This week's top ten of weird includes frogs and dogs and chicken can beer.
Every Friday we do a Weird-News-of-the-Week Top 10 audio podcast with a full show notes blog and a YouTube video (@weirdweekpod).
video podcast...
Here
are the show notes for Fri May 19th 2023 / Season 4 Episode 34 ...
❿The Gator that fooled us all...
- happened on Treasure Island on the Gulf Coast
- police on night beach patrol were surprised by a tricky gator...
- from their Facebook post "“Look at the size of that gator one of our officers tried rounding up on Treasure Island Beach last night!”
- it was an incredibly realistic sand sculpture.
See: Miami Herald (https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article275403766.html)
- police in Colorado say they pulled over a driver who was speeding and driving erratically...
- the driver slides over to the passenger side and says his dog was one who was driving badly...
- man arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and a number of other charges...
See: the Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/16/us-driver-speeding-dog-colorado)
- they think it's a first for frogs... a little orange Brazilian tree frog that eats nectar is the first frog pollinator* (is what they think... more research is needed)
- *editorial* sciencing would be so much easier if these animals could talk. I'm right about that, aren't I?
See Scientific American (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/this-frog-may-be-the-first-amphibian-known-to-pollinate-flowers/)
*Quick Taco Tuesday Primer (*varying accounts are all over the internet)
- According to a post by Smith & Hopen Patent and Trademark Attorneys...
- It starts with Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar in New Jersey. In the early 1980s they got a federal trademark for TACO TUESDAY (for restaurant services.)
- That meant other restaurants couldn't use Taco Tuesday in promotions with permission from Gregory's.
- But! In 1989, Gregory's didn't renew their trademark on time, so the federal trademark got cancelled. A Wyoming-based restaurant chain named Taco John's swooped in and trademarked Taco Tuesday. They've had that trademark ever since. BTW, "Nation's Restaurant News" says that Gregory's still has the right to Taco Tuesday in New Jersey, but Taco John's owns every other state.
- Now Taco Bell wants to free up the use of "Taco Tuesday" so everyone can use it as a common phrase.
- There's an official filing and also a petition on (https://www.change.org/p/freeing-taco-tuesday)
- I guess it's time to take sides?
See the origin story from (https://smithhopen.com/2020/05/13/who-owns-taco-tuesday-part-i/) and the news story from Nation's Restaurant News (https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/taco-bell-fighting-taco-tuesday-trademarks)
❻Dog viciously attacks soccer ball, interrupting match...
- happened during a Premier Division Soccer match in Chile the other day...
- a dog ran onto the field and went right for the ball...
- play stopped... dog got some 'Whose-a-good-boy!" then was carried off the field by a player...
- dog had a fierce bite-down on that soccer ball.
- last week it was a bull interrupting rugby... what the heck?
- see video
- a dog ran onto the field and went right for the ball...
- play stopped... dog got some 'Whose-a-good-boy!" then was carried off the field by a player...
- dog had a fierce bite-down on that soccer ball.
- last week it was a bull interrupting rugby... what the heck?
- see video
We Tweeted the video
Dog on the field! DOG ON THE FIELD!! https://t.co/XvB9hOE0Gw
— What a Weird Week Podcast (@whataweirdweek) May 18, 2023
❺Is Beer Can Chicken Beer Savory and Delicious?
- icymi, Perdue is a poultry company in the USA... they know chicken...
- next week their new beer goes on sale...
- it's supposed be the perfect beer to cook chicken with if you've ever tried making a 'beer can chicken' recipe... (see https://www.perdue.com/recipes/beer-can-chicken/)
- congratulations to their marketing department on this... but,,, I'm torn on the name... is it genius or phoned-in??
- It's “Beer Can Chicken Beer”...
- how's it taste? Supposed to have all the delicious seasonings you'd use in preparing grilled chicken... so like rosemary, thyme and MMMmmm pink peppercorn...
- So you could drink it, but you might notice a hint of savory if you're a beer connoisseur
- supposed to cost $14.99 US for a six packs...
- please grill responsibly.
See CNN: (https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/17/business/perdue-beer-can-chicken-beer/index.html)
- icymi, Perdue is a poultry company in the USA... they know chicken...
- next week their new beer goes on sale...
- it's supposed be the perfect beer to cook chicken with if you've ever tried making a 'beer can chicken' recipe... (see https://www.perdue.com/recipes/beer-can-chicken/)
- congratulations to their marketing department on this... but,,, I'm torn on the name... is it genius or phoned-in??
- It's “Beer Can Chicken Beer”...
- how's it taste? Supposed to have all the delicious seasonings you'd use in preparing grilled chicken... so like rosemary, thyme and MMMmmm pink peppercorn...
- So you could drink it, but you might notice a hint of savory if you're a beer connoisseur
- supposed to cost $14.99 US for a six packs...
- please grill responsibly.
See CNN: (https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/17/business/perdue-beer-can-chicken-beer/index.html)
❹The Bears are Ringing Again!
- in a repeat story from last week's episode, another bear is in the news for ringing a doorbell...
- This time it was in San Bernardino County and it actually happened in April, but this just made the news this week...
- (last week it happened in West Virginia)
- the bears are organizing you guys.
See KTLA: (https://ktla.com/news/local-news/black-bear-plays-ding-dong-ditch-on-cabin-in-san-bernardino-county-wilderness/)
- in a repeat story from last week's episode, another bear is in the news for ringing a doorbell...
- This time it was in San Bernardino County and it actually happened in April, but this just made the news this week...
- (last week it happened in West Virginia)
- the bears are organizing you guys.
See KTLA: (https://ktla.com/news/local-news/black-bear-plays-ding-dong-ditch-on-cabin-in-san-bernardino-county-wilderness/)
- jk, that's not a real job...
- he did it to raise money for charity and he set a new world record for "fastest time to rotate a Ferris wheel by hand"
- btw, Ferris wheels are heavy... do not attempt unless you're a professional.
- congratulations Troy Conley-Magnusson who spun the wheel around in 16 minutes, 55 seconds.
See GWR: (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/5/strongman-spins-full-size-ferris-wheel-with-his-hands-in-record-time-749642) and we tweeted the video
spinning the Ferris wheel by hand for a new world record! https://t.co/eXmLhb7uCu
— What a Weird Week Podcast (@whataweirdweek) May 18, 2023
❷California UFO Mystery solved?
- There were a bunch of UFO/ UAP sightings called in to authorities in California... but they aren't UFOs anymore... they're just FOs...
- they looked like a bunch of bright lights all in a row... turns out they were satellites... Starlink satellites...
- when those things are in a low orbit you can see them with the naked eye and that's what people were seeing...
- they looked like a bunch of bright lights all in a row... turns out they were satellites... Starlink satellites...
- when those things are in a low orbit you can see them with the naked eye and that's what people were seeing...
See KCRA Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsakEjmOsS8) we have the embed also...
- The ruby red shoes that Judy Garland wore in the film "Wizard of Oz" were stolen in 2005... somebody climbed through a window, went into the museum where they were on loan, and stole them from a display case...
- in 2018 there was an FBI sting operation and the famous shoes were recovered... this started with a tip to the insurance company that was on the hook for the expensive shoes... somebody got in touch with them and said he could help facilitate their return... no arrests at that time, but...
- now, in May of 2023 a grand jury has indicted a man suspected of shoe crime... like 18 years after they were stolen!
- official charge is "one count of theft of a major artwork".
- there are only four pairs of auhentic Wizard of Oz shoes left... they are worth millions...
See KCRA (https://www.kcra.com/article/man-indicted-in-theft-of-wizard-of-oz-ruby-slippers-worn-by-judy-garland/43923349)
Here's the Stream because you're my favorite...