WEIRD NEWS
Vinyl Out - Cassettes In - No, Really!
Got bad news vinyl collecting freaks! You're suddenly yesterday's news. The true hipsters out there are into the very latest retro music delivery system. Something they call the cassette tape! Seriously, cassette tapes are now being sold as new releases on Amazon - and they cost even more than vinyl. Cassette sales more than doubled in the UK last year and although their share of the music market is still tiny (less than 1%), there were still 22,000 new cassettes sold in 2017. In July this year, the Official Charts Company revealed that sales for the first half of 2018 were up 90% year-on-year. Cassette Store Day, the tape collector's version of Record Store Day, was last month. Meanwhile, DJ magazine has already claimed that the cassette revival has become an essential and exciting part of the electronic music scene, allowing smaller artists the chance to do sought-after limited releases: "The tape revival also allowed music that may have never reached a global audience to do so in physical format." So, if history continues to repeat itself, in another 20 years or so all my CDs should be worth a fortune, yes? (LouderSound.com)
Burger King Serving Dog Food - No, Really!
Burger King is venturing off into some uncharted waters for a fast food chain. They've announced a new line of products for dogs, known as Dogppers - or "flame-grilled", Whopper-flavored dog biscuit. Owners who purchase their own Whopper through the delivery service DoorDash will receive a free treat for their pooch. Dogppers are made of ‘oat flour, brown rice flour, beef, cheddar cheese, eggs and sesame seeds' - and not for human consumption. The treats are only available in America and just until December 4. (Metro)
Sorry About Your Laptop
Over in Birmingham, England, college student Stevie Valentine recently had his laptop stolen and allegedly received a very interesting apology email from the thief which has since gone viral. The thief starts off by writing that he is "very, very sorry" for stealing the laptop, but explains that he is "extremely poor" and "needed the money". He then notes: "I left your phone and wallet, so I hope that slightly makes up for something." He then says, "I can see you are a university student. If there is any files on here such as university work on here that you need, let me know and I will send them to you here," the thief wrote before ending the email with "Once again I am sorry." Valentine shared the email through a tweet and has since gotten thousands of comments. The feedback has been mixed, with some Twitter users going as far as to say that they like the thief, and others claiming that his extreme poverty doesn't justify the crime. (Oddity Central)
You Think You've Had Kidney Stones?
You think you had a bad kidney stone? Doctors in China have removed one the size of an ostrich egg from a 55-year-old patient, identified only as Zhou. The huge mass, measuring 5.12 inches in diameter, was found by medics in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province. Scans show the crystalline ball of minerals having occupied his entire bladder, causing pressure on his abdomen as well as forcing him to the bathroom more frequently than usual. A medic explained: "The bladder stone was larger than an adult human's fist. If not quickly removed, it could have led to renal failure." Dr. Wang blamed the huge stone on the patient's own bad habits including not drinking enough water and sitting for extended periods of time and holding in his urine. (Metro)
You Think Your Pastor is Long Winded?
Any of us who have ever attended church services have probably come across the occasional long-winded pastor. But a church in the Netherlands has been holding a round-the-clock service for more than a month in an effort to protect a family of refugees from deportation. An Armenian family of five living in the Bethel Church in The Hague is slated to be expelled from the country immediately - but under Dutch law, police are prohibited from entering a place of worship while religious services are underway. The So Bethel church officials have held continuous services since Oct. 28. More than 400 pastors from other churches all over the country have pitched in to keep it going. Sasun Tamrazyan fled Armenia nine years ago with his wife and three children after receiving death threats for his political activism. They were previously granted asylum, but that decision was overturned on appeal by the government. That's when Bethel Church stepped up to provide sanctuary for the family. Church leaders say they will keep it going as long as it takes. (CBC)
Texas Walmart Now Providing Mental Health Services
In Carrollton, Texas, a new outpatient mental health clinic has opened - inside a Walmart! People can walk in, call or make an appointment online to see a licensed mental health professional about problems such as anxiety, depression, grief, relationship troubles or the stresses of everyday living. Beacon Health Options, a Boston-based behavioral health services company, is leasing space in the store and runs the clinic. It's the first such practice they've opened in a retail setting and the company says they chose Walmart for its convenience. Executives said the goal is to offer mental health services to people in rural communities who might otherwise not get care. Russell Petrella, president and CEO of Beacon Health Options, said, "I think for behavioral health services, the time is due. It needs to be pulled out of the shadows. It needs to be mainstreamed. Having it available in a setting like this provides opportunities for people to reach out and get care in a comfortable place." (Today)
What the What?
Ladies may want to rethink hair coloring after hearing about this. In France, a woman identified only as Estelle, suffered a near-fatal allergic reaction to a chemical often found in darker-colored hair dyes which caused to her to swell up like a giant lightbulb. Though the 19-year-old claims she only tested a small amount of the product, her scalp almost "immediately" became irritated after application. The swelling began shortly after. She took an antihistamine to help with the swelling and irritation, but by the next morning her head had already enlarged - growing to 24.8 inches compared to an average 22 inches. Her tongue also swelled. She went to the ER and was given a shot of adrenaline. She stayed overnight at the hospital and has since recovered and the swelling has gone down. The PPD chemical is commonly found in dark-colored hair dyes and makeup, as well as henna tattoos. An allergic reaction to the chemical can cause "fatal complications," such as the breakdown of muscle tissue, known as rhabdomyolysis, respiratory distress and renal failure, among other side effects, according to a report in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. (FOX)
Got bad news vinyl collecting freaks! You're suddenly yesterday's news. The true hipsters out there are into the very latest retro music delivery system. Something they call the cassette tape! Seriously, cassette tapes are now being sold as new releases on Amazon - and they cost even more than vinyl. Cassette sales more than doubled in the UK last year and although their share of the music market is still tiny (less than 1%), there were still 22,000 new cassettes sold in 2017. In July this year, the Official Charts Company revealed that sales for the first half of 2018 were up 90% year-on-year. Cassette Store Day, the tape collector's version of Record Store Day, was last month. Meanwhile, DJ magazine has already claimed that the cassette revival has become an essential and exciting part of the electronic music scene, allowing smaller artists the chance to do sought-after limited releases: "The tape revival also allowed music that may have never reached a global audience to do so in physical format." So, if history continues to repeat itself, in another 20 years or so all my CDs should be worth a fortune, yes? (LouderSound.com)
Burger King Serving Dog Food - No, Really!
Burger King is venturing off into some uncharted waters for a fast food chain. They've announced a new line of products for dogs, known as Dogppers - or "flame-grilled", Whopper-flavored dog biscuit. Owners who purchase their own Whopper through the delivery service DoorDash will receive a free treat for their pooch. Dogppers are made of ‘oat flour, brown rice flour, beef, cheddar cheese, eggs and sesame seeds' - and not for human consumption. The treats are only available in America and just until December 4. (Metro)
Sorry About Your Laptop
Over in Birmingham, England, college student Stevie Valentine recently had his laptop stolen and allegedly received a very interesting apology email from the thief which has since gone viral. The thief starts off by writing that he is "very, very sorry" for stealing the laptop, but explains that he is "extremely poor" and "needed the money". He then notes: "I left your phone and wallet, so I hope that slightly makes up for something." He then says, "I can see you are a university student. If there is any files on here such as university work on here that you need, let me know and I will send them to you here," the thief wrote before ending the email with "Once again I am sorry." Valentine shared the email through a tweet and has since gotten thousands of comments. The feedback has been mixed, with some Twitter users going as far as to say that they like the thief, and others claiming that his extreme poverty doesn't justify the crime. (Oddity Central)
You Think You've Had Kidney Stones?
You think you had a bad kidney stone? Doctors in China have removed one the size of an ostrich egg from a 55-year-old patient, identified only as Zhou. The huge mass, measuring 5.12 inches in diameter, was found by medics in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province. Scans show the crystalline ball of minerals having occupied his entire bladder, causing pressure on his abdomen as well as forcing him to the bathroom more frequently than usual. A medic explained: "The bladder stone was larger than an adult human's fist. If not quickly removed, it could have led to renal failure." Dr. Wang blamed the huge stone on the patient's own bad habits including not drinking enough water and sitting for extended periods of time and holding in his urine. (Metro)
You Think Your Pastor is Long Winded?
Any of us who have ever attended church services have probably come across the occasional long-winded pastor. But a church in the Netherlands has been holding a round-the-clock service for more than a month in an effort to protect a family of refugees from deportation. An Armenian family of five living in the Bethel Church in The Hague is slated to be expelled from the country immediately - but under Dutch law, police are prohibited from entering a place of worship while religious services are underway. The So Bethel church officials have held continuous services since Oct. 28. More than 400 pastors from other churches all over the country have pitched in to keep it going. Sasun Tamrazyan fled Armenia nine years ago with his wife and three children after receiving death threats for his political activism. They were previously granted asylum, but that decision was overturned on appeal by the government. That's when Bethel Church stepped up to provide sanctuary for the family. Church leaders say they will keep it going as long as it takes. (CBC)
Texas Walmart Now Providing Mental Health Services
In Carrollton, Texas, a new outpatient mental health clinic has opened - inside a Walmart! People can walk in, call or make an appointment online to see a licensed mental health professional about problems such as anxiety, depression, grief, relationship troubles or the stresses of everyday living. Beacon Health Options, a Boston-based behavioral health services company, is leasing space in the store and runs the clinic. It's the first such practice they've opened in a retail setting and the company says they chose Walmart for its convenience. Executives said the goal is to offer mental health services to people in rural communities who might otherwise not get care. Russell Petrella, president and CEO of Beacon Health Options, said, "I think for behavioral health services, the time is due. It needs to be pulled out of the shadows. It needs to be mainstreamed. Having it available in a setting like this provides opportunities for people to reach out and get care in a comfortable place." (Today)
What the What?
Ladies may want to rethink hair coloring after hearing about this. In France, a woman identified only as Estelle, suffered a near-fatal allergic reaction to a chemical often found in darker-colored hair dyes which caused to her to swell up like a giant lightbulb. Though the 19-year-old claims she only tested a small amount of the product, her scalp almost "immediately" became irritated after application. The swelling began shortly after. She took an antihistamine to help with the swelling and irritation, but by the next morning her head had already enlarged - growing to 24.8 inches compared to an average 22 inches. Her tongue also swelled. She went to the ER and was given a shot of adrenaline. She stayed overnight at the hospital and has since recovered and the swelling has gone down. The PPD chemical is commonly found in dark-colored hair dyes and makeup, as well as henna tattoos. An allergic reaction to the chemical can cause "fatal complications," such as the breakdown of muscle tissue, known as rhabdomyolysis, respiratory distress and renal failure, among other side effects, according to a report in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. (FOX)
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