Magpie News Collector

Maryland man leaves the gym, wins $31,118.30 lottery prize

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/7/2025 3:46 PM

A Maryland man made a quick stop on his way home from the gym and scored a $31,118.30 prize from the Maryland Lottery's Racetrax virtual horse racing game. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Ohio zoo asks for help naming newborn rhino calf

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/7/2025 2:28 PM

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Ohio is asking members of the public to help name a critically endangered eastern black rhino calf born at the facility. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Venomous snake removed from inside Queensland home

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/7/2025 1:13 PM

An Australian reptile wrangler came to the rescue of a venomous red-bellied black snake that found its way into a Queensland resident's house and hid. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Baby squirrel falls out of tree at Colorado mini golf course

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/7/2025 12:18 PM

An animal control officer in Colorado came to the rescue of a baby squirrel that fell out of a tree and was abandoned by its mother at a mini golf course. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Overturned truck spills 46,000 pounds of applesauce on the highway

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/7/2025 11:24 AM

Some lanes of a highway in Illinois were closed while crews worked to clean up the mess left by a semi truck that overturned and spilled its load of applesauce. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Alligator tries to 'crash happy hour' at tiki bar in Florida

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/7/2025 10:40 AM

Police in Florida relocated a thirsty alligator that was "apparently looking to crash happy hour" by joining patrons at a tiki bar in the city of Stuart. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Virginia Zoo announces birth of three Asian small-clawed otter pups

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/6/2025 4:14 PM

The Virginia Zoo in Norfolk announced the birth of three male Asian small-clawed otter pups, the first of their species to ever be born at the facility. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Weeklong illness leads to $100,000 lottery prize

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/6/2025 4:00 PM

A Missouri Lottery player who was sick at home for a week finally managed to leave the house and wound up scoring a $100,000 scratch-off lottery prize. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Alligator intently watches PGA golfer take shot in Mississippi

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/6/2025 2:17 PM

Vince Whaley made a difficult shot from inside the water at the PGA Tour's Sanderson Farms Championship with an alligator watching closely from nearby. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Water-skiing squirrel delights crowds at N.C. fair

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/6/2025 2:00 PM

The Carolina Classic Fair in Winston-Salem, N.C., is pulling in large crowds with a talented and famous headlining performer: Twiggy the water-skiing squirrel. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: Pig captured after several days on the loose in Indianapolis park

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/6/2025 1:09 PM

An animal rescue group in Indiana announced it has successfully apprehended a pig that was on the loose for several days in an Indianapolis public park. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Serial record-breaker prepares to take on her own 'Just Dance' title

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/6/2025 12:21 PM

A California woman used her love of dance-based video games to break several Guinness World Records, including the overall longest video game marathon ever. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

'Bummed' lottery player finds out he was the big jackpot winner

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/3/2025 4:24 PM

A Michigan man said he was disappointed to see someone had won the $564,219 Club Keno The Jack prize -- until he found out the winning ticket was his own. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Baby sloth makes public debut at Pennsylvania zoo

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/3/2025 1:58 PM

The Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania is introducing the public to its newest -- and arguably cutest -- arrival: a baby two-toed sloth born at the facility. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Moose stranded in Colorado canal hoisted to safety

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/3/2025 1:44 PM

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers came to the rescue of a young bull moose that plunged into a canal and was unable to find its way out of the water. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Look: English town ejects black swan that tried to drown local birds

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/3/2025 12:43 PM

A black swan that took up residence in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, is being relocated to a sanctuary after attempting to drown some of the native mute swans. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Watch: Entangled squirrel rescued from sports net in Ohio

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/3/2025 11:13 AM

Police in Richmond Heights, Ohio, came to the rescue of a sporty squirrel that ended up entangled in a sports net that had been left out while not in use. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Long-lost Spanish treasure worth $1m discovered off Florida coast

By Sky News | | 10/2/2025 11:07 PM

Long-lost Spanish treasure worth an estimated $1m (£740,000) has been discovered off the coast of Florida. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

Lottery ticket found in closet turns out to be $100,000 winner

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/2/2025 3:49 PM

A Virginia woman doing some cleaning at home found a box of scratch-off lottery tickets in her closet -- and one of them turned out to be a $100,000 winner. ... Read full Story

odd_fun

California woman owns the world's largest Polly Pocket collection

By United Press International, Inc. | | 10/2/2025 2:29 PM

A YouTuber from California decided to revisit her childhood and ended up breaking a Guinness World Record with her collection of 534 Polly Pocket toys. ... Read full Story

art

‘We AmeRícans’ Celebrates Puerto Rican Community, Pride, and Cultural Hybridity

by Colossal | Oct 07 2025

basketball

LeBron James injury update: Lakers superstar 'likely' to miss all of preseason, per report

by CBS Interactive Inc | Oct 07 2025

entertainment

New Music Friday October 3: Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl

by ET Online | Oct 03 2025

fashion

Fashion week follies: Forget the runway — catch the real show in the front row

by NY Post | Oct 06 2025

FFNEWS

Surprising surge: Trucking spot market rates climb overnight

by FreightWaves | Oct 07 2025

food

Ozzy Osbourne's Go-To Snack Was Shockingly Wholesome

by The Daily Meal | Oct 07 2025

golf

Ryder Cup: U.S. and European Golfers Face a Challenge at Bethpage Black

by NY Times | Sep 25 2025

health

Young Adults Who Stay Heart Healthy Have Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk

by Healthline.com | Oct 07 2025

how_to

How to Clone a Hard Drive on Windows and Mac

by CNET | Oct 07 2025

knowledge

If You See a Star on a Barn, Here’s What It Means

by Reader's Digest | Oct 07 2025

new_jersey

New law requires NJ schools to teach Latino, Hispanic history

by NJ Spotlight | Oct 07 2025

nutrition

5 Drinks To Help Lower Cholesterol, According to Science

by thehealthy.com | Sep 09 2025

odd_fun

Maryland man leaves the gym, wins $31,118.30 lottery prize

by United Press International, Inc. | Oct 07 2025

sports

Pelé's life in pictures

by CNN | Apr 16 2023

technology

Best SSD and storage deals on October Prime Day

by PCWorld | Oct 08 2025

Word of the Day

finicky

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 8, 2025 is:

finicky • \FIN-ih-kee\ • adjective

Finicky describes someone who is very hard to please, or something that requires a lot of care, precision, or attentive effort.

// Although she was a finicky eater as a child, she grew up to become a world-renowned chef famous for her encyclopedic knowledge of global ingredients.

// The latest game in the series boasts amazing graphics but the controls are a little finicky.

See the entry >

Examples:

"Stardom is a fleeting concept, one that we've seen play out with the biggest of stars over time. Even without outright missteps, artists often find themselves scrutinized by the masses for reasons entirely unrelated to their work. More often than not, this pressure either drives them to prove their worth to a finicky fanbase—one that will jump ship the second something else catches their attention—or pushes them back into obscurity." — Aron A., HotNewHipHop.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Did you know?

If you're a reader of a certain age (say, a Boomer, Gen Xer, or even a Xennial) you may remember cheeky television commercials featuring Morris, a finicky housecat who only eats a certain brand of cat food. (Morris is still featured on product labels.) Morris's tastes in cuisine are not only very particular, but very fine as well, and that's appropriate given the origin of finicky. The word came about in the early 19th century as an alteration of finicking, itself a 17th century alteration of another adjective, finical, which in turn is a late 16th century coinage likely derived from the adjective fine.

Maryland man leaves the gym, wins $31,118.30 lottery prize

Look: Ohio zoo asks for help naming newborn rhino calf

Watch: Venomous snake removed from inside Queensland home

Watch: Baby squirrel falls out of tree at Colorado mini golf course

Look: Overturned truck spills 46,000 pounds of applesauce on the highway

Look: Alligator tries to 'crash happy hour' at tiki bar in Florida

Watch: Virginia Zoo announces birth of three Asian small-clawed otter pups

Weeklong illness leads to $100,000 lottery prize

Watch: Alligator intently watches PGA golfer take shot in Mississippi

Watch: Water-skiing squirrel delights crowds at N.C. fair

Look: Pig captured after several days on the loose in Indianapolis park

Serial record-breaker prepares to take on her own 'Just Dance' title

'Bummed' lottery player finds out he was the big jackpot winner

Watch: Baby sloth makes public debut at Pennsylvania zoo

Watch: Moose stranded in Colorado canal hoisted to safety

Look: English town ejects black swan that tried to drown local birds

Watch: Entangled squirrel rescued from sports net in Ohio

Long-lost Spanish treasure worth $1m discovered off Florida coast

Lottery ticket found in closet turns out to be $100,000 winner

California woman owns the world's largest Polly Pocket collection

‘We AmeRícans’ Celebrates Puerto Rican Community, Pride, and Cultural Hybridity

LeBron James injury update: Lakers superstar 'likely' to miss all of preseason, per report

New Music Friday October 3: Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl

Fashion week follies: Forget the runway — catch the real show in the front row

Surprising surge: Trucking spot market rates climb overnight

Ozzy Osbourne's Go-To Snack Was Shockingly Wholesome

Ryder Cup: U.S. and European Golfers Face a Challenge at Bethpage Black

Young Adults Who Stay Heart Healthy Have Lower Cardiovascular Disease Risk

How to Clone a Hard Drive on Windows and Mac

If You See a Star on a Barn, Here’s What It Means

New law requires NJ schools to teach Latino, Hispanic history

5 Drinks To Help Lower Cholesterol, According to Science

Maryland man leaves the gym, wins $31,118.30 lottery prize

Pelé's life in pictures

Best SSD and storage deals on October Prime Day

Word of the Day

10 Odd & Fun

1.Maryland man leaves the gym, wins $31,118.30 lottery prize

2.Look: Ohio zoo asks for help naming newborn rhino calf

3.Watch: Venomous snake removed from inside Queensland home

4.Watch: Baby squirrel falls out of tree at Colorado mini golf course

5.Look: Overturned truck spills 46,000 pounds of applesauce on the highway

6.Look: Alligator tries to 'crash happy hour' at tiki bar in Florida

7.Watch: Virginia Zoo announces birth of three Asian small-clawed otter pups

8.Weeklong illness leads to $100,000 lottery prize

9.Watch: Alligator intently watches PGA golfer take shot in Mississippi

10.Watch: Water-skiing squirrel delights crowds at N.C. fair