Unusual success: A young teen from a poor family in Lucban, a town in Quezon Province, Philippines, had an unusual opportunity for success on the modeling scene. Rita “Badjao Girl” Goviola’s large family received very little income from her father’s job, so she had to beg for alms on the street. One day, photographer Topher Quinto Burgos took photos of her and posted them online. That was the beginning of Goviola’s rise to success. Her natural beauty was noticed by several celebrities, who took her under their wing. Eventually, Goviola started modeling and acting, and she was able to afford to build a new home for her family.

Roadside bonfire: Toilet paper has been in high demand and short supply during the pandemic. So when a transport truck carrying a large load of the stuff crashed on a highway in the state of Texas (U.S.), it would have been understandable if bystanders had helped themselves to a few of the rolls. Unfortunately, the toilet paper – reported to be the type used in businesses – caught fire. Instead of cleaning up the spilled load, onlookers ended up watching a bonfire of the important commodity. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. See the fiery mess here: www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Moose rescue: Travis Burke and Greg Miller went fishing, a favourite activity among folks who live near the Canadian city of Sudbury, Ontario. On this outing, however, the pair did more than catch fish. They came across a very young baby moose that was shivering and alone. It was in the water and couldn’t seem to get up onto the rocky shore. So Burke and Miller came to the rescue, guiding their boat to the baby and helping it onto land. Upon hearing the story, a wildlife expert believed the men did the right thing by leaving it there, saying that it was likely the mother would come back to find it.

Weather dog: A Tampa, Florida (U.S.) weatherman recently got some help with his broadcast from a furry friend. Paul Dellegatto was on camera in his home office, with the cameraman aiming the lens at him from outside his window. Suddenly, Dellegatto’s golden retriever, Brody, entered the frame. In doing so, he nudged the computer, and the weather map blinked off. Dellegatto soldiered on, reading the material instead. Brody then decided to go to the window to greet the cameraman, blocking the camera’s view. No matter – viewers loved the interruption!

See the broadcast here... www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Car museum: Many famous automobiles have appeared in movies over the years. Anyone with a hankering to see their favourite movie vehicle can visit the Celebrity Car Museum in Branson, Missouri (U.S.). More than 100 such cars are collected there, from the Ford Explorer in Jurassic Park to the Flintstone’s granite car to the Batmobile from the 1966 TV series. The museum is the brainchild of the Velvet family, who have been car collectors for years. Displays change because the family regularly buys and sells cars. Visitors are welcome to pretend to be a movie star behind the wheel. See them here... www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Cat handbags: A woman in Japan, known as Pico, designs handbags that look like real cats. Using faux fur, a handbag might appear to be a pure white kitten, a black and white cat about to pounce, or a green-eyed grey feline that wants to cuddle. One of Pico’s creations is a knapsack which, on the wearer’s back, looks like a house cat on its haunches clawing at a screen door. Pico’s work became known on social media, but she makes them in limited numbers because she is busy raising her young children.

Chalk replica: “Along the River during the Qingming Festival” is a centuries old Chinese work of art on an approximately five-metre (16-ft.) long scroll. It is a favourite of art teacher Zhao Wenrui of Shanxi Province, China. Wanting to surprise his students after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, he made a replica of the famous work using chalkboards and chalk. The finished product took him three months and covers eight chalkboards and, like the original, reveals the lives of the people of the time, from farmers to vendors to boatmen, along with an amazing array of landscapes.

Weird name: A young Mexican man who grew up in the United States had always been called “Bambino” by his parents and friends. However, when his family of four went back to Mexico, the parents decided to let their son know his real name. It is “Zero Zero Three,” or “Cero Cero Tres” in Spanish. The parents gave him the name because he is the third of four children. His complete name is “Cero Cero Tres Miller Santos Chablé.” Zero Zero Three was able to use his name to his advantage. He won a prize offered by a pizzeria in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, for having the weirdest name. He received two large pizzas as the prize.

Picturesque burglary: If you are going to rob someone, try not to take a picture of yourself on the victim’s phone. That’s what Ashley Keast did after breaking into a home with the intent of stealing. Keast, of Rotherham, South Yorks (England), stole a SIM card and put it into a different phone before posting a selfie. He didn’t realize that the photo was seen by the victim’s co-workers, who called the cops. It didn’t take long to find the thief, who was caught with the victim’s £4,000 Rolex watch. Keast ended up in jail for his bad deed.

Unusual art: Artist Reijo Kela of Finland must have been a bit bored when he decided to make some friends – literally. He came up with an art installation consisting of over 1,000 “people” made of wooden frames and dressed in colourful clothing. All the figures, which have heads of peat and hair of straw, face the same direction. Called “The Silent People,” the installation is situated in a field near a highway, in the Finnish municipality of Suomussalmi. Drivers who are accustomed to the sight may not look twice, but those who don’t know about it experience quite a shock when they first view the army of scarecrows. See these creepy creations here:

www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Big loaves: The country of Vietnam holds many tourist attractions, but one unlikely item has people talking – giant loaves of bread. Baker Pham Thi Bac of An Giang province in the Mekong Delta, started making the big loaves in 2018, just for fun. At about one metre (3 ft.) long and weighing approximately three kilograms (6.5 lbs.), the loaves taste great and are glazed with butter and seeds. Local people heard about the bread first and started asking for it. Then tourists joined in, wanting to take home a loaf or two as souvenirs – if they could figure out a way to carry them! See them here...

www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

House for raffle: Katherine Jablonowska and Ryan Mclean wanted to do something different, so they took on a unique project. They bought a 19th-century cottage on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales and renovated it. But their goal was not to live there. Instead, they plan to raffle it off for £5 per ticket, with the lucky winner becoming the new owner. Originally a working barn, the home is now a beautiful, peaceful abode, with all the “bells and whistles” of modern life. When selling tickets, the pair is requesting a £1 donation, which they will match and donate to The Children’s Society.

Underwater art: A young Bahamian girl sits beneath the sea off the coast of New Providence, an island in the Bahamas. Actually, the girl is a statue, made of sustainable materials designed to encourage the growth of coral. Named “Ocean Atlas,” this statue was made by Jason deCaires Taylor, an artist and photographer. “Ocean Atlas” was installed in 2014 under the water near the city of Nassau. It is 5.5 metres (18 ft.) tall and weighs over 60 tonnes. It is possible to go snorkelling in the area to see this interesting art installment up close.

Tiny tree: Fairy Lake near the town of Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island, Canada, draws people to its shores so they can view a little fir tree. This small conifer is special because it is growing out of a log that is submerged in the lake. The tree is thought to be between 30 and 40 years old, and no one is quite sure how it survives on the log, which is the source of its nutrients. The tree is the subject of many photographs, and no two are alike. In times of high water, it may be almost submerged, while on still summer mornings, it sits peacefully in the mist. Take a look here... www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Twice lucky: His last name has not been released, but “Joe B.” is one lucky fellow. From Pueblo, Colorado (U.S.), Joe bought two lottery tickets on the same day at different stores located a few blocks apart. He purchased one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Both tickets turned out to be $1 million winners! Joe used the same numbers (his lucky ones) each time. It took him a month to claim his prizes, and when he did, it was via a drive-thru window set up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Animal hospital: The Nairobi National Park in Kenya has a special centre for injured animals. Called the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, this centre takes in and treats animals and birds of many different species. On any one day, there may be lions, hyenas, cheetahs, parrots, ostriches, and more. While the animals are ill or injured, they are nursed back to health by the orphanage’s staff. The centre’s goal is for the animals to be rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats. Often, park rangers are the ones who find and bring in animals and birds that need medical treatment. The public can visit the orphanage for educational tours.

Stay home! The originator of Batman probably never envisioned the caped crusader as a virus fighter. However, that was the case in the Mexican city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. A man dressed up in a real Batman suit drove around the city in a Batmobile, taking it upon himself to tell people to stay at home. He blasted a recorded message from the vehicle asking people to keep their distance from each other. The vigilante apparently was Candelario Maldonado, a Batman impersonator known in the city. See Maldonado in action here:

www.myCoffeeNews.ca/extra

Cat sense: Dogs tend to get all the recognition for being heroes in times of trouble, but a cat in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, Newfoundland (Canada), deserves some credit for being a “watch cat.” The black and white feline, called Joey, is owned by Scott White. Just after midnight, White had put some food in the slow cooker, expecting it to be ready in the morning. However, he woke up a few hours later to find Joey pacing around the bed and whacking him with a paw. Turns out the slow cooker had caught fire. Without Joey, the house might have burned down.