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In Yokohama, Japan, near Tokyo, one can visit the Unko Museum -- a whole interactive experience built around "cute" poop. ("Unko" means poop in Japanese.)
For example, reports the Associated Press, one can sit on a colorful fake toilet and pretend to poop as music plays, then collect a brightly colored souvenir poop to take home.
An enormous poop sculpture erupts every 30 minutes, volcanolike, and spews little foam poops.
In one room, visitors can play a "whack-a-mole" type game where they stomp on poops.
Visitor Toshifumi Okuya was delighted: "It's funny because there are adults running around screaming, 'poop, poop,'" he said. The museum opened in March and will remain open until September. [Associated Press, 7/4/2019]
• In the College Station neighborhood of Pulaski County, Arkansas, traditions run deep, especially when it comes to the Fourth of July. Beneques Christopher, 19, told KSDK that the holiday "firework war" has been going on for years, and even attracts people from other neighborhoods: "They know when Fourth of July comes, this is the spot to be at."
But this year, the ritual went awry, resulting in many injuries and several people facing charges.
Christopher was one of the victims: "It popped right here," he said, pointing to his groin area. "And it could have been dangerous because I almost lost everything."
Instead, he suffered a second-degree burn on his thigh, but he feels lucky that he didn't lose any fingers, as five others did.
When police officers arrived, people started pointing fireworks at them, leaving two deputies with injuries.
While a local pastor hopes to shut the tradition down, Christopher vows to continue it: "We started the tradition, and now we have to keep it going," he said. [KSDK, 7/5/2019]