WEIRD NEWS

Wait! It’s Not Spam! Facebook May Actually Owe You $10 Bucks!
Hey if you received a legal notice from Facebook recently, don’t delete it! For once it’s actually not spam and it could mean Facebook owes you money. The notice is informing users of a class action lawsuit settlement related to Facebook’s “Sponsored Stories.” PC World reports that Facebook unlawfully used some members’ information to sell or advertise products and services without obtaining consent. The amount they pay you will vary depending on how many claims are filed but estimates are around $10 bucks. (Arizona Family)

Turns Out Arizona Isn’t the Best Place For World’s First Pregnant Man!
If you managed to put the world’s first pregnant man out of your mind, sorry — he’s back in the news. Perhaps you remember the media circus that revolved around Thomas Beatie who gave birth to three children during his marriage to Nancy Beatie. Well, the Beaties relocated to Arizona and things have not been going too well with their relationship. However, now ready to call it a day, it seems they must first convince an Arizona court system they aren’t the same sex before they can get divorced. Court documents show the judge is questioning if the union is actually a same-sex marriage and, since that’s banned in Arizona, the judge may not be able to grant the Beaties a divorce. Thomas Beatie’s attorney, David Michael, said, “Thomas wants to be treated as an equal. He doesn’t want his children to be born out of wedlock or that he wasn’t in a valid different-sex marriage.” Thomas began testosterone treatment in the late 90s and by 2002, had a double mastectomy and chest reconstruction. He’s been a man, legally, ever since. But the confusion with the Arizona judge seems to surround the fact that despite his sex-change operation, Thomas kept his reproductive organs. The Beaties are scheduled to make their next court appearance on Thursday. (Arizona Family)

Make Darn Sure You Know Where You’re Going!
Next time you’re in Georgia, be careful which driveway you pull into. Police have arrested 69-year-old Phillip Walker Sailors for allegedly shooting and killing a man simply because he mistakenly pulled into Sailors’ driveway in Lilburn. Sailors has been charged with murder for the death of 22-year-old Rodrigo Abad Diaz. Diaz was shot in the head as he tried to drive away from Sailors’ home. Friends of Diaz said that he and others were trying to find a friend’s house, but their GPS instead led them to Sailor’s home. After seeing the car in his driveway, Sailors allegedly came out of his home, went back inside, then came out again with a gun and shot in the air. Yeson Jimenez, age 15, said he and his brother were in the car with Diaz, along with a female passenger. Diaz tried to drive away, but Sailors allegedly shot again, striking Diaz in the head. An attorney for Sailors said he fired because he feared his life was in danger. Attorney Michael Puglise said, “This incident happened late in the evening hours when he was home with his wife and he assumed it was a home invasion and he maintains his innocence.” Meanwhile, Sailors remains in jail being held without bond. He has no known criminal history. (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

Back From the Living Dead — Literally!
Talk about the living dead! Folks in Australia might have thought they were seeing a genuine zombie when 18-year-old Matthew Allen first appeared. Allen had been reported missing for over two months when he was found alive — barely — in a dense bush area just 20 miles from his home in Sydney. He was last seen by family members on November 27 and authorities feared the worst as Allen had not taken his cell phone or accessed his bank accounts. But two hikers finally spotted what they called a “disorientated man” in bushland not far from his home. When rescuers reached Allen, he was emaciated, covered in leeches and mosquito bites and his feet and lower legs were suffering from gangrene. He was also suffering from severe exhaustion and dehydration. It is believed he had been in the bush the entire nine weeks he was missing. Allen was helicoptered to a nearby hospital where he was reunited with his family. He told his rescuers that he had survived on water from a creek bed that was almost dry but detectives believe there may be more to his story and are waiting from him to stabilize before interviewing him. (ABC News)

Bubble Wrap Popping Record! USA! USA!
A total of 336 students at Hawthorne High School in New Jersey have broken the world record for the most people popping bubble wrap at the same time. They were given two-minutes to pop as much bubble wrap as possible and succeeded in popping more than 8,000 square feet of the packing material. The event was held to celebrate the thirteenth annual Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day and raise money for Sandy Hook Elementary School. Bubble Wrap was actually invented in Hawthorne in 1960. Originally designed to be some type of textured wall paper, when there was no market for that, the inventors realized it would make a great packing material. And seriously — who doesn’t love popping bubble wrap! (Ananova)

Hot New Fad: Naked Snowboarding!
Strange new Facebook fad — pix of you snowboarding — NAKED! Yep! The movement reportedly began in Switzerland but is quickly spreading across Europe and the United States. One poster, Morgane, said after uploading her own nude pix: “I just found the page by chance and I thought the pictures were really funny and not distasteful at all. That’s why when I told my friends we decided to do our own photo and submit it as well.” Another said: “I thought it was a really great idea and it was a lot of fun.” (Ananova)

There Goes Karma — The One Being a Bitch!
Talk about instant Karma. Police in Portsmouth, Va. Arrested 36-year-old Malcom Boykins who allegedly stole a church van and then promptly crashed it into a building trying to get away. Boykins has been charged with grand larceny felony, eluding police, reckless driving, destruction of property, and then of course he has hell to look forward to. (WTKR News)

Getting Dressed For Work — I Get Paid For That Right?
Believe it or not, in Teaneck, New Jersey, dozens of current and retired police officers say they deserve to be paid overtime for attending daily roll calls and putting on their uniforms each day, despite a judge’s ruling rejecting their claim. The officers’ lawsuit sought overtime, compensation for reporting to two daily roll calls — 10 minutes before the start of their tours and 10 minutes after, a period known as muster time — and for “donning and doffing” uniforms and equipment each day. But U.S. District Judge Katherine S. Hayden decided last month that the township did not violate the Fair Labor Standards Act by not compensating the officers for the extra time. So the attorney representing the 88 officers involved in the suit has filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals. So there! (NorthJersey.com)