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News of the wild and weird

Nov 28th 2007RachelG
RachelGOn Writing!

225px-batchild1.jpgI love weird news. And I use the term “news” lightly. I love to read about Bat Boy and discover what the “pointy eared fiend” is up to these days. The last time I read anything about him, he was in Afghanistan sniffing out Osama. I love “I am Bigfoot’s love child,” or “Aliens invade the White House,” stories. The cheesier the better.

In my quest for the weird and wacky today, I came across the following:

As an alternative to burial, cremation is no longer green enough, say environmentalists, because it releases smoke and mercury, and thus the industry is considering “promession,” in which the body is frozen in liquid nitrogen to minus-320 degrees (F) and then shaken until it disintegrates into powder. For green burials, the United States has at least six cemeteries that require biodegradable casings and for bodies to be free of embalming chemicals. The Forever Fernwood cemetery in Mill Valley, Calif., goes even further, according to an October Los Angeles Times story, banning grave markers, but, said the owner, “We issue the family a Google map with the GPS coordinates” so they can find their loved one. [Los Angeles Times, 10-28-07; Evening Standard (London), 10-10-07]

200401803-0011.jpgSo what do you all think of being frozen in liquid nitrogen and shaken into powder? Personally, I hate the cold. So, I’d never agree to be turned into a snowball. And what’s wrong with grave makers? I understand the frozen vs cremated debate–don’t really agree–but I get the pros and cons. But what’s the logic behind banning grave markers? I don’t get it. And what do you all have to report from the world of the weird and wacky?

37 Comments »

37 Responses to “News of the wild and weird”

  1. Karen Rose on 28 Nov 2007 at 7:55 am #

    Rachel, I must confess that I, too, love Bat Boy. I was sad when the Weekly World News announced it was closing down. End of an era.

    Did you know Bat Boy was made into a musical? I heard it was pretty good and had catchy songs. I’m not kidding.

    Wackiest news I read today - a man tried to open up a bank account in SC with a million dollar bill. He got miffed when the teller called the cops. The article didn’t say whether or not he got his free toaster.

  2. Lisa H on 28 Nov 2007 at 8:00 am #

    The only wierd and wacky news I have is my life!

    Regarding my burial, I want my children to do whatever they want with me. (Hopefully whatever is most cost effiecient) I think the cost of the traditional burrials is outrageous, and would rather leave the money spent on such nonsense to my children and grandchildren.

    I don’t care if they burn me, or freeze me. It’s whatever they are comfortable with.

  3. Gannon on 28 Nov 2007 at 8:16 am #

    Karen R, my sister saw the Bat Boy musical in Seattle. She said it was pretty good.

    I do want to be cremated, but I guess if it’s banned by the time I kick off, I’ll have to be frozen. Which, BTW, sounds really strange. I hadn’t heard of that one yet. Shaken, not stirred! Hahaha!

  4. Sonja Foust on 28 Nov 2007 at 9:04 am #

    The frozen thing is new to me, but I’ve heard of the environmentally friendly cemeteries, which is actually my burial of choice. I personally don’t want people spending zillions of dollars on a fancy coffin and all that embalming stuff when they could just wrap me in a sheet and dump me in the ground. It’s not really me anymore anyway, just a body that’s not me anymore at that point.

    Weird news is fun. My favorite headline of late is Fossil Of 8-Foot Scorpion Found. Google it. Good stuff. ;)

  5. SuzyQ on 28 Nov 2007 at 9:14 am #

    Oh I love weird news. I am a subscriber to Weird NJ, a local magazine that comes out twice a year. You may have heard of their books Weird US and Weird (insert state name). They have some interesting articles and a lot about folklore.

    I recently came across an article where a couple came home to find their house had been ransacked. The husband surprised the burglar and managed to get the gun away from him. Before calling the police, they made him clean up the entire house at gunpoint. When the cops finally arrived he complained about how he was treated. The cop laughed and told him he was lucky - anyone else would have shot him.

  6. cail on 28 Nov 2007 at 9:17 am #

    i LOVED bat boy the musical. i saw it when it was in NY. soooo much fun.

    i find weird news amusing, but i much prefer news that is real but unusal like the Peculiar Postings on MSNBC.com Now THAT is funny stuff.

  7. Sherri Erwin on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:23 am #

    I heard that you could have your remains compressed into a carbon gem resembling a diamond. We could all turn our relatives into family heirlooms! Has anyone else heard this? Is it true? I don’t know. It sure sounds weird and wacky to me.

  8. claudia dain on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:29 am #

    SuzyQ, I LOVE the “cleaning at gunpoint” story. Remember a while back when we were talking about maid service? Is anyone seeing the connection I’m seeing?

    In your next weird news search, you might read about a fractured writer with much too much to do in the house, so she drags some innocent power walker off the street and forces her to vacuum at gunpoint!

    Is it just me, or do you think it could work?

  9. Kerri on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:33 am #

    I recently heard about a new fad in scattering the ashes of loved ones. It seems that Disneyland is increasingly having problems with people wanting to scatter ashes in “the happiest place on earth”. I guess it has been going on for some time, but with the popularity of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, that ride in particular is seeing an increase of ash dumping.

    I grew up in Southern California, and went to Disneyland regularly, and I never saw anyone attempting to dump ashes. Although, I guess it wouldn’t be obvious - maybe you carry it in in a baby bottle or cup, then just dump it in the water. I guess it is a place many people would want to have as their final resting place, but, come on - they clean the place regularly, and even dredge the water rides on occasion. I guess you run the risk of simply being sucked up with the cleaning!

  10. SuzyQ on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:38 am #

    Sherri - yes that is true. The company is called LifeGem.

    LOL Claudia! I think we could create a whole business for hire here. It would give new meaning to “organized” crime.

  11. RachelG on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:48 am #

    I could be made into a diamond? How big?

    One of the funniest stories I’ve ever read was the one about the wife who hit her husband in the head with a weenie. So, he picked up a dead squirrel and whacked her with it. They both got arrested for assault. But what I really wanted to know, but was never mentioned, was where did the dead squirrel come from? I mean, who has a dead squirrel just laying around?

    rgibson

  12. Karen Hawkins on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:56 am #

    I loved Bat Boy!!! I have a friend who has a dog who is the spitting (literally) image of him.

    I want to be a gem! Who do I need to call? I HATE the thought of being buried. Cremate me, but REALLY do it and do NOT stack my body in the corner of a shed and just TELL people I’ve been cremated. That’s soooo wrong.

    Btw, the ash scattering scene in The Big Labowski is hysterical. John Goodman was never funnier.

  13. Freshechelle on 28 Nov 2007 at 10:56 am #

    Claudia, you may have hit on something. Other than the gun part, I’m thinking there isn’t a law yet to prevent forced house cleaning so until then go to town. I think there a reluctant housewife joke in here somewhere but I’ll let it go.

    Rachel, the whole final resting place thing is something I haven’t decided on but I’m pretty sure an Eco-funeral isn’t going to happen if I remain in New Jersey, the anti-eco state. And yeah, what is wrong with grave markers? GSP locaters to find the spot sounds like a racket to sell the same plot over and over. Like paying to have a star named after you. Who decided they owned the rights to sell the heavens? More importantly, who is the sucker who buys this stuff? Finally, how can I profit from a scheme like this?

  14. Cookiedough on 28 Nov 2007 at 11:05 am #

    I find odd news to be fascinating!
    There was a wacko guy here a few years back that had stuffed his dead mom into a tiny upright freezer- she died of natural causes- so he could still get her old age pension money. ewwwww

    When my mom passed a few years ago, she was cremated. she had bought a pretty jewelry box just for her ashes and we added the crossword puzzle she was working on, her favourite mechanical pencil, a small painting my sister did and rosary beads. We had all the grandchildren place a flower from her funeral arrangement into the grave, and said goodbye. She and dad are now side by side in flat grave markers.
    I personally want my ashes to be scattered at my favourite walking beach. It’s a bird sanctuary and it’s so peaceful there.

  15. Karen Hawkins on 28 Nov 2007 at 11:07 am #

    Hey I found a place where you can buy a Scottish title! Yeah, they make you Lady of something based on a square plot of land or something.

    Here’s the web addy…. https://www.lochaberhighlandestates.com

    Hmm. I wonder if you could ask that they would scatter your ashes on your one square inch of Scottish land? I guess ‘pile’ would be a better term.

  16. zambonigirl on 28 Nov 2007 at 11:22 am #

    The geek in me is totally fascinated by the liquid nitrogen, but I find the no grave markers story to be highly illogical. If I want to bury someone else in an unmarked grave…wait. Not that I’ve ever buried anyone in an unmarked grave…but If I were going to…

    I’ll just stop now.

    What’s wrong with donating your body to science? LOL!

  17. Karen Rose on 28 Nov 2007 at 11:39 am #

    Like Z-girl, I do find the concept of the liquid nitrogen fascinating. I remember in chemistry class back in college several Rebel Geeks would wait until the Prof wasn’t looking and stick their pens in the liquid nitrogen, then smash them. It was way cool! Of course when all the ink thawed, not so cool.

    I, of course was not one of these Rebel Geeks. I stuck only the cap of my pen in the liquid nitrogen, and that was edgy enough for me. I wonder what happens to all the powder of a shaken up body after it thaws. It’s different than cremation, where the tissue is actually chemically altered into something else by the burning process.

    If you’re just eating lunch, sorry :-) But blame RachelG - it’s her blog topic.

    I also don’t see the logic in banning grave markers. If they have such a problem, let somebody make them out of recycled bottles or something. It could work.

  18. Karen Rose on 28 Nov 2007 at 11:40 am #

    And gems? What color diamond would you be? I’d really like to know! Can you be a sapphire if you get compressed while wearing blue or by being dipped in paint like Blue Man Group? Cool!

  19. KariE on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:04 pm #

    ohhhhhh I wanna be a “precious” gem!!! I wonder, if I bulk up before I die, would that increase my carat size? You could just ingrave the band that my gem with be set in. No one would have to worry about a headstone. I really think I like that idea.

  20. Sherri Erwin on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:05 pm #

    I don’t know, Karen, but I am going to look it up. Too funny! Lifegem. Thanks, SuzyQ!

    And thanks Karen H, now I want to be a lady. And RachelG, that squirrel story, hilarious!

  21. KariE on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:06 pm #

    Wacky news story:
    Woman charged in alleged stabbing

    A Punta Gorda woman was arrested Monday on a charge of aggravated battery for allegedly stabbing her roommate with a steak knife during a fight. On Thursday, Sarah Elizabeth Cunningham, 27, allegedly cut a man’s hand with the knife, then plunged it into his left buttock. He fought back by throwing a cheeseburger at her, a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office report said. Cunningham allegedly also threw a table at the man and punched him, the report said.

    Cunningham was held at the Charlotte County Jail without bond.
    The cheeseburger did me in.

  22. SuzyQ on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:09 pm #

    OK, for all of you wanting to be a gemstone - here is the website:

    http://www.lifegem.com

    For me it’s a toss up between the blue and the green.

  23. SuzyQ on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:13 pm #

    Kari - a cheeseburger? LOL! All that abuse and the best he could do was throw a cheeseburger! Too funny.

  24. zambonigirl on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:15 pm #

    Hey, y’all! I’m warning you! I’ve got a cheese burger, and I’m not afraid to use it! Back off!

  25. RachelG on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:33 pm #

    So, are the rings you buy online at the lifegems store, like unclaimed dead people? And what makes one person a diamond and the other a ruby? I want to be a diamond, but what if I come out a peridot? No one wants to wear a peridot.

    rachelg

  26. Sherri Erwin on 28 Nov 2007 at 12:46 pm #

    Lifegem gives new meaning to the Red Carpet question: who are you wearing? HA, ew.

  27. Suzanne Enoch on 28 Nov 2007 at 1:02 pm #

    Dammit, how do you get diet Dr. Pepper out of a keyboard? Snort.

  28. KariE on 28 Nov 2007 at 1:09 pm #

    Hahahaha too funny Sherri!!!
    I keep replaying in my head a scene where a man gives a woman a diamond engagement ring that was passed down through his family. She asks him where he got it and he says “It was my grandmother.”
    She says, “Oh, it was your grandmother’s?”
    He replys with, “No, it was my grandmother.”

  29. colinfirthfan on 28 Nov 2007 at 1:12 pm #

    I definitely don’t want to be buried. I don’t mind the frozen and shaken (but I think my DH will have problems with it). If I were to be cremated then I don’t want them to save my ashes or anything. Its just a body. I don’t care what is done with it.
    I do want all my salvageable organs to be donated first.

    I kinda like the gem idea. :-)

    Maybe the grave markers are not green because the stone has to be quarried?

    I love weird news and love the story about the cleaning robber.

  30. Georgie Lee on 28 Nov 2007 at 1:43 pm #

    What kind of a refund does your family get if they make you into the wrong stone? Do you get one of the unclaimed body diamonds or just your money back? And can you really be sure it’s grandma in the gold setting and not someone’s beloved yorkie?

  31. Sabrina Jeffries on 28 Nov 2007 at 2:02 pm #

    I want to be a diamond! Actually, I mentioned this to my assistant and she said that a friend of hers had it done with her late husband. She now sports a nice ring. So I guess people are doing it. The site says, though, that they now do it mostly with hair. You can have it done with remains, but they’re focusing on the hair. I suppose it’s no weirder than the Victorians with their mourning hair jewelry (you can read about it at http://www.morninggloryjewelry.com/victorian-hair-jewelry-aid-52.html ).

    The dead squirrel thing cracked me up. I came across a mention of mobs throwing dead cats at criminals in Regency times, and I thought that was odd, too. Why dead cats? Were there just so many in London?

    The weirdest story I remember seeing was about the guy who lived with the corpse of his dead wife until he died. He kept encasing her in a various wax concoctions so he could keep her somewhat presentable (I saw a picture–she was NOT presentable). He just couldn’t bear to part with her

  32. Kay on 28 Nov 2007 at 2:18 pm #

    Our paper runs a weekly column called “NEWS OF THE WEIRD” & boy is it weird. It is often so funny that when one of us tries to read it out loud to the other, the reader can’t speak for laughing so much. My favorite ones come under the “crooks are stupid” category.

    As for the whole burial/cremation thing… Dh and I have planned to donate our bodies to the UMN medical school & have the remains cremated (or frozen, if that is the current practice) & have our remains worked into the “Peace Garden” at our church. There is a plaque on the wall in the garden that has a place for the names of those whose remains are there. It is a beautiful garden, with a fountain and a gazebo, & couples have their wedding photos there. Families have family portraits taken there, too.

    One of the complaints about cemeteries, & grave markers, it the use of land for the cemeteries & the chemicals dumped on the grass to keep it “lawn green” and the mowing & other maintenance required.

  33. Lisa H on 28 Nov 2007 at 2:28 pm #

    If you are going to throw meat, how about a nice frozen ham or turkey? Much more effective than a cheeseburger. Also why stop at meat, think of the damage a pineapple could do!

    Rachel G I shudder to think what kind of people have dead squirrels around. Perhaps is was their dinner….

  34. zambonigirl on 28 Nov 2007 at 2:35 pm #

    Oh, the Victorian hair jewelry. I was linked to that about a year ago when I did a group read of Sense And Sensibility over at pemberlypress.com. I was just as horrified then as I am now. If that’s what Edward Ferrars’s ring looked like, I’m shocked that he wore it and even more surprised that Miss Maryanne commented on it, but I guess that’s what people wore back then.

    And just so that you guys don’t think I’m a total snob, let me just say that I have a “hair thing”. Hair that isn’t on someone’s head, attached at the root, is really disgusting to me for some reason. I don’t know why. When I see brushes that have hair natted in them, I about want to barf. I clean my brush out religiously and never let it build up. Wigs, hair pieces, etc. give me the willies. Seriously, I need to just donate my body to science.

  35. Freshechelle on 28 Nov 2007 at 3:51 pm #

    Z- other than for solving crimes on Law & Order, I don’t understand God’s plan for hair that is no longer attached to one’s head. I don’t need it on my bathroom floor, stuck on the back of my coat, in the cup holder in my car, I just don’t understand why it needs to exist once it’s off my head. I feel for you that you schieve it. I’m just annoyed by it.

  36. doglady on 28 Nov 2007 at 6:05 pm #

    One of my favorite stories was of the man who had six puppies he couldn’t get rid of. He decided to shoot them. He shot one, didn’t kill it. It was running around wounded. He grabbed another and decided to hold it up with one hand to shoot it with the gun in the other. The puppy struggled and its little foot hit the trigger. The gun went off and shot the guy in the chest! When he went to the hospital he told the cops what happened and they arrested him for animal cruelty. They went to his house, confiscated the six puppies and the mother dog and eventually found homes for them, including the little wounded one, who lost a leg. I love poetic justice!!! I don’t mind being buried as I have picked a spot on my property between my horse and my Great Dane. My property is in my will and will either stay in my family OR go to the local humane society to be used as a pet cemetery. I have a plot next to my husband, but I would be between him and my MIL. I’d rather be frozen!!

  37. Cookiedough on 28 Nov 2007 at 6:33 pm #

    Victorian HAIR jewelry?!!! that is just wrong.ewww
    I had a look at the site.

    I shed enough hair thank you and don’t want to wear it as an accessory!