week-in-review

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The Weird Week in Review

Town Erects Statue to Commemorate Beatles' Layover On September 18, 1964, The Beatles changed planes at a tiny airport in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas. The 15 minutes they spent there was the biggest thing that ever happened in the small town. Now, 47 years later, the town has unveiled a statue by artist Danny We called "Abbey Road" commemorating the event. Last Sunday, the unveiling was accompanied by a tribute concert and townspeople sharing memories of that glorious day in 1964. Evicting A Middle-aged Son... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Drunken Moose Hides Swing Set in Tree A family in Storebro, Sweden arrived home one night to find evidence of a wildlife party. Apples were strewn over the backyard, and the children's swing set was missing. Sweden has a problem with moose (called elk in Europe) this time of year, because the animals eat fermented apples and become drunk. The homeowner called police, who brought in a hunter to find the inebriated moose. The perpetrator was never located, but the family's swing set was eventually found in... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Gumby Fails at Robbery Police in San Diego are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to a suspect who tried to rob a convenience store in a Gumby costume. He walked in on Monday and demanded money, but the clerk did not take him seriously and told the character not to waste his time. The man left, and the clerk did not immediately report the robbery attempt. The store manager reported the incident after seeing the security video. The clerk, who was not familiar with Gumby, described the... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Marijuana Truck Spill A traffic accident in San Jose, California, led to a free-for-all. A truck crashed near Oakridge Mall around 1AM on Wednesday. The truck was left on its side, and bags of cargo spilled out the back. That cargo was pot, and passers-by, both drivers and pedestrians, rushed to grab their share. By the time police arrived, the truck driver and most of the marijuana was gone, and no one could give a description of the driver or of those taking the marijuana. There were other vehicles... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Marines To Ban Audible Farts In Afghanistan Silence is golden. A new order for U.S. Marines serving in Afghanistan bans audible farting. The ruling, meant to prevent offense to Afghans, was added to other injunctions against swearing and talking about politics or girls around local citizens. Marines may have a hard time conforming to the new policy, but are warned that the U.S. is trying win the hearts and minds of Afghans, some of whom view Americans as unwelcome occupiers. Escaped Kangaroo Steals... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Car Driven Into Wrong Apartment An unnamed 25-year-old woman in Nelson, New Zealand, was angry after reading intimate text messages to her husband from another woman. With her husband in the passenger seat, she drove to the mistress' apartment complex. She drove through the gate and smashed into someone else's garage. The driver pleaded guilty to causing around $43,000 in property damage. There is no word on the state of the marriage. Fisherman Lands 200-pound Catch John Goldfinch was fishing with his... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Church Brawl A Sunday evening brawl at the New Welcome Church in St. Elmo, Alabama, involved at least a dozen people and left one woman with a stab wound. The fight began when the pastor fired the music minister, Simone De Moore. An argument followed over the amount of Moore's final paycheck. Moore then allegedly used a taser on minister Daryl Riley. In the ensuing melee, deacon Harvey Hunt stabbed Moore's mother, Agolia Moore in the arm with a pocket knife. Agolia Moore underwent surgery and 19 stitches... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Runaway Floating Island An inflated sculpture named "Is Land" was deployed at the Secret Garden Party music festival in Cambridgeshire, England. The £9,000 helium-filled sculpture is seven meters wide and looks like a chunk of land with grass and trees on top. The island drifted off after someone cut the ropes tethering the balloon on July 24th and is now nowhere to be found. Anyone who sees the island is asked to report it to the project's website. Donations at the site will go toward getting a second... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Woman in Speeding Car Fakes Labor Pains Police in New Zealand were chasing a car speeding at over 90 miles per hour, and were about to lay spikes in the road to stop it, when the driver stopped near the town of Tauranga. He told officers that he was rushing his passenger, who appeared to be in labor, to the hospital to give birth. An ambulance was summoned to rush the pregnant woman to the emergency room. Later, officers called the hospital and discovered the patient had signed herself out shortly after... READ ON

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The Weird Week in Review

Bear-safety Lecture Interrupted by Bear Last Friday, Yellowstone National Park bear biologist Kerry Gunther and park spokesman Dan Hottle were being filmed by a CNN news crew about bear safety. While recording the segment, they spotted a hiker and a black bear nearby. The bear was walking toward the edge of the water, and the frightened hiker jumped into the water. A group of kayakers helped the hiker, Erin Prophet, back to land. The bear was minding its own business and did not appear to pose a threat.... READ ON