via abc.net.au
A Taiwan rice farm is trying an off the wall way to get hungry birds to beat it at harvest time: scarecrows dressed like self-proclaimed King of Pop Michael Jackson.
One of the two scarecrows - made of wooden frames with sponges for faces - wears white sequined gloves, a black fedora hat and black brogues; the other is decked out in a red Thriller jacket and trousers. They are set in the fields in different poses copied from the dead singer's signature dance moves.
The scarecrows are the idea of 30-year-old salesman and Jackson fan Lee Ping-hsing, who is now making a third for his father's farm in Changhua county, central Taiwan.
"During harvest, my dad would go to the fields every day and chase the birds away," Lee said.
"And I thought, since Michael is good at 'grabbing his bird', I'm inviting him to grab ours."
But not everyone in the family thinks the scarecrow idea is a thriller.
"I was yelled at by my grandfather, who said Jackson's spirit could come and haunt us," Lee said.
"But I think it would be nice if Michael could come over."
Ha Ha Ta @abclandline
