Strange & Bizarre News

[Standingstones]

I went on exactly ONE whale watching cruise off Plymouth, Mass years ago. One was enough. There was a group of whales (don't know what kind) about that size uncomfortably close to a Zodiac type boat. I thought we were just fine on a 50-60 foot vessel. It made you hold your breath to watch.

Until the Finback whale cruised past.

I was way in the back dangling my arm over the rail. Something ..... large ..... went by and nobody seemed to notice.

It came back.

Seems they have different markings down one side and I could see it better. Oh. My. God. We needed a bigger boat for sure. Even the crew was shocked and said they'd never seen that much activity all at once.

I will stay on dry land, thanks.

I just looked up information on finback whales. They can average 80 tons in weight and are generally the fastest of various types of whales, traveling 20 miles per hour. I wouldn’t want one or more of them crashing into my small boat.

 

[nivek]

They had sex off a Florida highway in the middle of the day. Passing drivers interrupted

Outdoor dining in a pandemic: Acceptable.

Outdoor sex on a busy highway: A criminal offense.

One Florida couple found out the hard way that getting romantic while cars zoom by can spoil the mood quickly.

According to a police report from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Amber Gormley and Shawn McClelland were arrested Tuesday after “many drivers” observed them having intimate relations on the side of a road in Largo, near St. Petersburg, around 2 p.m.

The complaint says Gormley, 39, and McClelland, 30, both of Clearwater, had intercourse “in an open area” where “all drivers could see them” on Whitney Road and US Highway 19 North,

Many passersby called authorities.

After they were read their rights, the “offender” admitted he performed acts of a sexual nature upon Gormley, the report says. But according to both parties, their outdoor rendezvous was “consensual.”

Charges for each included public display of penetration and lewd and lascivious exhibition. They were held at Pinellas County Jail on $10,000 bond.

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[nivek]

Florida beachgoers call 911 after stumbling upon bizarre sight: 'That would scare the hell out of me'

A volunteer for an environmental nonprofit was doing a cleanup on a beach in Perdido Key, Fla., when she thought she saw a dead body.

The volunteer, named Kathleen, reported the incident to Ocean Hour, the nonprofit where she was a volunteer. Kathleen told the group she believed she was looking at a decapitated body, and someone nearby apparently called 911.

Fortunately for everyone, it turned out to be a store mannequin covered in barnacles. Ocean Hour shared the story on Facebook on Nov. 16 along with a few photos that explain why Kathleen was terrified to stumble upon the sight.

“Volunteer Kathleen was walking the intercoastal side in Perdido Key…when she came across what she thought was a dead, decapitated body. Another visitor had even called 911,” Ocean Hour wrote. “Upon further investigating, she realized it was a mannequin!”

It’s unclear how long the mannequin was in the water or where it came from.

 

[1963]

Them-there Killer Whales are getting some bad press lately!

"Killer whales are killing great white sharks to eat their LIVERS, say experts"

Killer whales are blamed for vanishing population of great white sharks off Cape Town's coast | Daily Mail Online

Cheers.

 

[pigfarmer]

I went on exactly ONE whale watching cruise off Plymouth, Mass years ago. One was enough. There was a group of whales (don't know what kind) about that size uncomfortably close to a Zodiac type boat. I thought we were just fine on a 50-60 foot vessel. It made you hold your breath to watch.

Until the Finback whale cruised past.

I was way in the back dangling my arm over the rail. Something ..... large ..... went by and nobody seemed to notice.

It came back.

Seems they have different markings down one side and I could see it better. Oh. My. God. We needed a bigger boat for sure. Even the crew was shocked and said they'd never seen that much activity all at once.

I will stay on dry land, thanks.

I know Blue whales are bigger but I always got a kick out of this and it definitely shows a little perspective:Blue Whale Model | American Museum of Natural History

 

[nivek]

Was the mysterious object that fell from the sky onto the Navajo Nation from outer space? Or is there a more earthly explanation?

Navajo Nation officials say it fell from the sky on Wednesday and landed in a remote area of Dennehotso, a community about 25 miles east of Kayenta. Tully Begay, vice president of the tribe's Dennehotso Chapter, told The Arizona Republic the object landed about 1,200 feet from his home while he was away in Tuba City.

He said he began to get calls from relatives at about 1 p.m. on Nov. 18 saying they witnessed the crash and captured it on photo and video.

One of the photos was later shared on Facebook by Navajo Nation Council Delegate Nate Brown. The gray object in the photo appeared to have four large solar panels and rested upon dirt in a remote area. An orange object nearby appears to be a parachute.

The Navajo Police Department confirmed officers responded to the area after receiving reports about an object that fell from the sky, said department spokesperson Christina Tsosie. Tsosie described the object as a satellite, which she said crash-landed in the remote area of Dennehotso. There were no reports of injuries or property damage, she said.

The cause of the crash was unknown and the "satellite material" was released to employees from a company called Polar Field Services, she said. Company officials did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. According to the company website, the Colorado-based firm specializes in providing logistics and support for expeditions to locations in extreme climates.

While tribal officials said the object appeared to be a satellite, it appears to be similar to an object that crashed in Michigan last year. That object turned out to be a high-altitude weather balloon. Polar Field uses similar balloons in its operations.

The balloon that crashed in Michigan had been launched by Samsung as part of a "SpaceSelfie" ad campaign and crashed because of unexpected weather conditions, according to news reports at the time. If this week's object was from space, it wouldn't be the first time a piece of extra-terrestrial junk hit the Earth.

(More on the link)

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[michael59]

View attachment 12319

Was the mysterious object that fell from the sky onto the Navajo Nation from outer space? Or is there a more earthly explanation?

Navajo Nation officials say it fell from the sky on Wednesday and landed in a remote area of Dennehotso, a community about 25 miles east of Kayenta. Tully Begay, vice president of the tribe's Dennehotso Chapter, told The Arizona Republic the object landed about 1,200 feet from his home while he was away in Tuba City.

He said he began to get calls from relatives at about 1 p.m. on Nov. 18 saying they witnessed the crash and captured it on photo and video.

One of the photos was later shared on Facebook by Navajo Nation Council Delegate Nate Brown. The gray object in the photo appeared to have four large solar panels and rested upon dirt in a remote area. An orange object nearby appears to be a parachute.

The Navajo Police Department confirmed officers responded to the area after receiving reports about an object that fell from the sky, said department spokesperson Christina Tsosie. Tsosie described the object as a satellite, which she said crash-landed in the remote area of Dennehotso. There were no reports of injuries or property damage, she said.

The cause of the crash was unknown and the "satellite material" was released to employees from a company called Polar Field Services, she said. Company officials did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. According to the company website, the Colorado-based firm specializes in providing logistics and support for expeditions to locations in extreme climates.

While tribal officials said the object appeared to be a satellite, it appears to be similar to an object that crashed in Michigan last year. That object turned out to be a high-altitude weather balloon. Polar Field uses similar balloons in its operations.

The balloon that crashed in Michigan had been launched by Samsung as part of a "SpaceSelfie" ad campaign and crashed because of unexpected weather conditions, according to news reports at the time. If this week's object was from space, it wouldn't be the first time a piece of extra-terrestrial junk hit the Earth.

(More on the link)

.

So glad that didn't end up falling into someones home.

 

[Sheltie]

View attachment 12319

Was the mysterious object that fell from the sky onto the Navajo Nation from outer space? Or is there a more earthly explanation?

Navajo Nation officials say it fell from the sky on Wednesday and landed in a remote area of Dennehotso, a community about 25 miles east of Kayenta. Tully Begay, vice president of the tribe's Dennehotso Chapter, told The Arizona Republic the object landed about 1,200 feet from his home while he was away in Tuba City.

He said he began to get calls from relatives at about 1 p.m. on Nov. 18 saying they witnessed the crash and captured it on photo and video.

One of the photos was later shared on Facebook by Navajo Nation Council Delegate Nate Brown. The gray object in the photo appeared to have four large solar panels and rested upon dirt in a remote area. An orange object nearby appears to be a parachute.

The Navajo Police Department confirmed officers responded to the area after receiving reports about an object that fell from the sky, said department spokesperson Christina Tsosie. Tsosie described the object as a satellite, which she said crash-landed in the remote area of Dennehotso. There were no reports of injuries or property damage, she said.

The cause of the crash was unknown and the "satellite material" was released to employees from a company called Polar Field Services, she said. Company officials did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. According to the company website, the Colorado-based firm specializes in providing logistics and support for expeditions to locations in extreme climates.

While tribal officials said the object appeared to be a satellite, it appears to be similar to an object that crashed in Michigan last year. That object turned out to be a high-altitude weather balloon. Polar Field uses similar balloons in its operations.

The balloon that crashed in Michigan had been launched by Samsung as part of a "SpaceSelfie" ad campaign and crashed because of unexpected weather conditions, according to news reports at the time. If this week's object was from space, it wouldn't be the first time a piece of extra-terrestrial junk hit the Earth.

(More on the link)

.

I'm more curious about how and why they decided to name the nearby town Tuba City. Interesting name.

 

[Standingstones]

I'm more curious about how and why they decided to name the nearby town Tuba City. Interesting name.

Tuba Trading Post built in 1905

Location in Coconino County and the state of Arizona

Tuba City
The name of the town honors Tuuvi, a Hopi man from Oraibi who converted to Mormonism. The Navajo name for Tuba City, Tó Naneesdizí translates as "tangled waters", which probably refers to the many below-ground springs that are the source of several reservoirs.

 

[nivek]

This Little Baby Boat May Be the Smallest Ship in the Navy

At just 19 feet long, it's used to deploy underwater fences. D'awww.

• A little baby boat is making waves on Reddit. It may be the smallest ship in the U.S. Navy.
• The "Boomin Beaver" is a security tug that can tow small ships and deploy underwater fences.
• One of these boats fetched $100,000 in an auction, which sure seems like a lot for a boat this small.

An adorable little tugboat as long as a Ford F-150 is making the rounds on social media, prompting many to call it the “smallest ship in the U.S. Navy.”

At just 19 feet long, the boat is actually “Boomin Beaver” security tug. Originally built to herd logs in waterways, the Navy boat is now an all-purpose vessel that can tow small ships and deploy floating security fences, ensuring that larger submarines, destroyers, and even aircraft carriers don’t receive unwanted visitors.

The tug first popped up on Reddit earlier this week. Chuck's Boat and Drive in Longview, Washington built these boats for loggers, and at some point, the U.S. Navy purchased scores of them for various harbor duties. One Redditor identified this particular tug as operating out of Point Loma Sub Base in California, saying:

"It’s a security tug. Those protective barriers surrounding the water portion of the navy base don’t move themselves. It’s the equivalent of opening the gate for cattle to go in and out. Unlock it, unlatch it, swing it open, and close it when the ship has passed."

Indeed, Boomin Beavers can be seen in Google Maps at the USS Constitution Museum in Boston. The Beaver at Boston Harbor can also be seen here, where it's described as “operating the floating barrier” that surrounds the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy. The ships are also visible at several naval bases across the U.S., including Naval Base Kitsap Bangor, and Naval Base San Diego.

The Boomin Beaver alongside the USS Constitution. - GOOGLE MAPS

All of the Boomin Beavers are located near floating security nets, identified in the imagery as lines of connected buoys. The nets provide a visible security cordon—a “do not cross” line that keeps local shipping away from billion dollar warships. You can catch similar tugs at Norfolk Naval Station and Kings Bay, Georgia.

One of the tiny boats was put up for government auction in 2006. The listing described the boat as 19 feet long and 10 feet wide, with a draft of 5 feet. The power plant is listed as a Cummins 6BTA5.9 diesel engine rated at 260 hp with ZF marine transmission. The highest bid for the boat was $100,025, which seems like ... a lot for a boat this small.

But then again, nothing is cheap when it comes to Navy ships.

 

[1963]

A 2020 space oddity? Mysterious metal object found in Utah desert!

Had to double check with my calendar that it wasn't April 1st when I saw this story. ... but apparently it's real.
A 2020 space oddity? Mysterious metal object found in Utah desert - National | Globalnews.ca



Cheers.

 

[Toroid]

This Little Baby Boat May Be the Smallest Ship in the Navy

At just 19 feet long, it's used to deploy underwater fences. D'awww.

• A little baby boat is making waves on Reddit. It may be the smallest ship in the U.S. Navy.
• The "Boomin Beaver" is a security tug that can tow small ships and deploy underwater fences.
• One of these boats fetched $100,000 in an auction, which sure seems like a lot for a boat this small.

An adorable little tugboat as long as a Ford F-150 is making the rounds on social media, prompting many to call it the “smallest ship in the U.S. Navy.”

At just 19 feet long, the boat is actually “Boomin Beaver” security tug. Originally built to herd logs in waterways, the Navy boat is now an all-purpose vessel that can tow small ships and deploy floating security fences, ensuring that larger submarines, destroyers, and even aircraft carriers don’t receive unwanted visitors.

The tug first popped up on Reddit earlier this week. Chuck's Boat and Drive in Longview, Washington built these boats for loggers, and at some point, the U.S. Navy purchased scores of them for various harbor duties. One Redditor identified this particular tug as operating out of Point Loma Sub Base in California, saying:

"It’s a security tug. Those protective barriers surrounding the water portion of the navy base don’t move themselves. It’s the equivalent of opening the gate for cattle to go in and out. Unlock it, unlatch it, swing it open, and close it when the ship has passed."

Indeed, Boomin Beavers can be seen in Google Maps at the USS Constitution Museum in Boston. The Beaver at Boston Harbor can also be seen here, where it's described as “operating the floating barrier” that surrounds the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy. The ships are also visible at several naval bases across the U.S., including Naval Base Kitsap Bangor, and Naval Base San Diego.

The Boomin Beaver alongside the USS Constitution. - GOOGLE MAPS

All of the Boomin Beavers are located near floating security nets, identified in the imagery as lines of connected buoys. The nets provide a visible security cordon—a “do not cross” line that keeps local shipping away from billion dollar warships. You can catch similar tugs at Norfolk Naval Station and Kings Bay, Georgia.

One of the tiny boats was put up for government auction in 2006. The listing described the boat as 19 feet long and 10 feet wide, with a draft of 5 feet. The power plant is listed as a Cummins 6BTA5.9 diesel engine rated at 260 hp with ZF marine transmission. The highest bid for the boat was $100,025, which seems like ... a lot for a boat this small.

But then again, nothing is cheap when it comes to Navy ships.

View attachment 12383

I'm thinking it has a crew of 50. Why aren't there any guns on that ship?

 

[pigfarmer]

Why aren't there any guns on that ship

Doesn't need them. must have a magnetic rail gun in that wee pilot house.

Gee, if you are given command of one what does the phone call home to Mom and Dad sound like?

 

[nivek]

Eerie 'Mystery Knocker' Leaves Malaysian Villages on Edge

A strange panic is sweeping over parts of Malaysia after multiple people in different villages reported hearing a persistent knocking at their door, but finding no one there when they looked to see who was behind the baffling banging. According to a local media report, the series of puzzling incidents began late last week when people living in at least four different communities were disturbed by what initially appeared to be an unexpected visitor to their home. "Suddenly I heard the sound of the house kitchen door being knocked on loudly as if someone wanted to get inside quickly," recounted one individual who experienced the phenomenon, "I heard the knocking sound getting louder before I peeked out the window and found no one outside the house."

His bewilderment over the noise soon turned to terror when he heard the knocking coming from inside his house. "My whole body was shivering and my hair was shaking as soon as I heard a knock on the door in the bathroom that had not been used for a long time," the witness recalled. After sharing his experience on social media, the man soon realized that it was not an isolated incident as several people chimed in with their own accounts of being pestered by the eerie knocking sound.

In nearly all of the instances, witnesses reported hearing the relentless sound of someone seeking entry into their residence, but there was no one outside when they looked out the window. One person who was visited by the mystery knocker actually managed to capture the incident on video (seen above). In the footage, something powerfully pounds on the door until the homeowner quickly opens it and, indeed, no one is there. The video, which may very well be a hoax to take advantage of the buzz surrounding the mystery, as well as the unsettling accounts have spread like wildfire on Malaysian social media with many wondering if there is a supernatural explanation for the spate of incidents.

While that is a matter of conjecture, the fact that they are happening appears to be beyond dispute as even a local official in one of the villages indicated that his home had been visited by the mystery knocker. And, in fact, he revealed that "almost half of the villagers complained about the same incident," which would seem to suggest that the strangeness might not be the work of a mere prankster, since they would have to had hit a considerable amount of homes in a rather short amount of time. For now, authorities are advising residents to not answer the door if they happen to be targeted by the knocker and have stepped up patrols in the area in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the very weird case.

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[nivek]

Squirrel Gets Drunk On Fermented Pears

A video from the midwest shows a squirrel feeding on fermented pears, with predictable results.

While the famous prison concoction made of prunes purloined from the jail cafeteria and brewed in secret is known to pack a clandestine punch, a squirrel in Inner Grove Heights, Minnesota is apparently a repeat customer at a feeding station set up by resident Katy Morlok. Morlok said that she stopped feeding the temporarily lucky rodent when she realized what was happening, ending the pre-Thanksgiving treat.

Other critters such as moose, fruit bats, and most famously, monkeys have historically exhibited a taste for alcohol when they can get it, proving that humans aren’t the only party animals.

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[nivek]

Lightning fried chicken for Thanksgiving

A farmer in Zimbabwe was left baffled when she saw a lightning bolt killing all of her 1,000 chickens in one shot on Nov. 24th.

You would tell me “hey! perfect! it’s two days before Thanksgiving and everybody is looking for fried chicken at the market.” But no this farmer was left devastated. She indeed had a potential buyer, but for living animals. OMG!

It all happened on Tuesday around 4pm, when a huge ball of fire struck the fowl run. It must have been really scary.

This comes amid warnings of more violent storms in the Matabeleland region, with heavy rains, possibility of flash flooding, damaging winds and lots of lightning.

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[nivek]

 

[nivek]

Man's Wife Makes Him Sell His PlayStation 5 After Realizing It Wasn't an Air Purifier

A Taiwanese man was forced to part with his PlayStation 5 last month after his wife discovered that he had lied to her about it being an air purifier, Taiwan News reports.

This heartbreaking story comes courtesy of Jin Wu, who turned out to be the lucky recipient of Sony's next-gen console. Wu detailed his interaction on Facebook, claiming that one day after agreeing to buy the PlayStation 5 from a reseller in person, he called the individual he believed to be a man on the phone only to hear a woman pick up.

After his brief conversation with the mysterious woman, Wu could ascertain that she didn't know much about the PS5, but was adamant about selling it, even at a remarkably low price. While he doesn't specify just how cheap she was willing to go, the Digital Edition costs $399 and the Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive version will run you $499.

When he arrived to their agreed upon pick-up spot, Wu was greeted by a middle-aged man. The two discussed how he was able to get his hands on such a highly sought after device. "Did you buy two? Otherwise, why are you selling it?," Wu remembers asking the man, who fell silent before coming forward with the truth, saying, "My wife wants to sell it."

"I went silent after seeing the look in his eyes. I could feel his pain," Wu recalls, remembering the bitter expression on the man's face as he struggled to keep their suddenly awkward conversation going. "It turns out that women can tell the difference between a PS5 and an air filter."

Since it was released last month, the PlayStation 5 has made some people do the unthinkable just to get their hands on one. A man named Tyler Lopez started waiting in line outside of a GameStop in Dublin, California at 8 p.m. Wednesday evening and proceeded to stay in line for 36 hours just so he could be the first person when the store opened on Black Friday.

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[nivek]

Woman with coronavirus eats super-spicy meal after losing sense of taste, documents body's 'weirdest' reaction

A woman who lost her senses of taste and smell due to coronavirus claims she used her newfound “superpower” to try eating the spiciest cuisine she could think of — but she now admits it was too much for her “delicate New England tummy.”

The woman, who shared her story to Reddit under the handle Stinky_Cat_Toes, explained that she was isolating in the bedroom of an apartment that she shares with her mother, and soon began “running out of ways to occupy my time” while cooped up in her 9-by-7-foot space.

“Well, yesterday it happened; I lost all smell and taste,” she explained in her post, which was shared earlier this week. “Weird, but at least it gave me something to do! I promptly drank black coffee, then moved on to greater challenges and ate an entire black licorice candy (anise is the devil's flavor) with no effect. Then I had an idea! What about spicy food?”

As a “last hurrah” before starting a diet, the woman explained that she ordered some food from her favorite Thai restaurant. “They had a spice scale of low, medium, adventurous, and native Thai,” she said, revealing that she chose “adventurous” after briefly teasing the idea of going for “native Thai.”

“It was the weirdest experience ever,” she claimed. “My entire body was sweating — my eyeballs were sweating. I could tell it was spicy and tell it was painful, but in this weird removed way where it didn't really matter.”

She admitted that she started to feel a “numb physical pain” but decided to finish her meal — as well as a marijuana edible — because this meal was still the “most exciting thing” she’d done amid her 10-day isolation.

“Here we are the day after, and my delicate New England tummy is paying for yesterday's ego trip. My apartment only has one bathroom, and I have to coordinate trips with my mother so as not to put her at greater risk. I flew too close to the sun, folks,” she admitted.

In the comments, Stinky_Cat_Toes explained that her tongue and lips were most affected by the spice, although that sensation, too, dulled quickly. Otherwise, she explained that she still has the ability to detect when foods are very bitter, salty, sweet or sour, despite not being able to actually taste or smell a single thing.

“I can’t even smell tea tree oil,” she wrote. “I can stick my face in a cup of coffee and inhale and I can’t smell anything… just nothing.”

Stinky_Cat_Toes also fielded a bunch of questions about her isolation routine, and assured all of the commenters that she was following all recommendations from the CDC about sharing an apartment bathroom with her mother.

And despite her recovering digestive system, she’s at least happy her “experiment” is bringing so much joy to the Reddit community.

“I’m very glad you folks got a chuckle!” she responded to one of the thousand-plus commenters on her thread.

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[nivek]

Wild scenes as an angry mob in New Zealand turns violent after flocking to a $70,000 'cash drop' only to discover the money is FAKE

A furious crowd turned on the organisers of a $100,000 'cash drop' after discovering the money raining down on them was fake. Safety Warehouse New Zealand promoted the event for weeks before opening up Aotea Square in Auckland on Saturday.

'We are the people's company & proud of it, so we're dropping $100,000 in value from the sky in Aotea Square. Yes, ACTUAL MONEY will be flying from the sky,' the company wrote. Some members of the public travelled for hours and spent hundreds of dollars in the hope of grabbing some of the cash.

But the crowd turned violent when they realised the notes falling from the sky were coupons for free or discounted products for personal protective equipment.

Footage captured from the event shows the mob chasing down organisers as they drove away from the event. Dozens of people can be seen surrounding the car, throwing objects and shouting 'where's my money,' and 'show me my money'.

Security guards stood arm to arm to keep the crowd from smashing in the windows as they jostled together.

Safety Warehouse New Zealand promoted the event for weeks before opening up Aotea Square in Auckland to crowds who had registered for free tickets.

(More on the link)

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