4 Weird News Stories That Made Us Smile This Month

It’s been a month of weird news stories, and some of them make folks smile. Smiles are good, right? Read on for our pick of the best of them.

FIFA Sensation

The biggest star of this World Cup so far doesn’t dribble, coach, or wave a flag. Instead, he was spotted on a cargo bike, sporting some sunglasses.  

Osito’s a rescue poodle with a bit of mixed lineage. Well, he turned up at Mexico’s opener looking enchantingly touristy.   

WSLS reported that within hours, the canine commuter went global.
FIFA fans snapped photos, posted videos, and broadcasters beamed him worldwide.

Osito even made it onto mainstream coverage. And of course, he soon trended across social media.

Nothing says “global competition” like a dog in a jersey who doesn’t know the score. And doesn’t care.

By kickoff, Osito wasn’t just a pet on a bike. He was a reminder that the World Cup unites folks from all around the world. 

In The Land Down Under

In Western Australia, a bag of salad served up a surprise. Certainly, it appeared nowhere in the list of ingredients. AP reported that it was “a live frog.” And that’s saying something because it’s a very serious news source.

The unlikely frog was discovered inside a pre-packaged salad purchased from a local grocery store.

The frog survived the adventure and was later released. Presumably, with a newfound appreciation for bagged greens.

The incident is amusing, but  it brought some questions to the subject of food safety and packaging seals. Because apparently, “crunchy” belongs to lettuce, not to wildlife.

Folks might wonder how many uninvited guests end up in our crisper drawers.

Concrete Owl

A great horned owl recently learned the hard way that concrete mixers are not, in fact, nest-adjacent. UPI carried the weird news story about the bird trapped inside one in early May. It started an unusual rescue that briefly made the rounds locally.

But the story flapped back into view this weekend as follow-up reports confirmed the owl had made a “full recovery” and was “released back into the wild.”

The rehabilitation took place at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, where veterinarians credited “quick action and specialized care” for the bird’s survival. Because nothing says “second chance” like flying free after a close encounter with heavy machinery.

The owl is now back in the wild, presumably with a newfound aversion to rotating equipment.

House Destruction

The next weird news story involved a 48-year-old man. He took “irreconcilable differences” to a terrifying new extreme. He climbed into an excavator and literally tore down his family home.

The story first broke in late May, but it rumbled back into the news this past week as fresh details emerged.

According to National Enquirer, Erik Pierwsza allegedly returned home “liquored up” in late May. According to reports, he allegedly picked a fight. When his wife said she was “done” with their marriage, he snapped. Next, he yelled, “If it’s over, I’ll tear the house down.”

Then he did. The Kubota excavator reportedly ripped through the rear of the Butler County home while his wife and two daughters were still inside.

Dispatchers could hear the destruction during her frantic 911 call.

Miraculously, no one was injured, though the house’s “structural integrity may be compromised,” which feels like an understatement.

Updates On Charges

Pierwsza later turned himself in and now faces charges. People Magazine reported that they include “causing catastrophe, disorderly conduct and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.” Bail was set at $10,000.

As one neighbor wisely observed: “I’d like to know what she said to him because I’ll make sure I don’t say it. Forty-two years I’ve been married, but I’ve never threatened to tear the house down.”

Your thoughts? Shout out in the comments below, and come back here often for all your interesting and weird news stories.