Wednesday 30 January 2019

United Airlines Ejects Fat-Shaming Passenger From Flight

A woman sitting in the center seat on a United Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Newark, New Jersey was reportedly removed from the plane after she fat-shamed the passengers who were seated next to her.

The incident happened before takeoff on New Year’s Day. A video of what occurred was recorded by Norma Rodgers, an oncology nurse who was seated next to the fat-shamer, and went viral in recent days.

The unidentified passenger in the center seat was talking on her cellphone, and complaining that she was “stuck” between Rodgers and her traveling companion. Rodgers then asked the flight attendant to find the woman another seat, adding that she would “not be verbally abused by this bitch or anybody else.”

The woman said: “I can’t sit here because they’re both so big. Left and right. I can’t even sit here.”

The flight attendant offered the woman another seat. As the woman stood to change seats, she announced: “I eat salad.”

Other passengers, including Jonathan Fernandez of the VH1 reality show “Love & Hip Hop New York,” told the woman she was disgusting.

“Why don’t you sit in between those two big pigs?” the woman replied. 

United then removed the woman from the flight before it took off and said in a statement that it provided her with “alternate travel arrangements first thing the next morning.”

Check out the video to see how the whole thing went down.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/united-airlines-fat-shaming-passenger_us_5c5128dee4b0d9f9be6a57 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Never, Ever Forget Your Helmet: Cyclist's Horrific Deer Crash Caught On Camera

A bicyclist had a close encounter with a deer in Arizona at 40 miles an hour ― and based on the footage of the run-in, they were both lucky to walk away in one piece.

Reed (yes, “deer” spelled backward) Soehnel was cycling down Mt. Lemmon outside of Tucson last week when the deer ran across the road.

As the video shows, Soehnel went over the handlebars, flipping completely over, with his head and shoulders absorbing much of the impact. 

Fortunately, he was wearing a helmet.

“I was fully alert and (had) no concussion symptoms the entire time, so that’s why the decision was made to not involve an ambulance, although I was in a decent amount of pain,” Soehnel told the Arizona Daily Star.

Somehow, both the cyclist and the deer managed to escape without serious injury.

“The end result is a shattered bicycle, some road rash, and a broken foot,” Soehnel wrote in his YouTube description. “You can see my back wheel in the video, we were both very lucky it wasn’t worse.”

The deer could be seen in the background running back into the forest. 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/deer-vs-cyclist-video_us_5c4fe27ce4b0d9f9be687b52 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Tuesday 29 January 2019

Woman Reunited With Message In A Bottle She Tossed Into The Sea Years Ago

A British woman experienced a real blast from the past when a message in a bottle that she threw into the sea more than 17 years ago was returned to her.

Emily Edwards, 25, said she was a 7-year-old vacationing in Wales when she wrote a note to her future self and tossed it into the ocean.

Edwards forgot about the bottle until a runner named Sam Hammond found it last week, almost 60 miles away from where she dropped it into the briny blue, according to the BBC.

The ink had faded over the years, and all Hammond could recognize was Emily’s name and a postal code for Telford, where she lived at the time she wrote the note.

Hammond’s mum, Sue Cookson, told the BBC that her son found the bottle on the beach, and the family thought it would be fun to try and reunite it with the sender.

That happened after a photo of the faded note was posted on social media. 

Edwards was stunned when she realized her past was coming back to haunt her.

“I phoned my dad looking for confirmation that I wasn’t going mad, but he confirmed that I did send the message as a 7-year-old,” she said, according to Inside Edition.

“Can’t get my head around how it hasn’t been picked up as litter or anything like that” before now, she added.

Edwards now hopes to repeat the message-in-a-bottle routine with her own infant daughter.

“It’s a brilliant story to tell my little girl when she’s older and we can try doing the same when she understands a bit more and hopefully maybe hers will come back one day,” she added.

You can see Edwards open up the bottle in the video below:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/emily-edwards-message-in-a-bottle_us_5c4f3d28e4b0f43e41099c06 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Cops Rescue Toddler Who Got Stuck In His Own Toy

A 20-month-old boy in New Jersey couldn’t wait to play with his new toy. 

Unfortunately, he’s the one that ended up getting played, after he got stuck inside the toy ― which was a box designed to teach shapes.

The boy’s mom, Soona Choe, told CBS New York that her son, Luca, somehow climbed into the box.

“It’s kind of comical if you think about the situation,” she told the station. “He got in, got wedged in, and he couldn’t get out.”

Somehow, the child climbed inside and wedged his legs and knees inside. 

Choe said when she realized just how stuck her son was, she had to call 911 ― which was a bit embarrassing.

“I’m like, ‘My kid’s stuck in a toy,’ and they’re like, ‘What kind of toy, what do you mean?’” Choe said, according to Inside Edition.

Sergeant Rick Hernandez, the Fort Lee police officer who responded to the call, admitted the incident was kind of amusing.

“It was a priceless expression on his face. He looked a little bit embarrassed about the situation,” Hernandez told MyHighPlains.com.

Although Hernandez says a truck carrying the jaws-of-life was on its way to the scene, he managed to free Luca just from his own sheer strength.

“I asked Mom if I could break it, [and] she said ‘I tried, you can give it a shot,’” he told the website. “I was able to get off the front panel, it cracked.”

Luca is back to playing with the toy, but his mother said she plans to keep the toy and remind him of the incident, presumably for the rest of his life.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/luca-choe-stuck-in-toy_us_5c4f8011e4b0f43e410a0176 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Man Clings To Hood Of SUV In High-Speed Road-Rage Incident

A 65-year-old man clung to the hood of an SUV as it traveled at speeds of up to 70 miles an hour following a road rage incident on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

The man, Richard Kamrowski, and the driver of the SUV, 37-year-old Mark Fitzgerald, were involved in a minor sideswipe on Saturday and had pulled over to exchange information, Fox News reported. When the men got into an argument, Fitzgerald began to drive away. That’s when Kamrowski jumped on the hood of Fitzgerald’s SUV.

“I thought he was going to run over me and I don’t know I don’t think he stopped he just kept going fast then slow, fast then slow trying to get me to slide off and I wasn’t getting off the car,” Kamrowski told WFXT.

Ultimately, other drivers ― including one with a gun ― persuaded Fitzgerald to stop his vehicle.

Massachusetts State Police arrested both Fitzgerald and Kamrowski, WFXT reported. Fitzgerald faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, negligent driving and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage. Kamrowski was charged with disorderly conduct.

The man with the gun was not charged.

Check out the harrowing video above.  

 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/road-rage-incident-massachusetts-turnpike_us_5c4e9207e4b0e1872d ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

These Weird But Wonderful Gifts Will Definitely Spice Up Valentine's Day

Of all the gift-giving holidays, perhaps Valentine’s Day is the most fraught with danger.

Some Valentines have such high expectations that they end up being disappointed when they get the same cliche candy, flowers or sex apparel.

Booooooooring!

Luckily, with our guide you don’t have to worry about disappointing your Valentine (because you probably will ― see? No more stress!).

But if you’re dating someone who would be disappointed to receive a 6-foot gummy cobra, a marijuana bouquet or a purse shaped like a bloody butcher knife, trust us: You don’t want them in your life.

Meanwhile, anyone who loves the gifts below (or is at least willing to fake enthusiasm) is a real keeper.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/weird-valentines-day-gifts-2019_us_5c3e6ea7e4b0e0baf54228b3 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Trump Wanted His Disney Animatronic To Brag About His Skyscrapers, New Book Says

President Donald Trump reportedly wanted to tweak the script of his animatronic likeness at Walt Disney World’s Hall of Presidents attraction to make a quick boast.

The iconic attraction has for decades added new animatronics for each president as they’re elected, complete with audio. Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama all recorded dialogue for the attraction. In Trump’s case, however, he wanted to personalize the speech with a boast about his pre-presidential business activities.

According to the book “Team of Vipers” by Cliff Sims, who served as director of White House message strategy, the president wanted to add a line about how Americans invented the skyscraper, The Daily Beast reported.

“Then I could add a little, ‘Which, of course, I know a thing or two about,’ right?” Trump reportedly said.

Disney objected, noting that a skyscraper wasn’t really an “invention” but “just a taller building,” and Sims removed the line from Trump’s script, The Daily Beast reported, citing an advance copy of the book. 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-hall-of-presidents-skyscrapers_us_5c4a97f9e4b0287e5b89596 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Man Says Emotional Support Alligator Helps His Depression

YORK HAVEN, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator helps him deal with his depression.

Sixty-five-year-old Joie Henney, of York Haven, says his registered emotional support animal named Wally likes to snuggle and give hugs, despite being a 5-foot-long alligator. Philly.com reports Henney says he received approval from his doctor to use Wally as his emotional support animal after not wanting to go on medication for depression.

Wally was rescued from outside Orlando at 14 months old. Henney says Wally eats chicken wings and shares an indoor plastic pond with a smaller rescue alligator named Scrappy.

Henney acknowledges that Wally is still a dangerous wild animal and could probably tear his arm off, but says he’s never been afraid of him.

___

Information from: Philly.com, http://www.philly.com/



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/emotional-support-alligator-joie-henney_us_5c49f656e4b06ba6d3bb ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Student Allegedly Calls In Hoax Bomb Threat To Avoid Seeing Parents


An EasyJet flight taking off in France had to be diverted last week because of a fake bomb threat.

On Jan. 18, flight EZY4319 from Lyon to Rennes was in the air when authorities received an anonymous call that suggested a bomb could be on the plane.

The pilots returned to Lyon, but no bomb was found.

Authorities investigating the call said the person behind the threat was a 23-year-old college student in Rennes. He allegedly didn’t want his parents, who were on the flight, to visit him, according to the Mirror.

Police took the unidentified suspect into custody and have charged him with “false news compromising the safety of an aircraft in flight,” according to the Independent.

His next court date is May 21.

If convicted, the alleged hoaxer could face up to five years in prison and a fine of nearly $85,000, the Independent reported.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/easyjet-bomb-threat-guy-see-parents_us_5c4a2c42e4b06ba6d3bb82b7 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Runaway Emus Finally Captured After Day On The Lam

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — Police in coastal Texas have captured a pair of runaway emus that had been on the lam for a day after escaping from their owner's backyard.

Emus aren't permitted in Galveston, but police say a man recently brought the large, flightless birds to the island after the death of his mother. She'd owned them at her home near Houston.

The Galveston County Daily News reports the emus escaped their new owner's backyard sometime Monday. Police recaptured the birds near an elementary school Tuesday morning.

Officials say the birds' owner didn't realize Galveston had a ban on emus and that he's working with authorities to find an off-island home for them.

___

Information from: The Galveston County Daily News, http://www.galvnews.com



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/police-capture-pair-of-runaway-emus-in-coastal-texas_us_5c48a4c ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Arizona Lawmaker Wants Porn To Fund Trump's Border Wall


A GOP lawmaker wants to fund President Donald Trump’s border wall by squeezing money out of every Arizonan who patronizes pornographic websites.

Republican state Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, recently introduced House Bill 2444, which would require electronics manufacturers to preinstall porn-blocking software on all electronic devices bought or sold in the state, the Arizona Mirror reported.

To deactivate the blocking software, a person would have to prove they are at least 18 years old and pay a one-time fee of $20 to the Arizona Commerce Authority. Manufacturers or retailers could also charge a fee for disabling it, according to the bill. Anyone who deactivates the blocker themselves would face a misdemeanor charge. 

The money collected by the state, according to the proposal, would form a number of grants, which would, among other things, help sex abuse victims and fund the president’s proposed border wall.

The bill defines pornographic content as “patently offensive” material that lacks “literary, artistic, political or scientific value.” It references the banning of “revenge porn” websites and addresses specific anatomical areas that cannot be visible in images:

Less than completely and opaquely covered human genitals, pubic region, buttock or female breast below a point immediately above the top of the areola [and] human male genitals in a discernibly turgid state, whether covered or uncovered.

Mike Stabile, a spokesman for the Free Speech Coalition, told the Arizona Mirror the proposal amounts to a tax on media content and would violate the First Amendment.

“It’s pretty clearly unconstitutional,” said Stabile, whose organization advocates for the adult entertainment industry.

Similar bills have been proposed, including one last year by GOP Virginia state Rep. Dave LaRock, who wanted Virginians to pay a $20 fee to unblock content on adult websites. The bill stalled on the Senate floor.

According to the Arizona Mirror, the bill appears to be linked to a man named Chris Sevier. Last year, Sevier was reportedly issued a cease and desist by child safety activist Elizabeth Smart, who apparently did not approve of him using her name on a similar bill introduced in Rhode Island.

Sevier first made headlines in 2013, when he accused Apple of being responsible for his porn addiction. He was in the news again in 2017, when he sued Utah for refusing to recognize his marriage to his laptop. The lawsuit was thrown out last year.

“He’s been doing this all across the country,” Stabile told the Arizona Mirror, adding “he’s a bit of a jokester.”

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/arizona-lawmaker-wants-porn-tax-to-fund-trumps-border-wall_us_5 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

84-year-old Boston Man Hailed As 'Octopus Whisperer'


BOSTON (AP) — Wilson Menashi palmed a squid in his left hand and extended his arm into an aquarium tank, watching as a giant Pacific octopus stretched out arms to greet him like a friend.

Freya latched some of her 2,240 suction cups onto Menashi’s arm, using their powers of taste and smell to gather information around the 84-year-old man known as the octopus whisperer — and the seafood treats he was bearing.

“She’s just contacting me and she’s saying, ‘You come to me,’” Menashi said of Freya, a 3-year-old predator weighing 35 to 40 pounds (18 kilograms). Her arms span 14 feet (4 meters) and pack enough strength to kill sharks and other enemies.

But this afternoon’s gentle interaction left no doubt that Menashi has a special way with the cephalopod, whose body includes a large, sac-like head and eight powerful arms.

More than 25 years ago, Menashi retired after a career as a chemical engineer and began volunteering at the New England Aquarium in Boston. He’s spent 7,800 hours — the equivalent of about four years working full time — hanging out with octopuses, the aquarium said.

“I’ve been able to interact with them from the beginning. I do not know why. I cannot explain it, but I can connect with them,” Menashi said, standing in front of the Olympic Coast Sanctuary exhibit that is home to Freya and Professor Ludwig Von Drake, a younger male giant Pacific octopus living in a separate tank.

Menashi’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he acknowledged that encounters with octopus have left a mark on him.

“I will come back home sometimes with hickeys all over my arm and my neck,” he said.

So how did he explain them to his wife?

“Not too difficult when you have about 10 or 15 marks next to each other,” he said. “It did not take too much. She also knew where I was, anyway.”

Menashi’s volunteer work has included designing puzzle boxes for octopus as well as rubbing their backs and wrestling their arms, all intended to ensure that the highly intelligent animals receive the mental stimulation to thrive and stay healthy.

Two decades of working with the largest members of the octopus species has not dulled his sense of wonder at the animal’s adaptability and mysteries.

Experiments have shown these animals to be color blind, but they are supreme masters of camouflage. A complex system of pigment cells, nerves and muscles allows them to change skin color in the blink of an eye to match their surroundings.

“What I find totally surprising is how they could tell different people and react differently,” Menashi said. “I’ve also made them a few toys, made up some boxes and ... I put different latches so they could get in and figure out how to get the food that I put in the boxes. However, I’ve had some that said, ‘It’s too much time to figure out how you do the latch.’ So they just crushed the box.”

That eye for detail, patience and willingness to experiment makes Menashi a perfect octopus whisperer, said Bill Murphy, a senior aquarist.

“Every octopus is different. So then you can’t use the same rules for every octopus,” Murphy said. “You need to change it up. And Wilson does that.”

Menashi said spending time with octopuses and other animals gives his life a whole new purpose in retirement.

“Just being here has been, to me, a lifesaver,” he said. “Gave me something to do. Gave me different interests and showed me the world is a wonderful place to be.”



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/wilson-menashi-octopus-whisperer_us_5c475a71e4b0a8dbe175b517 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

David Schwimmer Look-Alike Suspect Doesn't Look THAT Much Like Ross From 'Friends'


British authorities have arrested a suspected thief whose “Wanted” image went viral last year due to his purported likeness to Ross Geller, the character played by David Schwimmer in the hit sitcom “Friends.”

But many people now think the man, who police identified this week as 36-year-old Abdulah Husseini, doesn’t really look like his alleged television doppelganger at all:

Police in Blackpool first released the grainy CCTV image of the suspect in October. It showed him appearing to take a crate of beer from a restaurant:

The picture quickly went viral after people online noted the man’s likeness to Schwimmer’s character. It also caught the attention of Schwimmer himself, who posted a spoof video declaring his innocence:

Lancashire police said Monday that officers arrested Husseini in London last Thursday after he allegedly failed to appear at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court in December on theft and fraud charges.

He had also been wanted by London’s Metropolitan Police service on further charges of theft and handling stolen goods. He is slated to appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ross-friends-lookalike-david-schwimmer-arrested_us_5c46fcfee4b0 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Moose Chases Skiers At Colorado Resort


BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (AP) — A woman, in an effort to warn others of the dangers of moose, posted a video on social media of a moose charging skiers and snowboarders at a ski resort.

The Summit Daily News reports Lauren Drogsvold captured the video Saturday at Breckenridge Ski Resort.

The video shows a large bull moose approach and then charge a crowd of people. There were no reports of injuries.

Resort CEO John Buhler recently said staff tries to prevent guests from approaching the highly territorial herbivores, which are generally peaceful but can turn aggressive when they feel threatened.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Porras says the agency has jurisdiction over moose. He says wildlife officers are the only law enforcement personnel that can decide when to tranquilize and move a moose.

___

Information from: Summit Daily News, http://www.summitdaily.com/



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/video-captures-moose-chasing-skiers-at-colorado-resort_us_5c461 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Sunday 20 January 2019

Man Hospitalized After Injecting Own Semen To Treat Back Pain


A new study published in the Irish Medical Journal recounts the case of a 33-year-old man who was hospitalized after repeatedly injecting himself with semen to relieve chronic back pain.

“This is the first reported case of semen injection for use as a medical treatment,” doctors in Dublin wrote in the case study, titled “‘Semenly’ Harmless Back Pain: An Unusual Presentation of a Subcutaneous Abscess.”

The man’s handmade remedy was reportedly discovered when he showed up at a doctor’s office complaining of severe back pain. While examining the patient, a physician noticed the man’s right arm appeared swollen and inflamed.

The explanation the man gave was one the doctor likely never expected.

“The patient disclosed that he had intravenously injected his own semen as an innovative method to treat back pain,” doctors wrote in the study. “He had devised this ‘cure’ independent of any medical advice.”

The man reportedly said he had purchased a hypodermic needle online and had been injecting himself once a month for the past 18 months. Before visiting the doctor, he said he hurt his lower back while lifting a heavy object and gave himself three doses, according to the study.

The semen reportedly entered the man’s blood vessels and muscles. An X-ray revealed air trapped beneath the man’s skin, and he was immediately hospitalized, according to the study.

Doctors treated the man with intravenous antimicrobial therapy. His back pain reportedly subsided, and he discharged himself without having the infected area drained.

The report’s doctors conducted a “comprehensive review” of medical literature and were unable to find any other cases of intravenous semen injection.

The study concludes with a warning that medical experimentation is dangerous and it’s risky for untrained individuals to inject themselves with substances not intended for intravenous use.

Translation: Don’t inject yourself with anything without a doctor’s approval, including semen.

(H/T Gizmodo)

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/man-hospitalized-after-semen-injections_us_5c42034ae4b0bfa693c3 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Passenger Who Jumped 11 Stories Off Cruise Ship Hopes He Doesn't Inspire Others

A man who was banned from Royal Caribbean Cruises after jumping into the ocean from his 11th-floor balcony hopes his actions don’t inspire others.

Last week, 27-year-old Nick Naydev of Vancouver, Washington, posted a video on Instagram showing him taking one small leap for a man and one giant jump of stupidity. He plummeted 100 feet into shark-infested waters.

Amazingly, he wasn’t seriously injured but said he could “barely walk” for three days afterward, according to The Washington Post.

The main damage was financial: Naydev and his friends were kicked off the cruise in the Bahamas, and he had to shell out $200 for a plane ticket home from Nassau, the Post said.

The 10-second stunt led the cruise line to ban Naydev and his friends for life, according to a statement Royal Caribbean gave to “Inside Edition”:

“This was stupid and reckless behavior, and he and his companions have been banned from ever sailing with us again. We are exploring legal action.”

Naydev told “Inside Edition” that he didn’t really think about the risks before taking that leap of logic.

“Nothing was really going through my mind. I’m like, ‘I gotta do this,’ and just two seconds later, I just jumped and didn’t really think it through,” he admitted.

Not surprisingly, alcohol may have been involved.

“The previous night we were drinking quite a bit, so I was still feeling the effects of the alcohol,” he added.

Now, a week later, Naydev worries that his reckless jump may inspire copycats.

“I hope I don’t inspire anybody to do this because it is very dangerous,” he said. “I mean, don’t think this is a joke.”

However, the man who recorded Naydev’s jump told Yahoo! that he’s disappointed in how Royal Caribbean handled the incident, though he seems not to get the point.

“He’s jumped from those kind of heights before, and we didn’t really care about the consequences with the cruise company,” he explained. “We just wanted to get a video of it and make it go viral.”



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/nick-naydev-cruise-ship-leap_us_5c42583ee4b0bfa693c38d1b ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Police Raid Home For Meth And Also Find Dead Bald Eagle


When police in Anderson, Missouri, searched two homes on Tuesday, they seized 58 grams of methamphetamines, a gun, a stolen ATV and a stolen horse trailer.

Oh, and something else: a dead bald eagle.

The bizarre discovery came after the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the McDonald County Sheriff’s Office and the Anderson Police Department served two search warrants simultaneously to the houses, according to FourStatesHomePage.com.

McDonald County Sheriff Michael Hall said the dead bald eagle was found in a freezer in one of the homes and turned over to an agent with the Missouri Department of Conservation, according to The Joplin Globe.

It is a federal crime to kill a bald eagle or golden eagle. Hall told HuffPost he believes possessing one — living or dead — is also illegal.

He said it is still unknown how the dead eagle came to roost in the freezer, as the suspect of that home was not there during the search.

Authorities arrested 65-year-old James Kivett for outstanding warrants in Newton County, and charges are pending for items recovered from his house, according to KSFM TV.

Hall said charges are also being sought against a suspect at the residence where the dead bald eagle was found.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/james-kivett-dead-bald-eagle_us_5c40ced7e4b041e98ffbe60d ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Thursday 17 January 2019

Afghan Singer Looks Like Twin Brother Of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

KABUL, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Afghan singer Abdul Salam Maftoon’s striking resemblance to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has turned him into an unlikely celebrity in the war-torn country since his debut on a talent show.

The 28-year-old first caught the attention of fans when he traveled to the capital, Kabul, to appear on “Afghan Star,” a televised musical competition that draws contestants from around the South Asian nation.

“People are calling me the Justin Trudeau of Afghanistan... Since I came to Kabul, I have become very popular and people are grabbing photos with me,” he told Reuters at the studio.

The singer’s similarity to Canada’s 47-year-old prime minister could even tip the competition in his favor, according to one of the show’s judges, Qais Ulfat.

“There is a big chance of him winning the show because ... he is the only contestant that has got so much exposure,” he said.

Maftoon, who began his singing career seven years ago performing at weddings, has even bigger ambitions.

“My only wish is that Prime Minister (Trudeau) takes me to Canada and I can hold a concert there to sing Afghan songs and that the prime minister himself will be at my concert,” he said.(Reporting by Hameed Farzad; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Nick Macfie)



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/face-value-one-time-afghan-wedding-singer-a-ringer-for-canada-s ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

NASA Discovers 'South Park' Character Mr. Hankey The Christmas Poo On Jupiter


Hidey ho!

Although “South Park” isn’t officially broadcast on Jupiter, it looks like one of the show’s characters has found a home there.

An enhanced picture of Jupiter taken by the Juno spacecraft in September shows a large brown spot that looks amazingly like Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo, a talking and singing lump of dookie that wears a Santa hat.

Naturally, NASA engineer Kevin M. Gill felt compelled to share the crappy photo on Twitter:

Fans of the show might note that the character’s presence on the planet is appropriate since he was run out of South Park this past season for sending offensive tweets, which, like Roseanne Barr, he blamed on the insomnia drug Ambien.

CNET.com notes another stinky connection: Jupiter is one of the solar system’s gas giants.

“Mr. Hankey” is a very unofficial name for the spot, which is actually something known as a “brown barge,” according to a NASA press release Gill sent to HuffPost. This feature is a type of “cyclonic region that usually lie[s] within Jupiter’s dark North Equatorial Belt, although they are sometimes found in the similarly dark South Equatorial Belt as well.”

HuffPost has reached to “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who did not immediately respond.

This story has been updated with information from a NASA press release.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jupiter-south-park-mr-hankey-nasa_us_5c3f5f56e4b0922a21db3710 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Wednesday 16 January 2019

Curious Cat Gets Head Stuck In Rat Trap


Curiosity didn’t kill this cat, but it did lead him into a precarious situation.

A black male cat was found with his head stuck in a commercial rat trap near a hotel in Newport, South Wales, on Jan. 9, according to a U.K. animal welfare charity.

“This poor cat’s head was completely wedged ... and [he was] unable to free himself,” Inspector Sophie Daniels of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said in a press release.

The cat in the box was brought to a vet, who managed to safely free the feline. The kitty was “understandably shaken,” the RSPCA said, and was treated for dehydration.

The organization is trying to locate the cat’s family and is asking anyone in the area missing a black, male neutered cat to contact them.

“We’d love to reunite this cat with an owner – but there was no microchip,” Daniels said. 

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/curious-cat-rescued-from-rat-trap_us_5c3cb32ae4b01c93e00c1824 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Florida Man Threatens To Kill Neighbor With 'Kindness' — The Name Of His Machete


A Florida man is behind bars after he allegedly threatened to kill his neighbor with kindness.

It’s not what you’d think: “Kindness” is what the 30-year-old suspect, Bryan Stewart, calls his machete, according to police.

Stewart, of Milton, was arrested on Thursday for an incident that allegedly happened Wednesday evening. 

It began when two of Stewart’s neighbors went to the suspect’s house, concerned about yelling and banging that had come from the home all day, according to the Pensacola News-Journal.

Stewart came out of the house with an arm raised holding the machete ― which had the word “kindness” written on it. One of the neighbors stepped in front of the other to block the blade and suffered a half-inch cut on his left hand.

The Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Department was called, and deputies arrived and arrested Stewart.

They said that Stewart’s breath smelled of alcohol and he had to be stunned with a Taser before he was put inside the patrol car, according to Orlando TV station WOFL.

Police also said he had to be hobbled after kicking inside the car and banging his head, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

On Thursday, Stewart was booked into the Santa Rosa Jail on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill and aggravated battery. He remains behind bars in lieu of $10,000 bail.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/florida-man-machete-kindness_us_5c3cd96de4b01c93e00c6d21 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

The '2009 vs. 2019' Meme Has Taken Over Social Media With Hilarious Results

The new year is off to a wild start as a new meme meant to show a person’s growth, both physical and otherwise, since 2009 has run rampant.

The social media trend has been labeled as the #10YearChallenge or #2009vs2019 on Instagram, but a quick search of “2009 vs. 2019” yields results on Twitter, Facebook, and beyond as well. The meme is simple: Post a photo of yourself from 10 years ago (in 2009) adjacent to a recent image of you from 2019.

See this example from actress, author and talk-show host Busy Philipps:

But, while many people are sticking with the original use of the meme and posting images like Philipps, many others have run away with the meme to make it even more entertaining. Turns out, “glow-ups” don’t have to be so personal:

If you’re more of a traditionalist, please enjoy a few more of the celebrity contributions to the meme that include some great #throwbacks.

 

 

 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/2009-2019-meme-10-year-challenge_us_5c3c9e25e4b0922a21d6f5dc ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Sunday 13 January 2019

Man Helps Thirsty Pigeon Enjoy Some Water From An NYC Drinking Fountain


A New York City pigeon got a wing up from kind stranger who turned on a drinking fountain for the thirsty bird on Thursday.

A now-viral video, first reported by the Staten Island Advance, shows New Yorker Steven Pesantez watching with what looks like pure glee while the bird guzzles water at Staten Island’s ferry terminal. His friend Mariel Mitkowski, who shot the video, can be heard exclaiming “He was waiting for you!” in the background.

Pesantez told HuffPost that he and Mitkowski were waiting for the ferry when they spotted the pigeon loitering on top of the fountain.

“We joked about how he was just waiting there for someone to help him out, then we decided it would be funny to record me going over to him and helping out!” he said in an email.

It seems like they had a good sense of what the pigeon wanted.

“It seemed like he was enjoying it!” said Pesantez. “He wasn’t taking a bath, so I’m pretty sure he was indulging in some of NYC’s finest tap water.”

He added that he’s happy the video has been resonating with people.

“I’m just stoked that the world is getting to share this wholesome moment in a time where there is so much craziness,” he said.

The Wild Bird Fund, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Manhattan, noted on Twitter that there are “credible reports” that pigeons sipping from fountains at the Staten Island ferry terminal is actually a “regular phenomenon.”

But it may not be so surprising that pigeons have figured out such a clever way to get a drink since pigeons are a lot smarter than many people give them credit for. A 2015 study published in the journal Cognition found that pigeons were able to learn to sort 128 photos correctly into categories like “baby,” “tree,” “flower,” “dog” and “cracker.”

And while having any animal standing in a human drinking fountain may not exactly be ideal (pigeon droppings do present “modest health risks” to people, according to the NYC health department) the birds aren’t nearly as dirty as some people think they are. Ornithologist Paul Sweet told Gizmodo last year that pigeons are “quite clean,” and actually play an important role in cities cleaning up waste left by human beings.

As for Pesantez, he’s definitely a pigeon appreciator. 

“I never understood why people hate them,” he said.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Gothamist was the first news outlet to report on the video.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pigeon-drinking-water-fountain_us_5c3a08e8e4b0e0baf53dd0e5 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Saturday 12 January 2019

Sheriff Uses Cardboard Deputies To Fight Crime


The stiff arm of the law is taking on a whole new meaning in Texas.

According to Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody, he’s pairing deputies with cardboard cutouts of officers to deter motorists from speeding.

The sheriff tweeted a video this week showing one of the faux deputies pointing a radar gun at oncoming traffic.

“It’s a creative way to solve a problem without really working the problem,” Chody told Austin’s KTBC-TV. “When you’re going 20, 30 miles per hour and you see the silhouette you’re immediately braking slowing down.”

While the cardboard deputies won’t be filling any quotas, they do appear to be deterring speeders. Chody told KTBC-TV he recently tested them in school zones with real deputies stationed nearby.

“We didn’t get one speeder; all these people were braking before they got to the cutout or as they were approaching the cutout,” he said.

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/texas-sheriff-uses-cardboard-deputies-to-fight-crime_us_5c38cb6 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Costco Now Sells A 27-Pound Tub Of Macaroni And Cheese That Lasts 20 Years


Do you like mac and cheese? No, do you love mac and cheese? The membership warehouse store Costco now sells 27 pounds of it in a big six-gallon mop bucket.

At $89.99, you get 180 servings of Chef’s Banquet Macaroni & Cheese, which the company says will remain edible for up to 20 years. That means you could still be enjoying this macaroni and cheese during President Ocasio-Cortez’s second term.

Despite the glorious image of 27 pounds of creamy, golden macaroni and cheese flowing from a bucket better suited to hold kitchen tile grout, each serving of noodles and cheese is individually packaged. It’s perfect for the doomsday prepper on the go.

Unfortunately, you may have to wait to pick yours up. According to the website, the item is currently out of stock. Until they restock, check out some of the greatest mac and cheese recipes that currently exist on planet Earth.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/costco-27-pound-macaroni-and-cheese_us_5c38e15fe4b01c93e009a901 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Blindfolded Utah Teen Crashes Car Doing The ‘Bird Box’ Challenge

A blindfolded teenage driver in Utah crashed into another car for obvious reasons on Monday, according to the Layton Police Department.

“Bird Box Challenge while driving...predictable result,” the police tweeted on Friday, along with a photo of two mangled cars on Layton Parkway surrounded by snow-covered sidewalks.

One truck appears to have its passenger-side bumper bent inward, while the entire driver’s side of a Honda HR-V is smashed. The side airbags of the HR-V appear to be deployed.

“Luckily no injuries,” police wrote.

 Layton Police spokesman Lt. Travis Lyman told CBS News that a 17-year-old girl was driving with a 16-year-old passenger at the time of the crash.

The “Bird Box” challenge, which has gone viral on social media, is inspired by the Netflix movie “Bird Box,” starring Sandra Bullock. In the movie, characters have to move about the outside world wearing blindfolds to avoid looking at an unseen monster that forces people to kill themselves.

In the viral challenge, participants attempt to do ordinary things while blindfolded, which, again, is dangerous for obvious reasons.

Earlier this month, Netflix warned its viewers against the “Bird Box” challenge.

“Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE,” the company tweeted on Jan. 2.

Law enforcement in Colorado predicted last week that someone might attempt the “Bird Box” challenge while driving and also warned people against it.

The challenge “really hasn’t been that dangerous, but inevitably somebody’s going to do the monumentally stupid thing that is driving while blindfolded,” a Colorado State Patrol officer said in a video message. “We shouldn’t have to say this, but we’re gonna: Don’t drive blindfolded.”



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/utah-teen-crash-bird-box-challenge_us_5c3908cae4b01c93e009e011 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Woman's Lawyer Suggests Chewing Coat Caused High Blood-Alcohol Level


BERWICK, Pa. (AP) — An attorney for a Pennsylvania woman charged with drunken driving hinted his client’s coat-chewing could’ve thrown off the results of her breath test.

The (Bloomsburg) Press Enterprise reports the argument came during a hearing Tuesday for 47-year-old Jana Moschgat. An officer who pulled Moschgat over testified she was nibbling on her coat before he gave her the breath test and that he ordered her to stop.

Moschgat’s lawyer, Travis Petty, asked the officer if he knew the chemical composition of the coat, noting that certain substances can alter the results of the test.

Moschgat’s test showed her blood-alcohol level was 0.151 percent, nearly twice the legal limit for drivers in Pennsylvania. The officer says Moschgat also smelled of alcohol and failed a field sobriety test.

The judge ruled there was enough evidence to send the charges to trial.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lawyer-coat-chewing-could-ve-thrown-off-breath-test_us_5c377430 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Man Brings Raccoon Carcass Into McDonald's, Causes Its Brief Closure


A San Francisco man shocked employees and customers at a local McDonald’s Sunday morning when he brought a dead and bloodied raccoon into the fast-food outlet and laid it on a table.

As a result, the restaurant closed for two hours so the dining room could be sanitized.

The unappetizing encounter was captured by Chris Brooks, who posted video on Facebook. (WARNING: Brooks reflected on the incident with a profanity-laden tirade.)

Brooks told SFGate.com that the so-far unidentified man came into the McDonald’s screaming for help as he carried the dead animal.

“He came to the counter, and I thought it was a dog at first. The employees told him to leave and he went and sat down with it,” Brooks said. ”There was blood on the table and blood on the floor and, with people walking around, you could see them tracking the blood around.”

The man, who is believed to be homeless, was kicked out of the store while another customer threw the raccoon in the garbage, according to NBC Bay Area.

San Francisco police officers gave the man a mental health evaluation and determined he did not need to be detained, according to local station KGO TV.

San Francisco Department of Public Health spokeswoman Rachel Kagan told SFGate.com that a physician who works with homeless people watched the video but “cannot infer anything about the man’s condition.”

Kagan also said the restaurant responded properly and that a health inspector visited the site before it reopened.

“The health concerns would be about the blood and the potential to spread bacteria or a virus,” she said. “If the cleaning was done right, that would take care of that concern.” 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dead-raccoon-san-francisco-mcdonalds_us_5c37927de4b05cb31c40a5f ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Florida Teacher Accused Of Smearing Feces In Park Before Child's Birthday Party


A substitute teacher in Florida was so angry with a principal that she smeared human feces around a Sarasota park pavilion that the principal had rented for her child’s birthday party, law officers said.

Heather Carpenter, 42, faces a single count of criminal mischief over $1,000, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. She was released after posting a $2,500 cash bond.

Authorities said they became aware of the incident on Dec. 1, when a witness reported seeing a woman, wearing blue gloves and a mask, “placing human waste and fecal matter on the porous wooden tables and grills” at Urfer Family Park in Sarasota.

Mike Hutchinson, who said he was at the park at the time, told Fox 13 News he was “shocked and appalled” when he walked into the pavilion and saw what had happened.

“The smell hit me, and I noticed that she did it to every table,” Hutchinson said. “It was a mixture of urine and feces, and she had it in a big cup and was just pouring it out and wiping it in.”

Authorities interviewed Allison Foster, the principal at Phillippi Shores Elementary School in Sarasota, who told them she had reserved the pavilion for her daughter’s birthday party. Asked whether she knew anyone matching the description of the suspect, Foster named Carpenter, who had been working at the school as a substitute teacher, according to a sheriff’s office affidavit.

“Foster was assisting Carpenter with a professional complainant and Carpenter was not pleased with how the situation was handled,” an officer wrote in the affidavit.

Carpenter, who was questioned Dec. 7, according to the affidavit, “admitted she intentionally placed” the feces in the pavilion to disrupt the birthday party. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported it cost the county more than $2,300 to replace the tables and grills.

Carpenter has pleaded not guilty, the Herald-Tribune reported.

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/florida-teacher-accused-smearing-feces-before-child-birthday-pa ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Firefighter Fakes Blaze At His Own House So He Can Propose To His Girlfriend


A woman in Ventura, California, had reason to be feeling a little hot under the collar when her firefighter boyfriend proposed marriage.

That’s because he faked a blaze at their house to set the scene.

It happened back in November just as the couple was preparing to host a holiday party at the home they shared.

For some reason, Zach Steele, 30, thought it would be funny ― unbeknownst to Maddison Ridgik, also 30 ― to plant six remote-operated smoke machines in their attic before supposedly going out to pick up last-minute groceries.

“Originally I got one smoke machine,” he told Inside Edition. “I went to test it and there was barely any smoke. One was not going to work, so I had to get more smoke machines.”

He ended up going overboard with six, which caused a lot of smoke to spew out of the house, sending Ridgik into a justified panic.

However, her mom was in on the prank and faked a call to 911, which gave the signal to Steele ― and a few of his firefighter buddies ― to ride to the rescue in full gear, according to SWNS.com. 

Ridgik wasn’t sure what to think at first. “I was so confused and I honestly could not sort through my emotions enough to really comprehend what was happening,” she told the news agency.

Then Steele whipped off his oxygen mask.

“I think she saw my face and calmed down, and realized what was going to happen,” he said.

The pyromaniac proposal, captured on body camera footage shared by SWNS, did bring on the waterworks.

“When he got down on one knee, I was so emotional. I was still shaking and crying yet so excited,” Ridgik told SWNS. “It was truly the best, most indescribable moment of my life.” 

The couple intends to make things official on March 30 in Ojai, according to their page on TheKnot.com.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/firefighter-marriage-proposal-maddison-ridgik-zach-steele_us_5c ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Over 100 Praying Mantises Take Over Home After Woman Buys Infested Christmas Tree

Bah! Humbug! A Virginia woman’s Christmas tree left her a gift that keeps on giving ― but not in a good way.

Springfield veterinarian Molly Kreuze is bugged that more than 100 praying mantises have infested her home after hatching from an egg case hidden in her Christmas tree.

“Crawling on the walls, crawling on the ceilings. Just kind of moving,” she griped to DC station WJLA TV. 

It’s possible the mantises are now praying in her bedroom, but that’s a scenario she doesn’t want to consider.

“I don’t want to think about that. It’s possible, but I don’t want to know,” she said, according to ABC News.

Although some people might simply vacuum up the bugs, Kreuze is trying to avoid that, preferring to scoop them up with an envelope and store them in a shoe box.

She is feeding fruit flies to her unwanted holiday guests while she tries to find them new homes.

“In my googling, I discovered people really like praying mantises,” she told WJLA. “They are useful, they eat other bugs, people use them for organic gardening.”

Still, the infestation has inspired her to get an artificial tree for next Christmas.

You can see the complete WJLA segment below:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/praying-mantis-infestation-christmas-tree_us_5c362864e4b070b69a ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Paris' First Nude Restaurant Closes For Lack Of Business

Paris’ first nude restaurant has gone belly up just a year after opening its doors.

When O’Naturel opened in December 2017, the concept seemed an easy sell: Instead of dressing up, diners would dress down. Way down. Like to their bare essentials.

Once naked, customers could enjoy a three-course dinner with foie gras, lobster, snails, lamb or scallops for $58 ― a price that even skinflints could love.

All the restaurant personnel remained clothed.

Despite getting worldwide attention, the clothing-optional café is going bust, according to TheLocal.

O’Naturel owners Mike and Stephane Saada posted a statement on its website announcing that the in-the-buff bistro will close for good on Feb. 16.

“Thank you for having participated in this adventure by coming to dine at O’Naturel,” it read. “We will only remember the good times, meeting beautiful people and customers who were delighted to share exceptional moments.” 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/onaturel-paris-nude-restaurant-closes_us_5c3649f6e4b070b69ae061 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Roommate Accused Of Stealing $10 Million Lottery Ticket

A man in Vacaville, California, has 10 million reasons to hate his former roommate.

That’s the number of dollars he won with a lottery ticket he purchased Dec. 20, a ticket his roommate allegedly stole.

That roommate, 35-year-old Adul Saosongyang, was arrested Monday and charged with grand theft, according to a Facebook post by the Vacaville Police Department.

The police post said an unidentified man purchased a $30 ticket hoping to win some extra cash for the holidays. He hit pay dirt with a ticket he thought was worth $10,000, and he shared the good news with his two roommates.

The next day, the man took his ticket to the California State Lottery’s district office in Sacramento to get his jackpot, only to be told the ticket wasn’t a winner and had been altered.

The victim suspected the ticket had been stolen by one of his roommates and reported the theft to the police department.

Then in a not-so-amazing coincidence, Saosongyang showed up the next day at the lottery office attempting to cash in that ticket, which, it turns out, was actually worth $10 million.

The California State Lottery reviews all winnings of more than $600. After reviewing police and surveillance video at the place where the winning ticket was found, officials figured out Saosongyang was not the winner, according to NBC News.

However, no one let Saosongyang know that until Monday, when he was invited to the lottery office, presumably to collect his winnings. Instead he was greeted by Vacaville detectives, who had an arrest warrant waiting for him.

Saosongyang was booked into Sacramento County Jail and will be transferred to the Solano County Jail later this week.

Vacaville police spokesman Chris Polen told The Washington Post that lottery officials had talked with the victim, though he wasn’t certain the man would collect that $10 million.

“Although, I’m sure everything will work out in the end,” he told the newspaper.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lottery-ticket-theft-alleged-roommate-california_us_5c365e1ce4b ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Donald Trump's Televised Address Gets Deeply Unsettling 'Sex Tape Audio' Edit

You won’t be able to unsee these edited versions of President Donald Trump’s Tuesday night Oval Office address.

Multiple people on Twitter appear to have had the same idea of stripping words from the televised footage to show only Trump’s breathing and sniffing.

And the resulting clips, below, are ― well, a bit unsettling.

They inevitably prompted some amusing responses online:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-oval-office-address-edited_us_5c35ba83e4b0f5aba7d9 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Wednesday 9 January 2019

Moose Wanders Into Alaska Hospital Like It Owns The Place

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A moose wandered into a hospital building in Alaska’s largest city Monday — and Stephanie Hupton was ready to capture the visit with her phone camera.

Hupton works in billing at a physical therapy office inside a building attached to Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage. When a patient mentioned security staffers were monitoring a moose that got inside her building, she dashed out and started recording.

“Didn’t think we’d have a pet moose,” she said.

The footage shows the moose browsing around some greenery near an entrance before it stands gazing at the camera’s direction. It briefly lingers before sauntering out through an open door.

Hupton said she never felt threatened by the mellow creature in her closest ever encounter with one of the massive animals.

It was an experience she never expected when she moved to Anchorage three years ago from Carroll, Iowa. In her home state, Hupton had seen her share of deer and cows, but nothing as exotic as a moose.

“It’s definitely different than small-town Iowa,” she said.

Hospital spokeswoman Kjerstin Lastufka said the moose got inside the building around 11:30 a.m. through doors that were stuck open because of extreme cold in Anchorage, where temperatures hovered around zero on Monday. The plant greenery in the warm lobby was likely inviting to the animal, who ended up eating some of the plants before leaving the building after about 10 minutes inside, Lastufka said.

The animal hung around the premises. Someone reported seeing it around a parking garage late Monday afternoon, Lastufka said.

The moose caused no injuries or any big problems, other than eating some greenery.

“It was a pretty calm visit,” Lastufka said.

___

Follow Rachel D’Oro at https://twitter.com/rdoro



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/moose-wanders-into-alaska-hospital-building_us_5c34ce01e4b0116c ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Security Camera Catches Prowling Suspect Licking Doorbell For 3 Hours


A family in Salinas, California, might be ready to deliver a tongue-lashing to the prowler their security camera caught licking their doorbell ― for three hours.

Sylvia Dungan told local station KION-TV over the weekend the security system alerted the family to strange movement in the early morning.

“I thought, boy there’s a lot of traffic. I go, 5 in the morning? My son doesn’t get home till 6 a.m. Well then who the heck is that?” Dungan said.

She was even more shocked when she watched the video: Hours of a male trespasser licking the doorbell.

“I thought, ‘Oh boy, that is just weird,’” Dungan told CBS Sacramento.

The tongue-wagging trespasser didn’t stop there. Police said he also was caught on video appearing to urinate on the front lawn, according to KION.

Police said the suspect, Roberto Daniel Arroyo, 33, could face misdemeanor charges for petty theft and prowling, according to CBS Sacramento. As of  Tuesday afternoon, he remained at large. 

Dungan said there was no physical damage to her home, but her family spent the rest of the weekend sanitizing their doorbells, according to the station.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/doorbell-licker-caught-on-camera-salinas_us_5c34ea73e4b0116c11f ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Oklahoma Woman Brags About Poaching On Bumble Dating App


A woman who swiped right on Bumble wound up getting stung when the match she bragged to about poaching a “bigo buck” turned out to be a game warden.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, McIntosh County game warden Cannon Harrison was using the dating app in December when was notified he matched a woman in his area.

After exchanging greetings, the woman, whom authorities declined to identify, revealed she had just shot a “bigo buck” and was “pretty happy about it,” according to copies of the messages.

“Hell yeah,” Harrison replied. “Get em with a bow?”

“We don’t need to talk about that,” the woman replied.

When Harrison jokingly asked if she bagged the deer with a spotlight, she replied, “yeahhhh.”

The woman admitted to illegally harvesting a deer — at night and outside rifle season — and revealed where she shot it and shared a photo of herself posing with the dead animal.

“It definitely was a shock,” Harrison told Tulsa World. “First you think, ‘This isn’t real.’ You think, ‘Maybe she knows who I am and is teasing me,’ but we did some digging on who she was and where she lived.”

Turns out, the woman ended up meeting her match, albeit not in the manner in which she likely intended.

Harrison and his colleagues discovered she not only illegally shot the deer but also harvested only the head and backstrap meat, which is also illegal in Oklahoma.

The woman and an unidentified accomplice were ultimately fined $2,400 for improper possession of an illegally taken animal and taking game out of season, authorities said. The game commission did not pursue charges related to the spotlighting of the deer or the waste of the meat.

“You can’t just ignore a broken law that falls right in your lap, but [it] was kind of a bummer,” Harrison told Tulsa World. “She said it was her first deer ever, too.”

The game commission on Sunday shared photos and screenshots from the case on Facebook. The post has amassed more than 500 comments and 1,500 shares. 

The majority of commenters found humor in how the case developed, with one person joking, “I’m pretty sure a court date wasn’t the type of date she was looking for,” and another saying, “Bet he finds his future wife after all of this attention!”

If anything, the story should serve as a reminder that you truly never know who you are talking to online.

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/oklahoma-woman-bragged-about-poaching-on-bumble-dating-app_us_5 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Giant 'Fatberg' Measuring 210 Feet Is Clogging Up British Sewer


LONDON (AP) — A British official says a giant “fatberg” has been found blocking a sewer in southwestern England: a mass of hardened fat, oil and baby wipes measuring 64 meters (210 feet) long.

Andrew Roantree of South West Water says it will “take our sewer team around eight weeks to dissect this monster in exceptionally challenging work conditions.”

He urged the public not to pour grease down the drain or flush baby wipes down the toilet, adding: “Don’t feed the fatberg.”

The revolting fat mass was discovered in drains in the coastal town of Sidmouth.

In 2017, a 250-meter (820-foot) fatberg was found in sewers beneath Whitechapel in east London. A chunk of that later went on display at the Museum of London, nestled inside transparent boxes.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/don-t-feed-the-fatberg-huge-mass-blocks-english-sewer_us_5c351e ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Adorable Dog Responding To Harry Potter Spells Is Pure Magic

This little dog is enchanting people around the world.

Remus, a 1-year-old miniature dachshund from Los Angeles, has an adorable talent for responding to Harry Potter spells.

Such as the levitation charm, Wingardium Leviosa:

The Avada Kedavra killing curse:

And the wand-lighting charm, Lumos:

LA-based actor and YouTuber Anna Brisbin began teaching her pup to respond to Harry Potter commands when he was just 2 months old, she said online. 

Check out the full clip on her Brizzy Voices channel here:

And follow more of Remus’ adventures via Instagram here:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/harry-potter-dog-spells-trained_us_5c349c5ee4b0116c11f03e3d ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Saturday 5 January 2019

Watch A Guy Try To Steal A Bicycle From A Police Station

This would-be bicycle thief appears to be a few spokes short of a wheel.

Adam Valle is accused of trying to steal a locked two-wheeler right in front of a sign for the police department in Gladstone, Oregon, while cops inside watched on a surveillance camera.

The Associated Press’s edited video, below, shows the hoodie-wearing suspect approach the bike with bolt cutters, which he uses to clip off the lock before he’s caught in the act by an officer with a stun gun, according to the Gladstone PD’s Facebook page.

“Suspect arrested for attempting to steal a bike…From the PD!!!!” the police Facebook caption says.

Cops removed Valle’s hood and facemask and took him to jail within minutes of the Dec. 27 incident, KOIN of Portland reported.

Valle, 26, was charged with theft, criminal mischief and felon in possession of weapons, ABC News reported. He was released the next day after a court date was scheduled.

“It’s dumb, you know,” Sgt. Carl Bell of the Gladstone Police Department told ABC. “I have not actually seen something that blatant because the officers were inside watching on video camera.”



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bicycle-thief-police-station_us_5c2f9eb2e4b0bdd0de589009 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Someone Bought This Dead Fish For $3 Million

TOKYO (AP) — A 612-pound (278-kilogram) bluefin tuna sold for a record 333.6 million yen ($3 million) in the first auction of 2019, after Tokyo's famed Tsukiji market was moved to a new site on the city's waterfront.

The winning bid for the prized but threatened species at the predawn auction Saturday was more than double the 2013 annual New Year auction.

It was paid by Kiyomura Corp., whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the Sushi Zanmai chain. Kimura has often won the annual auction in the past.

Japanese broadcaster NHK showed a beaming Kimura saying that he was surprised by the high price of tuna this year. But he added: "The quality of the tuna I bought is the best."

The auction prices are way above usual for bluefin tuna. The fish normally sells for up to $40 a pound ($88 a kilogram) but the price rises to over $200 a pound near the year's end, especially for prized catches from Oma in northern Japan.

Last year's auction was the last at Tsukiji before the market shifted to a new facility on a former gas plant site on Tokyo Bay. The move was delayed repeatedly due to concerns over soil contamination.

Japanese are the biggest consumers of the torpedo-shaped bluefin tuna, and surging consumption here and overseas has led to overfishing of the species. Experts warn it faces possible extinction, with stocks of Pacific bluefin depleted by 96 percent from their pre-industrial levels.

"The celebration surrounding the annual Pacific bluefin auction hides how deeply in trouble this species really is," said Jamie Gibbon, associate manager for global tuna conservation at The Pew Charitable Trusts.

There are signs of progress toward protecting the bluefin, and Japan and other governments have backed plans to rebuild Pacific bluefin stocks, with a target of 20 percent of historic levels by 2034.

Decades-old Tsukiji was one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations as well as the world's biggest fish market. The new market opened in October. A few businesses stayed in Tsukiji but nearly all of the 500-plus wholesalers and other businesses shifted to Toyosu.

Tsukiji is due to be redeveloped, though for now it's being turned into a parking lot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bluefin-sold-for-3-million-in-1st-2019-sale-at-tokyo-market_us_ ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Wanton Squirrel Scarfs Egg Roll As Twitter Drools

Only in New York would a squirrel be so used to take-out that he clearly knows his way around an egg roll. 

Twitter user WhatIsNY captured the self-possessed rodent daintily snacking on his treat in a tree and posted the video online. The squirrel instantly became a viral hit, complete with his own hashtag: #EggRollSquirrel.

Fans with growling stomachs thought he definitely was on to something:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/squirrel-chomps-on-egg-roll-twitter-drools_us_5c2ef8d5e4b0407e9 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

The Most Profound ‘Shower Thoughts’ On Reddit This Week

The shower isn’t just a place to sing. Separated from our cellphones, standing under running water often allows people’s minds to run free.

Reddit has an entire “Shower Thoughts” subreddit dedicated to “the miniature epiphanies you have that highlight the oddities within the familiar.” In honor of those weird, wonderful and sometimes profound musings, here are some of the best posts from the last week:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/reddit-shower-thoughts-january-4-2019_us_5c2f5955e4b0407e908ab8 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Woman Catches A 'River Monster' And Has The Footage To Prove It


Paula Cathey Smith caught a whopper ― and she earned it.

The angler posted a nearly 12-minute video last weekend of her reeling in a huge catfish dubbed a “River Monster” by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

Smith hooked the 88-pound blue catfish in Kentucky Lake, which borders Kentucky and Tennessee. The experience was “awesome,” she told HuffPost on Thursday.

Smith told the Tennessean that as soon as she dipped a fresh gizzard into the water, it bit.

“I never in my life seen a fish this big,” said Smith, who later released the fish.

The fish is Smith’s personal best in terms of weight, the Tennessee agency wrote, but she has her eye on a bigger catch.

“My goal is to beat the state record of 112 (pounds),” she told HuffPost.

H/T For The Win

 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/blue-catfish-river-monster-tennessee_us_5c2e10c0e4b05c88b7066e1 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Woman Discovers Drunk Guy Sleeping With Her 150-Pound Mastiff

A 150-pound mastiff in Wisconsin woke up on New Year’s Day with an unexpected bed partner.

Waukesha nurse Lynn Sarver said she found a strange man sleeping with her massive mastiff, Benton, on a doggie bed on New Year’s morning.

“I woke up and saw someone over here on this dog bed,” Sarver told Milwaukee station WITI. She said she and her roommate “ran into the kitchen ― grabbed a knife. Then we were scared.”

The women called 911 and reported the intrusion. 

“He was out. Even when I went to pull off Benton, the guy didn’t move,” Sarver told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Arriving police officers woke the sleeping man and asked him if he knew where he was. The man said he needed his glasses.

“Once he put them on and looked around, he said, ‘Oh yeah, this is not my house,’” Sarver said.

Benton’s unexpected sleeping partner turned out to be a 21-year-old neighbor who somehow confused his home with Sarver’s and entered it through an unlocked side door, according to WISN-TV.

Police said the man was heavily intoxicated and helped get him to the right place. No charges were filed.

Meanwhile, Sarver, who got Benton for protection, is in the awkward position of defending her dog’s honor.

“My dog is pretty smart. He could probably tell this kid wasn’t a threat,” she told the Journal-Sentinel.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lynn-sarver-drunk-guy-sleeping-dog-bed_us_5c2e3301e4b0407e90892 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Krispy Kreme Delivers Pastries To Officers Mourning Loss Of Doughnut Truck

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Krispy Kreme has stepped in to comfort Kentucky police officers mourning the loss of a doughnut truck that caught fire.

The Lexington Herald-Leader reports the company and a police escort delivered dozens of doughnuts to the city police department Wednesday afternoon.

Officer Kyle Mounce says no one was injured when a Krispy Kreme truck caught fire in the city on Monday, but the truck’s doughnuts were ruined. The fire’s cause was unclear as of Monday.

Lexington police shared posts on social media of the burned truck and officers jokingly mourning the loss.

The posts were widely shared online and police departments across the country offered their condolences. The chief marketing officer for Krispy Kreme, Dave Skena, says the company wanted to comfort the department in their time of sorrow.

___

Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/krispy-kreme-delivers-doughnuts-to-officers-over-pastry-loss_us ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Astronaut Reveals How Surprisingly Easy It Is To Call 911 From Space

A Dutch astronaut has revealed he accidentally dialled 911 while orbiting Earth aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

André Kuipers told Netherlands’ public broadcaster Nederlandse Omroep Stichting that he accidentally missed an important number when trying to make a long-distance call from outer space.

“If you’re in space, it’s like you’re making a call via Houston, first you dial the 9 for an outside line, and then 011 for an international line,” he said according to science and technology website Futurism.

Forgetting to dial 0, Kuipers accidentally set off an alarm at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“I made a mistake. The next day I received an email message: Did you call 911?” Kuipers said, before joking that he was “a little disappointed that they had not come up.”

It’s not the first time an astronaut has dialed the wrong number from the ISS. 

In 2015, Britain’s first astronaut, Tim Peake, insisted he hadn’t prank-called an unsuspecting woman from space but had instead dialed the wrong number.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/astronaut-911-emergency-space_us_5c2d956ce4b05c88b705b114 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Man Assaulted Convenience Store Employee With Banana, Police Say


This arrest was a little fruity.

A man in Des Moines, Iowa, was jailed on Monday after police said he assaulted a convenience store clerk with a banana.

Rogelio Tapia, 26, got into a dispute with an unnamed person at a QuikTrip Monday morning, according to local station KCCI-TV.

When a store clerk tried to intervene, witnesses said Tapia chased the clerk around the store, throwing a banana and other items at her, Patch Des Moines reported. The disturbance caused about $1,000 in damage to the store, police said.

Tapia was charged with assault on persons in certain occupations, simple assault, interference with official acts and third-degree criminal mischief. Jail records show he was later released.

The Des Moines Police Department posted a photo of the grim-faced arresting officer, and said on Facebook the incident was one of more than 270 New Year’s calls for police service.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rogelio-tapia-banana-assault_us_5c2cfd66e4b0407e908766b3 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Vancouver Restaurant Denies Serving Up Dead Rat In Chowder

A Vancouver restaurant has unequivocally denied claims it served a diner clam chowder with a dead rat in it. 

Last Thursday, Instagram user pisun_ne_ne shared a video of the alleged incident, showing what appears to be a rodent being pulled from a dish served by Crab Park Chowdery. 

The post is the first to be shared by the account in more than a year and while its caption includes a link to the user’s “active page”, many have cast doubt on its authenticity. 

HuffPost reached out to both accounts for comment however neither responded by the time of publication.

“Today my friend ordered Manhattan clam chowder and had a little surprise in it ― A RAT,” the caption reads. “It’s an awful feeling, it’s not a fly or a bug it’s a fucking big rat boiling in the soup pot, which means my friend was not the only [sic] who had a chance to try it ... My active page is @adelaiiine if you think this one is fake.”

In the video, an unidentified individual can be heard asking if the rat “is supposed to be in here.”

In a statement released Tuesday, the restaurant said an investigation had “unequivocally concluded there is no way this incident could have happened in our kitchen or as a result of any actions by our staff prior to being prepared and served.”

The restaurant has also encouraged any concerned diners to tour its facilities. 

“If any questions remain we implore you to come down and see our operation first hand, the safety measures in place and to meet our staff,” the statement read. “You will see for yourself just how much we all love what we do, our commitment to excellence and why we are so loved by the community.”

Crab Park Chowdery did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment. However owner Ashton Phillips told the Vancouver Sun last week that it was “impossible” for the rat to have made its way into the meal. 

“We are deeply apologetic. We will continue to do everything we can to get to the bottom of this,” he said. “This business has been my dream. And we are a highly rated restaurant. It has been a really tough day ... we are tying to do the right thing.”

Citing the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, multiple local news outlets reported that the soup had been prepared offsite in a building belonging to another restaurant, Mamie Taylor’s. 

While that restaurant was closed for one day to allow officials to inspect it, it has since reopened. Owner Ron Oliver told Canada’s CTV News that he planned to sever ties with the Crab Park Chowdery following the incident.

“It’s nice to feel like I’ve been vindicated, it wasn’t us that was the problem. But at the same time, [Friday] was a very difficult day,” he said, according to the network. 



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/vancouver-dead-rat-chowder-restaurant_us_5c2c203be4b0407e9085d5 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Terrifying Wave Of 'Firenadoes' Is Like Something From An Apocalypse Movie

An out-of-control bonfire led to a frightening scene in the Netherlands as a wave of “firenadoes” swirled across a beach early Tuesday. 

The bonfire at Scheveningen, a district in The Hague, is part of an annual New Year’s Eve competition with the neighboring community of Duindorp, the BBC said.

This year, the bonfire made of old wooden pallets reached nearly 160 feet before it raged out of control and led to the firenadoes, also known as fire whirls. 

No one was injured but several buildings were damaged as sparks and ash rained down.   

Riot police were brought in to deal with all the bystanders crowding the scene and making it difficult for firefighters to work, NLTimes reported.

The fire was brought under control by about 5 a.m. 

Mayor Pauline Krikke of The Hague told Euronews there would be an investigation, and said the event may not continue in the future. 

Despite the nickname, and the ominous whirling appearance, a firenado isn’t actually a tornado.

“They’re created by hot, dry air rising rapidly from the ground,” Live Science notes. “In that sense, firenadoes have more in common with whirlwinds or ‘dust devils,’ which typically form on hot, sunny days when the ground heats up the air nearby.”



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/netherlands-firenadoes_us_5c2c2c45e4b0407e9085dbdd ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Airline Worker 'Ecstatic' After Video Of Him Dancing On Tarmac Went Viral

A ramp agent for American Airlines danced his way into the hearts of thousands after a video of his moves on the Toronto Pearson International Airport tarmac went viral.

Jahmaul Allen, the man with the moves, told Global News that he loves what he does and dances at times to make “passengers happy.”

Allen was captured on video just before Christmas by a passenger who posted the footage on Instagram. Since then, the video has racked up thousands of likes and retweets on Twitter.

“I would say I do it every now and then, whenever I feel like the mood to dance and whenever I want to make someone happy on the plane,” Allen told Global News’ Kamil Karamali.

On the day he was caught on tape, Allen was dancing to cheer up a crying child on board, he told ABC News.

“I felt like I needed to brighten that child’s life. I just made her smile ... so then I continued to dance,” he said.

He told Global News that dancing didn’t interfere with his job tasks. The flight had a “perfect path” and was not being “interrupted at all by [his] dance moves,” he said.

The 28-year-old went on to say that he’s “ecstatic” by the reaction to the video.

“It’s actually a blessing, to be honest with you,” Allen said.

Never stop dancing, Jahmaul.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/airline-worker-dancing-tarmac_us_5c2cc8cae4b0407e9086cdfc ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

Kentucky Police Cry Over Burnt Krispy Kreme Truck; Doughnut Humor Ensues

Officers from the Lexington Police Department in Kentucky were full of emotion and sans doughnuts after a box truck fire.

In a humorous post on Twitter and Facebook, Lexington Police shared images Monday of a trio of crying officers adjacent to the burnt truck emblazoned with the words “Krispy Kreme.”

The department captioned the photographs with, “No words.” 

It’s not clear what caused the accident, but the police department indicated there were no injuries in the accident. Well, except for some doughnuts.

Naturally, many on social media ― particularly fellow law enforcement officers ― loved the self-deprecating post poking fun at the trope that police officers love doughnuts:



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kentucky-police-officers-krispy-kreme-doughnut-humor_us_5c2bb13 ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com

World's Oldest Person, Jeanne Calment, May Have Faked Her Age: Report


The woman who is believed the oldest person who ever lived may have padded her real age by 23 years.

When Jeanne Calment died in August 1997, in Arles, France, her age was reported as 122 years and 164 days ― an all-time record, according to Guinness World Records.

However, Russian researchers now say that the woman claiming to be Calment was actually her 99-year-old daughter, Yvonne Calment.

A new paper published by ResearchGate suggests that Jeanne Calment died in 1934 and Yvonne Calment assumed her identity so the family would not have to pay inheritance taxes, according to Inside Edition.

Some of the evidence collected by mathematician Nicolai Zak and gerontologist Valeri Novoselov include an identity card issued to Jeanne Calment in the 1930s that does not list the same hair color or height that she had later in life, according to the San Jose Mercury News.  

In an interview with LeafScience.org, Novoselov said Yvonne Calment’s husband, Joseph Charles Frédéric Billot, never remarried, despite the fact that he was only 42 at the moment of her supposed death.

“There were many mentions that he was getting along very well with Jeanne and they were raising Yvonne’s son Frédéric Jean Paul together,” Novoselov said.

He added that he checked out a birth certificate of a maid that Jeanne Calment said took her to school as a child.

“It turns out that she was 10 years younger than Jeanne, which means that she could only be taking her daughter Yvonne to school,” he said.

The researchers noted that Jeanne Calment had most of her personal papers destroyed rather than turn them over to the local archive in Arles, suggesting the family may have something to hide.

Meanwhile, Jean-Marie Robine, the French gerontologist who helped validate Jeanne Calment’s extreme age in the 1990s, is dismissing the age-faking theory as nonsense.

“All of this is incredibly shaky and rests on nothing,” he said, according to the National Post. 

While researching Jeanne Calment’s claim she was born in 1875, Robine said, he and a colleague made sure to ask her questions that only she would know the answer to, such as the name of her mathematics teacher.

“Her daughter couldn’t have known that,” he said.

Robine is also skeptical that a lie of that magnitude could be kept secret for more than 80 years.

“Do you have any idea how many people would have needed to lie?” Robine said. “One day Fernand Calment starts passing off his daughter as his wife and everyone keeps quiet about it? It’s preposterous.” 

The only way to determine the truth is to exhume both bodies for testing.

Should the researchers’ theory be proved correct, the new record for the world’s oldest person ever would go to Sarah Knauss, an American who died in 1999 at the age of 119, according to Inside Edition.



Source: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jeanne-calment-worlds-oldest-person-faked-age_us_5c2bb81fe4b05c ... and provided by video-cutter-online.com