He Stayed One Night, Then Tried to Own the Place | When the Sea Freezes, Estonia Builds a Highway

Morning, friends. Today we’ve got a man who tried to “manifest” a hotel into his name, and a frozen highway that makes rush hour look quaint. Proof, once again, that reality does not need a screenwriter. — Doug Marlowe

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Today's Stories

He Stayed One Night — Then Tried to Own the Place

A New York man checked into the New Yorker Hotel for $200, and decided that might as well make him the owner. He used an obscure housing rule to claim tenant rights, then went further and filed fake documents that said the whole Art Deco landmark now belonged to him. For a brief moment, on paper at least, he almost pulled it off. Prosecutors were not charmed, and he has now pleaded guilty to fraud. It’s a bold reminder that confidence is not the same thing as a deed.

In Estonia, winter got so cold that officials opened a 12-mile road across the frozen sea. Locals were already driving over the ice, so the government stepped in to make it official, and slightly safer. The route links two islands where people need groceries, school drop-offs, and a decent cup of coffee, same as the rest of us. Ferries struggled in the deep freeze, so nature became the bridge. It sounds dramatic, but for residents it’s just Tuesday with snow tires.

That’s today’s tour through the improbable. If you’ve got a favorite, or a nominee for tomorrow’s head shake, hit reply. I’ll bring the coffee. — Doug