Dateline: MichiganA man is suing his parents for destroying his collection of pornography. The Washington Examiner reports that a man identified only as “Charlie” has filed a lawsuit accusing his parents of destroying a collection of pornography that included vintage, out-of-print films that he valued at $30,000. Charlie unsuccessfully attempted to press charges against his parents twice before filing the suit. According to the complaint, Charlie moved in with his parents in Michigan following a divorce in 2016. He lived with the couple for 10 months before moved to Indiana. According to the complaint, when his parents delivered his things in 2017, he noticed his pornography collection was missing. He asked about the missing property and was allegedly told that it had been “destroyed.” Included in the lawsuit was an email written by Charlie’s father which seemed to be an admission of guilt. “I do not possess your pornography. It is gone,” the email said. “It has been either destroyed or disposed of. I may well have missed a few items that are now in your possession but, at this point, if you don’t have it, it is gone. Ditto for your sex toys and smutty magazines.” The email said 12 boxes of pornography and two boxes of “sex toys” had been destroyed. When Charlie filed a police report against his parents, he claimed the collection was worth between $10,000 and $30,000, factoring emotional attachment into the sum. Charlie is now reportedly suing his parents for $86,822 in damages. His parents have said that they had asked him not to bring the collection into their home before he had taken up residence there.Dateline: SwitzerlandSwiss scientists have accidentally discovered that men’s beards are dirtier than dogs’ coats. According to BBC Newsround, researchers at the Hirslanden Clinic in Switzerland were trying to find out if men could pick up dog diseases via their facial hair to determine if it would be safe for dogs and humans to use the same MRI scanners. What they weren’t planning on finding was that the men carried “significantly” more germs and bacteria in their beards than the average dog did in its fur. The scientists swabbed the facial hair below the mouths of 18 men and from the necks of 30 dogs. According to the study, every beard involved tested high in bacteria counts. Seven of the men had so much bacteria that researchers were concerned they could become sick. “The beards of men harbor significantly more microbes than the neck fur of dogs and these microbes were significantly more pathogenic to humans,” they wrote. The authors of the study noted that it was limited in scope and suggested further studies be done with larger group sample sizes. They also suggested testing hair samples from women’s heads. It was determined that there was no risk in allowing dogs and humans to use the same MRI scanners.Dateline: JapanA science teacher allegedly taught his students how to make ecstasy tablets. Japanese newspapers are comparing Tatsunori Iwamura, a pharmacology professor at Matsuyama University in Ehime Prefecture, to “Breaking Bad” character Walter White. Japan Today reports that Iwamura was referred to prosecutors last week after it was alleged that he taught students in his university class to produce the synthetic drugs MDMA and 5F-QUPIC last year. The professor reportedly admitted to authorities that he’d trained students to make the illegal drugs for the purpose of furthering their education. Researchers in Japan are allowed to manufacture these sorts of drugs for study so long as they obtain a license from regional authorities. Iwamura reportedly had a license in the past, but it expired and was never renewed. He is now facing up to 10 years in prison. Authorities searched the professor’s home and his office at the university’s college of pharmaceutical sciences, but were unable to find any MDMA in his possession. They allegedly did find traces of 5F-QUPIC, a drug that has effects similar to those of marijuana which has been banned in Japan. Matsuyama University officials said they plan to discipline Iwamura and his assistant professor once the police have concluded their investigation. “We sincerely apologise for causing serious concern to students and their parents,” university president Tatsuya Mizogami told reporters.Dateline: ChinaHealth-conscious Chinese internet users have found a new way to enjoy unhealthy foods: letting others eat them for you. According to South China Morning Post, internet entrepreneurs are offering to eat and drink on their clients’ behalf for a fee. Sellers are allegedly filming themselves eating and drinking unhealthy foods and drinks and then charging buyers the price of the meal plus a small service fee—reportedly less than $1.50. In the videos, the sellers describe the taste, texture and experience of a meal while they eat. Close-up angles of the food and drinks are featured. The fad gained attention earlier this month after Chinese media noted large numbers of listings for the service popping up on various e-commerce sites, but its popularity is already waning, according to reports. However it seems to have inspired similar entrepreneurial ventures such as people petting animals or watching television series on behalf of others. It is believed that many of these offers aren’t meant to be taken seriously. “Hello, I am a fraudster and for 0.2 yuan you can be duped!” reportedly read a recent listing.
Compiled by Joshua Lee. Email your weird news to josh@alibi.com.
