Weekly Weird News for 28 October 2022
Hello and welcome to a rushed week of WWN. If I miss a good story that comes out today, it’s because I had to schedule this post the night before. But let’s get going on what I did find this week.
To start, I normally do not venture into the realm of UFO/UAP news because it’s what I would call a dog’s breakfast. But to kick off this week of Halloween festivities, I’d like to bring some additional attention to how low some communities will go to get the almighty tourism dollar regarding paranormal themes. In particular, this first story from Uintah County in Utah is using funds to promote a dangerous and exaggerated myth about their infamous spooky locations.
Unethical behavior in the name of tourism for Uintah County
In a thorough and admirable piece of investigation by an independent research group, Uintah County in Utah was found to have paid people who spoke at and hosted PhenomeCon 2022 that publicized the infamous Skinwalker Ranch location and other nearby places where people allege there are serious and dangerous paranormal activity occurring. The event, held in September at the Uintah Conference Center in the county seat of Vernal, was not disclosed to the public as funding by the county who paid $133,000 out for the event according to records. Those paid and who spoke at the event alleged there was dangerous radiation readings at the site and have suggested that people were severely injured or died as a result of the mysterious phenomenon occurring in the area. There is no record that these “dangerous” conditions were ever reported to state authorities and they have never been officially documented. The county is facing criticism that they used exaggerated and unproven claims to promote tourism to the site in unethical ways in violation of guidelines on government ethics and transparency. https://www.expandingfrontiersresearch.org/post/uintah-county-paid-tens-of-thousands-to-phenomecon-speakers
Note that the above story WON’T be covered by pro-paranormal sites Coast-to-Coast AM or The Anomalist, with the latter site posting a series of positive reviews of the event in question. It’s all about $$$.
Knock knock
A well-dressed dude was tapping doors in Lauderhill, Florida at night by using a machete handle. He was caught on camera tapping the door and then the walkway of more than one home. It seemed to be deliberate, almost superstitious, behavior. It’s freaking people out. But what’s most strange is that he hasn’t been identified. I’ve not been able to find any update on the story. https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/machete-wielding-man-caught-on-several-cameras-knocking-on-doors-in-lauderhill-neighborhood/
See ya later
A juvenile alligator was found lost on the streets of Boise, Idaho in October. It was a good thing he was picked up. Probably a dumped pet, and Idaho Fish and Game Commission is investigating. They are illegal to possess in Idaho and just as illegal to release them. https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/35-foot-alligator-found-south-of-new-plymouth-idaho/277-e3c3539b-9ac7-4372-946d-d51d13a2207e
You can feel it - It’s electric!
Swarms of honeybees can generate an electric charge in a voltage density greater than that of a thunderstorm cloud. The massive effect was a surprise to researchers who discovered it on a weather tracking station. After setting up the equipment to measure bee swarms, they confirmed the results multiple times. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2343843-honeybee-swarms-generate-more-electricity-per-metre-than-a-storm-cloud/
Self-organizing grass
There has always been a mystery about how “fairy circles” in the Namib desert formed. Millions of these gaps of vegetation in the grasslands a few meters wide are a distinctive pattern with no clear cause. At first, it was thought to be termites that killed the grasses. Researchers say that the center grass died immediately after rainfall. The grasses on the outside pulled the water away in a case of self-organizing plants in response to dry weather. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221020122948.htm
No more all-you-can-eat crab legs
The snow crab season has been called off in Alaska. It was a huge blow to the local economy but the population crashed, dropping more than 80%. Why? All sources point to a warming ocean. The crabs’ cold-water habitat dwindled as they faced starvation and an increase in predators. https://www.conservation.org/blog/news-spotlight-what-happened-to-alaska-s-snow-crabs-scientists-have-a-few-leads
An unfortunate ending
A horrific story from Indonesia spread widely this week when officials reported that a woman in her 50s who worked on a rubber plantation in Jambi province of Sumatra disappeared and was later found inside a large snake. The snake’s length was reported at 5m and 7m so its size is unclear (16-22 ft) but likely on the larger side. It’s not the first time humans have been consumed by snakes but it is rare. The woman’s body was intact when the snake was opened up. The swollen snake was discovered when they were looking for the missing woman. Several articles state she was “eaten alive” but that is speculation. Constriction would likely have rendered her unconscious before resulting in death. Still, what a way to go. Fatal encounters will continue as humans consume the snake’s natural environment. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63396954 and https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/26/indonesia-python-snake-eats-woman/
Running with gas
A very bold but very stupid criminal who fled from police on a motorbike and then on foot was eventually downed with a Taser. But what happened in an Alabama neighborhood immediately after was unexpected. He burst into flames. The charge from the weapon ignited a container of gasoline he had in his backpack. Police put out the fire and he is expected to survive but is charged with a long list of crimes. You can see the video here. https://www.4029tv.com/article/video-shows-mans-backpack-burst-into-flames-after-being-tased-by-arkansas-state-police/41759807#
Why did the criminal bury the car?
A popular question arising from a news report in California this week was who buried their car in the backyard and why? People suspected it was to hide criminal activity, a logical guess. The 1991 Mercedes was owned by Johnny Bocktune Law. He’d reported it stolen a year later and collected the insurance money. Law was a known criminal who had been convicted of murder before he bought the house where the car was found. He later was involved in sinking his million-dollar yacht in an insurance scheme for which he was also caught. He died in 2015. Sniffer dogs signaled human remains during the excavation but none have been found. No mystery here. https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/10/24/former-owner-of-atherton-estate-with-buried-mercedes-collected-87000-in-insurance-for-it-da-says/
And now, the news
In the past several decades, more people get their news from the Internet. Specific social media sites have taken their turn to be the main source of news for people. It’s not just web-based news outlets but Facebook, Twitter, and now, Tik Tok are places where typically younger people go to get their “news”. In a new Pew poll, 26% of 18-29 yr olds get their news from TikTok. This is a reflection of the tool they are using. Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit still lead the polls ahead of TikTok but the latter is gaining. I’ll be damned, though, if I can figure this out. I looked and could find nothing on TikTok resembling “news” except goofy people reading headlines in 60 seconds. I wouldn’t call that “news” but, the world is changing, isn’t it? So is the definition of “news”. Strange Times indeed. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/10/21/more-americans-are-getting-news-on-tiktok-bucking-the-trend-on-other-social-media-sites/
Viral rumors about candy fentanyl are rotten
Finally, as you head out to enjoy Halloween festivities, remember that the scariest fact is that government officials are still pushing nonsense about tainted candy being a risk to children while underplaying true risks, like COVID, poverty, poor educational standards, and understaffed and underfunded child services. https://www.rumorguard.org/post/scary-drug-laced-halloween-candy-rumor-spreads-without-evidence