Strange News

Left: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the COP 21 United Nations conference on climate change, in France on Monday. Right: Gollum in the 2012 film Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

One Meme To Rule Them All — And Maybe Get A Man Tossed In Prison?

11:35am December 05, 2015

A man in Turkey is on trial for creating a meme that compares the character Gollum to Turkey's president. Michael Drough, a Lord of the Rings scholar, talks about whether Gollum is a true villain.

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German nudist August Engelhardt sits in front of his thatched tent-like hut on the island of Kabakon (in what is now Papua New Guinea) with the books that he brought with him from Germany. In 1902, he moved to the South Pacific to start a utopian cult tha

Books
Arts

Death By Coconut: A Story Of Food Obsession Gone Too Far

3:51pm December 03, 2015

by Nina Martyris

August Engelhardt believed coconuts were a nutritional and spiritual panacea. So in 1902, he sailed to the South Pacific to start a utopian cult that survived only on the fruit. It ended calamitously.

In Pranks And Fake Signs, 'Obvious Plant' Sows Mischief At Retailers

4:38pm November 26, 2015

Jeff Wysaski talks to NPR's Ari Shapiro about his Tumblr, Obvious Plant, where he posts photos of mischief like his latest prank: fake Black Friday ads that he tacked to a bulletin board at Target.

National

'Masking' Memories: Thanksgiving In Disguise

4:14pm November 24, 2015

by Linton Weeks

In the early 20th century, Americans wore gaudy costumes and bizarre masks, and some roved the streets begging for candy and treats — at Thanksgiving time.

A video feed from the main stage of the G-20 Summit recently captured the scene as several cats wandered by at the gathering of world leaders.

World News

Cats Invade G-20 Summit Stage, Bringing A Welcome Laugh

4:33pm November 17, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Unimpressed with their rarefied surroundings, the stray cats eventually wandered off without incident, leaving the stage to the dignitaries gathered in Turkey.

National

It's Friday, Friday, Gotta Get Down On Friday The 13th

2:37pm November 13, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Besides avoiding ladders, mirrors, black cats and salt, here are two things you can do to make it through what some people think is the unluckiest of days.

Tang Xiong Xiong, a Bichon Frise, came into the salon as a ball of fluff and emerged with her head shaped like a square. "She's getting used to it," says her owner.

For Taiwanese Dogs, Being Square Is Stylish

7:41pm November 10, 2015

by Elise Hu

These days, owners are asking for their four-legged friends to be styled as spheres and squares. We visit the Taiwanese grooming shop where the geometric grooming trend took root.

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National

Sticky Situation: Seattle's Famous Gum Wall To Be Melted Clean

3:10pm November 05, 2015

by Laura Wagner

Authorities say it needs to be scrubbed to protect the historic buildings at the Pike Place Market. But cleaning 20 years' worth of gum off a brick wall is no easy feat.

A car passes through a mallow field in the Atacama region of Chile on Oct. 21.

World News

Chilean Desert, One Of The Driest Places On Earth, Is Awash In Flowers

1:28pm October 30, 2015

by Joe Ruiz

A bloom generally occurs once every five to seven years, but heavy rains have produced a burst of color the likes of which hasn't been seen in nearly two decades.

A view of the entrance of the French restaurant Loiseau des Ducs on Feb. 24, 2014, in Dijon, France.

World News

Bad Review Of Unopened French Restaurant Costs Reviewer

4:21pm October 29, 2015

by Joe Ruiz

A bad restaurant write-up couldn't have been real as the restaurant had yet to open, a French court ruled.