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Showing posts from October, 2023

Watch: Alligator relocated after visit to Florida beach

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Swimmers at a Florida beach were left scrambling to shore when a large alligator put in an unexpected appearance in the salt water. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/31/alligator-Hillsboro-Beach-Florida/3981698782016/

Chinese company cooks up world record serving of smelly noodles

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A Chinese food company broke the Guinness World Record for the largest cup of instant rice noodles by cooking up 112 pounds of instant luosifen. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/31/Guinness-World-Records-noodles/5991698777371/

North Carolina’s top elevator official says he’ll no longer include his portrait in every lift

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — After slapping their mug inside every elevator in the state, an elected North Carolina regulator will go back to being faceless. Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson’s face stares at many elevator riders in the state, following a predecessor who started the practice in the mid-2000s of placing her photo on inspection certificates. But he recently put an end to elevating the image of people in his position. Dobson told WRAL-TV on Monday he authorized removing the photo to make space for a new sentence on the elevator safety forms that mark each inspection. Over time, the new forms will make their way into elevators statewide as new inspections are completed. Dobson said he never really embraced the photo op, which made people focus more on him instead of the Department of Labor employees who served under him. He said he wants to focus “on them and the hard work they do,” the TV station reported. Predecessor Cherie Berry — a Republican like Dobson — pioneered the el

Virginia woman wins two big lottery prizes in two weeks from same game

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A Virginia woman scored a $912,936 jackpot from an online lottery game just one week after winning $50,000 from the same game. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/31/lotto-Virginia-Lottery-online-game-two-weeks/2411698776465/

Watch: Reported house fire was an 'amazing' Halloween display

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Firefighters in New York responded to a report of a house on fire and arrived to find the purported flames were actually an "amazing Halloween decoration." source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/31/Halloween-fake-fire-Glens-Falls-New-York/6881698764949/

Five spooky unsolved Odd News mysteries for Halloween

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Halloween is a celebration of the strange and unexplained, but the Odd News headlines prove that spooky doesn't always mean ghosts and ghouls -- sometimes it can be a very real mystery. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/31/Halloween-spooky-unvolved-odd-news-mysteries-listicle/4091698695391/

Kentucky woman wins $75,000 from her first-ever scratch-off lottery ticket

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A Kentucky woman bought a scratch-off lottery ticket for the first time and won a $75,000 prize. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/30/lotto-Kentucky-Lottery-first-ever-scratch-off-ticket/2981698698616/

Watch: Second mysterious yellow line appears in middle of Florida road

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A mysterious yellow line appeared in the middle of a Florida road for the second time in about a month. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/30/second-yellow-line-St-Augustine-Florida/7161698687338/

Hundreds of people in Spider-Man costumes gather in Argentina

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An estimated 2,000 people in Spider-Man costumes gathered in the capital city of Argentina in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/30/argentina-Guinness-World-Records-Spider-Man-gathering/1751698683093/

Watch: About 1,000 sheep paraded through Utah city's Main Street

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Some 1,000 sheep were paraded down a Utah city's Main Street for the annual Cedar City Sheep Parade. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/30/sheep-parade-Cedar-City-Utah/3201698679190/

44 escaped sheep found two days later in Ontario

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Police in Ontario said a flock of 44 sheep that escaped from their owner's farm were located on a road two days later. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/27/canada-escaped-sheep-Ontartio/7151698439117/

S.C. woman's 'feeling' leads to $2 million lottery prize

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A South Carolina woman said a "feeling" led her to buy the scratch-off lottery ticket that earned her a $2 million jackpot. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/27/lotto-South-Carolina-Education-Lottery-lucky-feeling/1191698438593/

Colorado judge chides company that tried to pay $23,500 settlement in coins weighing 3 tons

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado judge chided a welding company that tried to pay off a $23,500 settlement with a subcontractor by sending the money in loose coins that weighed 3 tons (2.7 metric tonnes). Judge Joseph Findley ruled Monday that JMF Enterprises “acted maliciously and in bad faith” by delivering a custom made metal box containing the coins that was too heavy to be carried in the freight elevator at the offices for Fired Up Fabrications’ lawyers, let alone with the forklift required to carry it, according to court filings. Findley ordered JMF to pay by a more conventional method like a check. He also said JMF would now have to write a larger one — to pay an extra estimated $8,092 to cover legal fees for the ensuing dispute over whether it had the right to pay in coins. One of the subcontractor’s lawyers, Danielle Beem, told Denver’s KCNC-TV, which first reported the judge’s order, that the coin payment was a “symbolic middle finger.” Lawyers for JMF said the settlement agreeme

Watch: 465 couples share spaghetti strands for romantic world record attempt

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A German restaurant chain gathered 465 couples to recapture a romantic Guinness World Record for the most people eating a single piece of spaghetti simultaneously. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/25/germany-Guinness-World-Records-Italian-kiss-spaghetti-strand/6751698256362/

Watch: Deer interrupts high school soccer game in Pennsylvania

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A high school soccer game in Pennsylvania was interrupted when a deer ran out onto the field during play. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/25/deer-soccer-field-Pennsylvania/2911698245840/

A battle of wreaths erupts in the Arctic when Russian envoy puts his garland over Norway’s wreath

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A battle of wreaths erupted Wednesday when a Russian diplomat in the Arctic town of Kirkenes in northern Norway reportedly put his garland on top of Norway’s at a monument for the 1944 liberation of the region by Soviet troops. Magnus Mæland, the municipality mayor, then angrily removed the Russian wreath — only to have a woman, described by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK as being Russian, put it back. ”You don’t behave like that here,” Mæland told NRK. “One should be able to lay flowers at a monument, but not over the municipality’s official wreath.” Several local people in the border town only 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the Russian border, had called on Russian officials to stay away from the ceremony. In an op-ed published last week, local historians Marit Bjerkeng and Harald Sunde wrote that “official representatives of Russia should not hold any commemoration or appear at memorials on Norwegian soil,” saying it will be seen “as an insult to Norw

Watch: Halloween displays celebrate Taylor Swift in New York, Ohio

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Two separate Halloween displays -- one in New York and one in Ohio -- are going viral thanks to their common theme: Taylor Swift. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/24/Halloween-decorations-Taylor-Swift/9191698177726/

Long-lost lottery ticket worth $1 million found by house cleaner

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A Massachusetts man said his house cleaner came across a long-forgotten lottery ticket he had purchased months earlier and it turned out to be a $1 million winner. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/24/lotto-Massachusetts-State-Lottery-long-lost-ticket-house-cleaner/4141698176738/

Kentucky woman wins her second big lottery prize this year

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A Kentucky woman who only occasionally buys scratch-off lottery tickets won a $50,000 prize just months after collecting a $10,000 prize. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/23/lotto-Kentucky-Lottery-second-big-win/4281698087958/

Watch: World's largest pumpkin mosaic honors 'Nightmare Before Christmas'

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A pumpkin farm in England celebrated the 30th anniversary of the animated film "The Nightmare Before Christmas" with a mosaic measuring 2,081 square feet. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/23/Guinness-World-Records-pumpkin-mosaic-Nightmare-Before-Christmas/7521698077818/

World’s oldest dog ever dies in Portugal, aged 31 (or about 217 in dog years)

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A 31-year-old dog in Portugal that had been ranked as the world’s oldest dog ever has died, his owner said Monday. The guard dog, called Bobi, died over the weekend in a veterinary hospital, Leonel Costa told The Associated Press. Bobi lived on a farm in the village of Conqueiros in Portugal with Costa and four cats. He was born on May 11, 1992, when his owner was just 8 years old. That made Bobi more than 217 years old in dog years when he died. In an interview earlier this year, Costa told the Associated Press that Bobi’s secret to a long life was good food, fresh air and lots of love. “Bobi eats what we eat,” said Costa. What’s more, Bobi had never been put on a lead. Bobi claimed the Guinness World Record from Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, who died in 1939 aged 29 and had held the record for almost a century. Officials at the Guinness World Records on Monday said they were “saddened to learn of the death of Bobi, the world’s oldest dog ever.” In a

Look: Runaway tortoise found 5 miles from home, 3 1/2 years later

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Sheriff's deputies in Florida captured a loose African sulcata tortoise and the reptile was later found to have escaped its home 3 1/2 years earlier. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/23/lost-sulcata-tortoise-found-putnam-county-florida/1371698073674/

Look: Kestrel loses ability to fly, learns to paint in Vermont

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An American kestrel at a Vermont museum lost his ability to fly -- but has found a new calling as an artist. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/20/kestrel-paint-Vermont-Institute-Natural-Science/4561697830353/

Watch: Teenager catches tennis ball dropped from 469.5 feet

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A New York 18-year-old broke a Guinness World Record by catching a tennis ball dropped by a drone flying 469.5 feet overhead. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/20/Guinness-World-Records-tennis-ball-catch/6971697829326/

Rhode Island woman wins $87,480 playing lottery's phone number

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A Rhode Island woman used the state lottery's phone number to enter the Daily Numbers drawing and ended up winning her second major prize in two months. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/20/lotto-Rhode-Island-Lottery-phone-number/2671697827809/

Watch: Pig gets new home after four-day destruction spree

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A 400-pound pig who carved a 10-mile path of destruction during his four days on the loose in Colorado was given a new permanent home at a high school's farm. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/20/Fred-pig-Aurora-Colorado-new-home/3221697816933/

California man lets clerk choose lottery ticket, wins $10 million

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A California man let a store clerk choose a scratch-off lottery ticket for him and ended up winning a $10 million prize. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/19/lotto-California-Lottery-clerks-choice/4901697746717/

Watch: Swimming deer rescued 4 miles from shore in Alaska

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State troopers in Alaska came to the rescue of two deer found struggling in the water 4 miles from the nearest shore. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/18/Alaska-State-Troopers-deer-swimming-rescue/5891697662150/

Watch: Barbecue-crashing bear eats 10 burgers, drinks Diet Coke

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A barbecue in Tennessee came to a premature end when a bear crashed the party and feasted on 10 burgers and a Diet Coke. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/18/bear-barbecue-Gatlinburg-Tennessee/8711697661337/

Kentucky Lottery player wins $1 million anniversary gift

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A Kentucky man who determined a lottery vending machine "didn't feel lucky" went to a customer service counter instead and won a $1 million anniversary gift from a scratch-off lottery ticket. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/18/lotto-Kentucky-Lottery-anniversary/3541697660534/

Look: Golfer has played 450 different courses in under a year, aims for 500

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A Seattle man aiming to golf at 500 courses in one year has arrived at the 450 mark, beating the current Guinness World Record. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/18/Guinness-World-Records-golf-courses-450/8111697650251/

Watch: British cat's 54.59-decibel purr breaks world record

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A British family's 14-year-old cat earned a Guinness World Record when her ear-splitting purr was measured at 54.59 decibels. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/17/Guinness-World-Records-loudest-purr-living-cat/7331697575347/

North Carolina woman wins her second major lottery prize

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A North Carolina woman scored her second major lottery prize on a day traditionally thought to be unlucky. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/17/lotto-North-Carolina-Education-Lottery-second-big-win/2691697571810/

Watch: 2 male lions stalk and attack rival on airstrip

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This male lion was caught off guard by two dominant male lions when he was lazing on the warm tarmac of the runway. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/17/safrica-lions-attack-lion/6581697557831/

Reported mountain lion in Pa. was a 'feral house cat,' state says

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Reports of a mountain lion on the loose in Pennsylvania's Lehigh County were the result of a large house cat wandering through the area, officials said. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/17/mountain-lion-Lehigh-County-Pennsylvanjia-feral-house-cat/7811697554987/

Possible mountain lion spotted in eastern Pennsylvania

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A "large feline" was captured on camera by a resident in Pennsylvania, igniting growing rumors that mountain lions are making a comeback in the state. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/16/possible-mountain-lion-eastern-Pennsylvania-ghost-cat/6961697467269/

Massachusetts great-grandma starts retirement with $1 million lottery prize

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A Massachusetts great-grandmother plans to share with family her winnings from a $1 million prize from a scratch-off ticket she claimed days after retiring. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/16/grandma-wins-1M-lottery-retired/9171697462017/

Watch: Water birds show off fantastic courtship dance

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Two Greater Crested Grebes surprised a photographer with an extremely rare courtship dance. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/16/safrica-water-birds-mating-dance/8761697459463/

Missouri man wins $100,000 lottery prize on his birthday

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A Missouri man ended up having a "pretty amazing birthday" when he won $100,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/13/lotto-Missouri-Lottery-birthday-boy/2081697224873/

Look: Loose peacock becomes 'jailbird' in Georgia

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Sheriff's deputies in Georgia apprehended a peacock seen repeatedly running into traffic in Cherokee County. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/13/peacock-Cherokee-County-Georgia/8531697209910/

Don’t mess with this mama bear: Grazer easily wins popular Fat Bear Contest at Alaska national park

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — When it comes to packing on the pounds to survive an Alaska winter, this year’s undisputed champ is Grazer. Grazer, also known as Bear 128 to the fans of Fat Bear Week at Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve, won this year’s contest, handily defeating Chunk 108,321 to 23,134 in the finals. The annual contest, which this year drew more than 1.3 million votes from dedicated fans watching the bears live at explore.org, is way to celebrate the resiliency of the brown bears that live on the preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, which extends from the state’s southwest corner toward the Aleutian Islands. Viewers of Alaska’s most-watched popularity contest are glued to computer screens all summer long to see which bears are stocking up the most on salmon. They then vote in tournament style brackets over the course of a week, advancing bears to the next round until a champion is crowned. Grazer took the title Tuesday. According to Grazer’s biography on the Katma

Look: Bucket truck rescues cat stranded atop utility pole

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A bucket truck was summoned to a Pennsylvania intersection to rescue a cat stranded at the top of a utility pole. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/12/Columbia-Borough-cat-utility-pole-Pennsylvania/9321697123420/

Watch: Cat found in California was missing for 12 years

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A cat that turned up in a California animal control officer's back yard was reunited with his family 12 years after being reported missing. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/11/cat-missing-12-years-reunited-Riverside-County-California/8951697044180/

Watch: Raccoon rescued from dumpster in British Columbia

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Police in British Columbia rescued a "four-legged bandit" when a call came in about a raccoon trapped in a dumpster. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/11/canada-raccoon-dumpster-rescue-Port-Moody-British-Columbia/4891697037992/

Watch: Missouri man paddles 38.4 miles in hollowed-out pumpkin

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A Missouri man climbed into a hollowed-out pumpkin he grew himself and paddled 38.4 miles down the Missouri River to break a world record. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/11/Guinness-World-Records-pumpkin-boat/7321697037182/

Look: Dog dubbed 'Cheeto' after rescue from plastic cheese ball container

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A dog seen wandering with a plastic cheese ball container stuck over its head for at least three days was freed by animal rescuers in Michigan. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/10/Cheeto-plastic-jug-rescue-Carleton-Michigan/6461696969362/

Watch: Bear steals fish sticks, strawberry syrup from garage fridge

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A Florida man interrupted a big bear's snack when he found the animal stealing fish sticks and strawberry syrup from his garage. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/10/bear-garage-fridge-fish-sticks-strawberry-syrup/5401696968789/

Look: Trapped cat rescued from base of cellphone tower in Texas

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An animal care officer and a member of the public came to the rescue of a cat trapped inside the base of a cellphone tower in San Antonio. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/10/San-Antonio-cellphone-tower-cat-rescue/4621696957063/

Watch: Rat climbs out from under the hood 3 hours into road trip

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A Brooklyn man said he was 3 hours into his drive to upstate New York when a rat crawled out from under the hood of his car. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/10/hood-rat-Brooklyn-upstate-New-York/7521696955964/

Look: 2,749-pound pumpkin breaks world record at California weigh-off

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A Minnesota farmer's 2,749-pound pumpkin took the top spot at the 50th annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off in Half Moon Bay, Calif., and broke a world record in the process. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/10/Guinness-World-Records-largest-pumpkin-Half-Moon-Bay/8671696948687/

Illinois teacher's 53-year career earns world record

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An Illinois educator was awarded a Guinness World Record for his 53-year tenure as a middle school social studies teacher. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/09/Guinness-World-Records-longest-career-social-studies-teacher/6561696873227/

Look: Chicago Marathon runner stops to rescue kitten

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A Boston woman running in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon stopped to rescue a kitten at mile 21, and even ended up finding the feline a new home along the route. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/09/Chicago-Marathon-kitten-rescue/1211696867911/

Watch: Chair dangling from N.J. home becomes subject of fascination

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A small but dedicated fandom has formed in a New Jersey town for an unlikely local celebrity: a chair dangling from the top floor of an abandoned house. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/09/Chair-Watch-Dennis-Township-New-Jersey/2661696871859/

Michigan man bought $2M Powerball ticket 'on a whim'

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A Michigan man bought a Powerball ticket "on a whim" and scored a $2 million prize from the drawing. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/06/lotto-Michigan-Lottery-Powerball-whim/3021696624444/

Soggy chestnuts lead to controversy for World Conkers Championships

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Organizers of the upcoming World Conkers Championships in England have raised controversy with a rules change to overcome a difficult issue: squishy chestnuts. source https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/06/World-Conkers-Championships-mushy-chestnuts/7661696609138/