WEIRD STUFF

Woman fined after cardboard 'flew out' of bin

A British woman was fined the equivalent of J$128,200 after a piece of cardboard "flew out" of her garbage bin and ended on the roadway.

Francesca Poncetta, 32, of Wood Green, North London, received a letter on August 12 telling her that packaging with her name and address was found at the base of a tree on August 6, after recycling bins were collected.

The letter stated that she must pay PS300 within 14 days or the fine would double to PS600. The freelance photographer initially thought the letter was a joke.

"I got a letter saying that they had found a piece of cardboard with my name and address on it, and they wanted to confirm that it came from my building," Poncetta told UK paper MailOnline.

"I receive a lot of cardboard boxes with my job, so I break them all down, and it was a very windy day, so what I believe happened is, they opened a very full bin, and it just flew out.

"I answered their questions and explained what happened, and thought that was that. But two weeks later, I received another letter saying that I had been found guilty and owed PS600.

"At first, when I got the letter, I thought it was a joke. I figured that they would realise it was a mistake and cancel it. I was definitely in shock."

After appealing to Haringey Council, the fine was scrapped on September 15 -- just over a month after it was received.

A council spokesperson said:"Residents have a duty of care to dispose of their household waste responsibly, and this fixed penalty notice was issued after the cardboard was found in the street."

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Monster hunters unite to crack mysteries

A group of folklore and science experts is coming together to crack the world's biggest monster mysteries.

Nessie, Yeti, and Bigfoot hunters are joining forces to share research and theories in hopes of finally answering the question that has haunted believers for decades -- do these monsters really exist?

The World Federation of Legendary Monsters, created by staff at the Loch Ness Centre in the Scottish Highlands, will explore myths in a "balanced way".

Nagina Ishq, from the Loch Ness Centre, is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper as saying: "[It would] bring together the leading voices in folklore and science to share their theories, challenge assumptions and celebrate these legends."