Magpie News Collector

Watch: Cypriot busts a move with 468 wine glasses balanced on his head

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/24/2025 11:33 AM

A dancer in Cyprus may have broken a Guinness World Record by balancing 468 wine glasses on his head -- while dancing. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Dog rescued from commuter train tracks in Massachusetts

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/24/2025 11:20 AM

Animal control personnel in a Massachusetts city came to the rescue of a dog seen wandering on commuter train tracks behind a casino. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

The art of misdirection: How one woman beat the Magic Circle's ban on female members

By Sky News | | 4/23/2025 5:11 PM

How did one woman fool the most famous magic society on the planet? ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Loose goat evades pursuing police in Georgia

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/23/2025 4:22 PM

Police in Georgia are hot on the trail of a "hoofed Houdini" -- an escaped goat -- spotted running loose in Duluth. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Maryland woman has won three big lottery prizes, always in mid-April

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/23/2025 4:14 PM

A Maryland woman who collected a $50,000 lottery prize said she has actually won big prizes twice before -- and all of her wins came in mid-April. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Stranded raccoon rescued from building ledge in West Virginia

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/23/2025 1:17 PM

West Virginia Natural Resources Police came to the rescue of a raccoon stranded for several days on a windowsill high over the ground. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Australian woman's collection of Minions earns world record

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/23/2025 11:26 AM

An Australian woman earned a Guinness World Record with her collection of 1,035 Minions -- the little yellow mischief-makers from the "Despicable Me" franchise. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Zebra-donkey hybrid caught on camera after escape from Michigan farm

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/23/2025 11:12 AM

A Michigan resident's home security camera captured footage of an unusual escaped animal on the loose: a zedonk, a hybrid of a zebra and a donkey. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Letter sheds possible new light on Shakespeare's marriage

By Sky News | | 4/23/2025 9:15 AM

New analysis of a letter fragment has possibly shed light on William Shakespeare's marriage - suggesting it may have been less fractious than previously suggested. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Firefighters hoist horse from 5-foot ditch

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/22/2025 4:25 PM

Firefighters in England came to the rescue of a horse found stranded in a 5-foot-deep ditch with about 8 inches of water at the bottom. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Lost debit card leads Washington man to $480,000 lottery prize

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/22/2025 4:14 PM

A Washington man said losing and finding his debit card led to his winning a $480,000 lottery prize. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Party animals: Chimpanzees caught on camera sharing alcoholic fruit

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/22/2025 2:20 PM

A team of British researchers studying chimpanzees in West Africa said they have documented the primates eating and sharing alcoholic fruit. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Florida man traps alligator in a trash can

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/22/2025 1:59 PM

A Florida man had to leave his Easter dinner in a hurry so he could wrangle a large alligator into a trash can. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Missing donkey found two days after fleeing bear in Massachusetts

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/22/2025 12:36 PM

A miniature donkey who escaped from his owner's Massachusetts property after a bear entered his stall was found safe two days later. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

English villages face off in 'bottle kicking' beer barrel contest

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/22/2025 11:55 AM

A pair of villages in Leicestershire, England, faced off in an unusual local sport known as "bottle kicking." ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Ticket mistake earns Michigan man a $1M lottery prize

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/21/2025 4:23 PM

A Michigan man said a store cashier's mistake turned out to be lucky when the scratch-off lottery ticket he didn't ask for turned out to be a $1 million winner. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Wandering civet caught at Hong Kong mall

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/21/2025 4:19 PM

Emergency responders and animal rescuers were called out to a mall in Hong Kong to round up a civet that wandered into the shopping center. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Michigan man escapes quicksand with no injuries -- and a new girlfriend

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/21/2025 1:56 PM

A Michigan man who became stuck up to his waist in "quicksand" on a Lake Michigan beach emerged without injuries -- and with a girlfriend. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Firefighter lowered into N.C. storm drain to rescue trapped dog

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/21/2025 12:33 PM

A North Carolina was lowered underground to rescue a dog found stranded about 10-15 feet down in a storm drain. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Belgians hunt for hidden beers in Easter event

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/21/2025 11:20 AM

A brewery in Belgium swapped painted eggs for frothy brews when it celebrated Easter with the "World's Biggest Beer Hunt." ... Read full Story

art

Amiee Byrne’s Realistic Ceramic Sculptures Underscore the Charm of Discarded Goods

by Colossal | Apr 29 2025

auto

Video: Ford's Recall Issues Are Finally Improving

by carbuzz.com | Apr 29 2025

basketball

How boldly taking the ball out of Nikola Jokić's hands in crunch time clinched Game 5 for the Nuggets

by CBS Interactive Inc | Apr 30 2025

exercise

Office Chair Butt: Cleveland Clinic Experts on How To Prevent It

by thehealthy.com | Mar 31 2025

fashion

Can the minimalist ‘caveman method’ save your skin — or destroy it? Docs weigh in on viral trend

by NY Post | Apr 29 2025

FFNEWS

Amazon airline prioritizes bigger aircraft to handle third-party cargo

by FreightWaves | Apr 07 2025

finance

Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz withdraw guidance as VW says it can’t quantify tariff hit

by MarketWatch.com | Apr 30 2025

football

“He’s a Great Kid” – Brian Daboll Excited to Get Started with #3 Overall Draft Pick Abdul Carter

by ESNY | Apr 24 2025

lifestyle

George and Amal Clooney’s home life with kids threatened following news

by Hello! Magazine | Apr 30 2025

metro

How living in the suburbs can increase your risk of developing a meat allergy

by New York Post | Apr 30 2025

nation

Britain, U.S. attack Houthi drone manufacturing targets in Yemen

by upi.com | Apr 30 2025

retirement

Retirement planning: The differences between a traditional and Roth IRA

by Fox News | Mar 30 2025

travel

Why you should make Florida’s Punta Gorda your next holiday destination

by The Travel Magazine | Apr 30 2025

upstate

5 things to know this Wednesday, April 30

by NEWS10 ABC | Apr 30 2025

wellness

‘Pulse’ Actor Jessy Yates on Connecting With Her Body and the Importance of Seeing Disabled People on Screen

by Self.com | Apr 29 2025

Word of the Day

insouciance

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for April 30, 2025 is:

insouciance • \in-SOO-see-unss\ • noun

Insouciance is a formal word that refers to a feeling of carefree unconcern. It can also be understood as a word for the relaxed and calm state of a person who is not worried about anything.

// The young actor charmed interviewers with his easy smile and devil-may-care insouciance.

See the entry >

Examples:

“Gladiator II is OK when Denzel’s off-screen, but sensational when he’s on it. ... What makes the performance great is its insouciance; it’s both precise and feather-light. And it’s what a great actor can do when he’s set free to have fun, to laugh at himself a little bit. ... Denzel’s Macrinus is gravitas and comic relief in one package.” — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Nov. 2024

Did you know?

If you were alive and of whistling age in the late 1980s or early 1990s, chances are you whistled (and snapped your fingers, and tapped your toes) to a little ditty called “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin, an a cappella reggae-jazz-pop tune that took the charts by surprise and by storm. An ode to cheerful insouciance if ever there was one, its lyrics are entirely concerned with being entirely unconcerned, remaining trouble-free in the face of life’s various stressors and calamities. Such carefree nonchalance is at the heart of insouciance, which arrived in English (along with the adjective insouciant), from French, in the 1800s. The French word comes from a combining of the negative prefix in- with the verb soucier, meaning “to trouble or disturb.” The easiness and breeziness of insouciance isn’t always considered beautiful, however. Insouciance may also be used when someone’s lack of concern for serious matters is seen as more careless than carefree.

Watch: Cypriot busts a move with 468 wine glasses balanced on his head

Dog rescued from commuter train tracks in Massachusetts

The art of misdirection: How one woman beat the Magic Circle's ban on female members

Loose goat evades pursuing police in Georgia

Maryland woman has won three big lottery prizes, always in mid-April

Stranded raccoon rescued from building ledge in West Virginia

Australian woman's collection of Minions earns world record

Zebra-donkey hybrid caught on camera after escape from Michigan farm

Letter sheds possible new light on Shakespeare's marriage

Look: Firefighters hoist horse from 5-foot ditch

Lost debit card leads Washington man to $480,000 lottery prize

Party animals: Chimpanzees caught on camera sharing alcoholic fruit

Watch: Florida man traps alligator in a trash can

Missing donkey found two days after fleeing bear in Massachusetts

English villages face off in 'bottle kicking' beer barrel contest

Ticket mistake earns Michigan man a $1M lottery prize

Watch: Wandering civet caught at Hong Kong mall

Watch: Michigan man escapes quicksand with no injuries -- and a new girlfriend

Watch: Firefighter lowered into N.C. storm drain to rescue trapped dog

Watch: Belgians hunt for hidden beers in Easter event

Amiee Byrne’s Realistic Ceramic Sculptures Underscore the Charm of Discarded Goods

Video: Ford's Recall Issues Are Finally Improving

How boldly taking the ball out of Nikola Jokić's hands in crunch time clinched Game 5 for the Nuggets

Office Chair Butt: Cleveland Clinic Experts on How To Prevent It

Can the minimalist ‘caveman method’ save your skin — or destroy it? Docs weigh in on viral trend

Amazon airline prioritizes bigger aircraft to handle third-party cargo

Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz withdraw guidance as VW says it can’t quantify tariff hit

“He’s a Great Kid” – Brian Daboll Excited to Get Started with #3 Overall Draft Pick Abdul Carter

George and Amal Clooney’s home life with kids threatened following news

How living in the suburbs can increase your risk of developing a meat allergy

Britain, U.S. attack Houthi drone manufacturing targets in Yemen

Retirement planning: The differences between a traditional and Roth IRA

Why you should make Florida’s Punta Gorda your next holiday destination

5 things to know this Wednesday, April 30

‘Pulse’ Actor Jessy Yates on Connecting With Her Body and the Importance of Seeing Disabled People on Screen

Word of the Day

10 Odd & Fun

1.New York Zoo Feeds Baby Vulture With Hand Puppet

2.Look: Zoo using realistic puppet to feed newly-hatched king vulture chick

3.Owner of lost $5,000 cash thought calls from police were a scam

4.Watch: Iowa museum owner's spoon collection tallied at 38,162

5.Watch: Red-tailed boa rescued from Texas tree, adopted by animal control officer

6.Speedboat Flips Midair At 200 Mph And Still Wins Race On Arizona Lake

7.Student rescued from mountain twice in four days - after going back to find his phone

8.Mother horse, baby rescued from mud pit in Arizona

9.Man wins $6M lottery prize after more than 40 years of playing

10.Watch: Miniature dachshund found after 529 days in the wild on Kangaroo Island