Deputy chief physician of pediatric neurosurgery Dr. Li at Hangzhou Children's Hospital in China shared a video on social media on March 11 after a baby boy was born sporting a 4-inch-long tail, WION reported. The doctor suspected a condition called a tethered spinal cord, which means the spinal cord is abnormally connected to surrounding tissues, typically at the base of the spine. Doctors advised against removing the tail, as doing so might result in irreversible damage. [WION, 3/16/2024]

Precocious

Three boys, aged 11, 12 and 16, were taken into custody on March 19 after they robbed a Wells Fargo bank in Houston on March 15, KTRK-TV reported. The kids handed a threatening note to a bank teller; the Harris County Sheriff's Office believes they were armed, but they did not present a weapon. After the FBI released surveillance footage, parents of two of the boys identified them. The "little rascals," as they've been dubbed, are facing second-degree felony charges. "The age of the younger two, that's unusual for a bank robbery," noted Mike Schneider, a retired juvenile district court judge. [KTRK, 3/20/2024]

Repeat Offender

A 23-year-old Frenchman will get to stay a little longer in Norway than he anticipated after racking up 25 speeding tickets in just 19 days, Yahoo! News reported. The Oslo district court called the speeder a "danger in traffic" and sentenced him to 24 days in prison, which was reduced to 21 days when he pleaded guilty. Most of the infractions were caught on fixed speed cameras, which the driver was unaware of. He was also relieved of his driver's license. [Yahoo! News, 3/18/2024]

Great Art

Mexican artist Chavis Marmol, 42, carved a giant head from stone, inspired by the carvings of the Olmec people, and then lowered it onto a used Tesla 3 using a crane, France24 reported. The art installation, in a vacant lot in Mexico City, was intended to "troll Elon Musk," said the artist. "Look what I do to your lousy car with this wonderful head. This is bigger than you and the rampant technologies." Tesla has recently announced a plan to build a factory in northern Mexico. "It's the wonderful thing about art, it allows you these atrocities," said Marmol. [France24, 3/14/2024]

Family Values

-- Alyssa Langley and Timothy Stephens, both 27, were arrested in Daytona Beach, Florida, on March 16 after they both passed out on the beach, leaving their two children to wander to a nearby hotel pool, ClickOrlando reported. When the Volusia County Sheriff's deputy asked where the children were, Stephens walked toward the ocean, calling for them, and saying "They're at the beach." He later tried to run away but fell on the beach and appeared unconscious. He faces charges of child neglect, alcohol possession and attempt to escape custody; Langley faces child neglect charges. The kids were unharmed. [ClickOrlando, 3/19/2024]

-- Police in Riverside, California, arrested Samuel Davalos Pasillas, 47 -- who claimed to be a pastor in Victorville -- in late March for hiring two men to kill his daughter's boyfriend, ABC7-TV reported. The hitmen surveilled the victim for months before the shooting, which took place on Oct. 21, 2023. As the victim sat in his car, they drove up next to him and shot him, wounding him. Police also arrested Juan Manuel Cebreros, 55, of Long Beach; they are still looking for Jesus Abel Felix Garcia. The church's real pastor, Rafael Porras, told reporters that Pasillas was a volunteer, not a pastor. [ABC7, 3/20/2024]

Florida

The World Health Organization reported that leprosy is on the rise, particularly in Florida, Newsweek reported on March 22. The number of infections has more than doubled in the last 10 years, and the disease is often associated with exposure to ... armadillos. About a fifth of the U.S. cases were reported in Florida. "People may become infected from other people with untreated leprosy or from the nine-banded armadillo, a natural host of the bacteria causing the disease," said Francisca Mutapi, co-director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh. [Newsweek, 3/22/2024]

Bright Idea

An employee of Chilthern Railways in the United Kingdom is marking the 125th birthday of the Marylebone station -- and her own 20th anniversary with the railroad -- by changing her name to Rehana Marylebone Khawaja, Metro News reported. She said she would have made it her first name had her children not objected. "The station itself is not big. But it's got a soul," she said. "It's warm and welcoming. Not every London station is like that." Khawaja started in a ticket office and now works in security. [Metro News, 3/19/2024]

Oopsie

A woman who just wanted to watch a livestream of a funeral became a viral sensation after she accidentally left the camera on while she took a shower, the Daily Mail reported on March 21. The Zoom broadcast was also being shown on a big screen to in-person mourners at the church in North London. The funeral was for a father of three who had died of cancer. Even worse, the woman apparently turned up at the wake later with no idea what she had done -- until "ten minutes later crying her eyes out," as one mourner said. [Daily Mail, 3/21/2024]

Compelling Explanation

Michelle Young, 46, of Burlington, Iowa, thought she was at a friend's house on March 19, but the friend didn't answer the door. So Young allegedly lit some items on fire on the front porch, KWQC-TV reported. She told police she saw a sign on the porch that said "Witches Welcome," and she's a witch, so she set a fire -- but she wasn't going to hurt anyone or let the fire get out of control. The homeowner, who identified Young from her surveillance camera, said she did not know her. Young was charged with reckless use of fire and possession of drug paraphernalia. [KWQC, 3/20/2024]

Least Competent Criminal

When Daniel Allegretto Jr., 19, nearly struck a parked police car with his Honda Accord in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, on March 15, he set off a chase that ended with his arrest -- and not just for bad driving, WBRE-TV reported. Investigators found Allegretto, of Freeland, Pennsylvania, was allegedly carrying 2,200 individual doses of fentanyl, 250 grams of methamphetamine, illegal steroids, cash and materials used to process and package drugs. He was held on a $125,000 bail. [WBRE, 3/19/2024]

Fine Points of the Law

If you're going to cheat on your spouse, maybe move to New York. The Associated Press reported on March 22 that the seldom-used law against committing adultery may be overturned in the New York Legislature. Only about a dozen people have been charged of the misdemeanor crime in New York since 1972. "We've come a long way since intimate relationships between consenting adults are considered immoral," said Assemblyman Charles Lavine. "It's a joke." Heads-up: Adultery is still a felony offense in Oklahoma, Wisconsin and Michigan. [AP, 3/22/2024]

Ewwwww

On March 20, a 34-year-old man went to the hospital in Quang Ninh Province, China, with severe abdominal cramps, Oddity Central reported. He was in too much pain to talk, so doctors took an X-ray and an ultrasound, where they saw something unusual in his abdomen. During surgery, they discovered a nearly foot-long live eel. The patient was unable to explain how the eel might have gotten into his abdominal cavity, but doctors surmised that it entered his body through his anus and bit through the intestine. The patient is doing fine. [Oddity Central, 3/21/2024]

Arthur "Jack" Schubarth, 80, of Vaughn, Montana, pleaded guilty on March 12 to two felony wildlife crimes after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks conducted a years-long investigation, Business Insider reported. Schubarth was accused of buying, selling and breeding "alternative" livestock, such as mountain sheep and mountain goats, for captive hunting operations. Between 2013 and 2021, court documents said, he conspired with others to create a large hybrid species of sheep that would garner higher prices from shooting preserves. To do so, he brought parts of Marco Polo argali sheep from Kyrgyzstan to the U.S. without declaring them. His other crimes include forging veterinary documents and shipping hybrid semen to other breeders. He faces jail time, fines and supervised release. [Business Insider, 3/14/2024]

Recurring Theme

It's baaaackkk. In the waning days of 2020, a tall silver monolith popped up in various locations in California, Texas, Romania and elsewhere. Now, Wales Online reports, it's back. The 10-foot-tall tower, which appears to be stainless steel, turned up near Hay-on-Wye in Wales around March 10, when Richard Haynes came across it while he was out for a run. "I thought it ... might be a scientific media research thing collecting rainwater. But then I realized it was way too tall and strange for that. It was hollow and I imagine ... light enough for two people to carry it up and plant it in the ground," Haynes said. Stay tuned. [Wales Online, 3/11/2024]

Awesome!

-- At the Goodwill store in Du Bois, Pennsylvania, workers found a treasure in a box of old Lego pieces, United Press International reported on March 12: a 14-karat gold Kanohi Hau mask from Lego's Bionicle collection. Originally priced at Goodwill at $14.95, the piece eventually sold for $18,100 to an anonymous collector. "We didn't know it was worth anything until people started asking if they could buy it for $1,000," said Chad Smith, vice president of e-commerce and technology for Goodwill. Lego created only 30 pieces in gold in 2001. [UPI, 3/12/2024]

-- LAD Bible reported on March 5 about two unacquainted Brits who were headed to a holiday in Bangkok, Thailand. At the airport, Mark Garland, 58, of Wiltshire, tried to check in, but gate staff told him he already had. After some sleuthing, they realized there was another Mark Garland (62, from Bristol) on the flight -- and the look-alikes were seated next to each other. As it happens, they live only about 15 miles apart and sometimes ride the same bus. They even have a friend in common. "We were so shocked by how strange it was," said the younger Garland. "It was crazy -- I have never known anything like it," said the older. "I've made a friend for life." [LAD Bible, 3/5/2024]

Questionable Judgment

After Jacob Wright, 24, and Cambree Wright, 19, exchanged wedding vows on Feb. 10, it was time for pictures, Fox News reported. So Jacob grabbed his Apple Vision Pro headset and wore it while the photos were snapped. Jacob said he saw an opportunity to have fun and create a viral moment. "I was like, 'Oh, it'd be like such a meme. It'd be so funny if we just took some pictures with it on after the wedding." Sure enough, when they posted the pics, Cambree said she started getting "crazy" messages: "I woke up to 200-plus messages and just random girls telling me to divorce my husband." But the bride said the photos "perfectly encompass Jacob and his personality ... and what our relationship is like." [Fox News, 3/13/2024]

Bright Idea

Amber Denae Wright of Cape Town, South Africa, has shared a marriage tip on TikTok that other wives may want to adopt, People reported on March 9. A video on the social media site shows her husband, Nick, talking when Amber plays orchestra music from her phone. When Nick asks, "What is that? What are you playing?" Amber says, "It's Oscars music. You know, when the speeches are too long ..." Nick's taking it well, though: "She's been doing this the whole week. Every time I tell a story! Is this gonna be the rest of my life?" One TikTok commenter suggested, "I should use this at work when guys mansplain." [People, 3/9/2024]

Field Report

New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told city council members on March 13 that rats had infested the department's building so thoroughly that they made their way into the evidence room and were eating confiscated marijuana. "They're all high," she said, according to the Associated Press. "The uncleanliness is off the charts." She elaborated, saying the building is full of mold and cockroaches, and staff suffer broken air conditioning and elevators. [AP, 3/13/2024]

That's Disappointing

The Pittsburgh Penguins planned to provide prized playthings to their passionate patrons on the evening of March 14, ESPN reported. (OK, that's enough of that.) NHL legend Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads were promised for the game against the San Jose Sharks -- but the cargo was stolen during transit. Penguins president of business operations Kevin Acklin said the team is looking forward to "resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans." The hockey great commented, "The legend of Jagr continues." [ESPN, 3/14/2024]

The Passing Parade

On March 5 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a 42-year-old man was charged with battery and disorderly conduct with a weapon after his daughter called 911, saying her dad was naked and had a gun. The Smoking Gun reported the story -- and the much more compelling backstory about Deez-Nuts Lee Kroll, the defendant. In 2011, Derrick Lee Kroll, then 29, petitioned the court and paid $164.50 for a name change. On the form, Kroll, who seems to be spelling-challenged, wrote his preferred name: Dez-Nuts Lee Kroll, and said his reason for the change was that "I with out a dout HATE MY NAME." Six years later, it occurred to Dez-Nuts that he had spelled the name wrong, and he went to court to change his name again. At his recent run-in with the law, officers noted that he appeared to be intoxicated but cooperated with them. He was released on $2,000 bond. [The Smoking Gun, 3/13/2024]

The Golden Age of Air Travel

Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee reported this week that on a Jan. 25 Batik Air flight, both pilots fell asleep for about 30 minutes as the plane flew off its "correct flight path." Sky News reported that when the plane, carrying 153 passengers and four flight attendants, reached 36,000 feet, the 32-year-old pilot asked his co-pilot to take over while he rested. But the 28-year-old, whose wife recently delivered twins, also nodded off, and the plane flew itself for 241 miles before they woke up. They were able to get the plane back on the flight path and land safely in Jakarta. [Sky News, 3/11/2024]

The 2024 Iditarod race in Alaska got off to a messy start, Sporting News reported on March 7. On the first day, musher Jesse Holmes went mano-a-mano with a moose that became aggressive toward his dogs on the trail. Holmes punched the moose in the nose and went on his way. Soon after, Dallas Seavey and his dogs came upon a moose -- it's not clear whether it was the same one -- that was "threatening and belligerent." When the moose got entangled with his dogs, Seavey dispensed with the heroics and shot it. As per the Iditarod's rules, Seavey then stopped for about 10 minutes to field-dress the moose, but he was later assessed a two-hour penalty at the next checkpoint because "the animal was not sufficiently gutted by the musher." A third musher, Wally Robinson, ran across the moose carcass in the dark, on a trail curving through woods. Race Marshal Warren Palfrey confirmed that "we are making sure that every attempt is made to utilize and salvage the moose meat." So there's that. [Sporting News, 3/7/2024]

Clothing Optional

Looking for something light and airy to do at the end of April? Set your GPS for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Crafton Ingram Lanes, where Balls Out Bowling will return on April 28, according to WTRF-TV. The Pittsburgh Area Naturalists are hosting the event, which requires nudity (except women are allowed to wear bottoms). Participants must be 18 or older, and sexual activity is not permitted; harassment will result in being ejected from the bowling alley. And leave your cellphone at home; no photos or videos allowed. You won't have anywhere to carry it anyway! [WTRF, 3/4/2024]

The Passing Parade

As the last remaining Hooters restaurant in West Virginia prepared for demolition, residents of Kanawha City gathered on Feb. 23 for a candlelight vigil, WCHS-TV reported. The event, which started as a joke, got international attention, and hundreds of people showed up. "It's a lot of memories going down with that building," said Noah Collins of Rand, West Virginia. Tearful former Hooters employees reunited for one last time. "I started out coming in to get a job and it became so much more because I met so many lifelong friends and my co-workers," said Danielle Hughart. "This building right here was a legitimate iconic figure to the Kanawha Valley," declared co-organizer Leo Browning. The corporate office sent a box of calendars to distribute to those who attended the vigil. [WCHS, 2/24/2024]

Smooth Reaction

Dr. Krisztina Ilko, 33, a junior research fellow and director of studies at the University of Cambridge Queens' College in England, lives in a medieval tower, the Independent reported. But on Feb. 29, Ilko became trapped in her bathroom for seven hours after the wooden door locked behind her and wouldn't budge. She couldn't signal or yell for help because the tower walls are thick, and there are no windows in the bathroom. However, she kept her cool and McGyvered the door open using an eyeliner (to push down the door's latch) and a cotton swab (to pull the locking mechanism away from the door frame). "When ... the door opened, it was exhilarating because I didn't think it would work," Ilko said. Since the incident, she's had the lock removed. [Independent, 3/4/2024]

Police Report

-- In Kennesaw, Georgia, police responded to the Heritage Park Town Homes on Feb. 21 after a Toyota Corolla "rammed through the pool fence ... and (she's) in the middle of the pool," said the 911 caller. Fox5-TV reported that the driver suffered some sort of medical emergency and was unconscious when officers arrived; they were able to break a car window and get her out of the car. She was taken to a hospital and was expected to make a full recovery, according to Cobb County Police. The pool cover was so strong that the car didn't sink; a tow truck removed it from the cover later in the day. [Fox5, 3/4/2024]

-- The Putnam County (Florida) Sheriff's Office was flooded with calls on March 2 after two low-flying F-15 jets from the Florida Air National Guard caused sonic booms, News4Jax-TV reported. "It destroyed my friggin' house!" one caller exclaimed, while others thought a bomb had dropped. "I have major damage, they flew right over my house. The lights were blown off the walls, there's glass everywhere," said another. The National Guard issued a statement saying they were aware of damage sustained by the sonic booms and had established a contact number for residents who had damage claims. [News4Jax, 3/6/2024]

Delusions of Grandeur

For Connor James Litka, 21, of Bloomington, Indiana, it was "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Litka arrived at a Porsche dealership in Louisville, Kentucky, on Feb. 21 and tried to buy a car with a fake $78 million check, WAVE-TV reported. When he was rebuffed, he searched around the back entrance to the showroom, looking for car keys. Salespeople summoned police, who charged him with criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Turns out Litka tried the same stunt the day before at a Land Rover dealership, where he presented a $12 million check. [WAVE, 2/22/2024]

Oopsy

Anne Hughes, 71, was standing outside the Best One shop in Tonteg, Wales, where she works, when the electric security shutters started raising, catching her coat and leaving her dangling upside down 7 feet in the air. The incident from March 4 was caught on CCTV, Sky News reported; she hung in the air until a shopkeeper helped free her as the shutter was lowered. "I'm learning to live with the fame," Hughes said. "I'll never hear the end of it." She was uninjured in the mishap. [Sky News, 3/5/2024]

Cheeky

Rawiya Al-Qasimi, a female reporter, was covering an event in Riyadh on March 4 when a Saudi Arabian robot called Android Muhammad unexpectedly slapped her posterior during a live shot, the Daily Star reported. Al-Qasimi pushed the robot's hand away and rebuked him. Before the untoward touching, Android Muhammad introduced himself, saying, "I was manufactured and developed here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a national project to demonstrate our achievements in the field of artificial intelligence." Ironically, had he been a real man, he might have faced jail time for his inappropriate behavior. [Daily Star, 3/7/2024]

Maybe She's Onto Something

Spanish artist Alicia Framis, now based in Amsterdam, has created the perfect husband: a hologram that she designed and named AILex Sibouwlingen, whom she modeled on past paramours, according to EuroNews. Framis plans to marry him this summer at a museum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. On her Instagram page, Framis shares photos and videos of herself and AILex sharing meals and other elements of daily life. "Love and sex with robots and holograms are an inevitable reality," Framis said. "They are great companions and capable of expressing empathy." [EuroNews, 3/1/2024]

Truth Is Stranger Than Netflix

Loreen Bea Feralo, 55, and Karen Casbohm, 63, were charged with theft and gross abuse of a corpse after allegedly carrying out a "Weekend at Bernie's" stunt in Ashtabula, Ohio, The Smoking Gun reported. On March 4, police said, Feralo and Casbohm -- who were not related to Douglas Layman, 80, but lived in his home -- loaded his corpse into the front seat of a car "in such a manner that he would be visible to bank staff" and drove through his bank, where they used his card to withdraw $900. The bank had allowed the women to withdraw from his account before, as long as he was with him. Having secured the funds, the women then dropped Layman's body at the Ashtabula County Medical Center emergency room "without providing any information about the man or themselves," police said. They were able to identify the women and question them. The women, both of whom have significant priors, said Layman died at home. [The Smoking Gun, 3/7/2024]