I bet it was better than this couple's. Alan Stevens, 50, of Hull, England, booked a surprise 17-day trip for his wife's birthday to the Dominican Republic for late June. When they arrived, however, it was clear the resort's "five-star" rating was a mistake. Hull Live reported that while at the resort, Stevens and his wife observed a variety of alarming behaviors. "When we went out to the pool for the first time, we saw guests smoking weed in the pool, people having sex in the pool ... one woman being sick all over herself in the pool, and another guest actually defecate in the pool -- it was disgusting," Stevens said. "We were approached by people offering us drugs about 10 times in the 17 days we were there. A woman fell from a balcony while we were there, and we walked past and saw her body hidden under a sheet. ... We had no idea what was going on." He continued: "When we were out one day, I saw a man knocked clean off his motorbike. I just burst out crying because on top of everything else that had happened, it was such a shock." The travel company Stevens worked with offered 200 pounds in vouchers and counseling credits, which Stevens called "a joke. This was 100% the worst holiday we've ever been on." [Hull Live, 8/3/2023]

The Aristocrats

Maryland's Kimberly "Kimycola" Winter has eructed her way into history with a Guinness World Record, United Press International reported on Aug. 2. Winter broke the previous record for loudest burp (female) with a 107.3-decibel growler. That's louder than a blender, an electric hand-held drill and even some motorcycles. She prepared for the event with breakfast, coffee and beer. Winter said to achieve the big belch, she takes a deep breath and tries to "manipulate that into something monstrous and magical." She admitted she loves to shock strangers with her burps. "I love to be loud and proud!" [UPI, 8/2/2023]

Suspicions Confirmed

The Hangzhou Zoo in eastern China has gotten a big bump in visitor numbers this week -- 30% more, to 20,000 a day! -- since Angela the Malayan sun bear went viral. Reuters reported that Angela captured social media attention when she stood up on her hind legs and stretched her neck out to look at visitors. In fact, her behavior was so humanlike that people thought maybe the zoo had dressed a worker up in a bear suit. "After we saw the video on the internet, we specially took the high-speed train from Suzhou to come over to see the bear," Qiang Ming said. "If this is fake it deserves an Oscar for special effects," said one commenter. But no! Angela is "definitely not a human. Our zoo is government-run, so that kind of situation would not happen," the zoo responded. [Reuters, 8/2/2023]

Unconventional Weapon

Jennifer Colandrea, 42, of St. Petersburg, Florida, was charged with domestic battery after an incident on July 31, The Smoking Gun reported. As her ex-husband, Brian Drummond, 42, slept in the home they share, Colandrea allegedly violently ripped his CPAP machine off his face, causing a cut on his lower lip, and started arguing with him. The two divorced in 2009 but have been sharing a home. Colandrea was released on her own recognizance and ordered to stay away from Drummond. [The Smoking Gun, 8/2/2023]

Molehill, Meet Mountain

Cedar Point Shores Waterpark in Sandusky, Ohio, was the scene of what might have been a routine dust-up between patrons on July 27. But, as The Smoking Gun reported, it developed into much more. Cops responded after a woman allegedly called a child a "brat" and "fat ass" and pushed him off a floating toy. She identified herself as Jennifer Lee Miller, 67, and said she was a "Christian woman, a grandmother, and she wouldn't do such a thing," police said. After officers gave her a warning and left the scene, they determined that the woman had given them a false name; she is really Janet Nale of Taylor, Michigan, and she was arrested for obstruction. "She lied about all her information and had no reason for doing so," one officer said. [The Smoking Gun, 7/28/2023]

Wait, What?

Bob Blankenship of Ormond Beach, Florida, wants some answers after a May incident where he discovered airplane parts, including a windshield, in his yard, News 6 reported. Blankenship lives near the Ormond Beach Airport and is used to the noise, but pieces of fiberglass and metal falling from the sky concerned him: "It could fall on anybody out here," he said. "Just think if it fell from 300 feet. What's the impact going to be? Probably cut you in two." Blankenship determined which plane had been flying over and contacted the airport, leaving his contact information. Later, he got a message from the pilot: "Hey, this is Douglas and I'm over in DeLand and I lost a piece of my airplane yesterday. ... I'm wondering if I can connect with you and come and get it." No, said Blankenship. He reported the incident to the FAA, which claimed that "the falling aircraft part situation is being taken seriously by our organization," but he's unsatisfied with their slow response. "The next time it could be somebody's life," he said. [News 6, 7/27/2023]

Rude

British Columbia real estate agent Mike Rose is out on his ear in Kamloops after he was caught on video swigging milk straight from the bottle at a home he was showing. Canoe reported on July 28 that Rose was waiting for his clients to arrive for a showing; after slaking his thirst, he returned the milk jug to the refrigerator. Rose apologized, saying his behavior was out of character and he was "unusually dehydrated," but his clients replaced him and he was ordered to pay a $22,500 fine. [Canoe, 7/28/2023]

Sporting News

-- During a friendly soccer match on July 21 between Gateshead and Dunston in England, players and spectators were astonished as men wearing balaclavas drove a hearse onto the pitch, the Independent reported. Just before 8:20 p.m., the funeral car and a Subaru made their way onto the field, where they spun around in circles as their occupants threw leaflets from the cars. The drivers of the hearse left that vehicle on the pitch and hopped in the other car, which drove away. Officials were forced to call off the match. Northumbria Police said four men had been arrested and remained in police custody. "Disorder will not be tolerated in the community," police said. "Enquiries continue." [Independent, 7/23/2023]

-- The Seattle Mariners are down a player after outfielder Jarred Kelenic took on an unlikely opponent in the locker room: a water cooler. CBS News reported that Kelenic kicked the cooler after striking out against the Minnesota Twins on July 19 and suffered a broken foot as a result. Manager Scott Servais said Kelenic "feels terrible. He knows he let a lot of people down." While his recovery may be long, he will not require surgery -- just therapy for his fractured ego. [CBS News, 7/20/2023]

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Zookeepers at the Columbus Zoo in Ohio were taken aback on July 20 when Sully, an 8-year-old western lowland gorilla whom they had assumed to be male, gave birth. Sully has lived at the zoo since 2019, United Press International reported. "It's hard to tell the sex of younger gorillas," the zoo said in a statement. "They don't have prominent sex organs." They said Sully had been healthy and did not need any procedures or medical care that would have clued them in to her gender. "Sully is taking good care of (the baby)," zookeepers said, adding that eventually they'll do a DNA test to find out which of three males is the father. [UPI, 7/22/2023]

Saw That Coming

... or not. At 11:55 p.m. on July 22, a speeding boat with eight people aboard left the water at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri and crashed into a home along the bank. KMIZ-TV reported that Adam Ramirez, 47, was driving the boat when the accident happened. After the boat hit the home, it overturned and ejected all eight passengers, who were taken to a hospital, six of them in serious condition. Two people in the home at the time were uninjured. Ramirez was charged with boating while intoxicated. Travis Coleman with Tow Boat US Lake of the Ozarks said crashes on the lake are common, and alcohol and darkness can play a large role. [KMIZ, 7/23/2023]

Nature Gone Wild

A bird rarely seen in the Northern Hemisphere dropped into Pebble Beach, California, on July 21, KSBW-TV reported. The Nazca Booby, which at this time of year is usually living and breeding in the Galapagos Islands, was delivered to the SPCA of Monterey County; officials there said it was emaciated, cold and injured. Beth Brookhouser said the bird had to be kept in an incubator and fed through a tube while it recovered. It had wounds on its back that appeared to be from fishing hooks. Once the bird has healed, the SPCA hopes to reintroduce it to the wild. [KSBW, 7/22/2023]

Bright Idea

Hong Kong's health minister, professor Lo Chung-mau, is urging public shaming as a remedy to unlawful tobacco use, Sky News reported. "Cigarettes can harm the health of all of us," Lo told a meeting of the Legislative Council's health service panel on July 14. "When members of the public see people smoking in nonsmoking areas ... we can stare at the smokers. Everyone on the premises can stare at that person." He believes this behavior would help create a nonsmoking culture in the city. He also said authorities would use surveillance footage to crack down on smokers flouting the rules. [Sky News, 7/15/2023]

The Passing Parade

Barbie mania has taken the world by storm -- including in Brazil, where Burger King is selling a sandwich with a bright pink sauce that looks like "chewed bubblegum" and has a "smoky" flavor, according to Burger King. CNBC reported on July 13 that the BK Barbie Combo comes with a cheeseburger, a pink vanilla-flavored milkshake, a doughnut sprinkled with pink frosting and an order of Ken's potatoes (also known as fries). The combo is not expected to be offered in the United States. [CNBC, 7/13/2023]

News You Can Use

Trader Joe's announced on July 21 that it is recalling two types of cookies that may have rocks in them, National Public Radio reported. The Almond Windmill Cookies and Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond cookies have been removed from the grocery chain's stores and destroyed, the company said, but those who had previously bought them can return them for a refund. "Please do not eat them," they urged customers. The company didn't specify how the rocks came to be in the cookies. [NPR, 7/24/2023]

The Golden Age of Air Travel

In late July, a woman on a Spirit Airlines plane hit her limit, the New York Post reported. "The plane is stopped ... I cannot hold the pee!" she shouted in a video as she pulled down her pants and squatted in a corner to relieve herself. "I need to (urinate), two hours ... you close the (bathroom) doors," she said, telling a crew member she should "blame yourself." The video was posted on July 20, but it is unclear where the incident took place. [NY Post, 7/25/2023]

Nope

You might not have it on your calendar, but Aug. 5 is National Mustard Day! Rather than celebrating with a hot dog or a burger smothered in the yellow condiment, the French's company wants you to try Mustard Skittles, NBC New York reported on July 25. "Skittles is always looking to inspire moments of everyday happiness and deliver unexpected ways for fans to experience the brand," said Ro Cheng, marketing director at Mars. The new flavor "combines their tangy mustard flavor with our iconic chewy texture to deliver this unique summer treat." Adventurous mustard-lovers can try to win a bag of the candy through an online sweepstakes. [NBC New York, 7/25/2023]

Awesome!

On July 22 at Tracouet, Switzerland, 100 alphorn players gathered for the 22nd International Alphorn Festival, Yahoo! News reported. (You know alphorns: Think Ricola commercials.) The competitors are judged on interpretation, musicality, accuracy and rhythm, said festival founder Antoine Devenes. "It's easy to play but difficult to play it well," said Marcel Henchoz, 85, one of the participants. He was joined by players from France, Germany, America and Canada. The youngest competitor was 11 years old. Adolf Zobrist, 58, from Brienz, Switzerland, took the title for the fourth time. "It's my hobby and it's my passion. I've been playing since I was 12," Zobrist said. "It's the sound of the mountains." [Yahoo! News, 7/24/2023]

Special Delivery

Cindy Smith of Prince William County, Virginia, definitely did NOT order hundreds of headlamps, glue guns and children's binoculars, WUSA-TV reported, but still they showed up at her home in more than 100 Amazon boxes. "A lot of people thought I was weird," Smith said. "I would drive around with headlamps and glue guns in the car. I gave them to everybody I met." WUSA looked into the situation for Smith and learned that sellers from China that need to get their merchandise out of Amazon's warehouses are "just picking random addresses," according to an attorney who represents companies that sell on Amazon. "They're just having them sent there, because it's just cheaper for them to do so." Amazon said it has closed its account with this particular seller. [WUSA, 7/25/2023]

Great Art?

Hankering for a high-dollar auction rush? Sotheby's has you covered -- or at least your feet. A pair of white sneakers from the 1990s, branded with the rainbow-colored Apple logo, will start at $50,000, Sky News reported. The shoes were distributed to employees at sales conferences and are among "the most obscure in existence," Sotheby's said. "Highly coveted" on the resale market, the sneakers are in their original box and are in a condition "consistent with age." And bonus! They come with an extra pair of red shoelaces! Sold! [Sky News, 7/26/2023]

Unconventional Weaponry

Police in Tilden Township, Pennsylvania, are going bananas trying to figure out who was throwing frozen bananas from a truck on July 24, WFMZ-TV reported. "We had five vehicles traveling eastbound on Hex Highway," said Sgt. Peter Witman. "People traveling westbound threw frozen bananas and struck windshields and other car parts." One driver had her window down and was struck by flying banana debris. "It's extremely dangerous," Witman said. "This could injure, or worse, you could cause vehicle crashes by doing this." [WFMZ, 7/26/2023]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.

Wow! Things went literally and physically south on July 11 at a press dinner on New York's Upper East Side in support of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential campaign. According to Page Six, as Kennedy answered questions, someone posed one about climate change, but before Kennedy could answer, Doug Dechert, the event host, screamed, "The climate hoax!" Which brought a scold from art critic Anthony Haden-Guest, who called him a "miserable blob." The two continued their exchange, with Kennedy calmly looking on, until Dechert loudly released a "prolonged fart" while yelling, helpfully, "I'm farting!" After attempts to change the subject and more verbal antics, the evening wound down. The next day, Dechert told Page Six, "I apologize for using my flatulence as a medium of public commentary in your presence." How do I get on this guest list? [Page Six, 7/12/2023]

Creme de la Weird

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, who sat out some of last season with Wake Forest University, underwent surgery in August 2022 to remove blood clots and the rib closest to his collarbone, 247Sports.com reported. Hmmm, what to do with that extra rib? Hartman's mom, a nurse, is making a necklace for him with the bone. "It's actually clean. It is well on its way to becoming a necklace," he said. "I asked her to try and make it like a puka shell-type deal with the riblike shark's tooth at the end." Hartman said the jewelry might appear in a couple of pregame warmups. "It won't be worn a lot." [247Sports.com, 7/13/2023]

Awesome!

Australian sailor Tim Shaddock, 51, of Sydney and his dog, Bella, became stranded in the Pacific Ocean after they set out from Mexico for French Polynesia, a 3,700-mile trip, in April. The boat became damaged in storms, the BBC reported, and Shaddock drifted until mid-July, when a helicopter spotted him. A tuna trawler picked up the pair, who were in surprisingly good health. Shaddock said they ate raw fish and collected rainwater, and he sheltered from the sun beneath the boat's canopy. "I have been through a very difficult ordeal at sea," he said. "I'm just needing rest and good food." [BBC, 7/17/2023]

Buh-Bye

In Glastonbury, Connecticut, 11 boats took off from the Seaboard Marina on July 12 -- make that with the marina. WTNH-TV reported that a 200-foot section of dock with 11 boats attached broke off and started floating down the Connecticut River, later passing through Cromwell, Portland, Middletown and Haddam. One part of the errant dock was still floating downstream the next day; officials said it was likely that flooding in Vermont had caused the high waters that set the structure free. Teddy Charton of Middletown said he "got a call that my boat was floating down the river ... It ended up all the way down in Chester." Eventually all but one of the boats was recovered. [WTNH, 7/14/2023]

Ewwwww

Multiple wrecks tied up northbound I-95 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on July 17, all attributed to one cause: A tractor-trailer was leaking human waste onto the roadway, which caused a motorcyclist to lose control and crash, the Associated Press reported. Several vehicles crashed into each other or concrete barriers on the slippery roads, and another truck skidded into a state police cruiser, which then rammed into another cruiser. No one was seriously hurt in the pileup. The driver was charged with reckless endangerment and reckless driving, as officers believed he knew of the gross leak but kept driving. [AP, 7/18/2023]

How Hot Is It?

To demonstrate the deadly heat inside a closed car, the staff of the National Weather Service in Midland, Texas, baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies on a car's dashboard on July 18, United Press International reported. While it was 105 degrees outside, the dashboard registered 190 degrees -- high enough to bake the cookies in about 4 1/2 hours. "Even though ours weren't golden brown, we can confirm that they are done and delicious," NWS employees wrote on Facebook. [UPI, 7/20/2023]

It's Come to This

When a backyard bunny breeder bundled their belongings and said bye-bye to Jenada Isles, a community in Wilton Manors, Florida, they left behind between 60 and 100 lionhead rabbits, who have now infiltrated the neighborhood and are driving residents bonkers. Click Orlando reported that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has declined to intercede, so resident Alicia Griggs is heading up an effort to raise the money needed to capture, neuter, vaccinate and rehome the rabbits -- to the tune of $20,000 to $40,000. "People don't realize they're exotic pets and they're complicated," Griggs said. "They have to eat a special diet. You can't just throw any table scraps at them." Residents complain that the bunnies dig holes, chew wiring and leave droppings on sidewalks and driveways. Others think the rabbits are cute, but experts say their heavy coats and finicky digestive systems aren't conducive to living wild in Florida. "They are not equipped to thrive on their own," said Eric Stewart, executive director of the American Rabbit Breeders Association. [Click Orlando, 7/17/2023]

Bright Idea

Michael Raduga, 40, founder of the Phase Research Center in Russia, but -- critically -- NOT a doctor or neurosurgeon, nearly lost his life in June when he tried to implant a chip in his brain on his own, in his living room in Kazakhstan. The Daily Mail reported that Raduga lost more than a liter of blood in his quest to control his dreams. He said he practiced on five sheep's brains and watched hours of neurosurgery on YouTube before starting on his own head. "During the first 30 minutes I was ready to give up many times because ... I was afraid I could just lose consciousness," Raduga said. "I finished the surgery, I took a shower and I worked for 10 hours straight. People didn't know." But neurosurgeon Alex Green of the University of Oxford wasn't having it. "This is an extremely dangerous thing to do," he said. "We are probably decades away from being able to synthesize new experiences." [Daily Mail, 7/15/2023]

News You Can Use

Oddity Central reported on July 21 that a young woman named Xiaohua in Huizhou City, China, suffered a ruptured eardrum following a moment of passion with her boyfriend. When she went to the emergency room because of loss of hearing, a doctor saw blood on her eardrum and asked if she'd had any physical trauma to her ear. Nope, she said, but, "When he kissed my ear, he sucked it hard and it made a 'pop' sound. After that, I couldn't hear in my left ear." The hospital's deputy director of otolaryngology head and neck surgery, Fu Jia, said eardrums usually heal on their own. [Oddity Central, 7/21/2023]

It's Good To Have a Hobby

"Frog Lady" Helen Claypool of Kirksville, Missouri, passed away in December 2022, KTVO-TV reported, so the time has come to liquidate her collection of frogs. Claypool had more than 15,000 frogs -- so many that she and her late husband, Don (nickname: Toad), had to build an addition on their house. She started collecting at age 6 and kept 47 logbooks, documenting each one, complete with photos. The Claypools even opened their home to the public as Helen's House of Frogs Museum. Now the whole frog fantasy is on the auction block. [KTVO, 7/19/2023]

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.