Space dating, camel racing, elephant pacing, car rental disgracing, and free burgers and beer! What more could you ask from in this week’s weird and wacky tales?
HOW MANY SHOTS CAN I GET?
Free beer is the latest White House-backed incentive for Americans to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Part of President Joe Biden’s “month of action,” designed to get more shots into arms before the July 4 holiday, the incentive offers people a $5 virtual debit card to spend on Anheuser-Busch products (including non-alcohol beverages). To qualify, recipients (who don’t even have to show proof of vaccination) must upload a photo of themselves in their favourite drinking locale (including home); catch is, the promo only kicks in if 70% of US adults receive one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by July 4. To date, close to 63% of the adult US population have received at least one shot.
DON’T GET TOO PREACHY
Lest we get too judgemental about the motivational needs of some of our American neighbours, in Ontario, Burger King has stepped up to offer free burgers (and a beverage) to residents in the Greater Toronto Area who show up to get vaccinated at various provincial pop-up sites.
TO THE MOON, ALICE?
Exclusive British matchmaking site LUSSO Dating, which purports to be “the most exclusive and most expensive dating site in the world,” and dedicated to matching “highly successful singles outside of their usual circle,” is on a mission to arrange a date night that is truly out this world: in space. The company says that with Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin close to starting their space tourism ventures, it wants to facilitate the first space date. As such members can now select “space tourism” as a profile interest and LUSSO will do the rest. Candidates, the company notes, must be willing to go into space, and have the financial power to back it up. It also suggests that it might be advisable for couples to “split the bill.”
BEWARE: ELEPHANT CROSSING
A herd of 15 wild elephants that walked 500 km from a nature reserve in China’s mountain southwest were approaching the major city of Kunming as authorities rushed to try to keep them out of populated areas. Chinese wildlife authorities say they don’t know why the herd left a nature reserve last year near the city of Pu’er, a region known for tea cultivation. The group was 16 animals, but the government says two returned home and a baby was born during the walk.
Authorities blocked traffic on roads while the elephants crossed and were setting up barriers and using food as bait to try to keep them away from Kunming and other populated areas. Last week, the elephants wandered the streets of the town of Eshan for six hours after residents were warned to stay indoors. Damage done by the elephants to farmland is estimated at US$1.1 million.
YA THINK?
After a cleaning service found a loaded pistol in the room of an Outer Banks beach house where children typically stay, North Carolina police are urging vacationers to keep track of their guns and safely lock them when they’re not being used.
Rebecca Lancaster, who owns Island Time Property Solutions, says that a Glock handgun was found in a drawer before a family with children moved into a room used by adults the week before. “If the cleaners had not seen it, that could have been tragic,” she observed. The gun that Lancaster turned in was the third one left at a beach rental that week, according to Kill Devil Hills police, who warned (presumably without irony): “Your gun should be as primary in your mind as your keys and wallet or purse when you are leaving your rental or hotel.”
U-HAULING ASS IN HAWAII
A shortage of rental cars in Hawaii has led to sky-high rates (up to US$700/day) or not getting a vehicle at all. Some inventive visitors are trying a workaround, says the Hawaii Tourism Authority: renting moving trucks as leisure vehicles just to be able to get around the islands. As such, the HTA has issued the following warning: “Please know HTA does not condone visitors renting moving trucks and vans for leisure purposes. These work vehicles are used frequently by Hawaii residents and businesses to move their belongings to new homes and offices, and for other essential personal tasks. Having visitors rent these moving vehicles to use for leisure transportation is disrespectful and should not be encouraged by anyone in the travel industry.”
OFF TO THE RACES
Virginia City, Nevada’s annual International Camel & Ostrich Races is set to return Sept. 10-12 after a year off. First held in 1959, the races are “laugh-out-loud (and) bizarre, yet wilding entertaining,” according to local tourism officials. The family-friendly event features jockeys precariously perched on their beasts (zebras as well) as they maneuver the track at high speeds, aiming for a win among cheering crowds and vying to secure bragging rights as the top camel and ostrich and… well, we’re really not sure where this is going. Virginia City is a historic former 1880s goldrush town located 45-minute drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport.