Weird and Wacky News: 100% Voter Turnout

Bright Idea

Contractors working on the Family Fare grocery store in Midland, Texas, in late April discovered an extension cord on the roof, the Midland Daily News reported. They followed the cord to the large sign at the front of the roof, where they discovered 34-year-old “Rooftop Ninja,” as they dubbed her, living inside. Midland Police Department Public Relations Officer Brennon Warren said the woman had lived in the sign for about a year. She had flooring, a small desk, a pantry of food and a houseplant. She was not charged, but she was evicted from her rooftop home and offered housing assistance.

Fail

When Rhonda Deaver realized she had left her credit card at Smith’s Cafe in Kinston, North Carolina, in early May, she turned around and headed back to get it. Unfortunately, a Smith’s employee was right on top of things and posted the front and back of Deaver’s card to a Kinston Facebook group, with all the numbers visible, WRAL-TV reported. Deaver’s family got in touch with her when they saw the post, but it was too late -- more than $2,000 in charges had already hit her account. “I couldn’t believe they did that, but I might be responsible for all those charges,” Deaver said. There were “a whole lot of declines but a whole lot that went through.” She’s still disputing the charges; the Smith’s owner had no comment.

Anger Management, Pork Edition

George Sandoval was arrested on May 2 at a Subway restaurant in Madeira, California, after he assaulted the store’s manager, KMPH-TV reported. Monique Larios said she was called in to the store after a customer complained that there wasn’t enough ham on his sandwich. “I did not expect this. He comes around the corner, and I go, ‘What are you going to do, hit me over ham?’ and he hit me,” Larios said. “I still can’t feel half my face. I’m 4’11”, and this guy was 6’5”, almost 400 pounds,” she said. Sandoval was charged with battery.

Now That’s Commitment

On May 7, at least one voting precinct in India had 100% turnout, AFP reported. Banej, in the protected Gir forest, is the home of Mahant Haridas Udaseen, a 42-year-old Hindu monk who is its only inhabitant. India is trying to reach every voter, so a team of 10 people were required to travel for two days from Gujarat -- along unpaved roads through the last remaining habitat of the endangered Asiatic lion -- to collect Udaseen’s vote. Although he showed up before lunchtime, rules required the election workers to stay until the evening. “In a democracy, every single person is important,” said Padhiyar Sursinh, the election officer in a town 40 miles away. Udaseen was an enthusiastic voter: “I am loving the attention that I am getting as a lone voter in the forest,” he said.

Great Art

Rajacenna van Dam, an artist in Vlaardingen, the Netherlands, is capturing the attention of the art world with her ambidextrous approach to her work, AFP reported. The 31-year-old said she originally taught herself to paint with both hands, “to go quicker.” When someone challenged her to try painting with her feet, she accepted. Her social media fame has come from painting 10 pictures at once using both her hands and feet. “Doing all this at the same time gives me a sort of feeling of meditation,” van Dam said. Her paintings sell for up to $13,000, and she says only she can tell which ones were painted with which limbs. Her talent is more than a party trick; neurologist Onur Gunturkun revealed that a brain scan showed “the left and right sides of her brain are three times more connected than average.”