Man tries to put out Olympic flame with fire extinguisher
A man armed with a fire extinguisher attempted to put out the Olympic flame, the second time someone tried to douse the flame on its trip to the 2016 Summer Games. A video shows a man running from the crowd as the torchbearers passed through Joinville and attempting unsuccessfully to spray the flame with a fire extinguisher before being apprehended by security.
According to Fox Sports, the man’s motivations were unknown but he was arrested for attempting to put out the flame symbolising the spirit of the competition at the Games. A similar attempt at extinguishing the Olympic flame was made in June when a 27-year-old man flung a bucket of water at the torch, but missed.
(UPI)
Concave mirror causes fire in outdoor shower
Firefighters in Massachusetts determined that a concave mirror was responsible for sparking a fire in an outdoor shower. Harwich Fire Department shared photos of the aftermath of the fire, which had burned the exterior wall of a Pleasant lake home after originating in a shower outside the property.
“The fire was still smoldering but was quickly extinguished and there was no extension to the rest of the house,” they wrote.
Once the fire was extinguished, Harwich Fire Chief Clarke was able to determine that it originated when the sun interacted with a concave mirror that had been placed in the shower.
“The cause of the fire was determined to be a concave mirror in the shower,” the department wrote. “A phenomenon that usually occurs in the early spring when the sun is low, the mirror magnifies the sun and can set fire to the shower or the house.” While the department admitted that removing any mirrors from outdoor showers would help solve the problem, they stated that making sure the concave side is facing away from the sun “should do the trick”.
(UPI)
Canadian couple petitions for right to keep pot-bellied pig
A Canadian couple who own and operate a local animal shelter are fighting to change a local law so they can keep their pet pot-bellied pig. Diane Hines shared a petition seeking to have the bylaws of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, changed so she and her husband, who run lazy Dazy Animal Haven, can keep the pot-bellied pig named Sheldon they rescued two years ago.
“Sheldon has become such a huge part of our family and we all love him so much,” Hines wrote. “My husband and I are heartbroken and need your help to change these old outdated laws. He is only 60 pounds and smaller than most dogs. He deserves to live with his family and we deserve to keep loving him.” According to the CBC, a complaint from a neighbour forced Hines, 43, to seek a license to keep Sheldon. The local law was changed to require a license for keeping Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs as pets and determined that no new licenses would be given.
Hines said her primary focus when she adopted Sheldon in 2011 was on keeping him alive as she and her husband spent $6,000 on treating the sick pig within the first 24 hours after taking him in. She said she feels that the laws are “outdated” and mislabel pot-bellied pigs as farm animals. “They’re not farm creatures. He’s not a barn animal by any means. They’re intelligent and emotional.”
Animal Services Supervisor Brad Potts reached out to Hines to see if she would be able to be grandfathered in by proving her ownership predates the bylaw change, but she declined in hopes of changing the law for other pig owners.
(UPI)
Cops use Pokemon Go to lure fugitives
Police in New Hampshire’s largest city have gotten the Pokemon Go bug, trying to lure fugitives with the popular app. A post on the Manchester Police Department Facebook page announces that police recently detected one of the more rare Pokemon characters — a Charizard — in the booking area. The post invites those whose names appear on a list linked to the post to be “one of the lucky ones” to come capture the Charizard.
The list includes the names of the more than 500 fugitives on the department’s wanted persons roundup.
Sgt Eric Knight said the post has yet to net an arrest. But it’s been popular with its Facebook followers.
(AP)
Woman fills in crossword puzzle art at a museum
An elderly German woman was questioned by police after filling in blank spaces on a crossword puzzle that was being displayed as a work of art at a local museum. The BBC reports that the 91-year-old woman used a ballpoint pen to write on the work of art titled “Reading-work-piece” by avant garde artist Arthur Koepcke during a senior citizens tour to Nuremberg’s Neues Museum.
The crossword puzzle-themed piece of art from 1965 features the phrase “insert words” which the woman understood as instructions. “The lady told us she had taken the notes as an invitation to complete the crossword,” said a police spokesman.
Museum Director Eva Kraus said the work, which is worth an estimated $89,000, can be restored, and that the woman was reported for insurance reasons. “We realise the old lady didn’t mean any harm.”
(UPI)