Weird

Awesome!

Archaeologists in Israel have found a gold ring with a purple stone, believed to be amethyst, that they believe was used to ward off hangovers. The ring, dated to between the 3rd and 7th centuries, was discovered in the ruins of an ancient wine factory, United Press International reported. The Israeli Antiquities Authority said the ring probably belonged to a wealthy person who may have worn the ring to counteract the “side effects” of wine. The winery was known for its white Gaza variety.

‘Tis the Season

Cobb County (Georgia) Superior Court Judge Robert Leonard has, with tongue firmly in cheek, banned the Elf on the Shelf from his county, United Press International reported. Leonard said the elf poses “a risk to the emotional health and well-being of Cobb’s young children.” He tweeted that his order was a “gift to tired parents” because “When these Elves do not move, it leaves our children of tender years in states of extreme emotional distress.” But for those families who love their elves, carry on: There will be no charges.

News You Can Use

On Nov. 7, as four astronauts prepare to leave the International Space Station, they’ll have an extra “load” to carry, the Associated Press reported. The SpaceX capsule that will bring them back to Earth has a broken toilet, so the two NASA astronauts and one each from France and Japan will be wearing what NASA calls “absorbent undergarments” for 20 hours. “Spaceflight is full of lots of little challenges,” said NASA astronaut Megan McArthur. “We’re not too worried about it.”

Surprise!

Emily Johnson of Vacaville, California, didn’t think it was time to go to the hospital when her contractions were 10 minutes apart on Nov. 4 -- but then they quickly started coming faster, and as Emily and her husband headed to the car, she knew it was too late. “I’m going to be here. This is my spot,” she said to her husband, Michael, according to KCRA-TV. Emily’s mom, Kristy Sparks, was with the couple and helped Emily deliver baby Thomas on the lawn just as rescue crews pulled up to the scene. “By the time they walked up to me, I had a baby in my arms crying,” Sparks said. “It was unreal.” Bonus: Emily will always be able to relive the scene because the entire event was caught on her doorbell camera. (Fortunately, Emily noted, she was facing away from the camera.)

Cohabitation

Christopher Callen, 33, was charged with assaulting his roommate at the Monroe County Detention Center in Key West, Florida, on Nov. 4, The Smoking Gun reported. Callen told police that Amado Dominguez-Quevedo, 57, “farts too much, stinking up the cell” and doesn’t do a “courtesy flush” after using the toilet. Plus, Callen added, he “speaks weird languages.” The victim told police that he was cleaning the toilet when Callen started punching him in the face and ribs. As a result, he lost two teeth and had a broken rib and bruised left eye.

Inexplicable

Firefighters in Syracuse, New York, were called to the Landmark Theatre on Nov. 5 after a person was heard calling for help inside the building, Fox News reported. An unidentified 39-year-old man was stuck behind a wall in the theater bathroom, completely naked, and was believed to have been there for two to three days. It was unclear how he managed to get behind the wall, but firefighters had to cut through several layers of drywall and structural tile to free him. Syracuse Deputy Fire Chief John Kane said the victim appeared to be uninjured and would probably be treated for dehydration.

Visitors to the lion exhibit at the Bronx Zoo on Nov. 11 got an extra show when a woman wearing a blond wig and leopardprint shawl climbed over the barrier and spoke to a male lion, who was on the other side of a protective moat. The unidentified woman carried a bouquet of red roses and tossed $100 bills toward the lion as she addressed him: “King, I love you, I came back for you,” Fox News reported. By the time zoo officials reached the exhibit, the woman was gone, but they stressed that she was not in any danger. It is possible that the woman is Myah Autry, who pulled a similar stunt in 2019 at the same exhibit.

A Man and His Truck

Because of his battle with an incurable disease, Don Adan Arana of Puerto San Carlos, Mexico, was unable to enjoy the pickup truck his son had recently given him. Before he died, Arana told his family that he’d like to be buried in the truck so that he could make up for lost time, driving it in the afterlife, Oddity Central reported. On Nov. 4, a crane was used to lift the truck into a brick-lined tomb, and Arana’s coffin was placed in the truck’s bed. However, Arana’s family may have to pay a fine, as they didn’t receive authorization for the unconventional interment.

Can’t Possibly Be True

In a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology, researchers from Furman University asked children ages 4 to 7 to identify whether certain foods come from plants or animals, and which things were OK to eat. The results were shocking, as Oddee.com reported: About a third of the kids thought eggs came from plants. Forty percent thought hot dogs and bacon were vegetables. Almost half thought french fries were animal-based. More than a third thought chicken nuggets were plantbased, even though the word “chicken” is right there in the name. Another third said fish were not OK to eat. Seventy-six percent said cows were not OK to eat. We have some work to do, folks.

Recurring Themes

The Boulder (Colorado) Daily Camera reported that 39-year-old Jon Charles Streckenbach is facing charges of firstdegree arson, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance after he used a blowtorch to rid his mother’s home of cobwebs on Nov. 2. He said he was using the torch in the crawlspace under the basement and worked for an hour to put out the fire before calling for help. His mother had a protection order against him but had been allowing him to stay with her because he was homeless. The flames caused $100,000 in damages -- but the cobwebs are gone!

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