WEIRD NEWS

Things Not Going So Well for Dr. Larry

Probably not a lot of people shedding tears on this one. Within just a few hours of being released into the general prison population in late May, we're now learning that Larry Nassar was attacked by other inmates, according to a court filing by his lawyer. Nassar's attorney filed the documents in an effort to appeal Nassar's sentence after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault and child pornography charges related to his time working with Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics. Attorney Jacqueline McCann slammed Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina in the filing, accusing her of having decided on her own to impose the maximum sentence on Nassar and of using the sentencing proceedings-in which more than 150 women gave victim impact statements over seven days in what McCann referred to as a "free-for-all"-"as an opportunity to advance her own agenda" and to offer "a type of group therapy for victims." McCann also accused the judge of saying she expected Nassar to be hurt in prison, thus "encourag[ing]" such behavior. Yeah... so? (Detroit News)

It's Not Exactly Smooth Sailing for Betsy DeVos 

It's not exactly smooth sailing for the family of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos - and we mean that quite literally. It seems a $40 million yacht owned by the DeVos family was vandalized and crashed into a dock after it was set adrift from an Ohio marina! Huron police, who are reviewing surveillance footage in an effort to learn who untied the 163-foot Seaquest before 6am Sunday, cite $5,000 to $10,000 in damage from scrapes. It shouldn't affect any travel plans, though. According to the Wall Street Journal, the boat is one of at least 10 owned by DeVos' family, which also keeps at least four planes and two helicopters. (Toledo Blade)

This Isn't a Police Sting... Right?

In Wisconsin, 32-year-old Daryl Prater was arrested after communicating with what he thought was a 15-year-old girl he had arranged to meet for sex. You guessed it - the "girl" was actually an undercover police officer and Prater is now being held on charges including:
  • Felony Attempted Child Enticement
  • Felony Use of a Computer to Facilitate a Child Sex Crime
  • Felony Requesting Nude Images of a Child
  • Felony Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer
Prater arranged to pick up the girl at a local business in Sturtevant and take her back to his home in Oshkosh. When Prater arrived in the area, he sent a text asking the girl to step out of the business. He also texted her that he hoped that this was not a police sting. He didn't get that last wish. When a sheriff's squad car activated his emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop on Prater, tried to flee. After a short pursuit reaching 60mph, he gave up, pulled into a parking lot and was taken into custody. And apparently this boy doesn't learn. Prater is a registered sex offender currently on parole from a similar type arrest made by the Oshkosh Police in 2014 where Prater carried out a sexual assault of a 15-year-old victim. (FOX 6 Now)

You're Not Cat Pooping Me Are You?

Got a cat? Its poop may be having a bigger effect on your life than you would think. An organism carried in feline feces, known as Toxoplasma gondii, could actually help you become a better entrepreneur by increasing your confidence, according to a new study. It argued the protozoan parasite, which invades the brain, may cause personality changes associated with risk-taking, including a reduced fear of failure. Dr. Stefanie Johnson from the University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business and her fellow authors wrote: "Populations with higher T. gondii infection had greater intentions to start a business and higher levels of active entrepreneurship behaviors. Countries with higher T. gondii prevalence generally had a lower fraction of respondents who cited ‘fear of failure' as a factor preventing them from initiating a business-related enterprise." But there are a few negatives also associated with the organism. T. gondii infection has been linked to car accidents, neuroticism and suicide. The study appeared in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B(Metro)

American Airlines Asks for a Do-Over

Last year American Airlines introduced basic economy tickets that did not allow fliers to bring carry-on luggage. Turns out everyone hated the idea - so they're not doing it any more. Starting in September, customers who purchase basic economy fares will be allowed to bring a free carry-on bag. They were previously limited to a "personal item" that could be stowed under the seat in front of them. It seems the bonehead policy often led to unhappy customers at the gate and CEO Doug Parker said, "We got to a point where we weren't competitive. For price sensitive customers who are the buyers of this, there's a big airline out there who doesn't charge for the carry-on." Though he didn't name it, Delta Airlines already allows fliers with basic economy tickets to bring carry-on bags. (Dallas News)

Day-yum!

In Pittsgrove, New Jersey, 52-year-old Tammy DuBois was trying to fend off a rabid fox that was biting her in the leg and ultimately reached down with one hand to hold shut its mouth and used the other hand to strangle it to death! Don't judge. DuBois said, "I couldn't do anything else to get it away from me. I don't like to kill anything." The attack occurred after DuBois heard rustling in some bushes while she was walking out to her backyard garden. She says the fox ran out and bit her leg multiple times, puncturing her skin. She tried to escape into her house but couldn't while the animal gnawed on her leg. She cleaned and bandaged her badly bleeding leg and then got to a hospital where she began a two-week series of rabies treatments. Animal control officers retrieved the dead fox and sent it to the state for tests, confirming it had rabies. (NJ.com)

What the What?

In Thailand, a man identified as Tachawit J. has incurred the wrath of his friends and relatives after faking his own death on Facebook and having his wife ask them for financial contributions for his funeral. Many acquaintances wrote that they had no idea he was so sick, which his wife explained by saying that he had "pretended he was ok all along". As news of Tachawit J.'s tragic and unexpected death spread among his family and friends, they started phoning in and offering their support. But the man's wife didn't just sit around waiting to be contacted, instead she took the initiative, calling everyone who knew Tachawit and asking for money to cover burial costs. The truth came out when a cousin called the house and Tachawit J. stupidly picked up the phone. Then came the wrath. Even his own mother admitted that she has cut all ties with his deceitful son and his wife, but said that she wouldn't hold his actions against him. Although no complaints have been made with the police so far, the couple could face fines of up to $4,800 and/or up to 10 years in prison! Interestingly enough, Tachawit didn't delete any of the compromising photos from his Facebook account, and even appears to regret his actions, replacing his wife's original caption with a short and seemingly honest one - "Sorry for being so crappy". (Oddity Central)

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