The Bear Jar

For more than a week, residents of northwest Wisconsin had been riveted by sightings of a hapless yet elusive bear with a jar stuck on her head. “The bear had been identified plenty of times … but by the time anyone got there that could help, she was gone,” said Erik Donley of Duluth. Donley and his nieces were arriving at their family cabin when the bear came out of the woods near them. Understandably scared, the youngest niece locked the cabin doors — briefly leaving her poor uncle outside. The family called wildlife authorities, then Donley went back outside to follow the bear from a safe distance and prevent her from disappearing again. The USDA soon arrived, tranquilized the bear, and — finally — removed that stubborn jar. Authorities said the creature was underweight for this time of year, but has been safely relocated and is expected to recover. [Northern News Now, 8/4/2025] 

Bright Idea

In the Hautes-Vosges region of France, farmers have become discouraged with the lack of help from the law regarding squatters who appear in camping vans and park illegally on private property. So, The Economic Times reported on Aug. 4, the farmers unleashed the power of the poo on the interlopers. Six tractors circled around the campers and released slurry — a mixture of manure and water — that’s used to fertilize the soil. “We’ve had enough,” one farmer said. “If no one listens, we make ourselves heard another way.” [Economic Times, 8/4/2025]

No Fans of Drama

Farmers near Yellowstone National Park, struggling with wolves attacking their livestock but prohibited from harming the protected animals, have turned to technology — and Hollywood — for help in keeping the predators away. Yahoo News reported on Aug. 4 that quadcopter drones equipped with speakers blaring AC/DC songs and audio from a Scarlett Johansson movie had been dispatched in the ongoing fight. Per the USDA, “people arguing is a distressing sound for wolves, and so the fight scene between Johansson and Adam Driver in the 2019 movie Marriage Story is a perfect deterrent.” The music and film clips seem to be working: Since their deployment, the number of cows killed by wolves in southern Oregon has fallen from 11 over a 20-day period to two over the next 85 days. [Yahoo, 8/4/2025] 

Easy There, Leadfoot

A driver on Germany’s famed Autobahn was issued a $1,000 fine and had his license suspended for three months, CNN reported, after he exceeded the speed limit by 124 mph on July 28. Speed limit? On the Autobahn? Yes, while the motorway is known worldwide as a de facto raceway where drivers can go as fast as they please, it has stretches where speed limits are posted and enforced. German police said the motorist was clocked at over 199 mph on the A2 highway near Burg, a portion of the Autobahn where the limit is 74.5 mph. [CNN, 8/8/2025]

Climb Every Mountain

To be awarded a scholarship for college, most prospective students must write a killer essay, but South Korean students with the right lofty aspirations can take a hike. Literally. According to UPI, Seoul National University offers a scholarship of up to $540 to students who climb any six mountains in the Blackyak Alpine Club’s 100 Famous Mountains and 100+ Famous Mountains lists, excluding those traversed by cable car or gondola. Students must use the Blackyak app to prove they hiked the mountains. The Misan Mountain Hiking Scholarship, which is funded by alumnus Kwon Jun-ha, 81, is highly competitive — only 70 spots are available, but 1,400 students applied for it during the open period from July 8 to 18. “The scholarship reflects the donor’s desire to foster healthy individuals with a spirit of challenge and community spirit,” the school said. [UPI, 8/4/2025]

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