Odd Articles ↓

Cops Arrest Motorized Stool Fool

“In a law enforcement first, Ohio cops this month arrested a man for drunk driving on a motorized bar stool. That’s right, a motorized bar stool… According to cops, Kile Wygle, 28, crashed his bar stool near his Newark home earlier this month and called 911 due to his injuries. When an officer arrived and asked Wygle what happened, he answered, “I wrecked my bar stool.” According to a Newark Police Division report, Wygle’s homemade ride is powered by a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower engine. Wygle noted that the bar stool could hit nearly 40 miles per hour, but that he was only going 20 when he wiped out late in the afternoon on March 4 (a witness told police that he spotted someone driving a “strange motorized machine” before the crash). A plastered Wygle, who failed a series of field sobriety tests, was charged with DUI and driving with a suspended license, both misdemeanors. His bar stool was not impounded.” w/ photos

Rats Used To Sniff Out Land Mines

“His highly sensitive nose can sniff out explosives at 50 paces. And because he weighs a mere 3lb, there is no chance of him setting them off when he finds them. Kofi the Gambian pouched rat is the latest weapon in the battle against landmines – the relics of war that litter large parts of Africa and kill thousands every year… ‘Kofi is amazing, his sniff ability is really incredible,’ she said. ‘People think of rats as vermin but they are highly intelligent creatures – They have a more heightened sense of smell than dogs and because they are so much lighter they have less chance of setting off an explosive.” w/ photos

Cow Gives Birth To Different Breeds

“It’s a mystery that you could say they’ll be arguing about until the cows come home. At the centre of it are these two calves – Emily and Ernie. The farmer who owns them, Vic Phillips, says that they are twins from the same mother but claims they are completely different breeds. According to Mr Phillips, of Rooksbridge, Somerset, when his Aberdeen Angus bull Eric mated with a Simmental cow called Jemima, he was blessed with calves that each continued one of the mating lines.” w/ photos

Mercedes-Benz’s Bizarre Concept Car

“It bears more than a passing resemblance to an old-fashioned carriage, but Mercedes-Benz claims this roadster could be the car of the future. Built by 150 trainees, the car combines traditional design features with the latest technology. So while it has large spoked wheels that hark back to the first Benz Motor Car of 1886, it is powered by a hybrid drive system using an emission-free fuel cell. It can reach a top speed of 15.5miles an hour and has a range of 220miles.” w/ photos

Seeing-Eye Horse

“Tabitha Darling is not just a horse trainer, however; she is also legally blind. Though her vision is better than Finefrock’s, Darling relies on the service and friendship of her pony. On this day, Trixie is carrying Darling six miles to downtown Fort Worth. The horse has the route memorized, including a stop at the drive-thru. “She gives me the independence in getting out there that I need,” Darling said. “Because of that, my life is happier.” w/ photos + video

The Horse That’s Allergic To Grass

“Shrouded in what looks like an ill-fitting Christmas jumper and leg warmers, she cuts a comical figure. But the plight of Pandora the mare is no laughing matter. The five-year-old thoroughbred has to be kept covered up because she is allergic to grass.” w/ photos

The Orangutan Hospital

“Hooked up to a drip, wearing just a nappy and a forlorn expression, the tiny infant stares out through the bars of his cot at the frenzy of activity around him. A few feet away, a nurse makes up a bottle of formula while another prepares a bath. On a nearby table lies a thermometer, a blood-pressure gauge and bottles of medication. The scene is typical of any infant care unit and the staff are dedicated to saving their tiny patients. The only difference is that these ‘babies’ are not human but infant orang-utans.” w/ photos

The Hog With No Hedge

“He looks like a cross between a battered children’s toy and a pink potato. Meet Spud, the spineless hedgehog. Staff at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Buckinghamshire, who have been caring for him since August, are baffled by his condition. Founder Les Stocker said: ‘Spud was brought to us last year after someone found him in their garden. He’s had biopsies and skin tests, but we’ve had no answers.” w/ photos

Low-Energy Bulbs Are Bad For You

“The phasing out of traditional light bulbs could cause misery for thousands who have light-sensitive skin disorders, medical experts warned yesterday. Dr Robert Sarkany said some low-energy bulbs gave vulnerable people painful rashes and swelling. He backed calls by patient groups for the Government to give medical exemptions for those at risk. The warning comes as British shops start to clear their shelves of traditional bulbs, which are being replaced by more energy-efficient versions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” w/ photo

Crafty Fox Finds Food In Unique Matter

“They are renowned for their agility and cunning and when it comes to scavenging food, this fox is clearly not shy about showing off his natural talents. Retired computer engineer Tony Snaith captured the amazing moment the hungry animal sprang five feet onto his bird table to snatch some scraps of bread. The fox – nicknamed Hopalong because of a limp – was filmed climbing over Tony’s fence and landing on a ceramic plant pot below. He sizes up the wooden bird table then ponders his next move for a few seconds before making a leap of faith and somehow squeezes into a space no bigger than a cat flap.” w/ photos