News of the Weird: Week of October 19, 2023

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Recurring Theme

It's happened again. On Oct. 15, as an EasyJet flight prepared to travel from the Spanish island of Tenerife to London after a three-hour delay, the pilot announced that the flight would depart in about 20 minutes. "And that's when the incident happened with the defecation," said passenger Aaran Gedhu, according to CNN Travel. Gedhu saw two people visit the forward restroom before an unpleasant odor permeated the cabin and word spread that someone had pooped on the bathroom floor. "Obviously, the plane was in an unsanitary state. So they had to get external cleaners out from the airport to clean it," Gedhu said. After the cleaning was complete, the pilot announced that passengers would have to disembark -- which took another 30 minutes. Another passenger, Kitty Streek, said: "We obviously can't prove whether the person simply had an accident or if they had done this out of anger for the delayed flight ... but nobody wants to be stranded in another country." And yet, they were: Gedhu was lodged in a hotel overnight before taking a "rescue" flight the next day.                                        

If It Ain't Broke ...?

A restaurant in Tokyo, Abe-chan, recently revealed the secret behind its popular pork skewers, Oddity Central reported. The skewers are dipped in a sauce jar that hasn't been cleaned in more than 60 years and is covered on the outside with a hardened goo. Each day, cooks pour new sauce over the previous day's sauce, as they have throughout three generations of owners -- a practice they say contributes to its rich flavor. Experts said as long as the concoction is heated, there shouldn't be any bacterial growth.                                        

That Bugs Me!

As Volaris flight 221 prepared to leave Guadalajara International Airport on Oct. 6, passengers and crew were delayed by an infestation of mosquitoes in the cabin, ABC7-TV reported. The flight was headed to Mexico City, and crew members and passengers tried for two hours to eradicate the pests, swatting them and spraying bug repellent. Finally, passenger Elizabeth Corona said, the insects settled down when the cabin lights were turned off.                                      

My Strange Obsession

Fox News reported on Oct. 17 that Rowan Sturgill of Lexington, Kentucky, has documented her mother, Beth's, obsession with Diet Coke on TikTok: "This isn't even half of it, I'm not kidding," Rowan captioned her video. Beth's decor includes a soap dispenser labeled with Diet Coke and a wall full of images related to the no-calorie drink. Her Christmas ornaments are dominated by the soda, and an entire wall of her home is dedicated to a shrine of sorts comprised of bottles and cans of various sizes and shapes. One friend posted that it's like being in an "alternate reality" when they're at the Sturgills' house.                                        

The Passing Parade

On Oct. 15, as a child stood near a canal in Cape Coral, Florida, a Dodge Challenger left the road nearby at a high rate of speed and plunged into the canal nose first, NBC2-TV reported -- fortunately just missing the child. "I can only imagine how he's feeling," said Lorraine Holder, who lives on the canal and had a home security camera trained on the water that captured the incident. The car's airbags deployed, which made it difficult to get the driver out, but a Good Samaritan helped him escape before it sank completely. No injuries were reported.              

News You Can Use

People in London have been perplexed by a bale of hay hanging from the Millennium Bridge, a modern structure that spans the River Thames, Sky News reported on Oct. 18. The bridge is undergoing maintenance that will reduce its headroom. When social media lit up with questions, the City Bridge Foundation, a charity that benefits crossings over the Thames, came to the rescue: "In accordance with ancient tradition (and the Port of London Thames Byelaws), a bundle of straw is dangled from the Millennium Bridge to warn shipping of work under the bridge (we're not making this up, honest)." At night, workers hang a white light to warn ships. Work is expected to be completed by Nov. 5.                                      

 Least Competent Criminals

Three Florida men were arrested on Oct. 14 in Pompano Beach, Florida, after a hapless kidnapping attempt, KMOV-TV reported. Raymond Gomez and brothers Jonathan Arista and Jeffry Arista grabbed a man outside his apartment in Plantation, Florida, and drove him to a home nearby -- but then realized they had the wrong guy, police said. They threatened him with an electric drill and a firearm and attempted to waterboard him before deciding he might be able to lure their intended victim to them. The kidnappers drove him to his place of business, where the other man was, but the original victim phoned in a bomb threat (to get an immediate response), and the suspects were arrested. They face life in prison.                                        

Bright Idea

Japanese milk producer Seki Milk has devised an entertaining solution to a growing problem, Oddity Central reported on Oct. 11. The company did research showing that 65% of students weren't finishing their milk at lunch, so it partnered with a manga studio to produce an original comic series and print it in white on its glass milk bottles. As they drink, kids are compelled to finish the beverage so the artwork is revealed. The company says Milk Manga encourages healthy behavior and reading, and gets kids thinking about food loss.                                        

It's a Dirty Job

Ryan Smith, 41, who transports bodies for a funeral company in Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested on Oct. 6 after he broke into the home of a deceased person he had moved, The Smoking Gun reported. Investigators said that when Smith initially went to the apartment, there was a "very real life size" sex doll on the bed near the body. Later, Smith called the property manager and said the sheriff had asked him to remove the doll "to collect swabs for biopsy." The property manager denied Smith entry to the home, but he later suspected Smith was inside the unit, which had been secured with a deadbolt and chain. The manager watched as Smith left with his shirt untucked and trousers in "disarray," then called police. The sex doll showed evidence of recent use, and she was confiscated for DNA testing. Ryan was relieved of his job.

It's a Mystery

Adorchita Di Perno of Calgary, Alberta, was proud of finishing her 22nd marathon in Chicago on Oct. 8, so she decided to have her medal engraved on the back, Running magazine reported. She also had the 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden sign the back in Sharpie. When she picked up the medal from the engraver, though, she saw that not only was her time wrong on the back, but the F-word was engraved above it. "This is my medal, but this is not my time or name," she said. "And I did not ask for the F-word." Later that day, store employees figured out that her medal had been confused with another runner's, who, oddly, DID want the F-word engraved on the back -- but declined to say why. Di Perno said she was upset about the mix-up at the time, but now she's laughing about it. Probably helps that she qualified for the Boston race.

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