WEIRD NEWS

Tase to Tenth

In Miami, 28-year-old Jacob Garcia was waiting for takeoff on an American Airlines flight to Chicago when a female passenger accused him of groping her. Garcia was initially moved to a different seat which should have been the end of it, but then started screaming insults at the woman and her boyfriend. It got so out of hand that all passengers were told to leave the plane. However, Garcia refused, instead wrapping his legs around a seat and yelling at officers to "try it and see what happens." What happened was that Garcia was then tased ten times in the ensuing struggle with officers who then carried him off the plane. He was still yelling and went limp to try and make himself harder to move. At one point he tried to grab the gun of an officer who slapped his hand away. The flight to Chicago took off an hour late - without Garcia - who was booked on charges including battery, disorderly conduct, and resisting an officer. (Miami Herald)

Now That's Some Interesting Underwear

In Port St. Lucie, Florida, a sheriff's deputy stopped a Dodge pickup driven by 54-year-old Daryle Campbell for reportedly a "reckless driving pattern." The officer also noticed Campbell's eyes were slightly bloodshot, his pupils dilated and he looked "very jittery." There was one more interesting observation. The officer said, "I noticed Campbell was only wearing underwear that stated "breathalyzer" on the side and "blow here" in the front center. Asked if he'd perform field sobriety exercises, Campbell laughed and said he had gout. So he was arrested on two DUI related charges. (TC Palm)

Wake Up Trader Joe's! Time for Security Cameras!

A series of armed robberies targeting Trader Joe's locations in Southern California has police suspecting serial assailants. At least seven armed robberies have occurred at Trader Joe's stores in the region in recent months, including four in Los Angeles as well as Long Beach, Irvine, and Culver City. The scene of the crime isn't the only commonality: Police say all robberies occurred in the evening, without injuries, and involved a few armed suspects who escaped on foot. In the most recent case, two men took $4,800 from a Trader Joe's in Culver City on the night of April 12, before fleeing on foot. Both suspects are described as 5-foot-8 and in their 20s - one reportedly had a scar under an eye - but police were unable to get video footage because the Trader Joe's store doesn't have security cameras. In a statement, Trader Joe's said: "We trust our customers and do not conduct surveillance on them." That's a red flag for retail security consultant Bob Dilonardo who suggests that robbers might be taking advantage of an "extremely unusual" lack of security. "Criminals don't live in a vacuum. When they discover a situation that's easier, rather than more difficult, they take advantage," he says. (Los Angeles Times)

Turns Out School Shootings Are Very Good for the NRA

The NRA's political arm had its biggest fundraising month in 15 years in the aftermath of the February school shooting in Parkland, Fla. The NRA's Political Victory Fund in March pulled in $2.4 million, all but $500,000 coming in increments of less than $200 according to Federal Election Commission filings. That's the most raised since June 2003, nearly three times more than was raised in March 2017, and $1.6 million more than was raised in February of this year, when a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School kicked off a national debate about gun control. NRA donations usually spike after mass shootings but the March total is well above the $1.1 million raised in the first full month after the 2013 Sandy Hook school shooting. By comparison, Gabrielle Giffords' political action committee for gun control raised $129,589 last month, while the student-led March for Our Lives gun control campaign has raised $3.5 million since Feb. 18. That money is going to fund marches and to support Parkland victims and their families. The NRA's fund goes straight toward political campaigns. It totaled $5.8 million at the end of March. (Miami Herald)

Amazon Will Put Junk in Your Trunk

Amazon will now put your junk in your trunk. Yesterday (Tuesday), the online shopping giant launched that new service in 37 US cities, and while there's no upcharge, there are some caveats: You have to be a Prime member, you have to park strategically, and your car has to be up to snuff. Almost all GM vehicles (Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac) with an active OnStar account and Volvos with On Call from the 2015 model year onward work. Apparently OnStar and On Call facilitate the remote access Amazon requires. You'll need to download the Amazon Key app and link your car. The car needs to be parked somewhere publicly accessible and within the realm of your delivery address. The app allows for careful tracking: You verify your car is parked correctly, get alerted to a 4-hour delivery window, see exactly when your car was unlocked and locked, and get delivery confirmation. As for what can be delivered, anything that weighs less than 50 pounds, isn't bigger than 26 x 21 x 16 inches, is fulfilled by Amazon, and isn't worth more than $1,300. Have fun kids! (Newser)

Another World First for the USA!

Another first for the U.S. An American serviceman has become the world's first man to ever receive a full penis and scrotum transplant. The veteran was injured by an IED years ago while on combat tour in Afghanistan. Surgeons from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine announced the historic news this week after performing the unprecedented surgery in Baltimore last month. The patient is expected to recover both urinary and sexual function, according to the surgeons. It took surgeons 14 hours to rebuild the man's entire pelvic region. The transplant did not include the donor's testicles, meaning reproduction won't be possible. In a statement from Hopkins, the patient was quoted as saying: "When I first woke up, I felt finally more normal." Three other successful penis transplants have been reported, two in South Africa and one in 2016 at Massachusetts General Hospital. Those transplants involved only the penis, not extensive surrounding tissue that made this transplant much more complex. Hopkins is screening additional veterans to see if they are good candidates for this type of reconstructive transplant. (USA Today)

What the What?

Avery Way in Castle Rock, Colorado, is known to be one of the metro's more upscale and ritzy areas. So it was disturbing to residents who received a copy of a party invitation from an anonymous person who is concerned about wild sex parties in the hood. It showed 400 guests were invited with 87 people, including 35 couples, sending a yes RSVP. The invitation references the "Thunderstorm Play Palace" and boasts a 7,500-square-foot dwelling with every amenity, including alcohol, food (complete with a vegetarian menu) and chocolate fountain. The risque invitation also advises guests to bring their own condoms and show respect for the "new furniture." The invitation showed donations are taken at the door, $70 for couples and single men and $20 for women. The party organizer, who is a father and a husband, does not want to reveal his identity and said he is the victim in the controversy. He says neighbors tried to block his driveway with trash cans and a guest's car was keyed, resulting in expensive damage. He also said he understands his neighbors' concerns and has made efforts to conceal anything that might be offensive. Still, one resident complained, "You can hear people doing what they're doing." The Castle Rock Police Department said it is working with the neighborhood HOA and city officials to investigate the issue, but the party organizer is not breaking the law because he is only taking donations and the events are contained to the privacy of his home. (FOX News)

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