Weekly Weird News for 28 April 2023
Hello everyone. I gathered a lot of stories this week. Since a few people have mentioned that there may be a problem with subscribing via Substack due to their internal policies, I’ve started an alternative way to access WWN stories - a Flipboard magazine.
Flipboard Sharon’s Strange Times
This also helps me because I can share the stories to you as they happen but then go back to that page to compose this newsletter. If you use Flipboard, please follow and share the link.
For this week, we start out with two updates to past WWN stories.
Update: Child found in alligator’s mouth
The child that was tossed into a pond by his father in Florida was dead prior to being dismembered by an alligator. Authorities looking for the child after his mother was found dead caught and killed an alligator that was holding part of the boy’s remains in its mouth. It was determined that the two year old drowned. The man responsible for both deaths faces two counts of first degree murder. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/25/florida-toddler-death-drowned-alligator
Update: Lake Mead remains
Back in 2021, human remains began showing up in Lake Mead. Now families are getting closure as the identification process concludes. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/human-remains-found-lake-mead-identified-man-disappeared-1998-rcna81688
Scientists respond to media misinformation about earthquake risk in Pacific northwest
Researchers discovered warm water emanating from an ocean floor area off the coast of Newport, Oregon. News media misinterpreted the implications of this research and suggested that the discovery raised the risk of a huge quake on the Cascadian subduction zone. They were wrong. And the scientists responded. https://spookygeology.com/clickbait-news-exaggerates-risk-about-pythias-oasis/
Cattle mutilation rears its tongueless head again
This story out of Texas has been gaining traction for two weeks now because people seem to thrive on outrageous speculation and news without verified information or expert commentary. Six cows among several herds in a local area have been found dead with no discernible cause of death. The carcasses were cut with parts removed. Yes, it’s that mysterious mystery of cattle “mutilation”. And, as usual, the media is doing a wretched job of covering the facts. Even the local sheriff’s department investigating is making unwarranted conclusions. The source of the evidence is dubious. I’ve seen “wildlife experts” quoted saying ignorant things like “no animal could do this”. That’s untrue. Most cows are killed by disease or other natural causes and then chewed on by scavengers. This is common knowledge that no one is pointing out. Instead, the drama is played up. Media outlets have created clickbait gold in pressing outlandish ideas and letting commenters go wild with insane suggestions. I’ve not seen any decent followup on these sensationalized stories. But I did finally note that one site, at the very conclusion of the hype filled piece, confirmed one of the cows died from pneumonia. Another was more clear. However, to keep the speculation going among people who don’t know how nature works, they insist the “mutilation” is still a mystery. It’s scavengers. That’s how nature works - there need be no “struggle” when the animal is already dead. They eat the soft parts. There are no “surgical cuts”, the resulting skin appearance is being misinterpreted. These types of stories are moral panics created by farmers’ fears about monetary losses and trespassers made worse by cultural ideas like alien abduction and Satanists. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dead-cows-mutilated-tongues-removed-texas-mystery/
Peacocks among us
For some reason, peacocks were prevalent in the news this week. A town in Norfolk, England is a gathering place for free ranging peacocks. Residents aren’t’ sure why or where they came from. It’s not unusual to keep peacocks on large estates. And they do fly. Unmentioned in this story is how LOUD these birds can be. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-65355773
Apparently, you need to treat peacocks like geese. Because they do attack. A NYC man was bitten by a roaming bird after it escaped from the Bronx zoo. The bird was safely returned https://gothamist.com/news/i-thought-i-was-buggin-roaming-peacock-bites-bronx-mans-leg
Parrots zoom call
Pet parrots have been taught to video call their fellow birds. Researchers say it helps their well-being to connect to other birds in this way to somewhat mimic social flocks. This is a great story. And it makes some sense. But we should be cautious in the interpretation. The study measured regular social behaviors, which is better than subjective reporting that the birds seemed happier. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/21/parrots-taught-to-video-call-each-other-become-less-lonely-finds-research
Loon fallout
In northern Wisconsin, loons are icing up and falling to the ground. As the birds fly through a cold air mass, they collect ice and fall to the ground. It's hard to help a grounded loon simply because they aren’t too friendly. But they do need assistance to be moved to large ponds to recover and take off again. https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2023/04/22/loon-fallout-weather-causing-birds-fall-sky-wisconsin/
A Utah neighborhood is collapsing
Homes in a Utah neighborhood have collapsed after the foundation failed due to plastic soils on a steep slope. I'm having a hard time with their "engineering and quality control efforts" if they didn't account for winter conditions... in Utah. According to the video with this local media report here, the developer "didn't read" a 2010 report showing the soils in this area are "plastic" meaning they will slide when wet. This could have and should have been avoided. And the entire area is at risk, not just these few homes. Geology and engineering matters. Also buyer beware, this was entirely predictable. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-complete-failure-of-retaining-wall-and-slope-builder-says-of-draper-homes-collapse/ar-AA1ahCWt and https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/2023/04/27/warnings-ignored-robert-gehrke/
Ocean buzz chorus
Hydrophones in the Indian Ocean captured a buzzing sound that scientists could not readily identify. This isn’t as mysterious as it’s hyped out to be. We don’t have a lot of data about the sounds marine life makes. The researchers were able to match up many sounds to various animals and even noted how the sounds changed with the mood phases to signal good times to feed on plankton. But one repeatedly noted sound is a still a mystery. It is similar to that recorded previously near North Carolina. It is presumed to be a fish. There is no reason to suppose it’s an unusual or undiscovered animal. https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxjdqb/mysterious-ocean-buzz-soud
The catastrophic effects of cults
Extremism can get more extreme than we can imagine. Dozens of children were found dead after rogue pastor in Kenya radicalized families to starve themselves as the only pathway to god. He also urged families not to send children to school because education was not in the Bible. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kenya-starvation-cult-death-toll-rises-child-graves-shakahola-forest-massacre/
Mobile phone scams on the rise
If you're like me, everyday you get emails or texts masquerading as an urgent message from a legitimate company. Your best bet it to assume they are fraudulent. Never answer the texts, never follow the link, never give information. If you have an account with the bank or company mentioned, go straight to the secure provider account to check it directly. Don’t fall for this and lose money. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/apr/22/robo-texts-scams-bank-accounts
Prove Mike Wrong Challenge accepted and won
When you put your money where your ridiculous mouth is, you may be forced to pay up when someone proves you wrong. In 2021, crazy Mike Lindell issued the “Prove Mike Wrong Challenge” where he offered $5 million to anyone who could prove his data about election fraud was wrong. Lindell believed so badly in a conspiracy that he lost all perspective and reason. And he lost the bet. A court agreed that a person legitimately showed the data was fake, fulfilled the contract, and must be awarded the prize. https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/20/politics/mike-lindell-2020-election/
A geocache causes concern
A suspicious device found in Nova Scotia resulted in evacuations and the bomb squad deployment. It turns out it was a geocache - where you play a game to find hidden objects using GPS. In these strange times, people still leave geocaches! Amazing. This turned out exactly as I would have predicted. https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/suspicious-container-that-caused-evacuation-actually-a-geocache-n-s-rcmp-1.6360261
Needles in food for real
A disturbed former grocery employee was caught putting sewing needles into pet and people food. It's not Halloween but you can bet this person got the idea from stories that circulate about needles in treats. The teen was identified by surveillance videos as tampering with the food. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/employee-facing-charges-for-putting-needles-in-food-at-lehigh-county-grocery-store-police/3550014/
Lions and Tigers, oh my
Authorities seized (very carefully, I imagine) ten tigers, six jaguars, five lions and other species in a Mexican town run by drug dealers. Rumor has it that the cartel heads fed their exotic pets human parts. Do Mexican drug lords feed their tigers on the flesh of their enemies? Hard to say, but there were definitely big cats that need feeding. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexico-seizes-10-tigers-5-lions-in-cartel-dominated-area/
Jellyfish robots
The Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have created a robotic trash collector modeled after jellyfish. The jellybots can be deployed to collect trash in aquatic environments. I had questions! What if they capture other animals? What if other animals eat them? Turtles eat plastic bags thinking they are jellyfish. This weirds me a out more than a little bit. But the jellybots still need a wired connection to work. https://www.popsci.com/technology/jellyfish-robot-ocean-pollution/
Jesus talking board
Holy heck, this idea was genius! Market a fun party game that works via belief and subjective interpretation as a way to communicate with Jesus. The Holy Spirit Board suggests you can communicate directly with Christ and is fun for prayer groups or Christian get-togethers. As you might guess, the church didn’t like this. Only special people are allowed to say they talk directly to Jesus. This device is clearly the devil’s work. Ouija boards are typically considered dangerous by religious-minded folks who think they open portals where evil entities can come through. It’s just a game but this would be a great item for those who collect Ouija boards.
The game’s description says, “GET THE ANSWERS YOU NEED! — The Holy Spirit Board can answer all of life’s most important questions, straight from the man himself!” and assures potential buyers that “unlike other spirit boards, this one will NEVER contact evil ghosts or demons, so you can ask your questions with an assured sense of safety.”
Indian halo
A bright ring around the sun was seen in India for several hours. The halo was the result of light from the sun refracting off ice crystals in the thin clouds. The atmospheric phenomenon did not seem to create any hubbub as people recognized what it was. https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/rare-sun-halo-seen-in-prayagraj-what-is-the-mysterious-ring-surrounding-the-sun-2365797-2023-04-28
I just read about the "social media parrots" in a news report (NYT?) and while it seems at least somewhat legit, I wonder if it's more like the questionable case of dog owners supposedly communicating with their pets through a large "symbol" rug with 25 items that a dog can "select." The idea is that the dogs learn to express their desires and needs for a whole range of activities from "go for walk" to "water" etc. I watched a video that purported to show a dog using the symbols but it was not a very convincing demo. I've also heard of "buttons" that seem a bit more realistic since one could do some operant conditioning.
Now with the parrots, it's not clear from the videos whether the parrots are really learning and eager to communicate with their friends or if the researchers are doing a sort of Ouija Board thing where they kind of lead the parrot to select something, or perhaps are working with the novelty of the screens, thus using the playtime and rewards to give the impression of parrots interacting.
Good stuff, Kiddo.