DAVID ADAMS writes about the odder side of life…
PICTURE: Gabriel Manlake/Unsplash
• Using a fly swatter should be a fairly straight-forward process. But for one elderly man in France’s Dordogne region recently, it reportedly ended in disaster when he used an electric fly swatter to get ride of a buzzing pest. Unfortunately, there was a gas leak in his home in the village of Parcoul-Chenaud and the reaction between the gas and the swatter led to an explosion, wiping out his kitchen and damaging part of his roof. The man escaped with just a burn to his hand. The fate of the fly remains unknown.
• Four-year-old brown bear named Papillon, a noted escape artist, was reportedly recently recaptured in Italy after 42 days on the run. Papillon, named after the nickname of French writer and escaped convict Henri Charrière, escaped from the Casteller wildlife park in Trentino province on 27th July after overcoming three electrified fences and one metal mesh barrier. He was tracked as he made his way through the wild and authorities eventually captured him in a live trap. The bear was said to be in good health and was returned to his enclosure where work was being carried out to strengthen the enclosure boundaries. Papillon had previously escaped twice before – he spent nine months on the run following a previous escape in July last year.
• US brewing giant Anheuser-Busch recently unveiled it’s latest offering – but it’s not alcoholic and not even for humans. Served in cans not unlike those for beer, ‘Dog Brew’ is a bone broth made from pork, corn, celery and various herbs and spices and aims to aid a dog’s digestive system. The company said it sold out of the new addition to its beverages soon after launch but promises more is on the way soon.
