In the early 2000s, Joseph DeRuvo Jr. of Norwalk, Conn., had developed painful bunions on his feet, and his doctor suggested surgery to remove them. While awaiting his operation, he started going barefoot, and he soon realized his feet felt much better. And now, nearly 20 years later, he's still going shoeless most of the time.
"The tactile feedback just kind of makes everything else going on feel a little bit smoother," he told the New York Times. DeRuvo, 59, said that navigating bad weather and rocky terrain is a challenge, but it's easier than dealing with some people. Restaurants, for instance, often have bans on customers being barefoot. "We get thrown out of a lot of places," his wife said. But his shoelessness contributes to a mindful life: "I pay attention to every single step I take," DeRuvo said.
No air required
Sporting goods company Wilson is reinventing the basketball, Oddity Central reported on March 13, with a new ball that doesn't require inflation. The Wilson Airless Prototype uses a "research-grade" polymer material to achieve the necessary bounce; the surface is a lattice design that keeps the traditional binding pattern so players can grip the seams of the ball more easily. There are still kinks to work out, including how to manage small objects that can get inside the ball.
Another holiday?
A flamboyant woman named Ashley Cream went before Florida's Boca Raton Planning and Zoning Board on March 2 with a pressing concern: She suggested that March 10 be designated Sugar Daddy and Mommy Appreciation Day. WFLA-TV reported that Cream, accompanied by an elderly man in a wheelchair, started her appeal by telling board members they were "looking absolutely fabulous." She went on to say that sugar daddies and mommies are "responsible for college educations, cars, homes, rents, jets, Birkin (bags) and the occasional body enhancement." Without commenting on the merits of the proposal, the board determined that it had no zoning component and suggested to Cream that the issue more appropriately should be directed to the city council.
Oh, Canada
Making obscene gestures is a protected right in Canada, NPR reported. Judge Dennis Galiatsatos ruled on Feb. 24 that "offending someone is not a crime." The decision stemmed from a court case between two un-neighborly neighbors in a Montreal suburb. Galiatsatos said that "the police department and the 911 dispatching service have more important priorities to address" than two people flipping the bird at each other.
The tech revolution
Artificial intelligence has infiltrated television news in China, Oddity Central reported. Ren Xiaorong, a virtual news anchor, was introduced on March 12 to viewers of People's Daily. "For 365 days, 24 hours, I will be reporting the news for the whole year, round the clock," announced Ren (who clearly has not been programmed to avoid redundancy). "Whether at news sites or back in the studio, you will always see me." She has absorbed the talents of "thousands of news anchors" and will continue to evolve based on feedback. Ren can answer many questions, but her answers are all within the parameters of the Chinese Communist Party's rhetoric.
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