Archaeologists in Turkey believe they have found the tomb of the real St. Nicholas, People magazine reported on Oct. 19. The grave was discovered beneath the floor of a 7th- or 8th-century church in the country's Antalya province. St. Nicholas of Myra, the inspiration for our modern-day Santa Claus, allegedly served as bishop there. Scientists say the site will be protected and prepared for display.
Wiener war
A turf war of sorts broke out late on Nov. 19 in downtown San Diego, CBS8-TV reported: Interloper hot dog vendors from Los Angeles had set up outside Petco Park stadium, where British musician Duke Dumont was playing, and the San Diego vendors weren't having it. A brawl involving 10 to 15 people ensued, with one 35-year-old man being stabbed in the back during the fray. Police arrested Yoni Yates, 21, in the assault, which resulted in non-life-threatening injuries. No wieners were injured in the fray.
Stowaway
TSA agents on duty at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City on Nov. 16 spotted an unusual item in a passenger's checked baggage: a live cat. NBC2 News reported that the feline was spotted in an X-ray of the bag and was released before the suitcase went into the cargo hold. "The cat did not belong to the individual with the suitcase," TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said. "It belonged to someone else in the household." The agents held onto the would-be passenger until its owners came to retrieve it.
Job demands
In Paris, a court has ruled in favor of a former employee of Cubik Partners who was fired in 2015 for being "insufficient professionally" because he wouldn't take part in "team-building" activities, i.e., going to the pub after work hours and on weekends. In his suit, the ex-employee, identified by only the first letter of his last name, T, said the company encouraged a culture "involving promiscuity, bullying and incitement to various excesses." The Court of Cessation declared that T "could not be blamed for his lack of integration in the fun environment," The U.S. Sun reported. Cubik was forced to pay him about $3,100 in compensation.
Good enough to eat
Japanese food shops rely on realistic plastic samples to showcase their offerings, but one Osaka shop mistakenly sold five plastic pastries to customers on Oct. 22, Gulf News reported. At Andrew's Egg Tart, a worker immediately noticed the mistake, and the plastic treats were exchanged for the real thing. From now on, the shop will use stickers to distinguish real egg tarts from their doppelgangers.
A real wheeler dealer
With home prices in New Zealand taking their biggest drop in 30 years, one homeowner who's looking to sell is trying to sweeten the offer. The owners of a house in Flat Bush are offering a free Tesla with the purchase of their $1.8 million home, Sky News reported. The new owner can choose the color of the electric car, which will be ordered new and delivered to the home from the manufacturer. And with a six-car garage, finding a place to park shouldn't be a problem.
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