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Today's Paper | September 30, 2024

Published 28 Sep, 2024 08:18am

The weekly weird

Bully cat breed sparks outrage

Animal lovers and rights activists are calling for a boycott of the Bully Cat, a new hairless breed with severe health issues. Featuring stubby legs and excessive skin folds, this breed, derived from the Sphynx cat, faces criticism for the suffering it endures due to its extreme body shape.

Experts warn that the breed is prone to joint pain, skin infections and other health problems. Despite these concerns, its unusual appearance is driving demand and irresponsible breeding. Critics argue that purchasing such animals supports animal abuse.

The world’s smallest vacuum cleaner

An Indian college student, Tapala Nadamuni, set a Guinness World Record by converting a refillable ballpoint pen into the world’s smallest vacuum cleaner. His vacuum, measuring just 0.25 inches at its smallest axis, was created with a $238 investment. It operates with a tiny rotating fan powered by a four-volt vibration motor to suction dust particles, which can then be emptied.

Nadamuni, who previously held the record in 2020 with a 0.69-inch vacuum, surpassed a device measuring 0.07 inches more than his latest creation. He shared that his college community was astonished by the tiny vacuum, calling it the “most beautiful creation” they’ve seen.

Eyeball sewn to eye corner in botched surgery

A Chinese woman, Ms Zhang, from Shandong Province, suffered vision problems and depression after a botched double eyelid surgery in 2021. The procedure at Weifang Kuiwen Lirendu Medical Beauty Clinic resulted in her left eyeball being accidentally sewn to the corner of her eye.

Despite initial assurances, Zhang’s vision became blurry, and follow-up surgeries failed. She now struggles with eye movement and depression, seeking corrective surgery in Shanghai but lacks funds. Zhang is also seeking a refund of her 30,000 yuan ($4,200) payment, but the clinic has only offered 10,000 yuan.

Batmobile-inspired Crocs

Crocs teams up with DC Comics to create a surprisingly cool-looking version of its ubiquitous Classic Clogs, inspired by arguably the best Batmobile ever designed.

The Croc brand has always been associated with comfort, but rarely with style, until now. The recently-released Batman x Crocs Classic Clog “Batmobile” is a limited-edition version of its Classic Clogs, inspired by the design of the Batmobile featured in the 1989 Batman movie and its sequel, Batman Returns.

Apart from the jet-black colour, the new Crocs feature a variety of Batmobile elements, such as the front turbine, a pair of discrete yellow headlights and even a glossy windshield. At the back, we have red stoplights, rear wheels, and the Batmobile’s iconic exhaust. But perhaps the coolest element of all is the batwing lateral spoiler on the heel strap. n

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 28th, 2024

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