WEIRD NEWS

Oh No Thanks - I'm Off Bread!

Turns out we humans have been eating bread a really long time - at least 4,000 years even before farming came about. Two dozen charred crumbs found in hearths at an ancient hunter-gatherer site in northeastern Jordan have been identified as the world's oldest samples of bread-specifically, a 14,400-year-old flatbread made from wild cereals. That predates the next oldest sample found in Turkey by 5,000 years. Making bread from scratch-including grinding cereals-is labor intensive. Researcher Dorian Fuller said, "That it was produced before farming methods suggests it was seen as special, and the desire to make more of this special food probably contributed to the decision to begin to cultivate cereals." The newly discovered bread bread was likely made from wild wheat and barley flour, with ground tubers of a plant called club-rush adding a bitter, nutty flavor. Combined with water, the mixture is believed to have been baked in ashes or on a hot stone and consumed as part of a feast of gazelle, water birds, and hare, remains of which were also found. Tasting a bit like modern multigrain bread, the flatbread might have even formed part of a meat sandwich. (Guardian)

Where There's a Will There's a... Murder?

In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Gabriela Perero was told by her 85-year-old mother that while Gabriela's sisters were in her will and would be getting an inheritance, she would not. This made Gabriela angry. Very angry. Angry enough in fact that she responded by allegedly beating her mother to death. After Luisa Perero died from her injuries, police charged her 53-year-old daughter with premeditated murder and aggravated battery on a person over 65. Perero told investigators she'd become enraged after learning that her siblings would receive an inheritance and she would not, even though she'd been taking care of their mother. According to an arrest report, Perero told her mother, "You destroyed my life, so I'm going to destroy you." Her mother died in the hospital one day after the beating. Before her mother died, Perero told detectives, "I guess I'm going to jail... I beat up my mom." She also said she didn't want her mother to die. (Sun Sentinel)

China's Biggest Bomb?

China just spent $110 million on a really big bomb - but not the kind that blows up. That was the budget for a new movie called Asura, and it's seen as the first attempt by China's burgeoning film industry to put out a genuine Hollywood-style blockbuster. Only problem is it stinks. It bombed big time over its opening weekend pulling in a paltry $7.1 million. It was so bad that producers yanked it from all theaters Sunday night. A statement from the film's producers read: "Deepest apologies to viewers who did not get a chance to watch the film, as well as to all the Chinese and international participants who were involved in its production over the past six years." The film was intended to be the first in a franchise based on Buddhist mythology, sort of like China's own version of Lord of the Rings, but reviews were generally bad across the board. The producers, however, allege that saboteurs deliberately tanked the movie by flooding review sites with one-star slams. One producer says they have plans to re-edit the film and release it again. (Hollywood Reporter)

You Don't See That Every Day on the Runway

Here's something you don't see every day on the runway. A model taking part in a Sports Illustrated swimwear fashion show stole the spotlight with one of the most unusual runway walks ever. Mara Martin strutted during Miami Swim Week while breastfeeding her 5-month-old daughter! In a video clip, you can hear the audience cheering when they realize what's happening. The baby is wearing protective ear muffs by the way and seems quite content. Martin later wrote on Instagram: "I can't believe I am waking up to headlines with me and my daughter in them for doing something I do every day. But to be honest, the real reason I can't believe it is a headline is because it shouldn't be a headline! My story of being a mother and feeding her while walking is just that." Sports Illustrated swimsuit editor MJ Day says it was a spur-of-the-moment decision and said, "When I was talking with the girls backstage prior to the show beginning, I saw that Mara's baby was sleeping and peacefully nursing. I asked her if she would want to walk and continue to nurse. She said 'Oh my gosh, yes!'" (People)

GPS Leading the Blind

Albar Tessier, a blind teacher from France is doing something amazing in Bolivia - walking 140 kilometers across Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest sand desert, in just seven days using only audio GPS to guide him. Tessier, who teaches blind children in his home country, has been training for the past couple of years. He wants to show the world that people with disabilities are also capable of performing amazing feats, and to this end he will be travelling alone, guided only by audio GPS, and with an emergency team maintaining a safe distance. Tessier's epic walk began yesterday (July 17th) and will continue until July 23rd. The Frenchman hopes to cover a distance of 20 kilometers per day, a challenging feat even for people without disabilities, considering the special conditions of this place. Despite being almost completely flat, Salar de Uyuni is located at about 3,650 meters above sea level, with temperatures fluctuating between 26 and 68 degrees. To make his journey even more challenging, the blind teacher chose the longest route across the white deserts. He will be dragging a sled packed with water, sleeping bags and supplies, and will be followed from a distance by his doctor and an emergency team, should something go wrong. (Oddity Central)

Showtime Says Sarah Palin is Wrong

Showtime and Sacha Baron Cohen are pushing back against allegations the comedian duped guests on his new show by posing as a disabled vet. The network said in a statement that "Baron Cohen did not present himself as a disabled veteran" or wear military apparel when he met with Sarah Palin and Bernie Sanders. Palin complained last week on Facebook that Baron Cohen "heavily disguised himself" as a disabled US veteran in a wheelchair when she was "duped" into an interview for his show Who Is America? In the show, Baron Cohen dons various prosthetics and accents in an attempt to embarrass those on the right and left. In the first episode, which aired Sunday, Baron Cohen's character Billy Wayne Ruddick (the one who interviews Palin) says he uses a scooter to "conserve" his "finite energy." A statement from Showtime reads: "Contrary to her claims he did not appear in a wheelchair." Still, Palin challenged Baron Cohen and Showtime to donate proceeds from the show to a veterans' charity. (CNN)

What the What?

Need a job? Well Japan needs ninjas - and you could earn $85,000 being one. No kidding! Iga is a small city in central Japan that claims to be the birthplace of the ninja. Each year the city of around 100,000 swells by around 30,000 as tourists come to experience the annual ninja festival. Unfortunately, Iga is suffering from depopulation and losing its young people, who don't want to live in the rural countryside. In order to revive the local economy, the mayor of Iga, Sakae Okamoto, is promoting its ninja heritage with the aim of drawing more tourists. But to do that he needs more ninjas - or at least actors, acting like ninjas. If you can do it, you can earn from $23,000 to about $85,000 - which is a really solid salary, and in fact, a lot more than real ninjas used to earn in medieval Japan. (Business Insider)

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