oddly enough

Reported ‘lifeless body’ was Papa Smurf balloon, say cops

German police said a helicopter crew searching for a reported “lifeless body” rescued a figure clad in “red pants” and “blue outerwear” — a Papa Smurf balloon. The District Police Rhein-Kreis Neuss said a train passenger reported spotting the “lifeless body” out a window near Dusseldorf and officers responded to the area in a helicopter. The helicopter crew soon spotted a figure “wearing red pants, blue outerwear, a red cap and a white beard,” police said.

The “body” turned out to be a partially deflated balloon in the shape of Papa Smurf, known in Germany as Papa Schlumpf. Police shared a photo of the rescued balloon buckled into the seat of a patrol car for safe transport back to police headquarters.Officers “took him to the police station, but have so far reached no relatives.” Police said the witness was “entirely justified” in making the emergency call, which they said could “potentially save lives under different circumstances.” 

(UPI)

Utah University staircase gets a new texting lane

Officials at Utah Valley University said a staircase with a designated texting lane made famous in viral photos has received positive feedback from students. The staircase in the Oren school’s Student life and Wellness Center is marked with separate lanes labeled “walk,” “run” and “text” to accommodate the different speeds of students, but officials said the benefits are more aesthetic than functional. 

“When you have 18 to 24 year olds walking on campus glued to their smartphones, you’re almost bound to run into someone somewhere; it’s the nature of the world we live in,” said Matt Bambrough, UVU’s creative director. “But that isn’t the reason we did it — we used that fact to engage our students, to catch their attention and to let them know we are aware of who they are and where they’re coming from. The design was meant for people to laugh at rather than a real attempt to direct traffic flow.”

The text lane is reminiscent of a scheme in Chongquing, China, which saw a section of sidewalk marked off for those who choose to look at their phones while walking instead of watching where they are going. 

(UPI)

Man survives 1,000 stings by swarming Arizona bees

A man is lucky to be alive after having been stung between 500 and 1,000 times by tens of thousands of swarming bees near Kingman in northwestern Arizona, authorities said.The unidentified man was in stable condition at Kingman Regional Medical Center following the attack after he apparently disturbed a large hive in the backyard of a home, said Mohave County sheriff’s spokeswoman leslie DeSantis.

“The number of bees in the shed was unbelievable,” DeSantis said. “The deputy who arrived said it was it was like something you would see in the movies. It was just amazing.”Authorities said the man was working on the property when he was stung and ran to his vehicle, getting help from two passersby who were also stung. They were not hospitalised.

A beekeeper called to the scene was also stung 23 times. He told authorities it would probably take several days to fully contain the bees.Authorities are warning residents of the area to keep pets indoors, avoid walking nearby, and drive through with car windows closed.The attack took place at a golf-course community with large-lot homes in Valle Vista, about 23 km northeast of Kingman and 332 km northwest of Phoenix.

(Reuters)

German man cuts ASSETS in half after break-up

A German man recorded himself cutting shared possessions including a TV, an iPhone and a car in half after a break-up and posted the halved items on eBay.The man, who posted the video to YouTube under the name Der Juli, wrote in accompanying text he was splitting his possessions in half after a break-up. “Thank you for 12 ‘beautiful’ years laura,” the text in the video reads in German, “you’ve really earned half!”

Der Juli then proceeds to cut through items including an iPhone, chairs, a flatscreen TV, a bed and a car. “Greetings to my successor!” he wrote in the video’s description. The man then posted the halved items on eBay with starting prices of a single euro or $1.14. The items posted on eBay also include halves of a couch, a bicycle, a cordless phone, a motorcycle helmet, a teddy bear and an Apple laptop computer. 

(UPI)

Mermaids turn out for Coney Island parade

Tens of thousands of revelers turned out for Coney Island’s 33rd annual Mermaid Parade despite gray skies and steady drizzle. “If it starts raining, we’re all fish people,” said Joe Coddington of Queens, who was wearing a crab hat and a shirt that said “butter me up”. He added: “We come from the sea. It’s even more fun.”

lia Perotta of Brooklyn said she has dressed as a mermaid every year for 10 years. “It’s all about the glitter today,” she said. The parade, which began in 1983 and takes place on the Saturday closest to the first day of summer, is a mix of seaside honky-tonk and family fun. Burlesque dancer Julie Atlas Muz was this year’s Queen Mermaid, and actor Mat Fraser was King Neptune.

(AP)