Boing Boing, October 06, 2025
Masked ICE agents, Amazon vs USPS, and a thirsty Australian lizard gets help
Happy Monday! Today: Protesters thwart ICE agents attempting to detain people on the streets, while a disturbing shooting between an Amazon and USPS driver escalates tensions between delivery services. On the lighter side, watch a heartwarming video of a dehydrated frilled lizard getting rejuvenated after bushfires in Australia. Plus, Trumpworld’s “court philosopher” Curtis Yarvin makes plans to flee the country, a new illegal Trump Dollar design surfaces, and the Portland Frog proves immune to pepper spray. Finally, meet Nigel the adorable opossum ambassador who’s winning hearts at the Oregon Zoo.
Fake influencer jailed for fraud and indecent images of children
Rob Beschizza / 11:36 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
A 26-year-old British influencer who appeared in a Channel 4 documentary titled “Rich Kids of Instagram” turned out to be a prolific scammer, defrauding businesses and people out of more than £200,000. He was jailed for six years this week after Chester Crown Court in England heard he described himself as “Cheshire’s very own Kardashian” and tricked his victims. Investigators also found in his possession indecent images of children, extreme pornography and other “prohibited images.” The lifestyle of Jack Watkin, 26, was a fantasy fueled by crime.
But the court heard that Watkin always had excuses. He duped one woman into handing over thousands of pounds thinking she was investing in the much sought-after luxury handbag, when in fact she was paying his bills at the Dorchester Hotel in London. None of the victims received the handbags or their share in the profits of their resale. The investigation was launched after the woman who inadvertently paid for his luxury hotel bill contacted the Metropolitan Police in 2022, having become suspicious of Watkin’s continued excuses.
Notwithstanding the fake influencer fraud and Channel 4’s inadvertant role helping him run it, that’s quite a lot of CSAM.
Officers also found he made 307 category B indecent images of children, 158 category C indecent images of children, possessed six extreme pornographic images of animals, and five prohibited images of children. On his second arrest, when he was met at Macclesfield train station by officers in October 2024, his new phone was forensically downloaded and this had five category B and two category C indecent images of children as well as five category B indecent images of children. Officers also found he had made two category C indecent images of children.
“It was never going to end well, and his downfall was inevitable,” Det Con Gareth Yates told the BBC. “Eventually his lies caught up with him and he is now facing the consequences of his deceit, and his perversions.”
“Have a Dandy Day” is the delightfully strange website the internet was made for
Popkin / 10:50 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
I recently came across a website called Have A Dandy Day! It made me say “this is what the internet was made for!”
Once you click the start button on this silly and wholesome site, a man in a top hat will sing you a song about how he wishes you a dandy day. You can also click on the “quote button,” and the same man in will tell you something each time you boop him on the nose.
I booped him on the nose, and here’s what he told me. “People have been looking very tired lately. Everyone needs to take a nap! Goodnight!”
The Dandy Day man has more wisdom than I thought he did (I certainly need a nap, and I feel like he’s just given me permission to take one).
I’m glad I came across this delightfully strange little place on the internet today. The simple yet absurd nature of this website makes it a true gem. I’ll definitely be coming back when I need a chuckle and some positivity.
See also: ‘Weird Box’ is a cool interactive film starring your Instagram photos
Watch a thirsty frilled lizard get rejuvenated on a road in Australia
Popkin / 10:47 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Watch a thirsty frilled lizard get rejuvenated on a road in Australia. This poor little lizard was dehydrated after a bushfire. Luckily, a nice person poured water directly from their bottle into the reptile’s mouth.
The frilled lizard stands in a way that looks defensive at first, but relaxes as soon as it begins to drink from the stream of water. After each drink, the little guy opens his mouth as wide as he can like a baby bird to show he wants even more water. This lizard is truly adorable, and I’m glad someone was there at the right time to help him out.
From YouTube
“This was near the Gulf of Carpentaria in the tropics of Australia, I saw a bushfire which drove several lizards out onto the road. They lay lame on the road and couldn’t move much, maybe because of the 40 degree heat and lack of shelter? After a bit of cold water one slowly woke up and ran away
Some quick FAQ:
– it is a frilled lizard
– it usually gets enough moisture from food
– not poisonous, but can bite scratch and whip when the bluff fails”
See also: Epic wall-climbing lizard toy entertains humans and cats alike
Watch mouthwash obliterate germs under a microscope
Popkin / 10:46 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
See what happens under a microscope when an army of germs encounters a wave of mouthwash. The creator of this video uses his very own mouth germs for this experiment. Before the mouthwash is added, the germs look like they’re all swimming down a stream together.
After the Listerine massacre takes place, the germs begin lifelessly floating around. You can see a noticeable difference, and it’s reassuring if you’ve ever had any mouthwash doubts. This video would be a great commercial for Listerine.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s happening behind the scenes when you’re using mouthwash, this video should answer some of your questions. Here’s a mouthwash tip: Using mouthwash right after brushing with fluoride toothpaste can rinse away some fluoride, and it’s best to wait at least 30 minutes.
Incompetent ICE brownshirts thwarted by locals, protestors
Jason Weisberger / 9:02 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
The people of the United States of America are fed up with masked Gestapo terrorizing our friends, neighbors. Abducting people from work, running errands, and dropping children off at school is vile and must be rejected. Here, folks on the street stop ICE from disappearing a man.
This short video shows just how incompetent and utterly worthless these masked jackals are. A zip-tied protestor being led away by a gaggle of these wholly un-American jerks waits for his moment and takes off. Even funnier than the bicycle delivery guy the traitors were unable to catch!
The number of lawsuits from abuse is going to cost us, the taxpayers, hundreds of millions. This protestor being hosed down with pepper spray is pure abuse of power, and clearly not necessary:
USPS driver shot by Amazon driver
Rob Beschizza / 8:34 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Officers and medics received a call at around 12:50 p.m. to respond to the West Mall Place Apartments for reports of a shooting, according to police. … The mail carrier was transported to Harborview Medical Center for treatment, according to Wiegand.
“Neighbors tell me an Amazon driver shot the USPS worker in a mailroom, then went to the front office and told them to call 911, reporter Jeremy Harris posted on social media. The incident occurred at a building at 9300 West View Drive, and the circumstances remain a mystery. Here’s Komo News’ segment:
Freightwaves offers an explanation courtesy of an unverified eyewitness:
“USPS workers don’t let people in the area when they have the mailboxes open. The Amazon driver didn’t particularly like that, they got into an argument, which escalated to a shoving match, which escalated to the Amazon driver shooting the USPS guy in the freaking eye!!! Then he sat there calmly and waited for the cops to show up and claimed self defense,” a poster named Rich Ryan said on Facebook.
Kash Patel, and law enforcements, troubling worship of “The Punisher”
Jason Weisberger / 8:27 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Incompetent FBI Director Kash “K$H” Patel’s troubling new FBI challenge coin represents vigilantism, retribution, and extrajudicial violence: all of which directly oppose the principles of lawful policing.
Cops using “The Punisher” skull have either not read the comic or are terrible police people. Frank “The Punisher” Castle rejects due process and murders people he feels are criminals. The character’s co-creator, Gerry Conway, has repeatedly said police using the symbol misunderstand it, calling it “disturbing and inappropriate.” Displaying this image on uniforms or vehicles implies endorsement of lethal, punitive force rather than service, restraint, and accountability.
Police officers displaying this image alienate the very communities they are employed to serve, signaling their aggression instead of protection and destroying public trust in lawful authority.
MAGA Mike: “Let me look straight into the camera…” and lie
Jason Weisberger / 8:07 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Speaker of the House “MAGA” Mike Johnson’s audacity knows no bounds. The Republican Party, which has spent decades gutting healthcare and making the for-profit system only work for the profiteers, wants to look you in the eye and lie to you.
Who voted literally dozens of times to revoke or strip the AHCA? Republicans. Which party has shut down the government over an insistence NOT to protect healthcare? The Republicans? In the same speech, Johnson proves he’s never tried to use Medicare and he has no clue who in America is actually on the program.
Here is another gem, Mike creating a tall tale about why he hasn’t seated the 218th vote to release the Epstein files:
Trumpworld court philosopher Curtis Yarvin thinking about “how to flee the country”
Rob Beschizza / 8:03 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Curtis Yarvin, the reactionary monarchist blogger described lately as the “court philosopher” of Trumpworld and Silicon Valley types, is dimming on the Orange King’s prospects. In fact, he suggests everyone involved in all this needs a “2029 plan”.
The second Trump revolution, like the first, is failing. It is failing because it deserves to fail. … the vengeance meted out after its failure will dwarf the vengeance after 2020—because the successes of the second revolution are so much greater than the first—I feel that I personally have to start thinking realistically about how to flee the country. Everyone else in a similar position should have a 2029 plan as well. And it is not even clear that it will wait until 2029: losing the Congress will instantly put the administration on the defensive.
Readers may find that this sharp conclusion is undermined by the soft ramblings given in support of it. Nevertheless, it is a thought echoed by Sen. Ron Wyden and, well, Buenos Aires is still right there.
They’re using American tax dollars to fund infrastructure in Argentina because that’s where they’re all going to flee when we kick them out of office
You don’t have to run faster than Simon Wiesenthal. You just have to run faster than the other kids.
ICE attempted to viciously attack the Portland Frog, but the frog is stronger
Jason Weisberger / 7:29 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
A few nights ago video of an ICE brownshirt hosing down the air-inlet of a seriously not dangerous person with pepper spray made the rounds. The Frog is back and has made a statement: they’ve tasted spicer.
Trump’s masked brownshirts face no consequences. As John Oliver said, “This White House is full of the pettiest little b1tches imaginable.” I mean, sure, everyone knows frogs can be poisonous, but not the inflatable kind.
Kristi Noem upset people won’t let ICE agents use their toilets
Rob Beschizza / 7:21 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Politicians and pundits often fight over the first and second amendments to the U.S. Constitution, but now MAGA madness has the third one finally in the spotlight: “No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner.” Unfortunately for the Owner, ICE agents need to use the restroom and Kristi Noem wants you to let them in.
“And in fact, they don’t even let our ICE officers and our Border Patrol officers use restrooms,” she complained on a Fox News interview. “Those men and women were telling us that they have to figure out even where they can go sit down for five minutes to have lunch or to use a restroom throughout their shift and their break. So they’ve made it a very difficult situation.”
However strange reality gets, a classic item from The Onion is there to greet it. By saying no to federal agents wanting to use your facilities, you’re supporting the next thing the founders thought of after speech, religion and the right to bear arms.
Happy Mutants! Please help us rescue marine mammals!
Jason Weisberger / 6:57 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
The Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) needs your help. MMCC is the only year-round hospital in Los Angeles dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating sick, injured, and orphaned seals and sea lions.
Last year, MMCC competed in the Land Rover Defender Service Awards and came so close, they finished in second place. This year, they’ve been given a second chance to win, and with your help, we can make it happen! What we need from you is your vote. You may vote once daily from now until October 19th at this link.
Winning would mean $35,000 and a customized Land Rover Defender 130, giving MMCC’s Team the ability to transport more patients safely and continue providing life-saving care.
Again, daily voting can be done at this link. If you’d like some fun daily reminders from MMCC, you can sign up here. If you prefer to donate directly, that is also an option.
I am a volunteer at MMCC. The work done there by the veterinarians, technicians, staff, and volunteers inspires me every time I visit. Please help.
Design for illegal Trump Dollar is “real,” says U.S. Treasurer
Rob Beschizza / 6:54 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
Coin designs depicting a “Trump Dollar” are “real”, according to U.S. Treasurer Brandon Breach. They plan to issue them to commemorate America’s 250th birthday in 2026. It is against the law for the a living president, sitting or former, to be depicted on U.S. coins within two years of their death. Before he was placed in charge of the money, Breach was best-known as a MAGA conspiracy theorist who made a point of attending public events while infected with the Covid-19 virus.
The coin design depicts Trump after an attempted assassination in Bulter, Pennsylvania, during the 2024 election campaign.
“No coin issued under this subsection may bear the image of a living former or current President, or of any deceased former President during the 2-year period following the date of the death of that President,” according to the US code governing coin design. … That law also states, “No head and shoulders portrait or bust of any person, living or dead, and no portrait of a living person may be included in the design on the reverse of specified coins.”
In anticipation of America’s 250th anniversary, Congress passed the Circulating Collectible Coin Redesign Act, which allows the US Treasury to mint special $1 coins to celebrate the event. The act states that the Treasury secretary may “mint for issuance during the one-year period beginning January 1, 2026, $1 dollar coins with designs emblematic of the United States semiquincentennial.”
Note the clever trick? The design puts Trump on the front of the coin. The part of the law specifying “portrait or bust” on the reverse of specified coins will be taken to obviate the part of the law prohibiting “images” anywhere on coins.
The only living president to be featured on a coin was Calvin Coolidge in 1926, as shown online by The American Numismatic Association.
To answer the obvious question: you must accept cash for debts, you don’t have to accept it as payment for goods or services.
Watch Nigel the opossum snack on a gorgeous hibiscus flower
Jennifer Sandlin / 6:33 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
I’m totally in love with Nigel the opossum, and have watched this video of the magnificent munching marsupial more times than I’m prepared to admit. In the video, you can see Nigel climb onto the tree stump, and carefully sniff each flower that’s on offer. He even gives the camera a nice sniff, much to the delight of the lucky folks (like me, and you!) who get to watch him in action. He chooses his favorite — the giant, gorgeous bright pink hibiscus flower — and picks it up with his adorable little grabby hands. He constinues grasping the flower as he starts chowing down. He first takes the biggest bite I’ve ever seen off the top of the flower and happily smacks his treat. With his second bite, he devours most of the stem, leaving only a few petals behind. Listening to him munch on the stem is especially delightful, as the stem provides a wonderfully pleasing crunch as Nigel chews with abandon. Next, he makes easy work of the remaining flower in his next two small, demure bites.
And that, my friends, is a perfect snack!
Nigel came to the Oregon Zoo in March, 2025 as a tiny, approximately three month-old baby who weighed only nine and a half ounces. He had been found abandoned behind an apartment building in Lebanon, Oregon and a kind soul had delivered him to the Chintimini Wildlife Center, where he was taken care of before the Wildlife Center brought him to the Oregon Zoo. He’s currently being cared for by zoo staff including Eliza Lee, who runs the zoo’s animal ambassador area, where Nigel is being trained to be an ambassador. Lee explains that Nigel is “settling in nicely and already showing us his curious personality.”
If I lived in Portland I’d be heading straight to the Oregon Zoo to finally fulfill my dream of meeting an opossum. If you’re anywhere near Portland, what on earth are you waiting for? Go say hi to Nigel for me!
Learn more about Nigel the opossum via this article, and see more of Nigel and his animal friends at the Oregon Zoo’s website, YouTube, or Instagram.
The Good Liars vs. anti-vaxxers
Grant St. Clair / 6:30 am PT Mon Oct 6, 2025
The American left must have a Good Liars signal set up or something, because the comedy duo’s ability to appear wherever the dopiest adherents of the MAGA cult are is truly magical. After making an appearance at Trump Tower in fine form, they’ve popped up again at a MAGA rally to interview America’s finest about vaccines.
Marvel as one guy describes people who’ve taken the COVID vaccine as “no longer human”, which is probably fine and has definitely not historically led to anything.
On the other hand, though, there’s some classic QAnon numerology, which is always hilarious. See Sheep Surrender, indeed.