When Philadelphia roommates Jessica Yang, 33, and Nicole DeNardo, 31, moved in together in 2022, they both cared for Yang's cat, Gary. Later, as Yang tackled a home renovation project, DeNardo offered to care for Gary, People magazine reported. However, Yang learned that DeNardo had changed Gary's last name at the vet and added herself to his microchip information, making it seem as if she was his owner. DeNardo argued that the vet's office made the name change on their own, and she was only trying to protect him by adding her name to the emergency information. Still, she and Yang clashed when it was time to move out of their apartment about who was the real owner. "She said I was unfit to be a pet parent," Yang said. In December 2024, Yang sued DeNardo (to the tune of $20,000), and on Nov. 5, the court ruled in favor of Yang because she had originally bought the cat. "I just hope he's OK and has all the things he needs, and is living a good life," DeNardo said. [People, 11/19/2025]

The Tech Revolution

In San Francisco, where self-driving taxis are ubiquitous, one rider recorded a video during his early November journey in a Tesla Robotaxi, KRON-TV reported. The Tesla taxis are required to have a "safety driver" -- a human who sits behind the wheel but doesn't drive. And while that just makes all sorts of sense, if the driver isn't awake, it's not much use. "The safety driver literally fell asleep at least three times during the ride," the passenger said. "Each time, the car's 'pay attention' safety alert went off and the beeping is what woke him back up." The rider waited a week to post the video on Reddit, as he gave Tesla a chance to respond. In the meantime, the California Public Utilities Commission said it is "aware of the video and taking follow-up actions to gather more information." The rider chose Waymo for his return trip. [KRON, 11/20/2025]

Government in Action

Matthew Thornhill, a St. Charles County (Missouri) Circuit judge, has been suspended and will be banned from holding judicial offices in Missouri, Fox2Now-TV reported on Nov. 19. Thornhill was found to have engaged in several acts of misconduct, including discussing politics from the bench, but his most notable overstep was occasionally wearing a large plastic Elvis wig and sunglasses while presiding over the court. Thornhill said he was trying to "add levity" and relax people, but he can see how his actions affected the solemnity of the proceedings. He admitted to the charges against him and waived his right to an appeal, and with that, Elvis has left the building. (Thank you, thank you very much.) [Fox2Now, 11/19/2025]

It's a Mystery

On Nov. 18, Paige Batten got a call about a home she had for sale in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Local 3-TV reported. The potential buyers wondered when Batten would be replacing the driveway at the home, which Batten hadn't planned on. Then she learned that the day before, at least three trucks had been at the home, including two backhoes and a dump truck. Neighbors assumed that Batten had contracted for the driveway to be removed, but, neighbor April Renner said, "Somebody unfortunately stole it somehow, which is bizarre." Days later, Batten heard from a local concrete company, which said it had been given the address by a scammer posing as a legit customer. The company poured Batten a new driveway free of charge. [Local 3-TV, 11/18/2025]

Bright Idea

When your seniors can't get out much anymore, why not bring the party to them? That's what one retirement home in Kunheim, France, has done. The Roseliere home has opened a pub to the public after obtaining a liquor license, RTL Today reported on Nov. 19. The bar opens before lunchtime, and residents say they love it. "It makes us see things in a more positive light!" said Colette Knoery, 96. Director Robert Kohler said the gathering spot aims to foster intergenerational exchanges and provide a sense of community. "Contacts are being made, and that's the kind of thing we're looking for, that extra touch of soul that we want to bring to our residents," he said. Now, in the nearby town of Barr, a similar project is underway. Sante! [RTL Today, 11/19/2025]

Buyer Beware, or What's in a Name

United Press International reported on Nov. 20 that a talking teddy bear called Kumma has been pulled from retail shelves after the AI-powered toy ventured into questionable topics. A group of researchers from the U.S. and Canada held conversations with Kumma and found it easy to get the $99 bear to discuss sexually explicit topics including spanking, roleplay and BDSM. The researchers said Kumma would take a particular topic and "run with it, simultaneously escalating in graphic detail while introducing new sexual concepts of its own." The bear also offered advice about where to find sharp knives in the house. CEO of FoloToy Larry Wang said his company is "conducting an internal safety audit." [UPI, 11/20/2025]

It's Good To Have a Hobby

Martin Stroby, 42, of Helsingborg, Sweden, has earned a Guinness World Record for the dubious achievement of stuffing matches in his nostrils, United Press International reported on Nov. 18. The previous record was 68 wooden matches; Stroby was able to shove 81 into his nose. "I discovered I could both stretch my nostrils a lot and also ignore the pain from putting all those matches in there, so I would say I'm a natural," Stroby said. "As a father I want my children to look up to me in the same way I look up to my father." [UPI, 11/18/2025]

Glutton for Punishment

Andre McKechnie, 54, is serving a life sentence for murder in Port Phillip Prison in Victoria, Australia; but just because he's doing hard time doesn't mean McKechnie thinks it's fair to do without the ... finer (?) ... things. To that end, the inmate is suing the Victoria Department of Justice and Community Safety, as well as Corrections Victoria, the company that manages the prison, to lift their ban on Vegemite. Yes, the thick, brown, shiny, yeast-based paste that former U.S. President Barack Obama once tried and called "horrible" is an amenity the convicted murderer claims helps him "enjoy his culture as an Australian." Vegemite was banned in Victoria prisons in 2006, after officials determined that prisoners were using its odor to hide drugs from narcotic detection dogs. CNN reports that the case is scheduled for trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria next year. [CNN, 11/18/2025]

Only in Canada

On Nov. 11, an unnamed 36-year-old man entered a bus in Hamilton, Ontario, while the driver was taking a short break outside, Fox5-TV reported. Then the man drove off, with all the passengers still inside. He drove around, making stops to let people off and on, and even denied one person trying to board without a bus pass. Police followed the bus and eventually took the rogue driver into custody, but praised his skills: "There was not a ding on the bus," said Trevor McKenna of the Hamilton police. "He did a great job." He was charged with theft over $5,000, possession over $5,000, obstructing police and driving while prohibited. [Fox5, 11/14/2025]

The town council in Neuville-sur-Saone, France, delivered good news to a homeowner on Nov. 5, CBS News reported: He can keep the $800,000 worth of gold bars and coins he unearthed while digging for a swimming pool in his backyard. The gold was stashed in plastic bags; the man alerted authorities in May, when he found the treasure. Police said they were able to determine that the gold had not been stolen, and the home's previous owner had died, so it belongs to the current resident. [CBS News, 11/7/2025]

Least Competent Criminals

Police in Windsor, Connecticut, can't credit their amazing investigative skills after they apprehended two men who stole a huge highway sign on I-91. WFSB-TV reported that Andrew Scott Lampkin, 42, and Jonathan Riopelle, 46, from Vernon, Connecticut, allegedly removed the sign and strapped it to the bed of a pickup truck around 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 5. The thieves were charged with third-degree larceny, reckless use of a highway by a pedestrian and improper parking on a highway. [WFSB, 11/6/2025]

Odd Rescue

As Colleen Dunn was walking her dogs on the beach in Manzanita, Oregon, one early evening in October, she came upon a beached shark. Rather than steering clear or calling the authorities, Dunn told KGW-TV, "I just made the quick decision to get him back into the deep Pacific Ocean." A veteran viewer of "Shark Week," Dunn knew that if she dragged the shark by its tail, it wouldn't be able to bite her; with some effort, she was able to wrangle the shark first to shallow water, then push it into water deep enough for it to swim away. Shark expert Taylor Chapple of Oregon University identified the shark as a juvenile salmon shark and said it is not uncommon for the creatures to experience shock while swimming in colder waters and end up beached. [KGW-TV, 11/7/25]

Recurring Themes

It's falling iguana time again in Florida! With this year's first cold blast making it all the way to the Sunshine State, The Guardian reported on Nov. 10, Floridians are being warned about paralyzed reptiles tumbling out of trees and hitting them on the head. While some people are moved to help the stunned iguanas, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission warns against intervening. "Once they recover and warm up, they could act defensively." Also, it's illegal to relocate or release captured iguanas. Just let 'em lie, folks. [Guardian, 11/10/2025]

Questionable Judgment

Tucker Kemp, 31, of St. Petersburg, Florida, is rethinking his decisions after an incident in a local Starbucks last month. According to The Smoking Gun, Kemp had stopped for a tea when he noticed a pride flag hanging on the wall inside the store. He told the manager he was "offended by the flag and ... they should put up an American flag." Then he allegedly threw his tea at the flag and tore it off the wall before stuffing it into a trash can. Kemp was arrested for criminal mischief and spent a few hours in jail -- but the long-term consequences may have been more influential. Kemp lost his job at nearby Dignity Memorial and is on the hunt for a new gig. He said his "poor decisions ... led to my rightful arrest and termination from my career." Anyone looking for a recalcitrant funeral director? [The Smoking Gun, 11/7/2025]

Nope

In an underwater cave on the border between Greece and Albania, scientists have discovered a spider web that spans 1,076.4 square feet along a wall, People magazine reported on Nov. 11. The web is home to an estimated 110,000 spiders of two different species. Istvan Urak of the Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania in Romania visited the cave to analyze the web. "It is a unique case of two species cohabiting within the same web structure in this huge number," he said. The cave is also home to 512 other species of spiders. [People, 11/11/2025]

Powerful Pipes

The Great Melbourne Bagpipe Bash at Federation Square in Victoria, Australia, brought together 374 bagpipers on Nov. 12 to pay tribute to rock legends AC/DC with a performance of "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)," shattering the world record for the most bagpipers in a single performance, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Among the ragtag assembly were none other than Les Kenfield and Kevin Conlon, who were members of the Rats of Tobruk Memorial Highland Band in the 1970s and performed in the piper trio seen in AC/DC's video for the song, which was filmed just a few blocks from Federation Square in 1976. Kenfield hopes the event, which brought together pipers of all ages, will inspire renewed interest in the instrument. "Piping is really a dying art," Kenfield said. "In my band, if everyone over 70 resigned, there would be no band left." [ABC News, 11/12/25]

Call of the Wild

Amherst Junior High School in Amherst, Ohio, was the site of an early morning surprise on Nov. 13, FOX 8 reported. According to a press release issued by Principal Andrew Hoffman, a large deer crashed through one of the school cafeteria's windows, startling "a couple of students and staff" who were preparing for breakfast. Video of the incident showed the deer fighting to gain traction on the slick cafeteria floor before lying down in exhaustion. Staff members and the Amherst Police Department were able to keep the deer corralled in the cafeteria before herding it toward a set of doors they had propped open to provide the deer with an escape route. "As shocking as the event was to witness, we are happy to report that no significant injuries took place," Hoffman said, while assuring that "all students were offered the opportunity to receive breakfast during 1st period." [FOX 8, 11/13/25]

No Can Do

By his own admission, James Howard, 53, figures he is "going to jail for a long [expletive] time." That's because on the evening of Nov. 8, Howard rear-ended a car that was waiting at the traffic light at the end of an exit ramp off Interstate 90 in Missoula, Montana. It had all the makings of a run-of-the-mill traffic incident, reported KGVO, until the Montana Highway Patrol trooper who arrived at the scene detected alcohol on Howard's breath and noted the large Budweiser can Howard had placed on the center console of his vehicle -- a can which, Howard informed the trooper, contained urine instead of beer. Court documents revealed that Howard crashed while he was "attempting to urinate into the beer can while driving." Howard did not attempt the standard on-scene DUI tests, stating, "I just can't do it." No first-time offender, Howard is being charged with felony aggravated DUI, driving with a suspended license, and careless driving. [KGVO, 11/9/25]

Gizmodo reported on Nov. 5 that doctors in the Philippines have documented the case of a woman whose armpits leak milk. Dermatologists writing in the journal JAAD Case Reports said the patient was born with extra breast tissue on both sides of her underarms, which swelled up after she delivered a baby and produced "milky secretions from the overlying hair follicles." The condition didn't bother her when she wasn't pregnant or breastfeeding; doctors said it affects fewer than 6% of women. [Gizmodo, 11/5/2025]

Wait, What?

A woman in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was expecting a package of medicine that she had ordered, but when the box came, she found something very different inside: two human arms and four fingers. WSMV-TV reported that the woman contacted 911 and the Christian County Coroner, Scott Daniel. Daniel responded to the home and gathered up the unexpected parcel, and the body parts are being dispatched to the correct recipient -- but it's unclear in this case who that was. [WSMV, 10/30/2025]

Bright Ideas

-- Bothered by spicy foods? Researchers in China have developed an artificial "tongue" that can detect spice levels in foods, the New York Post reported on Oct. 29. The small transparent square is placed on the user's tongue and detects spice levels ranging from nothing to beyond levels perceived as painful. It can also detect flavors such as ginger, black pepper, horseradish, garlic and onion. No word on when it will be available to the public. [NY Post, 10/29/2025]

-- On Oct. 25 in Lille, France, an almost-homeless tech entrepreneur, Dagobert Renouf, married his love, Anna Plynina, People magazine reported. But because of Renouf's broke status, the nuptials nearly didn't happen. However, in July, Renouf had a brainstorm: He sold sponsorships for the wedding, with corporate donors getting their logos sewn onto his suit jacket. With Plynina supporting the project, Renouf launched a website, offering spots for $300 up to $2,000, depending on the placement. He promised to wear the jacket in all the wedding photos, which would be shared on social media platforms with 116,000 followers. Twenty-six companies bought in, for a total of $10,000 in advertising revenue. The suit cost $5,200 to make, and Renouf had to pay $2,500 on the income. "I basically got a free suit and $2,000 out of it," he said. Even better, he got a job: One company was impressed with his ideas and dedication, and "I've been absolutely killing it and enjoying it since then," Renouf said. [People, 11/4/2025]

I Feel Like I've Forgotten Something ...

-- During a virtual hearing in the 36th District Court in Detroit on Oct. 27, police officer Matthew Jackson showed up to testify about a woman charged with drag racing and disorderly conduct. But, WXYZ-TV reported, he forgot one important part of his uniform: pants. "You got some pants on, officer?" asked Judge Sean Perkins. Jackson replied, "No, sir" and moved his camera up so his bare legs could no longer be seen, and the hearing continued. Jackson was apparently wearing underwear with his uniform shirt. Detroit police apologized and said they would remind all officers about proper etiquette and dress codes for virtual hearings. "It was an interesting day, to say the least," said TaTaNisha Reed, the defendant's attorney. [WXYZ, 10/29/2025]

-- Meanwhile, Glasgow (Scotland) City Councillor Hanif Raja dropped into a virtual planning meeting in early November but forgot to turn off his camera when he sat down on the toilet. The BBC reported that another councillor asked Raja if he was "aware that your camera is live," prompting Raja to explain that he is diabetic and needs frequent "comfort breaks." "The button was pressed and I didn't notice," he said. The council removed the livestream and said it would be uploaded after editing. [BBC, 11/5/2025]

Saw That Coming

Hillary Martin of Orange County, Florida, has filed a lawsuit against SeaWorld Orlando following an incident that happened in March, ClickOrlando reported. Martin is seeking $50,000 in damages after she was struck by a duck riding the Mako roller coaster. (We didn't even know ducks like roller coasters.) Martin said the duck flew into the coaster's path and struck her in the face, causing her to lose consciousness. She claims the park created a "zone of danger" by placing the ride near a body of water. No word on the duck's condition or injuries. [ClickOrlando, 10/29/2025]

Florida

On the morning of Nov. 3 at a Publix grocery store in Miami, a man using the restroom stall was assaulted after Alfredo Brindis, 72, "entered the restroom frantically and began to bang on the stall door," Local10-TV reported. When the victim exited the stall, Brindis yelled at him to "hurry and move," but Brindis was blocking his way. He said Brindis "presented a knife and waved it in front of the victim" and "tried to cut him." The victim used his bookbag to shield himself. Brindis told police that he "really needed to use the restroom." He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. [Local10, 11/4/2025]

Compelling Explanation

Karen Dedert, 58, of Seminole, Florida, woke her husband up early on Nov. 4 by standing over him and asking where their son was, WTSP-TV reported. Then she said, "I need to sacrifice and kill you both," according to the arrest affidavit. She tried stabbing her husband, Richard, with a knife, but he blocked the attack and locked himself in a bathroom. Later, she lunged at him with the knife again, cutting his arm. Richard escaped and called for help; when they arrived, Karen was still in the house. She said she didn't want to talk but spontaneously offered, "These aren't the clothes I was wearing when I stabbed him." She was charged with attempted first-degree murder. [WTSP, 11/5/2025]

It's a Mystery

Police at Purdue University are grappling with a sticky situation on campus, WLFI-TV reported. On Nov. 5, officers received calls about a man walking around covered from head to toe in peanut butter. Witnesses were concerned about safety issues for people with peanut butter allergies. Investigators are unsure whether PB Man is a student and suggested he might be part of a hazing prank. [WLFI, 11/5/2025]

The Foreign Press

If you missed this year's Tar Barrels event in Ottery St. Mary, England, make plans to attend next year. On Nov. 5, the BBC reported, selected residents of the town ran through the streets with flaming barrels of tar held over their heads in an "exhilarating" tribute to ... something. Even historians aren't sure what, but the tradition goes back to 1605, "when bonfires and effigies were burnt and barrels were plentiful," said Andrew Wade, president of the Tar Barrels Committee. "The barrels used to be rolled, that's why the people are called barrel rollers." At some point, the barrels were picked up and carried. A total of 27 are carried throughout the event. Surprisingly, "None of the participants are allowed to drink," Wade said. "It will carry on as long as there are people in Ottery who want to do it." [BBC, 11/5/2025]