Beware! The Seaweed Blob May Be Harboring Flesh-Eating Bacteria
We need to know the risks before wading waist-deep into the belly of the beast.



A giant destructive blob was headed for Florida earlier this year, bringing with it foul smells and a dense carpet of sargassum. Now that it’s made ground, a new concern has arisen regarding what it may contain, as researchers studying seaweed from the Sargasso Sea found multiple species of Vibrio bacteria. Vibrio can cause infections leading to necrotizing fasciitis, which is why certain kinds are sometimes referred to as flesh-eating bacteria.

The Vibrio species studied were sampled from eel larvae, plastic marine debris, seawater, and the infamous sargassum that’s been storming beaches across the globe in vast quantities in recent years. The sargassum islands are becoming increasingly nomadic as warming ocean temperatures have seen it blossom in unfamiliar waters.

It’s also thought to have experienced a boom in growth as a result of climate change and nutrient runoff from the Amazon and Mississippi. Its emigration and boom in growth means that it can sap the nutrients and oxygen out of the reefs it engulfs, and things only get worse when it makes ground.

Beyond choking out ecosystems, it seems it may now also be a potential disease vector with the discovery of multiple Vibrio species hiding within the seaweed, including some that may even be new to science. A genetic analysis of some of the bacteria revealed genes similar to those found in those that cause cholera, raising questions about the pathogenic potential of these giant seaweed carpets if they keep washing ashore in areas occupied by humans and wildlife.



The Vibrio species found across the samples appear to be able to produce toxins, infect both plants and animals, and survive in environments with limited nutrients. As such, the researchers suggest that it would be wise to be cautious around large expanses of sargassum and plastic debris in the ocean as they may possess something more sinister than a bad smell.

“I don’t think at this point, anyone has really considered these microbes and their capability to cause infections,” said Tracy Mincer, Ph.D., corresponding lead author and an assistant professor of biology at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, in a statement.

“We really want to make the public aware of these associated risks. In particular, caution should be exercised regarding the harvest and processing of Sargassum biomass until the risks are explored more thoroughly.”

The discovery is of particular significance in light of some initiatives to collect and process the seaweed for things like food and biofuel. While a resourceful and potentially green solution to scooping up the seaweed blob, we need to know the risks before wading waist-deep into the belly of the beast.

That said, sargassum isn’t all bad. The exclusive home for some species like sargassum fish, it also acts like a nursery ground for juvenile animals including mahi mahi and turtles. Eventually, it loses its buoyancy and sinks to the seafloor where it becomes a primary food source in the food webs of the deep sea, so it is an important habitat for many species across different zones of the water column.

But until its pathogenic potential is better understood, we must Beware! The blob. Terror has no shape. If it had a mind, you could reason with it. If it had a face, you could look it in the eye. And if it had a body, you could shoot it.

All we’ve got is loads of seaweed.

https://www.iflscience.com/beware-the-s ... eria-69185

[prokroustis]

OPERATION TO PREVENT LOOTING HAS LED TO DISCOVERY OF BURIAL CAVES



A joint operation to prevent the looting of antiquities by the Kafr Kanna Police and the Israel Antiquities Authority Theft Prevention Unit has led to the discovery of a burial caves near Kafr Kanna in Galilee, Israel.
The team investigated a plot near the village of Mashhad where they recovered stone ossuary’s (small burials chests) and found a burial cave from the Roman period that was entirely destroyed by large scale construction works.

Upon further inspection of the site, the removal of earth revealed a second rock-hewn burial cave with niches and decorated stone ossuary’s, although the cave has also been partially damaged by the construction works. The ossuary’s were found empty and moved from their original location, suggesting that the cave had recently been looted.

The ossuary’s are small rectangular chests carved in soft limestone that were used for the secondary burial of human bones after the body tissue decayed. The custom of secondary burial in stone ossuary’s was a Jewish practice carried out in Judea and the Galilee area in the Early Roman period from around the first century BC.

A closer inspection of one of the ossuary’s shows an inscription depicting a mausoleum in Greek or a “nefesh” in Hebrew. Another ossuary is carved with a circular wreath in which holes were drilled, thought by some to symbolise the victory of the deceased over death.

All construction work has been stopped and several workers have been summoned to the local police station on suspicion of damaging antiquities and failing to report the discovery to authorities.

In Israel, there is a legal obligation to report chance finds of antiquities to the Israel Antiquities Authority, and damaging antiquities is a criminal offense punishable by up to five years imprisonment.

According to Amir Ganor, Director of the Theft Prevention Unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority: “The original details of the destroyed cave cannot be reconstructed, and almost two-thousand-year-old cultural assets are lost forever. Thanks to the vigilance and determination of the Kafr Kanna Police, and the successful cooperation with the Israel Antiquities Authority, one of the caves was mostly saved.”

[lush]

7-Year-Old Fashion Designer Claims to Be Gucci Reincarnated
May 22nd, 2023*

7-year-old Max Alexander has been creating dresses since he was 4 and he insists that he was iconic Italian designer Guccio Gucci in a past life.

Most 7-year-old boys probably don’t even know who or what Gucci is, but Max Alexander, a fashion design prodigy from the US, not only knows all about the famous Italian designer, he claims to have been him in a past life. The boy’s mother, Madison, said that he revealed his passion for women’s fashion one evening in 2021, while they were all at the dinner table. He requested a mannequin to display his creations on, and after Madison made him one out of cardboard he started working his magic displaying incredible talent. At an age when other kids are just learning how to read and write, Max is a seasoned fashion designer with clients like Sharon Stone on his resume.


Photo: Kitti Incedi/Unsplash

“I didn’t notice. He told us. We were at dinner during the lockdown, and he just literally announced, ‘I need a mannequin,’ ” Madison Alexander recalled. “He was very serious. No laughing. I was like, ‘Okay, I’ve never seen you interested in fashion. What are you talking about?’ He said, ‘That’s because I don’t have a mannequin. If you get me a mannequin, I’ll show you. I’m a dressmaker.'”

“He just started making dresses, it was the craziest thing,” the mother told People Magazine. “I ran and got my husband. I was like, ‘Come out of your office, you have to see what Max is doing. It’s crazy.’ ”



The craziest thing was that Max had never been exposed to women’s fashion before, he just started making dresses, and he’s been diligently educating himself on sewing, fabrics and the like. His parents believe that fashion is in his genes, because his grandparents were in the fashion business in Montreal, but the boy didn’t know anything about that when he started dressmaking.

Max spent a few weeks watching his mother use the sewing machine before he gave it a go himself, but he’s apparently surpassed her in skill since. At first, his parents thought that his interest in fashion was nothing more than a temporary whim, but he has stuck with it for the past 3 years and, if anything, he is becoming more passionate about it every day.



“That’s really the unusual part that impresses me, is the commitment for such a very young child, and his true passion to want to make people feel beautiful, which he has told us since he was 4,” Max’s mother said.

The 7-year-old designer actually has a pretty good explanation for his impressive skills. Apparently, he told People Magazine that he was Guccio Gucci in another life, and his mother said that he dreams of one day becoming the head of the Gucci fashion house, or at the very least run his own studio. He is definitely off to a good start, with more than a hundred designs under his belt, dresses sold all over the world, and even a jacket commissioned by actress Sharon Stone.

[PennySerenade]

A U.K.-based journalist is giving Canadians a good laugh after mistakenly booking a weekend trip to Cambridge, Ontario, instead of its namesake and, frankly, far more understandable travel destination of Cambridge, England.

Broadcast journalist Christopher Golds thought he was booking a hotel for a short weekend getaway in the historic U.K. university town known for its educational institutions and gothic architecture. But in a hilarious misunderstanding, Golds accidentally booked himself a hotel about 5,775 kilometres away, in Cambridge, Ontario.

The mistaken booking half a world away from the intended destination was only made funnier by Golds' moment of realization, conveniently captured in a Whatsapp conversation screenshot that has been viewed by hundreds of thousands around the globe.



One commenter poked fun at another nearby Ontario city named for a more tourist-friendly European locale, warning Golds not to make the same mistake with Windsor.



The City of Cambridge (the fake one here in Ontario) took the opportunity to get some free publicity out of the comical situation, replying to Golds in a tweet thread.

"Sorry to hear your dilemma @ChrisGolds! This is quite a situation eh? Don't be too hard on yourself though! Could happen to anyone! For future reference there's also a Paris, London and even Scotland Ontario!"

Others echoed this idea, showing off Ontario's many European-named towns and cities.



Despite the obvious mixup, the team behind Cambridge, Ontario's social media presence is hoping that they may have earned a new visitor in the future, asking, "But if it's not too much of a bother, might we still suggest that you do come to visit us when you have a little more time?"

Cambridge's social media team made sure to correct some misconceptions about the charming town in the most Canadian tone possible, informing Golds that "Contrary to what many think, our summers are warm eh so no need to pack a toque in that knapsack of yours!"

They also plugged our country's favourite coffee and donut chain, and Cambridge's on-screen presence in the smash-hit dystopian series The Handmaid's Tale.



And, to be fair, Ontario's Cambridge is indeed asserting itself as a tourist destination. A skyline of church spires and a river crossed by picturesque bridges add to Cambridge's distinctly European vibe, landing it a spot on blogTO's recent list of 5 road trip destinations in the province.

[HogwartsExpress]

Woman crochets a new sign for Central Road in Leiston


A keen crafter has crocheted her own road sign to replace one which went missing years ago.

Doris Long-Kubas, 67, said the sign for Central Road, where she lives in Leiston, Suffolk, disappeared after a car knocked it off its post.

She said the sign has not been replaced for about four years, so she decided to spend two days creating her own design in wool.

"All the neighbours think it's amazing," said Ms Long-Kubas.




"It looks so pretty and it was a really enjoyable thing to do."

She said the damage to the sign had been clear for people to see.

"There were just two concrete posts left standing - they always stuck out a bit like a sore thumb.

"I always do a lot of knitting and crocheting anyway, so I thought I should probably make a sign."




As a member of local knitting groups, Ms Long-Kubas has made postbox toppers for yarn-bombing projects, where crocheting and knitting are used to produce pieces of art in public places.

She has also distributed small crocheted gifts for people to find.

The retired teacher and gig organiser said although most drivers now have sat-nav, she felt the road still needed its own sign for visitors.






She created her own design, involving some maths so it was to the correct scale, and resembling the original black and white design.

However, she said she couldn't resist adding some colourful flowers as a flourish to her handiwork, unveiled last week.

Ms Long-Kubas, who learned to crochet at school in her native Berlin in Germany, said she had lived in the road for 15 years and was pleased its name had been reinstated in some way.

"It looks like a proper road sign," she said.

"It has cheered people up and makes me happy."

East Suffolk Council, which is responsible for the sign, said: "We're grateful to Doris for bringing this missing sign to our attention.

"Her creativity not only raised a smile, but also our awareness that the sign has been missing for some time, and we will now be working to provide a replacement in due course. If Doris' sign is still in place at that time, we'll deliver it to the Town Hall for her to collect, should she wish.

"Damaged or missing street name signs can be reported at my.eastsuffolk.gov.uk."

src: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-65625441

[Misstee]

Marvel fans both earn world record with 34 tattoos

By Ben Hooper



May 31 (UPI) -- A pair of strangers with one very special shared interest became co-holders of a Guinness World Record when they each got 34 tattoos of Marvel Comics characters.

Canadian comic book fan Rick Scolamiero originally earned the record for most Marvel comic book characters tattooed onto the body in 2018 with 31 super heroes inked onto his body.

U.S. man Ryan Logsdon recently applied to take the record with 34 Marvel tattoos, but while Guinness World Records officials were processing his application, they received word from Scolamiero that he had increased his total to 34.

The two men are now co-holders of the record.

"I've been a huge Marvel fan since I was a kid and dreamed of a Marvel sleeve for years. I started with an arm sleeve then went to a leg sleeve. I loved the artist's work, and we became best friends," Scolamiero told Guinness World Records.

"I decided to get Marvel hero and villain sleeves, then I saw the news regarding the record being set, and because I was so close, I decided to continue my hero and villain theme on my back to achieve the record," Logsdon said.

Scolamiero said his days of getting inked might be over, as he is running out of tattoo space on his body. Logsdon said he might end up adding a few more.

"I think it's great that two passionate fans share the record. I still would like to add on to my back piece at some point. Next ideas are the Black Panther and Elektra. Not sure how many more I'll do, we'll see," Logsdon said.

A Kentucky man ran out of fuel. A stop for $20 worth of gas netted him a $1 million jackpot win

By Ashley R. Williams, CNN



A man from Corbin, Kentucky, ran into some bad luck after his car became critically low on gas but his misfortune was short-lived, thanks to a winning purchase at a gas station.

Michael Schlemmer won a $1,000,000 Luck Kentucky Lottery scratch-off game from a ticket he bought May 18 during his fuel stop, he told the Kentucky Lottery.

“I ran out of gas, and I coasted in there,” Schlemmer said. “I had $40 bucks on me and bought $20 worth of gas, and bought a ticket.”

He scratched the $20 ticket, revealing the automatic symbol to win the game’s $1 million top prize, according to the Kentucky Lottery.

He walked back inside the Convenient Food Mart after realizing he’d won, Schlemmer said.

“I showed the girls that sold it to me, and they about had a fit,” Schlemmer said. “The owners of the store were there and they both started grinning.”

The Convenient Food Mart will receive $8,620 for selling the winning ticket, according to the Kentucky Lottery.

Schlemmer opted to take the game’s lump sum of $862,000 rather than receiving $50,000 per year over two decades. He received a check for $616,330 after taxes.

Schlemmer, who had already been shopping for a new car, said he plans to buy a new vehicle while saving the rest of his winnings.

[Governor3]

Driver sends car flying more than 100 feet after hitting parked tow truck ramp
The stunning crash was captured on bodycamera footage



WASHINGTON — Video of a recent crash in southern Georgia looked like it was something straight out of the "Dukes of Hazzard."

Body camera footage from the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office captured the moment a car launched off the ramp of a tow truck and went soaring more than 100 feet through the air before a rolling crash back onto the road.

The incident happened on May 24 while deputies worked the scene of an earlier rollover crash along Georgia 34/Highway 84 in southern Georgia.

Bodycam footage from the sheriff's office shows first responders in the grassy median of the highway as a car heads straight toward a flatbed wrecker parked on the side of the road.

In the video, the car hits the wrecker's ramp and goes airborne, sheering off part of the truck's cab in the process.

The footage shows the car flipping through the air before it crashed into another vehicle.

The car "vaulted" over the wrecker and traveled about 120 feet before landing, according to an incident report from the Georgia State Patrol.

The driver survived the crash, but was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, the incident report stated. She was identified as a 21-year-old from Tallahassee, Florida.

The incident report noted that a deputy from the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office was also hit by flying debris during the crash.

No details about possible charges against the driver have been released.

The bodycam footage shows that the driver of the tow truck was standing just feet away when the car launched off the ramp. The tow truck driver wasn't injured, according to the Georgia State Patrol report.

https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/nati ... 8d295c1709

----------------

The video is worth watching. Also - clearly a missed opportunity for the headline to read "Florida Woman..." - Gov

I was humiliated ordering at a sushi restaurant: ‘No, too much food!’



These dual fish tales aren’t letting either party off the hook.

The owners of a Canadian sushi restaurant say they’ve been subjected to “racially motivated harassment” after a woman went viral by accusing the establishment of degrading her for ordering “too much food.”

Cassandra Mauro, 25, dined at Paper Crane Sushi Bar & Bistro in King City, Ontario, with a gal pal named Katherine last week, where the pair ordered chicken fried rice, shrimp tempura, noodles and two sushi rolls.

In her viral video, which has clocked up more than 1.4 million views, Mauro said that she and Katherine were “starving” when they arrived at the restaurant and even planned to order additional food before being shamed by a rude employee.

“The lady goes, ‘No, no. Too much food!'” Mauro alleged in her viral video, saying she was left “confused” by the reaction.

The TikToker then claimed that she and Katherine were “shook to the core” when Paper Crane’s manager approached the table to check whether the order was correct.

“The manager walks over … and goes ‘Hungry? … Yeah, you ordered too much food,'” an incredulous Mauro recalled.

“Hungry? Like no, we came to your restaurant full,” the sassy content creator quipped sarcastically to the camera — although she remained polite during her exchanges with the restaurant’s staff.

Cassandra Mauro, 25, dined at Paper Crane Sushi Bar & Bistro in King City, Ontario with a gal pal named Katherine last week, where the pair ordered chicken fried rice, shrimp tempura, noodles, and two sushi rolls.Cassandra Mauro, 25, dined at Paper Crane Sushi Bar & Bistro in King City, Ontario, Canada, with a gal pal named Katherine last week, where the pair ordered chicken fried rice, shrimp tempura, noodles and two sushi rolls.

The restaurant was forced to issue a statement to its Instagram page apologizing to Mauro for the bad encounter.

“We sincerely apologize for any comments that may have caused a negative experience,” the owners stated. “Many of our staff speak English as a second language, but we hope you know that it was never the intention of our staff to make you (or anyone) feel judged at our restaurant and we are embarrassed any comments may have come across in this way.”

Mauro further alleged that she and her friend were asked to move to a bigger table so that there was space for all of their plates of food to fit.

She also claimed that she had a direct line of view into the kitchen and that the chef kept looking over at her and Katherine while laughing.

“At a restaurant where you come to order food, you get mocked for ordering food,” Mauro told her TikTok followers in an exasperated manner.

The Canadian added that she and Katherine finished everything that they ordered and described the employees’ behavior as “offensive.”
Mauro described the employees' behavior as "offensive."

However, the restaurant’s owners now claim they will be turning off comments on their social media accounts as they have been “receiving threats and racially motivated harassment.”

"We don't tolerate body shaming anymore," one critic blasted. "Your business deserves to suffer losses for this."
After Mauro’s experience, one critic blasted: “We don’t tolerate body shaming anymore. Your business deserves to suffer losses for this.”

After Mauro’s video went viral, dozens of viewers flooded Paper Crane’s Google and Yelp pages with bad reviews, enraged on behalf of the Canadian content creator.

“We don’t tolerate body shaming anymore,” one critic blasted. “Your business deserves to suffer losses for this.”

The restaurant was forced to issue a statement to its Instagram page apologizing to Mauro for the bad encounter.

“We sincerely apologize for an y comments that may have caused a negative experience,” the owners stated. “Many of our staff speak English as a second language, but we hope you know that it was never the intention of our staff to make you (or anyone) feel judged at our restaurant and we are embarrassed any comments may have come across in this way.”

They added that they would be turning off comments on their social media accounts, saying they have been “receiving threats and racially motivated harassment.”

“We are not intending to hide from our customer service obligations, but our focus will be protecting our family through this difficult time,” Paper Crane said. “We hope you all understand.”

It appears Mauro was unprepared for her TikTok to go viral, posting a second video pleading with followers to stop leaving negative reviews.

“Yes, what the restaurant did was not OK, yes they really treated me horribly,” she declared. “Although I don’t want to be the reason why someone goes hungry or a restaurant goes out of business, I won’t be able to sleep at night knowing this business might go down because of a bad experience that I had.”

https://nypost.com/2023/05/30/i-was-hum ... much-food/

[johngriffen]

I sometimes get REALLY DEPRESSED reviewing the news these days.
It's always about a global pandemic threatening life as we know it,
protests around the world, stupid politicians, natural disasters,
or some other really bad story.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Welcome to The mobi weekly news magazine
IN OTHER NEWS
THURSDAY JUNE 1
What is it?
Here is your chance to become an "ACE REPORTER" for our weekly news magazine.
It is your job to fine weird, funny or "good feel" stories from around the world and share them with our readers in our weekly magazine

How do you play?
Just post a story that you have come across that made you smile, laugh, feel good...
BUT NOTHING DEPRESSING

EXAMPLE POST

​Naked sunbather chases wild boar through park after it steals his laptop bag

A naked sunbather was seen chasing wild boar through a park after it stole his laptop bag.
Amusing photographs from Germany show the man running after the animal to try and claim the plastic bag back.
But the cheeky boar and its two piglets appear to be too quick for the sunbather, who can't keep up with their speedy little trotters.
As the incident unfolds, groups of friends and family sat on the grass watch on and laugh.
Heads are seen turning in surprise and amusement in the hilarious photographs.
The incident happened at Teufelssee Lake - a bathing spot in the Grunwell Forest in Berlin, Germany.

Rules:
Each Edition of IN OTHER NEWS will be open for 7 days...
You can post as many stories as you like, but you will only get paid for One Story in any 24 hour period
So in other words, you can only earn WRZ$ once a day.
Each news day will start when I post announcing it
OR at:
9:00 AM CHICAGO TIME (UTC -6)
3:00 PM GMT (UTC -0)
on those days I space out and forget to post or can't due to Real Life
Stories may be accompanied with images - but No big images, please! 800x800 pixels wide maximum
Videos are allowed, but please keep them short, and post a short summary for those that don't like to click on videos
No Duplicate stories - Where a post has been edited resulting in duplicates, then the last one in time gets disallowed.
And please limit this to reasonably family friendly stories

Reward:
Each news story posted that I feel is acceptable (must be a real story, too few words or simply a headline are not considered acceptable) will earn you 50 WRZ$
If you post multiple stories on any given day, you will only earn 50 WRZ$ for the first story of the Day
All payments will be made at THE END of the weekly news cycle.
Special Bonus - Each week I will award "The Pulitzer Prize" for the best story of the week
The weekly winner of the "The Pulitzer Prize" will receive a 100 WRZ$ bonus
It's just my personal opinion, so my judgement is final

So help bring GOOD news to the members of mobi, and join our reporting team...

IN OTHER NEWS

[ozswede]

I cycled 1,000 miles across Scotland aged 85 in memory of my three children who died in their 40s

An 85-year-old grandmother has raised nearly £60,000 for charity after completing a 1,000-mile bike ride in memory of her three children - who all passed away in their forties.

Mavis Paterson, affectionately known as Granny Mave on social media, powered through her month-long trek across Scotland.

She set off on April 29 - and on May 28 had victoriously smashed her target.


Mavis Paterson, affectionately known as Granny Mave, powered through her month-long trek across Scotland

After completing the bike ride on Sunday emotions were high as she was pictured tearfully embracing her grandchild, and later, posing with a glass of Merlot.

She started in the Mull of Galloway and went up the west coast and along the north.

Then, the grandmother made her way down the east coast before returning to her starting point, where she was this weekend greeted by cheering crowds.

Mavis, who raised a whopping £59,186.11 for Macmillan Cancer Support, completed the challenge in honour of her three late children, who all passed away four years apart.

According to Sky News, Sandy passed away from a heart attack in 2012 and only one year later, Katie died after getting viral pneumonia. Bob then tragically lost his life in an accident in 2016.

In a YouTube video on her channel, Mavis has spoken about how setting new Herculean goals has helped her deal with the heartbreaking loss.

'I thought this is grief that I'll never... get over,' she explained in her video.

'To lose all my children was the saddest thing that could happen to me and they were all in their forties.

'Sandy died when he was 43, Bob died when he was 46 and Katie died when she was 49.

'I couldn't believe it and I didn't think I'd be able to carry on.'


After completing the bike ride it appeared emotions were high as she was pictured tearfully embracing her grandchild

Mavis, in her clip, said that her bicycle helped 'a lot' - and feels setting new physical challenges comes from a 'fire in her belly'.

'I'm just a wee old lady here, taking on challenges,' she added.

According to the BBC, she got involved with the charity after her mother Cathy and younger sister Sandra passed away from cancer.


Mavis has spoken about how setting new Herculean goals has helped her deal with the loss of her children.

And the pensioner is no stranger to powering through challenging feats.

Mavis started cycling in her early fifties and biked across America when she was 52.

She has also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and, in 2019, was in the Guinness World Records book as the oldest female to have cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats.

(I have nothing but admiration for this woman. To bury your own child is dreadful, but to do it three times in four years and yet still think of others by raising money for charity at her age is just wonderful. Influencers take note - this is doing something. Inspiring stuff.)

[HogwartsExpress]

Deputies accuse man of using Nintendo ‘Duck Hunt’ pistol to rob a business


A man in North Carolina was arrested after being accused of using a pistol-shaped controller from the 1980s Nintendo game “Duck Hunt” to rob a business, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said 25-year-old David Joseph Dalesandro allegedly robbed a convenience store in the Charlotte area around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday.

He was wearing a mask, wig and hooded sweatshirt.

Dalesandro allegedly showed the clerk the fake gun, which had been painted, and took $300 from the register.


The painted 'Duck Hunt' gun used in a South Carolina robbery.(York County Sheriff's Office)

Authorities said they found Dalesandro down the street and arrested him.

src: https://www.wsaz.com/2023/05/31/deputie ... -business/

[goldie0608]

Man Lands Dream Job After Skydiving with Sign Asking for Work–New Employer Offers a Job the Same Way



In the ultimate pump-up story, a daredevil job seeker landed a new position after jumping out of a plane with a cardboard sign asking for work.

Chris Serrano, a creative director living in Florida, filmed himself skydiving whilst holding a piece of cardboard reading ‘Open4Work.’

He posted the clip on LinkedIn with the caption: “I got laid off last week. So I will be freefalling until I find a new gig—literally.

“If you’re looking for an award-winning creative that works hard, takes risks, and knows how to pack a parachute, reach out,” his post concluded, before going viral and amassing 49,000 likes on the professional social media platform.

Serrano’s post caught the eye of Manchester-based entrepreneur Jack Peagam the Co-founder and CEO of the social app Linkup who responded to the freefalling creative with a job offer.

“I was hoping for the best, but I had no idea this little stunt would go on to be seen by so many people,” Serrano admitted.

But in a twist from the usual email or letter, Peagam responded in kind with a video of himself skydiving with a cardboard sign which read “Hey Chris, sorry 2 see you got laid off. We’ve got work 4 U”.

Fast forward two weeks and the pair of thrill-seekers have released a new video showing Serrano signing a new contract with Peagam’s Manchester-based outfit—after diving out of a plane together.

“Chris’ job-seeking ad featured everything I love about creative talent—it was bold, daring, and showed him to be one of life’s risk-takers,” said Peagam. “I can’t wait to see how he can help take our thriving app to new heights… maybe into space.”

“When I lost my job, I was a bit nervous as to what could be next, but taking a leap of faith from a plane is sometimes all you can do,” admitted Serrano. “I’ve been blown away by the support from everyone who shared my video.”

Linkup launched in February 2023 with a mission to be the first major real-life social app that connects users to meet new friends with similar interests, hobbies, and passions, in real life.

[Fatima99]

Dog stops owner by pub and won't budge - exposing 'other half's walking route'

A pooch who is apparently quite partial to the pub has been caught on camera dragging his owner into the local boozer and refusing to budge.

Kate Torney had been out walking her Airedale terrier Grenson around Exeter city centre when the 7-year-old dog tried to make his way inside sports pub, The Stand Off.

Solicitor Kate, 41, can be seen pulling "wilful" Grenson by the collar in a desperate attempt to get him to budge, much to the amusement of chuckling onlookers.

Determined Grenson then firmly plonks himself down in the doorway, while Kate strokes his head to try and get him to move, tugging on his lead and dragging him away along the pavement.

Refusing to give in quite that easily, Grenson can be seen flinging himself dramatically to the floor several times, at which point Kate ended up half-carrying him away, forcing the hilarious pup to tip-toe away from the pub on his hind legs.



According to Kate, she's taken Grenson on the exact same walk on many occasions, and she reckons he was most likely tempted in by '"a lot of good smells".

To the best of her knowledge, Grenson has never placed so much as a single paw inside The Stand Off, leading many to joke that the stubborn dog had "exposed her other half's real destination" on walks.

A two-minute clip of Grenson's protest has since gone viral, clocking up more than 1.9 million views, 77.8k likes, and 1,454 comments on TikTok.

One person joked: "If he stops at the betting shop there will be hell to pay for the other half."

Another laughed: "So now we all know when your other half says they're going for a long walk, this is the real destination."



Kate, from Exeter, Devon, said: "He's never actually been inside that pub - to my knowledge. If my husband was taking him to the pub secretly - that'd be quite funny if that was the case, but no.

"He does go in other pubs, which he likes so he probably just thought 'this is a lovely place with a nice atmosphere. It's a fun place with a lot of good smells'.

"It's probably all the people in there interested to see him and he knows the response he's going to get from me. Half of it's playing a game with me, I'm sure of it.

"He probably wants the attention, the food, and he just loves social places. It's embarrassing, and you're aware and conscious people are watching you. You don't want to look stupid and be more embarrassed.

"I can't pick him up and walk off with him that easily but to be honest, I quite enjoy the comedy. I enjoy those moments, he's a clown. He came on home quite happily after that and just trotted home."

The mum-of-one continued: "Grenson's particularly charismatic. He's a big character and crowd-pleaser, he makes people smile every day. He's just a happy boy who loves attention.

"I take him on big long walks around the city and he loves it. He loves doing big city tours, partly because he can go past lots of places and meet new people.

"He quite often stops outside pubs and pet shops and even the vets. It's always on the way home. He tries to get into places and puts the brakes on.

"He wasn't stressed or thirsty, he's just a sociable dog. He loves people. He's a stubborn boy and anyone who has an Airedale would say the same, they have a mind of their own and are very wilful.

"You've just got to go with it, he likes to embarrass me. He's a healthy, happy, boy but he just chooses to do it because he loves the attention. I love him, so I'm not going to tell him off."

After spotting the rib-tickling footage, owners of The Stand Off have promised to treat Kate to a free dinner, with a juicy steak on offer for 'star' pooch Grenson.

Co-owner Matthew Reynolds said: "When the weather's not bad it's nice to have the doors open. My managers and some locals were sitting at the bar side and the dog just decided as it was walking to have a stand-off outside The Stand Off.

"It's quite ironic because of the wording obviously. That was what made it even more funny, the wording with it. The dog saw the open door and just decided to plant itself into the pub, wanting to pull the owner in.

"Everyone was laughing. Our manager was saying 'just bring him in'. The pub was laughing a lot. We're going to try to reach out to find the owner and offer the dog a dog's dinner of its choice on us, whatever it wants.

"Obviously we'll offer the owner a meal as well. To have the star of the show come in and have its dinner on us, whether it's steak or whatever the dog likes, we'll have a bit of fun with that."

[prokroustis]

HIGH-STATUS TOMBS FROM LIJIAYA CULTURE DISCOVERED IN NORTHERN SHAANXI



In a press announcement by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, archaeologists have discovered a large number of high-status tombs in Qingjian, northern Shaanxi, China.
The Lijiaya Culture emerged during the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC – 1045 BC), named for the type-site of Lijiaya, a fortified settlement in the wider Lijiaya area.

Archaeologists under the direction of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage have been excavating the Zhaigou archaeological site, a Lijiaya settlement in Qingjian County.

A study of the surrounding hills, an area covering 3 million square metres, has led to the discovery of rammed earth buildings, high status tombs, cemeteries, and hundreds of artefacts.



Sun Zhanwei, an associate researcher at the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, said: “9 high-status cemeteries from the late Shang Dynasty were discovered, in addition to 7 “A”-shaped tombs that are distributed in the north-south direction. They are the largest and most numerous high-status tombs discovered in northern Shaanxi so far.”

A total of 4 Shang Dynasty tombs were also found in the Changliang cemetery of Houliujiata, arranged in a north-south direction. A tomb, designated M1, is a “jia”-shaped tomb, which is located at the northernmost part of the cemetery.

Tombs, M2, M3, and M4 are earth pit tombs with vertical pits, where the researchers found more than 200 burial offerings, a complete set of bronze chariots and horses, a swallow-shaped copper belt buckle inlaid with turquoise, a turquoise-inlaid animal-faced bone casket, gold earrings, seashells, jade artefacts, various funerary vessels, and axes and arrowheads made from copper.

According to the researchers, the excavations have increased our understanding of the political territory and geographical structure of the Shang Dynasty during the Yin Ruins period, and the exchange and interaction between the core area of ​​Shang culture and the territories to the north.