WEIRD NEWS
I Triple Dog Dare Ya!
In Sandwich, Illinois, 11-year-old Spencer Cline decided to put the old tongue-on-the-frozen-pole stunt from "A Christmas Story" to the test and found out - yes it really does stick. Cline and his 12-year-old friend Cole Leeper had been out sledding after a record-setting snow storm. After sledding, the boys came across a pole along a fence. In Spencer's case, there was no dare. He had seen the movie, but he didn't think his tongue would actually stick. He was wrong and his tongue froze to the pole immediately. Surprise, then fear kicked in. Being a good friend, Cole ran to the nearest house and asked a woman if she had hot water for his friend's tongue. Cole said, "She said she didn't have any hot water, and I said, ‘Well, you're going to have to call an ambulance then.'" Spencer was actually able to pull his tongue off by the time Sandwich emergency medical service crews arrived. He estimated he was stuck for about seven minutes. Sandwich Deputy Fire Chief Nathan King said the department had never responded to a call like that before and noted, "Every crew member there was reminded of the movie and laughed at that scene." King said if Spencer's tongue was still stuck, crews would have placed a hot pack on the pole to try and warm up the area and use lukewarm water to remove it. Spencer was treated and released that night. His tongue is expected to recover fully. (Chicago Tribune)
Burger King Trolls McDonalds in New Ad Campaign
Adweek is calling Burger King's new ad campaign "clever" and "irreverent" because of its unusual premise. Customers can get a Burger King Whopper for just a penny - but there's an interesting catch. To get the deal, the customer must either be in a McDonald's store, or within 600 feet of one. Then they open the Burger King app, which reroutes them to the nearest BK to get a Whopper for a penny! As Ad Age notes, it has the added bonus for the chain of giving people an incentive to download the app and actually use it. It's the brainchild of FCB New York, and it required Burger King to "geofence" every McDonald's in the country. That would be roughly 14,000, about double the number of Burger Kings. The offer runs through Dec. 12. (USA Today)
Batman
Dozens of families in and around the city of Cairns, Australia, have been forced to temporarily abandon their homes after massive numbers of bats started dropping from the sky, dead on their homes, due to the unbearable heat. Temperatures have been hovering around 105 degrees and massive numbers of bats known as spectacled flying foxes began dropping out of trees on Monday. With no way to cool off, their organs start to shut down and they eventually die. Wildlife rescuers have been working around the clock, using spray bottles and drippers too cool off and hydrate the helpless creatures, but there's only so much they can do. The flying fox colonies in the Cairns area have already sustained heavy losses and the number of fatalities is expected to rise for as long as the heatwave continues. But apart from the environmental issues, the massive number of dead bats rotting away so close to people's houses has now become a become a serious public health issue as well. (Oddity Central)
Is There Ever Really an Appropriate Time to Ask for Twerking?
Ada Hegerberg is one of the biggest names in Norwegian soccer and the 23-year-old had just become the first woman to win the prestigious Ballon D'or in France, an award that recognizes the greatest soccer player in the world. Hegerberg told the audience it was "a huge step for women's football." And then the event's host gave her about 100 big steps back. Apparently trying to be funny, French DJ Martin Solveig then asked Hegerberg to dance and wondered if she knew how to twerk. She responded "no" and began walking off stage. She eventually did dance with Solveig to a Frank Sinatra song but the "twerk" remark exploded on social media, with Solveig coming under worldwide criticism for sexism. "This is disgusting," tweeted US soccer great Abby Wambach. "Imagine having just been given the best award for your craft/job/passion, and this is the question you're asked?!" From the tennis world, Andy Murray called it "another example of the ridiculous sexism in sport." Solveig tweeted an apology video, saying it was a "bad joke" and not meant to offend, and Hegerberg herself told the BBC that she didn't perceive it as an insult in the moment. But it is noteable that Hegerberg won't play for Norway in next year's Women's World Cup because she thinks the team's players aren't treated fairly. "It's all about how we respect women's football," she said. "I don't think the respect has been there." (Guardian)
Poor Rudy
A few fans and friends of Rudy Giuliani planned to throw a party early in 2019 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his election as Mayor of New York City. There's only been one problem. Nobody wants to come. Seriously - the party had to be cancelled due to extreme lack of RSVPs. A source reportedly said that the plans "fizzled out" because Giuliani is "too toxic" which I think is the politically correct way of saying that no one likes him at all. The party was scheduled to take place at the New York Hilton - ironically the very hotel where Giuliani celebrated his mayoral win in 1994. Giuliani tried to downplay the party cancellation, claiming he had nothing to do with it and saying, "If there was a party for me, it was a surprise party. I don't know anything about a party. If you find something out, let me know." (New York Daily News)
When Homework Takes a Wrong Turn
In New Hampshire, outrage has emerged around Dover High School where a group of 11th graders are accused of singing a racist song as part of a history class project. NBC News reports the students were instructed to create a song about the post-Civil War Reconstruction era when they took the assignment in an unfortunate direction. Reportedly, some students wrote a song to the tune of "Jingle Bells" that used the lyrics "KKK, KKK, Let's kill all the blacks," leading to an investigation by the school district. The investigation reportedly surrounds two students who chose the Ku Klux Klan as the subject of their project. Unknowingly at the time, the students were recorded by a cell phone during their presentation. Video of the incident began making the rounds late last week. Lyrics in the song also included: "White masks on our heads, blood beneath our feet, laughing till they're dead -- ha, ha, ha." After the school principal became aware of the content of the song and the video started to circulate, school superintendent William Harbron issued a statement saying the district is deeply concerned about the incident and promising a swift response to the "racial insensitivity." (NBC News)
If You're Going to Punch Police Officers While Naked Expect to Be Tased!
In Merrimack, New Hampshire, 52-year-old Richard Chase was completely naked when he was found walking in the parking lot the Residences at Daniel Webster hotel. Police were called after someone reported a nude Mr. Chase was knocking on guest's doors. When officers approached him, Chase reportedly became aggressive and tried to punch an officer. That's when officers tased him and then took him into custody. Chase was charged with indecent exposure, attempted assault and resisting arrest. He was already out on parole from a weapons charge. (WMUR)
What the What?
In Eerie, Pennsylvania, 44-year-old Windi Thomas has pleaded guilty to killing her boyfriend - by sitting on him. She tips the scales at over 300 pounds. Her boyfriend, 44-year-old Keeno Butler, weighed only 120. She apparently attacked Butler with a knife and a table leg after an argument at their home . She then sat on his chest, crushing him to death. Thomas was reportedly drinking and looking to buy crack before the incident. She is pleading to 3rd degree murder with a recommended sentence of 18-36 years in prison. (Daily Mail)
In Sandwich, Illinois, 11-year-old Spencer Cline decided to put the old tongue-on-the-frozen-pole stunt from "A Christmas Story" to the test and found out - yes it really does stick. Cline and his 12-year-old friend Cole Leeper had been out sledding after a record-setting snow storm. After sledding, the boys came across a pole along a fence. In Spencer's case, there was no dare. He had seen the movie, but he didn't think his tongue would actually stick. He was wrong and his tongue froze to the pole immediately. Surprise, then fear kicked in. Being a good friend, Cole ran to the nearest house and asked a woman if she had hot water for his friend's tongue. Cole said, "She said she didn't have any hot water, and I said, ‘Well, you're going to have to call an ambulance then.'" Spencer was actually able to pull his tongue off by the time Sandwich emergency medical service crews arrived. He estimated he was stuck for about seven minutes. Sandwich Deputy Fire Chief Nathan King said the department had never responded to a call like that before and noted, "Every crew member there was reminded of the movie and laughed at that scene." King said if Spencer's tongue was still stuck, crews would have placed a hot pack on the pole to try and warm up the area and use lukewarm water to remove it. Spencer was treated and released that night. His tongue is expected to recover fully. (Chicago Tribune)
Burger King Trolls McDonalds in New Ad Campaign
Adweek is calling Burger King's new ad campaign "clever" and "irreverent" because of its unusual premise. Customers can get a Burger King Whopper for just a penny - but there's an interesting catch. To get the deal, the customer must either be in a McDonald's store, or within 600 feet of one. Then they open the Burger King app, which reroutes them to the nearest BK to get a Whopper for a penny! As Ad Age notes, it has the added bonus for the chain of giving people an incentive to download the app and actually use it. It's the brainchild of FCB New York, and it required Burger King to "geofence" every McDonald's in the country. That would be roughly 14,000, about double the number of Burger Kings. The offer runs through Dec. 12. (USA Today)
Batman
Dozens of families in and around the city of Cairns, Australia, have been forced to temporarily abandon their homes after massive numbers of bats started dropping from the sky, dead on their homes, due to the unbearable heat. Temperatures have been hovering around 105 degrees and massive numbers of bats known as spectacled flying foxes began dropping out of trees on Monday. With no way to cool off, their organs start to shut down and they eventually die. Wildlife rescuers have been working around the clock, using spray bottles and drippers too cool off and hydrate the helpless creatures, but there's only so much they can do. The flying fox colonies in the Cairns area have already sustained heavy losses and the number of fatalities is expected to rise for as long as the heatwave continues. But apart from the environmental issues, the massive number of dead bats rotting away so close to people's houses has now become a become a serious public health issue as well. (Oddity Central)
Is There Ever Really an Appropriate Time to Ask for Twerking?
Ada Hegerberg is one of the biggest names in Norwegian soccer and the 23-year-old had just become the first woman to win the prestigious Ballon D'or in France, an award that recognizes the greatest soccer player in the world. Hegerberg told the audience it was "a huge step for women's football." And then the event's host gave her about 100 big steps back. Apparently trying to be funny, French DJ Martin Solveig then asked Hegerberg to dance and wondered if she knew how to twerk. She responded "no" and began walking off stage. She eventually did dance with Solveig to a Frank Sinatra song but the "twerk" remark exploded on social media, with Solveig coming under worldwide criticism for sexism. "This is disgusting," tweeted US soccer great Abby Wambach. "Imagine having just been given the best award for your craft/job/passion, and this is the question you're asked?!" From the tennis world, Andy Murray called it "another example of the ridiculous sexism in sport." Solveig tweeted an apology video, saying it was a "bad joke" and not meant to offend, and Hegerberg herself told the BBC that she didn't perceive it as an insult in the moment. But it is noteable that Hegerberg won't play for Norway in next year's Women's World Cup because she thinks the team's players aren't treated fairly. "It's all about how we respect women's football," she said. "I don't think the respect has been there." (Guardian)
Poor Rudy
A few fans and friends of Rudy Giuliani planned to throw a party early in 2019 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his election as Mayor of New York City. There's only been one problem. Nobody wants to come. Seriously - the party had to be cancelled due to extreme lack of RSVPs. A source reportedly said that the plans "fizzled out" because Giuliani is "too toxic" which I think is the politically correct way of saying that no one likes him at all. The party was scheduled to take place at the New York Hilton - ironically the very hotel where Giuliani celebrated his mayoral win in 1994. Giuliani tried to downplay the party cancellation, claiming he had nothing to do with it and saying, "If there was a party for me, it was a surprise party. I don't know anything about a party. If you find something out, let me know." (New York Daily News)
When Homework Takes a Wrong Turn
In New Hampshire, outrage has emerged around Dover High School where a group of 11th graders are accused of singing a racist song as part of a history class project. NBC News reports the students were instructed to create a song about the post-Civil War Reconstruction era when they took the assignment in an unfortunate direction. Reportedly, some students wrote a song to the tune of "Jingle Bells" that used the lyrics "KKK, KKK, Let's kill all the blacks," leading to an investigation by the school district. The investigation reportedly surrounds two students who chose the Ku Klux Klan as the subject of their project. Unknowingly at the time, the students were recorded by a cell phone during their presentation. Video of the incident began making the rounds late last week. Lyrics in the song also included: "White masks on our heads, blood beneath our feet, laughing till they're dead -- ha, ha, ha." After the school principal became aware of the content of the song and the video started to circulate, school superintendent William Harbron issued a statement saying the district is deeply concerned about the incident and promising a swift response to the "racial insensitivity." (NBC News)
If You're Going to Punch Police Officers While Naked Expect to Be Tased!
In Merrimack, New Hampshire, 52-year-old Richard Chase was completely naked when he was found walking in the parking lot the Residences at Daniel Webster hotel. Police were called after someone reported a nude Mr. Chase was knocking on guest's doors. When officers approached him, Chase reportedly became aggressive and tried to punch an officer. That's when officers tased him and then took him into custody. Chase was charged with indecent exposure, attempted assault and resisting arrest. He was already out on parole from a weapons charge. (WMUR)
What the What?
In Eerie, Pennsylvania, 44-year-old Windi Thomas has pleaded guilty to killing her boyfriend - by sitting on him. She tips the scales at over 300 pounds. Her boyfriend, 44-year-old Keeno Butler, weighed only 120. She apparently attacked Butler with a knife and a table leg after an argument at their home . She then sat on his chest, crushing him to death. Thomas was reportedly drinking and looking to buy crack before the incident. She is pleading to 3rd degree murder with a recommended sentence of 18-36 years in prison. (Daily Mail)
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