strange stuff

From strange crimes to strange celebrity deaths, read all of the latest weird and strange stuff news stories on Newser.com

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Meet the 'Cyborg' Who Feels Every Earthquake

Moon Ribas argues 'sensory extensions' are the way of the future

(Newser) - Choreographer Moon Ribas describes herself as having two heartbeats: "my own heartbeat and the Earth's." She's not exactly speaking metaphorically. Thanks to a small chip grafted into her elbow, Ribas feels vibrations based on seismic readings from around the world. During her performances, dubbed Waiting for ...

Giant Inflatable Pumpkin Escapes, Terrorizes Phoenix

Giant gourd broke free from its restraints, wreaking havoc on city streets

(Newser) - It's the Great Untethered Pumpkin, Arizona! Halloween tricks came early for some drivers and pedestrians in the Phoenix area Thursday when a giant inflatable pumpkin bounded down the roadway in high winds. The 25-foot-tall, 350-pound pumpkin escaped from its display promoting the Peoria Sports Complex's Monster Bash, sailing...

Fighting Mom, Daughter Roll Onto Highway, Get Killed

They were fighting on highway when car struck them

(Newser) - A mother and daughter are dead after both were fatally struck while fighting on a New Mexico Highway. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the incident took place around 7:30pm Wednesday on NM 599 near Airport Road. Santa Fe police spokeswoman Andrea Dobyns says both women and a...

Salem Witch's Prediction Comes True in Court

Judge grants protective order to 'psychic' Lori Bruno Sforza

(Newser) - A Salem witch has come out on top in a court battle with a warlock without the help of a single curse or spell. On Wednesday, a judge ruled New Orleans warlock Christian Day must give up all contact with 75-year-old Lori Bruno Sforza or face up to two and...

Towing Company Charges Man $48K to Remove Jeep From Mud

It probably would have been cheaper to just leave it there

(Newser) - “I thought they made a mistake," Massachusetts resident Joel Ramer tells WFXT-TV about the moments after he received a $48,000 towing bill. Ramer was off-roading with his girlfriend when his Jeep got stuck in a mud pit. Assured Collision responded to tow Ramer's vehicle, and spent...

Runaway Blimp Causes Power Outages in Pennsylvania

Unmanned Army blimp broke loose from its moorings

(Newser) - An unmanned Army surveillance blimp broke loose from its moorings in Maryland and floated over Pennsylvania for hours Wednesday with two US fighter jets on its tail, triggering blackouts across the countryside as it dragged its cable across power lines. The bulbous, 240-foot helium-filled blimp finally came down near Muncy,...

Since 2004, 10 Americans Have Gotten Shot ... by Dogs

Et tu, Fido?

(Newser) - Almost every year since 2004 in the US, a dog has shot a human. The Washington Post looked into such incidents after a dog named Trigger shot his owner over the weekend , and found 10 examples—and there could be more if the humans involved didn't report the shooting...

Salem Witch: This Warlock Is Harassing Me

The pair head to court Wednesday to decide if she gets order of protection

(Newser) - A woman who calls herself a witch priestess is taking the self-proclaimed "world's best-known warlock" to court over accusations of harassment. Lori Sforza, who runs a witchcraft shop and leads a pagan church in Salem, Mass., filed for court-ordered protection against harassment from Christian Day, whom she accuses...

Owner Finds Car Parked on Her Roof

Nobody was hurt in bizarre car accident

(Newser) - When Joyce Kingsley heard "kaboom" in her Michigan home, she immediately thought of extreme weather. It was something much stranger. The 83-year-old discovered that a Ford Mustang was parked on the roof of her home, after the driver had a medical problem Monday and lost control on Interstate 69...

Guy With Zombie Baby as Passenger Gets $136 Ticket

He was in the HOV lane, but no one else (alive) was in the car

(Newser) - A Washington man tried to use his Halloween decor in an innovative way Tuesday morning, but it didn't work out so well for him. "A trooper stopped this #HOV lane violator this morning near #Tacoma...At least he's in the [Halloween] spirit. #TrickOrTicket," tweeted the Washington...

California Police Department to Use Nunchucks

They're sometimes better than a baton, one sergeant says

(Newser) - If you run into a police officer in Anderson, California, don't be surprised if he's sporting some nunchucks instead of a baton. The Northern California police department is outfitting its 20 officers with the weapon popularized by Bruce Lee because it wanted another nonlethal way to bring a...

Man Kills 'Zombie' Friend After Walking Dead Binge

He used guitar, microwave in beating, police say

(Newser) - A New Mexico man watched so much of The Walking Dead—and drank so much malt liquor—that police say he became convinced his friend was a zombie and acted accordingly. Police say Damon Perry, 23, beat, kicked, and stabbed his friend Christopher Paquin, also 23, to death after the...

Woman Shot by Dog ... Named Trigger

Yep, this happened

(Newser) - If you name your dog Trigger, you're sort of tempting fate. And in the case of one Indiana woman, fate came back to bite her in the butt. Or, more accurately, shoot her in the foot. Allie Carter, 25, was hunting with her labrador retriever, the aforementioned Trigger, when...

Woman Stranded 13 Years After Crossing Border Goes Home

Deaf-mute woman Geeta was only 11 when she wandered into Pakistan

(Newser) - Geeta was about 11 when she somehow crossed the militarized border between India and Pakistan. A deaf-mute Indian girl, Geeta couldn't explain exactly what happened, but mimed an explosion, ducking out of the way, and then her discovery at the Lahore railway station, report Reuters and the Indian Express...

After Violence, Venue Change, Jack-o-Lantern Fest Fizzles

New Hampshire's onetime record-breaking festival hits less than a third its goal

(Newser) - A pumpkin festival failed to scare up a world record for jack-o-lanterns. The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival in Laconia was trying to break the record of more than 30,500 lit jack-o-lanterns. It came up far short Saturday, with only 9,567 pumpkins. The festival was previously held in Keene....

Guy Creates 'Sovereign Nation' of Zaqistan—in Utah

Step right up, get your visa

(Newser) - A New York man is building his own sovereign nation called Zaqistan on a remote piece of land in Utah. Zaq Landsberg has a yellow-and-red flag, official-looking passports, and a border patrol gate guarded by a giant robot sentry for the realm, KSL-TV reports. "The conceptual goal is I...

This Is What It's Like to 'Hate Sound'

Experts say up to 20% of people may suffer from misophonia

(Newser) - Does a loud chewer drive you crazy—to the point that you'd rather leave the room than endure the chomping? It turns out you might be the one with the problem. Researchers say people with an extreme aversion to certain sounds—like chewing, foot-tapping, or sniffing—may suffer from...

Uncovered: Historic Video of Parachuting Beavers

Yes, really

(Newser) - More than half a century after a group of beavers parachuted into the Idaho backcountry, officials have uncovered footage of the quirky wildlife management moment. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game was struggling with an overpopulation of beavers in some regions in the 1940s when wildlife managers settled on...

Home Finally Sells, Despite Booby Trap Warning

Officials had some trouble offloading Ed and Elaine Brown's compound

(Newser) - Two New Hampshire properties finally sold at auction Thursday, despite the fact that they may be booby-trapped. The Christian Science Monitor has the backstory: A 6,000-square-foot house on a 100-acre property, plus a nearby dental office, were owned by Ed and Elaine Brown, who were convicted of tax evasion...

Driver's Alleged Crime: Drinking Coffee

Minnesota woman was left 'dumbfounded'

(Newser) - There's a good chance you broke the law on your way to work today—at least in the eyes of Minnesota police. The offense: drinking coffee while driving. Lindsey Krieger tells KMSP she was "dumbfounded" when an officer told her she'd been pulled over for the apparent...

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