Man’s Paycheck Paid in Pennies
A man says his former employer delivered his final paycheck in the form of over 90,000 greasy pennies.
According to FOX5 in Georgia, Andreas Flaten said he was having difficulty getting his final paycheck from former employer A OK Walker Autoworks after quitting in November last year. Flaten said he had to get help from the Georgia Department of Labor to force his old boss to pay him.
But when Flaten finally got his paycheck in mid-March, it showed up in a way that he was not expecting. According to Flaten he was leaving his home when he noticed a pile of pennies sitting in his driveway. The pennies appeared to have been slathered in an oily substance, and on top of the pile was a note that read: “f— you.”
The total number of pennies was 91,515, equaling $915. “If I’ve done my math correctly,” said Flaten, “91,515 pennies should come out to be about—at two and a half grams each—about 504 lbs.”
The pennies currently sit in a wheelbarrow in Flaten’s garage. The wheelbarrow’s wheels have reportedly flattened under the weight of the greasy coins. Flaten has been working nightly to clean the pennies with a solution of dish soap, vinegar, and water. It takes around an hour to clean several hundred.
“I think that’s going to be a lot of work for money I’ve already worked for,” he said. “It’s going to be hours upon hours of just trying to clean this money up so that it’s even able to be spent. It’s definitely not fair at all.”
Reporters contacted Flaten’s previous employer who said he paid Flaten in U.S. currency and declined to comment further.
Maine Proposes Funeral Pyres
A proposed Maine law would allow people to opt for viking-style funeral pyres instead of traditional funerals.
News Center Maine reports that Sen. Eloise Vitelli (D-Sagadahoc) has introduced a bill in the Maine Legislature that would allow nonprofits to carry out open-air cremations. The nonprofits would be required to own at least 20 acres of land on which to perform the ceremony and spread the deceased’s ashes.
The nonprofit Good Ground, Great Beyond is already looking to host funeral pyres on a 63-acre forested parcel in Dresden that belongs to it. “The intention for the land is to become a contemplative community sanctuary, scattering garden and space for open-air cremation,” the group wrote on its website. “Our mission is to gather minds and hearts together in ongoing and active support of making open-air cremation an option available to the community.”
Three-quarters of Maine residents reportedly opt for cremation over burial—more than in any other state in the U.S.
Leech Pet Trend Gains Steam
A trend of keeping parasitic leeches as pets is becoming popular. Leech-keepers reportedly even feed the unconventional pet their own blood as nourishment.
According to ScienceAlert the odd trend is evidenced by groups of leech-keepers who trade advice and stories about their parasite worm friends online. The enthusiasts collect a number of different leech species, and some of them don’t mind feeding their pets with their own blood.
When a leech feeds, it will inject its saliva—which contains both anti-coagulating and anesthetic compounds—into the victim before attaching itself to the host with its mouth. It will then suck blood from the host until it is removed. While some offer their own blood for sustenance, however, many leech-keepers opt to feed their pets raw animal liver or warmed blood collected from a butcher. Experts say this diet will happily sustain a leech if the blood is fresh and has no preservatives.
Leeches were commonly used in medicine hundreds of years ago and are still used in hospitals today. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the worms as “medical devices,” and doctors use them to allow for increased blood flow in patients following certain types of operations. Hospitals generally keep around 100 leeches on hand just for this sort of occasion.
Parasitologist Mackenzie Kwak from National University of Singapore told reporters that, “Pet leeches are a marvelous way to learn about parasites, and on a broader level, to appreciate how intricate and bizarre the natural world can be.”
Missing Woman Found Naked in Storm Drain
A Florida woman was hospitalized after being found lost and naked in a storm drain. She had reportedly been missing for weeks.
According to MSN a woman heard screams issuing from a storm drain and investigated. She found a naked woman trapped in the sewer and immediately called for help from authorities. Emergency crews were able to free the troubled woman who was reportedly unable to stand on her own.
“Our Special Operations team responded and used a ladder and a harness to get the woman out,” said Delray Beach Fire Rescue spokeswoman Dani Moschella. “She wasn’t wearing any clothes, she was dirty and disheveled.”
The woman was identified as Lyndsey Kennedy, who had been reported missing by her boyfriend on March 3—nearly three weeks prior. Kennedy told police that on that day, she went for a swim near her boyfriend’s house and came across a door that led into the sewage system. She said the door led to a tunnel that she began to explore. After some time, she realized she was lost and couldn’t find a way back out.
Kennedy is currently recovering in a hospital. It is unclear how she survived for so long in the tunnels.