud was uncovered by Malaysian officials in 1982 which involved 564 people of Indian descent, who were receiving retirement checks after returning to their homes in India. These 564 pension receivers had all died of natural causes or been murdered. All criminals needed were their thumb prints, which the Malaysian pension authorities used for identification. These thumbs, cut from the deceased and embalmed, were used over and over, costing that government at least $400,000 per year.

Andrew J. Hewett

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Tuesday, June 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1356)

THEY COULD'VE SAT ON THE BOXES AND HAD BREAKFAST

At 3:30 a.m. on an August morning in 1995, in Wellington, New Zealand, a 19-year-old man jumped inside an idling milk truck and drove away. Speeding around a corner, the thief ran straight into a bread van. Upon arriving at the scene, a policeman reported, "There was milk, yogurt, cheese, bread and boxes all over the place."

HIS TIP-TOE-THROUGH-THE-TULIPS WAS CRAZY

Turkish Sultan Ahmed III (1703-30) became obsessed with tulips. He imported 1,200 different rare bulbs from Mongolia for his gardens, and guests were forbidden from wearing any color clothing which didn't match his tulips on the penalty of death.

PERHAPS THE TERM "KISS MY ..." STARTED HERE?

The part of the body kissed during the Middle Ages depended on one's status. Generally, an equal received a kiss on the lips. A superior the hand, knee or feet, depending on how superior they were. The lower the inferior person, the less they were kissed.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1356)

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Wednesday, June 28, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1357)

GOOD THING HE WASN'T TRYING TO BECOME A RABBI ON FRIDAY

Popes of the Roman Catholic Church traditionally began selecting their own papal names upon election around 844 A.D. First known personally selected name was Sergious II, whose real name was Boca de Porco (Pig's Mouth).

PERHAPS SHE THOUGHT THE FIRST TIME WAS DANCING?

The Dallas Morning News reported in November of 2005 that the leader of a storefront ministry in Ft. Worth, Leonard Ray Owens, 63, had been arrested after a female believer charged him with raping her at his home......then raping her again, about a month later, after inviting her again into his home.

NO STOCK OPTIONS? NO 401K? NO GOLDEN PARACHUTE?

The famous Pony Express lasted about 18 months, during 1860-61. Back then it was relatively expensive to send a letter to California ($5, later dropping to $1). And it was very dangerous for the riders, mostly teenagers, as evidenced by this want ad for riders. "Wanted: Young skinny wiry fellows, not over 18. Must be expert riders willing to risk life daily. Orphans preferred."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1357)

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Thursday, June 29, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1358)

HER KNOCKING-DOOR-KNUCKLES WERE SOUNDLY CALLOUSED

The Girl Scouts, founded by Juliette Low in 1912, is known for their cookie sales, which even back in 1990 sold 130 million boxes, grossing $225 million. The most cookies ever sold by one person was by Markita Andrews, who sold 60,000 boxes during her twelve years as a Girl Scout.

NOW WAIT JUST A MINUTE!

A zoo owner in Caviha, Portugal, dressed his own children to look like monkeys and kept them in a cage labeled "rare Sumatran orangutans". He was arrested and taken away in September of 1994.

ANOTHER DEATH WISH STATEMENT FROM ROBERT KENNEDY

Upon hearing his brother Jack had been assassinated in November 1963, Robert stated: "I thought they'd get one of us, but Jack never worried about that. I thought it would be me." (On June 5, 1968, he turned out to be right.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1358)

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Friday, June 30, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1359)

AT LEAST HE DIDN'T ASK FOR THEIR BRAS TO HAUL HIS FRUIT

In June of 1995 John Mulder was detained by police in Rotterdam, Holland, for standing on a street asking women for their panty hose, which he said could be used as a fan belt on his car. Upon questioning, it was determined Mr. Mulder had no car.

THESE GUYS WERE DEFINITELY IN THE WRONG LINE OF BUSINESS

At the end of a funeral in Vallejo, California, cemetery employees discovered the grave was too narrow for the coffin to be lowered flat, so they turned it sideways, until the cries of the mourners stopped them. Next they tried to remove the coffin's handles, to no avail. And, last, they jumped up-and-down on the wedged container until its lid broke, damaging the corpse and stopping the burial.

DURING YOUR EMBALMING..........................

Your mouth will be either glued or sewed shut to keep it from falling open. Your nostrils will be stuffed with cotton wool saturated with a liquid insecticide to keep bugs out. And the flesh on your feet and lower legs has already begun to decay: first green, then purple, then black as it putrefies.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1359)

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Saturday, July 01, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1360)

SOMETHING TO MAKE YOUR SKIN BAGGY

About 10% of the world's population carries the bacterium streptococcus A. For reasons not understood by the medical community, occasionally it develops into necrotizing fasciitis, known as the "flesh-eater disease". In reality it destroys fat beneath the skin, and may advance at a rate of several inches per hour.

WHAT A KIND AND SAINTLY RULER

Shah Jahan (1628-68) had built, then dedicated to his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, the glorious Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern world. Known for his generosity, Jahan would sit, yearly, on a public scale and pay the peasants his total body weight in golden coins.

AN EXAMPLE OF DEDICATION TO CAUSE

Juan Lopez escaped from a Mexican prison in 1996 after six years of pouring each meal's acidic salsa on the bars of his cell window.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1360)

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Sunday, July 02, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1361)

HE SHOULD'VE ROBBED THE TREASURY, THEN PARDONED HIMSELF

David Rice Atchison (1807-1886), 12th U.S. president, held office for one day only. Why? A very religious Zackary Taylor refused to take his oath of office on Sunday, and James K. Polk, the 11th president, was by then a common citizen. Therefore, Atchison, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate, filled the vacancy until Monday, March 5, 1849.

WHY?

Edward VII (1841-1910) received a one-of-a-kind gift from an admirer, an Indian maharajah. It was a golf bag made from an elephant's penis.

THIS WAS HER LUCKY DAY, NOT

In 1985 Californian Donna Lee Sobb won $100, which qualified her as a finalist for a $2,000,000 lotto jackpot. But after her photo appeared as a finalist, she was arrested on an outstanding shoplifting warrant.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1361)

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Monday, July 03, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1363)

HOW TO DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING A DATE

When movie star James Dean (1931-1955) was asked if he was bisexual, he was reported to have said, "Well, I'm certainly not going through life with one hand tied behind my back." He had several gay roommates, and avoided the military draft by registering as a homosexual.

FOR A FEW MINUTES SHE WAS THE "HOTTEST" GAL IN TOWN

Even though women accused of witchcraft in Britain were not burned at the stake, for other crimes, such as forgery and petty treason, they were. Men were generally just hanged for such crimes. A woman named "Murphy," charged with forgery, was the last female to burn in London before the law was changed in 1789.

NOW YOU KNOW

The 26th President of the U.S., Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), was the first president to coin a commercial phrase. While visiting Andrew Jackson's historic home, in Nashville, Tennessee, he was served coffee provided by a nearby hotel, the Maxwell House. When asked if he would like another cup, he exclaimed, "Another cup? I'd be delighted. It's good to the last drop." (Unrelated FYI: He loved to box, and during one White House match, he permanently lost sight in one eye.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1363)

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Tuesday, July 04, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1364)

THEY STOLE SAFES SUCCESSFULLY

In March of 1994, thieves near Bristol, England, entered a safe warehouse and stole 13 empty safes.

THIS VICTIM REFUSED TO COLLECT $32,000!

A thief broke into a car in Milan, Italy, in January of 1994, and stole a suitcase. Unfortunate for the thief, in haste he let a lotto ticket fall from his pocket worth $32,000. But the owner of the car, saying gambling was against his belief, refused to cash the winning ticket.

THE WAY IT REALLY WAS

According to most history books Charles Lindbergh was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean nonstop. In truth, the first nonstop flight was made by William Alcock and Arthur Brown in 1919. Lindbergh began his flight on May 20, 1927, and landed 34 hours later at Le Bourget Field in Paris, to become the 67th person to cross flying a plane. His flight became more famous than the others because he flew solo.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1364)

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Wednesday, July 05, 2006 - On Vacation

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Thursday, July 06, 2006 - On Vacation

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Friday, July 07, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1365)

HIS BIG BANG THEORY WAS MIS-DIRECTED

In June of 1987, a burglar tried to blow open a safe inside an office in Munkebo, Denmark. The explosive, placed in the wrong position, destroyed the entire building, but left the safe only scorched.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS STILL SUPPORT TOBACCO GROWERS

At the start of World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared tobacco to be an essential crop, and those who grew it were exempted from fighting.

BUT WOULDN'T THAT CAUSE THE COW'S CREAM TO CURDLE?

"Cow-tipping" is the so-called art of pushing over a sleeping cow with one finger. The theory being, a sleeping cow is helplessly top heavy and will fall over at a simple forceful touch. Not true, according to the University of British Columbia. Their experiment, using an average-size cow and many, many human fingers, concluded it would take at least 5 humans, two hands each, each hand having 5 fingers, totaling fifty fingers forcing, to force a cow to fall. (Forget it !)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1365)

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Saturday, July 08, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1366)

AT THAT RATE, SOMEDAY THEY MAY THROW PRISON FOOD

Burglars broke into a primary school in Rochdale, England, but stole absolutely nothing. What they broke into, to be more exact, was that school's cafeteria. They removed all food from the refrigerators and had a $3,200 food fight.

HOPEFULLY THEY SAW THEIR ERROR AFTER THAT

In 1999 the Texas Commission for the Blind lost a lawsuit and had to pay two of their blind employees $55,000 for not providing Braille and large-type employee manuals for their own visually impaired workers.

JUST FOR FUN: THREE POLITICAL QUOTES

(1) George W. Bush: "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" (2) Mayor Frank Rizzo, of Philadelphia: "The streets are safe in Philadelphia, it's only the people who make them unsafe." (3) Senator Jesse Helms: "Democracy used to be a good thing, but now it has gotten into the wrong hands."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1366)

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Sunday, July 09, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1367)

OVERTAXED U.S. CITIZENS WOULD MAKE HIM RICH

During the Japanese recession of the 1990s, Jun Sato, 25, found himself like many others in his age bracket, unemployed and angry because no jobs were available. That's when he turned his anger into cash. How? Understanding the mood and climate of his counterparts, he dressed in heavy padding and let passersby put on boxing gloves, and "beat him up" for $1,000 yen, or about $10 U.S.

"BUT DOC, MY RIGHT BRAIN KEEPS MY LEFT BRAIN AWAKE DURING SEX!"

A dolphin's superior intelligence places it equal to humans in many ways. Also, dolphins don't waste time going to sleep, like humans. This is because the brain of a dolphin only goes to sleep one hemisphere at a time, allowing it to remain awake while it sleeps.

IT'S A SAFE BET THESE GUYS WERE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS

In June 1984, two Englishmen in Wakefield broke into a business and stole its safe, then hauled it away in the company's van. But later, unloading it on top of a hill, they lost grip and the safe's noisy trip to the bottom got them arrested. (The owner of the company later said it contained only $36.00.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1367)

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Monday, July 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1368)

THAT'S ONE FINGER HE CAN'T STICK BACK IN HIS NOSE

In September of 2005, the Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City, Utah, reported a 25-year-old man had lost part of his finger during a road rage incident. According to the story, the injured man had cutoff a female motorist in traffic, causing her to roll down her window and curse him. This caused the man to make an obscene gesture, which caused the woman to pull out her .357-caliber revolver and shoot off the end of his middle finger.

A REMINDER: THINK POSITIVE FOR POSITIVE RESULTS

Studies by psychologists at three universities (Purdue, Indiana and Ohio) all came to the same conclusion: People who talk to people about other people are basically judged on whether what they say is positive or negative. The listener's "feelings" about the speaker, good or bad, is overwhelmingly decided by whether their comments were positive or negative. (This process is known as STT or "spontaneous trait transference".)

SCROOGE WAS DEFINITELY A PURITAN, THEN

The Puritans did not celebrate Christmas. They were so against celebrating anything they outlawed Christmas in 1659. Those caught not working, or displaying any type of lightheartedness, were fined 5-shillings.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1368)

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Tuesday, July 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1369)

EATING RAW GARLIC WILL COVER UP ALL BUT ITS OWN SMELL

Fear of bad breath causes folks to spend $10 billion a year on mints, gums and mouthwashes, which do little good for more than a few minutes. In fact, most mouthwashes contain a combination of alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, which can worsen that condition. Bad breath comes primarily from food and plaque which form on the back of the tongue, and requires one to use a toothbrush or tongue card to scrape that area, preferably twice daily.

ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S FORTUNE, BUT NOT HERE

In April of 1995, a very nervous robber held a gun on a clerk in Mainz, Germany, demanding he fill a cloth bag with money. What the fearful thief did wrong was not look closely where the clerk was filling his bag. Instead of money from his open cash drawer, the sharp employee filled it with paper from his trash basket below the drawer, and the satisfied thief left.

ONE PERSON'S BIGOTRY IS ANOTHER PERSON'S NORMAL LIFE

As soon as the Puritans settled in the New World, they immediately forbid all religion except there own, the exact reason they had left England themselves. Any freedom of choice was considered, basically, blasphemy. The first governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, John Winthrop, called democracy, "The meanest and worst form of government".

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1369)

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Wednesday, July 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1370)

HE CAN BLAME NOBODY FOR NO BODY BUT HIMSELF

In 1910, Olaf Olavson was so broke he sold his body to the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. His luck changed for the good in 1911, however, causing him to void the sale of his body, thus giving the institute grounds to sue. Not only did Mr. Olavson fail to regain the ownership of his body, he also owed the plaintiff money for the two teeth he'd had pulled without permission.

WHEN EGOS ARE INFLATED BALLOONS, REALITY IS A SHARP PIN

The Reverend George Crossley was such a successful television preacher in 1997 his swollen ego decided to destroy a fellow evangelist. First this "man of God" began an affair with the other man's wife. Next he attempted a murder-for-hire, which backfired when his "hit man" turned out to be an undercover lawman.

"WHAT YOU CAN CONCEIVE AND BELIEVE YOU CAN ACHIEVE"

Abbott "Abbie" Hoffman (1936-89) was a political activist leader in the late 1960s and early 70s. He is remembered today mostly for the famous Chicago Seven Trial after the riots at the 1968 National Democratic Convention. Hoffman's book, Steal This Book, was turned down by thirty publishers before he decided to publish it himself. It soon sold over 200,000 copies, the money from which he gave to charities.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1370)

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Thursday, July 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1371)

HUH? MUST BE ALL THE GUNFIRE AND BOMBS?

In Pakistan in the North, near the border of India, the Hunza people of Kashmir have exactly 0.00% cancer rates.

NOW HE QUALIFIES TO SELL USED CARS AND TIME SHARES

Hundreds of Allstate Insurance Company customers received a letter informing them their sales agent was to receive that company's "Quality Agent Award" for excellence in customer satisfaction. A few weeks later these same policy holders received another letter from Allstate, this time an apology. Seems their award winning agent had been banned from the business in what turned out to be the largest misconduct case in California history.

ANOTHER CASE OF THE MEDIA CAUSING THE NEWS

The Chicago media gave headline coverage when a gang of thugs killed a local basketball star. This made a rival gang jealous, so they randomly shot a helpless customer at a hot-dog stand in time for the 10:00 P.M. news.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1371)

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Friday, July 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1373)

HOW AN OIL COMPANY GIANT GOT ITS NAME

In the mid-1800s, Marcus Samuel owned a gift shop in London. While on holiday at the beach he decided to add sea shells to his inventory. Later he added kerosene for stoves and lanterns. Even later, with the industrial revolution's arrival, he helped begin the Shell Oil Company.

DON'T RECKON HE COULD AFFORD A CAB?

Eric Harris, 18, incarcerated at the Maloney Youth Center in Cheshire, Connecticut, in 1994, was given a 72-hour Christmas furlough. Nearing the end of his short respite, on the 26th, he became so fearful of being late he stole a car and made it just in time......just in time to be charged with auto theft, ruining his chances for any possible early release.

THIS PIGGY WIGGLED IN MILLIONS

In 1916, when Clarence Saunders first opened the Piggly Wiggly Store in Memphis, Tennessee, surprised customers were given hand baskets and, for the very first time, allowed to roam the isles and select their own items. Even though a few were overwhelmed by the experience, it became an instant success. Six months later, the store's investment of less than $3,500 had produced retail sales of over $100,000. This gave birth to supermarkets nationwide, with more than 1,000 stores to follow in 40 states.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1373)

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Saturday, July 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1374)

IN CASE YOU EVER MISS A CONNECTING FLIGHT

Daytona Beach International Airport must want more non-complaining passengers? Funeral directors receive 500 frequent flyer miles for each corpse they ship from there.

WARNING: ALWAYS CHECK YOUR PRIMATE'S I.Q. FIRST

If you throw a spear at the Nchigo gorilla, it will jump out of the way. Do the same with the more evolved Nchigo chimpanzee, and it will catch the spear ...then throw it back at you.

INTELLIGENCE OCCASIONALLY FORGETS ITS MASS

Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona was lucky to have a genius astronomer like Marc Aaronson at its facility. He put forth excellent work concerning the size and age of the universe, before he was crushed to death by the rotation of the 150-ton telescope dome.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1374)

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Sunday, July 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1375)

HE THEN AUTOMATICALLY BECAME "MR. JAILBIRD"

Like many last names such as "Wise"-"Taylor"-"French" and "Hooker", the persons who possess these names seldom match their implications. For instance, in November of 1994 a thief in Wellington, New Zealand, didn't live up to his name when he stole a car, then went to sleep behind the wheel. His name: Peter Wideawake.

THEY MUST'VE DECIDED TO TAKE THE SAME FLIGHT TO HEAVEN?

Catherine Whisker was being driven by her son, Paul, behind an ambulance carrying her husband, Lester, who'd had a heart attack, when she too had a heart attack. The couple were each admitted to the emergency unit, where they died within five minutes of each other.

PURITANS WERE A SEXY BUNCH OF PEOPLE?

One of the main topics at Puritan town meetings was often sex. In fact, one husband who had refused to have sexual intercourse with his wife for over a year, was kicked out of the church. Also back then, with the living quarters inside cabins providing little privacy, children learned about sex just by keeping their ears open late at night in the dark.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1375)

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Monday, July 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1376)

THAT'S WHAT HE GETS FOR THINKING WITH THE WRONG BODY PART

Twenty-year-old Emilio Garcia's first mistake was to date a married woman. His second was to make love to her in her own home, in her upstairs bedroom. His third was to jump naked from that bedroom window as her husband entered the front door. His fourth, final and worst decision was where he had parked his bike upon arrival. Falling from that window, he impaled himself on his own handlebars.

DARNED OLD CONSTITUENTS CAN GET IN THE WAY

Here is a jewel of a quote from the mouth of Bill Craven, Republican State Senator in California: "If we don't watch our respective tails, the people are going to be running this government."

AH, BALONEY!

In August of 1992, Rudy Buckmeister, a storekeeper in Graz, Austria, was robbed of the equivalent of $1,600, after being beaten up with a ten-pound sausage. "It felt like a baseball bat", he told police.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1376)

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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1377)

WATERMELONS ARE SAFE UNTIL THEY USE GROCERY CARTS

According to The Edge, wild monkeys in Tokyo are swarming into apple orchards and stealing a sizable amount of the crops. Some are so at home on city streets, they bring their own discarded plastic grocery bags for speed shopping.

WONDER IF HE RELOADED FOR CHRISTENING OF THEIR FIRST BORN?

A celebrant at a wedding in Sudan brought all festivities to a halt. Meaning to fire his AK-47 into the air, he lost his balance on the camel he was riding and sprayed the jubilant crowd, killing three.

BETTER THAN WHAT THEY PROBABLY STEPPED IN BECAUSE OF HORSES

When Charles the First of England (1600-49) increased the size of London's police force, more men were hired than there were horses available. These policemen, the one's that had to walk, were branded "Charley's" policemen. That's where the jokes started about foot blisters and sore legs, including a "charlie horse" of the leg.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1377)

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Wednesday, July 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1378)

THIS CROOK LITERALLY RAN OUT OF LUCK

In August of 1992, James Cunningham mugged a woman in Queens, New York, knocked her down, stole her purse and left her helpless with cuts and bruises. After running a few blocks with the stolen purse in hand, the thief was extremely surprised to hear feet pounding the pavement directly behind him, and a voice saying, "I can run like this all day." He was then mugged by a good Samaritan, and marathon runner, Bruce Benzne.

HOW ONE ACT OF COMPASSION COST MILLIONS OF LIVES

On September 28, 1918, on the French battlefield of Marcoing, Private Henry Tandey pointed his bolt-action rifle pointblank at a German corporal and prepared to pull the trigger. That is until he noticed the corporal was already wounded, so he lowered his gun and walked away. That German soldier, which Private Tandey let live, was Adolph Hitler.

CHANGES "HAIL MARY" TO "HELL MARY"

Michael Turner got 30 years in a Maryland prison for misusing a religious object. While living with his mother in Annapolis, he'd taken her car without permission, and she became angry. This caused him to beat her to death with a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1378)

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Thursday, July 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1379)

ESPECIALLY IF SHE SMELLS LIKE MONEY

Scientists at Rutgers University used 300 students to sniff the underarm smells of 30 volunteers (from Infants to women in their 70s). The evaluation of the study concluded the smell most favored by all is the smell of an older woman. (Smells from young men were the most off-putting.)

SHE FELL IN LOVE, THEN TRIPPED TO HER DEATH

Pictures taken just before the wedding began for bride Belinda Street of Adelaide, Australia, show her smiling and wearing her beautiful, long white wedding gown. The next pictures taken are of her inside her coffin. Poor Belinda tripped on the hem of that wedding gown and hit her head on the corner of a coffee table, causing her death.

NO GAIN FROM NAME CHANGE

Terril William Clark was so tired of being a nobody, he legally changed his name to God, and wrote a book, which did not sell. When asked why, while shrugging his shoulders, Mr. God replied,"The last book with my name is still a bestseller."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1379)

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Friday, July 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1380)

HE PROBABLY WIPED DROOL FROM HIS CHIN AS WELL

A young woman in Marina del Ray, California, wrote a check at a clothier store and was asked for her identification. She explained her purse (with all her identification) had been stolen earlier in the day, but she was the centerfold in May's Playboy magazine. After the clerk pulled out his copy, and examined the double-page nude likeness, he sacked the young woman's purchase and helped her out the door.

PROBABLY PARKED HIS CAR IN A HANDICAPPED GETAWAY SPACE

Security guards ignored the ringing of metal detectors while helping a man on metal crutches inside a Florence, Italy, bank. That's where the "disabled" man threw his crutches aside, pulled a gun, then escaped with the equivalent of $40,000 cash.

IT BECAME HER STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, THE HARD WAY

Emma Nishala, 35, probably died the most unusual death in modern times. While riding up an escalator in a New York City office building, the step gave way, and she was swallowed by the machinery underneath.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1380)

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Saturday, July 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1381)

IF SHE'D ONLY ACTED THE WAY SHE ACTED

Sixteen-year-old Chantelle Bleau was a church choir girl touring Bradford, West Yorkshire, performing in an anti-drugs play, Deadly Deals, when she suddenly died. At the time of her death she was sniffing gas lighter fuel at a friend's house.

PERHAPS SOMEONE WAS JEALOUS OF HIS INTELLIGENCE?

Swiss mathematician Johann Underwald was considered the smartest of the smartest, often compared to Albert Einstein. That makes it even harder to figure out why in October of 1999, he bungee jumped using a 300-foot bungee cord, for a drop of only 250-feet? He, of course, died instantly.

PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO SEE IT COMING

A seventy-two year old woman, Joan Davies, of Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, England, slipped in her bathroom and impaled herself on the upright handle of her commode-cleaning brush. Entering through an eye, it continued 7-inches into the brain, killing her instantly.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1381)

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Sunday, July 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1382)

HE MUST'VE CALLED THE WRONG TERRESTRIAL PRAYER LINE?

When a preacher of the Apostolic Faith arrived with his followers at the crocodile-infested Limpopo river (which borders South Africa and Zimbabwe) on January 11, 1998, it was flood-swollen, causing many to fear crossing. But their leader assured them he had received 'divine guidance' that God would protect, so they began wading into the river. Three days later a total of 29 bodies had been recovered.

PROBABLY 'EARNING' MONEY TO PAY TAXES ON HIS WINNINGS?

Terry Garrett of San Diego, California, struck it lucky in 1985, winning $1,000,000 in that state's lotto. A few months later, sitting in his sports convertible, he was arrested by an undercover policeman for selling cocaine.

IT ALL ENDS UP AS SEWAGE ANYWAY

Foster Lager beer is known for its easily identifiable slogan "Australian for beer." And Foster Lager beer sold in the U.S. is imported........from Canada.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1382)

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Monday, July 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1383)

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE BREWING ONE'S SELF A CUP OF TEA

Soon after taking off from Riyadh on August 19, 1980, a Saudi Arabian Airline commercial jet's main cabin filled with smoke, so the pilot returned and landed. Come to find out, one of the pilgrim passengers had tried to brew himself a cup of tea, on a kerosene stove. The pilot's only mistake was not letting the passengers immediately leave the plane. In only minutes the flames engulfed the entire cabin, burning all 285 passengers to death.

ALL THIS HAPPENED DURING JUST A 9-YEAR SPAN

Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the Holiest of Holy cities to devout Muslims. Yearly, literally millions of worshippers crowd its streets from over 100 countries during the hajj of Ramadan, hoping to assure themselves a better chance of going to Heaven. And some go immediately. For instance: (1) On July 2, 1990, 1,426 pilgrims were crushed in a tunnel stampede in Mecca. (2) On May 23, 1994, 270 pilgrims died in a stampede during a 'stone the Devil' ritual in Mecca. (3) On April 15, 1997, 343 pilgrims died when a fire destroyed 70,000 tents in Mecca. (4) On April 9, 1998, 118 pilgrims died in a stampede in Mecca.

YOUR UNDERWEIGHT FRIENDS MIGHT LOOK DOWN ON YOU

William A. Calderwood of Peoria, Arizona, received a patent in 1989 for his helium-filled furniture. When not in use, the pieces float to the ceiling. When needed, they are pulled down and anchored.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1383)

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Tuesday, July 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1385)

HE GOT ALL CHOKED UP OVER A RUBBER GLOVE

Gary Harmon, age 47, had surgery to his upper chest and spent nine days in St. Joseph Mercy-Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, Michigan, before his release on September 10, 1997. But after a night at home, he began having breathing difficulties, saying he felt he had to cough up something, but couldn't. Two hours later, back at the same hospital, Mr. Harmon died. That's when they discovered he had choked to death on a forgotten rubber surgical glove.

SENT TO JAIL TO MELLOW OVER YELLOW

Roy Phillips loved the color yellow. When he was arrested on shoplifting charges in Oldham, England, in October of 1980, he was wearing a yellow parka, yellow pants, yellow shirt, and yellow tie. Inside his stash-bag, the stolen goods recovered were all yellow, such as mustard, cheese, candy, socks and drawers.

WAIT A MINUTE! ALL THIS PROVES IS, HE MAY BE A FORGER

While Michael Blumenthal was Treasury Secretary in 1979, he found himself in an embarrassing position after dinner at one of San Francisco's fanciest restaurants, Beethoven's. His Visa card had expired, and the restaurant required additional identification to cash a personal check. That was no problem for Mr. Blumenthal. He simply asked management to compare the signature on his check to the signature on a recently printed $1 bill. They did. It matched. He was out of there.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1385)

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Wednesday, July 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1386)

HIS LOVE WAS MEANT TO BE

Mike Desautelle loved his Harley Davidson motorcycle. When it was stolen in May of 1992, it broke his heart. But not for long. Driving down New Jersey's Garden State Park in August he saw his bike, and followed it to Nanuett. There he approached the thief and offered him $10,000 for his Harley, but insisted on a test drive first. Desautelle then rode the bike directly to police, who soon arrested Christopher Brown, still waiting on "his" bike's return.

WONDER HOW THEY FELT ABOUT PUSSY WILLOWS?

For a while around 1900, certain shipments of California oranges to Boston, Massachusetts, were refused because of their name, navel oranges. That city felt the word 'navel' was both indelicate and immodest.

ONE QUESTION: WHO CARES?

Dr. Michael Levitt of Minneapolis, Minnesota, announced he'd invented a breathalyzer-type test which can measure a persons "need" to release flatulence by the levels of hydrogen in their breath. Upon hearing this news, Jeffrey Kluger, writing for Discovery magazine, said "If Dr. Levitt is checking his patients' breath for flatulence, I wouldn't bother asking how he might conduct dental work."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1386)

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Thursday, July 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1387)

GREAT TIME TO 'LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG'

In September of 2005, the Hindustan Times reported the city of New Delhi retained and paid for the services of 97 rat catchers, who have not reported killing any rat since 1994.

MOTHER-DAUGHTER-CO-DEPENDENCY

Marlene Corrigan was a good provider for her daughter. In fact, too good. She fed her all the food she could eat. On November 13, 1996, at age 13, the girl died naked under a sheet on their living room floor, weighing 680 lbs. Her brother said his sister had been unable to get up from the floor for several months; her urine and defecation remains easily verified that.

THY SHALL NOT TELL A LIE

Norman Hardy, Jr., age 23, was an overly honest man. Seems he just couldn't help himself. Arrested for possession of cocaine in Brattleboro, Vermont, he was required to fill out a form in order for the court to provide him with free legal council. Filling out the application, he wrote under Occupation: Drug Dealer.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1387)

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Friday, July 28, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1388)

THIS GOOD NEWS WAS JUST TOO BAD

Ralph Bregos was only forty when he had a heart attack, and was put on a list with other patients waiting on a donor heart. Back at his home in Kentucky, he waited patiently for two-years until one was found. But the phone call giving him the good news caused Mr. Bregos to have another heart attack. This time he fell over dead.

THREE FUN QUOTES

(1) "Never hate a man enough to give him back his diamonds." Zsa Zsa Gabor (2) "Never drop your gun to hug a bear." H.E. Palmer (3) "Never let your schooling interfere with your education." Mark Twain

HOPEFULLY NONE OF THEM RESEMBLED PINOCCHIO'S NOSE

When the movie Pinocchio was released in 1940, Walt Disney's publicity office hired eleven midgets dressed in Pinocchio costumes to scamper about on top of the Broadway marquee where it premiered. And all went as planned until lunch time. That's when lunch was hoisted up to those eleven short fellows, complete with refreshments......and a quart of whisky. By three o'clock that afternoon, Times Square had a crowd of people gawking up at the sight of eleven totally naked elves playing craps.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1388)

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Saturday, July 29, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1389)

HE WAS A WELL GROUNDED INDIVIDUAL

Lawrence Baker, 47, was convicted of murder in 1983. On appeals, he managed to avoid death by electrocution for 10 years. But one day inside a Pittsburgh jail cell, Mr. Lawrence made the mistake of wearing a set of faulty TV headphones, then sitting down on his cell's lidless stainless steel commode. The autopsy made notation of the large horse-shoe-shaped burn on the corpse's thighs and buttocks.

IF THEY ONLY HAD SOME SUPER GLUE

Eric Rabkin, in his book It's a Gas, writes the Canelos Indians of Ecuador "are particularly scared by their flatulencies because they believe the soul escapes the body along with the smell."

WHAT A GREAT EGO DEFLATOR

In June of 1994, while British Home Security Chief Michael Howard attended a meeting of police chiefs in North Yorkshire, England, thieves stole his specially designed bulletproof car. It was later recovered with all four wheels missing.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1389)

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Sunday, July 30, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1390)

WENT FISHING AND CAUGHT HIS OWN WEIGHT IN HIMSELF

Felipe Ortiz, a forty-eight year-old Colombian, shouldn't have gone fishing on such a windy day, or at least he shouldn't have thrown his lure in the direction of the 30-mile-per-hour wind. This caused his multi-hooked lure to be blown back into his open mouth, where it lodged in his throat. His fishing buddies could do nothing to help, so Mr. Ortiz gagged loudly for several minutes, then turned blue and fell dead.

THIS JURY GOT "A GAG-ORDER" BUT NOT FROM THE JUDGE

Ned Lowenbach was a real stinker during his 1988 theft trial in Tuolumne County, California. After the trial and guilty verdict, even his attorney admitted his client had made things worse: "He farted about one hundred times," then added, "He even lifted his leg a few times."

THEY HAD HIM IN STITCHES

Danny Wilson burst into a jewelry store in Berkshire, England, in March of 1992, and tied up two staff members. Problem was, he didn't tie them well enough and they got loose. That's when they beat Mr. Wilson so badly he required 52 stitches at a hospital. Later, he also received a four-and-one-half year prison sentence.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1390)

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Monday, July 31, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1391)

WONDER IF MONASTERIES RENTED SINNERS BOWLING SHOES

History records indicate bowling started around 300 A.D. at German monasteries. The monks had churchgoers knock down a bottle-shaped object called a kegel with a rolled ball to show their devotion to God. The kegel meant the devil, and knocking it over gave complete absolution from sin.

THEY SHOULD FINE THIS GUY FOR LITTERING

Police records in Manchester, England, contain a report on an Asian man working as a cab driver in their town who decided to commit suicide in a work related way. First he tied a rope to a lamppost, then tied the other end of rope around his neck. Then he got into his Toyota Carina cab and drove away. Several hours later security guards found his body inside the wrecked cab, his head back along side the road several meters.

THESE SALMON NEEDED A BETTER TRAVEL AGENT

Wildlife researchers in Wales were studying the migratory habits of salmon with a microchip tagging tracer in 1993, when one fish apparently climbed up a riverbank and left on dry land. The salmon was soon found resting on a kitchen table along with two others inside the home of Paul Williams, who game wardens immediately arrested for poaching.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1391)

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Tuesday, August 01, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1392)

3 FUN FACTS

(1) In order to survive, the harvest rat must spend on average 22 hours a day eating. (2) Pinocchio in Italian means "pine head." (3) Egypt is so barren, 95% of its population live within 12 miles of the Nile River.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

Thomas Lipton of Glasgow, Scotland, advertised his grocery store by dressing up young pigs and leading them in parades. Soon, they became so popular they were known as "Lipton's Orphans." The success of his advertising made him enough money to buy a tea plantation, and the Lipton Tea Company was born.

WELL, THAT DID SHORTEN THE LINE A LITTLE BIT

The Associated Press reported on December 18, 2005, that 3,000 flood victims had been standing in line in Madras, India, to receive relief vouchers, when a human stampede broke out. The resulting havoc left at least 42 dead and 37 injured.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1392)

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Wednesday, August 02, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1395)

YOU CAN BET SHE RUINED THE MOWER, TOO

Seventy-nine-year-old Maxine Anne Kegerreis shouldn't have mowed her lawn and walked her dog at the same time. After the animal's chain became tangled, Mrs. Kegerreis tried to back up her riding mower, became confused, and drove into the swimming pool. There, she and her tethered dog both drowned.

BUTTER FINGERS!

While a minor painting job took place inside the nuclear sub U.S.S. Swordfish, a sailor accidentally dropped a 75-cent paint scraper inside a torpedo launcher. This forced cancellation of an upcoming mission, and the sub had to be repaired in dry-dock, costing U.S. taxpayers $171,000.

NO WAY TO SOLVE A MARRIAGE DISPUTE

In the Sokoto State of Nigeria, in December of 1986, a 40-year-old herdsman was having a problem. His 12-year-old wife kept running away. So he did the one thing he knew would stop her. He cut off both her legs. She died from shock and blood loss, and later he was sentenced to life in prison.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1395)

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Thursday, August 03, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1396)

PROVING IT DOESN'T TAKE MANY BRAINS TO COMMIT MURDER

Teodor Tuca and Elena Sambursachi, both 65, were Romanian pensioners living in an apartment in Cluj when they were murdered and robbed by a gang of four 20-year-old thugs. Even more cruel, the young hoodlums destroyed the couple's eyes and slit their throats. When arrested and asked why, the young punks said they were afraid an autopsy would show their faces in the eyes of the dead, and the bodies' vocal cords might still contain the sounds of their names.

HE GOT SQUASHED BY THE PRUDE PATROL

Robert Pamplona, a 31-year-old male stripper, suffered a broken nose and lacerations after entering the wrong hotel room in Milan, Italy. Intending to do his act for a party in one of the rooms, Mr. Pamplona instead found himself at a meeting of Catholic Mothers Against Pornography, who at the moment he entered were at the top of their rally.

LADIES, WOULD YOU RATHER KISS A SMOKER OR A CHEWER?

Richard Joshua Reynolds, founder of the huge cigarette manufacturing company R.J. Reynolds, never smoked. In fact, he disliked the smell of cigarettes so much he forbid their use in his home. (He did chew tobacco, however, and filled many a spittoon.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1396)

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Friday, August 04, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1397)

THEY SNOOZE, THEY LOSE

In July of 2005, Amarillo, Texas, residents Bobby Reynolds, 74, and son Gary, 43, got their car stuck on the tracks at a local railroad crossing. According to the Amarillo Globe-News, when the men were unable to push their car to safety, they crawled back inside and fell asleep. Later a train crashed into their vehicle, sending both to a hospital.

HE GOT ONE WISH TOO MANY

On his 18th birthday Austrian Helmut Mezer received both his driving license and the car of his dreams, a brand new BMW, with personalized license plates DEAD 1. A few days later this happy young man was estimated to have been driving over 100 mph when he lost control and was killed.

LIFE MAGAZINE RETURNED, BUT HE DIDN'T

When Life Magazine printed its first issue in 1936 it featured a photo of newly born George Story, under the headline: "Life Begins." As years went by, Life would feature Mr. Story from time to time, showing how his life was evolving. When the magazine announced it was shutting down in 2000, George Story had just had a fatal heart attack. This allowed the last issue to feature George under the headline: "A Life Ends."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1397)

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Saturday, August 05, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1398)

HOW MANY OF ELVIS PRESLEY'S HITS DID HE HIMSELF WRITE?

None. Even though Elvis' name appears as co-writer on much of his music, that's only because his manager, Col. Tom Parker, demanded songwriters give "his boy" credit, and half the royalties, or Elvis would not use their music.

HOW TO INSULT PEOPLE AND NOT MAKE FRIENDS

While her husband was President, Nancy Reagan visited Kuala Lumpur, and was invited to have tea with the Queen of Malaysia. Mrs. Reagan's entourage was told she should not wear clothing which was yellow or blue because those were the royal colors, and not to wear white because it was a funeral color. Somehow misinformed, the First Lady arrived for tea wearing a white dress, with blue flowers, blue shoes and a blue straw hat.

PERHAPS HE PUT HIS PHONE ON "CALL FORWARDING"?

In Eastling, Sussex, England, a doctor committed suicide. But not before leaving this message on his answering machine: "Sorry I can't come to the phone at this time because I am dead."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1398)

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Sunday, August 06, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1400)

THE DR. WITH A GLASS NECK

Wade Morrison was a pharmacist's assistant in Virginia in the mid 1880s when he fell in love with his boss's daughter. Feeling that Morrison was too old for her, the pharmacist encouraged him to move on. Which he did, eventually buying a drug store in Waco, Texas. There, he hired a young man who developed a new flavor of soft drink syrup. Morrison not only marketed the syrup, but chose to name it after his old boss back in Virginia, Dr. Kenneth Pepper.

IF YOU ARE A GAMBLER, HERE ARE THE AVERAGE WIN PERCENTAGES

From Consumer's Research magazine: craps (98%) roulette (95%) slots (75-95%) jai alai (85-87%) race track (83-87%) lotto (49%). (0.000008% of 97 million people playing the lottery win a million dollars.)

HER FLY BOY FELL AND BROKE HER HEART

When Helga Fischer entered a Bonn, Germany, hospital for minor surgery, her husband knew she was worried. To cheer her up, this licensed pilot rented a Cessna 150, then flew around the hospital pulling a huge red-lettered banner stating: "Get well soon, Helga." While smiling and waving from her window, Helga watched the love of her life make one last turn, clip a tree top, then crash to his death. (Helga was next moved to intensive care, lost in total shock.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1400)

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Monday, August 07, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1401)

HIS FORGOTTEN CERTIFICATE ENTITLED HIM TO AN ARREST WARRANT

Approaching a teller inside a First Utah Bank, Johnny Miller, 32, pulled a gun from an envelope and demanded money. After he fled with $34,000, the envelope he left behind was examined and found to contain a certificate proving he had completed an anger management course run by Utah's Department of Corrections.

HE KILLED A WOMAN WITH HIS VOICE

Fifty-eight-year-old Claudia Sassi was attending her husband's funeral in Lyons, France, when she herself had a heart attack and fell over dead. A family friend, Jacques de Puton, was soon arrested. He told police he only meant to cheer mourners when he used his ventriloquist skills to make it appear a voice inside the closed casket was crying "Let me out!"

HE FOUND HIMSELF GOING IN CIRCLES

In March 1996, a 24-year-old man was robbed in his home by six thieves, who nailed one of his feet to the floor to stop him from attacking them. He was then left anchored in agony for several hours until a friend found him.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1401)

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Tuesday, August 08, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1402)

SOME MEN WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET OUT OF SHOPPING

In December 1984 Deanna Baldesi, age 24, got all dressed up in her best party dress, then waited outside her Milan, Italy, apartment for a taxi. But as she waited, a man about 30 pulled to the curb and, knife in hand, made her get into his car. First driving to a park, he forced her to remove all her clothing, and then left her standing outside naked. Before driving away, however, he did explain to Ms. Baldesi that she looked exactly the same size as his girlfriend, who had "absolutely nothing to wear".

WHAT A NON-CRAPPY WAY TO DIE

Already known as 'a daredevil', Robbie Hanifer of Sydney, Australia, jumped at the chance, literately, to win a $1,500 prize by diving 30 feet into a large pile of horse manure. But it wasn't large enough, apparently. Hanifer missed the pile and later died from his injuries.

THEY CUT-THE-CHEESE FOR ALL OF MANKIND

Back in 1991 three scientists (Robert Harman, Karen Chin, Simon Brassell) published a paper postulating the atmosphere we breathe today developed as a result of the methane gas created millions of years ago during the Cretaceous period, by dinosaur flatulence.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1402)

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Wednesday, August 09, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1403)

POOR KID

Returning from school, Norfolk, Virginia, teenager Kim Whiter discover her father Keith had committed suicide. She call her mother Jacqueline, who left immediately for home. On the way, the BMW she was riding in hit a tree and burst into flames, killing her as well.

THAT WAS EASY COME (AND ALMOST AS) EASY GO

In 1983, Joseph R. Wyatt, age twenty-nine, bought a lottery ticket as usual, and was not surprised when he thought it another loser. In reality it was worth $1,600,000, if he hadn't already torn it in half, right between the words "Void if torn..." and "...or altered". Fortunately for Mr. Wyatt, the lotto commission allowed him to collect anyway.

THIS ALLOWED THEM TO PLAY ANOTHER GAME: FUGITIVE

Terry Sledge, Brian Castleberry and Donald Bissel were bored cellmates in Faulkner County Jail, Arkansas, in 1994, until they were allowed to play Monopoly to pass their days. But instead of using the tiny game piece "wheelbarrow" to play, they used its sharp edge as a screw driver to escape through the air-duct cover.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1403)

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Thursday, August 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1404)

YEP, HE'S HAD 'HANDS ON' EXPERIENCE WITH LITTLE CHILDREN

The British ambassador to the United States received a request in 1995 from Michael Jackson for British knighthood. When asked why he should be knighted, Mr. Jackson's representatives replied, "for his work with little children".

HE LOST HIS HEAD OVER GOOD MANNERS

James Chenault, age fifty-four, boarded an elevator at the Kingsbridge Welfare Center in the Bronx, New York. After bucking hard, then suddenly rising to the second floor, the elevator's door opened and Mr. Chenault made the gentlemanly gesture of holding it open with his body half-in and half-out for others to exit. That's when the elevator suddenly jerked upward, decapitated him. His head, still wearing headphones, fell back into the elevator with the three remaining passengers.

TOO BAD HE WASN'T WALKING TO PROMOTE LOVE

Roger Russell began a 2,600-mile walk across South Africa in 1999 to promote crime prevention. Two days later, walking alone, he was robbed at gunpoint.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1404)

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Friday, August 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1405)

HE DIED CLOWNING AROUND WITH AN ELEPHANT, KINDA

Marlon Pistol was a one-man clown show, entertaining mostly at children's birthday parties. One day, as he drove to a party along a California highway, the 20 foot balloon elephant he had folded on his car's back seat began to inflate. It filled the cab almost instantly, causing Pistol to crash, killing him.

"WHAT ARE YOU GIVING DAD FOR FATHER'S/VALENTINE'S DAY?"

"She's my sister, she's my daughter" are the memorable words spoken by Faye Dunaway to Jack Nicholson in the 1974 movie Chinatown, confessing an incestuous relationship with her father, John Houston's character. That same year, Jack Nicholson himself found out his "sister", 16 years his senior, was really his mother. (Reported in Newsweek)

THESE CRABS AREN'T FOUND IN MOST SEAFOOD RESTAURANTS

The origin of the phrase "examine with a fine-tooth comb" goes back to the time before the availability of chemicals to treat head and body lice. In the old song Won't you come home, Bill Bailey? the words "I threw you out.... with nothin' but a fine tooth comb" are referring to a case of the crabs.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1405)

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Saturday, August 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1406)

WONDER WHAT MADE THIS INELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE?

The Dallas Morning News reported in December 28, 2005, that 11-year Dallas Police veteran Ranson Finches, 37, had been arrested for assaulting his wife. Earlier that year, Officer Finches was suspended five days for being discourteous. He'd also been cited in the past for sleeping on duty, insubordination, interfering with process, filing a false report or citation, profane language and violating off-duty work policy. He quit in 1999, and was ineligible for rehire. In 2001, however, former Police Chief Terrell Bolton did rehire him.

IMPROVED AIM WITHOUT PUTTING A SCOPE ON YOUR RIFLE

In 1999, officials at Amsterdam International Airport etched the outline of a housefly inside, and near the drain of each and all urinals in the men's rooms. These same authorities say this technique has reduced "urinal floor splatters and spillage" by 80%.

NOW HE CAN TAKE ANGER-MANAGEMENT COURSES FOR 20 YEARS

Arthur Roberts, a Brisbane, Australia, accountant, had a bad temper. One day, after accidentally erasing his company's sales figures from his computer, he took the machine and flung it through a glass window of his high-rise office. After falling several stories, it landed on pedestrian Peter Mullins, killing him. Mr. Roberts was soon arrested on a manslaughter charge.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1406)

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Sunday, August 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1407)

PERHAPS HE'D DO BETTER AT HOLDUPS,... OR TYING HIS SHOES?

When Carlos Carrasco, 24, broke through the roof of a San Antonio, Texas, liquor store in 1992, he was already so drunk he cut his hand badly crawling down through the hole. Once on the floor, he tried throwing whisky bottles up through the hole in the roof, but they fell back and broke at his feet. Next, he tried crawling back up through the hole, but lost his grip, and landed back on the floor on the broken glass, cutting himself on both hands and arms. Finally, on his next try he did pull himself up through the hole, only to have his wallet, containing all his ID, fall back inside. After police arrived, they found Carrasco's wallet and tracked a trail of blood several hundred feet right to his door.

SHE'D STOLEN HIS HEART, BUT HE'D STOLEN SOMETHING ELSE

A Tennessee man, Winston Swaggerty, 32, wanted to get married as publicly as possible, so he and his lovely bride held their wedding on the lawn of the Newport County Courthouse. When the preacher declared, "If any man knows reason this couple should not be united, let him speak now or......." that's when a deputy sheriff recognized Mr. Swaggerty, walked up and handcuffed him on an outstanding theft warrant.

A SQUIRRELLY WAY TO DIE

Builder Seagan Dawe, 61, was working high atop a ladder in Quinton, Birmingham, England, when worker Patrick Dowling heard him shout, "Get away!" "Get away!", before falling to his death. A squirrel had leapt from a gutter and bitten Mr. Dawe on the face.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1407)

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Monday, August 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1408)

WHY ISN'T A FOOTBALL TEAM CALLED THE TEXAS HORSE THIEVES?

Ever wonder why a football team is called the Oklahoma Sooners? For a period before the great Oklahoma Territory Land Grab in 1889, the United States closed the borders temporarily to give all land seekers a fair chance. But some broke that law and snuck in sooner, giving them first pick.

THREE MORE QUICK FACTS

(1) The international Netaji Subhash Airport in Calcutta, India, is called Dum Dum. (2) The first American magazine (1741) was called American Magazine. (3) King George I of England (1714-1727) was German. He could not speak a word of English.

YOU GO FIGURE?

In May of 1995, thieves broke into a discount store in Kenilworth, England, and stole 60 tubes of toothpaste only. More oddly, it was the tenth time that type of robbery had occurred during that year. A spokesman said, "I cannot see there being a black market for toothpaste." No one was ever caught, nor any rational reason figured for that repeated crime.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1408)

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Tuesday, August 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1409)

WONDER IF THEY RESCHEDULED FOR A THREE-IN-ONE?

When Vo Lieu died in Vietnam at age 74, his grieving wife was given a drug to keep her from screaming. But she was given an overdose, and died before his funeral, so a funeral-for-two was held. This time, after the ceremony, the truck carrying the two bodies went out of control, rolled over the procession, killing a 26-year-old man and injuring six pallbearers.

KINDA LIKE PRONOUNCING NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

The Dallas Morning News reported in January 2006 that a small Austrian village was having a problem with tourists' crime. Police Chief Kommandant Schmidtberger told reporters his community was being robbed of all signs displaying the name of the town because that name, which starts with an "F", means sexual contact in English.

WOULD YOU BUY A STEINWEG?

Heinrich Steinweg was not musically inclined, but in 1815 began working for an organ builder in the German town of Braunschweig. After he and his wife migrated to the U.S. in 1850, Steinweg worked hard, and by 1853 was able to open his own piano manufacturing plant. He also "Americanized" his name, calling his new company Henry Steinway and Sons.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1409)

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Wednesday, August 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1410)

THOSE SQUIRRELS WERE COMMUNITY PROPERTY TOO

Kao Khae Saephan, 26, was a Laotian living in Sacramento, California, in 1991, when he took six frozen squirrels (squirrels are a delicacy in Laos) from his freezer, in preparations for leaving his Vietnamese wife, Muong, 28. His mistake was swinging one of the frozen squirrels over his head, causing her to jump back and cut her head. This caused him to soon be arrested for "spousal abuse".

HERE'S HOW A FLY DESTROYED AN 18-WHEELER, AND MORE

Arthur Tiffit was driving his large truck just outside Broadus, Montana, when a fly flew into the cab, then into his yawning mouth. This made Tiffit lose control of his big-rig, causing it to crash. It also killed his 51-year-old wife.

THEY'D RATHER GET HIGH ON SUGAR IN THEIR BREAKFAST CEREALS

Several years ago the U.S. government ran the anti-drug TV commercial "this is your brain on drugs", showing chicken eggs frying in a skillet. In turn, this caused small children all over the country to began refusing to eat eggs, fearing they were all laced with drugs.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1410)

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Thursday, August 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1411)

JUST IN CASE YOU EVER WONDERED

The word ghetto goes back to the 16th century. Around 1516 the city leaders of Venice, Italy, decreed all Jewish citizens must leave that city and take up residences on the isle of Geto. As time went by, the idea to sequester those of the Jewish belief caught on all over Europe. Even though today's ghettos segregate people by ethnicity and income, back then it meant a Jewish section of a community.

SHE LET FEAR BLIND HER JUDGMENT

Twenty-two-year-old Susu Borai Mohammad, an Egyptian farmer worker, accidentally swallowed several ants floating in her drinking water. Afraid the ants might sting her insides, Susu drank insecticide, causing her to develop diarrhea, then convulsions. She died before reaching the hospital in the Qena district of Cairo.

GOOD THING HE DIDN'T BUY TWO ROTTWEILERS

By June of 1992, Bill Holland of Dale Abby, England, had become so worried about thieves breaking into his shop, he bought a $450 Rottweiler guard dog. And he had a right to worry. Only a few nights later, thieves did break into his shop, but they stole none of Holland's gear valued at $15,000. Instead, they stole his Rottweiler.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1411)

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Friday, August 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1412)

THEY FORGOT, IT'S ONLY A GAME

Richard Stevens, 51, took his 12-year-old son to the New Berlin Hills golf course in Wisconsin to play a round. As they progressed around the course, a group of golfers following them got impatient, and words were exchanged. After a couple of more holes, things really got out of hand when the senior Stevens went into the woods to retrieve his ball. That's when the angry players followed and stomped him to death.

IGNORANCE IS SO CHEAP ANYBODY CAN OWN IT

Seventy-three-year-old Jim Motloutsi, a witch doctor of sorts, was living in the tiny village of Mmatobolo in Northern Province, South Africa, when his neighbors decided he was guilty of killing a 60-year-old woman. First they stoned him. Next they put a car tire around his neck, soaked it and him with gasoline and set all afire for the old man to experience a horrible death. Add to that, he was totally innocent. The woman who had died was struck by lightening, an act of God. Not a witch doctor's curse.

HE MUST'VE CONFUSED ROBBERY WITH MONEY-LAUNDERING?

Manassas, Virginia, resident Dennis Sullivan, age 23, decided to rob an armored truck, even though he apparently had no idea how to do same. In his first and only attempt, instead of pulling his sawed-off shotgun on an armored truck driver, he ended up sticking his gun to the head of a laundry truck driver, who gave him a bag full of dirty laundry, instead of a bag of money. The thief must've learned of his mistake soon. The bag of soiled laundry was found less than a block away.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1412)

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Saturday, August 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1413)

HE DEFINITELY DID NOT HAVE A GRIP ON HIS SITUATION

In September of 1992, after a home burglary in Bristol, England, police were called to investigate. While one officer walked about the property looking for any forgotten or lost identification, the burglar lost his balance on an overhanging tree limb and crashed down on the officer's head.

BETTER READ THIS ONE A TIME OR TWO

Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States, was a firm believer in free speech. During one exhortation in Japan in 1983, he reaffirmed even more emphatically his belief in free speech. But he also asked that the entire speech be off-the-record.

PERHAPS, EVENTUALLY, HE'LL DRESS LIKE A CONVICT, TOO

Bert Hudson was a movie-theater owner in Salem, Oregon, in April of 1986, when he offered free admission to the movie Young Sherlock Holmes to those dressed as a Hollywood film star. This allowed at least 400 costumed movie-goers to enjoy a free movie. But one, dressed as Edward G. Robinson, got more than a free showing. He pulled a gun and had the safe emptied before "going on the lam".

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1413)

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Sunday, August 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1414)

THEY MET THE ENEMY AND IT WAS THEY

Literally hundreds of thousands of concerned citizens met for New York City's 'Park on Earth Day' in 1990 to "exhibit their deep concerns" for Mother Earth's environmental needs. They were so concerned, they left behind 154.3 tons of litter.

WELL, THEY DID HELP HIM STAY UNEMPLOYED

An organization in Great Britain, named Age Concern, formed to help the elderly, missed a great opportunity in June of 2000 to help an older man. When Hector McDonald, age 69, applied for one of their job openings, he was told he was too old.

PERHAPS A CHANGE OF BARS COULD'VE DONE HIM GOOD?

Darren Brown was tired of being kept inside a Mexico City penitentiary, so one day in March of 1993 he hid inside a laundry van to make his escape. But at the gate prison security dogs sniffed his presence and the plan was spoiled. It wouldn't have mattered, though. The next stop the laundry truck would make was inside another prison.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1414)

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Monday, August 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1415)

"HO!" "HO!" "HO!" AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, NOT!

An undertaker in Iceland was forced to run for safety after bereaving kinfolks of a deceased elderly man turned on him. What they'd turned angry at was seeing their grandfather inside his coffin not wearing the conservative three-piece suit they had selected for his final rest. What he was wearing, due to a mix-up, was the clothing for another deceased male's Christmas Day ceremony. That's right, poor grandfather was dressed in a nice red Santa Clause suit, with beard, cap, stupid smile, and all.

THREE MORE QUICK FACTS

(1) The city of Damascus was already thriving in 2000 B.C., oldest of any other city on earth. (2) Quartzy is the highest-scoring Scrabble word. (3) Peruvians eat about 65 million guinea pigs each year.

THAT'S WHAT THEY GET FOR HORSING-AROUND FOR BEEF

In May of 1994, Argentinean thieves stole a refrigerated truck they thought contained beef worth about $35,000 on the Black Market. But the truck they had stolen was not heading to unload at a meat processing plant. It was to unload at a Buenos Aires medical school. What they had stolen were 33 human corpses.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1415)

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Tuesday, August 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1417)

FAME, BUT AT WHAT A PRICE

Judy Garland, a top film actress known for playing many parts, is probably best remembered as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Already 16, she was playing the part of an 11-year-old girl. So, to keep her looking younger, MGM only allowed her to eat 4 times a week, and her breasts were taped flat to make her look more like a child. MGM's constant attempts to keep Garland slim with diet and drugs shortened her life. She passed away in June of 1969, at the age of 47.

HUH? HE GOT EVEN BY FREEZING HIMSELF TO DEATH

Determined to cast the final insult, Cory Quinn of Sydney, Australia, committed suicide by locking himself inside his estranged wife's walk-in freezer, while she was away on vacation. The note he left for the 280-pound woman read: "Gorge on this, you fat pig!"

HE SHOULD'VE CHANGE HIS NAME TO MR. DRUNK

In April of 1994, after spending all his money on liquor, John Smart of Sunderland, England, hated to go home to his wife and kids broke, so he attempted to break a store window to rob his money back. Problem was, staggering around in the dark, Mr. Smart couldn't find anything to break the window, so he removed a manhole cover, raised it over his head and.....lost his balance to fall into the hole he had just uncovered. Cut, bruised, and dripping sewage water, he was arrested before he could crawl home.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1417)

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Wednesday, August 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1420)

PERHAPS SHE'LL GET A DISCOUNT WHEN HER BODY GOES?

Melanie Roberts, 41, of Providence, Ohio, was still recovering from having her left leg amputated when she received a funeral bill for that leg in the amount of $600. The bill had been broken down, giving exact amounts for plot, gravediggers, hearse and minister. And she hadn't even been invited, and knew nothing about the proceedings.

HE LITERALLY GAVE HIS CAPTORS THE FINGER

In October of 1980, in Zurich, Switzerland, a Smash-and-Grab thief broke the window to a jewelry store and scooped up a handful of expensive gems. But, as he pulled out his loot, he made contact with a sharp edge of glass still remaining in the window, and completely amputated one of his fingers. He got away, but within two hours was arrested after police had hurriedly matched his real finger with his prints they had on file.

"ANYTHING TO SELL NEWSPAPERS" ATTITUDE?

Not everyone was pleased with Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address (1863). The Chicago Times wrote the following day: "The cheeks of every American must tingle with shame as he reads the silly, flat and dish-watery utterances of the man who has been pointed out to intelligent foreigners as the President of the United States."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1420)

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Thursday, August 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1422)

ALL THAT MEAT PROBABLY WASN'T GOOD FOR HIS HEART

After the heads of two men were found on a street in St. Petersburg, Russia, police searching a nearby abandoned apartment building found two arms and two legs in a hallway. Inside apartment #22, the one-room flat of Ilshat Kuzikov, 35, they found a casserole dish near the oven containing human bones, along with a sack of human ears and other parts nearby. Pickle jars sat around the room filled with vinegar and what turned out to be pickled human meat. And, last but not least, a plastic bag hanging outside a window in the cold, which contained marinating human flesh with onions, probably for his evening meal.

HERE'S AN HONEST TO GOODNESS EXCUSE FOR MISSING SCHOOL

"Please excuse Edward for missing school yesterday. We forgot to get the Sunday paper off the porch and when we found it on Monday we thought it was Sunday."

HERE'S A PARTY THAT WAS A QUIET RIOT

A dinner disco party for the deaf, held at Blackpool's Winter Gardens, attracted 1,500 hearing and speech impaired young adults. During the evening, amid the silence, and for reasons unknown, a brawl broke out. Police soon arrived, but felt frustrated when none of the rioters could hear their bullhorns, and only spoke with sign language. Eventually, using foam spray, police did bring the crowd under control. But not until four policemen were injured and seven men arrested for disorderly conduct.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1422)

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Friday, August 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1425)

AT LEAST THEY DIDN'T CRASH INTO A FUNERAL HOME

The Indianapolis Star reported in November of 2005 that an SUV had collided with another vehicle, and crashed partially through an office building wall. Among the building's tenants was the personal-injury law firm Mitchell Hurst Jacobs & Dick, which specializes in automobile accidents.

NOW HERE'S A GUY WHO REALLY WAS HEN-PECKED

Franz Jaumotte's badly mutilated body was found inside the hen house on his farm near Brussels, Belgium. Police speculated Mr. Jaumotte had probably fallen to the ground while dying from heart failure. Then later, when the chickens ran out of grain, they began by pecking out his eyes, then moved on to any exposed flesh.

WONDER IF THAT CD CONTAINED HEAD-BANGER MUSIC?

Steve Kemble was arrested March of 1995 after stealing a CD from a store in St. George, Utah. Stopped by a store clerk, he broke free and ran through the open door head-on, straight into a pole supporting an overhang, knocking himself unconscious.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1425)

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Saturday, August 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1427)

"THE OTHER WHITE MEAT" FOR HER WAS POTATOES

After Abigail Boettcher was chosen Pork Queen of Buena Vista County, Iowa, she did an excellent job of fulfilling her role to promote pork. Once her term had expired, only then did she let the truth be known, she was a vegetarian.

THREE MORE FUN FACTS

(1) There were 24 more countries in 2000 than there were in 1990. (2) How many time zones are there in China? One. (3) Kentucky citizens are required by state law to bathe at least once a year.

DID THIS MEAN HE DIDN'T GET-A-KICK OUT OF GOING TO HEAVEN?

After his death and burial in 1995, the family of Monty Winikirei sued the New Zealand health authority. The family learned too late the hospital had broken a Maori taboo by burying the corpse without its amputated leg.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1427)

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Sunday, August 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1428)

THIS IS WHERE WE GET THE PHRASE "TURN A BLIND EYE"

After the British Navy attacked French troops in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1801, the battle was not going as planned, so the command ship signaled for Captain Horatio Nelson to set sails for a retreat. When told his commander was signaling, Nelson placed his telescope over his blind eye and exclaimed he saw no signal, and went ahead to win the battle.

A SAFE BET TO BET THAT SAFE WOULD LAND THEM SAFELY IN JAIL

Thieves breaking into a village post office in Wiltshire, England, in April of 1994, decided they'd rather take the safe with them than open it there. Not a good idea. Trying to drag it along behind their "getaway car", tied by a rope, it made so much noise several residents along the street called police.

THIS COACH HAD BATS IN HIS BELFRY

The Los Angeles Times reported, in 1994, on a murder at a Little League baseball game in Whiteville, N.C., where a team coach took a pocket knife and slit the throat of another coach in front of at least 100 children.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1428)

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Monday, August 28, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1429)

HIS COHORT SHOULD'VE ALSO FAXED THE JUDGE

Jean Paul Barrett was serving 35 years in a Tucson, Arizona, prison for forgery, when he was suddenly released early, in December of 1994. That's because someone faxed a release document to the prison and, even though it contained no code or phone number, the prisoner was released. His absence was not noticed for three days, when he missed a court appointment.

THE HEIRS SHOULD'VE SUED THE FRUIT GROWER

In 1911 Bobby Leach was the first person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Falling the 168 feet, with a crowd of over 25,000 onlookers, he was knocked unconscious, but survived. Twenty-five years later, living in Sydney, Australia, Leach slipped on a fruit peel, broke his leg, and was taken to hospital. There (for reasons not explained) his leg was amputated, and a few days later he died.

AT LEAST SHE DIDN'T GET ALL BURNED UP OVER HER DECISION

In Pavia, Italy, a forty-two-year-old woman, Norma Galetto, made a hasty decision she soon regretted. In a sudden fit of frustration, she drenched herself in gasoline and struck a match. But the instant fear of seeing the small flame, and nearness to death, caused her to jump into the River Ticino, where she drowned.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1429)

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Tuesday, August 29, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1430)

WELL, HE COULD'VE NAMED IT ANGRY, TEXAS

As the railroad advanced through the southwest in the late 1800s, a surveyor named E.P. Lufkin and his crew were marking the route for a new rail line through Homer, Texas. That is until one Saturday night when Lufkin's whole crew was jailed for getting drunk. This made him so mad he rerouted the tracks around Homer, and named the new rail station Lufkin, Texas.

YOU'D THINK HE'D RATHER HAVE BEEN HER BATH TUB?

When English novelist, playwright D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930) died, his lover Frieda had his ashes poured into a concrete mixer and included in her mantelpiece.

PROVING AGAIN THE SIMPLEST ERROR CAN RUIN THE MOST COMPLEX

After the $1.6 billion Hubble Space telescope was launched into orbit on April 24, 1990, it already needed a rescue mission for repairs costing $86 million. Why? During assembly and testing, several small, flat washers (costing about 25 cents each) were used to fill a gap in an optical testing device, and then forgotten.....until they shook loose during the launch.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1430)

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Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - On Vacation

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Thursday, August 31, 2006 - On Vacation

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Friday, September 01, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1431)

AND THIS POOR WOMAN WAS STUCK WITH ALL THOSE LEFTOVERS

Thirty-four-year-old Pierre Polese of Monteban, France, was waiting with his knife and fork in hand to enjoy eating a Christmas feast, while his wife brought a hot dish into the room from the kitchen and placed it on their glass dining table. The caused an explosion that sent a sharp sliver of broken glass through Polese's throat, killing him.

THIS HOT PEPPER MADE MORE THAN HIS EYES WATER

In November of 1991, Mohammed Jabber, 33, was sent to prison in Bangladesh for kidnapping a former politician, then stuffing a hot chili pepper up his backside over a debt. Jabber, a "citizens' activist" of sorts, waited to photograph the man as he suffered much pain trying to strain hard enough to eject the painful pepper.

THOSE 'BUTT'INSKY JUDGES WERE, PERHAPS, OVER SENSITIVE

In 2000, Parade magazine contained an article about swimmer Matt Zelen of St. John's University, a 100-yard butterfly contender for the Summer Olympics. During a competitive swim, according to the magazine, Zelen realized he'd forgotten to tie the waist-string on his swimming trunks, and they were slipping down. Determined to win, he kicked his suit free and swam on to finish 2-seconds ahead of all other competitors. But he was then disqualified for violating the uniform dress code.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1431)

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Saturday, September 02, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1432)

AT LEAST THEIR ESCAPE PLAN WAS 'SAFE'

In August of 1980, would-be safecrackers broke into an office in Chichester, England, but brought along the wrong equipment to complete the job. Instead of a cutting torch, these obvious novices had tried to open the safe with a portable welder, which made it even a safer safe than ever before. The following day, it took the office staff over an hour to open the safe with a hammer and cold chisel.

"KNOCK, KNOCK." "WHO'S THERE?" GUESS WE'LL NEVER KNOW?

For reasons no one but the perpetrator(s) know, in May 1995 in Birmingham, England, someone went from floor to floor, door to door, on each and every of two 19-story apartment buildings, and removed both the upper and lower screws from each and every door handle, causing the handles to come off in the first user's hand.

WONDER IF HE RECEIVED ANY 'SEVERANCE' PAY?

Taj Mahal

When the fifth emperor of India, Shah Jahan, came to power in 1628, he brought along four wives, with his favorite being Mumtaz Mahal. When she died in 1631, the Emperor went into shock, swearing he would build the most perfect edifice to her beauty ever built. The building of the great Taj Mahal followed and was completed 11 years later. Then, making sure this beautiful masterpiece would not be duplicated, Jahan had both of the talented architect's hands chopped off.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1432)

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Sunday, September 03, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1434)

THAT'LL TEACH HIM!

Determined to slide down a ski run, but having no skis, a 22-year-old California man stole the yellow safety foam from around a ski lift tower, carried it to the top of the slope, then slid down the mountain. He was killed when he slammed into the same tower he had earlier removed the protective cover from.

THIS PRINCE REALLY DID TURN INTO A FROG

Officials in Bogotá, Colombia, were surprised, but glad to receive Nigerian Prince Rasulu on an unannounced visit. While the Minister of Foreign Affairs wined and dined the Prince for three days, a suspicious aide to the Minister did a background check and discovered Nigeria is a republic, and has no such thing as a "prince".

THE UNDERTAKER HAD TO FINISH WHAT SHE STARTED

Driving to her job, while applying lipstick, Angie Jerston, of Denver, Colorado, was forced to make a sudden stop. The force of this sudden stop caused her lipstick, tube and all, to shoot past her lips and down her windpipe. By the time rescuers broke into the locked car, she had already strangled to death.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1434)

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Monday, September 04, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1435)

THEY SHOULD SELL THEIR BUSINESSES AND JOIN A CIRCUS

In August 1991, Robert Briggs, the owner of a Domino's Pizza franchise in Independence, Missouri, advertised his business by dressing in a large red rabbit suit, then standing on the street in front of his store. That is until a costumed Bobo The Clown, owner of a Pizza Hut franchise, knocked him unconscious.

WHY NOT JUST SAY "WHAT CITY?", AND FIRE HALF THE CREW?

Pacific Bell Telephone told it's 4,500 directory assistance operators in 1995 to answer calls with either "Hi, I'm _______, what city?" or "Hi, this is ______, what city?"That's because Pacific Bell knew saying the new greetings would only take an average 1.2 seconds. If the word "please" was added, it would take 1.7 seconds. They estimated leaving out even that one word would save enough time for operators to handle 135,000 more calls per shift.

THEY SHOULD COME UP WITH A GUINNESS BOOK OF FAILURES

Hoping to break a record, and get listed in the Guinness Book of Records, 650 people gathered in Frankfurt, Germany, to stage the largest tug-of-war known. Unfortunately, the thick nylon rope broke, then whipped back violently, injuring twenty-four and killing two boy scouts, ages nine and ten.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1435)

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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1436)

THE PARENTS PROBABLY TOOK IT OUT OF THE KIDS' ALLOWANCES

Lamborghini
Murcielago

Two teenage girls had a car race in Highland Park, Texas, and destroyed both their cars. One car destroyed was an exotic $280,000 Lamborghini Murcielago, driven by 17-year-old Courtney Shannon. The other, driven by 17-year-old Rebecca West, was a Ferrari Enzo, the world's rarest car, valued at $2,000,000.

Ferrari
Enzo

WIDOW'S WEAVES NOT WARRANTED

Helga Shenkov, age 48, of Finland, decided not to let her husband's death stand in the way of her happiness. So, on the same day, and a few hours after her husband was buried, she took another husband during an afternoon ceremony.

THREE MORE FUN FACTS

(1) England was the 1st country with regular TV service (1936). The U.S. was 2nd (1939). (2) Why did Grace Hopper, the mother of COBOL, coin the phrase "computer bug"? A moth shorted out a computer she was working on in 1945. (3) Between 1873 and 1880, some U.S. doctors gave patients transfusions of milk instead of blood.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1436)

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Wednesday, September 06, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1439)

ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE, BUT NOT HERE

In 1983, hours after Don Temple had thrown away a lotto ticket outside a Seattle convenience store, he realized it was a $10,000 winner. Returning to the store immediately, he called the dumpster company and convinced them to dump the store's full trash bin on his father-in-law's driveway. He then spent 4 days combing through coffee grounds, broken glass and trash, before giving up and paying $200 to have the whole mess removed.

PROBABLY DIDN'T STILL HAVE SMILES ON THEIR FACES?

Franke Punz, 22, and Ulf Lech, 31, were secret lovers working at a steel plant in Essen, Germany. At the end of the last shift before their shop closed for a summer break, the two lovers could not resist one last tryst. So, stopping an elevator on a top floor, they began their love session, just as the main power switch was pulled from below, locking them inside. It was also the final step in shutting down the entire building. When the plant reopened four weeks later, the lovers' decaying remains were discovered inside the elevator.

AT LEAST HE DIDN'T INJURE OTHERS

In November of 1994, a 24-year-old Garfield, New Jersey, man was found dead after being run over by his own car. An investigation and autopsy later determined he was legally drunk at time of death and, with the gear shift set in reverse, he had probably opened his car door to vomit and fell out, causing the left front tire to run him over.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1439)

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Thursday, September 07, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1441)

WELL, THAT LION WAS CERTAINLY TRAINED WELL

Fearing his shop could be burglarized, Luis Barraco, a Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, pawnbroker, bought a trained two-year-old lion to guard the inside of his store at night. And, the very next morning when Barraco opened his shop, he was instantly killed by the lion.

THIS COULD MAKE HIS DENTAL CHECKUP A BIT "IFFY"

In a Malaga, Spain court, in April 1990, Yugoslavian Hakic Ceku was charged with firearms possession . On his behalf, he said nothing. He couldn't. Before appearing in court, Mr. Ceku had sewn his own lips together.

THESE GUNS WERE ORIGINALLY AIMED AT ANOTHER TARGET

U.S. Army General John Taliaferro Thompson was one of the inventors of the "Tommy Gun" in the 1920s. What he had hoped would be used by the army, never caught on, but did become a favorite of the mob.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1441)

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Friday, September 08, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1442)

HERE'S A BIT OF LOTTO TRIVIA

Although state run lotteries in the U.S. seem relatively new, in reality they go back at least to the 1700s. Not only were the original 13 colonies partially financed by the use of lotteries, the U.S. government used the same idea to help pay for both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.

THEY DIDN'T TAKE ROBERT FROST'S ADVICE: A ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Driving a narrow road near Santa Cruz, Mexico, Francisco Sandoval was involved in an auto accident which killed him. After his funeral a few days later, the hearse carrying his body to the cemetery also had an accident......... in exactly the same spot where Sandoval was killed.

..........GIVING THE PREACHER ANOTHER SERMON TO PREACH

Driving past a church during an outside wedding in Port au Prince, Haiti, Charles DeLonde hung out of his car as far as possible to holler, as loud as possible, "SUCKER!" This took his eyes off the road long enough for his car to crash, killing him.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1442)

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Saturday, September 09, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1443)

THIS TURNED OUT TO BE DECENT EXPOSURE AFTER ALL

Several years ago North Platte, Nebraska, Mayor Jim Whitaker promised to walk 'naked' down main street, if the local humane society raised at least $5,000 to care for lost and abandoned animals. They did, and Mayor Whitaker did walk down main street........leading a dog named Naked.

FOR THOSE WHO COLLECT PRESIDENTIAL TRIVIA

Harry S Truman (1884-1972) 33rd President of the United States had no middle name. The "S", therefore, never appears with a period. When he was born, this allowed his parents to please both grandfathers, who's names were Solomon and Shippe.

IS THIS A WONDERFUL COUNTRY, OR WHAT

While living on welfare, Vietnamese refugee Hai Vo saved every cent he could to buy California lotto tickets. Soon after he won $2,000,000 in 1984, a couple in Mill Valley, California, sued him to recover the $600 they had paid in state income taxes that year.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1443)

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Sunday, September 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1444)

SHE TURNED OUT TO BE A MIGHTY COLD HEARTED WOMAN

While shopping at a supermarket in Berne, Switzerland, in September 1991, Joyce Lebrom fainted to the floor. Employees and fellow shoppers figured she'd suffered a heart attack. But when paramedics arrived and began checking her vital signs, they realized she had a frozen chicken up underneath her bra. Later, regaining consciousness in a hospital, she was arrested for attempted shoplifting.

WITHOUT "R" AND "B" HE COULD'VE BEEN ONLY ONLY JONES

One young man who joined the U.S. Army had no first or middle names except the letters R and B. To reduce confusion, he filled out all army related paperwork with R (only) B (only) Jones as his name. And it worked. During his three years of service, everything from his records and consignment forms, to his dog tags to even his last discharge papers, reflected his name as Ronly Bonly Jones.

WERE HIS HEIRS PAID THE FULL TIME HE "SLEPT"?

A worker setting up a bedroom display in the window of a Johannesburg department store suffered a fatal heart attack, then fell face forward onto a nicely made bed. For several days passersby thought the dead body was a mannequin, until the rotting smell was noticed inside the store.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1444)

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Monday, September 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1446)

CHRISTIANS ON THEIR KNEES REACHING FOR THEIR WALLETS

The Dallas Morning News reported January of 2006 on one Gregory Setser, who two years earlier wormed his way into religious groups, then convinced "true believers" in God and money to invest $160 million in his Ponzi scheme. Paid for by thousands of evangelical Christians, his family's assets included: a 100-foot yacht moored off Mexico, a private plane and helicopter parked at a Los Angeles airport, and four well-furnished homes in nearby Rancho Cucamonga.

GUESS HE COULDN'T IMPERSONATE A LAWYER WELL ENOUGH?

Englishman Christopher Logan was caught impersonating a police officer and jailed. By his trial date at London's Bow Street Court in October 1985, he had already escaped, by impersonating a police officer.

AT LEAST FOR A FEW DECADES HE'LL BE AWAY FROM HIS WIFE

On trial for murder, sixty-one-year-old Percy Washington told the court that even though he did shoot to death his next door neighbor, Fannie Watson, it had all been a mistake caused by his poor eyesight. Had he been wearing his glasses before pulling the trigger, he told the judge, he would've known Mrs. Watson was not his wife.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1446)

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Tuesday, September 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1447)

THIS PARROT CAN BUY ALL THE CRACKERS HE WANTS

Chuck Shepherd's News of The Weird tells of a parrot named Greeny, which, in January of 2006, inherited a half-million-dollar property in Boulder Country, Colorado. That's because his owners, Patricia Borosik, 49, and Paul James Stewart Scott, 54, made the bird their sole heir, just before both committed suicide.

...AND, IF THE OWNERS HAD A HOT TUB, THE POLICE COULD JOIN

In March 1995, police in Amsterdam made an unusual burglary arrest. The burglar himself didn't know he'd awakened the couple inside their home, who called police before hiding in their bedroom closet. When police pulled up at the home, the burglar, seeking a place to hide, entered the same closet. Then, realizing he was about to be arrested, asked the couple if they would tell police he was a friend.

APPARENTLY HE DIDN'T LIKE PAYING FOR SERVICES RENDERED?

On February 3, 2006 The Dallas Morning News printed a story concerning the arrest of pig farmer Robert Pickton, 56, of Vancouver, British Columbia. Accused of 27 slayings, Mr. Pickton was originally arrested in February of 2002, after 60 prostitutes disappeared in Vancouver's rough section of town.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1447)

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Wednesday, September 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1448)

.....AND ALL THE FIREPLUGS SAID 'THANK YOU'

And what is so unusual about the town of Bergen op Zoom, Holland, except for its name? It is the only city known in the world to have flush toilets installed along its sidewalks exclusively for the use of dogs.

THESE OLD FOLKS MIGHT AS WELL HAVE GIVEN IT TO THEIR KIDS

In December of 1978, dressed as Muppet characters, several thieves entered a sanatorium in Nancy, France, and took a total of about $25,000 in cash and valuables from patients. Rushing through town in their getaway car, Kermit the Frog, Fozzie and friends, were cheered on by local citizens, while traffic policemen gave them the right-of-way.

THIS WAS DEFINITELY NOT A DOUBLE-OCCUPANCY OPTION

William Daborn was working at a cemetery in Sandhurst, England, the day he died. He also buried himself, more-or-less. That's because at the moment Daborn died of a fatal heart attack he was alone, bending over an open grave, which he automatically fell into. Hours later his body was discovered and quickly removed from the grave, just as the rightful owner arrived inside a hearse.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1448)

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Thursday, September 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1449)

EVEN IF YOU SWALLOW YOUR TOOTH BRUSH YOU WON'T PUKE

If you think commercial advertisements promise more than a product could ever possibly provide, consider these promises posted in Ceylon to advertise a toothpaste called Supirivicky Brand: This toothpaste relieves bad breath, soft gums, gripe, cough, colic and vomiting.

WITH WIRES STICKING OUT THE TOPS, CALL THEM FLOWERS

For reasons no one has been able to figure out, in November of 1994, thieves in Hartlepool, England, used saws to steal 21 newly installed metal lampposts. Council workers at Central Park found only the poles' stumps with wires sticking out their tops.

IF HE'D ONLY PRACTICED IN THE BATH TUB FIRST.........

Thousands of Zairians turned out, in March of 1995, at the River Kwipu to watch a local preacher prove he could walk on water, the same as Christ. But as their leader stepped from the bank of the river, his faithful followers were horrified to see him swept away by strong currents. His body was recovered three days later, several miles down stream.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1449)

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Friday, September 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1450)

THAT'S ONE LESS STREET FOR THE STREET SWEEPERS TO SWEEP

A street was stolen in London in July of 1995. Using a mechanical digger, thieves stole $176,000 worth of Victorian cobblestone from a service street not frequently used by British Gas.

THREE MORE FAST FACTS

(1) What animal is responsible for the most human deaths worldwide? The mosquito. (2) At one time in the 1920s the German mark was worth 4,000,000,000,000,000,000 to $1 U.S. (3) What city is next to New Delhi? Old Delhi.

EVEN THIS SUPERMAN HAD TO ADMIT HIS LIMITATIONS

One of the more humorous stories told of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali occurred on a commercial air flight, when a stewardess asked Ali to make sure his seat belt was fastened. Ali, always the best and loudest promoter of himself, exclaimed, "Superman don't need no seat belt." To this the stewardess answered, "Superman don't need no airplane, either," making that one of the few times Ali lost either a verbal or physical battle.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1450)

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Saturday, September 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1451)

JACK AND JILL CAME OUT BETTER WITH A BUCKET THAN THESE GUYS

Sun Tieshan, of Xinjiang, China, dropped a water bucket down his 30-ft well. When his neighbor tried to retrieve it, he fell in instead. Next, Sun's son tried to rescue the neighbor, but fell in also. After that, Sun himself fell in, followed by his grandson. Later, the local fire department recovered the bodies of the neighbor, Sun Tieshan, his son and his grandson, and perhaps even the bucket?

THANK CAPITAL HILL FOR THIS MOLE HILL BECOMING A MOUNTAIN

The original CIA was created only to examine information submitted by other agencies, basically a report-writing department. A fuzzy phrase written in a bill signed by President Truman in 1947 created an agency limited to servitude. In no way was it meant to do anything more than analyze information and report its findings.

THE SECOND GROUP SHOULD'VE ASKED THE OWNER FOR A RAIN CHECK

Two gangs of armed robbers tried to hold up a store in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the same time. The second group to arrive demanded the first group drop their guns. The first group refused, and gun fire began. Several minutes later, when the smoke had cleared, only one of the groups' members was wounded. The first gang got to keep the cash box, which contained about $50.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1451)

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Sunday, September 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1454)

MINNIE MOUSE WOULD'VE LOVED THIS TREATMENT

According to an October 2004 report by The Associated Press, Katie's Pet Depot in La Verne, Calif., is one of only a very few pet salons in the U.S. which has grooming for rats. A special $10 treatment included claw-clipping, shampooing and flea and mite treatment. Karri Garrison, an employee, said claw-clipping was the hardest: "They have very small feet."

THIS SOUNDS MORE LIKE A DUKES OF HAZZARD MOVIE

The Dallas Morning News reported in February 2006, a local homeowner called police while thieves were breaking into his home. When police arrived, the thieves fled, beginning a 10-minute chase, before abandoning their truck and catching a cab. From there, the cab delivered the would be thieves to a motel, where police caught-up and arrested one, while the other must have caught another cab?

NO MATTER HOW YOU HOPE TO DIE, THIS ISN'T ONE OF THEM

Driving through a construction area north of Birmingham, England, Tina Parker and her daughter, Jennifer, age 8, collided with a truck hauling asphalt. No one was injured in the initial crash, but the impact caused several tons of the hot boiling asphalt to pour over, and into, Ms. Parker's car. While both she and her daughter screamed, witnesses could do nothing but watch them burn to death.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1454)

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Monday, September 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1455)

JOHN KENNEDY AND MARILYN MONROE TOGETHER AGAIN, KINDA

According to Presidential Indiscretions, at a Kennedy memorabilia auction in 1998, a man (Richard Wilson) paid $3,450 for a pair of John Kennedy's long johns. Mr. Wilson explained he planned to exhibit them next to another prized possession of his, a pair of Marilyn Monroe's underpants.

HE ADDED THAT LAST STROKE TO HIS CARD IN HEAVEN

Sixteen-year-old Jeremy T. Brenno was playing golf at the Kingsboro Golf Club in Gloversville, New York, when he had a bad round. Losing his temper, he slammed his club against a bench, breaking its shaft, which then sprang back and punctured a pulmonary vein on his arm. He bled to death before help could arrive.

GUYS THIS DENSE NEED A GOVERNMENT JOB

In July of 1992, a gang of safe crackers spent an entire night cutting their way into a Lloyds Bank in Hampshire, England. Going to great lengths, they cut bars with a hydraulic saw, sawed out a grill, then busted through a wall......only to find themselves inside a vacant building. The bank had recently moved and the building was unoccupied.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1455)

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1456)

A KIND HEARTED PRESIDENT

Warren G. Harding (1865-1923), 29th President of the U.S. (1921-23), was reading a newspaper one day, when he noticed a dog in Pennsylvania would soon to be destroyed for a minor offense. Harding, an animal lover all his life, wrote immediately to the Governor of Pennsylvania, giving full amnesty to the dog.

HE SHOULD'VE BEEN WEARING AN "I'M WITH STUPID" T-SHIRT, TOO

John Edward Roberts held up a bank in Pennsylvania in June of 1994 and got clean away, for about thirty-minutes. His mistake? After grabbing the cash, Roberts turned his back and exited. That when everyone in the bank silently read his entire name lettered across the back of his jacket.

BUT, EITHER WAY, GUESS HIS SINUSES WERE AFFECTED?

The Passaic Herald reported a medical examiner's office in New Jersey had filed a preliminary report based on observations that the deceased, Albert Acevedo, had died from either pneumonia or a virus. However, a complete autopsy later revealed, Mr. Acevedo had died from several gunshot wounds to his head.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1456)

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Wednesday, September 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1457)

HE PACKED UP HIS BAGS AND MOVED TO A COFFIN

A British staff sergeant wrote a song and entered it in a 1915 contest to pick the most morale-building song of World War I, and he won first prize. The name of this upbeat, gleeful song? "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile." In 1942, its author, Felix Powell, committed suicide.

WELL, THE ODDS FINALLY CAUGHT UP

Retired miner Tom Gray, 86, of Glamorgan, England, enjoyed bragging he'd spent his entire career working underground in coal mines, yet never once suffered from any accidents or sustained any injuries. The morning Mr. Gray died, he was filling a bucket from his own bin, when one of its walls collapsed and crushed him to death.

YEAH, THINK OF THE POLITICIANS HE'D BE STUCK WITH IN HELL

Just before he died, Renaissance political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527) stated, "My desire is to go to hell, not heaven. In the former place I shall enjoy the company of popes, kings and princes, while the latter are only beggars, monks and apostles."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1457)

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1458)

PERHAPS THIS OBNOXIOUS LEADER WIPED HIS WRONG END?

According to biographer Robert Caro, President Lyndon Johnson enjoyed having members of his staff watch while he sat on the toilet. Yet, at the same time, he discouraged these same employees from even using the toilet while working. According to Caro, if anyone on Johnson's staff remained in the restroom more than a couple of minutes, LBJ would open the restroom door and shout something to the effect of, "Son, can't you please try a little harder to do that on your own time?"

MEATY TRIVIA

A holiday recipe appearing in the November 2005 France-Passé, from Voss, Norway, featured a feasting favorite called smalahove, which is, basically, a sheep's head with the skull removed, leaving the eyes, ears, lips and tongue for hungry celebrants.

HIS BODY PROBABLY OWED MORE TOKENS, RIGHT?

Fumio Sudo commuted daily to and from his job on the Tokyo underground. But one day he missed his stop, then continued to ride three complete circuits of the network, for a total of five hours, before anyone noticed he wasn't asleep, or alive. Apparently, he'd suffered a heart attack a few minutes after boarding.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1458)

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Friday, September 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1459)

INSTEAD OF "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT" HE HAD IT WAITING

W.C. Fields (1880 - 1946), a comedian actor in early films, grew up in such abstract poverty it warped into his need to hoard. As he traveled around from town to town, he opened many bank accounts under dozens of aliases, so no matter who sued him, or whatever else might happen, he'd never be broke. At last report, much of the money is still unclaimed. (He also hoarded, at one time, around $50,000 worth of liquor, apparently fearing Prohibition might return?)

THREE ROCK STAR QUOTES

(1) Diana Ross: "Just because I have my standards, they think I'm a bitch." (2) Simon LeBon, of Duran Duran: "I'm not a snob. Ask anybody. Well, anybody who matters." (3) Axl Rose: It's really hard to maintain a one-on-one relationship if the other person is not going to allow me to be with other people."

IF THAT'S THEIR ONLY CLAIM TO FAME, WHAT A SHAME

Berkeley County, West Virginia; Augusta County, West Virginia; York County, Pennsylvania; Union County, North Carolina; each claim the seventh President of The United States, Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), was born there. England and Ireland, even the Atlantic Ocean, in case he was born on a ship, are also considered contenders. Correct or not, his official birthplace is Waxhaw, South Carolina.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1459)

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Saturday, September 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1461)

APPARENTLY SOMEBODY GOT A KICK OUT OF STEALING HER LEGS?

A news brief in The Dallas Morning News on February 16, 2006, concerned Melissa Huff, age 16, from Temple City, California, who had only one leg. She'd worn an artificial one, until some lowly thief broke into her family's home and stole the $12,000 prosthetics. This caused friends and strangers alike to donate $16,000, which purchased her a new leg. A few days later it was stolen from the house, just like the first one.

PROBABLY HER BEST LAUGH SINCE MARRYING THE GUY

Raybon E. Upton crawled up a tree into a deer stand near Mount Holly, Arkansas, early one morning in December 2006. Later, deciding to take a rest break, he started back down, but got tangled in the thick tree limbs, causing him to end up hanging upside down for the next nine-and-one-half hours. Eventually help arrived. Upton's wife got tired of heating-over his supper and came to cut him down.

NOW HERE'S AN INTERESTING RECIPE

What uses 1,330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone, and 151 pounds of feldspar? A ton of glass. It also creates (more or less) 347 pounds of waste.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1461)

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Sunday, September 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1462)

THIS WOULD'VE MADE SEX IN THE BACK SEAT LEGAL, BUT LONELY

Universal Press Syndicate reported on the misfortune of a young fellow who proposed to his true love in Knoxville, Tennessee, but she rejected him. Poor fellow was so despondent, he applied for a marriage license alone, filling in the bride's portion as his '1996 Mustang automobile'. His application was denied.

THAT BUS GAVE THEM BOTH A PASS TO HEAVEN

After crashing into each other on a busy highway in Seoul, South Korea, the two truck drivers jumped from their cabs and began to fight. But while they were hitting each other, a bus ran over and killed them both.

ALL TEA COMES FROM SAME NAME PLANTS

Camellia Sinenis is the only plant used in non-herbal teas. What distinguishes one variety of tea from another is the blending and added flavors, as well as the amount of time the leaves are dried, or 'fermented.'

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1462)

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Monday, September 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1463)

ALL LIFE FROM A COMMON SOURCE

The human body is not only 70% water, but the salt/water ratio is the same as the sea, which humans evolved from. The amniotic fluid surrounding an unborn child is also the same ratio as ocean water.

HERE, LET'S ALL SPELL H-Y-P-E-R-B-O-L-E

Shortly before President Richard M. Nixon (1913-1994) resigned on August 8, 1974, Helen Buffington, Committee to Reelect The President, stated: "If Richard Nixon is impeached, there will be mass suicides, mass nervous breakdowns, and total demoralization of the country."

THAT TIME HE WAS BITTEN BY SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE LOVE BUG

Rejected by his girlfriend, Scott McCraw, 37, of Long Island, New York, decided on February 21, 1994, to commit suicide. Taking his pet rattlesnake out into the country, he apparently made it bite him. This caused his death from heart failure, and the snake's from hypothermia. Both were found 19 days later.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1463)

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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1464)

WONDER IF HE USED SACRAMENTAL BEER?

Chuck Shepherd's News of the Weird tells of Catholic Monsignor Isidore Rozycki who, in January of 2005, gave an unusual blessing to an establishment. What was unusual? Monsignor Rozycki gave his blessing to a brand new Waco, Texas, Hooter's restaurant.

AND YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD NOISY NEIGHBORS

Jamila Kinzi, age 22, became so despondent over being jilted by her lover, she returned to her Albi, France, apartment and attempted suicide by turning on the gas. After several minutes, however, she changed her mind, opened the window, and attempted to light a cigarette. The explosion not only carried out her original plan, it also killed a neighbor and put six others in the hospital.

HE FELT GONE WITH THE WIND WAS CAUSED BY FLATULENCE

Hollywood actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961) turned down a chance to play Rhett Butler in the classic film Gone With The Wind, saying, "It will be the biggest flop in film history. I'm real glad Clark Gable will fall flat on his face, not Gary Cooper."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1464)

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Wednesday, September 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1466)

HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED

The first President of the United States, George Washington (1732-1799), needed to be at Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, on April 30, 1789, for his inauguration. But he could not have made the trip without a loan of $600 from a neighbor.

TOO MUCH DRINKING AND SHE WAS ALL WASHED UP

Emily Sheaver, a 37-year-old woman living in Devon, England, was having her ups-and-downs with manic depression when she decided to commit suicide. Also having a terrible fear of dying by gunshot, poison, a gas filled room, or hanging, she elected to gulp down three gallons of water right-from-the-faucet. She went into a coma and died the same day.

THESE PARTY ANIMALS REALLY WERE

The Nepalese news agency RSS reported seven elephants wandered into the village of Barachetra, 100 miles east of Katmandu, broke open a large jug of home-brewed liquor, rapidly got drunk and began destroying homes. In the process, they also tromped to death villager Chakra Bahadur and his wife.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1466)

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Thursday, September 28, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1467)

HE WAS BORED, SO SHE WAS GORED

Josef Meschede, a 44-year-old German farmer, taught his bull Maxi to charge on command. Next, he lured his 40-year-old wife, Karolina, into Maxi's pen, where the bull gored her to death. And, Meschede would probably have gotten away with it, except for the half-million Euro life insurance policy he had on his wife, and evidence proving he was already using a dating service.

OUR REMAINING UMBILICAL CORD TO THE SEA

Common table salt is made of two elements, sodium and chlorine. Sodium alone could burn the mouth, and chlorine by itself is a poison. But mixed together, the human body needs to contain about eight ounces of salt to live and move. It regulates heartbeat, digestion, nerve impulse and bowels. Too little salt will cause the body to shut down and become totally paralyzed, with death to follow.

MORE FUN TRIVIA

Around the turn of the 20th century, journalists Charles Henry Dow and Edward D. Jones created the Dow Jones index of U.S. stock prices. Before long that index began to appear in a newspaper they created, The Wall Street Journal.

Andrew J. Hewett

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Friday, September 29, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1468)

NEWSPAPERS, HOW THEY ALL BEGAN

Newspapers, in one form or another, probably began as the Acta Diurna (lat: Daily Acts or Daily Public Records), in 131 B.C. during the Roman Republic. (Senatorial Acta were made public about 50 B.C. by then-consul Julius Caesar.) Carved on stone or metal, the pages were tacked up near meeting places, on walls and trees, for all to read. They contained news, information concerning crime and trials, birth, death and marriage announcements, perhaps even a little satire.

THREE MORE QUICK FACTS

(1) In 1865, an estimated 10,000 hogs roamed wild in New York City. (2) Glass is considered a liquid. (3) In 1952, Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel.

BIG BIRD GONE BAD

Abraham Hendriks, 65, and his wife Anna, 63, made a bad mistake taking a short cut to their farm in Joostenbergvlakte, about 20 miles outside Cape Town, South Africa. As the older couple trudged along, an ostrich attacked, stomping Mrs. Hendriks, while her husband stood helpless, unable to distract the bird. Eventually rescued my a passing motorist, they were taken to hospital, where Anna died a few hours later.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1468)

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Saturday, September 30, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1469)

A MAN OF MANY SEASONS

Genius artist Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was also an astute observer of life. Examples: (1) "One starts to get young at age sixty and then its too late." (2) "You'll never see anything very great which is not, at the same time, awful in another way. Einstein's genius caused Hiroshima." (3) "Ah, good taste! what a dreadful thing. Taste is the enemy of creativeness."

THAT DOGGONE CAT GOT THREE PEOPLE KILLED

Yiannis Karayannopoulos, an 87-year-old farmer from Oropedio, in northern Greece, was so convinced his neighbor, Thomas Koletsos, had stolen his cat, he caught him outside and shot him dead. Hearing the shot, Koletsos's wife, Chrysanthi, came to investigate, and she was also killed. Karayannopoulos then committed suicide with the same gun...........and, before dark, the cat returned home.

SHE CAME OUT AHEAD $13,998.01

Jean Smith, a 64-year old resident of Fort Myers, Florida, was shopping one day in 1998 at a secondhand store, when she was taken by a picture frame containing a water color drawing of a dancer. Figuring the frame was worth the $1.99 price, she took it home, where it sat for months.....until. Until she heard the Oprah Winfrey Show was doing a program on Hidden Treasures. She E-mailed the image of her small drawing, which had a signature at the bottom: A. Rodin. For this, Ms. Smith was invited to appear on the show, and the drawing was determined to be the work of Auguste Rodin (French artist known for the sculpture The Thinker-1904), and was worth $14,000.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1469)

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Sunday, October 01, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1470)

ODD WAY FOR A YOUNG LIFE TO END

Meli Kalakulu, 18, was night fishing off Gau Island, Fiji, when he was attacked. As his boat floated along on that moonless night, young Meli had bent down over his lantern to bait a hook. That's when a surface-skimming swordfish, aiming for that light, stabbed its razor-sharp bill into the boy's face, causing a slow, painful death from blood loss.

HE TURNED HIS CREW INTO SEMI-ALCOHOLICS

Admiral Edward Vernon (1684-1757), known to pace his deck wearing a grogram (i.e., coarse fabric) cloak, was both a pragmatist and a frugal leader. Finding it hard to keep his sailors sober while at sea, Vernon allowed his crew to have all the rum they wished, as long as it came from his 'special' barrels. Special because he'd watered-down (and reduced the cost of) the rum he offered, leaving the men still sober enough to work. The sailors called the way they felt 'groggy,' after the grogram cloak the Admiral had worn while at sea.

THEY MUST'VE LIKED SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR

In 1909, a group of Kansas men concerned with both hygienic and moral issues, all took an oath to join the Anti-Kissing League, promising to never kiss their wives again.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1470)

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Monday, October 02, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1471)

CAFFEINE FROM THAT SOURCE MADE COKE EXECUTIVES FIDGETY

During World War II even caffeine was in short supply. Fearing this problem might worsen, Coca-Cola began to experiment, with the winner being derived from bat guano. But executives knew if the public found out, the company would be ruined, so the idea was discarded, along with a goodly supply of winged rodent droppings.

IF THERE'S SEX IN HEAVEN THEY ARRIVED PREPARED

Four New York men died after consuming what they though was an oral aphrodisiac. The concoction, imported from Hong Kong, had instructions printed on its container, but they were in Chinese. Unknowingly, these men drank the thick liquid, instead of rubbing it on their genitals.

ONE TRAGEDY UPSTAGING ANOTHER TRAGEDY

On February 2, 1995, the two children of San Diego Chargers quarterback coach Dwain Painter (Debbie Menta, 32, and Doug Painter, 23) stood on a rock near the ocean in Mendocino, California, to scatter the cremated ashes of their mother, who had committed suicide. Just as Debbie opened the container to release the ashes, a strong wave crashed into them both. Doug struggled to safety. Debbie drowned.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1471)

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Tuesday, October 03, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1472)

NOW, IF THAT ASTROLOGER HAD TOLD HIM TO GO TO HEL.........

Chuck Shepherd's News of the Weird notes that in November of 2005, the ruler of Myanmar, General Than Shwe, ordered his entire government be moved immediately from the capital of Rangoon, 200 miles away to the small town of Pyinmana, upon advice from his astrologer. Parade magazine recently rated General Shwe as the third worst dictator in the world today.

ONCE WHEN TRICKY-DICK GOT IN A LICK

While then Vice President Richard Nixon was visiting Venezuela in 1958, a protester spat on him. The protester was immediately grabbed by Secret Service, whereupon Nixon kicked the man in the shin. In his book Six Crises he admitted "Nothing I did all day made me feel better."

HERE AGAIN, 'NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION'

When Stan Durwood tried to open a large movie theater inside a mall in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1963, he was told the support columns could not be removed for a large enough area, so Durwood opened two theaters next to each other showing the same film...until he realized showing two different movies would increase his daily attendance greatly. From there, others observed his success, and the era of multiplex cinemas was born.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1472)

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Wednesday, October 04, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1473)

THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED DONATIONS TO SOAR?

Walter Fryer, 54, of Aberford, West Yorkshire, England, felt so strongly that Leeds General Infirmary saved his life after suffering a heart attack, he helped form the Take Heart Club, to raise money for the health facility. Unfortunately, as he, his wife and four members ran three-miles down a trail for promised contributions, a limb broke free from a 160-year-old birch tree, killing Mr. Fryer, while injuring most of the others.

JUST IN CASE YOU'RE EVER ASKED

The word "posh", meaning fashionable, or ritzy, began in the 1800s. Repeat passengers sailing through the Suez Canal usually wanted cabins on the shady side of the ship, meaning the right side going out, the left for return. This booking, called "Port-outbound, Starboard-home", abbreviated became "P.O.S.H."

THREE MORE FAST FACTS

(1) William Shakespeare earned only about $40 a year as a writer. (2) During the U.S. Civil War, the city of Winchester, Virginia, was captured 84 times. (3) In the Congo, professional corpse painters charge admission to see their work.

Andrew J. Hewett

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Thursday, October 05, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1474)

SAYS ON THE PACK, WARNING: CIGARETTES MAY BE HARMFUL TO...

While being treated for breathing problems at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli, England, Ronald Eynon, age 50, removed his oxygen, stuck his head under the covers and attempted to light a cigarette. The explosion burned much of his body. He was then transported to the Swansea's Morriston Hospital's burn unit. On the trip there, ambulance attendants later said, Ronald was begging for another cigarette. (He died a month later.)

HE FLEW-OFF-THE-HANDLE BEFORE FLYING OFF

Captain Jose Carlos Tuccio was preparing to pilot an Air Europa passenger jet from Seville to Palma in October of 1996, when he recognized a passenger sitting in First Class. This prompted him to announce to all boarding passengers: "We have garbage flying with us today, ladies and gentlemen." Then he welcomed all passengers on board, "Except for that person sitting in 4B." (He was suspended for several days, and paid a fine for his behavior.)

PROBABLY DROPPED HIS GOOD LUCK CHARM ON THE WAY DOWN

Salvatore Chirilino and his wife fixed a romantic picnic lunch and climbed to their favorite spot, a cliff overlooking Vibo Marina, Italy. Near the top, Salvatore spotted a lucky four-leaf clover and told his young love this would be a special day. And it was. As he leaned down to pull up the charm, his foot slipped, sending him 150 feet to his death, leaving his wife in shock.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1474)

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Friday, October 06, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1475)

DID YOU EVER DREAM YOU WERE FLYING? THIS GUY REALLY WAS

Lionel Buckley, 84, was recovering from severe burns in Manchester's Withington Hospital burn unit, resting on an air mattress, when its pump blew up. That sent him airborne, causing death by blunt force when he hit the wall across the room.

THEY WERE ALL FIRED UP ABOUT SAFE SMOKING

In 1954, the National Cancer Institute said, "If heavy smoking plays a part in the production of lung cancer, it seems to be a small one." (Back then, TV commercials featured doctors......smoking and complementing their favorite brands of cigarettes. In the 1920's, cigarette ads were directed at women as a healthy alternative to eating a piece of candy.)

A TITLE ENTITLED HIM TO A SHORT LIFE

Louis XVII of France was thrown into prison when he was only eight, during the overthrow of the French Monarchy in 1793. Within two years the ruling government announced he had died from tuberculosis. He was 10.

Andrew J. Hewett

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Saturday, October 07, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1476)

NOTHING LIKE A NICE LONG WALK HOME AFTER GOOD MEAL

In March of 1991, the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association held its 3rd Annual Bush's Canned Foods South Texas Menudo Cook-off, to benefit families whose homes had been destroyed by fire. While all were having a great time, dry grass in the parking lot caught fire. Ninety-seven vehicles were completely destroyed.

HOW LONG SHOULD ONE VISIT WITH AN URN OF ASHES?

In 1982, Winnie Johnson of Newcastle, England, filed a will stating her cremated ashes be kept and mixed with husband Allen's, when he died. By the time she died in 1996, Winnie no longer loved him. A new will stated her ashes should be mixed with daughter Catherine's, instead. Catherine demanded Allen turn over Mom's ashes, but he refused. This sent the matter to court, where Judge Esmund Faulkes ruled the ashes would remain with an attorney, where both could take turns visiting.

AT LEAST THERE WAS NO LOUD RAP MUSIC ON THEIR RADIOS

Even in 1900 people were worried about auto pollution. One large city newspaper complained citizens were being forced to breathe poison in the streets, while the dust raised by the automobile choked them. And, it added, the noise from these contraptions was driving people from their homes.

Andrew J. Hewett

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Sunday, October 08, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1477)

HOW ABOUT A TONY AWARD, POSTHUMOUSLY?

British actor Tony Wheeler, 26, was playing the part of Judas in an outdoor production of Jesus Christ Superstar, when he actually died from hanging. The actor should have secretly hooked a support cable behind his neck before the 'hanging' scene. In haste, he missed and didn't notice. The audience then watched his kicks and spasms, thinking 'what great acting', until the motions stopped suddenly 6-minutes later. That's when a fellow actor noticed the absence of the hook support, and that Tony Wheeler was dead.

NEXT, A LAWSUIT NO DOUBT

On Friday the 13th, in January of 1995, Scott Wenner purchased a Texas Lottery ticket at a Pic-A-Tate store in Croydon, Pennsylvania, which won $10 million. Problem was, Pic-A-Tate was not licensed to sell Texas Lottery tickets, so the prize money stayed in Texas.

BUT DOES HE STILL QUALIFY FOR HIS 72 VIRGINS?

Oguz Atak, a Turkish bartender, made an appearance on TV station TGRT to exhibit the new tattoo on his shoulder. His new tattoo consisted of one large word in Arabic, 'Allah'. This, decided a group of Muslim extremists, was an insult to their religion and they sent two hit-men to kill Mr. Atak. They were successful.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1477)

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Monday, October 09, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1478)

WHAT'S IN A NAME? REALITY IN THIS CASE

Maurice Harvey was proud of the landscaping around his home in Torquay, England, especially a huge 70-foot pine tree in his front yard. Well, he was proud of that tree....until a storm caused it to fall, destroying a large portion of his roof. Of course, years earlier he had named his home Pine Falls.

THAT REALLY WAS A WONDER BRA

In March of 2006, People magazine reported 25-year-old London resident Helen Kelly's life was saved by her bra. As she left the Urban Music Awards and stepped into the street, a stray bullet from a gang shooting ricocheted off the wire support in her bra. Even though she was wounded in her left breast, London police detective Robert Wishart said that without the deflection, the bullet would probably have gone straight through her chest.

THIS COOK COOKED HER GOOSE

Helen Menicou, 47, worked as a waitress at San Francisco's Pine Crest Diner for 22 years. And, during all those 22 years, she was never able to get along with the cook, 59-year-old Hashiem Zayed. On July 23, 1997, Menicou told him off for the last time. That's when Zayed put down his spatula, pulled a gun from under his apron, and shot her dead.

Andrew J. Hewett

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Tuesday, October 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1479)

IN CASE YOU'RE EVER ASKED

When the Statue of Liberty first opened on October 28, 1886, it was dedicated as a National Monument. The verse most associated with this symbol, "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." was added to the pedestal in 1903, after it was realized how important and inspirational the statue was to the many thousands of immigrants arriving on Ellis Island. (That verse comes from New York poet Emma Lazarus' "The New Colossus," written in 1883.)

HOPE THEY HAVE WHEELCHAIRS IN HEAVEN

People magazine reported, in its March 2006 edition, that TV's Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke, after his death at age 95, had his body abused. His daughter, Susan Cooke Kittredge, of Middlesex, Vermont, said instead of New York Mortuary Service cremating all of her father's body, it forged his death certificate, changing his age to 85, his cause of death to a heart attack, then sold off his leg bones. (Let's hope he got "a leg up" in heaven.)

WE DON'T MAKE 'EM UP, FOLKS

As a zoo keeper in Paderborn, Germany, Friedrich Riesfeld had a large problem with a constipated elephant. Having no experience with plugged pachyderms, Mr. Riesfeld first fed his potentially powerful pooper 22 doses of animal laxative. With no results, Mr. Riesfeld then administered 'his patient' a bushel of berries, prunes and other high-fiber fruits. With still no results, this man of persistence applied one final remedy, an olive oil enema. And that's when the avalanche of nearly 200 pounds of manure knocked this man of many methods to the ground, where he hit his head on a rock, leaving him out cold. The elephant continued to evacuate his bowels on top of him. Police detective Erik Dern said, "With no one there to help, it was an hour before watchmen found him, during that time he suffocated."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1479)

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Wednesday, October 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1480)

A PRODUCT WHICH HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME

Joseph W. Binney started the Peekskill Chemical Company in Peekskill, New York in 1885. After making lampblack charcoal and red iron oxide barn paint until 1900, he left his flourishing business to his son Edwin Binney, and nephew Harold Smith. They added slate pencils to their line, allowing them to find out most teachers disliked classroom chalk and the dull colored crayons available at that time. So Binney and Smith immediately set out to develop a dustless chalk and crayons. They turned out to be so bright in color, young students were eating them. This caused Binney and Smith to convert to nontoxic pigments, of such high quality they are still sold today.

LOVE STINKS WHEN THE SMELL IS GONE

Researchers have learned that a human's sense of smell is important when it comes to their sexual desires. For instance, one-in-four people with smelling disorders, whether from allergies, injury or aging, lose their interest in sex.

SEVENTY-ONE-YEARS OLD? MOTORCYCLE?

While riding his 100cc Suzuki motorcycle outside Exeter, England, twenty-year-old Neil Walters ran into the back of a parked truck, killing himself instantly. A few minutes later, just as police arrived, seventy-one-year-old Leslie Sanders came along riding his brand new (less than 50 miles on the odometer) 90cc Honda, and crashed into the same truck, killing himself instantly also.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1480)

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Thursday, October 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1481)

LIKE ROACHES, THEY MULTIPLY TOO FAST

In Paul Grobman's book Vital Statistics, he writes the U.S. has more lawyers per capita (one for every 274 people) than any other country. In China the ratio is one attorney for every 12,745 people. New York has the most attorneys of any state, 140,000. North Dakota the least, 1,297. But the winner with the most per person is Washington, D.C., with one lawyer for every 14 residents.

HE GOT A REAL BANG OUT OF THIS TOY

The military officer in charge of security at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador, was demonstrating how the grenade he had found was a toy, when he pulled the pin and blew himself up.

3 SIGNS WITH AMBIGUOUS MEANINGS

(1) In a Pennsylvania cemetery: Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves. (2) In the vestry of a New England church: Will the last person to leave please see that the perpetual light is extinguished? (3) In the window of a Kentucky appliance store: Don't kill your wife. Let our washing machines do the dirty work.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1481)

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Friday, October 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1482)

FYI

In the 1970 movie MASH, Roger Bowen played the part of Col. Henry Blake. In the television series MASH, McLean Stevenson also played the part of Col. Henry Blake. Stevenson died on February 15, 1996, Bowen the next day, February 16, 1996.

BEARDS IN GENERAL

When Hans Langseth of Kensett, Iowa, died in 1927, he had a beard nearly 18 feet long. The average beard grows about 5 to 6 inches a year, or about 30 feet in an average lifetime. And blond beards seem to grow the fastest of all.

SO AN ANCHOVY AND PINEAPPLE PIZZA MEANS.......

Research done at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia strongly indicates the type food people prefer depends on their mood. According to Bernard Lyman and Janet Waters, the two psychologists evaluating the results, when depressed, people prefer cold, firm foods, such as cookies or candy bars. When lonely, liquid foods such as soups and milk. In high spirits, these same folks enjoy spicy, crunchy treats. When content, they desire such soft foods as ice cream, puddings and sweet yogurt.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1482)

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Saturday, October 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1483)

SHE NEEDED THE LONG DISTANCE AREA CODE FOR HEAVEN

Chuck Shepherd's News of The Weird reported in March of 2006, Jacqueline Dotson of Winchester, Kentucky, had been seriously injured in an auto accident. Losing control of her SUV, she'd hit several cars, before flipping her vehicle upside down, crushing off an arm in the process. When found, that arm's hand was still squeezing her cell phone tightly.

BET SOMEBODY GOT TEED-OFF OVER THOSE TEA CUPS

In 1980, the mayor of the city of Leningrad (St. Petersburg, since 1991) had the power to "borrow", from the Hermitage Museum, the china tea set once belonging to Catherine the Great (1762-96), for his daughter's wedding. Unfortunately, one of the guests accidentally dropped and broke one of the priceless cups. Assuming that person was offering a toast, a traditional Russian gesture of good luck, the other guests then all stood and threw their cups into the fireplace, breaking them, each and every one.

SMILE, YOU'RE ON CANDID CAM.....WHAM!!!

Albert Silveria was sailing his boat under a high bridge in Genoa, Italy, just as a tourist leaned over the rail of that bridge and dropped his camcorder. By the time it hit Silveria, it had gained enough speed to kill him instantly. The tourist was not charged.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1483)

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Sunday, October 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1484)

FERTILIZER TO DIE FOR

The gathering of bat guano from caves for organic fertilizer can be profitable. And greed played a part in May of 1998, when two groups of dungmen got into a squabble over a cave in the Pakchong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. While one group worked in the cave, the other threw a grenade into its opening, leaving five dead and two seriously wounded.

ADDICT/SLAVE SLAVE/ADDICT

In today's world addiction usually means craving something like alcohol or drugs beyond one's self control. During the Holy Roman Empire, soldiers were often awarded slaves for outstanding service, and slaves back then were known as addicts. Therefore, a person who becomes a slave to almost any habit is called an addict.

HE TRIED TO EAT, BUT THEY GOT THE LIONS' SHARE

A hungry man trying to steal food from animals caged at a Zimbabwe Zoo, made the mistake of trying to steal from the lions' eating area. Zoo owner Vivian Bristow summarized, "All they left was bones and a drivers license."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1484)

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Monday, October 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1485)

WHAT NEXT, A ROULETTE TABLE ON A TREADMILL?

If you don't wish to gamble with your health program, you probably won't want to ride the new 'Pedal and Play' slot machines. With the slots mounted on stationary exercise bikes, the rider can lose money and weight at the same time.

MINCED MEAT PIE, ANYONE?

Working at the Beni Foods factory in Tongwell, England, Armando Merola, age 51, was cleaning an 8-foot-high mincing machine, when he lost his balance and fell in. A fellow worker said Merola's body at first jammed the paddles, but he was still alive. Then it broke free, 'mincing' Merola to death.

GOOD THING IT WASN'T A STAGE PRODUCTION OF TO HELL AND BACK

A playhouse in Edinburgh, England, was about to present a production of Singing in the Rain, when they were forced to cancel, after the sprinkler system went off and flooded the building with hundreds of gallons of water.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1485)

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Tuesday, October 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1486)

SPLIT A COCONUT, SPLIT AN ATOM, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Back in the mid-1940's, when the editor of the Nashville Tennessean learned some research on the atomic bomb had been performed near his city, he sent a photographer to the facility, with instructions to take a picture of the atom both before, and after, it was split.

THREE MORE QUICK FACTS

(1) The British pound got its name because it was originally equal to the value of a pound of silver. (2) Radio personality Paul Harvey's real name is Paul Aurandt (3) Pound for pound, grasshoppers are 3 times more nutritious than beef.

LET'S HOPE HE THREW HIS (FULL) BEDPAN AT HER

Guiseppe Bonacle of Ascoli Piceno, Italy, knew if he played the same lotto numbers long enough he would win the jackpot. And he played the same numbers for 71 years. And he was right, his numbers did win. But, bedridden, he'd asked his daughter to buy his ticket, and she forgot.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1486)

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Wednesday, October 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1487)

HERE'S AN EXCUSE WORTH GETTING DRUNK OVER

Wine connoisseur William Sokolin paid $300,000 for a bottle of Chateaux Margaux (1787), which once belonged to Thomas Jefferson. Hoping to resell it for at least $500,000, in 1989, he displayed it at Manhattan's Four Seasons restaurant before a group of 300 wine collectors. Holding it out for inspection, Sokolin let the bottle slip, shattering it on the marble floor.

ANGELS FROM HEAVEN WITHOUT ANY WINGS

When you think of an angel, your mind's eye probably pictures a glowing human form with wings. But, if you look in the Holy Bible, you will find no mention of angels having wings. This image entered our heads from the works of artists such as Michelangelo.

HE SHOULD KICK HIS OWN BEHIND WITH THOSE BOOTS

A fireman in Bath, England, took a metal detector to an asphalt covered lot to search for old water plugs. But after digging a half-dozen holes where the instrument had indicated, and finding nothing, the workman realized the instrument was reacting to his steel-toed boots.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1487)

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Thursday, October 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1488)

AND TOO MANY SCREWDRIVERS CAN SCREW-UP THINKING

Ever wonder how the drink Screwdriver (Vodka and orange juice) got its name? American engineers working in Middle Eastern countries (Practicing Muslims forbid the drinking of alcohol.) had (still have?) the habit of discretely adding vodka to little cans of orange juice, then stirring the mix with their screwdrivers. (From Rare Bits by Patricia Bunning Stevens)

OUCH! ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF LIFE AIN'T ALWAYS FAIR

While crossing a street in Mayfield, England, a woman was hit by a car and knocked to the ground. A passerby stopped and immediately gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until an ambulance arrived, then he disappeared. Unfortunately for the good Samaritan, the woman was a drug addict, suffering from contagious hepatitis, and no one knew who he was.

PRISONS COME IN MANY FORMS

The Dallas Morning News, in a story about workplace design, mentions Robert Propst, the designer who invented cubicles. Even he confessed he regretted what he called the "monolithic insanity" of the modern office. (Cube sales in 2005 totaled about $3 billion.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1488)

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Friday, October 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1489)

IF HE'D HAD NO PHONE HE'D STILL BE ALIVE

Chuck Shepherd's News of The Weird reports, in December of 2005, a Greenville, South Carolina, man escaped his burning home, but died of smoke inhalation when he went back inside to retrieve his cell phone to call 911.

A QUOTE FROM DAVID LETTERMAN

"It's often said New Yorkers don't get along, but that's just not true. The other night I saw two strangers sharing a cab. One took the radio, while the other removed the wheels."

NOTHING

On July 5, 1988, after a fire swept through Nothing, Arizona, nothing was left, leaving its 4 residents standing beside Route 93, with nothing.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1489)

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Saturday, October 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1490)

FLATULENCE MIGHT FACILITATE A FAMILY'S FITNESS?

In 1798, the Pneumatic Institute was founded on the belief that basically any human illness could be cured by breathing the right gas. Tuberculosis, they felt, was caused by breathing too much oxygen. So, for this condition, the afflicted were told to find a dirty barn, then sit and breathe manure and rotting hay for as long, and as deeply, as possible. This would remove the toxic oxygen from their lungs.

SHE WAS DYING TO TAKE A VACATION. SHE GOT THE FIRST PART

Doctor Linda R. Groudy, an obstetrician, canceled her planned Caribbean cruise, after having a vivid dream that she was killed in her car. Four days later, on October 4, 1993, she was found strangled to death in her car, in the parking lot of the hospital where she worked.

PERHAPS THEIR EGOS CAN'T SEE BEYOND A MIRROR?

Some folks have small images of butterflies, stars and other symbols tattooed on their upper front teeth. Problem with that is, if they smile at other people, while more than 3-4 foot away, the tattoos look just like food stuck between those teeth.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1490)

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Sunday, October 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1491)

HAVING BEEN MARINATED IN OIL PROBABLY MADE 'EM TASTIER

After the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska's Prince William Sound, March 24, 1989, environmentalists, thanks to large donations, were able to save at least some of the oil-soaked wildlife. To draw attention to their good work, a ceremony was held to watch the release of two seals back into the ocean. (which had been de-oiled and rehabilitated at a cost of $80,000) But only a few seconds after hitting the water, both seals were eaten by a killer whale.

WELL, THEY COULD ALWAYS SPRAY-PAINT THEM WHITE

Manufacturers of tooth paste make many claims which researchers have found not to be true. For instance, no matter what the big ads with the beautiful smiles claim, according to Consumer Reports, nothing in these tooth pastes contain any teeth whitener. Adding, bleaching to whiten teeth can only be done by a dentist.

THIS COULD TAKE ALL THE FUN OUT OF SNAPPING YOUR FINGERS

In medieval times if a man was found guilty of stabbing another with a knife, but not killing him, he could receive an unusual punishment. First, the hand that had held the knife was placed palm down, flat on a table with fingers spread. Next, a knife would be stabbed through that hand, pinning it to the table. Last, the convicted was forced to pull his hand from the table without removing the knife.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1491)

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Monday, October 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1492)

FOLKS CAN SIT PROUD ON THESE EXPENSIVE THRONES

The U.S. National Park Service decided one of the recreational areas it maintained needed another toilet. For this they hired a dozen architects and engineers, who took two years to complete the project: a two-hole toilet (one hole for MEN and one hole for WOMEN) at a total cost of $333,000. Park superintendent Robert Rector said the idea was to build a nice toilet hikers could look forward to using.

THIS STUDENT DESERVES AN "A" FOR BEING ASININE

ABC News reported in January of 2006, that student Doug Anglin, 17, had filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, against Milton (Mass.) High School, claiming boys were suffering grade discrimination because teachers were giving better grades to students who sat down, followed orders and listened to instructions.

'A DAY LATE AND (MORE THAN) A DOLLAR SHORT'

Paul Manarang was a lucky man when he won over $100,000 in the California lottery. But he wasn't so lucky in collecting it. Perhaps for tax reasons, he waited 180 days to collect his winnings, knowing that was the last day the winning ticket would be valid. Lotto officials were sad to inform him, however, that he had miscounted, and arrived on day 181.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1492)

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Tuesday, October 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1494)

THREE REALLY, REALLY BAD JOKES

(1) Q: What's the difference between ignorance, apathy, and ambivalence? A: I don't know, and I don't care one way or the other. (2) Q: What has four legs and an arm? A: A rottweiler. (3) Q: Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during his root canal? A: He wanted to transcend dental medication.

HIS BODY PAID FOR HIS SIN WITH SKIN

In 1829, William Burke of Edinburgh, England, was hanged for murder. Since he had smothered his victims, then sold their bodies for dissection, angry citizens would not allow his body to be buried. Instead, it was skinned, then the skin tanned and sold to the public for about a shilling a square inch.

BUT DO WE REALLY CARE?

A truck on its way to market hit a car and overturned, spilling one-and-one-half tons of eel on the road near Stonecross in New Forest, England. The car the truck hit had the license plate: EEL239V.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1494)

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Wednesday, October 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1498)

GUTS AND ALL?!

One favorite food in Roman times was the Red fish, for both its taste and color. To enjoy each nuance of this treat, the fish was cooked slowly in the center of the table, under glass, so hungry guests could watch it slowly burn to death, causing the outer skin to turn from pink-to-red-to-dark.

HOW ABOUT ANOTHER PRICK AT "TRICKY DICK"?

"I'm glad I'm not Brezhnev. Being the Russian leader in the Kremlin, you never know if someone's tape-recording what you say," said U.S. President Richard Nixon, who was later forced to resign (August 9, 1974) because of secret tapes he himself had made of his own phone calls and meetings.

HE DIDN'T GET A KICK OUT OF WINNING THIS PRIZE

Factory worker Eddie Horth, of Bridlington, England, purchased many lotto tickets over the years, yet never won even the smallest prize. But he never gave up. And finally, at last, he did win something, a nice pair of ice skates, while recovering in a hospital, after having one of his legs amputated.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1498)

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Thursday, October 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1499)

MAYOR TURNED DOWN $5 MILLION TO SPEND $23 MILLION???

The Associated Press reported in March of 2006 K&L Auto Crushers of Tyler, Texas, had offered the City of New Orleans $100 each for the estimated 50,000 cars left under water after Hurricane Katrina. Mayor Ray Nagin turned down this offer, while his administration "negotiated" a car removal deal which would cost the city $23 million, and take six months to complete.

YOU JUST GOTTA FEEL SORRY FOR THIS GUY

Jochen Menkel, 56, was a poor German, but a romantic one. On their anniversary, he bought his wife a diamond-studded broach, priced at $5,000. Then, he had it attached to a helium party balloon. But as he started up his walkway to his waiting wife, he stumbled and released the balloon, ring and all. It was gone in a second. (A police report was filed, but even they had to admit the ring would surely end up being finder's-keepers.)

WHAT A WONDERFUL MAN HE MUST HAVE BEEN

The first chapter of the SPCA was established by animal lover, and philanthropist, Henry Bergh in 1866. He began the first ambulance for injured work horses, two years before Bellevue Hospital started one for humans. (He also invented the clay pigeon to take hunters' minds off the real thing.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1499)

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Friday, October 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1500)

FORWARD/BACKWARD

A palindrome is a word, phrase, verse or sentence which reads the same forward and backward. Aibohphobia is both a palindrome and the fear of palindromes.

THAT'S THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT

The Irish giant Charles Byrne (1761-83) was 7' 10" tall. Doctor John Hunter, a collector of the odd and strange, wanted Byrne's body, when he died, to add to his museum, but the giant refused to sell his body for any price. Unwilling to give up, Hunter waited for Byrne to die, then bought his corpse from the undertaker. Next, he boiled off all the meat, then posed the long skeleton next to an embalmed Carolyn Crachami, who died at age 10, measuring 10-inches tall.

HERE'S AN EXPENSIVE 12 HOUR NAP

Bizarre News reported on Harold Reinke, a Troy, New York, man who got drunk and went to sleep while connected to a European sex line. When he finally came to and hung up his phone, his charges, at $9.95 each minute, totaled $7,164.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1500)

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Saturday, October 28, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1501)

MAYBE THEY COULD GIVE ALL THE KIDS RITALIN FIRST?

According to Reuters, in 2005, the Coffee Industry Association of Brazil offered to help fund one-million daily breakfasts for school children as young as age six, if the meal also included Brazilian coffee.

THE PEN MAY BE MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, BUT PENCILS GOT HIM

Gustavo Adolfo Amador, a poor Honduran peasant, was arrested in 1974 for stealing pencils from a street vendor in the capital city of Tegucigalpa. He was then sentenced to a long prison term, which was reversed a year later, making him a free man. But, because of an error in paperwork which went undiscovered for 19 years, he was not released until the spring of 1994.

MAN'S BEST FRIEND HANGING OUT IN THE WRONG PLACE

Main instigator of the Salem Witch Trials (1692), Cotton Mather (1663-1728), caused the hangings of 14 women and 5 men. (Giles Corey refused to cooperate during his wife's trial and was pressed to death beneath a millstone.) Even a village dog seen acting "peculiarly" was found guilty of being ridden by a warlock, and hanged.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1501)

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Sunday, October 29, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1503)

WHERE SPITTOONS BECAME BEDPANS

The British Royal Humane Society, founded by Drs. William Hawes and Thomas Cogan in 1774, invited sixteen top medical experts of their time to join and perform study and do recovery of persons thought to be drowned. Discontinued in 1811, an unusual method of attempting to revive a drowned person was to give them a tobacco juice enema.

THEY SHOULD'VE SAVED THEIR ILL GOTTEN GAINS

According to The Times of London, so many Japanese Yakuza gangsters are nearing retirement age, the government has proposed rules to allow benefits meant for the aged to include gamblers, lone-sharks and thieves.

TOO BAD THEY DIDN'T NAME THEIR BAND 'GENTLE BREEZE'

On Friday the 13th, 1992, a Cardiff, England, rock group named Violent Storm, formed in 1986, was traveling down the M4 Motorway near Bristol when a sudden violent storm blew their car off the road, killing four of the band's five members.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1503)

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Monday, October 30, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1504)

HAVING A CRAPPY ATTITUDE IS OKAY HERE

City pride in Suwon, South Korea, is reflected in its almost 600 public toilets, all equipped with electrically heated toilet seats. Adding to the ambiance of these outhouses, soothing classical music comes through the sound system and stylish paintings adorn the walls. Weekly tours of the toilets are held, and locals often arrange to meet friends inside these relief stations to have tea.

AT LEAST HE DIDN'T WAKE THE NEIGHBORS

Agathocles "Tyrant of Syracuse" (361-289 B.C.) was given a poisoned toothpick by an adversary, causing gangrene in his mouth, throat and esophagus; this left him without a voice to scream, when he was thrown into a fire and burned alive.

YOU'D THINK THERE'D BE A FAT CHANCE OF THIS EVER HAPPENING

Parson Ezra Piner gave a strong and powerful sermon from the pulpit of his church in Johannesburg, South Africa. His theme being "the laziness of fat people." Among his congregation that Sunday morning were twins Paullina and Gina Weams, weighing about 280 pounds each. After the sermon, as Parson Piner stood at his church's door to shake the hands of those who came, the Weams twins beat him senseless, breaking his nose.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1504)

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Tuesday, October 31, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1506)

HE MUST'VE FORGOTTEN HER MOTHER'S DAY GIFT?

Convicted of murdering his valet, British Earl Ferrars became the last nobleman to be hanged before England's public (1760). Knowing he was mentally ill, his friends had tried to prepared an argument for clemency, even asking Ferrars' mother to submit her belief. But she refused, saying to admit insanity in her family would jeopardize her daughters' chances of finding a husband.

PICKING UP A HITCH HIKER THE HARD WAY

Joseph Frankor, 45, was driving down a highway near Irving Township, New Jersey, when suddenly his car's roof collapsed, pinning him in his seat. Luckily, he'd been driving slowly, and was able to stop without wrecking. Problem was, he was pinned, and stayed that way for 20 minutes until rescuers were able to free him. First they had to remove a dead man from on top of Frankor's car. The unnamed man had committed suicide by jumping from a high bridge above the highway.

SOUNDS LIKE THAT OLD SLOGAN "DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT"

Frank and Marie Moor, of Bournemouth, Dorset, England, forgot to take something along on their camping vacation. As they drove away from home in their pickup truck, their son noticed what they had forgotten, their travel trailer, which was loaded with enough gear and supplies to last two weeks. In desperation, he called his parent's favorite radio station and asked for help. That station then broadcast a special bulletin for the vacationing couple to look in their rear view mirror. (And BINGO!)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1506)

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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1507)

TWO OCCURRENCES IN 132 YEARS MIGHT CANCEL THEIR INSURANCE

Obergestein, Switzerland, in the Rhone Valley, was a nice little town surrounded by mountains, until 1720. That's when an avalanche destroyed it. In 1852 another avalanche occurred, but this one only destroyed the Obergestein bakery. The bakery's crushed ovens, however, caught fire and burned down the rest of the town.

WE SEND BILLION AND BILLIONS DOWN THE DRAIN EACH SHOWER

The smallness of bacteria is hard to appreciate. The skin on our entire bodies, from the tops of our heads to the bottoms of our feet, support about 8 million bacteria per square inch at any given time.

THE CHILDREN WILL LEARN GOODNESS IN A SCHOOL THIS HONEST

Hoping to save money on increasing utility bills, officials at Moray House College in Edinburgh, Scotland, had their staff go room to room checking for areas needing insulation. Behind one locked door they found an electrical meter which had not been read by the power company in 14 years. Their honesty, taken into consideration, allowed the power company to be lenient, charging them only a fraction of the several thousands of pounds which were owed.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1507)

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Thursday, November 02, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1508)

GUESS HE'D HAVE CHANGED THAT TO "THUNDER STORM" IF NEEDED

In the late 1940s, early 50s, a minor league baseball team, the Los Angeles Angels, had an announcer named Steve Harvey, who would stay behind on road games. Thanks to Western Union telegrams, and radio station KMPC, he was able to recreate play-by-play broadcasts. One night, while Harvey was broadcasting from the studio alone, he had an overpowering urge to use the toilet. With no options but a metal waste basket, and hoping to explain any possible sound, he threw in a weather report, "Folks, bet you can hear the rain falling on the tin roof above me. They may have to call the game."

THAT'S JUST THE WAY SOME GIRLS ARE

The female Aulicus terrestris, known as the California checkered beetle, is a bit of a hog when it comes to mating. When copulating with a male, while several other males try to dislodge him, the female ignores them and all else, eating moth caterpillars she killed earlier just for the event.

ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE: "NO CARVED IMAGES OR LIKENESS"

In January of 1994, a priest in Pavia, Italy, Don Armani, was installing a 7-foot statue of the Virgin Mary in his church, when "she" toppled over and broke both his legs. Recovering in a hospital, Armani said, "I know God moves in mysterious ways, but what He tried to teach me today, I have not a clue."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1508)

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Friday, November 03, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1509)

IT EATS INSIDE ONLY

The hagfish, or slim eel, a marine cyclostomes of the class agnatha, has evolved little over the last fifty million years. It is jawless, has one nostril, and is blind. For food, it latches onto fish with four sets of tentacles, then drills into the prey with file-like teeth, consumes the interior, leaving only bones and the outer structure.

NEVER THE NUMBER, ANYWAY, BUT QUALITY OF YEARS THAT COUNT

That consummate entertainer, Victor Borge (1909-2000), when asked his age, smiled and explained, "I'll soon celebrate my 75th birthday, which is rather embarrassing, considering I'll be 85."

SHE COULD ONLY HOPE THEY HAD GOOD INSURANCE

A bit of bad luck befell Marion Fergusson, 42. As she walked past the Swinton Insurance building in Ormskirk, England, a heavy sign advertising accident insurance fell on her, breaking four ribs and cutting open her head, which took eight stitches to close.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1509)

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Saturday, November 04, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1510)

HE SAW STARS THAT WEREN'T ON THE FLAG

In September of 1987, the High Marnham power station on the River Trent, England, achieved 100 days without an accident. This gave the manager a chance to make a short speech of congratulations to all employees, before asking a security guard to raise the flag to start their day. But as the flag went up the pole the heavy brass pulley broke free, then crashed 20 feet below onto the guard's head.

WOULD IT BE BETTER IF THEY GATHERED AT BARS?

Perhaps more of a joke than letter-of-the-law, the city of Downy, California, has on its books a law that no two or more police officers may gather at any one doughnut store or stand.

THIS GUY GOT REALLY BURNED UP

The first execution by electrocution was carried out in 1889 on convicted murderer William Kemmler of Buffalo, New York. For such an exciting event, even the condemned man seemed to look forward to it. When the switch was finally thrown, the only screams of pain were heard from the warden and witnesses (two passed out). When Mr. Kemmler's body jumped after the first jolt, another was applied, then all motion ceased. During the aftermath of the "shocking", the executioner forgot and left the power on for 70 minutes, scorching deep etches into the flesh of the deceased.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1510)

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Sunday, November 05, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1511)

LET'S HOPE THEY KEPT HIM A 'DOGGIE BAG'

While eating a steak at a restaurant in Norrkoping, Sweden, a bone got stuck in a diner's throat, allowing him to barely breathe. An ambulance was called immediately, and soon the choking man was on his way to a hospital..... until the emergency vehicle hit a deep chug-hole in the road. This threw the patient from the stretcher, causing the bone to fly from his mouth. He then began breathing normally and insisted on being returned to his car.

HIS LACK OF FAITH LEFT HIM WASHED-UP FOR LIFE

After many days of flooding rain, priest Don Giacomo Perini stood out in front of his church in Alto Adige, Italy, and cursed the rain to stop. Instead, during that moment, the soaked foundation of a large stone cross gave way, causing it to topple and crush Perini to death.

HOPEFULLY, HER LOVE SURVIVES FOR ETERNITY

After the death of Scotland's King John Baliol ( 1259? -1314), his widow had the heart removed from his corpse, embalmed, then placed inside a small ivory coffin. For the next 20 years she carried it every place she went. Upon her death, and just before the closing of the coffin, her instructions were followed, and that ivory casket containing Baliol's heart was placed on top of hers.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1511)

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Monday, November 06, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1512)

JUST IN CASE YOU ARE EVER ASKED

Last checked, the car driven the most number of miles, ever, is a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 180D. While being driven for a total of 21 years, it racked up a total of 1,184,880 miles. (They must've kept the oil changed.)

GOOD HE DIDN'T DREAM OF PLUCKING A CHICKEN FOR THE COOK

In his autobiography, English writer and humanitarian Augustus William Hare (1792-1834), told of a lady who awoke in her bedroom in the middle of the night to feel the presence of another human walking about the room. Then, feeling a heavy thump on her bed, she fainted. Coming around in the light of day, she found a breakfast tray across her legs, with silverware and china properly arranged. (Come to find out, her butler was a very detailed sleep walker.)

AT LEAST HE COULD HOCK THE RING TO PAY FOR THE FUNERAL

Sal Aspione of Sassari, Italy, was so much in love he wanted to propose in the most romantic way he could conceive. So, one night, sitting with his dream mate in a dark cozy restaurant, sipping expensive champagne, he secretly slipped the engagement ring into her glass, then waited for her reaction. Her reaction was to swallow and gag, with the ring lodging in her throat. Despite all efforts, Sal Aspione had to watch helplessly while his love of a lifetime choked to death.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1512)

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1513)

SHE MUST'VE REALLY LOVED THIS GUY

A consul under Emperor Claudius (10 BC - 54 AD), Caecina Paetus, was sentenced to death by his own hand. But at the sight of the knife Paetus flinched, causing his wife, Arria, to pick up the knife, stab herself in the chest, then say "Paetus, it is not painful," before she fell dead at his feet.

MORE FUN FACTS

The deepest lake in the world is Lake Baikal, in Siberia. Its deepest part is 5,370.73 feet (1637 meters). That's deep enough to stack the Empire State Building (1,250 feet/381 meters) on top of itself four times.

GOOD HE DIDN'T DREAM THIEVES STOLE HIS WIFE'S CLOTHING

Harry Dale, a 62 year-old living in Hunstanton, Norfolk, England, dreamed thieves stole the roof-rack off his car, so he removed it and placed it in his garage. Good thing, too. Next evening, thieves were only able to steal his car.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1513)

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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1514)

HIS FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS WERE REALLY CHEAP

In 1925, Floyd Collins, a Kentucky farmer, became stuck in a cave when he accidentally dislodged a 6-ton boulder. After he was found, pinned at the waist, no amount of pulling or prying could free him. And, within days, while Collins was being kept alive, the whole county learned of his predicament. Within a week 50,000 people visited above him on the surface, and a party atmosphere took over, complete with vendors selling hot dogs and drinks. After feeding and comforting Collins for two weeks, though, the cave collapsed, leaving him buried for eternity.

EVEN THE MAKERS ADMITTED IT

More people have been killed by fireworks celebrating July 4th celebrations than during the Revolutionary war itself. In the 1930s, several organizations joined to reduce these deaths and injuries, causing new laws and restrictions to be passed on both federal and state levels.

THESE FIREMEN FOULED UP THE FISH FRY

Just as fireman arrived at the home of Richard Derrick of Taunton, England, his 50 gallon fish tank exploded, leaving 60 rare tropical fish flopping around on the floor. Noticing another 50 gallon tank in the room, the rescuers quickly scooped them all up and into the other tank they went. The tank already contained one fish, a piranha, which killed nearly all of the expensive fish before they could be scooped out.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1514)

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Thursday, November 09, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1517)

THEY MUST'VE WATCHED 'KEYSTONE COPS' MOVIES AT THE ACADEMY

The Dallas Morning News reported on April 10, 2006: About 5:30 PM Sunday, on Ross Avenue, a police van carrying 7 officers hit a police cruiser carrying 4 more police officers, which spun and broke a telephone pole, causing local power outages. All 4 officers in the cruiser were transported to Baylor University Medical. Police Lt. Richard A. Watson said he was unsure how a third car driven by a civilian got involved in the wreck. He also added he did not know where any of the three vehicles were going at the time the accident occurred.

A STANDUP COMEDIAN'S DREAM AUDIENCE MEMBER DIES

On a Wednesday evening, April 17, 1782, a Mrs. Fitzherbert, widow of Reverend Fitzherbert of Northamptonshire, England, sat with an audience at the Drury-lane Theatre watching a production of The Beggar's Opera. During one of the funnier moments, when the entire audience broke out in laughter, Mrs. Fitzherbert joined in, but then found it impossible to stop, causing her to leave before the second act was over. Worse yet, she continued to laugh both day and night until Friday morning, April 19, when she became so exhausted her heart stopped and she died.

THIS IS NOT TRUE. JUST FUN FOR THE FUN OF IT

The court: "What is the problem?" Bailiff: "There is a cockroach on the evidence table, Your Honor." Plaintiff's attorney: "Motion to squash." The Court: "Granted."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1517)

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Friday, November 10, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1518)

HIS SISTER STILL HAD COMPASSION FOR THE DOG

When Peter Evans of West Kirby, Merseyside, England, retired from coal mining, he bought himself a nice little cottage in Hertfordshire to enjoy his last years. But, before telling family and friends where his new home was located, Evans fell dead. This left his sister, Aileen Hearn, 67, to beg local real estate agents for help. She knew her brother had a dog, and feared it might starve inside.

HERE'S SOME FOLKS WHO ALL GOT WHAT THEY DESERVED

During his reign Lombard King Alboin (565-572? A.D.) murdered his father-in-law, cut off his head, cleaned it out, then made his wife Rosamond drink wine from her own father's skull. Rosamond, in turn, had Alboin killed by her fellow conspirators, Helmechis and Longinus, married the former, while taking the latter as her lover. Later, when Rosamond offered Helmechis a poisoned drink, he swallowed half and forced her to drink the remainder, allowing them both to die miserable deaths. (BRAVO! BRAVO!)

QUESTION: BUT DID THEIR HMO PAY FOR THE HORSE?

For certain extreme human illnesses in seventeenth century England, a healthy horse was needed. The horse was first killed, then quickly slit open long-ways, then the entrails removed. Next, the totally naked sick person was instructed to crawl down inside the dead animal's body cavity (up to the neck, if possible), where they could sweat out their malady bathing in warm blood.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1518)

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Saturday, November 11, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1519)

THE PRODUCTS THEY SELL REALLY STINK

Until recent years, dogs used in search and rescue operations to find human bodies were trained using human flesh and bones cut from cadavers. Now, thanks to companies such as Sigma Aldrich Chemicals, that's no longer necessary. The main scents, which are shipped in small convenient bottles, come in several types. One, Pseudo Corpse 1, imitates the smell of bodies dead less than thirty days. Pseudo Corpse 2, is used when searching for bodies dead over thirty days. And, yet another simulates the smell of a drowning victim.

THIS WOULD BE A TOUGH ORDEAL AT ANY AGE

In 1989 an 80-year-old pensioner in Malmo, Switzerland, went out on her balcony to sunbathe, but almost died instead. While stretching to get comfortable in her deck chair, she caused one of the fabric ribbon supports to break, allowing the chair to fold, leaving this senior citizen with her face between her knees. And worse, she remained that way for almost 48-hours, until a neighbor noticed and called police.

WELL, DEAD IS DEAD NO MATTER HOW

On a Wednesday, March 5, 1726, a human head was found floating near a dock in Westminster (London), England. Hoping to learn its identify, the head was dried, its hair combed, then placed on the end of a pole, before displaying it on a public road. It turned out to be a local, John Hayes. His wife, Catherine, was later sentenced to hang for his murder. But, during the hanging a fire built to later cremate her body got out of control, burned the gallows and Catherine to death as well.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1519)

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1520)

HE FELL FOR THE OLD 'UNDERDOSE SUICIDE ATTEMPT'

Ralph Claridge, 29, of Mitcham, Surrey, England, came home to his 10th floor apartment and found his wife, Janice, had written a suicide note, then overdosed. Dazed, he walked to their bedroom window and jumped to his death. A few minutes later, when Janice awoke, she felt so silly she promised never to do that again, just as a knock sounded on her door to give the bad news. (But she kept her promise.)

THINK! IF THEY'D INVENTED EATING GLOVES INSTEAD OF FORKS?

In olden days, before eating utensils were used, meat was cooked and thrown on the table. Hungry diners then (usually) took turns holding the meat down with one hand, while cutting off a portion with their knives. But etiquette of the day started demanding people with 'class' only hold their food with thumb, forefinger and middle, while common folks used all five fingers, and occasionally both hands to fill their mouths.

THEY PROBABLY JUST NEED TO SPEND SOME TIME APART

Police in Cape Town, South Africa, arrested Erik and Karl Ludolter, while they fought with their fists, apparently trying to beat each other to death. Karl blamed Eric for drinking too much, but Eric, his eyes swollen almost shut, said nothing. Police still put them both in the same cell. Why? Erik and Karl are (were?) Siamese twins, joined at the chest.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1520)

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Monday, November 13, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1521)

IF YOU'RE ALREADY SAD DON'T READ THIS ONE

When Evangeline Guico, 21, of Manila, Philippines, learned she was pregnant, she and her boyfriend, Marlon Manalac, happily rushed to make plans for their wedding. Family and friends were invited and the ceremony was to take place in only one week. Two days before the wedding, with anticipation floating in the air, the groom was found murdered. To give the child a name, Marlon's father, Alfonso, arranged for a minister to marry the couple during the open casket funeral.

LET'S ALL LIGHTEN UP

Late Night with David Letterman, by Letterman himself: "You know what really kills me on that last election? Ted Kennedy spent $16 million. But at least he'll get $2 million back when he returns the empties."

WHO WAS JOHN BILLINGTON?

John Billington was a loud mouth loser in 1620 when he landed in America on the Mayflower. His only claim to fame came in 1630 after he thought he'd shot to death one John Newcomen, and left the body in the woods to rot. Newcomen survived, however, and pointed out his attacker, who was then hanged......making John Billington the first colonist to be legally executed in the New World.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1521)

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Tuesday, November 14, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1522)

SADLY, THE DOG CAN SEE THE CHILD, THE PARENTS CAN'T

Rick Oakes and his wife, Chantel, who are both blind, took their guide dog into the labor room at a hospital in Surry, British Columbia, Canada, to share the birth of their first child. Other than leaving the room twice to throw up, Bryor, their always faithful dog, stayed and watched the entire birth of Whitney Leanne Oakes.

HE COOKED HIS OWN GOOSE WITH A MICROWAVE OVEN

Leroy Hunninger, 50, of Van Wert, Ohio, known professionally as Buttons the clown, was well liked by local children and parents alike. That is until he found a hit-man willing to kill his girlfriend in exchange for a microwave oven.

FOR CHRISTMAS HE GOT WORSE THAN LUMPS OF COAL

The neighborhood where Johnny Hicks and his parents lived was a very high crime area. But Johnny's parents had turned their home into a fortress, and were looking forward to a safe and happy Christmas. That's why Johnny crept downstairs in the middle of the night, to admire the beautiful lights and look at the gift wrappings. But he also set off a burglar alarm, and that's when his dad came down with his .38-caliber pistol and shot to death the first thing he saw move, his little Johnny, age 3.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1522)

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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1523)

WHAT AN APPROPRIATE NAME

Rat-tailed maggot is the common name given to larvae of the drone fly (Syrphidae: Eristalis tenax). The name refers to the maggot's long tail, which is actually a tube, or siphon, used to survive in very wet environments. The body of this aquatic brownish larva grows to about one-inch, while the rat-tail like breathing tube can become twice that long.

NATURE'S NATURAL FOODS WIN AGAIN

Newsweek reported in its October 11, 1999 edition that scientists studying the effects of herbs and vegetables on osteoporosis, removed the ovaries of rats, then made their hormones fluctuate, similar to post-menopausal women, who are more prone to this condition. While onions alone showed positive results, when mixed with common salad vegetables, it reduced the amount of bone marrow loss by 20%. This is even better than taking the prescription drug calcitonin.

A POLICE CHIEF GIVING AWAY STOLEN PROPERTY?

Conrado Bacani won a secondhand car in a raffle in the Philippines. But when he went to register the title, he was arrested for possession of a stolen car. Later, at the jail, it was learned the vehicle had been donated by a local police chief, who ended up having a problem explaining why he still had the car two years after recovery.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1523)

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Thursday, November 16, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1524)

THIS IS NOT A POTTY JOKE

Gary Campbell, 41, a homeless man, was taken to a hospital in Fort Smith, Arkansas, in serious condition. Doctors learned he had been beaten with a porcelain toilet tank, by two other homeless men who could no longer stand his loud snoring.

FOR THOSE OF YOU OVER 40

After California Lawyer magazine gave George Crooks the Golden Moniker Award because of his name, Crooks replied, "I am not a Nixon."

LIKE A HEMORRHOID AD BEFORE A PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH

Carlton TV had to pay British Airways nearly $10,000, for running the airline's commercial immediately after a mid-air plane crash scene from the movie Terror in the Sky.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1524)

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Friday, November 17, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1525)

SHE SHOULD TRIP OVER HER OWN FEET AND SUE HERSELF

BBC News reported in January of 2006, the UK's Norwich Union insurance company reached a settlement with an employee from their Perth, Scotland office, Linda Riley, who had injured herself when she tripped over a pile of accident claim forms.

FACTS FOR THE FUN OF IT

Koala bears are not bears, but related to both the kangaroo and wombat. They have only about two hours daily to eat and reproduce. Rest of the time they sleep. The Koala Facts' website (www.koalaexpress.com.au/facts1.htm), says the koala population has dropped 90% in the last decade.

AND, THIS ATTENDANT NEEDS PERMANENT UNEMPLOYMENT

On Friday afternoon, December 9, 1994, Moira Poor, 69, became trapped inside an Auckland, New Zealand, City Council parking garage elevator, and remained there all weekend. When finally freed, she was given food and water, then taken to her car. From there, she drove to the exit booth, where the attendant refused to believe her story, charge her full rates, then told her she stank. (Later, the city council gave Mrs. Poor both $3,000 and free parking for life.)

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1525)

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Saturday, November 18, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1526)

THIS PSYCHIATRIST NEEDED TO LAY ON HIS OWN COUCH

Psychiatrist Oscar Dominguez, 45, was convicted and given 25 years in prison for shooting a female patient to death at his office, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Dominguez said after the woman told him of her distorted sex life, "I just couldn't take those nut cases anymore!"

AND YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE WRAPPED UP IN YOUR JOB

When Mark Gruenwald, a 43-year-old Marvel Comics writer and editor, died of a heart attack on August 12, 1996, his wishes were followed to be absorbed by his work. This meant having his body cremated, then the ashes mixed in with the ink used to print a 12 part, 100 page comic series, Squadron Supreme.

WILL A NASTY DIVORCE COME OUT OF THIS MARRIAGE?

On her 40th birthday, having given up on meeting the right man, Janet Downes of Bellevue, Nebraska, got married anyway. Her wedding ceremony included a beautiful gown, flowers, a cake and a choir. She then exchanged vows with herself and spent her honeymoon alone.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1526)

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Sunday, November 19, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1527)

HE CAME UP WITH A PLAN THAT FLOATED HIS HOME

Ross Lessinger bought a plot of land in Reisa, Germany, planning to build a home. But after being denied a building permit because of zoning, Lessinger studied the city's building codes, dug a huge pit on his property, filled it with water and built himself a houseboat. The town of Reisa had no restrictions against houseboats.

WONDER IF A BAR OF SOAP MIGHT CLEAN OUT THEIR SYSTEMS?

After a Buddhist abbot at a Thai temple northwest of Bangkok announced he had dreamt a God descended around him and made the soil a miracle curative, hundreds of pilgrims rushed to the temple, where at least three became seriously ill after eating too much dirt.

THEIR RELIGION DESTROYED THEIR SOCIETY

Religion was a major part of Aztec life. Legend told them their God, Quetzalcoatl, had light eyes, light skin and a beard. So when Hernan Cortez landed from Spain in 1519 (with only about 600 men) he matched that description, and met no resistance. After the Spaniards' arrival at the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City), King Montezuma provided them with food, women and gold.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1527)

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Monday, November 20, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1528)

IF HE SAYS "NOT BY THE HAIR OF MY CHINNY-CHIN-CHIN" HE LIES

For the women who wonder if a man is eligible or married, it is easy to tell with Amish men. If they are wearing a beard, they're married.

ALMOST 200 TRIPS! THEY MUST KEEP LOUSY RECORDS

When Willy Klettner, 71, of Augsburg, Germany, needed to go shopping, he would only pay taxi fare one way. To save the return, he'd call police with fake chest pains. When the police or ambulance arrived, he'd say he forgot his medication at home. So back home he got. (After almost 200 free trips home, authorities caught on and began taking Mr. Klettner straight to a hospital.)

THEY MIGHT NEED THAT PHONE LINE TO CALL NEXT OF KIN

In February 1985, Woodrow Kreekmore was driving down an icy road near Chickasha, Oklahoma, when his car slid off and crashed against a telephone pole. Shaken up, but not injured, he got out and walked to the back of his car to wave down an approaching motorist, just as the damaged telephone poll fell, killing him where he stood.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1528)

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Tuesday, November 21, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1529)

IN THE FUTURE THERE'LL BE NO MMMMOOOO IN THE MEAT

Toronto's Globe and Mail reported in March 2006 that laboratories in the U.S., the Netherlands and Australia are growing meat in test tubes. The paper wrote, "Before bed, throw starter cells and a package of growth medium into the (coffee maker-sized) meat maker and wake up to harvest-fresh sausage for breakfast."

HERE'S A WORD DERIVATION JUST FOR THE HALIBUT

According to Webster's Word Histories, the word "halibut" started out as the Middle English word for any flat fish, butte. Fish was often eaten on holy days, or haly, the Middle-English form of holy. Together they formed halybutte, which modernized comes out halibut.

FLAME THROWERS IN REVERSE

It's estimated that in the 19th century about one-in-eight of Irelands population was hooked on ether drinking. Since ether turns from liquid to vapor at body temperature, drinkers first drank ice-cold water. Then, immediately after drinking the ether, they would drink more cold water. Belching immediately after was also very important. Otherwise, the explosive vapors could cause a heart attack. At the same time, those who belched too close to a flame would suffer a worse fate. The flame would race back down their throats before exploding.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1529)

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Wednesday, November 22, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL(#1530)

LET'S HOPE SHE WAS AWARDED ENOUGH FOR A GUIDE DOG

Bernadette French, 36, was diagnosed as a manic depressive and placed in a Wilmington, Delaware, mental hospital. There, she used her fingers to gouge out both of her eyes. Next, she hired a good lawyer and sued the hospital for letting her do it.

PERHAPS WE COULD ALL LEARN SOMETHING FROM TED TURNER?

Three great quotes from billionaire Ted Turner: (1) "If I only had a little humility, I'd be perfect." (2) "Being a billionaire or being a millionaire or being broke -- and I've been all three at one time or another -- it doesn't make that much difference." (3) "Life is like a B-grade movie. You don't want to leave in the middle of it, but you don't want to see it again."

WELL..................APPARENTLY SHE'S NOT JEWISH?

In July of 1989, Julia Schumansky, 64, of Hartsville, Tennessee, noticed a knot sticking out from her left buttock. Fearing cancer, she immediately went for x-rays, which showed a 4-inch pork chop bone buried there. Doctors surmised Ms. Schumansky, standing just over 5-feet tall, weighing 217 pounds, may not have felt the initial penetration when she sat on it.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1530)

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Thursday, November 23, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1531)

THIS TOOK THE BITE OUT OF ANY LAWSUIT SHE MIGHT FILE

England's Daily Star reported a lady by the name of Merryl Baker complained to candy manufacturers Mars that she had found 3 human teeth stuck in her Galaxy Double Nuts and Raisins chocolate bar. But a few days later, while being examined by her dentist, she was told three of her own back teeth were missing. Ms. Baker was quoted as saying, "It was my mistake and I feel like an idiot."

IT'S GOOD TO SAVE MONEY, BUT NOT THIS WAY

During Christmas 1972, in Australia, Marie Hefferman, 13, developed laryngitis and lost her voice. After several weeks, her parents had a doctor take X-rays, but they showed nothing, and for the next 12 years Marie uttered not another word. That is until 1984, when Marie was 25. That's when she choked and coughed up an Australian silver threepenny bit. It had lain horizontally between her vocal cords, preventing their vibration. Looking back, Marie's mother remembered a jar of coins being knocked over near a bowl of Christmas pudding, in 1972.

RESCUERS FOUND THIS WOMAN LYING SUNNY-SIDE UP

When Sara Rolfe's lover, Chris Portis, called emergency in Bracknell, Berkshire, England, and explained why they needed help, it took the operator a while to stop laughing long enough to send rescuers. When a total of 10 police and fireman arrived in the bedroom of the couple, they also had a good laugh. It seems Ms. Rolfe, dressed in nothing but a black mask and black mesh-stockings, had demanded her lover Chris hand-cuff her by the wrists to the poles on the headboard, but when he tried to release her, the key broke off in the lock.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1531)

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Friday, November 24, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1532)

HE WASN'T ONE TO HEAD-UP A BLOOD DRIVE

Movie actor Bela Lugosi (1882-1956), who's real name was Bela Blasko, born in what is now Romania, made his career playing the bloodthirsty vampire Count Dracula. In real life, he had a phobia about blood. One biographer said Lugosi actually would become ill and faint at the sight of his own blood.

WONDER IF SHE'S STILL BEATING HIM ON TOP OF HIS HEAD?

Even after several years of not winning even a small prize, Susan Evans always used the same numbers to play the British National Lottery, knowing one day her numbers would win. And they did, the day she sent her boyfriend to buy her ticket, where he got into a fight while standing in line, allowing the machine to close before his purchase. Her boyfriend's fight caused her to lose about $15 million.

HE WAS GOOD TO THE LAST DROP

Dr. Cecil Jacobson's fertility clinic in Alexandria, Virginia, was doing a flourishing business, until he was arrested and tried by a federal jury on many counts of fraud. What Dr. Jacobson had done was throw away all sperm provided by patients and donors, then used his own to impregnate the mothers-to-be. Assistant US Attorney Randy Bellows said Jacobson had "fathered" more than 70 children with couples in the immediate area.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1532)

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Saturday, November 25, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1533)

SHE GOT SACKED BY THE GODS

Chan Wai-Fong, age 65, was a religious woman. So when her daughter-in-law survived an automobile accident, she went outside her son's apartment in Hong Kong to thank the gods in the skies above. While she was praying, a bag of cement fell from the building's roof and crushed her already prostrate body.

SHE TOOK ORGAN LESSONS WITH ANIMALS

Author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), is said to have named her Peter Rabbit children's stories after her own rabbit, because she loved it so much. She did have a curiosity towards animals, and this caused her to wish to know more about them. That's why she also kept diaries about killing, boiling and dissecting them to study their organs.

BUT WHAT NICE QUIET NEIGHBORS THEY MADE

Neighbors became concerned after not seeing Mary Marley, 70, for over a week, so they called police. Police, in turn, broke into the house and found the widow Marley sitting back in her favorite lounger, comfortable but dead. And, upstairs, they found a strange surprise. In the deceased woman's bed, they found the decayed corpse of her 50 year-old lover. An autopsy determined the man had been dead for about twelve months, but his identity was never determined.

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1533)

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Sunday, November 26, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1534)

A PRETTY EXPENSIVE TEMPER TANTRUM

On April 21, 2006, The Dallas Morning News reported Joe Wallas Hansen, 45, of Euless, had been arrested for losing his temper and beating a self-checkout machine at a Wal-Mart in Grapevine, Texas, with his fists. According to Police Sgt. Bob Murphy, the machine sustained $715 in damage, and the Class A misdemeanor could cost the accused a fine of $4,000 and up to a year in the county jail.

THESE HAPPY FOLKS RUINED THE PITY-PARTY

A weekly meeting of Depressives Anonymous, in Gloucestershire, England, was adjourned early because some new members upset the others by being too happy. "It ruined the mood," complained Chairman, John Hooper.

DID THIS TALENT SCOUT PREFER ACCORDIONS AND BAGPIPES?

Mike Smith was a talent scout for Decca Records when he invited the Beatles to visit London for an audition on New Year's Day, 1962. They did, and banged out fifteen numbers for Mr. Smith and his associate, Dick Rowe. After several weeks Mr. Rowe contacted the Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, to tell him Decca Records was not interested, saying, "We don't like your boys' sound. Four piece bands with guitars are out."

Andrew J. Hewett

(#1534)

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Monday, November 27, 2006

WEIRD, BIZARRE and UNUSUAL (#1535)

IF THIS IS BLIND JUSTICE, JUDGE DEAN NEEDS A SEEING-EYE-DOG

Financially poor Tyrone Brown, 17, was given 10 years probation by Dallas Judge Keith Dean, for his part in a $2 robbery. Caught smoking marijuana, Brown's probation was changed to life in prison by the same Judge. Financially fit John Alexander Wood, on the other hand, pleaded guilty to murdering an unarmed prostitute, and Judge Dean also gave him 10 years probation. Since then, murderer Wood has been caught smoking crack cocaine, failed several drug tests, and been arrested for cocaine possession. But no matter. Not only does Mr. Wood remain free, thanks to Judge Dean, he no longer has to take drug tests, or meet with a probation officer. (From The Dallas Morning News front page, 4-23-06)