WEIRD NEWS

Most Danceable Songs - According to Science!
Researchers from the Columbia Business School and the French business school INSEAD say they've used science to determine the most danceable songs, at least among those that hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts going back to 1958. They applied a number of factors, including tempo and beat regularity, and somehow decided that Timbaland's "Give It to Me" was the most danceable song of all time. The study was published in the American Sociological Review and here's the top ten:
  1. "Give It to Me," Timbaland, 2007
  2. "SexyBack," Justin Timberlake, 2006
  3. "Hot in Herre," Nelly, 2002
  4. "Ice Ice Baby," Vanilla Ice, 1990
  5. "Pop Muzik," M, 1979
  6. "Another One Bites the Dust," Queen, 1980
  7. "Funkytown," Lipps, Inc., 1980
  8. "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," Puff Daddy, 1997
  9. "Baby Got Back," Sir Mix-a-Lot, 1992
  10. "Billie Jean," Michael Jackson, 1983
(American Sociological Review)

Ruthless Killers: Beach Umbrellas!
In yet another example of the dangers of beach umbrellas, a woman was pierced in the chest by one in Ocean City, Md., on Sunday afternoon. Police say someone left a rental umbrella unattended without returning it to the stand, and the wooden pole ended up flying through the air and piercing the skin of a 46-year-old woman from Pennsylvania. First responders cut it but didn't remove it completely out of concern they might cause more damage. After being stabilized, the woman was flown to a hospital. Her current condition hasn't been reported, but her injuries were not said to be life-threatening. (WMDT)

Good People
In Philadelphia, 34-year-old Bill English is a very lucky man. Not only did he just get a life-saving kidney transplant, his living donor was a complete stranger who just happened to see Bill's family's plea for help on Facebook. Amy Pauvlinch, 28, of Pittsburgh, posted an image the day after her July 3 donation, showing her walking down a hospital corridor with Bill. She told reporters that the meeting was "divine intervention." She added, "I knew out of all the thousands of posts that was the one I was supposed to contact and have an impact on." Bill's wife Laura said, "That fact that a total stranger was a match was crazy. She's giving us my husband back, our kids their dad back." Bill, of South Jersey, has said he looks forward to spending more quality time with friends and family-including Pauvlinch. (Newsweek)

Now You Can Literally Get a "Happy Meal" at the Drive Thru
The convenience of the drive-thru is certainly nothing new. Drive-thru marijuana is. In Washington State, the first drive-thru for a pot shop has become a reality. Joint Rivers General Manager Audria Jaggers says, "They can order online and it can literally be ready when they get to the window." Located in Auburn on the Muckleshoot Reservation, the newest marijuana dispensary got special permission with the state to add drive-through service. There's a basic menu much like a typical fast food restaurant, but there's also a security guard checking to make sure everyone in the car is 21. Identifications get checked two more times at the pickup window. "There are so many security checkpoints for that drive-through to make sure that we eliminate any potential risk," said Jaggers. It's partly about convenience and also about targeting tourists who are curious about Washington's marijuana laws but may have some reservations. Jaggers added, "Nervous about all the cameras. Nervous about having their ID's scanned. So the drive-through offers a really nice option." (King5 News)

Traditional Snake Wine is Highly Overrated 
A 21-year-old woman in China is dead after being bitten on the finger by a snake, called a "many-banded krait." The serpent, common in southern China, is one of the world's deadliest snakes. The sad part is she bought it from an online snake seller because she hoped to make a traditional snake wine. Identified only by her first name, Qiqi, she died in hospital eight days after being bitten. The snake then escaped from her home onto the streets of Weinan, a city in north-west China. Its dead body was found at a market by police one day later. Qiqi's mother said she planned to sue the shopping app, the seller and the courier company over the death of her eldest daughter. She asks, "How could a venomous live animal as such be sold online? And how could the courier company be allowed to transport such dangerous animal?" The so-called snake wine is typically made by infusing whole snakes in alcohol, with the resulting beverage said to have an invigorating effect. (Metro)

TRAIN!
Nothing wrong with taking pictures of a train - just don't stand on the tracks while you're doing it. In Denver a woman found out the hard way and was struck and killed while taking photographs of a steam locomotive. The Union Pacific locomotive was returning to Denver on from a daylong trip to Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming at the time. The victim was among several people taking photos of the train as it traveled back to Denver; her name hasn't been released. About 700 passengers were on the train, whose annual trip to Cheyenne for the parade and rodeo is sponsored by the Denver Post Community Foundation. No other injuries were reported. (Denver)

What the What?
A woman on a flight from London to Warsaw, Poland was told she could not use the bathroom while the aircraft was being re-fueled. Apparently that was not the answer she wanted to hear and was later caught on security video sneaking back to the plane's galley and squatting on the floor as she relieves herself. Shocking footage shows the woman squatting against a wall while speaking with someone on the phone. She is surrounded by several paper towels and a large pool of urine. A young British couple then interrupts the phone call to chastise the woman. The British woman is heard saying, "Are you being serious? That is disgusting! You are a grown woman!" The woman replies: "Yeah, I know. I did ask." The man then adds: "So you think it is okay to piss on the floor?" Police arrested the woman. Best part of the story - all this happened on... and we kid you not.. Wizz Air. (Metro)

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