Odd News

300-lb man OK after 40-foot shaft fall

AP - 4 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A construction worker who fell about 40 feet down an elevator shaft is nearly unhurt, with no serious injuries. District of Columbia Fire and EMS spokesman Alan Etter said the man, who's about 25 years old, was working on a house under construction in Southeast Washington Friday morning.

Video Report

Fluorescent felines

Scientists cloned cats that glow in the dark.

PERSONAL TECH

Whopping bill

A Canadian man is shocked by a $85,000 cell phone bill.

USATODAY.com

Offbeat Digest

Latest news on the strange, quirky and just plain odd.

CNN.com

Offbeat News

News, photos and video of the funky, and weird.

  • A dancer of Chanbara 'The Masters Of The Samurai Sword' from Japan performs during a rehearsal before their second show in Budapest December 4, 2007. The government said Wednesday it would ban the sale of samurai swords because the weapons had been used in a number of serious, high-profile attacks. (Laszlo Balogh/Reuters)
    Banning samurai swords Reuters - Thu Dec 13, 10:30 AM ET

    LONDON (Reuters) - The government said Wednesday it would ban the sale of samurai swords because the weapons had been used in a number of serious, high-profile attacks.

  • A life-size terracotta warrior is pictured on display at the exhibition 'Power in Death - The Terracotta Army of the First Emperor of China', at the Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg December 11, 2007. Supposedly ancient Chinese terracotta warriors on show at a German museum are fakes, China confirmed Thursday, condemning the organizers for cheating the public. (Christian Charisius/Reuters)
    China slams German "warriors" show as fake Reuters - Thu Dec 13, 9:59 AM ET

    BEIJING (Reuters) - Supposedly ancient Chinese terracotta warriors on show at a German museum are fakes, China confirmed Thursday, condemning the organizers for cheating the public.

  • Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona shows a tattoo of Latin-American rebel Che Ghevara during a press conference in Maracaibo, March 28, 2005. Maradona wants to add an image of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to his well-known collection of tattoos of leftist leaders. (Christian Veron/Reuters)
    Maradona wants tattoo of Chavez Reuters - Thu Dec 13, 10:00 AM ET

    BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona wants to add an image of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to his well-known collection of tattoos of leftist leaders.

  • Pregnant women may stand out a mile away with their characteristic backward-leaning stance, but that clumsy-looking position is a unique adaptation that evolved over millennia, anthropologists said on Wednesday. (Graphics/Reuters)
    Pregnant? Backache? Thank evolution Reuters - Thu Dec 13, 10:04 AM ET

    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pregnant women may stand out a mile away with their characteristic backward-leaning stance, but that clumsy-looking position is a unique adaptation that evolved over millennia, anthropologists said on Wednesday.

  • A view of The White House in Washington May 6, 2007. A teen-ager says he convinced the White House he was Iceland's president and managed to schedule a call with George W. Bush but was found out before he got to talk to the U.S. president. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)
    Teen caller tricks White House Reuters - Wed Dec 12, 10:28 AM ET

    REYKJAVIK (Reuters) - A teen-ager says he convinced the White House he was Iceland's president and managed to schedule a call with George W. Bush but was found out before he got to talk to the U.S. president.

  • A bottle of pisco, a liquor made from grape juice, is seen is this handout picture in Lima, August 23, 2007. Chilean producers of a grape brandy known as Pisco petitioned their government on Friday to stop an Argentine producer from selling the product in Europe under the same name, which Peru also claims as its own. REUTERS/Ministry of Production/Handout
    Argentina butts into Chile-Peru liquor dustup Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 5:08 PM ET

    SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chilean producers of a grape brandy known as Pisco petitioned their government on Friday to stop an Argentine producer from selling the product in Europe under the same name, which Peru also claims as its own.

  • A woman types a text message into a mobile phone in Singapore, November 12, 2006. U R dumped -- one in seven say they have suffered the same fate as Britney Spears' ex-husband and been told it's all over via text message or email, a survey said on Friday. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash
    Lovers turn to text message to say it's over Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 5:57 AM ET

    LONDON (Reuters) - U R dumped -- one in seven say they have suffered the same fate as Britney Spears' ex-husband and been told it's all over via text message or email, a survey said on Friday.

  • It's news! Man bites rabid dog in southern India Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 3:14 AM ET

    NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Upset that a stray rabid dog was fleeing with a duck from his compound, a man in southern India caught the animal, wrestled with it and bit it hard in the throat before it was beaten to death, a newspaper said.

  • A man dressed as Father Christmas waits for his turn at a casting session in Berlin, November 20, 2007. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz
    Canada seeks author of nasty letters from Santa Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 10:54 AM ET

    OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's post office and police are trying to track down a "rogue elf" who wrote obscene letters to children on behalf of Santa Claus, a newspaper reported on Friday.

  • German dads jump at chance to stay home with kids Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 12:17 PM ET

    BERLIN (Reuters) - German fathers are staying home with their newborn babies in unexpectedly high numbers in the first year of a generous government subsidy meant to boost the country's low birth rate, officials said on Friday.

  • Bob's Big Boy mascot not Western enough AP - Fri Dec 14, 5:04 PM ET

    NORCO, Calif. - The equestrian community of Norco, known has Horsetown USA, has put its boot down: The chubby Bob's Big Boy mascot isn't Western enough, even with a cowboy hat.

  • An elderly woman walks with the help of a walking stick on a street in Tokyo, June 30, 2006. Crimes by older people in Japan jumped threefold this year compared with a decade ago, domestic media reported on Friday. REUTERS/Issei Kato
    Japan over 65s do more shoplifting Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 2:32 AM ET

    TOKYO (Reuters) - Crimes by older people in Japan jumped threefold this year compared with a decade ago, domestic media reported on Friday.

  • Angry truck driver tries to tow cop car AP - Fri Dec 14, 4:53 AM ET

    GRESHAM, Ore. - A tow truck driver upset over a recent ticket tried to tow a police cruiser, authorities said.

  • Study finds captives traded for oil in former East Germany Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 9:21 AM ET

    BERLIN (Reuters) - Political prisoners in former East Germany were traded for oil, copper and silver in the 30 years before reunification and human trade with the West formed a lucrative economic linchpin, the author of a new study said.

  • Attackers chop off man's 'magic' leg AP - Thu Dec 13, 4:30 PM ET

    HYDERABAD, India - Two men attacked an 80-year-old, self-proclaimed holy man in southern India and chopped off his right leg, apparently believing it had magical powers, police said Thursday.

  • Fans arrive at the O2 Arena venue in south east London, December 10, 2007. REUTERS/Toby Melville
    Hopes fade for 2008 Led Zeppelin reunion tour Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 9:21 AM ET

    LONDON (Reuters) - Hopes of a Led Zeppelin reunion tour faded on Friday when singer Robert Plant said he would tour with U.S. country singer Alison Krauss in May.

  • Man charged with swiping cops' tip AP - Thu Dec 13, 5:49 PM ET

    CINCINNATI - Today's crime tip: don't steal police officers' tips. Police arrested Vincent Balough, 46, on on charges of theft and obstructing official business.

  • Brunei's Crown Prince Muhtadee Billah looks over a shot during the fifth round match in the men's eight ball pool at the Southeast-Asian (SEA) Games in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, December 10, 2007. Billah has installed a pool table in his hotel suite to ensure he can practice in luxurious surroundings for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games nine-ball competition. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom
    Brunei prince buys private pool table for Asia Games Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 3:56 AM ET

    NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand (Reuters) - Brunei's Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah has installed a pool table in his hotel suite to ensure he can practice in luxurious surroundings for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games nine-ball competition.

  • Accused wallet thief caught on page one AP - Thu Dec 13, 9:47 PM ET

    LEWISTON, Idaho - Police didn't have to look far to find a man suspected of stealing a woman's wallet — just an inch down the page. On the front page of its Thursday edition, The Lewiston Tribune ran a photo of a man in a blue and black checkered coat standing in a convenience store.

  • Vuitton-clad Venezuela minister spouts socialism Reuters - Thu Dec 13, 8:04 PM ET

    CARACAS (Reuters) - A video of a Gucci- and Louis Vuitton-clad politician attacking capitalism then struggling to explain how his luxurious clothes square with his socialist beliefs has become an instant YouTube hit in Venezuela.

Most Popular Odd News

  • Contractor, owner feud over hidden cash AP - Wed Dec 12, 10:42 PM ET

    CLEVELAND - A contractor who helped discover bundles of Depression-era U.S. currency totaling $182,000 hidden behind bathroom walls said the homeowner should turn the money over to him or at least share it.

  • Christmas card arrives 93 years late AP - 5 minutes ago

    OBERLIN, Kan. - A postcard featuring a color drawing of Santa Claus and a young girl was mailed in 1914, but its journey was slower than Christmas. It just arrived in northwest Kansas.

  • Chief accused of drunk fire truck racing AP - Fri Dec 14, 5:02 PM ET

    BURLINGTON, Maine - A fire chief in Penobscot County has been charged with being drunk behind the wheel while driving a fire truck with its lights on and its sirens going.

  • A man dressed as Santa Claus is seen November 20, 2007. Canada's post office and police are trying to track down a 'rogue elf' who wrote obscene letters to children on behalf of Santa Claus, a newspaper reported on Friday. (Tobias Schwarz/Reuters)
    Author of nasty letters from Santa sought Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 11:39 AM ET

    OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's post office and police are trying to track down a "rogue elf" who wrote obscene letters to children on behalf of Santa Claus, a newspaper reported on Friday.

  • A Motorola KRZR K3 similar to the one used by a 22-year-old oil and gas well tester in rural northwest Alberta to rack up a $83,700 phone bill, is seen in a handout photo. A Canadian oil-field worker, stunned to get the C$85,000 ($83,700) cell phone bill, has had the charges reduced to C$3,400, but is still fighting them. REUTERS/Motorola/Handout
    Lonely guy shocked to get $83,000 phone bill Reuters - Fri Dec 14, 11:43 AM ET

    TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian oil-field worker, stunned to get a C$85,000 ($83,700) cell phone bill, has had the charges reduced to C$3,400, but is still fighting them.