Magpie News Collector

New York zoo using drones to search for escaped beaver

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/15/2025 12:40 PM

Officials with the Utica Zoo in New York announced they are using drones to search for a beaver that escaped from the facility. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Zoo elephants form 'alert circle' during San Diego earthquake

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/15/2025 11:41 AM

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park shared video of an elephant herd forming an "alert circle" when startled by an earthquake. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Toby Carvery criticised for felling ancient oak tree - as council reports incident to police

By Sky News | | 4/15/2025 9:24 AM

An ancient oak tree thought to be more than 400 years old has been cut down in what has been called a "depressing" and "devastating" incident in north London. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

2,461 take cold weather swim to break world record in Czech Republic

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/14/2025 2:19 PM

A total 2,461 bathers braved the frigid waters of the Czech Republic's second-largest lake to break a world record for the largest polar bear dip. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Vegas chapel offering 'Star Wars'-themed weddings for May 4

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/14/2025 1:45 PM

A Las Vegas wedding chapel is celebrating Star Wars Day on May 4 by offering a pair of themed wedding packages inspired by the beloved franchise. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Pickleball enthusiasts play 36-hour marathon to break world record

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/14/2025 1:12 PM

A team of four pickleball enthusiasts broke a Guinness World Record in Texas by playing 36 consecutive hours of matches. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Connecticut firefighters rescue dog stranded on roof

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/14/2025 12:54 PM

Firefighters in Connecticut came to the rescue of an adventurous small dog that ended up stranded at the top of a home's roof. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Tortoise Lost In Mississippi Tornado Finds Its Way Back To Family Weeks Later

By HuffPost.com | | 4/14/2025 6:56 AM

“It feels good to kind of have some kind of happy out of so much sad and grief and loss," said Myrtle's grateful owner, Tiffany Emanuel. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Helicopter crash in South Africa blamed on 'unsecured' penguin

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

The South African Civil Aviation Authority said a low-altitude helicopter crash that didn't result in any injuries was caused by an unusual passenger famous for its lack of flight experience -- a penguin. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Virginia woman wins $100,000 lottery prize for the second time

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/11/2025 4:14 PM

A Virginia woman won $100,000 from a Powerball drawing about 12 years after winning the same amount from a scratch-off lottery ticket. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Weirdest finds inside unclaimed luggage include 'Goonies' script, glass eye

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/11/2025 1:22 PM

Unclaimed Baggage revealed its annual "Found Report," detailing the most unique and expensive items found inside lost luggage that went unclaimed. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Deer wanders into YMCA in Kentucky

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/11/2025 1:22 PM

Police in Kentucky responded to the local YMCA to eject an unusual "trespasser" -- a deer. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Puppy survives 100-foot fall into abandoned silo

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/10/2025 4:46 PM

Firefighters in Missouri pulled off a "complex rescue" when a puppy took a 100-foot fall into an abandoned silo. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Gift from family member earns Maryland woman $30,000 lottery prize

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/10/2025 4:36 PM

A Maryland woman who rarely plays the lottery received a ticket as a gift from a family member and won a $30,000 prize. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: British teenager hand-draws 1,300-page flip-book

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/10/2025 2:07 PM

A British teenager broke a Guinness World Record by hand-drawing a flip-book that went on for 1,300 pages. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Boa constrictor captured after 5 days on the loose in Australian suburb

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/10/2025 1:46 PM

A red-tailed boa constrictor on the loose in suburban Sydney was finally captured by a professional reptile wrangler -- thanks in part to the efforts of a TV news reporter. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Rescuers use orange fence to corral loose goat in San Diego

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/10/2025 12:23 PM

The San Diego Humane Society said it took a total 12 officers to wrangle a goat found wandering loose in the city. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Alaska woman's nearly 3-inch mouth gape breaks world record

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/9/2025 2:29 PM

An Alaska woman had her massive mouth measured by a dentist and broke a Guinness World Record with her 2.98-inch gape. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

NASA offers $3M in competition to recycle human poop in space

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/9/2025 1:30 PM

NASA is offering $3 million to anyone who proposes technology to solve an unusual problem: recycling feces and other human waste in space. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Trash cleared from N.J. beaches includes vampire teeth, bathroom sink

By United Press International, Inc. | | 4/9/2025 12:46 PM

A New Jersey group said its 2024 beach clean-up operations resulted in 276,899 pieces of trash being cleaned up, including unusual items like a rubber foot, a full can of ravioli and a set of vampire teeth. ... Read full Story

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

beauty

13 Major Hair Transformations Celebrities Still Regret

by The List | Mar 03 2025

book

Your Met Gala 2025 reading list

by BookPage | Apr 30 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

game

Nintendo Switch System Update Now Live, Adds Virtual Game Cards, Switch 2 Compatibility, And More

by GameSpot | Apr 29 2025

knowledge

Here’s Why Bathroom Towels Have Those Woven Strips on Both Ends

by Reader's Digest | Apr 25 2025

long_island

Family of missing Nassau politician urges public to join beach search

by greaterlongisland.com | Apr 29 2025

metro

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

by New York Post | Apr 30 2025

new_jersey

Untangling the web of cash pouring into NJ governor’s race

by NJ Spotlight | Apr 30 2025

nutrition

I Ate Pineapple Every Day—Here’s What Happened

by thehealthy.com | Mar 31 2025

people

Travis Kelce's ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, reacts with glee to the news that another tight end will get paid more than the Chiefs'

by marca.com | Apr 30 2025

real_estate

This is the largest office-to-residential conversion in the US — and it’s just the beginning

by NY Post | Apr 29 2025

travel

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

by The Travel Magazine | 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.

New York zoo using drones to search for escaped beaver

Watch: Zoo elephants form 'alert circle' during San Diego earthquake

Toby Carvery criticised for felling ancient oak tree - as council reports incident to police

2,461 take cold weather swim to break world record in Czech Republic

Vegas chapel offering 'Star Wars'-themed weddings for May 4

Watch: Pickleball enthusiasts play 36-hour marathon to break world record

Watch: Connecticut firefighters rescue dog stranded on roof

Tortoise Lost In Mississippi Tornado Finds Its Way Back To Family Weeks Later

Look: Helicopter crash in South Africa blamed on 'unsecured' penguin

Virginia woman wins $100,000 lottery prize for the second time

Weirdest finds inside unclaimed luggage include 'Goonies' script, glass eye

Deer wanders into YMCA in Kentucky

Watch: Puppy survives 100-foot fall into abandoned silo

Gift from family member earns Maryland woman $30,000 lottery prize

Watch: British teenager hand-draws 1,300-page flip-book

Watch: Boa constrictor captured after 5 days on the loose in Australian suburb

Rescuers use orange fence to corral loose goat in San Diego

Alaska woman's nearly 3-inch mouth gape breaks world record

NASA offers $3M in competition to recycle human poop in space

Trash cleared from N.J. beaches includes vampire teeth, bathroom sink

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

13 Major Hair Transformations Celebrities Still Regret

Your Met Gala 2025 reading list

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

Nintendo Switch System Update Now Live, Adds Virtual Game Cards, Switch 2 Compatibility, And More

Here’s Why Bathroom Towels Have Those Woven Strips on Both Ends

Family of missing Nassau politician urges public to join beach search

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

Untangling the web of cash pouring into NJ governor’s race

I Ate Pineapple Every Day—Here’s What Happened

Travis Kelce's ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, reacts with glee to the news that another tight end will get paid more than the Chiefs'

This is the largest office-to-residential conversion in the US — and it’s just the beginning

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

‘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