Weekly Weird News for 11 March 2022

Don't lose your head

Lots of us are having a rough time getting through the news. During uncertain times like these (which feels like the last 10 years), conspiracy theories flourish. Modern news outlets have learned that capitalizing on the drama and exaggeration gets them clicks and, subsequently, ad revenue. Please be aware of this when you see frightening headlines. I’d suggest seeking out more rational views on the news takes that sound like the end of the world. I have some examples of that process this week.

Media arachno-horror

As if we have enough scary thoughts to fill our day, the media went nuts about … spiders. With headlines like “venomous and invasive species from East Asia poised to take over East Coast” and “spider as big as your palm could soon invade the East Coast”, this story about the possibility of the Joro spider dispersing to new areas in the Spring was wildly exaggerated. It’s just a garden spider, another type of golden orb weaver, that people probably won’t really notice. The species, Trichonephila clavata, is native to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China, but it’s been in the US since 2013 in Northern Georgia and South Carolina. All spiders are venomous to some degree but this one will not hurt you - their fangs aren’t large enough to break the skin and they are non-aggressive. Researchers have found that it can tolerate fairly cold temperatures and expect that the babies will travel on the wind. So, no, it’s not going to rain giant spiders. The new settler isn’t even that worrisome because it doesn’t pose a threat to local ecosystems and birds will probably eat them. I did refrain from posting a close-up picture because I do understand the shape of these animals - with long, spindly legs - can be triggering. I hope they come north and eat Spotted Lantern Flies - a seriously troublesome invasive species. https://news.uga.edu/joro-spiders-likely-to-spread-beyond-georgia/

Brown rain origin

Here’s an update from a story in the 11 Feb 2022 newsletter about the “Brown Rain” that bespeckled a neighborhood near Las Vegas. The answer is in: the substance is bee droppings. The sample tests revealed “pollen grains of multiple species of plants” and the conclusion was that it was “frass” or fecal droppings from bees. No additional information about the location or type of bees was available. https://www.clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/environmentandsustainability/public_communications/20220304beefrass.php

Faked her own kidnapping

In 2016, Sherri Papini, a married mother of two, disappeared during a morning jog in Redding, California. Weeks later, she turned up and claimed she’d been kidnapped by two women. But the sheriff was suspicious from the start. The strange evidence pilled up, especially after she was recovering in the hospital - untraceable cell phones, mystery DNA, money, and what appears to be a serious personality disorder all pointed towards a woman who had faked her abduction and profited from it. Papini is charged with mail fraud and lying to a federal agent. She is in jail awaiting a court date. https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/FBI-says-Sherri-Papini-made-up-kidnapping-16980963.php

Box o’ heads

An undisclosed number of human heads were stolen from a “secured truck” containing body parts that had been donated to a private program. The odd theft occurred in Denver and no sources have said much about the details. The company that apparently, legally, owned the human remains said that they were donated by those who agreed to have their tissue used for research and “nontransplant tissue-banking”. It’s not known who took the remains or what their ultimate purpose for them is. But human remains, for whatever use, have significant value, and body parts are illegally obtained and sold on the black market for sometimes thousands of dollars. https://kdvr.com/news/problem-solvers/stolen-human-heads-property-of-aurora-company/

Stuck elk

Ground floor windows into basements are necessary as escape routes if you ever get trapped but they seem to be a growing hazard for animals. Back in January 2022 I related the story of a moose that became stuck in a basement in Colorado when it fell through the window and couldn’t leave the way it came it. This past week, an elk fell into the window well of a Colorado home and got stuck. The elk had smashed the window, didn’t fall through, but couldn’t exit the deep enclosed space and had to be rescued. The animal was safely released. https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/03/09/elk-window-well-rescue-Eagle-Colorado/3381646856034/

Usually, it’s a cat, not a person

A remodeling crew at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center in Oakland, CA got quite a shock when they discovered a mummified human body in the wall of the historic building. The building had been in use since 2005 and was opened in 1914. The body, initially described as male, is undergoing testing to determine age, identity and cause of death but the remains had been there for at least several years. https://abc7news.com/body-found-in-kaiser-center-wall-oakland-alameda-county-sheriffs-office/11637204/

Japan’s killing stone does the splits

The infamous Sessho-seki, a protected boulder in a volcanic area in Japan, has split. A legend says the stone was the prison of the evil nine-tailed fox demoness Tamamo-no-Mae and that anyone who touched it died. Some people fear the evil was released into the world. Great, eh? That’s ALL we need is more evil in the world. In reality, the stone had been cracked for a while and was held by a rope. The rock likely split from natural weathering processes. The area is known for sulfur hot springs and potentially poisonous gases which may have contributed to the “killing stone” myth. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/japans-killing-stone-splits-in-two-releasing-superstitions-and-toxic-gases

Bleeding statue

Catholic news sources are reporting a story of a woman in Colorado who claims her statue of St. Michael began bleeding from the head just prior to the Ukrainian invasion by Russia. The woman, a Mexican immigrant, posted the video to Facebook and called a priest. The Archdiocese of Denver is now investigating the claim that the statue dripped blood for several days. Typical statues depict the saint as an angel with his foot upon the demon of the Apocalypse during the war of the angels. The story of the bleeding statue is clearly symbolic. Most stories of weeping or bleeding statues are pious frauds. Church officials are usually hesitant to claim a miracle. If the church finds no evidence of a miracle in this case, expect there will not be any further follow-up. However, you can hardly blame people for thinking the Apocalypse is near. https://www.ncregister.com/cna/is-blood-flowing-from-a-colorado-woman-s-st-michael-statue

The tooth fairy helps Ukraine

In December, a fishing crew in Massachusetts dredged up a 10,000-year-old mammoth tooth along with scallop shells. According to local paleontologists, this happens very occasionally. But, being very well preserved, the tooth is now being actioned on eBay with the money promised to be donated to World Central Kitchen to help Ukrainian refugees. As of this post, the bidding has reached $9,600. https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/local/2022/03/09/help-ukrainian-refugees-maine-fishermen-auction-woolly-mammoth-tooth-fossil/9374543002/

But officer, can’t I get reciprocity?

A 21 yr old was pursued by police by car and helicopter in Kent, England after multiple traffic violations. Found in his car was a large amount of cannabis, which was primarily why he was then arrested. However, he also faces charges for driving with a fake driver’s license obtained from the Legoland Driving School. The card was awarded to him in 2003 for passing a fake driving test in a brick-built car at the Windsor theme park. https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/helicopter-chase-driver-had-legoland-licence-263773/

That’s all for this week. Tune in next week to see what the wild, weird world will deliver. As always, sharing is greatly appreciated. Please share on Facebook or other social media. If you hear of a news story or update of interest, send it on.