Weird News ε' - The fifth column

This uni thought it would be a good idea to do a phishing test with a fake Ebola scare

University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) students may be relieved to hear that an emailed warning about a staff member infected with the Ebola virus was just a phishing exercise.

The message, titled "Emergency Notification: Ebola Virus Case on Campus," went out to the university community on Sunday, August 18. It began, "We regret to inform you that a member of our staff, who recently returned from South Africa, has tested positive for the Ebola virus."

The message went on to say that the university has initiated a contact tracing protocol and asks message recipients to "Please Log In to the Access Information Page for more details" – the very activity phishing messages attempt to encourage in order to capture login credentials.

The simulated attack was similar to an actual phishing message sent on August 1, 2024, as shown on the UCSC Phish Bowl, a collection of real and test phishing attempts.

But the one sent on Sunday was intended to raise awareness of phishing rather than to actually steal information.

In that, it succeeded. The message prompted the UCSC Student Health Center to publish a notice about a "Phishing email with misleading health information."

On Monday, Brian Hall, chief information security officer for UCSC, sent out an apology to the university community.

"The email content was not real and inappropriate as it caused unnecessary panic, potentially undermining trust in public health messaging," his missive said. "We sincerely apologize for this oversight."
 

Suspected burglar caught after sitting down with book​

A would-be burglar in Rome was caught after stopping to read a book on Greek mythology in the middle of a robbery, Italian media report.
The 38-year-old reportedly gained access to a flat in the Italian capital's Prati district via the balcony but became distracted after picking up a book about Homer's Iliad on a bedside table.
The 71-year-old homeowner is said to have awoken and confronted the alleged thief, who was engrossed in the book.
News of the failed robbery attracted the attention of the book's author, who told local media he wanted to send the man a copy so he could "finish" his read.

After being caught off-guard, the alleged robber reportedly attempted to make a quick getaway by escaping via the same balcony, but was arrested shortly afterwards.
He is said to have told police he had climbed the building to visit a person he knew.
"I thought I had ended up in a B&B, saw the book and started to read it."
Giovanni Nucci, the author of The Gods at Six O'Clock, which explains the Iliad from the perspective of the gods, told Il Messaggero: "It's fantastic."
"I'd like to find the person caught red-handed and give him the book, because he'll have been arrested halfway through reading it. I'd like him to be able to finish it.
"It's a surreal story, but also full of humanity."
The thief was reportedly in possession of a bag containing expensive clothing allegedly stolen from another house earlier that evening.
Nucci said his personal favourite deity was Hermes, the god of thieves.
"He is also the god of literature. It is clear: everything fits," he joked.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg4kpv3p4zo
 
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Link.
 
Less weird and more "huh that's cool", but:

A "remarkable" Pictish ring thought to be at least 1,000 years old has been discovered by a volunteer on a dig in Moray.

The find was made by John Ralph at the site of a fort in Burghead.

It is thought the settlement was a significant seat of power within the Pictish kingdom between AD500 and AD1000.

Delighted Mr Ralph - who described himself as an "enthusiastic volunteer" - was on a dig being led by the University of Aberdeen. He felt like a "striker scoring a goal" with the find.

The rest of the article is here.
 
Cloud-seeding missiles cause underwear storm?

After the authorities sought to break a long-running heatwave in Chongqing by using cloud-seeding missiles to artificially bring rain, the Chinese megacity was blasted by an unusual weather event – an underwear storm.

Termed “the 9/2 Chongqing underwear crisis”, an unexpected windstorm on Monday brought gusts of up to 76mph (122km/h), scattering people’s laundry from balconies on the city’s high-rises. Douyin, China’s sister app to TikTok, was filled with videos of pants and bras flying through the skies, landing in the street and snagging on trees.

 

Next week Edinburgh auction house Lyon & Turnbull will auction the letter that the Ghent authorities say belongs in the city archives. The city has sent a request asking for the historical document not to be sold. The auctioneers estimate the letter from Elizabeth Tudor could fetch up to 20,000 euros.
The letter was written on 30 December 1578 and signed by Queen Elizabeth I, the Protestant monarch of England and Ireland. The addressee is Jan van Hembyse, an alderman and leader of the Calvinist Republic of Ghent. In the letter, the Queen pleads for a fair trial for Roman Catholic noblemen imprisoned in the city.

The City of Ghent says research shows that the document should belong to its city archives. ‘It is an important historical document illustrating a turbulent period in the history of Ghent and Europe. 'The letter was addressed to the city and has also been delivered. That means it belongs in our archives,’ says alderman Watteeuw.

The delivery of the letter is a story in itself. It was made by an English spy, who also discussed the content of the letter with the alderman in person.
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Edit, 20/9/24

www.vrt.be

Gent koopt historische brief van Queen Elizabeth I terug en voorkomt veiling | VRT NWS: nieuws

De stad Gent heeft een overeenkomst met de eigenaar van een historische brief van de Engelse Queen Elizabeth I uit de 16e eeuw. De brief zou eerst verkocht worden door een Schots veilinghuis, maar dat is nu verhinderd. Het document stamt uit de korte periode dat de stad een protestantse...
www.vrt.be www.vrt.be

Ghent buys back historic letter from Queen Elizabeth I and prevents auction
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The city of Ghent has an agreement with the owner of a historic letter from the English Queen Elizabeth I from the 16th century. The letter was originally supposed to be sold by a Scottish auction house, but that has now been prevented. The document dates from the short period when the city was a Protestant republic. Ghent will now keep the letter in its own archives.
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Last edited:
Kyriakos said:

He was caught stealing - once.
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I read about that this morning. I saw Jane's in concert some years ago in Denver (Navarro was in the band then). One of the top two concerts I've ever seen and the other happened to be in Denver as well at Red Rocks (Radiohead).

It appears some trouble had been brewing in their recent shows as Farrell was going on some rants during the show and Navarro was trying to drown them out with guitar.
 
www.theguardian.com

'Skibidi': Payman opposes social age limit in speech to gen Z and gen Alpha – video

Labor party (Australia) Fatima Payman Australian politics Australia (News) News (Tone)
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Independent senator Fatima Payman speaks to the sigmas of Australia (ak Gen Z and Gen Alpha), saying the government are 'capa-aholics' and 'yap-aholics'. Payman critiques the government's response to the cost-of-living crisis and housing. 'Though some of you cannot yet vote, I hope when you do, it'll be in a more GOAT'ed Australia for a government with more aura. Skibidi,' Senator Payman says
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Fans fuming after unofficial Bridgerton ball flops​

Bridgerton fans have been left fuming after an unofficial ball in Detroit based on the Netflix show fell far below expectations.
The event on Sunday was supposed to be a glamorous affair with ballroom dancing and music, similar to that enjoyed by the members of Regency high society in the hit series.
But it has since gone viral on social media, as attendees complained it was a "scam", with cheap decor, undercooked food and just a stripper for entertainment.
Event organisers Uncle & Me LLC have not responded to the BBC's request for comment, but they told a local media outlet that they were working to address concerns.

The event was not endorsed by or associated with Netflix or production company Shondaland.
The advert for the event invited fans to "step into the enchanting world of the Regency era at the Detroit Bridgerton-themed ball".
"Join us for an evening of sophistication, grace, and historical charm. Experience a night like no other filled with music, dance, and exquisite costumes," it read.
But fans are now calling for refunds, with photos and videos circulating on social media showing women, dressed in their finest outfits, sitting on the floor scrolling on their phones.

"This is right up there with the Fyre Festival scam," wrote one on Facebook, referring to another infamous failed venture.
"I've seen kids parties that look better. It was bare and ugly," wrote another, who said most people had left by 9pm.
Screenshots of tickets online showed prices starting at around $150, but others spent more for the "Duke and Duchess" package which included dinner.
But the meal was criticised by attendees, with one saying it was "terrible" and others saying it was still raw.

"Chicken was undercooked and pasta was cold. By the time I got a plate they were running out of food," wrote one.
Several people also complained about the food running out.

Meanwhile, the entertainment also disappointed, with just one violinist despite guests being told there would be a full orchestra.
There was also a pole-dancing stripper, leaving some fans to question what that had to do with Bridgerton.
"They hired a stripper, we were promised an instrumental performance," wrote a TikTok user.

She added that over 60 people were leaving just as she arrived. "People leaving told me to just go bar-hopping with with them."
Another disappointed TikTokker posted a picture of the outfit she says she "wasted" at the event.
"I was ready to be diamond of the season. I left early," she said.
In an interview with local news station WXYZ-TV, Detroit acrobat Tink said she had been hired as a pole-dancer just three hours before the event.
"I just feel very bad for all the patrons who showed up to the event just because my goal as a performer is to bring happiness and cheers to everyone," she said.
"So it kind of just bummed me out knowing everyone was so unhappy with the outcome."
People on social media have been quick to note the similarities with other viral flops, including the Fyre festival in the Bahamas and the Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow, which saw a handful of embarrassed actors trying to make the best of some sad-looking props and a bouncy castle.
In a statement to WXYZ-TV, Uncle & Me LLC said: "We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that, we sincerely apologise.
"Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognise that organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests. We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings."
The company said it was working to address all concerns raised by guests, adding: "We are reviewing resolution options, which will be communicated shortly."
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly3q8ynlxyo
 
Montana man gets 6 months in prison for cloning giant sheep

An 81-year-old Montana man was sentenced Monday to six months in federal prison for illegally using tissue and testicles from large sheep hunted in Central Asia and the U.S. to create hybrid sheep for captive trophy hunting in Texas and Minnesota.

U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris said he struggled to come up with a sentence for Arthur “Jack” Schubarth of Vaughn, Montana. He said he weighed Schubarth’s age and lack of a criminal record with a sentence that would deter anyone else from trying to “change the genetic makeup of the creatures” on the earth.

Morris also fined Schubarth $20,000 and ordered him to make a $4,000 payment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Schubarth will be allowed to self-report to a Bureau of Prisons medical facility.

“I will have to work the rest of my life to repair everything I’ve done,” Schubarth told the judge just before sentencing.

Schubarth’s attorney, Jason Holden, said cloning the giant Marco Polo sheep hunted in Kyrgyzstan in 2013 has ruined his client’s “life, reputation and family.”

“I think this has broken him,” Holden said.

Holden, in seeking a probationary sentence, argued that Schubarth was a hard-working man who has always cared for animals and did something that no one else could have done in cloning the giant sheep, which he named Montana Mountain King or MMK.

The animal has been confiscated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and is being held in an accredited facility until it can be transferred to a zoo, said Richard Bare, a special agent with the wildlife service.

Sarah Brown, an attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, had asked that Schubarth be sentenced to prison, saying his illegal breeding operation was widespread, involved other states and endangered the health of other wildlife. The crime involved forethought, was complex and involved many illegal acts, she said.

Schubarth owns Sun River Enterprises LLC, a 215-acre (87-hectare) alternative livestock ranch, which buys, sells and breeds “alternative livestock” such as mountain sheep, mountain goats and ungulates, primarily for private hunting preserves, where people shoot captive trophy game animals for a fee, prosecutors said. He had been in the game farm business since 1987, Schubarth said.

Schubarth pleaded guilty in March to charges that he and five other people conspired to use tissue from a Marco Polo sheep illegally brought into the U.S. to clone that animal and then use the clone and its descendants to create a larger, hybrid species of sheep that would be more valuable for captive hunting operations.

Marco Polo sheep are the largest in the world, can weigh 300 pounds (136 kilograms) and have curled horns up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) long, court records said.

Schubarth sold semen from MMK along with hybrid sheep to three people in Texas, while a Minnesota resident brought 74 sheep to Schubarth’s ranch for them to be inseminated at various times during the conspiracy, court records said. Schubarth sold one direct offspring from MMK for $10,000 and other sheep with lesser MMK genetics for smaller amounts.

The total value of the animals involved was greater than $250,000 but less than $550,000, prosecutors said. Hybrid sheep were also sold to people in Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota and West Virginia, prosecutors said.

In October 2019, court records said, Schubarth paid a hunting guide $400 for the testicles of a trophy-sized Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep that had been harvested in Montana and then extracted and sold the semen, court records said.

Sheep breeds that are not allowed in Montana were brought into the state as part of the conspiracy, including 43 sheep from Texas, prosecutors said.

“You were so focused on getting around those rules you got off track,” Morris said.

Holden sought reduced restitution, saying Schubarth fed and cared for the hybrid sheep on his ranch until they could be slaughtered and the meat donated to a food bank. The remaining hybrid sheep with Marco Polo DNA on his ranch must be sent to slaughter by the end of the year with the meat also being donated, Morris said. Morris gave Schubarth until December 2025 to sell his Rocky Mountain bighorn hybrid sheep.

Schubarth will not be allowed to breed game stock during the three years he is on probation, Morris said.

The five co-conspirators were not named in court records, but Schubarth’s plea agreement requires him to cooperate fully with prosecutors and testify if called to do so. The case is still being investigated, Montana wildlife officials said.

Schubarth, in a letter attached to the sentencing memo, said he becomes extremely passionate about any project he takes on, including his “sheep project,” and is ashamed of his actions.

“I got my normal mindset clouded by my enthusiasm and looked for any grey area in the law to make the best sheep I could for this sheep industry,” he wrote. “My family has never been broke, but we are now.”

3LK4Kus.png
 

Burglar hung out washing and cooked meal for victim​

A woman discovered her house had been broken into by a burglar who hung out her washing, put her shopping away and cooked a meal on her stove
Damian Wojnilowicz, 36, was jailed for 22 months at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday for carrying out the unusual burglary in Monmouthshire on 16 July.
The woman said she was was left too scared to stay in her own home after returning from work to find items had been moved in the garden and her recycling bin had been emptied.
The burglar left her a note saying: "Don't worry, be happy, eat up and scratch."

The court also heard the bird feeders had been refilled and plant pots had been moved.
Inside the house, a pair of shoes had been removed from packaging, which was placed in the recycling bin.
Prosecutor Alice Sykes said a meal had been cooked using items from the woman's cupboard.
Shopping had been taken from a bag and placed in the fridge, which had been rearranged.
Kitchen utensils had been placed in the bin, and new ones from the shopping bag had been laid out.
And toothbrush heads had been replaced on toothbrushes, an empty bottle of wine had been placed in a rack having been drunk, and the floor had been cleaned with a mop and bucket left out.
The victim also saw a bottle of red wine had been left out next to a glass and bottle opener, and there was a bowl of sweets on the living room table.

'Too scared to stay in my own home'​

She spoke to her neighbour who described seeing someone hanging out washing.
In a victim personal statement, the female victim said: "Two weeks after the crime until he was caught, I was living in a state of heightened anxiety I had never experienced before.
"I wondered if it was somebody who knew me, if it was going to turn into a stalking incident, if he knew I lived alone and if I had been targeted.
"I was too scared to stay in my own home and stayed with a friend."

Second burglary​

A second burglary took place at another home on 29 July, when the male homeowner received a CCTV alert on his phone which showed Wojnilowicz walking on his driveway.
The defendant went on to use the shower in a summerhouse to wash and clean his clothes. Food and drink had also been consumed and the hot tub had also been left dirty.
The victim asked his son-in-law to attend the property and the defendant appeared to be drunk and was holding a glass.
He was asked to leave and did so, but the burglar was later arrested. His DNA was found on fingerprints from the first property he burgled.
The homeowner said he felt "sick, horrified, and useless" when he became aware of the burglary.
Tabitha Walker, defending Wojnilowicz, said her client was homeless at the time of the offences and was undergoing a number of difficulties. She said he was apologetic to the victims, and for the harm he had caused to them.
Sentencing, Recorder Christian Jowett said: "This was a significant intrusion in their homes."
Wojnilowicz, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary.
The court heard he has four previous convictions for offences including common assault, public order offences, and failing to surrender.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czeg6xk6rkko
 
That is… weird indeed.
 
it is customary in Turkey . They will eat the food , sleepover , take a bath . Though ı think it is rare that they will clean the house .
 
Beer can artwork accidentally thrown in bin by staff member at Dutch museum

A Dutch museum has recovered an artwork that looks like two empty beer cans after a staff member accidentally threw it in the rubbish bin thinking it was trash.

The work, entitled All The Good Times We Spent Together by French artist Alexandre Lavet, appears on first glance to be two discarded and dented beer tins.

However, a closer look shows they are in fact meticulously hand-painted with acrylics and “required a lot of time and effort to create”, according to the museum.

But their artistic value was lost on a mechanic, who saw them displayed in a lift and chucked them in the bin.

Froukje Budding, a spokesperson for the LAM museum in Lisse, western Netherlands, told AFP that artworks are often left in unusual places – hence the display in a lift.

Curator Elisah van den Bergh returned from a short break and noticed that the cans had vanished.

She recovered them from a bin bag just in the nick of time as they were about to be thrown out.

“We have now put the work in a more traditional place on a plinth so it can rest after its adventure,” Budding said.

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