Sam, 22, is an assistant manager at a frozen yogurt shop in Florida, Newsweek reported on Dec. 26, but even at his young age, he is able to recognize cash that might be counterfeit. Unlike his employees, that is, who flagged a $10 bill and a $5 bill as FAKE. “I shed a tear because of the sharpie they scrawled onto the bills,” he wrote on Reddit. Sam said he had to explain that the bills were “just old, not counterfeit.” He admitted that people his age and younger might rarely use cash: “It’s a digital world nowadays, so I would suspect that to be one reason (they flagged the bills).” [Newsweek, 12/26/2024]

Questionable Judgment

On Dec. 17, California Highway Patrol officers in Madera County shared a photo on Facebook of a Honda Ridgeline truck they had pulled over, Carscoops reported. With an unintentional nod to “The Grapes of Wrath,” the truck was piled to at least twice its height with random items, some of which were flying off into traffic, officers said. “It is important to always secure your load/cargo and not exceed your vehicle’s load capacity,” CHP cautioned. “Flying debris can make motorists take evasive action and potentially be involved in a traffic crash.” [Carscoops, 12/31/2024]

Saw That Coming

The Rockwall County Herald-Banner in Texas reported that Valencia Smith, mother of a former football player for Rockwall-Heath High School, filed a suit on Dec. 23 against the team’s former coach, John Harrell, and 12 other coaches. Smith’s suit stems from an incident in January 2023, in which the coaches allegedly used excessive exercise as punishment for wearing the wrong uniform or failing to show enough “hustle.” Students were forced to perform more than 400 pushups within an hour, which led to at least 26 players being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition that causes muscle to break down and enter the bloodstream. Smith said her son spent seven days in a hospital. The lawsuit seeks compensation for his medical expenses. Harrell resigned in March 2023; he settled two other lawsuits, but this is the first that names the assistant coaches as defendants. [Herald-Banner, 12/23/2024]

Bright Idea

Canadian business student Javeria Wasim, 19, was with a friend in Toronto when she hatched the brilliant idea to try to bite into a 3-inch jawbreaker, the Daily Mail reported on Dec. 24. Immediately, Wasim’s jaw began to hurt, and a tooth became loose. X-rays revealed that she had suffered two fractures in her jaw. The following day, she underwent surgery and had her jaw wired shut for six weeks. She said she would “probably never try a jawbreaker again. It hurt really bad, I was crying a lot when the ambulance came,” she said. “All my bottom teeth are messed up. I lost seven pounds in two weeks. It was a dumb idea.” [Daily Mail, 12/24/2024]

The Foreign Press

Belarusian retailer ZNWR, sometimes called the “Balenciaga of Belarus,” is making headlines with its newest line of dresses and jackets, starting at about $116, fashioned from bubble wrap. The Times of India reported on Dec. 30 that the air-filled pockets provide a satisfying, quirky popping experience. The brand hyped the dresses as perfect for those who want to stand out on New Year’s Eve (rather than wear the tired old velvet and satin). At least when you fall down drunk, you’ll be cushioned! [Times of India, 12/30/2024]

Least Competent Criminal

In Haines City, Florida, on Dec. 29, Jervin Omar Mendieto Romero, 40, arrived at the home of his former partner, ClickOrlando reported. Romero wanted to speak with her, but when no one answered the door, he crawled into the house through a window, police said. “Once inside,” police said, Romero “confronted ... his ex-domestic partner and her new boyfriend.” The boyfriend was shot five times; in the process, Romero managed to shoot off his own ring finger. “This caused (him) to drop the firearm and flee the residence on foot,” police reported. They tracked him down less than a mile away, and he was charged with attempted first-degree murder and armed burglary with assault or battery, along with other offenses. The boyfriend is expected to survive. [ClickOrlando, 12/31/2024]

Inappropriate Behavior

Jude Hill of Plymouth, England, traveled to Thailand a few months ago after a fire at her home in September, Metro News reported. Around 3 a.m. on Christmas, Hill and her boyfriend were seen in the lobby of the Flipper Lodge Hotel in Pattaya, Thailand, consummating their relationship on a sofa. Witnesses said the pair then tried to move to a glass table, but it shattered. “We approached them and discovered they were not hotel customers, so we ushered them out,” an anonymous worker said. Hill ran away but was detained by an armed officer near the beach. The hotel plans to press charges. [Metro News, 12/30/2024]

That Rule Doesn’t Apply to Me

Magnus Carlsen, 34, the No. 1 chess player in the world, dropped out of the Fide World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in New York on Dec. 27 because he didn’t want to change out of his blue jeans, Sky News reported. Officials said he had broken the dress code; Carlsen wasn’t moved. “I didn’t even think about it. ... They said I could (change) after the third round today. I said, ‘I’ll change tomorrow if that’s OK’ ... but they said, ‘Well you have to change now.’ At that point it became a matter of principle for me.” Carlsen said he’d head somewhere with better weather. [Sky News, 12/28/2024]

Reunited

A Florida family got just what they wanted for Christmas when they answered a 2:30 a.m. doorbell ring on Christmas Eve to find their missing dog. Brooke Comer, a Green Cove Springs resident whose 4-year-old German shepherd, Athena, went missing on Dec. 15, spent the ensuing nine days receiving tips from neighbors and people in nearby towns about Athena sightings, but the frustrated family would always arrive too late, NEWS10 ABC reported. After several heartbreaking near-misses and with Christmas just one day away, Comer received an early morning notification from her Ring doorbell. “I was kind of like in a daze, and the dog was barking, and as soon as I heard that ring, I looked at my phone and you could see in the video it was Athena and she was jumping at the door, ringing the doorbell,” Comer said. Athena seemed no worse for the wear after her journey, but will receive a full exam (and a microchip) soon. [WDBJ-7, 12/11/24]

Lost at Sea

A shark caught in the net of a fisherman is nothing new, but when it's the first Lego shark find since a cargo ship lost its load of nearly 5 million pieces at sea 27 years ago, the news makes waves. The BBC reported on Dec. 28 that hundreds of pieces from the Tokyo Express cargo ship have been recovered this year; the ship was hit by an unexpected wave on Feb. 13, 1997, and lost 62 shipping containers some 20 miles off Land's End, England. Since then, the BBC reports that the pieces have been washing ashore in southwest England, the Channel Islands, Wales, Ireland and even the Netherlands and Norway, but the shark find in August by fisherman Richard West, 35, of Plymouth, England, was the first of the 22,200 dark gray and 29,600 light gray Lego sharks lost in the incident. "The sharks sink, which explains why so few have been found," said Tracey Williams of the Lego Lost at Sea project. "There are probably some 50,000-plus still lying on the seabed, some making their way ashore, others heading into deeper waters." [BBC, 12/27/24]

LEAD STORY -- The Passing Parade

South Korean model Ain, also known as Angel Box Girl, is being prosecuted for obscene exposure following incidents from last fall, Oddity Central reported. In Seoul and Gangnam, Ain walked through the streets wearing a large cardboard box with holes for her arms and legs -- plus two more, which she invited strangers to put their hands in to grope her breasts and other body parts. Naturally, she attracted large crowds that police were called to disperse. "It's freedom of expression," she said. "I just wanted to market myself. I actually saw many positive reactions, with people telling me they support me and applaud my courage." If found guilty, Ain could face a $3,800 fine or up to a year in jail. [Oddity Central, 1/15/2024]

Be Careful What You Wish For

The Lexington (Kentucky) Convention and Visitors Bureau appears to be desperate for tourists, the Associated Press reported. It is using an infrared laser to send messages toward potentially habitable planets in a solar system 40 light years away, luring extraterrestrials with "lush green countryside ... (and) famous bluegrass." Lexington native Robert Lodder, an expert in astrobiology and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), conceived the idea, and linguistics expert Dr. Andrew Byrd consulted: "We included ... the molecular structure for water, bourbon and even dopamine ... because Lexington is fun!" he said. See you in 2064! [AP, 1/17/2024]

Creme de la Weird

You thought you were having a bad day? On Jan. 14, as an American Airlines flight prepared to leave Phoenix for Austin, Texas, the crew was forced to turn back to the gate, the New York Post reported. No, a door didn't fall off the fuselage. A passenger posted on Reddit that an "audibly disgruntled" man boarded and sat down, then inexplicably exclaimed, "You thought that was rude? Well, how about this smell" -- and then passed gas. Then he announced, "Yeah, everybody, let's just eat the smelliest food possible all at the same time!" A flight attendant told the flatulent man, "That's enough," but as the plane taxied to the runway, it stopped. The Reddit user shared: "We get back to the gate and a flight attendant comes back and informs fartman that he will not be staying on this flight." He grabbed his bag and deplaned; the flight was delayed by only about 20 minutes. [NY Post, 1/24/2024]

News You Can Use

Researchers at Western Sydney University have revealed results of a study showing that frequent nose-pickers may have a higher probability of developing Alzheimer's disease. WION-TV reported on Feb. 7 that the habit introduces germs into the nasal cavity that trigger the brain to produce beta-amyloid as a defense. An abundance of beta-amyloid is believed to be the leading cause of Alzheimer's. "It is essential to note that the temporary relief obtained from nose-picking is not a substitute for proper nasal hygiene," the report said -- "proper nasal hygiene" being "regular cleaning and maintenance of the nasal passages through gentle methods such as saline nasal rinses or blowing the nose." [WION, 2/7/2024]

Field Report

On Jan. 20, as an Amish couple from Shipshewana, Indiana, shopped at a Walmart in Sturgis, Michigan, Lona Latoski, 31, allegedly climbed inside their buggy and directed their horse away from the parking lot, MLive.com reported. A witness saw the woman drive off and thought it was odd that she wasn't Amish, but didn't report the theft. When the couple came out and realized their ride was gone, a truck driver offered them shelter from the cold and alerted police, who tracked down the buggy at an Admiral gas station, where it was parked. Latoski was located in the motel next door, hiding under a pile of clothing in a shower. She admitted taking the horse and buggy and said she had "instant regret ... but she was cold and needed to get home," the officer said. "I asked her if she had ever had any training with equestrians," he said. "She did not know what 'equestrian' meant." (Apparently, nor did the officer.) Latoski was charged with larceny of livestock and general larceny. [MLive.com, 2/5/2024]

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

When Carole Germain, 46, of Brest, France, adopted a pig in 2020, she didn't foresee that Couscous would lead her to a new business venture: pig pedicurist. Yahoo! News reported that Germain, who runs a bar in Brest, has started traveling all over France to trim the tusks and hooves of porcine pets. In fact, she's selling the bar to devote herself full-time to the practice. "It's nuts. I thought I was the only person who had one hogging the couch. But there are thousands," she said. On one trip around the south of France, she treated 43 pigs. [Yahoo! News, 2/8/2024]

Cheeky

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

Wait, What?

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

New World Order

"Father Justin," an AI priest created by Catholic Answers, a Christian group in San Diego, was defrocked on April 24 after claiming to users that he was a real member of the clergy and performing sacraments, the New York Post reported. Holy Justin told users he was a priest in Assisi, Italy. He shared his views on sexual issues and took confession, concluding with, "Go in peace, my child, and sin no more." He also advised one user that they could use Gatorade to baptize their child. Christopher Check, president of Catholic Answers, explained: "We chose the character to convey a quality of knowledge and authority ... Many people, however, have voiced concerns about this choice." The avatar was rebranded as Virtual Apologist Justin, minus the cassock and collar, after an uproar about his behavior. "We won't say he's been laicized," Check said, "because he was never a real priest!" [NY Post, 4/26/2024]

Stickin' It to the Man

Etienne Constable received a letter in July 2023 from Seaside, California, asking him to conceal the boat he'd had parked in his driveway for about four years, The Washington Post reported. The city said boats and trailers must be "screened on the side and front by a 6-foot fence." Constable installed a fence -- and hired his neighbor, mural artist Hanif Panni, to paint a photorealistic image of the boat and the rest of the driveway on the side of the fence that faces the road. The mural was completed in early May. "We kind of hit the sweet spot between following the rules and making an elegant statement to the contrary," Constable said. Nick Borges, Seaside's city manager, admired the work and said, "The only action I'm going to take is a high five, and that's it." [Washington Post, 5/11/2024]

What's in a Name?

On July 22, when officers noticed a white van on the I-5 near Weed, California, that kept swerving out of its lane, they engaged their lights and sirens -- and it still took almost 3 miles for the van to pull over, KOBI-TV reported. Inside the van, they found 1,021 rooted marijuana plants, which, according to driver Yung Fai Sze, 53, were on their way to Oregon. However, Sze did not have the proper documentation from the California Department of Cannabis Control, so he was arrested and charged with illegal transportation and possession of marijuana. [KOBI, 7/26/2024]

If you were hoping to extend your holiday spirit to your automobile and you live in Wyoming, think again. United Press International reported that the Wyoming Highway Patrol is reminding motorists that colored Christmas lights are not legal on civilian cars. The statute says that "no person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon capable of displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front of the center thereof." In other words, only cops get red and blue lights on their cars. The WHP posted a photo on Dec. 2 with a car completely covered in Christmas lights being pulled over. Bah, humbug! [UPI, 12/13/2024]

Questionable Judgment

A mushroom hunter identified only as "Helen" stumbled upon a new "dogging" destination in Kent, England, in early December, Kent Online reported on Dec. 17. Dogging, for those of you not up on your Brit slang, refers to open-air sexual activity. Helen was following a footpath along the A29 highway when her dog pulled her farther into the woods, where she discovered a large sex toy tied to a tree with string. "I looked from a distance and then I just left, as I was really disgusted and a bit freaked out by it," Helen said. A local councilor said he is preparing a report about the issues; Kent Police said they haven't received any reports of criminal activity there. [Kent Online, 12/17/2024]

Rude

-- Ten- and 11-year-old students at Lee-on-the-Solent school in Hampshire, England, were traumatized in mid-December after Rev. Paul Chamberlain visited to conduct a religious education class, The Guardian reported. The good vicar started his discussion with the birth of Jesus, but he went on to tell the kids that Santa Claus is not real and that their parents buy the presents and eat the biscuits left out for the jolly old elf. Some students started to sob. "Paul has accepted that this was an error of judgment, and ... he apologized unreservedly to the school, to the parents and to the children," said a spokesperson for the Diocese of Portsmouth. [Guardian, 12/14/2024]

-- In April, Christina Sivilay of Kent, Washington, suffered a stroke which left her in a coma, KIRO-TV reported. When she woke up, she was greeted with an eviction notice from her apartment. The stroke has caused her to lose some movement and strength in parts of her body, so she's unable to work. "When I came home from the hospital, I felt useless. I'm a worker," she said. Sivilay is concerned about her two sons, 12 and 7 years old. "I just want them to know they're OK, and that we don't have to live in the street or a shelter," she said. Relatives are helping, but when KIRO reached out to the apartment manager, there was no comment. [KIRO, 12/11/2024]

Least Competent Criminal

An unnamed man in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, allegedly caused a multi-vehicle crash on Dec. 4, KKTV reported. When officers arrived, they asked him how many drinks he had consumed, to which he answered, "probably 10. Hey, hey, hey, I'm gonna tell you right now, like, I'm a professional drinker," he said. Police administered a breathalyzer test, which showed the man's blood alcohol content was more than four times the legal limit. He was handcuffed and charged; no one was hurt in the accident. [KKTV, 12/12/2024]

You Had One Job ...

Commuters in Samut Prakan, Thailand, were flummoxed upon arriving at a newly renovated bus stop, Nation Thailand reported on Dec. 7. The floor of the stop was concrete, which had been poured up to the bottoms of the seats of the brand-new green plastic chairs, causing riders to sit on the ground. While the contractor has acknowledged the mistake and vowed to fix it, online commenters have had a field day: "Designed for people to sit Thai-style, neatly and politely," one said. "I love the concept behind this work," said another. [Nation Thailand, 12/7/2024]

Wait, What?

OK, first of all, who knew that grain silos have basements? But I digress. In El Dorado County, California, a horse fell through a narrow opening in the floor of an abandoned grain silo and into the structure's basement, United Press International reported on Dec. 17. El Dorado Search and Rescue came to the animal's rescue and used a pulley system to hoist Matsie the mare out of the basement, after which she was "reunited with her family and friends." To which she responded, "Neeiiiiggghhhhh." [UPI, 12/17/2024]

Animal Antics

On Dec. 14, at a rugby match in Buckinghamshire, England, between the Marlow Rugby Club 2nd XV and the Rams Rugby Club 3rd Team Centaurs, a Marlow player was flattened when a small deer ran onto the field and collided with him, the BBC reported. Neither the player nor the deer were injured, and Marlow went on to win the contest 19-17. [BBC, 12/16/2024]

Risky Business

Police in Long Island, New York, arrested Gladys Serrano, 70, in early December for practicing dentistry without a license from the kitchen of her one-bedroom apartment. A search of Serrano's apartment revealed many of the tools of a legit dental practice, including drawers full of dental instruments and extraction tools, a dental treatment chair situated near the sink, impression molds, needles and vials of medication. The one victim identified by authorities (so far) had five "rotting" teeth extracted by Serrano. Myriam Kai, a neighbor who, like Serrano, hails from El Salvador, told WABC-TV New York, "I don't know why they're making this a big deal. She has a degree in El Salvador. She's a great dentist." Serrano faces up to four years in prison if convicted. [WABC-TV, 12/12/24]

Reunited

Do you remember your fourth grade lunchbox? Tracy Drain of Virginia is getting reacquainted with hers. It went missing 40 years ago and was found in early December by a plumber, who discovered the vintage Heathcliff-themed memento hiding in a pipe chase while he was working at Fairview Elementary School in Roanoke. A tag inside was adorned with Drain's name, and a former co-worker of Drain's reached out to her after reading about the lunchbox find in a Facebook post from the Roanoke City Public Schools. Drain told WDBJ-7, "I’m definitely going to treasure it because of mom’s writing on it and the way she took care of us as kids and how she raised us." [WDBJ-7, 12/11/24]

Keeping Spirits Up

In "What could possibly go wrong?" news, an Ohio funeral home may soon be able to serve alcohol to grieving families. Evergreen Funeral, Cremation and Reception, in Columbus, applied for a liquor license earlier this year and could be serving as soon as January, reported ABC-WSYX on Dec. 16. Evergreen's owner, Hunter Triplett, says he wants to shed the funeral industry's dark, morbid reputation. One way to do that? Let mourners raise a toast to their lost loved ones. "My role in this position is to kind of be a party planner for the dead," Triplett said. If approved, the facility would receive a D3 liquor license, which in Ohio allows the sale of beer, wine and hard liquor for consumption on-site. Interestingly, the property used to be a chocolate factory; perhaps Triplett could consider giving mourners truffles rather than Tito's. That might keep "RIP" further away from "DUI." [ABC-WSYX, 12/16/2024]